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

UPDATE FROM BEN07 FEB. 3RD

PLS NOTE: THIS PROBLEM WAS ANSWERED BY ARIENS.

POST # 19 explains the upgrade.  

 IT IS A RESOLVED  ISSUE 

I purchased an 8524LE for a price I had to jump at due to an end of season left over last year.   Shortly after, I started hearing horror stories on the gear drives for this particular unit.  I am sure a lot of you are familiar to it.  Ariens advertised  three categories of two stage SB.  Compact, Deluxe, Professional.  What they don't tell you is that this model has the drive unit of the compacts. The one prefixed with "932" rather than "924."   The other two Deluxe models and the Pro models all have the "924."  I feel this is misleading advertising on their part.  I contacted Ariens with my serial number, and all they said was my unit has the reduction unit in it.  I noticed someone in here telling a new owner of this years 8526 model on getting the R3 upgrade.  So maybe that is what I have or maybe not. 

What is this reduction thing.  I can't expect that they altered my gear drive to the same configuration as the heavy-duty one.  Mainly,  because the case appears to be much weaker and a little smaller.

So this year I got to use the machine.  It is quite capable of blowing some serious snow.  The problem is I have to use real high gear selections to do it.  This things ground speed is that of a turtle.  Everything is adjusted correctly, no slippage, proper RPM,  Trust me.  If you want I can get you electronic rpm measurement the next time I get it out of the shed.  I was giving my 15 yr old some lesions/practice etc. and cautioned him on making sure that he was in say forward gear when he starts out with his back against the wall, as the machine is quite capable of pinning him.  He engaged it in reverse and I challenged him to stop the machine from pushing him back on dry pavement.  He got the message that it would pin his belly-button to his spine then plow him right through a old heavy plywood faced garage door. 

He and I just did a neighbors 250 foot double wide with three snowfalls on it.  A 3 week old 4 inch, a two week old 3 inch and a fresh 8 inch.  Naturally the older snow was tough and packed so we were doing probably a good 10 inches plus of some tough underlying snow and some top powder.  Didn't matter, all of it went 30 plus feet in the air for a distance of no less than 40 feet.  The problem is we were doing it in 4th gear.  I don't think that is normal for an 8.5 hp.  When we transported it up there we had to use 6th gear with full throttle or it would have taken forever. First gear and 1st reverse are so slow they are useless.  So naturally I am thinking that what the modification may have been was at least in part to gear it down to take the stress off the inferior drive componets and weaker smaller transmission housing.  Which makes no sense as this machine is big and heavy, and has a large snow box that needs fed to operate properly, so the operator has to compensate by speeding up.  It weighs 240 lbs, that coupled with you say doing an EOD of wet thick heavy slush, filling the whole snow box and spilling a lot of it out on top of the box, can add 100 to 150 pounds to it's weight.  I feel like I am running a 1959 Caddy with a 1962 Rambler slushbox tranny that is gonna blow at any time.

When I contacted Ariens on this they were tight lipped, kinda like you got the reduction unit, buy see you later. 

So I was hoping to get some more information in here before I write a review on this machine. 

I know their will be mentions of advising to call Ariens again etc.  But trust me, they really don't seem to want to talk about it.  What can help prove that out, is they read and post in this forum.  They will read this, and they are quite capable of giving an explanation in here. However that remains to be seen. 

 

Regards. And any info you know of will be appreciated

It does appear that the model you have is built cheaper than the other models.  I really sounds like and adjustment.  You don't need the drive upgrade. 

Look in your manual for the procedure to adjust your shift linkage. It sounds like your machine is working well as far as the auger is concerned but needs a linkage adjustment. My friend has that exact unit bought last year and the shift linkage when properly adjusted will give you what you are looking for.

Marc

This topic is getting into two threads. I will try and stay here . 

Thx for the info Marshal.  However the answer of what is the R3 upgrade is not in his info... What I got is Ariens  partially fixed some of the problem with a better friction disc, and others by An R3 upgrade.  Which he did not say what it is.  He said it increases wheel torque,  so can reducing the gear ratio.  Torque is actually truely defined as stopping power. (How many foot pounds of counter resistance it takes to stop(same as reducing it's speed) a shaft., crankshaft or in this case axil shaft.)  So one has to be carefull here as the shaft rpm ratio compared to the engine rpm can be altered by gear changes.  So you can get more torque on an "AXIL" by lowering it's gear ratio.        Now you know where I am sort of going here.  Did the manufacturer gear down the machine so they could say the retrofit increased the wheel torque.  Which it would.  However it does not solve the original problem.  Because the operator has to speed the machine up to fill the hughe auger box, for efficient throwing.   That would be just a spin.  The other thing is he said the 8524 le was compared to the pro models.  No it wasn't, and that is a main point.  It was in the deluxe category, not compared to the pro models at all. However it was the only one in the Deluxe category that did not have the heavy duty drive system.  Ariens disguised this by calling them all Disc-o-matics.  Which they are, but there are two grades. Light duty and heavy duty. In this case they coupled a heavy duty machine with a light duty Tranny.  There are three major parts to these machines.  The engine, the traction/gear drive system, and the front snowbox (auger, box and impeller).  The big problem is the one in the middle that holds it all together is the one they weakened.  Talk about the weak link in the chain.  Actually it is probably the most important as it is in the middle of the system and is also the easiest to disguise to potential buyers.  example, you say 8hp or 10 hp on the engine, you can't disguise that. you say 24 in snow box 15 in auger 12 in impeller, you can't disguise that.  However you don't mention the tranny and put all three in a deluxe category with a list of their different options and say they all have a Disc-o-matic tranny, now I call that deception, and no one can reasonably tell.  There were statements of the owners needs as to how well  the owner wants to patch up the problem.  This is not something that is suppose to be decided upon after you purchase the machine. Would anyone even buy this machine if they knew this in the first place. The configuration they made for this machine, as far as my opinion, matches no ones needs.  It is a hidden hybrid.  Why didn't they advertise it as the compact machine that looks like a Deluxe machine but is not on the same foundation as the other two Deluxe machines, and cannot do the job it is suppose to and will probably not last as long.

Summary I am very sure my machine is in adjustment. will make extra sure in a couple of days.  There is no slippage, the shifter adjustment seems to be centered, It just moves at a snails pace. I am talking ground speed.  I will also measure the distance it travels in a fixed amount of time, for each speed with an electronic tac attached in case I get a governor varience on full throttle, which I will not as the engine is plenty powerful to drive in all the gears with out governor assist, on dry pave with no load.  And why wouldn't it be cause it moves at a snails pace.  Then maybe we can get a volunteer to do one of the deluxe models or pro models with the heavy duty trans etc.  (just a quick gound speed comparison) Or someone can offer some average speeds of machines if they have some testing results from like a consumer report or something.

Keep in mind my ground speed problem could be completely dispelled by an Ariens engineer saying that they did not slow down any of the gear ratio's in any gear on the "R3 upgrade" from the original version.

Then we can get on to the main question in this thread, "What is the R3 upgrade"?

and what serial numbers have them.  I can also only guess that finding parts for this machine down the road will be interesting, as there seems to be different levels of fixes.

Thanks folks

Ben07  from Pgh PA

Sorry I don't have anything to offer, but do all the 2004 deluxe models now have the better transmission (like the 8526LE).  I was under the impression they did, but I noticed in a response to my other thread someone mentioning to get it....

-Dave

That depends on the definition of "the better Transmission" which now seems to have different levels.  If I were Ariens, I think I would contact everyone that does not have the latest and greatest.  I like you did not need to buy this problem.  There are copies of an Ariens Eng. in here sort of skirting the issue of what the retro's accomplished, however he stayed away as to how it was mechanically done.  If i were Ariens, I would get in here and answer it.  That is if i was not hiding anything.  If they don't then it might be proofe positive that their band-aids are useless, or do not actually solve the problem and that the owner may have to give up some of the expected operating capabilities and longer term reliability of the machine, not to mention value. If anyone wants to buy mine, let me know.  So The ball is in their court.  If there is no answer than the answer is obvious.

Ben07 wrote: Respectfully, that's not necessarily true. They may feel that they have no need to have to prove anything to you or detail their engineering to you, for numerous reasons. Add to that the fact that you're trying to put them in a corner and it would surprise me if they gave you the time of day.

That's my 2 cents

Ben07-
   I have an 824 that has gotton the r3 drive upgrade, and I have seen the parts.  I'll try to detail them the best I can.  At some point, i'm sure Paul K will post and correct as needed:
    All parts listed are new/changed:
       pulley
       chain & hardware
       drive chain gears for axles
       belt
       bottom cover
       Assorted washers, bushings, etc
       Friction disc

Essentially, anything you see in the tranny case that turns or transfers motion gets replaced.  Now, i can't from memory detail what gets bigger or smaller(Paul will have to do that)  But I can tell you that my ground speed seems to have remain unchaged(the dealer that did the job said it would decrease a bit-if it has i can't tell), but the machine has much more oopmh when pushing through stuff, and much more pull if you try to fight it.  I actually think there are units of your year that qualify for the R3, you may want to post your serial # and see(again Paul will know if he sees this thread)  I actually think the ground speed of the machines is good, the way I blow my drive.  I guess if you're always looking to hit the governer or get the max throw, yeah, you're gonna hang in the higher gears and even at that if there is less than 6" of snow you still won't get it..  If you ask real nice , i suppose i could gps my unit's speed so we can have official numbers(what the h*ll, my neighbors already think i'm nuts), but I don't have an inductive tach to attach to tell you what rpm my engine turns at.  2 weeks ago when we got crushed here in WNY(i was moving 1.5feet - 3.5feet), i found that second was the fastest gear i could use without really digging into the gov and stressing the engine, so I can say there's a use for those slow gears, you might not have seen it yet.  For the record my R1 is a bit slower than F1 and R2 is a bit slower than F2, going by feel.  HTH

Terrapin Thx for the post. Excellent post. that is what i am looking for, someone that knows their stuff.  and there are a lot of you out there, I just need someone in here familiar with this problem.  And yes you must have understood. I have no slippage.  However you also recognized the fact that I may not have the complete upgrade and that i may have been partially blown off when i first inquired about it.  At least you also didn't accuse me of trying to back Ariens in a corner.  If there is a corner than they created it not me.  Also I didn't want to personally Pick on the engineer who tries to help out sometimes.  I also know that he does have to be conscious of product liability.  However if my questions don't get answered I think it is reasonable to make negative assumptions.  And they are not Rocket science questions.  thx I will get back to you on the ground speed thingy next day or two.  reason being that I was so dissapointed in the machine that I put it back in a hard to get at shed and put my old faithfull TORO in front of it as I got a lot of work to do this week in the garage etc, and I figured if I left it in there being I was having difficulties with it, all would have to happen is for it to get in the way and I may want to take a sledge to it.  Just kidding of course. 

Also I wrote my next comment out before I read your post.  So i am going to post it anyway, so don't think I am changing anything I said here in case it comes across that way

Thx ben07 

Marshall I respectfully understand what you said.  However I am asking them a question.  A question for which they won't seem to answer.  However they take action on the issue, they upgrade and modify etc.  You know as well as any reasonable person that they would not be doing that if there was not a problem in the first place.   I don't think I am the one that backed them into a corner.  If they are in a corner, then it very well may be a corner that they put them themselves in, and yes it can be intensified by them not answering questions on it.  .  

"Devulge their engineering."  My question is not how they do their engineering. Doesn't manufacturing companies like auto manufacturers offer Parts and Repair manuals to the general public.   So does this company, however there is no mention of the retrofit etc in their parts radar.  So how do you buy parts for it in the future and know you got the correct part etc.  

Also I know that you are not saying that if someone buys one of their machines that end up having proven problems, and you inquire about it, that they do not have to give you the time of day.  Because if that were the case then less people would be willing to buy  their products.  

Keep in mind this all started with two simple questions. What is the R3 upgrade.  Real simple here.  I am not asking for only the results.  The other part is did they gear the machine down to accomplish this, thus causing overall loss of ground speed.  

One of my objectives here was I saw that the forum was asking for reviews.  This is the first winter on my new machine.  I have a lot of negative things to say about it.  So I figured i would research it more before I post a review so as to avoid over bashing  the manufacturer.  As sometimes happens, you don't get credit for the positive things.  Now you are mentioning that I am trying to back them in a corner and I don't deserve the time of day.  Maybe that is not your intent, however it clearly stated that to be your opinion. (to quote you "it would surprise you if they gave me the time of day") I am glad you don't work for Ariens, you don't, do you? (Just kidding here)   I am entitled to my opinion also.  I asked questions first.  Didn't get and still don't have the answers.  So I am entitled to my opinion, that being if someone didn't have something to hide then they would be more open to answer the questions. 

If anyone else has an opinion then pls post.  If there are others out there who would like to know what the R3upgrade is then pls feel free to say so in a post

Ben,

You're missing the point, I hope.

You asked for an answer and I gave you the best I had and that I could find. I am trying help you get what you need and have no problems with you asking for it. But to draw the conclusions you are throwing out there is not necessarily correct and not the best way to get answers.

If you came to me and said, I need something from you and if you don't give it to me it means you have something to hide, I would take it as rather demanding, extremely assumptive and probably tell you, forget it.  That's all I am trying to point out to you. You catch more flies with honey.

Now, explain what it is you really want to know. Is it, does the upgrade work? Does it help? Is it worth it? Are those not the bottom lines? The members here that have had the upgrade done or done it themselves can tell you first hand if it works and if it was worth doing? I guess if have to know more than that and more than what Terrapin has given you, you'll have to hope Ariens feels like answering you.

Good luck to you.

Ben,

You asked "So how do you buy parts for it in the future and know you got the correct part, etc"

I don't own an Ariens, but you might want to check with the company, or Terrapin who has the R3 upgrade, if they stamp the serial #'s on these parts.

If they don't, ask them if they'll give you 2 R3 upgrades for the price of 1 - that way you'll have an extra set of parts.  But I agree with Marshall here, you'll get more with Honey than vinegar - and believe me - I'm a heavy vinegar user!

--SnowRemover

Marshall thx for all your help.

I really don't understand why you are asking or guessing at what i really want.

Here is the original unchanged summary of questions.

And it is what I really want!!

1."What actually is the R3 upgrade"

2. "Does the upgrade (any of them) reduce the ground speed of the unit "

Now in asking that I find from some well mannered and knowledgable people that there may be two levels of upgrades, and that I may or may not be at the most recent fix and maybe that is why I am having problems.  There was also another owner who discovered the same thing in his other thread.

How are you gonna know if it is worth it if you don't know what it is?   If someone just wants to go on an opinion of results, then I am sure someone has a case of snake oil to sell them.  I heard it relieves grouchieness.

Respectfully Ben

Ah Ben, I'm not questioning you in that way, not assuming you have motives or anything. I just was trying to get to the bottom line to help you out better. I figured you could tell what you had by what machine you had and what serial number it was so then you would know if you needed the upgrade. I was just trying to cut thru the bull, so to speak.

Again, good luck.

Thanks Marshall.  You have been a positive help.  And sure i kidded you a little, but from what i have seen you are one of the bigger stone crushers in here as far as kidding around go's.    That is fine and welcomed.  Your attention to the issue and additions of help are important.    sometimes they are only small bits of info, but as a moderator., that is important and i think quite part of your role.  A lot of times you answer big and complex issues, fast,  and it saves everybody a ton of time.  Sometimes one can get caught in the middle by trying to help.  Fact of life.     So don't just wish me luck.  feel free to keep helping me.  

Snow remover good advice, on the "2 for."  

Also I didn't do any vinegar with Ariens, Last year in April.  One time an e-mail with my serial number.  Got answer "my unit has the reduction unit in it. Any of the 932104 's have it in it"  (if that is true then why are people with this years model getting advice to get the upgrade??  E-mailed back for a little more clarification, no answer. I did call a couple of times and got a receptionist etc and they asked why I was calling I just said I had some general questions on the R3 upgrade.  Got put on hold twice and eventually got disconnected. 

Now there have been indications that some of this years models have to be upgraded.  Being mine was last years model then maybe I got some interim level fix that could be called a reduction unit.  . who knows?  But believe me no vinegar here, just standard communications.  Is the "reduction unit the same as the R3 retrofit?"  Dun Know.

Here is the model and serial

932104                        025158  

Ben07-
   I have never heard the R3 referred to as anything other than R3.  That being said, "R" for Reduction "3" for generation/revision level 3 makes sense to me.  The only way for you to know for sure what you got is for Paul K from ariens to confirm it.  Now that you've posted your model & serial number, If/when he comes across this thread hopefully he'll shed some light on what you got.

When I had the R3 upgrade done in Oct 2003 for my  824 model 932101  the part number for the Kit was 53212100.  My dealer said it came in a large box.  Even bottom cover was replaced to clear the upgrade components.

It would be nice to know  all the part numbers in the kit.

Gentlemen,
 
The Ariens r3 High Performance drive system is fundamentally similar to the former design, but with significant enhancements in critical areas to increase torque output and friction disk service life.  There were upgrades in generally 3 sectors (as stated below):
 
1. The friction disk rubber compound was reformulated to increase its wear resistance and coefficient of friction. The new compound (or close variants thereof) are present on all Ariens snothro friction disks. The new compound increased the ability of the disk to transmit torque to the drive plate by 72% and also increased its wear resistance by 2-3 times.  
 
2. The second change related to the position of the friction disk carrier with respect to the drive plate axis of rotation. Basically, as the friction disk moves farther from rotational axis of the drive plate (i.e. from 1st gear up into the higher forward gears), the power transmission gets more efficient (less side-scrubbing and wear on the disk; i.e. more power being translated rather than consumed). Essentially, we moved the friction disk a bit further from the center of the drive plate for most of the gears. This is especially important for the lower forward gears in which units require a high torque output for bulling through the EOD (end of driveway). This was accomplished by changing the swing radius on the lower shift arm and adjusting the specification to which we adjust the shift rod.
 
3. The third change was a reshuffling of the internal ratios of the transmission. A friction disk transmission, by design, has its output capability hinged purely on the coefficient of friction between the friction disk and the drive plate. This is true for every friction disk driven unit. However, we optimized the ratios of the transmission so the friction disk has to transmit the same amount of power (horsepower), but with less torque across the friction disk/drive plate interface. With transmitted horsepower being constant, Torque is purely a function of RPM. That is, if the friction disk can increase its RPM by a certain ratio, the requirement for the friction disk to transmit torque is reduced by an equal ratio.  We essentially sped up the front side of the transmission (this includes the drive plate), and geared down the backside (friction disk and back). To use an analogy, it's like riding a ten speed bike to achieve the same speed as before, only we're pedaling twice as fact in first gear rather than pedaling slower in a higher gear. This RPM increase does not increase the wear on the friction disk (as some might speculate).  High friction disk wear rates are only achieved as you approach the torque transmission limits of the friction disk. With the design enhancements we've implemented, we are now much farther from this limit during operation.
 
I hope this answers your questions.  
 
Best Regards,
 
Paul Koltz
Engineering Leader
932/938 Snothro Group
Ariens Company

I must have accidently saved some posts I thought were real good from some of our moderators, members, and guests.

Ben07,

Your unit does indeed have the R3 high performance transmission. The updated drive does not affect the ground speed. I hope the posting that 'Mints dug up answers your questions.

PK

big time computer prob here be back when I can. just hoping to get this thru

Ok got the post thru .. This computer is flippin out as it is runnin now. you wouldn't believe what I been doin.  I was able to copy rob m info on a floppy so if this blows then I can get someone to print it for me  .. Thx so much in advance ..

One suggestion here I think there should be a phone number for members who get these computer problems.  just to call and tell their friends they ar e just having that prob.  so someone can post it  Or in my case knowing that I was in the middle of an issue  then just dropped out of sight.. You think this computer is flippin.  I'm flippin out as it would have looked like someone went way out of their way to help me and I just became ignorantly invisable  ..It was an intense fight I had here  .. what I need now is a hughe snow storm to go and get some joyfull agression out  You all know that has a relaxing effect

be back at as soon as I can

Need a Valium? 

Snowmann wrote:

It sure enough does.  I was able to stay in here long enough to skim read it.  Hope to get back in here tomorrow to do you two some justice.  and may have a minor question or something like that. 

Sincere thanks to you guys for now.   

Ben07

Yeah marshall valium would work.  .  A snowstorm would be better,  however  will just have to go do a shot an a beer.  Hope you have one also.  The snowstorm that is.  

Ben 

Hey Paul K. and Rob M. That was an answer at a level I hoped for, didn't think I would get,  would have settled for less etc.  I didn't want to mention co efficiencies/drag/torque distribution, which I only had to a little.  The reason I even hoped for that level of an answer is I have been around machinery, mechanics yada yada. for years.  The Ariens machines I have seen are incredibly well built machines.   That's no accident as it takes  lots of other things to achieve that.  Overall company directive, pride, good ol fashioned engineering,  R&D etc etc. You do all that well and the customer will come to you.  That's a 10 out of 10.  Go one step further and "thoroughly" fix a problem , with the end user in mind, then that's a 12 on a scale of one to ten.

I know you guys cannot get on the phone with every T.D.&H.  to explain.  Because a lot of times when someone gets hold of you they won't let go. 

One of the big problems is actually a complete credit to the machines  performance.  I am always conscious of Drag on a motor .  To do that you gotta know the power of the motor also.  So with the load I put it under, and being able to do it in 4th gear, I said no way, Ain't no way an 8.5 gonna do this, with two belt tension systems and the friction disc runnin in a straight line, fighting the power loss of a rotating  mating surface that is squeezing through the compressed  contact area on an arc.  Had to gear it down yada yada.  (you would need a chain system to even get close to it's performance)  Now the smart person would gear it down as a band-aid.  But the better guy would do that and also pick it up on the other end with additional stuff also etc. 

That's what your sayin you did.  My hat's off to ya, 

Real quick.  Someone reading this thread may not get the whole thing here, as to all the mechanical applications happening at the same time.  So let me say this.  That friction wheel n plate drive system in one of those machines (lets call it  a baby buggy wheel and a flat sided pulley) in comparison to lets say something familiar that does the same application.  An automobile.  Those two pieces do the job of (thus eliminating the need for ), the clutch fork, throw out bearing, clutch, pressure plate, front two thirds of a manual transmission, and the ring and pinion(rear end assy).  On a smaller scale of course, however a large snowblower, is not a little light toy either.  So those two basic parts still have to overcome most of the same invisible and nagging mechanical principals of the whole shopping cart of the stuff I said they eliminated.      

 

Regards Ben

 

Pls   keep this in mind,  I think my speeds are ok,  Remember it was part the performance of the machine that swayed me that way and the other part was probably my imagination.

Even if they are a little slow it don't matter as I prefer, and I mean prefer to work that friction plate as far away from center,( on a more shallow arc), as possible.   I was extremely concerned their was a high probability that I would be stressing other applications till your explanation gave me the scope of your retrofit.  (same as both sides of the system were balanced, not just one side)

 

With that said I am gonna play around and   compare some different runnin speeds of  different units with anyone who wants to goof around and have some fun in the forum.  Reason, fun, interest, hobby, and you always stand to learn something.  Never know may be the start of dragracing snowblowers.  And folks no computerized NASCAR crate engines, gotta stick to public production engines, like when racing was real. 

And Marshall . No and I mean No you are not allowed to enter that Snapper, It looks way too Fast.  You can be official pace car only. 

Marshall wrote:
Well, since you asked. I'll take two please, blue is my favorite color, you know.

Here's my speeds.  for anyone interested.  (probably not many, Is my first guess)

Sorry that the excell spread sheet doesn't past in perfect alignment.  I think it is good enough to use, as a reference example 6th gear is  1.9706 miles per hour.

-full throttle 3450 (did not notice any governor assist.  if it did the engine still ran at the exact same rpm) ((so sort of further proof the governor did not come into play))						Feb 1 2005
-running start
-number of seconds it took to travel 30 feet						Model 8524LE (2003-2004)
-auger not engaged						8.5 hp
-unit riding only on drive wheels
-both drive wheels engaged
		sec to go 30 ft	feet per sec	feet per min	feet per hr	MPH
	1st fwd	36.25	0.8276	49.6552	2979.3103	0.5643
	2nd	23.37	1.2837	77.0218	4621.3094	0.8752
	3rd	17.47	1.7172	103.0338	6182.0263	1.1708
	4th	14.41	2.0819	124.9133	7494.7953	1.4195
	5th	11.37	2.6385	158.3113	9498.6807	1.7990
	6th	10.38	2.8902	173.4104	10404.6243	1.9706
	1st rev	27.3	1.0989	65.9341	3956.0440	0.7493
	2nd	21.42	1.4006	84.0336	5042.0168	0.9549

You forgot to post the most important figures. What is the 0-60 and 1/4 mile times ??

Knee, roflmao.

Leave all as it is, it's fine. Thanks for the update!

Actually I did do the 1/4 mile..  Got caught by the troopers.  The only reason they caught me is it was at night and they noticed I didn't have any tail lights so they radio-ed ahead for a road block.  The one trooper was gonna let me off as I told him I would put tail lights on by the next day.  But his partner said that i still wouldn't pass "State inspection" as my front end wasn.t a min. of 5 inches off the ground.    Got the 1/4 mile time as 7.6  minutes flat.  Keep in mind that was in street tires and the header capped. (not bad considering I haven't been able to get dyno time yet to ensure my personal super tune is 100%. 

 I am gonna have to wait a few weeks till they cool down before I try the zero to 60mph  test. 

Ben07

Ben07 wrote:

Whew...this is a serious dude!

Ben07,

I think more than you think will be interested. If they think there may be a problem with their machine they have an excellent benchmark to refer to.

It looks like a wonderful reference to me. One that you can't find just anywhere. And there are about a billion of those machines out there now.

After the carb thread and now split times. I can't imagine the next modification.

The original sales brochure for my Snapper 926 showed these speeds:

     First :  .81 Second : 1.14  Third: 1.44 Fourth: 1.74 Fifth: 2.00 Sixth2.25 Rev. .96 .  So the speed of your machine is not that far off of what could be considered "normal". These speeds are slower than pro ariens models but could be considered average for consumer models.

Ben07,

The RPM spec for your engine is 3600 RPM +/- 150. You'll see some ground speed and throwing performance increases if you increase your RPM to the nominal or top end of the RPM range. 3450 is a bit low.

PK

robmints wrote:

Exactly the point, Just a benchmark.  For things like a problem reference, a future purchase consideration,  not only just for the actual speeds.  But because a lot of times it relates to how the whole overall machine operates. 

Ben07 

Snowmann wrote:

Snowmann thx again.  My speeds are ok, I think.  I am probably within the range for it's category.  Not just as an Ariens, I mean across the board etc.  Please note and I know you understood,  This machine throws some serious snow,  no need to enhance that to say the least.    (3450 rpm is not  workin bad, no pause or break when gov has to assist under loads, not starting point overall weaker gov assist due to being at a lower leverage point on the govenor arm/linkage.)  Fine machine.  Two ways to look at it as always.  ! if it ain't broke don fix it.  or If it ain't perfect make it better.   In this case it seems perfect so I will leave it alone for awhile.  

Ben07

Bandit wrote:

Thx Bandit good info and I agree with your analgy as being my speeds are not that far off.    I will check out your machine on the web to see where it falls.  you know big 2 stage medium etc.  I checked out Snappers last year, only on the net though,  they seemed like really good machines.  It also seemed they had their model line set up good .  as in easy to pick and choose better.

Thx Ben