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

While on parts radar looking for things I came across "526025: 8.5-11.5 Belt Improvement Kit" for my snowblower. Does anyone know what this kit does and what it looks like? I'm wondering if it's worth trying to order.

That could very well be the kit that changes a single belt auger drive to dual belt.  I was going to install on mine, but my machine was too old.  If yours is a single and the kit fits, I'd go for it. 

FYI,

This 52602500 kit isn't the one you're referring to.

The dual auger belt accessory kit you are referring to is 72600700 for the 8.5 to 11.5hp Tecumseh models (and Briggs equipped 926,XXX models with single belt auger drives) and 72600800 for the 13hp Tecumseh models. It's priced in the $35 range and fairly easy to install. This would be for 2005 and 2006 model 926,XXX machines. This became standard equipment on all 926,XXX and 921,XXX machines in 2007. A nice feature for sure.

Snowmann, what is involved for installation? I have the 926004 purchased in '05.

By the way, I installed the the Engine Baffle Kit #52605600/52605700. I thought this was designed to reduce drive slippage but I still experiance some. Any thoughts?

orange

Thanks for the information.
I have the 2005, 926005 (11526PRO).
If I order this dual belt kit, will it use two of my existing auger belts (07200020)? I'm assuming it would. I'm going to contact my dealer about ordering it.
Thanks again.

I stopped at my dealer and he looked up the 526025 kit and there wasn't any description with it. He said that it wasn't a kit that he remembers installing for anyone.

I bought the Dual Belt Kit ($43.55) and the 26" Baffle Kit ($41.60).

He said that they've installed a bunch of both kits.

His comments were that the Dual Belt Kit comes in handy in the wet slushy snow in Massachusetts and the Baffle Kits they installed were mostly for people with driveways on a slope where it was easier for the water to contact the friction disk.

I'll let everyone knows how the installs go. It'll probably be in a couple of weeks.

I've owned a few snow throwers over the years and never had a problem with the auger belt slipping. I've gotten over seven years of hard service from each of my belts throwing tons of snow here in central Canada. I have to ask. Why the need for a double pulley and two belts? I've seen just about every kind of snow situation over the years and never had an issue with single belt auger drives. Unless the Ariens single pulley/belt auger drive system is on flimsy side, I wouldn't bother going through the trouble or expense to switch to a dual belt system. By the way, do the belts last twice as long? If not, there's added cost when it's time to replace the belts. Keep your auger belt properly adjusted. Chances are you'll probably never need a dual belt set up.

I haven't noticed any auger slippage on my Ariens926. So why do I need I (arguing w/self). Probably don't. That drive slippage although rare and in short duration is Bo-gas. .

When I received the snowblower from my Dad in 2007 (he moved into a place where outside maintenence is taken care of and has no garage), lucky for me, I went over all the adjustments and lube in the manual. I noticed the auger belt was stretched but just moved the idler and readjusted the lever spring. After the second storm I had it, the belt was too stretched out to do anything (not sure how much he beat on it). I put a new belt on and haven't had a problem since.

I agree about the single belt, my previous (crappy) Home Depot Murrey only had one belt replaced over its 10 year life.

But... I'm also the type that has to tinker and improve. :-)

The Dual Belt Kit has two belts of the same size as my existing single and the pullies are beefy. I'm assuming it'll take a lot to stretch these, if at all.

My dealer and Snowmann both said that units built from 2007 on have this dual belt arrangement. I'm assuming Ariens is doing this so there will be very few complaints, if any, about adjusting or replacing auger belts.

iLikeOrange wrote:
I will be looking for one of these dual belt auger drive kits. The time when I get belt slippage is when I go through heavy wet snow, especially along the side of a street that gets plowed & has salt spread on it.

 I have been blowing snow for almost 40 years, and I can tell you that slush will cause auger belt destruction in a short time.

OHUQTU wrote:

"I can tell you that slush will cause auger belt destruction in a short time."... Do really think so? I've been using snow throwers for almost as long as you and I have found that a properly adjusted belt will pretty much stall the engine before it even slips. Keep the belt properly adjusted and it will handle anything you throw at it. I can see a dual belt system being more tolerant of mis-adjustment but I doubt that it's a necessary requirement. I know I haven't had any situations yet that made me wish I had a dual belt system.