# Craftsmand 247.888530 weird steering situation



## JackBronson (Feb 27, 2011)

Got an older Craftsman snowblower recently. The unit had been disassembled and completely painted including over the tag with the product number, however it appears to be an older (late 90s) 247.888530 (MTD 31AE558G099). 9 hp 28 inch. When I got the unit the steering mechanisms were not with the machine. everything from the turn triggers down to and including the dogg assemblies are gone. Here is the situation (left or right reference is from the operators position of the machine, unlike the manual, which doesn't make any sense): the right wheel drives, the left does not. So, I bought and installed the dogg assembly for both sides and rigged up temporary triggers. if i have both triggers NOT pulled (so the doggs are locked into the cogs on the ends of shaft), the unit won't drive - its like the wheels are locked - I can't even move the unit. if I pull on the right trigger the right wheel drives and the unit goes left (which seems to be opposite of what it should be doing). if I pull the left trigger and leave the right alone, instead of driving, it locks up like it does when neither trigger is pulled. 
I've examined everything underneath, even took out the Shift Assembly Steerable Drive and took the left end of the shift assembly apart and looked inside and everything looks fine. Does the Shift Assembly Steerable Drive have a left and a right end? doesn't seem like that's possible. 
This is really bizarre to me because nothing seems to be broken or missing. But since the turn trigger steering assemblies were all taken of the machine at some point in the past its as if something was wrong so whoever had the machine took the parts off it to "fix" the problem (and lived with the fact that only the right wheel is driving in this arrangement). If anyone can help me solve this mystery it would be much appreciated. BTW - I'm in to this thing for probably $150 more than I should be at this point, so I'm not likely to put another penny into it. Thanks.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

drive and steering dogs are two separate problems. i believe on your blower there are 2 sprockets inside the trans housing. one for each wheel. they are locked to the axle each with one pin, sounds like one is missing see #14 in following diagram. there is also a sprocket, 1 for each side, just inside the steering cogs. the whole assembly is sold as a unit ($263) but those sprockets should be held in place with a pin/keyway/or woodruff key. make sure all sprockets are locked in their positions

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...rtsdirect.com/lis_png/PLDM/P0102097-00002.png

each wheel also has a pin on the outside of the wheel,make sure it is there


the steering dogs sound like they are assembled wrong. even in the parts diagram i put a link to if you assemble it like the picture it wont work. the dogs should be away from the cogs until you squeeze the triggger and the cable is to pull the dog against the cog. prob upside down or left and right switched
hope some of this helps


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## JackBronson (Feb 27, 2011)

*Hmmm*

OK, I will look for the pin you referenced, that may be part of the problem.

regarding the parts diagram and you thinking its wrong, you may be right. the way it behaved had me thinking something is backwards, like stuff should lock up when the trigger is pulled, or when i pull the right trigger the unit should go right. However, it doesn't look like there is anyway to assemble any of this backwards because the doggs can only go one one side. Anyway, I will go examine this and post back.

and yes, the Klick Pins are in place on the wheels. I may be perplexed about this issue, but I'm a little more mechanically inclined than to overlook that 

Thanks, td.


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## JackBronson (Feb 27, 2011)

*Upon further review*

OK, this just hit me: I have assembled the parts I actually have correctly, however, I don't have the triggers or the Steering Cables (I just hooked up temporary cables to test this out) so after re-reading your post td I can see that the triggers would ENGAGE the doggs, but with no triggers or cables they are engaged full time. Because none of the steering components came with the machine, I didn't understand fully the function of the triggers. Duh! 

Off to check out the pin.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

the manual says pull rt trigger go rt, pull left go left. dogs should be away from cog in the "at rest" position. do you need the owners manual? it wont help with assembly, but more info is always good


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

even without any cables the springs should be pulling the dogs away from the cogs


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## JackBronson (Feb 27, 2011)

*manual*

Nope, all set with the manual. As soon as I was able to identify the model, getting the manual off the sears website was the first thing I did. helps with the parts identification, but the rest of it is a joke. There is one line in the whole thing about steering, and it doesn't even tell the user how much oil the engine takes in the oil change section (or anywhere else).

Thanks


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

if you can find an engine number on the engine, i should have the manual for that as well, it will give all the specs and capacities it should be like.....LH195SA OR OH318SA something like that


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## JackBronson (Feb 27, 2011)

*update*

OK, here is where I am at. I took the doggs off the unit and am currently blowing snow. however, my original situation still exists (which led me to buy the doggs in the first place): on the right wheel on the unit is driving. everything is intact underneath, including the pin near the cog.

If i try to turn the "drive shaft" by hand and hold the right wheel, i cannot turn the shaft. if i hold the left wheel i can still spin the drive shaft, so it seems the issue is with the left side of the drive shaft. its like the cog is not grabbing the drive shaft.

the springs actually hold the doggs against the cog.

can't find a number on the engine, but its a two shaft 9hp Tecumseh. the carb has adjustment screws on it (unlike the newer ones).

thanks, td.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

just so we are straight. right side drives, left does not, correct.


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## JackBronson (Feb 27, 2011)

*correct*

standing in the operator position, the wheel on the left does not drive.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

the right side sounds fine,the left(the side not driving) has a problem.nothing to do with cog or dog system. look at the diagram.there is are two sprockets,one for each side, on the axle with the tires on it. each sprocket has a pin. then there is another shaft towards the front of the machine that has 2 sprockets on the shaft (that line up with the sprockets on the drive axle) that carries the cogs. i dont know what holds the front sprockets to the shaft it may have a pin. its sold as a unit

sure you know already but the dogs work by... when you pull the trigger the dog engages against the cog causing the tire to drag or stop.so if you pull the right trigger the dog goes against the cog, right tire drags, left tire keeps pushing therefore turning the machine right. and opposite of course to go left


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

a least thats how ive seen dogs work in the past

unless the clutches in the cogs work the opposite way then your set up would be right


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

you showed in your first post how your clutches in the cogs work. with the right dog against the cog your machine wouldnt move. when you pulled the trigger and moved the dog away from the cog it moved, therefore dogs should be set up away from the cog and then when you pull the trigger they go against (engage)the cogstopping the wheel. reason nothing worked when set up the same way on the left side is the clutch inside the left cog is bad. probably why the machine was missing all the steering controls when you got it.


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