Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Hi,
I have an Ariens 824 Model 932101 that has very poor drive power. It does not enough power to push through anything that gives the machine even minimal resistance. I've adjusted the clutch cable to the specs recommended in the owner's manual. I brought it to the dealer at the end of last year for routine maintenance and also to address this lack of drive power issue. It worked passably for one use before failing again. Engine runs strong, auger runs strong, it is just the drive that is an issue. I've read the posts on this site about the R3 upgrade and an wondering if anyone can tell me how much that would cost for parts and labor. I am also wondering if Ariens covers this fix? I feel as though I paid top dollar specifically for the Ariens reputation for engineering and reliability and have been sorely let down. If they've engineered a remedy to this problem on future models and have an upgrade kit to fix it, then in my humble opinion it is known design flaw that Ariens should stand behind. The machine probably has < 20 hours total use on it as I only have a 2 car driveway. Again, just looking for the cost of the R3 upgrade and whether or not Ariens would cover it beyond the warranty period.
Thanks,
Frank