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

Hi,

I have an Ariens ST27LE that I bought brand new last year and noticed this weekend after using the machine that the hub was throwing rust all over the wheel and tire.  Is this normal?  It is only on the right hand side.  The other side is very clean.  I also noticed that the wheel with the rust had some grease that had splattered on the rim so I wonder if a seal is bad.  Please let me know if this is a matter that should be address right away since my local Ariens dealer is a month out for repairs and I don't want to part with it  for that long since snow is on its way here for the weekend.

outer wheel

Inner rusty wheel

other side is all nice and clean

inside wheel

In thinking about your axles a bit more, you have me curious now. I'm puzzled how they could rust up so quickly in the span of a day that they wouldn't turn again. But they still turn OK under power.

Does the machine have a differential? Or is a locked axle? Is there a pin or something you can pull to disengage the transmission from one side? Is the machine unable to be pushed forward/back, or is it just that the wheels won't unlock to let you turn the machine? It seems odd that you can't push it or pull it, but that the transmission can move it. If you start it, does it try to move at all before you squeeze the drive lever? If you push down on the handles to raise the bucket, still without squeezing the drive handle, will it try to move at all while running?

I could see if being difficult to push if the drive clutch was not adjusted correctly. If the rubber friction disk was always dragging just a little bit, that would make it tough to push. But that would mean that it would gently be trying to move itself any time the engine was running. If you could tip it forward, onto the bucket, with the wheels in the air, you might be able to get a better understanding of what's going on. You could remove the panel underneath the machine and take a look at the rubber friction wheel, and see if it is touching the aluminum disk even with the drive handle released. If you do tip it forward, make sure to shut off the valve under the gas tank first. I usually remove the gas cap, put a plastic bag over the opening to the tank, then screw the gas cap back on, so gas does not come out the vent hole in the cap.

My '93 MTD has bushings for the axles, I believe, not bearings. And I may have put some oil on them ~8 years ago when I bought it. But I don't think a lack of oil/grease should make it so that you can't push the machine.

Hi Njbenz79

The reason that you see a lot of rust coming out of your axles is because the Anti-Seize coating from the factory is totally washed out. Ariens puts a coat of Anti-Seize grey paste on its axles and on,under and around the keyway before slipping the wheels back on. Every season you should remove your wheels and do this to prevent your axles from seizing with the wheel hub and of course rusting out. Go buy this Anti-Seize at any Auto Parts store. Hope this helps!...By the way, apply some in front of the wheel clip and axles too...Perhaps, you should try removing the rust first before applying the Anti Seize paste....Good luck!