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

I've repainted my blower housing, impeller, auger and chute (pictures to come) and replaced the impeller bearing and got the engine purring like a kitten.  I've got the whole thing back together...almost, when I notice that there is some play in the axle where it penetrates the tractor housing.  I was going to address the tractor in the off-season but with no snow in the foreseeable future and backup equipment available just in case, I'm thinking of replacing the bearings and any related h/w.

My problem is twofold.  How to disassemble the drive axle and how to identify what needs replacing.  I can't tell if the wear is in the housing or the washer that fills the opening or the bearing or the bearing retainer or all of the above.  When I put the blower on the housing and remove the bottom plate, I wiggle the axle and see some movement in the space between the housing and the washer and possibly between the axle and the bearing.

Looks like I'm going to have to disassemble it to know for sure.  Anyone who has been down this road, feel free to share your experiences.

The parts I was looking to replace, according to the parts manual:

(2)  05417700 Bearing-Ball 1.45 x 2.19 x 0.63
(2)  06417000 Washer-Flat-Steel 1.140 x 1.718 x 0.134

Here's the starboard side:


Here's the port side but the bearing area is not visible:

Been down that road many times.  The movement in the axle is usually caused by two things.  The bearing itself wears out and in addition sometimes the axle shaft itself gets worn
inside the inner bearing race.  You won't know whether you have one or both problems until you pull the axle.
The good news is that the teeth look good on both the diff and the sprocket pinion gear.  Sometimes when the axle slop gets really bad on the left side and isn't corrected
for a long period of time.  The gear mesh gets sloppy as well and the teeth get worn down badly.

Before you attempt to pull the axle.  I've found that it is easier to clean the rust off the axle while it's place.  You need to take all the rust off and clean up the shaft real well
(bare steel) so the bearing on the right side can slide off.  Sand paper usually works as well as anything.  Unless you have 3M Scotchbrite discs for a Die grinder or drill.

First, pull both wheels.  Then drive out the drift pin that goes through the axle.  You can clearly see it on the right side in the photo.
On the left side drive out the pin or remove the bolt holding the locking hub on the axle.  Remove the hub then pull off the short axle. 
Back to the right side.  Remove the four nuts holding the bearing holder to the frame.
Now you should be able to side the axle out the right side of the housing.  But you will also have to hold onto and support the diff. as the axle sides out of it.
Pay attention to the washers on the left side as the axle comes out.  Especially the ones between the diff. and the housing.
After you have the axle out remove the bearing holder on the left side. 
Check to see if the inner bearing race is snug on the axle or if it has play on the shaft.  Hopefully they're both snug and the axle itself isn't worn.

Just as a side note.  Make sure you clean the rust off of the rod above the axle in the photo.  And apply a light coat of stiff grease.  That aluminum fork slides on that shaft.
Over all things look pretty clean and good in there.

In addition to what was already posted, I'll add a link to instructions with pictures.  I found this helpful when I took mine apart.  It isn't exactly the same as yours, but close enough.

http://www.abbysguide.com/ope/discussions/32526-0-1.html

manjestic, I just did that to my "new" ST824 (looks just like yours, with the high-mounted control panel), so I'm happy to help where I can. My machine had very worn wheel bearings. But, as jrtrebor mentioned, the inside of my bearings, and the outside of the axle shafts, were also worn. New bearings did a lot to reduce the slop & play. But it's still not perfect, the bearing is loose on the shaft currently. What I want to do is have the axles welded up where the bearings mount, then machine them back down to size. Barring that, you could try something like JB Weld on the area, then file it back down until it was about the right size, so the bearing can slip over it. Loctite also makes products for taking up gaps between a shaft and bearing. But using that would make the bearings difficult to remove in the future, without using heat. This all assumes that you have some axle wear, and that it's significant enough that you want to try and address it. Hopefully you *don't* have any wear on the axle.

I had enough wear on my axles & bearings that my gears don't look as nice as yours. My smaller spur gear's teeth are quite rounded. But the new axle bearings appear to have eliminated the occasional skipping that I was getting between the gear teeth.

If it were me, I would drive out the axle roll pins, and try sliding the axles out through the bearings, before spending a lot of time trying to get the rust off the axles while they're installed. If the inside of the bearings have worn larger, then they may slip right over the rust. If not, then you can worry about cleaning the rust up while the axles are still in the machine. But maybe they'll come right out.

I did not have to remove the 4 bolts for the bearing mounts when removing my axles. They do need to come off to remove the bearings, but that can be done later. Note, however, that mine were rusted up, and the nuts would not simply come off. The bolts have little splines that are supposed to keep them from spinning in the frame. Unfortuantely, several of mine started to spin, so I had to cut the nuts off. I replaced them with stainless hardware. But I would start putting some penetrating oil on the 4 bearing mount bolts on each side, to hopefully make them easier to remove.

As jrtrebor said, make sure that everything that slides is greased. I also put a thin film of grease all along the length of the axles themselves, to help keep them from rusting up again. I also greased the teeth on the differential and mating gear. My chains also have much more lube on them than yours do (previous owner used some sort of heavy oil, it seems). Check that the tension on the two chains is correct as well, while you're in there. I also replaced the bearing on the port side (for the intermediate chain shaft), the small bearing with the grease fitting on the outside. That was worn for me as well.

I'm jealous of the condition yours is in Mine appears to have led a harder life. All my paint is in rough shape, more things are worn, etc. You did a beautiful job painting the housing!

manjestic wrote:

This is curious and must be a typo (1.45).  Ariens Parts Radar does show the dimensions for the bearings as being 1.45 x 2.19 x 0.63.
But the axles are 1 1/8" (1.12) OD.  The ID of the axle washer is 1.14 and any searches for the bearing (05417700) sold by different parts places
show the bearing ID as being 1.129 .  

jrtrebor wrote:
I referenced the Ariens Parts Manual (part no. 024046E dated 7-95).  I verified that the typo was not my doing.  Good catch.

Thanks for all the advice and wisdom.  I'm sure we'll get a blizzard as soon as I snap off the first rusty nut clear.

Dismounted the axles two nights ago...snow's coming.  I think those two events are cause-effect.

manjestic wrote:
Please continue to take it apart, I heard there might be some snow heading for us too.

I agree, continue to dismantle that snowblower.  A big storm is coming this way.  Nobody buy another snowblower!

Good thing I have backup machines.  I'm storing my brother-in-law's 6.5hp Craftsman and I have a Toro CCR 1000.  My neighbor comes by occasionally with his Bobcat with a poly blade, too.