# loose auger shaft and impeller



## rumstove (Jan 27, 2020)

Hello all, new member in Wisconsin here. I tried starting a thread last night but the post never showed up, so not sure what happened...maybe it didn't like my link to my YouTube video. :smiley-confused013:

Anyways, I have a question about a Husqvarna 8024. It's my mom's snowblower. She said she was constantly breaking shear pins. I was finally able to take a look at the snowblower and noticed the skidplates were completely worn through so bad that the augers were hitting the ground. So I replaced the skidplates...good step one is done. 

I then noticed that the augers/auger shaft seems loose. I can move the augers left to right and up and down (in the middle near the gear). The impeller also moves. I can also move the impeller forward and backward slightly, so that seems loose as well. The thing is, when the machine is powered on and the auger lever is engaged the augers and impeller turn as they should. 

I have a feeling the augers and impeller shouldn't have this much/any play in them though so I think as soon as I try blowing snow I'm going to run into problems. What type of things should I be looking for? Are the bearings messed up? As far as repairs go I'm sort of learning as I go. 


Thanks

Edit: 
post worked so here's the link to my video showing the problem:


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## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

skids or and scraper? i have a buddy with a husky that wore out both in half a season, the scrapper was worn so far the housing was also torn up and had to be repaired. granted it's rare when watched but not when one fails to watch for wear. trouble. 

for skid replacements many guys use a set of "ARMORskids" from Snow Blower Skids for all makes and models they are built strong with thick plates, 


as to the sloop on the shafts ,this is something seen on many brands lately, if it's for aid to free wheel when a shear pin breaks or not, i don't know for sure,just keep several sets of correct spares, don't push the machine into the banks,let it work itself though at a slow speed


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

if you got a welder and some fab skill you could probably weld up some brackets to keep that gear box from moving so much but looks like there is a ton of worn out bushings. i am kind of surprised it doesn't have have a bracket in there from the factory since the auger shaft doesn't go from side to side to support the gear box.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

One thing to check here is whether the auger has a full shaft that runs side to side or just stubs out of the gearbox that the ends of the auger rakes fit onto. Either one would be improved with a brace IMO that fits between the upper auger housing and the auger gearbox.


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## rumstove (Jan 27, 2020)

87powershiftx2 said:


> skids or and scraper? i have a buddy with a husky that wore out both in half a season, the scrapper was worn so far the housing was also torn up and had to be repaired.


The skids were worn down to the housing. They were metal skids; I replaced them with skids that look similar to the ones on the current Husky ST224. Scraper bar is still there but the two outside bolts are missing, so it's just being held on by the middle three bolts. There is some housing wear but doesn't look too awful yet. I will have to replace the scraper as well. 



crazzywolfie said:


> if you got a welder and some fab skill you could probably weld up some brackets to keep that gear box from moving so much but looks like there is a ton of worn out bushings. i am kind of surprised it doesn't have have a bracket in there from the factory since the auger shaft doesn't go from side to side to support the gear box.


Bushings sound like a good place to start. Adding some brackets is a good idea as well that I'll have to look into. Thanks!


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## RC20 (Dec 4, 2019)

Welcome, very nice job on the video. 

Agreed on very bad bushings for vertical. . How old is the machine? 

I am not into the Huskyvarna at all, but per crazzywooffie, stub shafts and side shift movement would be a really bad design. 

Age and how much you want to mess with might dictate a new machine (or a good used one). I know there are some serious repair types here, but its a time cost trade off as well as annoyance and messing with something poorly done and repeat issues or get away from it and let it be someone else problem


I acualy sold my 25 year old Toro to an acquaintance for $50. He knew it was falling apart but he had a small driveway and it would still do that (my major clearing was usually one breakdown per 8 inch snowfall) - he had it for another 4 or 5 years and was happy with it though if disintegrated on him in the end.


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## rumstove (Jan 27, 2020)

HCBPH said:


> One thing to check here is whether the auger has a full shaft that runs side to side or just stubs out of the gearbox that the ends of the auger rakes fit onto. Either one would be improved with a brace IMO that fits between the upper auger housing and the auger gearbox.


Looking at this drawing from the manual it appears the shaft stubs out of the gearbox that the auger rakes fit onto. 

The brace idea does sound pretty good.


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## rumstove (Jan 27, 2020)

RC20 said:


> Agreed on the bushings for vertical. . How old is the machine?
> 
> I am not into the Huskyvarna at all, but per crazzywooffie, stub shafts and side shift movement would be a really bad design.
> 
> Age and how much you want to mess with might dictate a new machine 9or a good used one). I know there are some serious repair types here, but its a time cost trade off as well as annoyance and messing with something poorly done and repeat issues or get away from it and let it be someone else problem


This machine is a 2003.

My mom talked to a repair shop and they suggested a new machine as well (Ariens Deluxe 24). They said the shop time for the repair along with parts would be pricey. That's why I'm hoping to take a crack at the repairs. Being that the augers and impeller spin as they should when engaged I was hoping things weren't too severely damaged. I could take my time with the repair and learn as I go.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

i wouldn't put too much time in replacing bushings yet. i would mainly just go for making a bracket to stabilize the gear box. the gear box moving around will just cause any bushing you replace to wear out again. really just seems like poor design from the factory. it would put a lot of stress on the bushing or bearing behind the impeller without a bracket to stabilize the auger gearbox.


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## RC20 (Dec 4, 2019)

> My mom talked to a repair shop and they suggested a new machine as well (Ariens Deluxe 24). They said the shop time for the repair along with parts would be pricey. That's why I'm hoping to take a crack at the repairs. Being that the augers and impeller spin as they should when engaged I was hoping things weren't too severely damaged. I could take my time with the repair and learn as I go.


Sounds like you have a handle on it. While the Toro was a lot older, it was worn out and I was doing doubling plates and stop crack repairs every snow clearing. Poor thing was a wreck basically and not worth putting money or time into (engine was going as well) and it simply did not throw snow high and far enough for our situation. 

If you have the time and don't mind a bit of money a 2003 should be overall ok. Replacing the bushings gets you back in business and you can work on the brace.


Back in 99 when we put the money into the Yahama I had no backup. Now I have a neighbor that is happy to do it so I am not lost if the machine is down though its been ubber reliable with only a float bowl sealing failure. 

I just don't automatically tell people to work on something when there is more to that decision than cost. Its time, annoyance, how much you like to work on those things. Let us know how you do.


Just got to thinking, people that come to the forum probably are inclined to do work on machines to one degree or another or they would take it to a dealer (and buy a new machine when the verdict was Thumbs Down !) 

While I have not seen it true up here, stateside you seem to have a lot more people selling good machines for a good price so used can be a great option if you know what you are looking at.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

:welcome: to SBF rumstove

You first post was caught in the spam filter but you should be good now. It was likely due to the attached vid.


.


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## Cool124 (Jan 19, 2021)

rumstove said:


> Hello all, new member in Wisconsin here. I tried starting a thread last night but the post never showed up, so not sure what happened...maybe it didn't like my link to my YouTube video. :smiley-confused013:
> 
> Anyways, I have a question about a Husqvarna 8024. It's my mom's snowblower. She said she was constantly breaking shear pins. I was finally able to take a look at the snowblower and noticed the skidplates were completely worn through so bad that the augers were hitting the ground. So I replaced the skidplates...good step one is done.
> 
> ...


I have a Poulin Pro 30 inch only year old ...Horrible design on auger system. I have it apart right now ...It has the little stubs coming out of gearbox ..the auger pipe that goes over axle shaft is way to big seem lke there should be bushings in there . The end auger bearings are horrible lots of play even new ones up down back and forth.Hate these plastic bushing type bearings.. Augers sag in the middle which in turn put strains on impeller shaft bearing . Took mine apart bearing good ..What happens is so much weight the metal housing that holds bearing in rear of auger housing bend and flex cause impeller to move up and down as well .. First im gonna bush up the axle shaft ..and like you say I'm gonna stabilize that damn gearbox ..I will post images when i finish


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## Blueyez76 (Jan 6, 2022)

Just wondering if you happen to have made bracing for that and if it works if so could you send a picture of how you did it please cuz I'm having the same problem


rumstove said:


> Hello all, new member in Wisconsin here. I tried starting a thread last night but the post never showed up, so not sure what happened...maybe it didn't like my link to my YouTube video. :smiley-confused013:
> 
> Anyways, I have a question about a Husqvarna 8024. It's my mom's snowblower. She said she was constantly breaking shear pins. I was finally able to take a look at the snowblower and noticed the skidplates were completely worn through so bad that the augers were hitting the ground. So I replaced the skidplates...good step one is done.
> 
> ...


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## rumstove (Jan 27, 2020)

Blueyez76 said:


> Just wondering if you happen to have made bracing for that and if it works if so could you send a picture of how you did it please cuz I'm having the same problem


I forgot to update this thread. Doh! I suppose I should be updating it because it's my main snowblower now! My mom bought a brand new snowblower (the Ariens I mentioned) and gave this one to me for my house. 

After fiddling with it a bit off and on in the end I put it back together without a fix. It sat for a number of months until middle of December. On a whim I took it to a retired guy that I know that used to work in a shop but now likes to tinker with things on his own. He did a quick search for parts and determined that it would indeed be too pricey to buy parts and repair it. I suggested a brace to hold the auger up and he thought the same. Three days later he had it done and what he came up with blew my mind.

I'll see what I can remember off the top of my head while sitting here: He drilled a hole in the top of the auger housing. He created a spacer (made out of what looks to be urethane) so he could insert a long threaded bolt straight down into the auger all the way to the gearbox housing. The long bolt is then attached to a metal plate. The metal plate has a 90° bend so it can also be bolted onto the three bolts at the top of the gearbox housing. He used a threaded bolt so that I can make adjustments (tighten or loosen it) as needed. 

I have used it three times now in the last few weeks, two of those times have been clearing the miserable end-of- driveway/corner-of-sidewalk plow snow and the Husky been excellent with the auger fix. 

I am at my parents house right now but I will take photos of the brace he constructed when I get back to my house in a few days.


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## rumstove (Jan 27, 2020)

Blueyez76 said:


> Just wondering if you happen to have made bracing for that and if it works if so could you send a picture of how you did it please cuz I'm having the same problem


Finally got some photos of the brace. Again, I didn't come up with the design of the brace but it seems to be working well. The horizontal brace has been there for years and isn't related. When this was my parents machine they had problems with the auger housing being flimsy so the horizontal brace makes the housing a bit stiffer apparently.


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