# Ariens ST824 Friction Drive Plate Bushing Repair



## jglawson676 (Feb 6, 2014)

*Model: 932101 S/N: 025645 (ST824)*

*Problem:* Throwing drive belt when trying to move forward/backward...or will not move at all.

*Inspection info:* After removing most of fuel from gas tank I put unit in the maintenance position and pulled belly pan. Upon closer inspection of "Friction Drive Plate" pulley area...I noted I could move pulley about 3/4" side to side and "Friction Drive Plate Assembly" moves quite a bit.

(see picture attached...which shows excess shaft play...due to worn bushings)

Also noted that this unit appears to have had the "Friction Drive Performance Kit" (P/N: 53212100) installed at some point in the past...as the Friction Drive pulley was attached with a set screw and woodruff key and not 3 bolts per the manual.

*Conclusions:* Per parts manual (see screen capture 1 and 2 for item and P/N details...it appears items #26, #27 are completely shot. Not sure if item #23 is damaged yet. Unsure if item #22 is still good or not...but probably would not hurt to replace it while I'm in there anyway.

*Current Issue:* Not sure how to get this apart at this point...
Searched high and low on the internet with no joy for a How To or Youtube video showing disassembly/assembly of this area.

*Ariens Info Link:* Snow Blowers, Zero Turn Mowers, Riding Lawn Tractors | Ariens Equipment


----------



## mkd (Dec 31, 2013)

take a look at this thread! especially the picture of the drive reduction parts. i had all this stuff apart years ago on my 824 and don't remember how it went! i did recently have the chain and two gears out because the gear was binding. Ariens ST824 (924082) Tractor disassembly/axle bearing replacement looking at the picture here and it looks like the hex shaft the friction wheel slides on(part# 8) is held in place by the hex nut# 17. once the nut is removed the hex shaft should slide to the right and out of the bearing in the left side. here are pdf files that you can view page by page for the 824 service manual. just open the link and either go foreward or backward by clicking on the little blue tabs on each side of the page. http://www.manualslib.com/manual/9423/Ariens-924-Sno-Thro-924108.html?page=22#manual


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Section 8.3 of the manual says it should lift right off after the rest of the parts are removed.

http://apache.ariens.com/manuals/00046800.pdf


----------



## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

The hex shaft for the friction wheel has to come out, the wheels and axle have to come out. The lever to the left in your picture has to be able to swing all the way up to get the drive plate off. The lever will hit the wheel axle before the drive plate comes off.


----------



## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

Remove the drive belt, split the two halves of the snowblower, remove the drive pulley.

The shaft the drive pulley is on will come out towards the drive plate that you have removed. But pulley, keyway and such have to come off first. Hardest part will prob be the wheel and axle removal and drive pulley. They tend to be the ones rusted in place.


----------



## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

Go here and take a look at section 8 and the end of section 7


Ariens Order Owners Manuals


----------



## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

Hit the electronic manual search/view button to download


----------



## jglawson676 (Feb 6, 2014)

td5771,

Thanks for the "Short" How To...Have not been able to get back out to the shed to work on the Ariens ST824. Also looking for a pair of snap ring pliers to get off item #41 (snap ring) Probably have to run by Napa or somewhere like that to see if they have the one I'm looking for.


----------



## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

I have to look it up but number 21, 22, 23 may come out together without removing the snap ring if you remove the v belt pulley and keyway from the other side if the housing.


----------



## jglawson676 (Feb 6, 2014)

td5771,

V belt pulley is off, woodruff key is out of shaft. V belt pulley actually came off pretty easy. Need the snap ring pliers to take the assembly apart (Items # 21, 22, 23) after I get it out...so I can see if item #22 is still good or not...as I see all kinds of metal shavings everywhere. Just like in the picture... Should have a better idea as to what all needs to be replaced...here in the next day or two...


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I have had luck getting snap rings off with flat screwdrivers and pliers.


----------



## I think I can man (Jan 7, 2022)

jglawson676 said:


> td5771,
> 
> V belt pulley is off, woodruff key is out of shaft. V belt pulley actually came off pretty easy. Need the snap ring pliers to take the assembly apart (Items # 21, 22, 23) after I get it out...so I can see if item #22 is still good or not...as I see all kinds of metal shavings everywhere. Just like in the picture... Should have a better idea as to what all needs to be replaced...here in the next day or two...


Any luck getting this project done?


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

This post is 8 years old, may not get an answer .........


----------



## Darby (Dec 18, 2020)

Oneacer said:


> This post is 8 years old, may not get an answer .........


 It _was_ interesting reading tho. Good stuff in there.


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I agree, a lot of the older posts contain very good info, and still pertinent today, however, being 8 years old, the chances the OP, as well as people actively following it are pretty slim to non-existent.


----------



## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

I will say one thing... those who say the quality of Ariens' machines hasn't gone downhill should read this thread and look at the diagrams in the original post.

I have two 924-series Ariens that are both around 30 years old. Both have ball bearings to hold the drive plate shaft, the bearings on both machines are original and in fine shape. Younger/newer machine has bushings and guess what they've failed!


----------

