Derek

There is a groove in the outside of the shaft boss on the new alum. drive plate, but I also cannot see where a retaining clip would do anything.

Well, just got done blowing 24" of snow with this machine, and it performed like a champ.  I only did the new rubber friction disc and belts, using the existing (grooved up) aluminum drive plate.  Didn't have any traction/slipping issues at all.   I'm gonna have a look at the new friction disc to see if it is getting chewed up...but I won't get to it today.

Every year I say I'm going to go through the snowblower in the summer and get it tip-tip for winter.  And I never do...

Doing some general lube now, at the pointes specified in the (paper) manua that came with the machine.  I can't see the tiny little diagrams. 

Should the drive gears at the left side be lubricated with grease?  they are covered with rubber shavings from the friction disc wearing over the years. If so, what type of grease?  there is a fitting on the left side, but that appears to grease the shaft for teh small gear/chain drive.   And what about the chain?  Chain lube?  The manual doesn't address those items.

And I will say that this cable setup for the drive clutch leaves a lot to be desired.  No wonder they changed to a linkage for later models.

derek

Decided to try to run the existing drive disc. ..not as bad as thought.   We'll see how it goes...can always get into that at another time.  Done with the friction disc...btw it is about 5" O.D.

Now on to the belts....

Thanks for the info.  Sorry I forgot the model number - it is 932101.

I picked up both parts today, just in case I can do both.  About $26 for the rubber friction wheel, and about $41 for the aluminum disc.  We have a noreaster due here tomorrow night, so I want to have something up and running even if it is a one-season fix. 

The aluminum drive disc on the machine is grooved up pretty good, but it was functioning (somewhat) with no screeching.  The edges of the grooves seem a bit sharp, but not razor sharp.  Due to the way that the rubber contacts the aluminum drive disc when engaged, it seems that the (additional) "side friction" or "side scrubbing" caused by the grooves would "peel" the rubber sideways, sort of like skiddding a car tire sideways. 

I did call Ariens today about this thing, mostly to find out the real scoop on the drive update kit.  The story I got was that the rubber used for the friction discs back then was not well formulated - something about government regulations wouldn't allow the use of certain compaounds (not sure I buy that one...).  Therefore, the update kits were "necessary" to correct the torque/friction/issues by changing the ratios/speeds to offset the lack of proper friction.  The guy went on to say that a new rubber formulation was developed subsequent to all that which DOES provide proper friction/torque/etc.,...therefore with a new friction disc installed, the drive update kit is now unnecessary.  Hmm..not sure on that one either - seems like a lot of effort for Ariens to re-engineer the drive system. issue kits, and pay for the "update" install, etc. jjust because a suitable compound couldn't be found/used.  Maybe...

I have a new belt to install as well, which I believe will solve the throwing distance issue. While I'm in there, I might as well replace the drive belt too  - they do seem worn and ride pretty low in the pulley grooves.  They are the original belts on the machine (almost 10 years old now).  So, if I'm breaking the machine to do the belts, I may tackle the drive pulley as well if it's not too much of a task.  I still can't see how the drive pully is attached to the shaft - in looking at the new one the pulley has a boss on the backside with a hex shaped blind hole in it, with what looks like a keyway groove inside  one one of the sides of the hex.  Press fit?  If the hole is blind, how do you press the old drive disc off the hex shaft? Perhaps the drive disc presses into a bearing?  You mention it is threaded - ther are no visible threads on this replacement disc.  Unless this disc presses into something that is threaded?  Just thinking out loud...

Garage is heating up now, so I'll be getting into it shortly.  Laptop will be on the workbench so I'll be checking in here to see if any further answers.etc. have been posted.

Thanks again.

I've got an Ariens 824 that I bought new in 2002 which until recently has served me well.  Late last season, it seemed that the drive was "slipping" in that you could hold down the drive lever, but you'd have to give it a push to get it moving.  Also, it would not pull through deeper snow - it would just sit there.   Additionally, it didn't seem to throw the snow as far as it used to.

I pulled the bottom pan and found that the rubber friction disc was totally gone.  The aluminum drive disc to which the friction disc engages is scored up pretty badly fom the metal-to-metal contact with the wiped out friction disc.

It seems that the rubber friction disc is pretty easy to replaced based on the instructions in the manual.  To do this right, I will need to replace the aluminum drive disc as well.  I can't find any instructions anywhere on how to do this, and in looking at it on the machine I can't see how that disc can be removed.  In operating the handle that engages the drive, I can see that the disc moves toward the rubber friction disc - the hexagonal shaft with the aluminum disc slides out from the belt-driven pulleys.

The question - how is the aluminum drive disc removed so it can be replaced?  What holds it?  What other components need to be removed to facilitate the removal? 

I searched for a service manual for the 824, and came up with this - although it says its for the 9-series.  You can see the drive disc diagram in  Fig 6-2

http://apache.ariens.com/manuals/000123A.pdf

I'm pretty mechanically inclined and have proper tools, so with a little guidance I think I can get this done.  I think with new discs and new belts the machine will be performing as it did when it was new. 

Not to muddy the waters, but in researching this I discovered that there were "update kits" offered for this machine to correct drive ratios , improve torque and increase service life (better compound on the friction disc).   I was never informed of this from Ariens or the dealer that bought this from, despite the dealer saying that letters were sent to everyone with an 824 who was affected.  No chance that they will replace under "warranty" at this point.  While the upgrade may be an improvement, I don't want to spend a lot of money to install the update, being as the machine has done well for me until now and winter is here in the northeast and I need to get the unit up and running quickly.  I believe my failure to check/replace the friction disc is what put me in this situation, not necessarily a poor drive design.

Any help appreciated .

Thanks

Derek