# Ariens plastic disk clutch on new models



## legarem (Sep 9, 2017)

Hello

As I look everything in my Platinum 30 SHO before snow is coming, I looked inside the transmission to lubricate the chain and saw they use a clutch disk made with plastic. Even the sliding part center of the clutch which slides on the shaft is made of plastic. Do all these clutch parts will survive many years to come ? I should have looked if old 926 parts could be used in these new models. Thanks


----------



## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

legarem said:


> Do all these clutch parts will survive many years to come ?


I guess we'll find out. My Deluxe 24 has the same disk. So far no problems.


----------



## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

I like Plastic a Lot. Just Not on My Snowblower.


----------



## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Yea I was disappointed when I seen it too but we will see how it lasts, Not my only blower so won’t be stuck if it fails


----------



## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

Dauntae said:


> Yea I was disappointed when I seen it too but we will see how it lasts, Not my only blower so won’t be stuck if it fails


It is my only blower but I do have a spare disk. And belts. And spark plug. And maybe some other thingamajigs, I'd have to go look.


----------



## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

The wheel drive friction disc from Ariens is all steel except for the rubber tire. The assembly is all metal. I don't know what the material is that rides on the hex shaft. 

The steel friction discs last me 2 years, installed the 3rd one in the spring for this coming season. I don't wait for them to wear out and do extra damage in the middle of winter.

Here is a pic of my friction disc assembly.


----------



## legarem (Sep 9, 2017)

Your's is the old model made with metal like the one I had on my modified 926LE sold two days ago. Now this is made with plastic even the sliding part on the shaft is made with plastic. (picts to come tomorrow) There's a 2013 28 PRO for sale here. it looks new. For fun, I will perhaps go to see it tomorrow. If it had repositioned wheel shaft like my Platinum 30, I would perhaps change mine.


----------



## rslifkin (Mar 5, 2018)

Realistically, the rubber disc probably wears out before the choice of carrier material would really matter. I'd expect they could build a perfectly adequate part out of either plastic or metal considering the lifespan and conditions it needs to work in.


----------



## legarem (Sep 9, 2017)

But the pro models still have the old like metal parts instead of plastic. For me, this means something. 
I'm still amazed to see peoples changing disk so often. My old 926LE 2006 had the same disk when I sold it last week and it was good for a lot of time. It was shiny all around it with just a little bump line in the center.


----------



## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

Yup . . .we have had Ariens blowers since about 1973, and between 1973 and 2018, only two of them, shared with a neighbor. In those 45 years, changed *one* disc (and tthe second machine is running fine . . . the neighbor kept it and moved to a different place, which is why I bought my Plat 24 this past winter . . . )

So, I am very confused as to how folks could wear out a disc that fast as well . . .


----------



## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

I picked up a ST 824 with a blown engine in 2002 on the side of the road, and replaced it with a Harbor Freight Chondra that I had used for 5 years on a piece of cranberry equipment. As far as I know it still has the original disc it was built with in 1981. At least I never changed it and it still looks good.


----------



## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

tadawson said:


> Yup . . .we have had Ariens blowers since about 1973, and between 1973 and 2018, only two of them, shared with a neighbor. In those 45 years, changed *one* disc (and tthe second machine is running fine . . . the neighbor kept it and moved to a different place, which is why I bought my Plat 24 this past winter . . . )
> 
> So, I am very confused as to how folks could wear out a disc that fast as well . . .





legarem said:


> But the pro models still have the old like metal parts instead of plastic. For me, this means something.
> I'm still amazed to see peoples changing disk so often. My old 926LE 2006 had the same disk when I sold it last week and it was good for a lot of time. It was shiny all around it with just a little bump line in the center.


My Ariens has a black plastic marker on left side of chassis that indicates proper positioning of friction wheel and drive plate. When the marker is fully forward the clutch adjustment is correct and when it reaches the back end of the slot with clutch applied the friction disc is worn out. So it gets replaced even though there is still some rubber left since I don't want any problems in the winter. 

My machine gets used a lot and it is expected to perform perfectly all the time. I do 8 driveways that usually involves clearing the snow several times for each snowfall, and the EOD extends way beyond each homes driveway. Each neighbour gets about 30 ft clear of EOD, more for double driveways. My neighbours are elderly and some are infirm so they need clear sidewalks and EOD and driveways and access ramps.

The snow builds up in some places so I need to cut back the banks which is hard on the transmission, but necessary. If you don't use the machine hard then parts last longer.


----------



## legarem (Sep 9, 2017)

Here is a pict of the new friction wheel.


----------



## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

Town said:


> My Ariens has a black plastic marker on left side of chassis that indicates proper positioning of friction wheel and drive plate. When the marker is fully forward the clutch adjustment is correct and when it reaches the back end of the slot with clutch applied the friction disc is worn out. So it gets replaced even though there is still some rubber left since I don't want any problems in the winter.
> 
> My machine gets used a lot and it is expected to perform perfectly all the time. I do 8 driveways that usually involves clearing the snow several times for each snowfall, and the EOD extends way beyond each homes driveway. Each neighbour gets about 30 ft clear of EOD, more for double driveways. My neighbours are elderly and some are infirm so they need clear sidewalks and EOD and driveways and access ramps.
> 
> The snow builds up in some places so I need to cut back the banks which is hard on the transmission, but necessary. If you don't use the machine hard then parts last longer.


And the opposite if you abuse it. Ours are in 300 inch plus snow territory serving two families (often clearing for 4), and banks easily get to 4 feet and over. Still long life . . . I'd wager how it is used (brute force/abuse as opposed to a style involving more brain and less brawn) is a large factor as well. I don't pamper my equipment, but I'm not dumb enough to constantly ram it head first into a solid bank when there are better methods . . .


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Out of adjustment, or running it when something broke will eat a disc way ahead of its time.


----------



## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

Break in the future, or not, that is a no no. The friction disc needs to be strong at all time. It is like the plastic wheels/rims that they had to recall. That thing would explode to your face if there was no cover. They would make them out of plastic to cut manufacturing cost and then make excuses this and that. My older Ariens snowblower seem to be better built. It still have some plastic bushings that have wore out completely. We all know that plastics are junks. Keep making things cheaper. One day MTD would replace them anyway.


----------



## enigma-2 (Feb 11, 2014)

Town said:


> My Ariens has a black plastic marker on left side of chassis that indicates proper positioning of friction wheel and drive plate. When the marker is fully forward the clutch adjustment is correct and when it reaches the back end of the slot with clutch applied the friction disc is worn out. So it gets replaced even though there is still some rubber left since I don't want any problems in the winter.


Interesting. What model do you have? I have a 921028 and it doesn't have this indicator.


----------



## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

enigma-2 said:


> Interesting. What model do you have? I have a 921028 and it doesn't have this indicator.


I have the 921040 model # which is 2015 Platinum SHO with 30" bucket. My parts and owner manuals do not cover the 921028 model. The Pro models do not have the indicator either. I don't know about other Ariens models.


----------



## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

legarem said:


> Here is a pict of the new friction wheel.


Thanks for the pic. I don't have a problem with plastic parts so that is a very interesting design, looks more efficient than my steel version. The geometry to keep the side drive located in its groove is fascinating. Perhaps you have a pic of the mechanism?


----------



## schemmy (Aug 8, 2019)

If you were torn between buying a toro 824 826 or the ariens 24 deluxe would the plastic clutch sway your decision away from an ariens?


----------



## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

schemmy said:


> If you were torn between buying a toro 824 826 or the ariens 24 deluxe would the plastic clutch sway your decision away from an ariens?


There maybe interchangeable parts for it. The metal one that I have is still in a good shape and does not cause problems, so why plastic? I don't like plastic on those Toro snowblowers either. I rather have Ariens.


----------



## legarem (Sep 9, 2017)

dman2 said:


> I don't like plastic on those Toro snowblowers either. I rather have Ariens.


I thought Toro were high quality but I was surprised when my friend showed me it has a BUSHING for impeller instead of a bearing. The price of the bushing is also salted.


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Toro 2-stage snowblowers:
Snowblower made in Mexico, engine made in China.

Ariens 2-stage snowblowers:
Snowblower made in the USA, engine made in China.

Scot


----------



## legarem (Sep 9, 2017)

Town said:


> Thanks for the pic. I don't have a problem with plastic parts so that is a very interesting design, looks more efficient than my steel version. The geometry to keep the side drive located in its groove is fascinating. Perhaps you have a pic of the mechanism?


Here is the mechanism. It is simple and works great but ....


----------



## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

legarem said:


> Here is the mechanism. It is simple and works great but ....


I like that design, simple and efficient. A lot simpler than my metal one. 

Thanks for posting the pic.


----------



## enigma-2 (Feb 11, 2014)

Town said:


> I have the 921040 model # which is 2015 Platinum SHO with 30" bucket. My parts and owner manuals do not cover the 921028 model. The Pro models do not have the indicator either. I don't know about other Ariens models.


Town thanks for the post. Got me thinking. Downloaded the manual for your machine and there was no mention of an "indicator". Downloaded the parts manual, still nothing. But kept at it and found your post back in April with pictures of the wear indicator. And there it was. 

https://www.snowblowerforum.com/for...9121-how-long-should-friction-wheel-last.html

So I went out in the garage and checked my 921028 and, ...... there it was. Never knew it was there. Nothing in the owners manual about it, nothing in the service manual. Dealer never mentioned it when he had walked me through the features. (OK, maybe he did and I don't remember it, I have a 2-minute memory and feel lucky if I remember how to start the machine at the first snowfall ....).

So I tried squeezing the hand contro and it went to 1/2 way back, like your April middle picture. Learned something new. Strange Ariens doesn't point this out in the manual?

Thanks again, buddy, helpful.


----------



## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

enigma-2 said:


> Town thanks for the post. Got me thinking. Downloaded the manual for your machine and there was no mention of an "indicator". Downloaded the parts manual, still nothing. But kept at it and found your post back in April with pictures of the wear indicator. And there it was.
> 
> https://www.snowblowerforum.com/for...9121-how-long-should-friction-wheel-last.html
> 
> ...


Ariens are a bit subtle in their descriptions around that indicator. Look at page 30 of your owner manual at the procedure "Traction drive clutch adjustment" it tells the indicator position when clutch released. It points to figure 35 for the location of the indicator on the machine.


----------



## Noreaster (Feb 9, 2015)

Delrin is a solid material and has great lubricity. The gear reduction further down the drive line takes the brunt of the work. I don't see this as a huge negative, other than its not yet proven. If it doesn't work out, at least it a consumable part and not a major component and i am sure Ariens will take care of the customers. I will finish with i think its going to be a non issue.


----------



## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

Noreaster said:


> Delrin is a solid material and has great lubricity. The gear reduction further down the drive line takes the brunt of the work. I don't see this as a huge negative, other than its not yet proven. If it doesn't work out, at least it a consumable part and not a major component and i am sure Ariens will take care of the customers. I will finish with i think its going to be a non issue.


Nah, man. If the part that slides on the hex axle is made out of plastic, it will wear out very quick, and the friction disc will wobble on there. For years working on cars and house equipment, I saw how brittle, or soft plastic parts are. Plastic has its place, but it was never meant to be used as moving parts, gears, sleeve bushings, or anything like that. Plastic has different names, but they all are the same (soft, hard, or right in the middle).

They made it out of plastic so that it is easy to slide, won't make noise and most importantly, cheap to make. It works great for the people who don't want to maintenance their snowblowers (free hands for Ariens tech supports as well). Once, it is out of guarantee, good luck, buddy. I'm sure the price of it won't be cheap either.

If that thing failed sooner than expected, your snowblower is out of the season.

You defend them all you want. It is not an improvement. It is for other reasons.


----------



## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

Toro is now using something similar. Once again, Paul from Movingsnow.com comes thru with a detailed walk around on another snowblower. This time its Toro's Power Max HD 928 OAE. Paul clearly shows this in the video at the 10:10 minute mark:




In looking up the parts diagrams the Toro has a 2 part clutch. They use a metal and rubber wheel attached to a plastic,(composite) part they call a trunnion. The trunnion glides along the hex shaft.


----------



## Altair (Sep 21, 2019)

Acetal (Delrin is one of its many brand names) is the ideal material for this kind of application.
It has great strength, glides freely on metal and on itself, and is easily moldable to close tolerances.
It doesn't even need lubrication in sliding applications.
It is also available in fiberglass-reinforced versions where extra strength is needed.
It is also low-cost and commonly used in the making of machine parts and precision gears.
Those clutch disks should last a looong time, don't fear.


----------



## legarem (Sep 9, 2017)

We should look if Ariens use these parts in the Pro versions. If yes, they trust it for a long time. If no.....


----------



## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

Good video from donyboy73 showing why regular maintenance to the hex shaft is so important. Donyboy73 shows what happens when a snowblower won't shift gears, metal to metal + rust. Time to push that Toro to the curb, lol. Oh wait donybow73 fixes it!


----------



## rslifkin (Mar 5, 2018)

legarem said:


> We should look if Ariens use these parts in the Pro versions. If yes, they trust it for a long time. If no.....


Even if they're not in the Pros that doesn't necessarily mean they won't last. It's not unheard of for a company to use a different part just because people perceive it as better (and are more likely to buy) even if it's not better. Or to introduce a part gradually in some models but not put it into others until it's had some time in service.


----------



## legarem (Sep 9, 2017)

rslifkin said:


> Or to introduce a part gradually in some models but not put it into others until it's had some time in service.


Not sure I'm tempted to be taken for a guinea pig during ultra cold weather days if it fails. Anyway, this winter, due to my health problems, I will not use any snowblower so I'm forced to take a snow contract. My brother took my Platinum and has the option to buy it. I will at least try it if I feel ok.


----------



## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

legarem said:


> Not sure I'm tempted to be taken for a guinea pig during ultra cold weather days if it fails. Anyway, this winter, due to my health problems, I will not use any snowblower so I'm forced to take a snow contract. My brother took my Platinum and has the option to buy it. I will at least try it if I feel ok.


Sorry to hear that. Hope you can recover soon.

Take care.


----------



## enigma-2 (Feb 11, 2014)

Town said:


> Ariens are a bit subtle in their descriptions around that indicator. Look at page 30 of your owner manual at the procedure "Traction drive clutch adjustment" it tells the indicator position when clutch released. It points to figure 35 for the location of the indicator on the machine.


Verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry subtle. Here's how it reads in my manual:

_TRACTION DRIVE CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT
If drive slips, adjust traction clutch to compensate for friction disc wear. 

1. Loosen jam nut on traction cable adjustment barrel. Turn adjustment barrel down to shorten cable and
remove all cable slack. 
2. With traction clutch disengaged, check that drive plate finger touches the side of hole closest to auger housing (Figure 40)._


----------

