# New to Forum and New to me 4yr old Deluxe 24 - surface rust question



## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

Hi all, I just joined the forum. I have owned a 7524 since 2004, and this morning I just bought a used Deluxe 24 from Craigslist and am really excited to own it! My little 7524 always got the job done but I have a long driveway alongside my house and have often wished for some more oomph to blow the snow far forward before I can then blow it sideways. I was considering getting the Platinum 24 SHO but when I saw this deal I decided to try out the Deluxe 24 first, and I'm guessing it will work for me, and it was a lot cheaper than springing for a new Platinum! 

I am surprised and happy at how much beefier even this Deluxe 24 is vs my 7524!

Anyway of course on Day 1 of ownership and with no snow in sight for a loooong time, I am eyeballing my purchase and wanted advice on rust spots and whether to do anything about them. The prior owner says he changed oil and spark plug every year and the machine runs smooth. 

*So do I try to do something to treat this rust (on the impeller area, on the lower edges of the bucket, and on the front of the gearcase although I know it is just decorative where it was originally painted silver)? I'm going to adjust the skid shoes a little because the guy had the scraper bar straight down to the pavement. Anything else to do? I notice there is grease oozing out at the shear pins so I think the guy pumped a bunch of grease into the zirks down there.* 



































y.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Welcome Hogan773, lots of knowledgeable and helpful folks on here to offer guidance and congrats on your new machine.

First thing I would do is pull the wheels and clean up the shafts and get some low temp grease or anti seize on the shafts and sand the rust on the clips and give the clips a coat of paint if you wish to. Pull the belly pan and make sure there is lube where it should be and check the friction disc.

I have never seen the cap on the gear box rust like that, probably need to sand and paint it to stop any further rusting. Check the gear lube level as per the owners manual, definitely don't want that cap developing a leak. Hard to tell from photos how bad the rust has ate into the cap, if really bad you may need to replace it?

It should look like this:











The wear marks in the impeller housing are minor and normal, but you could sand them and paint them if you wish. 

It looks like moisture has got under the powder coating on the edges of the bucket, and the coating may continue to lift away if left this way. You could scrape any loose paint/powder coat off in these areas, sand to bare metal, clean the metal with paint thinner , prime and paint. 

Allis Chalmers Orange and Chevy orange engine paint are close matches, but not exact. I would probably buy the Ariens orange touch up paint (more expensive), but one can should be enough to take care of any future paint loss.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

Ziggy65 said:


> Welcome Hogan773, lots of knowledgeable and helpful folks on here to offer guidance and congrats on your new machine.
> 
> First thing I would do is pull the wheels and clean up the shafts and get some low temp grease or anti seize on the shafts and sand the rust on the clips and give the clips a coat of paint if you wish to. Pull the belly pan and make sure there is lube where it should be and check the friction disc.
> 
> ...


Thanks - yes I was also a bit put off by the rust on that cap after only 4 years and when it was stored in his garage. He mentioned that he put a tarp over it in the garage so maybe that actually accelerated the rust? I looked at a parts diagram and that "cap" is a part, but I don't see how it attaches (screws into the gearbox or just pushes in with friction? Would you suggest replacing the cap or just sanding that area, priming and then painting it black?

For painting, I assume some Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer followed by either the Orange spray paints or Ariens touch up paint as you suggested. And basically don't worry about the skid marks in by the impeller....should I spray some WD40 or other oil or spread some Silglyde in there to seal it off from air to prevent more rust or just accept that this area gets the paint knocked off and thus rust is formed?


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

It depends how bad the cap is rusted, it is probably fairly thin plated metal. I would imagine the cap is a press in fit, you could try the search feature on this forum and look for similar threads on these machines. 
The photo I posted is my Deluxe 28 SHO after 3 winters. I would say the tarp may have trapped moisture in a damp garage, as well as possible salt residue left on the machine, as much of the plated hardware looks corroded.

I use Fluid Film on my machines. I apply it to the inside of the bucket, augers and inside the chute several times during the winter and after I have washed out the bucket in the spring before I store it for the summer. 
The Fluid Film will prevent snow from sticking to the augers and inside the chute, as well as help prevent rust.
















Winter Equipment - Fluid Film


FLUID FILM does not freeze in cold weather, meaning that it continues to protect winter maintenance equipment in even the harshest conditions.




www.fluid-film.com


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

I looked closer and that cap is still attached (I can see the Ariens logo) so I think I will just sand it down and paint the area

I also checked the auger gear case oil and it seems at a perfect level 2.5" down, and is nice and clean red fluid.

I need to work on those wheels and axles as you mentioned. I took both clips off and left wheel is missing the circlip. Does that really matter? Surprised at the surface rust on those clips after 4 years. I would have thought that Ariens could provide a wheel clip made of STAINLESS STEEL for that application?

Otherwise the front end seems a little out of adjustment - the scraper bar like I said is resting on the ground rather than 1/4" above the ground, and seems a little worn at a very slight angle. Will see if I can get that adjusted along with the skid shoes correctly, and also paint those edges of the bucket. On my old 2004 7524 the augur shaft is still nice and silver and this one shows some surface rust although not too bad. Perhaps this owner had a lot of salt in his snowblowing and didn't rinse it off, and also tarping it up in the garage kept the whole thing slightly moist. Oh well I think it is not going to affect the unit.

Anyone know of a good match for the grayish silverish bluish wheel color if I decide to mask off the tires and spray the wheels just for fun?


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## Dusty (Dec 13, 2018)

Fluid film does work great, its a bit pricey by the can, but definitely gets the job done. Yea see thats another thing I'm not crazy about on all these newer made Ariens blowers, all of the non painted hardware like that gear case cap, rust. On my 10,000 series the only non painted area that corroded a bit were the chrome handles, common for chrome, the rest still isn't rusty. On this ST824 from 1987 the only part that got surface rust was the lower chute rod, but it will clean right off with a wire brush. The new machines get rusty and turn a brown color. Definitely cheaper hardware used now. On that rusty gearcase cap, I would wire brush that and than paint it with a metallic color.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

The 7524 is similar to a Compact, which throws snow at about the same distance with a Deluxe 24. The difference is that the Deluxe 24 is more heavy duty and clear snow more quickly. It also has autoturn. The Deluxe SHO has the output that you are looking for (it throws snow far). Or, if you have the older Deluxe 24 like mine, it already came with the Deluxe SHO larger drive pulley. Not necessary to throw snow far, but it is fun.

I took my snow blower a part, sanded and painted/greased/anti-seized/ every rust spot. Replaced belts and whistles. Did my engine valve job last week, even though it was in good condition/within specs. It is a lot of work, but then you have a reliable snow blower for many years to come.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

I have so much more paint scratches in one year, than what he has in four years. It must be the little rock and sand that they spread out on the street in the winter. I will probably avoid blowing snow on the street next year.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

I'm pretty sure that your auger tubes are all rusted in the inside (inner tubes), as mine did. Of course, they didn't paint it there. You have a short augers shaft design so rust won't affect as much. I like to keep everything clean and free of rust (for long term reliability). So, I cleaned off the rust and applied anti-size in there. The flange bearings/bushings will need to be greased as well.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

It is also very important to note this: 

Fluid Film is a very very tasty condiment/seasoning for the little moat monsters when getting rid of the END OF DRIVEWAY MONSTER and feeding the little moat monsters with its remains.

It will let you double or triple your casting distance and feed two or three times as many of the little moat monsters at once.

Applying three coats of Fluid Film to everything that will contact snow letting it dry completely between coats will aid in preventing ice and snow from sticking.

ME; I use the Fluid Film a lot and I also use my kerosene fired space heater to melt off the ice and snow when I am done clearing snow making sure the toro snowpups and the OEM troy bilt snow blower will be hot and dry before I store them for the day. Like "Wells Lamont" I am fussy. 

Please Note; I am still attempting to have JD44 inch 2 stage snow blower stolen with no questions asked.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

Thanks for the additional comments and suggestions guys! I am going to order some poly skid shoes, probably the Detroit ones, as they get rave reviews. I know the Deluxe 24 is "similar throw distance" as my little 7524 but this Deluxe is much beefier looking - bigger impeller, bigger tires, bigger engine and torque - so I think I can cut through my work more quickly and also attack the street pile more easily. Plus my D24 includes heated handgrips so nice little bonus haha! There is no such thing as a Deluxe 24 SHO. That is the Platinum 24 SHO and that thing would be a monster with 369cc engine on a 24 inch auger and 14 inch impeller! If I ever find one used at a fair price I would prolly trade up, but I got this D24 for 600 bucks and a new Platinum 24 SHO is $1750 with tax, so a lotttt more money for that extra power. The man-brain still wants the Platinum but the rational brain says "it snows 8+ inches usually only a few times a year here, and 12+ inches less than that, and somehow you survived just fine with a 7524 for 16 years now, so tell me again why spending an extra $1100 to get the bigger engine is a life or death thing all of a sudden?????" haha

I will search the forum but is it worth doing the impeller upgrade with the rubber flaps or more risk/trouble than it's worth? (drilling holes into impeller, not getting the balance correct, potential drag from the rubber flaps on the impeller housing, etc)?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

once you start it will never end

welcome to SA......snowblower's anonymous


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

orangputeh said:


> once you start it will never end
> 
> welcome to SA......snowblower's anonymous


Funny thing is for most snows of 3 inches or whatever, I literally take my $7 Menards plastic shovel and buzz around the sidewalk and walkways and around the car, and then we just drive through whatever little pile was left if the plow actually came. So I might have 2 or 3 times a season where I actually even get the dang thing out of the garage, but here I am in May and I am getting ready to get my new adopted machine all fixed up perfect haha

I'm going to wait to sell my old one until the forecast shows a big storm coming this way haha....figure that will be worth an extra hundy on the sales price haha


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## carguy20 (Feb 8, 2021)

I would also recommend the fluid film. It will do pretty good as far as protecting areas from rust. Perhaps wire brush the heavy stuff, then give it a coating of fluid film. 

If the snow is wet and heavy, I will usually give the inside of the blower a spray with some silicone spray / wd40. It is certainly cheaper than the fluid film, and I also only use my blower 2 or three times a year as well. 

If you have the space, I would keep the old one unless someone offered you stupid money for it. If you have owned the machine since new, and it is in good shape, why part with it. Keep it as a backup if the other one does not start. I remember during one particularly bad storm (2+ feet), my MTD would not start. (I only had the one machine at the time.) I never felt so disheartened. Fortunately I was able to get it running and use it.

I always looked at it this way: One snowblower is good, two is better, and when you have three, you will end up here.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

carguy20 said:


> I would also recommend the fluid film. It will do pretty good as far as protecting areas from rust. Perhaps wire brush the heavy stuff, then give it a coating of fluid film.
> 
> If the snow is wet and heavy, I will usually give the inside of the blower a spray with some silicone spray / wd40. It is certainly cheaper than the fluid film, and I also only use my blower 2 or three times a year as well.
> 
> ...


Haha I didn't really think of keeping two but I hear you. I have owned the 7524 since day 1. I agree makes no sense to fire sale it but maybe if Iist it in the days before a big storm is coming I can find someone with cash and who needs it more than I want to store it. Not sure what stupid money level is for a 7524 but would think 500+ would be pretty good money to me as I just paid 600 for the Deluxe 24. I think I only paid 750 plus tax for the 7524 back in 2004. Yeah I don't need to rush and fire sale it for 200 bucks or something. I think it is basically like a Classic 24 now, maybe not even. 195cc Tecumseh, hand operated tilt on the chute, no power steering, no light, so I would think there is a natural ceiling to how much a rational person would pay for it vs getting a Classic 24. So then the key is to find an irrational person in the days before the big storm and when Home Depot is already sold out haha


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Lol, I sold 5 last year, and I still have 6, so don't go by me ......😯😃😁


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## carguy20 (Feb 8, 2021)

Yeah, where I am in NJ, we usually only get a big storm once every few years. Usually just long enough that people forget about getting a snow blower until they see the weather forecast. I remember back in 2016 with winter storm Jonas, one of the weathermen in the area used the term "biblical" to describe the potential snowfall totals. That sent people scrambling. 

I think that 500 would be a fair price if the machine is in real good condition. A basic name brand two stage blower would run you that much new, and probably not be as reliable. I personally like the machines that don't have all the bells and whistles. I prefer the metal rod in a rubber bushing to rotate the chute. Barring any major rust and the odd bushing replacement, that setup would probably still be working when my grandkids are using the blower decades from now. 

I would never try rake somebody over the coals, but if somebody offered that much because they were so gung-ho, i would consider taking it.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

carguy20 said:


> Yeah, where I am in NJ, we usually only get a big storm once every few years. Usually just long enough that people forget about getting a snow blower until they see the weather forecast. I remember back in 2016 with winter storm Jonas, one of the weathermen in the area used the term "biblical" to describe the potential snowfall totals. That sent people scrambling.
> 
> I think that 500 would be a fair price if the machine is in real good condition. A basic name brand two stage blower would run you that much new, and probably not be as reliable. I personally like the machines that don't have all the bells and whistles. I prefer the metal rod in a rubber bushing to rotate the chute. Barring any major rust and the odd bushing replacement, that setup would probably still be working when my grandkids are using the blower decades from now.
> 
> I would never try rake somebody over the coals, but if somebody offered that much because they were so gung-ho, i would consider taking it.


I need to spend some time with the new toy and make sure everything is working and taken care of and then I will see how I feel about selling the old one as winter approaches. Since I will have some primer and orange Rust-Oleum paints too for touching up the rust on the new machine I will get the 7524 out there at the same time and touch it up too. I am also gonna order those Detroit Thermo poly skid shoes for the new D24 - they seem to get great reviews and may be preferable to the newer Ariens poly shoes with the metal inserts


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## carguy20 (Feb 8, 2021)

Sounds like a good plan.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

So I was out taking another look and the prior owner really didn't have the shoes adjusted right. He used the scraper bar for all it's worth! He must have had a super clean driveway haha! 

The issue is the bar is now worn down a lot and at an angle, where the front to back depth is 2" on left side and only 1.75" on right side. 

I assume just better to invest the $25 in a brand new scraper bar along with my poly shoes and do it right? Or would you just try to loosen the bolts first and see if the bar can be adjusted so it is more level to the ground (and of course will not actually be scraping the ground a lot once I get the shoes adjusted up to 1/8"-1/4" or so). I guess given how worn and rusty it is after only 3 seasons of his use, I am leaning to just buying a new one that will stay in better shape going forward. That's a lot of steel scuffing the guy's driveway!


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

So I bought a Stens scraper bar coming via Amazon. I just spent longer than I thought getting those skid shoes and old scraper bar off so I can do some sanding, priming, painting and then install poly shoes from Detroit Thermo. The smaller 5 nuts along the scraper bar came off with an impact. The freakin larger 4 nuts on the skid shoes were tougher, and only after 4 yrs! I had wire wheeled the threads clean last night and gave a good douse of PBlaster. Thought that would do it but they were still feeling like they were going to round out the square frame holes. Got a vicegrip on 3 of the carriage heads and finally worked those nuts off with an impact. On the 4th, still wouldn't budge and wasn't getting a good hold with vicegrips so finally gave up and ground it down/cut it off from the inside with an angle grinder. Sheesh sparks flying etc just to get the damn skid shoe off a 4 yr old blower. I will MOST DEFINITELY apply a good amount of antiseize on the threads of the new hardware when I install the poly shoes. On one of the 4 square frame holes it started to round out but hopefully I can get it tight while still using a stainless carriage bolt.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

If you go with another carriage bolt, just put a serrated washer over the carriage bolt before putting it in ... that will grab the carriage bolt from spinning while tightening. Or just put in a regular bolt.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

Oneacer said:


> If you go with another carriage bolt, just put a serrated washer over the carriage bolt before putting it in ... that will grab the carriage bolt from spinning while tightening. Or just put in a regular bolt.


That's good advice. The Detroit Thermo poly skids come with 4 carriage bolts, stainless, so I would like to use those for aesthetics (aesthetics on a snowblower, I know) rather than a hex head bolt if it works. 3 of the holes are still mostly square, and one is like a square with rounded corners so that is the one that might not work with only the carriage bolt.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Or if you have a welder, just give it a tack ... 

They use carriage bolts there probably in case the bucket gets skewed, the auger end would slide over the carriage bolt, instead of possibly catching a normal hex bolt. ??


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

You guys were right - those axles are both stuck on the wheels. I was out messing around today and used my new grease gun to grease the auger zerks on my 17 yr old 7524 first time (oops - I should have joined this forum in 2004...) and also took off the wheels and put a smooth layer of Permatex Purple Ceramic Brake Lube all over the axles. I know some people like Antiseize but that stuff is so messy and I've read about it drying up and flaking so I went with the greasier coating. Opened the belly pan for the first time and wow my main axle drive gear on the 7524 is PLASTIC! I was surprised by that one. I didn't see any grease there and the manual didn't indicate it, and figured grease would eat away at the plastic so just left it. 

Any tips on freeing up the wheels from the axles on my new Deluxe? The right one is okay since the small shaft pulls out so I figure I can put a socket in the other side and tap it out. But the left side basically wants to pull the whole axle out toward the left so I need to free that one while leaving the axle in place. Would you leak a little PBlaster in the axle/wheel area and then wiggle the wheel around some? 

The wheels on the 2017 Deluxe 24 have more rust on them than my 2004 7524. This guy must have either had his outside at some point, or that tarping it in the garage sealed in the moisture and made a nice little steam room for the rust, or got it all slopped with salty snow whereas I didn't as much. Dude also enjoyed pumping his zerks but I don't think he ever opened the belly pan because he had a LOT of grease pumped in there around the transmission differential. I wiped some of the excess away.

I bought a can of Rustoleum Allis Chalmers Orange and one of Rustoleum Chevy Engine Block Enamel, and did a test spray on the old scraper bar I had pulled off. I would say both colors would be fine but maybe the Chevy is slightly closer - a little brighter orange than the Allis Chalmers which looks a little more pumpkin-y. 

Snowblower nerd in May haha


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I work on blowers all year ... I may sell some in the fall if I need room, I fix some, and have been known to do some complete restorations. I am surely addicted, but I enjoy it as a hobby.

Yes, truly addicted ...


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

So I got the axles free, cleaned them up well, and got a nice thin coating of Permatex ceramic brake lube all over. That should prevent them from seizing on again. I also soaked the clips overnight in vinegar and salt and got all the rust off. Rubbed a nice coating of Sil-Glyde on them and that should help them stay nice and rust free. I am going to wire wheel that outside part of the wheel too but ran out of time. I may spraypaint the wheels too as they are rusted around the edges a bit.

Do I need to oil the idler pulley (not the outside obviously, but where it is mounted and rotates) as shown in the picture - the one that presses in to engage the auger belts? It turns, but it isn't a frictionless turn. The manual doesn't say anything about oiling that piece and I can't tell if it is mounted on a plastic or rubber bushing or something that shouldn't get oil. Any thoughts? (see bottom picture)


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

Oil attracts dirt... might just be tight from sitting, or maybe just not broke in yet.

I'd wait and see.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Those idler pulleys usually have a sealed bearing. Like Yanmar stated, I am sure its from sitting, and I also would let it "wear" in.

I would probably squirt a little penatrating oil on a rag, and wipe the outside of the idler pulleys, just to arrest the rust.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

Oneacer said:


> Those idler pulleys usually have a sealed bearing. Like Yanmar stated, I am sure its from sitting, and I also would let it "wear" in.
> 
> I would probably squirt a little penatrating oil on a rag, and wipe the outside of the idler pulleys, just to arrest the rust.


Yeah thanks guys - I figured out the sealed bearing thing after I posted the original question. I took off the pulley and cleaned off a lot of the rust inside and outside of that pulley wheel with some vinegar and salt. It spins just fine...I'm sure that is how it is supposed to spin with a sealed bearing like that...not 100% frictionless but it spins without any issue so I will just go with it. Somehow the way the prior owner stored it really caused rust! I was also able to take a wire wheel to that auger box cover plug and it shined up really nice without any paint needed. I got the rusty edges of the bucket cleaned with the wire wheel and put metal primer on there, brush on for good thickness. Last step is to spray the orange engine enamel, and then once that is all dry, get the wheels off and get rid of the rusty edges and then paint those. Then it will truly be "my new" snowblower as if I got it from the factory haha


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

Guys just FYI - some of you prob know this - but the Rustoleum Engine Enamel Chevy Orange IS THE PERFECT MATCH as far as I can see. I also tested the "Allis Chalmers Orange" on the old scraper bar I removed and it is a little more pumpkin-orange than the brighter, slightly redder orange on my Ariens. A lot of people posted on here that the Allis Chalmers is a great match, so I wanted to offer my different opinion. The Chevy Orange is so perfect that while I masked everything off to begin with, when I removed the tape and blended out a few areas I was able to just spray spray spray and it blends completely. For example on this picture, the front few inches and bottom 5 inches are new paint while the rest is original factory. I literally cannot see a difference, which makes it excellent for touch ups/blending. Hopefully if someone else is needing to paint they will benefit from this picture and info.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

And one more recommendation - I was looking to repaint the wheels - in the pictures above you can see the rust on the edges etc. I was going to go with a charcoal gray gloss enamel but then saw this Automotive Wheel Paint in the store, a nice metallic graphite color, and decided to try it. Really like it! Sprays and flows really evenly, has a nice look, a little darker than the factory paint but looks sharp in my opinion and better matches the darker color of the metal on the wheel clips. And it says it dries in 30 mins too. Here is the first side of the wheels done. I masked them off and then also took a piece of thin cardboard and cut a hole slightly larger than the rim and just set that over the top to avoid any overspray onto the tires. Once this is all dry then I bolt on the new scraper bar, and the new Detroit Thermo poly shoes, and this baby is ready for action! And by action I mean sitting in the corner of my garage only to come out a few times a year max haha! Funny thing is, I know THIS WINTER the first time it snows more than 2 inches I will be the one dude on the street pulling out his snowblower so I can try her out


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## carguy20 (Feb 8, 2021)

That looks pretty sharp. You do some real good work.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

Thanks man! First time doing snowblower cleanup and yeah I am happy with how this one cleaned up. It wasn't bad to begin with but now feels like it is a new unit for me!


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

I disagree with the advice to just let the roughness in the idler pulley "wear itself in". Roughness in a bearing NEVER gets better. You may get the bearing to spin freely for a while but all you are doing is destroying the bearing. 

Think about it for a minute. Sealed bearings only have grease inside when new. What are the few things that can get in the bearing and cause roughness? Water and dirt. 

Let's talk dirt first. If dirt got in there and runs through the balls and race, it creates a fine grit that is emulsified into the grease creating a paste that is similar to valve grinding compound. Everyone knows how effective valve grinding compound is at low speed on hardened surfaces, think about how much material it could remove at 3600 rpm. Once the clearances are widened, the balls can ride out of the race and jam and the unit is destroyed. 

When it comes to water, it kills the lubricity of the grease and accelerates the formation of rust, because the emulsified grease/water mixture creates even more opportunity for rust to form. Once again, rust forms to the point that it interferes with the smooth rotation of the pulley and you are creating the same type of situation mentioned above. 

My question to the original poster is this. If the project is intended to result in a clean well running machine, why skip bringing a major component up to spec now instead of waiting til the bearing fails while snow is on the ground?


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

PS. Hopefully your salt and vinegar solution didn't infiltrate the seals or you just made things much worse.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

deezlfan said:


> PS. Hopefully your salt and vinegar solution didn't infiltrate the seals or you just made things much worse.


I made sure not to get the salt and vinegar into the area where the bearing is. I just wiped and then used a wire brush, and when I let certain areas sit then I just had it in a shallow dish where only the rim of the pulley was in vinegar and the bearing area wasn't. Yeah I realized you don't want to submerge the whole thing and ruin the bearing. 

It turns just fine. I guess I don't have another to compare it to but it isn't like a nearly frictionless bearing where if I spin it it will spin freely for 30 seconds on its own like a top, but my guess is that none of them do that. I will use it and then check it again periodically. From the smooth feel of it now, feels premature to buy a brand new pulley


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

OK - DONE! Got the new OEM scraper bar installed with some stainless 3/4" long carriage bolts and lock nuts I got at Menards, and also installed the Detroit Thermo poly shoes. One of the 4 square holes for those shoe bolts was too rounded from when I was trying to get the original rusted bolts out, so I decided to use one stainless hex bolt there (3/8" x 1"). I set the scraper bar to 1/8" high using paint stirrer sticks under the scraper bar. Really happy with the wheel color that matches the clips, the orange paint, and the way it all turned out and now I feel like I have a new machine! 

Funny thing was, this is a 4yr old machine and the skid shoe bolts were rusted really solid, yet on my 7524 that I've owned since 2004, I just buzzed the nuts open with my little impact driver to adjust the shoes down slightly since I noticed the scraper bar was touching the pavement. I still don't know how the previous owner got so much rust on the D24 in just 4 years, one of which he never used it and it sat in the garage.

Now I wait for the snow......


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Machine looks great.

I think your machine was the text book case of not washing salt residue off a machine at the end of winter and then storing it in a damp or poorly ventilated environment. 

Storing anything (especially metal) under a non breathable plastic tarp is asking for trouble IMHO.


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## carguy20 (Feb 8, 2021)

Very nicely done. You should be able to take on many more winters with that machine.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

Ziggy65 said:


> Machine looks great.
> 
> I think your machine was the text book case of not washing salt residue off a machine at the end of winter and then storing it in a damp or poorly ventilated environment.
> 
> Storing anything (especially metal) under a non breathable plastic tarp is asking for trouble IMHO.


yeah I think you're right. He got a nice coating of salt across the whole machine, then bundled it up nicely under a tarp in his garage so the moisture could be retained to help feed the rust monsters


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

carguy20 said:


> Very nicely done. You should be able to take on many more winters with that machine.


Thanks and I am looking forward to it. When I have this machine sitting next to my 7524, the 7524 looks like a shrimp! Reminds me of this.....


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