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.

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.