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

I have an Ariens 924040 with an aluminum gearbox that just failed.  I've heard the old style helicon gearboxes were vastly superior to these and even the new cast iron boxes on the Pro models.  Can anyone tell me what is required to install one in my machine?  A fellow told me it might be as simple as drilling another hole for a roll pin, I can't rememeber if it was through the shaft to fit the 924040 impeller or vice versa.  Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

No answer to your question directly but some comments.

 

>>helicon gearboxes were vastly superior to these and even the new cast iron boxes on the Pro models. 

   In theory it is a better design because of more tooth surface mating but I would doubt it would be more robust than a new CI.  Regardless, you can’t get a new old style so the best you could do is get a used worn old style.  Given that which would be better, an old style which is used and worn or a new CI?  Probably the new CI would be the best bet long term even if not as good a design or quality of parts.

 

>>Can anyone tell me what is required to install one in my machine? 

  No, I can’t, but….   There were two cast iron gearboxes in those years. 

 

The one with the gear to the side was used on 24 inch models. It was the round nosed version.  That would never work, too many different parts.  The gear was on the side of the spiral like a true helicon (not helical).  No swap of just the gearbox.

 

The other one came on bigger machines, 32 inch, and the arrangement of the worm and gear different.  For this gearbox you would have to swap out the bigger shaft, drill yours if possible but you would be left with a spiral mismatch diameter and probably distance also.  No easy swap of the gearbox.

 

One possibility is to swap out the whole complete assembly of a 24 inch round nose type.  They came on 9240 - - 26, 28, 32 machines.  The rake shaft end mounting seems to be the same along with the drive pulley.  The auger drive shaft thickness might be different but probably not. If it is getting another bearing should not be difficult.  

 

You probably have opened yours up but if no you could have a sheared pin on the worm gear.  Ariens does not source older aluminum gearbox part anymore.  They only sell a complete gearbox assembly these days which is a cast iron replacement for the aluminum gearbox.  The dealer price is all over the place from $199 to $375 for the gearbox. 

 

If you just broke your pin then your fine.  If just the worm broke it is possible to locate a worm online.  I got one a few weeks ago for $65.

 

For reference:  The terminology for the gears is confusing so….. the worm is the drive part on the auger drive shaft.   Also called a spiral or worm spiral.  A worm gear is the gear driven by the worm.  The worm gear is not a helical gear.  A spur gear has teeth straight across 90 to the flat sides.  A spur type gear with the teeth which go at a diagonal is a helical gear.  If a helical gear has concave teeth then it's called a worm gear (different than a worm, the spiral gear on the.drive shaft).  A helicon gear is a trademark name of the type of gear which I’m not sure how to describe.

It won't work. The cross shaft center distance is different; not close. There is a cast iron gearcase that does fit your unit available from Ariens if that is what you want. 52423000 List price is just under $180.

What r the benefits of the cast iron gear box over the aluminum?Some people have said there isn't any but I guess those r the people with the aluminum gear box.Also what is a alpine gear box?

Thanks for all the great information.

I haven't taken it apart yet as I live in CT and only have the unheated garage to work in.  Luckily, over the summer, someone gave me an old model 910995 that I was quickly able to get up and running. 

I hadn't given much consideration to repairing the gearbox as I was so disgusted with how this one failed, I immediately swore to replace it with a cast iron one.   It failed as it began to digest a car battery, it never really pulled it in, and barely scored the outer case.  I would have thought a shear bolt would break, not a dowel pin or whatever failed internally.

>>One possibility is to swap out the whole complete assembly of a 24 inch round nose type.  They came on 9240 - - 26, 28, 32 machines.  The rake shaft end mounting seems to be the same along with the drive pulley.  The auger drive shaft thickness might be different but probably not. If it is getting another bearing should not be difficult.

I did a little more investigating, it seems the auger drive assembly in the older style machines has a splined input shaft, as opposede to a keyed shaft with a flat like the newer models, one might be able to make it work but I don't think it's worth the time or money to bother trying.  But what you mentioned about replacing the entire assembly with a round nose type from a 9240 -26, 28, 32 machine, that seems like it would definitely work.   You mentioned the CI replacement runs anywhere from $199 to $375, do you have any idea who would have this for $199?  I was only able to find one at Jacks small engines for $250. 

I'm going to take the old assembly out this morning, if it's just a busted roll pin, maybe I can have it fixed by this afternoon.  Thanks again for all your help.

Snowmann,

A fellow told me you would have to drill an additional hole in the shaft 3/4" from the other hole, that would correct the cross shaft center distance.  He didn't mention anything about the key for the pulley so I don't know if there would be any problems there.  But I don't have access to a machine shop anymore so it's easier to just buy the right parts.    I really just want my machine to be 100% reliable.  In the last storm, we got over a foot, I plowed 15 feet before the gearbox bit the dust, then apent the next 5 hours shoveling.  I just want to make sure that never happens again.

 

>>Often they are keyed or have a dowel pin that breaks.  The ones I’ve opened on 924’s have a dowel shear pin through a collar on the side of the gear.  If you have not opened up your gearbox how do you know the pin is not broken?  Is the case cracked? 

No, from the outside, it looks like new.  I started working on it just a while ago, I should know later this evening. 

>>Sometimes the gears do break and cases crack but chances are decent it could only be the shear pin.  I fixed one two weeks ago on a mid-80’s machine.  The gear was fine and plenty of meat on the teeth to last another 15-20 years.  The fix was a few bucks but I put in new parts just because it was apart and the parts not so expensive.

Judging from your experience, I'll probably just try to fix it, assuming it's only a broken pin and the gears are in good shape.  I'm just a bit soured since this is the second gearbox I've had fail in 3 years, the last time was on a Murray, of course I couldn't get parts.  Definitely bad karma.....

For anyone else that might need a new gearbox, I found it at Replacement Commercial Parts Warehouse in Ohio for $182 and change.