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

Hi

My snowblower (ariens ST724) will start but not budge.  I pulled it apart and the drive belt was broken and drive plate appears to be frozen.  Replaced the drive belt, started it up and the belt started smoking right away - the drive belt is burning on the top pulley (pulley spinning, belt not).  No change when I try to engage the wheels. 

Any suggestions?

Sounds like bearings or something locked up on bottom spindle.

Thanks.  Bottom spindle?  Is this the connection from the friction plate/drive plate to the pulley?

Or your auger has ice build up and it it frozen.

See if you can physically turn your impeller by pushing on one of the blades with stick stuck down the hole for the chute.  Pull spark plug before attempting to do so.  If you can't turn it, look for an obstruction in the impeller housing that might be jamming the impeller.  could be a stone or something behind the impeller plate so look carefully.  Unless you have arms like a orangutan, you might need someone to assist you. 

I was assuming drive belt not auger belt...

Shryp wrote:
Your assumptions are correct. 

I was assuming it was the impeller/auger belt.  I've never had a problem with the drive system on any of my snow throwers. 

I'd pull the pan off the bottom to see if there's something amiss inside.  could be something  broken/jammed in the chain or sprockets. 

Drive belt is correct - the auger/assembly has been removed.  The sheave? (the wheel the belt wraps around that connects to the drive plate) for the drive will move "a little" but won't turn.

Does not sound like anything any of us are familiar with.  Sounds like you are going to have to just go at it and report your findings.  The drive plate should always turn with the engine, then the engage lever moves it to the disc and spins the wheels.

You'll have to drop the belly pan first.  Two bolt on the back of the blower, two on the bottom.  The two on the bottom do not have to be completely removed, the holes are keyholed.  Loosen them up a couple of full turns and then slide the cover backwards.

It think I would first make sure that the friction wheel is disengaged from the drive plate.  If it is, and the fiction wheel spins freely. Then the problem has to be in Drive Plate shaft bearings.  Which would be an unusual problem.
Those are some pretty heavy duty bearings.  With the drive belt off the large drive pulley and the friction wheel disengaged from the drive plate.  The pulley and drive plate should spin freely.
As you can see there really isn't a whole lot to go wrong with the Drive Plate assembly.  A plate, shaft and bearings.  Number 16 is the drive plate.

 How old is your blower, roughtly?

What is the model number off the back of the base?

Did you just get this and it had been sitting for years?

Was it running 4 days ago and this just happened?

Any supplement detail?

Seems like you've already opened up the pan.  Can your turn the big drive pulley and does the drive plate rotate?  Probably not.  Spray some PB-Blaster under the drive plate.  Get a big screwdrive and pry up under the drive plate.  Go above and push down.  Work it until you can turn the pulley and the drive plate turns.  Knowing the model would be a big help.