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

I did a search and found a few references to this machine but no answers.  Any one have one of these?  15.5 snow max engine, heated hand grips, 30" wide.  I can't find a listing for auger diameter or impeller diameter.  I called John Deere and the guy that was suppose to be the snow thrower expert didn't know either. 

What is the Easy Steer drive system?  The literature says: 

Easy SteerŽ drive system giving continuous power to both wheels and auto speed adjustment

Is it similar to the Ariens auto differential? 

I've heard that the units are built by B&S which translates to Simplicity.  They do have cast iron gear cases like the Simplicity.  The chute control is different than the simplicity and so is the turning method so they are not exactly the same.  I'm trying to compare the Simplicity L1530E to the JD 1130SE.  Any help would be appreciated.

Rick

I've had my Simplicity 9528 for over a year.  It's on it's second season of service and believe me, we have had lots of heavy snow fall.   My machine hasn't been totally immune to drive slippage.  However, it never stops unless it's up against an immovable  object like a curb or brick wall.  If the machine didn't have snow falling down over the intake housing and onto the engine, the wheels will spin.  It seems that once a fair amount of snow fall down onto the engine area, the wheels will drive until the machine makes contact with something immovable then there will be some slipping.  If I move the machine onto an area where it can move freely, it will go.  I did notice however that if I applied pressure to the drive cable when the slipping starts it will put more pressure on the drive wheels and the wheels will spin when up against an immovable object.  So, it would appear to me that moisture on the drive system is likely having an effect.  Adding more pressure to the drive wheel, in my case will overcome the moisture and immediately provide full drive power.  The amount of tolerance for the drive adjustment is very slim.  Too much adjustment will keep the drive engaged.  It has to be just right.   The stock adjuster on the Simplicity doesn't provide enough adjust-ability.  If I go to the next hole, it will keep the drive constantly engaged.  I have since made an external adjuster that I use if I encounter drive slippage.    

Talked to the JD rep again late in the day.  While I didn't get any answers yet, Kelly informed me that the guy tec support guys that deal with the nuts and bolts of the unit are working on it.  Let's see what happens tomorrow. 

I did drop off this machine at the local JD dealer tonight.  I dropped it off close to 5 pm and expect to pick it up about Weds.  I want to see how this shakes out too.

More to follow.

Borat, I saw the pictures that you posted of the custom adjuster that you made for your Simplicity.  Neat mod.

Nice Work, Clay/Rick!

I don't have a dog in this particular hunt, but I do see all the posts with the same problem and I'm following it closely out of some weird mechanical curiosity.

If you manage to get this straightened out at some sort of corporate level, you'll probably end up fixing the problems of another half-dozen or more folks here, and who knows how many others. If someone like JD goes to B&S and tells them "there is a problem, fix it", the B&S guys will have to. They can then apply that solution to the other similar machines (Snapper, Simplicity) with drive problems.
Still gotta wonder if the Ariens drive problems are related. Symptoms are the same.

Well no answer from B&S  by noon so I started calling JD.  One the people that is suppose to know "what is what"  I  left a message on his answering system.  The other JD contact was a customer service rep that I spoke to, and he opened a customer complaint for me on this unit and wasn't able to find any info in their system about these issue of drive problems.  Even though the rep said that my complaint was a priority, from other experiences in life, the more people that complain,  it increases the chances that something gets done. 

So I need your help at this point.  I would like everyone with a John Deere with drive problems to call 1/800-537-8233 and file their own complaint on this issue with John Deere.  I am also going to start a thread for all Briggs and Stratton built machines, like Simplicity, John Deere, the B&S unit that has the Briggs and Stratton name plate and any others that B&S produces (not sure if they make snapper or not) to call the B&S toll free number and log a complaint. at 888/228-3068. 

While I have no great skills as a mechanic, I can be a professional complainer and stir the mud if the need arises.  With your help maybe we can get some kind of response.  The JD customer service guy said that they should respond to me by Monday at the latest - well see how accurate that is.  I am too old to believe everything that people tell me these days.  If they do respond by Monday, I will make sure to give them applause for good follow up.  If not I will also report on that. 

Rick

So 3 pm local time, B&S calls me back.  I spoke with a technician named Matt.  Matt said that the belt cover is not the issue most of the time but can be in a very rare instance.  He said that if the unit starts out fine and then after blowing snow and alot of it comes back on you often some times the issue can be the cover.  There is another cover available but it would only be appropriate if your unit starts out with good power and then develops a problem after a lot of snow falls on the unit.  If you were in a snow cab the cab would be constantly getting smacked with snow.  Again, he said that this is very rare.  My issue is when I first start out and this isn't my case buy may be yours.

He told of another issue that happened very rarely too.  A spacer under the disk was shy in production.  This spacer allowed the proper pressure to be applied by the disk to the plate.  It was nice of him to admitt an issue in production.  He said that it was very rare but did happen. 

The third and most likely issue he said is that they went from greasing the hex shaft that the friction disk is part of to an oil that is better suited to extreme temps.  Even though they didn't have any real issues at operation of negative 15 and below they wanted to use the best product for that application so they went from a grease to an oil.  While this oil is better for extreme cold and no real problems presented themselves with the grease, the oil comes off of the hex shaft and gets onto the friction disk and plate and causes problems.  He said that they totally clean up the friction disk and plate with 120 grit sand paper, my local JD dealer said they have used brake cleaner which would be less agressive.  After the surfaces have been cleaned the oil would be removed and replaced with a LIGHT coating of grease which would stay put better. 

The tech from B&S also called my local JD dealer and spoke with the service manager about the machine that I have in service right now.  At this point I am happy with the response that I got from B&S.  Some companies don't even return the call.  My recent adventure with Ariens that was the case.  They didn't return numerous calls.  I even wrote a letter to Ariens and they haven't responded yet. 

So far B&S and JD have both proven responsive to my needs as an end user.  The real pruff will be when I get my machine back and it works or it doesn't.  Again, am pleased with what has happened so far and I hope these finding help others with the same issue.

Rick

Thanks Clay!!  I just purchased this model last week.  About one month ago I purchased the Troy Built 30" model.  I liked everything about it but the chute control.  The joystick just wouldn't work at 90 degree angles.  Lowes took it back without an arguement.  They even knocked $100 off of the John Deere 1130SE.  I haven't gotten a chance to try the John Deere out yet but am tempted to load it up and bring it to a local lake to see if I have similar issues.  This thread is making me nervous.  I'll report back what I find out.

B&S called me back today.     It's a rare thing today to actually speak to a human being in this country about service issues.   I gave them all the details and showed them the link to this site.   I have decided not to return my unit yet.   I'm going to see what they are going to do to correct this design flaw.   They did inform me that they are aware of this problem.  They will be contacting me with more information shortly.  So,   For now I cleaned the friction plate with carb cleaner,  sealed the frame holes and the bottom of the belt cover backer plate with a rubberized sealer.  I also put a piece of weather stripping along the front of the plastic belt cover.   This should take care of the problem until they have a factory kit to fix this.   Once the sealer dries I will test it and post my results here.  

FYI:

 Here are the part numbers for the parts that are missing from the John Deere 1130 SE


1. Shaft Seal  1733898   http://www.lawn-parts.com/detail.asp?id=1733898   $1.95

2. Seal Plate 1733868A  http://www.lawn-parts.com/detail.asp?id=1733868A  $5.95

3. Seal Strip  1733897   http://www.lawn-parts.com/detail.asp?id=1733897  $1.95


I found these in the parts manual for a Snapper model 1530SE.   It is very similar to the JD 1130SE except for the Chute control.

Just finished up a phone call with a very pleasant and customer oriented gentleman in North Carolina who works in the marketing department at John Deere.  Talked to him about some of the mechanical issues with the snow thrower and then spoke about loosing sales over these issues with some people returning units.  If those units were returned and sales were lost because a $3.50 part was used instead of a $3.75 part being used, who did that benefit?  The numbers that I choose are just relative numbers and not exact but if one plastic cover fixes the issues, they should be using that cover on all machines not just the ones where people have the patience to take the unit into the service department.  Some people just get their money back and buy a competitive unit. 

I did tell him that many have noticed how Ariens machines are set up at Home Depot and many customers have not been happy with how their units were delivered.  I thought that John Deere was doing the right thing in that Big Box stores are a reality, but having a true John Deere service tech set the unit up was a good thing.  He was responsive to my needs as an end user and said that he would investigate further. 

I've been very pleased with the response that I have recieved from all of the John Deere reps.

Rick

I can only say I frequent Lowes and have seen the JD dealer truck parked there several times. At least now I know why. Last week I have been there and they just had five or six new JD 1130SE models assembeled parked in a row one behind another. I figured I must compare these against each other and now is my chance. So I picked on the chute control only because what else can you compare on a non runing machine. Results were as follows:
On all them the deflector portion worked both ways without hanging up. In the rotation part of the comparison they were all over the place. Only one worked flawlessly whatever you did with it. Another one did not work at all because the gear that comes in contact with the teeth on the chute was so far out in reality why and how could it work. The rest of them were all getting stuck and getting tough to move somewhere in the rotation due to IMPROPER adjustments made to them. So now we know its not a big deal to get home and spend some time and get it right but, if they brag that JD is behind the machines in lowes then I would expect much more when your not going to get it.
In 2005 I bought my Ariens in the big box store of "HD" and only in an unopened box due to the following. I was in the market for a blower and stopped by my local HD one evening about 9 pm only to have witnessed two part timers in they're late teens racing against each other assembling a couple of skids of boxed blowers. I observed lots of forcing,bending and to say the least they were using power tools which gives very little feedback of whats going on when you have'nt a clue. I watched for a while and nobody came to check on them so what are the chances of those machines being trouble free.

Allan