# Craftsman Snowblower Barely Throwing Snow



## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

I have a Craftsman 9 HP Model 247.88790. It is throwing snow but just barely and most snow is just falling out of the chute without being thrown. All the shear pins are intact, and the impeller spins at full speed, but the auger seems to be turning much slower, and there is some slight noise I can hear from one side of the auger that sounds almost like a slight buzzing sound but I can't further identify it. I put a video link to show what the issues are. 



https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8R-M_mDikrtlFdx9iBXzZohfRogVEkAJ



According to the manual, it says to check the auger control it says:

1. To check the adjustment of the auger control, push forward the left hand control until the rubber bumper is compressed. There should be slack in the cable.
2. Release the control. The cable should be straight. Make certain you can depress the auger control against the left handle completely.

This is confusing to me because on my machine it is reversed. If I push down and compress the left hand control (I don't see it pushing forward at all), then it takes the slack out of the cable. When I release the control, it raises back up, and then there is some slack in the cable. 

In any event, I suspect this is not the issue.

This is a photo of what the inside looks like after just a minute of trying to blow snow.









If I understand what I have read or watched online, it is either the belt pulley or the gear box as the most likely issues? Any other thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated.


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## RAOUL225 (Jan 24, 2020)

No, its the auger cable that need to be adjusted. The cable should have a little bit of slack to it.Read your manual for auger cable adjustment.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

RAOUL225 said:


> No, its the auger cable that need to be adjusted. The cable should have a little bit of slack to it.Read your manual for auger cable adjustment.


I did read the manual and even quoted from it. As I mentioned the manual says when you engage the control there should be slack and when you release the control the cable should be straight. But the manual also says to push the control forward to engage it, and on my machine you press down on the control to engage it, so I don't see how there can be slack when the control is engaged. If I loosen the cable to have slack when engaged it will have even more slack when released.


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

It sure sounds like the engine is not running at full speed . . . 

The cable as mentioned . . . should be adjusted if needed

How is the auger/impeller belt? If that is slipping from being worn, the impeller/auger speed will slow down under load.

BTW - the impeller usually spins at 3-4 times the rate of the auger.


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

The engine speed does sound lower than it should be and it looks like the auger had a delay engaging after the impeller started spinning. With the engine OFF and the spark plug wire removed,can you rotate the auger without the impeller moving? If so, the auger gear box may be damaged.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

tpenfield said:


> BTW - the impeller usually spins at 3-4 times the rate of the auger.


On an MTD it should be about 10 times faster.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

dmwesq said:


> I have a Craftsman 9 HP Model 247.88790. It is throwing snow but just barely and most snow is just falling out of the chute without being thrown. All the shear pins are intact, and the impeller spins at full speed, but the auger seems to be turning much slower, and there is some slight noise I can hear from one side of the auger that sounds almost like a slight buzzing sound but I can't further identify it. I put a video link to show what the issues are.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Grunt said:


> The engine speed does sound lower than it should be and it looks like the auger had a delay engaging after the impeller started spinning. With the engine OFF and the spark plug wire removed,can you rotate the auger without the impeller moving? If so, the auger gear box may be damaged.


The augers do not rotate at all with the machine off.


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## PlOM (Nov 12, 2020)

dmwesq said:


> But the manual also says to push the control forward to engage it, and on my machine you press down on the control to engage it, so I don't see how there can be slack when the control is engaged.


I tend to agree that the Owners Manual (OM) instructions seem odd. I suggest checking to see how moving the auger control lever affects the auger drive belt, which is the key to getting the auger to work. This can be seen after removing the belt cover.

With the engine off and spark plug wire removed, remove the belt cover -- the plastic cover that's between the front of the engine and the chute and auger housing. (Page 18 of the OM). 

There's two belts, one for the wheel drive, which is closer to the engine, and one for the auger drive, which is closer to the front/chute. 

Based on the following diagram, with the auger control handle released (up), the auger belt should have slack. As the auger control handle is pulled down (opposite to the instructions!) the idler wheel should move in toward the back of the auger belt, causing it to tighten on the engine drive pulley and the larger auger pulley below. The idler wheel will stop moving when the belt is tight, but that should be before the control handle is fully down. As the handle is pulled further down, a spring connected to the idler wheel stretches, ensuring continuous tension to keep the belt tight.









If your blower is similar to many others, the cable going up to the auger control lever is pulled (tighter) as the control lever is pulled down; it's slack, but not loose, when the lever is released and up. 

Owners Manual: L0602008.pdf (searspartsdirect.com)


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## Keiz (Dec 14, 2020)

I’m going to go on a different track after you verify belt adjustment. It seems as if the engine starts struggling as soon as it hits even a small amount of snow. In one video, it sounds like you open the choke lever a bit and it revs up, so first question: Don’t take offense, but are you sure you are opening the choke completely, and nothing impeding it? If so, new and correct plug, properly gapped? If so, new fuel, no leftover from last year, or older? If none of above maybe carb need cleanout or possibly some kind of obstruction in the intake; spider webs, mouse houses, etc.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

PlOM said:


> I tend to agree that the Owners Manual (OM) instructions seem odd. I suggest checking to see how moving the auger control lever affects the auger drive belt, which is the key to getting the auger to work. This can be seen after removing the belt cover.
> 
> With the engine off and spark plug wire removed, remove the belt cover -- the plastic cover that's between the front of the engine and the chute and auger housing. (Page 18 of the OM).
> 
> ...


Thanks for the suggestion. I had the cover off yesterday and while I didn't do this exactly, the belt did appear to be operating properly, but I will re-examine it tomorrow in the daylight. I checked all my shear pins, and they were fine. I guess I could just replace the belt - that seems like an item that should not be expensive and not too difficult to replace, as the belt itself is 15 years old. 

Going back to one of the previous posts, if the auger doesn't turn at all when off, but will turn if the impeller is turned, I assume that is the proper operation? 

Perhaps it is indeed the gears themselves that are going bad? That would probably be pushing me to my repair limits. I've watched a few videos and can probably try it, but at that point it may make sense to bring the machine in for a professional repair. Then it becomes a question of cost - if the repair is too pricey it may just be time to buy a new machine.


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

dmwesq said:


> Thanks for the suggestion. I had the cover off yesterday and while I didn't do this exactly, the belt did appear to be operating properly, but I will re-examine it tomorrow in the daylight. I checked all my shear pins, and they were fine. I guess I could just replace the belt - that seems like an item that should not be expensive and not too difficult to replace, as the belt itself is 15 years old.
> 
> Going back to one of the previous posts, if the auger doesn't turn at all when off, but will turn if the impeller is turned, I assume that is the proper operation?
> 
> Perhaps it is indeed the gears themselves that are going bad? That would probably be pushing me to my repair limits. I've watched a few videos and can probably try it, but at that point it may make sense to bring the machine in for a professional repair. Then it becomes a question of cost - if the repair is too pricey it may just be time to buy a new machine.


15 years? I suspect the belt is stretched.
If you are keeping it I would buy a spare belt.

The gear box looks just like mine.
I just went into mine after 20 years, everything was good, I re-greased and put back together. It was my first time.
Save your self money and get in there yourself if you need to.
Not hard at all.
My thread,








My Craftsman's gear box/ impeller/ bucket &amp...


My serial number is in my signature too, though you have to click on it to see it. Craftsman #536886141(Around 2000?) 5 Horse, Tecumseh HSSK50-67392S 22" Dual Stage I noticed that I had too much play with my impeller. Some shiny marks were in side the housing so it must have scrapped at one...




www.snowblowerforum.com


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

Big Ed said:


> 15 years? I suspect the belt is stretched.
> If you are keeping it I would buy a spare belt.
> 
> The gear box looks just like mine.
> ...


I'll have to see how things go. I have a Ph.D. in taking things apart, but more like a High School diploma in putting things back together. Sometimes it is the skill, sometimes the right tools, and sometimes a combination. Just the way things go.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

Keiz said:


> I’m going to go on a different track after you verify belt adjustment. It seems as if the engine starts struggling as soon as it hits even a small amount of snow. In one video, it sounds like you open the choke lever a bit and it revs up, so first question: Don’t take offense, but are you sure you are opening the choke completely, and nothing impeding it? If so, new and correct plug, properly gapped? If so, new fuel, no leftover from last year, or older? If none of above maybe carb need cleanout or possibly some kind of obstruction in the intake; spider webs, mouse houses, etc.


No offense taken. Anything is possible, and after I check the belt I'll go through all the steps here as well.


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## BazookaJoe (Oct 6, 2019)

I used to own a similar machine. My Craftsman would behave sort of similar to yours in that it didn't throw very well unless the machine was fairly well loaded with snow, and then it wasn't too bad. I didn't know about adding the "impeller mods" by bolting rubber strips to the impeller, but I think that would have helped. (do a search for details). Try loading the machine with more snow and see if your machine blows better. 

And for what it's worth, my Craftsman didn't throw the snow very far on a good day.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

BazookaJoe said:


> I used to own a similar machine. My Craftsman would behave sort of similar to yours in that it didn't throw very well unless the machine was fairly well loaded with snow, and then it wasn't too bad. I didn't know about adding the "impeller mods" by bolting rubber strips to the impeller, but I think that would have helped. (do a search for details). Try loading the machine with more snow and see if your machine blows better.
> 
> And for what it's worth, my Craftsman didn't throw the snow very far on a good day.


Thanks. I did see the impeller videos, and if I get the thing running I would consider trying that, but that's a secondary issue. Truth be told I haven't loved the machine since the beginning, and it always gave me a hard time starting up. Right before this problem arose I had a slight leakage of gas and took off the carb bowl and replaced the gasket. This necessitated draining the gas, and now it actually starts right up, and I can even start it with the pull chain, which I was rarely able to do before and had to always use the electric start. So it was actually running better than it had. And up until now it threw snow decently, although as you said never what I would call great. As for loading with more snow, it stops dead in its tracks if I try to go through "more" snow.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

A few more questions - I just watched a video that suggested replacing the drive belt at the same time as the auger belt. Is there a real need for this? I know the auger belt is available locally and I can go pick it up today. Not sure I can say the same for the drive belt.

Second question, in the video they state to drain the gas in order to replace the belts. Is this a necessary step, and if so, why? Is it because they are standing up the machine to remove the belt? I thought I had seen other videos where they were replacing the auger belt without draining the gas. Is this video doing so because they are also replacing the drive belt?


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## BazookaJoe (Oct 6, 2019)

dmwesq said:


> Thanks. I did see the impeller videos, and if I get the thing running I would consider trying that, but that's a secondary issue. Truth be told I haven't loved the machine since the beginning, and it always gave me a hard time starting up. Right before this problem arose I had a slight leakage of gas and took off the carb bowl and replaced the gasket. This necessitated draining the gas, and now it actually starts right up, and I can even start it with the pull chain, which I was rarely able to do before and had to always use the electric start. So it was actually running better than it had. And up until now it threw snow decently, although as you said never what I would call great. As for loading with more snow, it stops dead in its tracks if I try to go through "more" snow.


Good info. Sounds like the engine is running but snow just isn't coming out of the chute very well. And other issues too. A snowblower with problems is such a pain. 

I didn't want to trash on your machine right away, but it sounds like you really don't like it much so I will share my opinions. I thought the joystick was horrid, the curve of the chute doesn't allow the snow throw very far, it was under powered, and perhaps the biggest thing I hated- is that the two MTD built machines I have owned would both slip the traction drive system whenever (= often) snow or water would drip between the engine and the belt guard. Since the Craftsman, I bought an Ariens Deluxe 28 and I really like the new machine. The things which I like, are- no more traction drive slipping, blows snow much further, I could modify the chute rotation gear to increase the chute rotation, much better chute control. On top of all this, I would estimate the Ariens is about double productive because it ingests the snow into the augers rather than roll a row of snow out the side.


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## Keiz (Dec 14, 2020)

dmwesq said:


> Thanks for the suggestion. I had the cover off yesterday and while I didn't do this exactly, the belt did appear to be operating properly, but I will re-examine it tomorrow in the daylight. I checked all my shear pins, and they were fine. I guess I could just replace the belt - that seems like an item that should not be expensive and not too difficult to replace, as the belt itself is 15 years old.
> 
> Going back to one of the previous posts, if the auger doesn't turn at all when off, but will turn if the impeller is turned, I assume that is the proper operation?
> 
> ...


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

dmwesq said:


> A few more questions - I just watched a video that suggested replacing the drive belt at the same time as the auger belt. Is there a real need for this? I know the auger belt is available locally and I can go pick it up today. Not sure I can say the same for the drive belt.
> 
> Second question, in the video they state to drain the gas in order to replace the belts. Is this a necessary step, and if so, why? Is it because they are standing up the machine to remove the belt? I thought I had seen other videos where they were replacing the auger belt without draining the gas. Is this video doing so because they are also replacing the drive belt?


A lot will say it is the Craftsman, buy another, I see many Ariens and other machines in the forum with a whole lot of problems.
What year is yours?
My little Craftsman is 20 years old, ALL machines will eventually need a new belt.
If you have had that for 15 year or so you got your use out of the belt.
Replace it. As long as your in there you should replace the drive belt too, but they will last a lot longer then the auger belt.
If you can only get the auger belt just replace that for now, I had the same problem and my belt was stretched.
Nothing wrong with your Craftsman, I guess it has served you well to this point? And it looks in good shape otherwise from what I see.
I looked at your manual and if your number is right it is a very SIMPLE fix.
No need to drain the gas.
Take off the plastic belt cover, there are 2 screws/bolts.
Take off old belt and put on the new one..........and your done.
If you were close to me I would run over and in 5 mins you would be blowing. 
We can't see where your at because no one adds a location to their profile anymore.

If the noise is still there you may have another problem, but change the belt first.

Have you ever done anything to that blower? Look inside and lube it up?
Look at your friction disk?
Anything? I am guessing no, you don't really need any special tools as a normal socket set or wrenches will work.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

Thanks to all for the help. Between the comments and a few online videos I was able to replace the belt. I also checked all the settings for choke, throttle, etc. to make sure I had those set right. It seems to be working, and running smoother, but I have to wait until tomorrow for a good test. I tried to do some of what was on the sides of my driveway but it is all pretty packed and icy. But I think I'm back in business, and having done two repairs to the machine this week and not screwing either one up (at least I don't think I did) I consider that a good week.

Only little hiccup I see is the two bolts to the frame cover on the bottom keep turning when tightening with a socket wrench, whereas the other two on the back of the cover are firmly in place. While the bottom two turn with a socket wrench, they don't seem to budge by hand. I guess I will keep an eye on that and see what happens when the machine runs.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

the 2 holes are likely stripped out. they only screw into sheet metal. it is not big deal. 

eventually you should look into doing the impeller mod. since your craftman is a mtd product it likely has the same 1/2" gap between the impeller and housing which makes the machine not throw as good as it could. 

also what shape are the sheer pins in? if they spin or are still able to be removed easily replacing the auger gear is usually a pretty easy job. the worst part is usually drilling out stuck shear pins. i took apart 2 auger gear boxes just so i could rebuild 1. i was able to get all 6 out of the parts auger assembly and everything came apart super easy. now the auger assembly i was fixing had 3 stuck shear pins that fought me and caused me a couple hours extra of fighting to get the augers off and then fighting to drill out the shear pins. just make sure you clean the auger shafts real good before splitting the auger gear case.


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

crazzywolfie said:


> the 2 holes are likely stripped out. they only screw into sheet metal. it is not big deal.
> 
> eventually you should look into doing the impeller mod. since your craftman is a mtd product it likely has the same 1/2" gap between the impeller and housing which makes the machine not throw as good as it could.
> 
> also what shape are the sheer pins in? if they spin or are still able to be removed easily replacing the auger gear is usually a pretty easy job. the worst part is usually drilling out stuck shear pins. i took apart 2 auger gear boxes just so i could rebuild 1. i was able to get all 6 out of the parts auger assembly and everything came apart super easy. now the auger assembly i was fixing had 3 stuck shear pins that fought me and caused me a couple hours extra of fighting to get the augers off and then fighting to drill out the shear pins. just make sure you clean the auger shafts real good before splitting the auger gear case.


I guess he is done, for now?
He should service the rest, I am willing to bet that in the 15 years he has done nothing to it.
Oh well.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

that is the way it usually is. they mentioned possibly thinking there might be an issue with the auger gear box. the grease in the craftsman i fixed looked like it was probably the wrong type of grease. also seen identical machine as the 1 i fixed for sale and apparently it had a rebuilt auger gear box. maybe it was a coincident that multiple identical machines having the auger gear box fail from having the wrong grease but most probably just chock it up to the wear and tear that comes with old age but it is possible there are other machines out there with the wrong grease. the parts machine i took apart looks like it had the proper grease and the brass gear in it looked brand new. it is kind hard to say if there is wear from looking at the 1 video he has posted of his augers. almost need to manually spin the impeller to see what try getting an idea if the brass gear has wear and it is only a big issue once teeth start breaking off the gear.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

crazzywolfie said:


> the 2 holes are likely stripped out. they only screw into sheet metal. it is not big deal.
> 
> eventually you should look into doing the impeller mod. since your craftman is a mtd product it likely has the same 1/2" gap between the impeller and housing which makes the machine not throw as good as it could.
> 
> also what shape are the sheer pins in? if they spin or are still able to be removed easily replacing the auger gear is usually a pretty easy job. the worst part is usually drilling out stuck shear pins. i took apart 2 auger gear boxes just so i could rebuild 1. i was able to get all 6 out of the parts auger assembly and everything came apart super easy. now the auger assembly i was fixing had 3 stuck shear pins that fought me and caused me a couple hours extra of fighting to get the augers off and then fighting to drill out the shear pins. just make sure you clean the auger shafts real good before splitting the auger gear case.


The shear pins are in perfect shape - I removed all of them to inspect them as part of the troubleshooting. I am going to look for material and try the impeller mod, since it seems like a good way to stop the accumulation and blockage of snow, especially when it is wet, heavy snow.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

Big Ed said:


> I guess he is done, for now?
> He should service the rest, I am willing to bet that in the 15 years he has done nothing to it.
> Oh well.


I wouldn't say I've done nothing - it has been serviced at least twice by repair shops over its life, and I have done routine oil changes too. When it was under extended warranty the car was replaced twice as well. It doesn't get heavy use because I have a long driveway and use a plow service - I use the snowblower for walkways and to clean up the driveway, and occasionally will use it when the plow service hasn't hit my house in time for me to get out. Now that I'm more comfortable with working on it I may try some other servicing myself. Opening the gear box does scare me a bit.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

you will be happy with how much better the machine performs once you have done the impeller mod. it will help it throw farther and deal with the wet stuff better. the fact that your shear pins are still removable it make fixing the gear box easier if you do have it fail. i would wait till it fails if you think there is issues. there is really not much to it. you just put things back together the same way as you take it apart and should be good. there are also lots of video's on youtube to help if needed. the one i fixed didn't have much gear left by the time i got it but none of the other parts seemed damaged. just the brass gear. you could possibly pop the cap on the gear box and stick a small screw driver and scrape around to see what the grease looks like. if it comes out brassy looking there might be issues in it


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

crazzywolfie said:


> you will be happy with how much better the machine performs once you have done the impeller mod. it will help it throw farther and deal with the wet stuff better. the fact that your shear pins are still removable it make fixing the gear box easier if you do have it fail. i would wait till it fails if you think there is issues. there is really not much to it. you just put things back together the same way as you take it apart and should be good. there are also lots of video's on youtube to help if needed. the one i fixed didn't have much gear left by the time i got it but none of the other parts seemed damaged. just the brass gear. you could possibly pop the cap on the gear box and stick a small screw driver and scrape around to see what the grease looks like. if it comes out brassy looking there might be issues in it
> View attachment 172030


How many paddles did you add to the impeller? I've seen videos with as few as 1 and as many as 4. Also what type of material did you use to make the flap out of?


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

i use mudflap. i just used 1 piece per impeller blade.


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## 59ctd (Jan 25, 2014)

dmwesq said:


> How many paddles did you add to the impeller? I've seen videos with as few as 1 and as many as 4. Also what type of material did you use to make the flap out of?


Add the rubber to every impeller blade. If not, then it will not be balanced properly. I used baler belt from the local Fleet Farm to make mine along with some basic rectangular/flat steel stock cut/drilled to length and SS bolts with SS locknuts.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

59ctd said:


> Add the rubber to every impeller blade. If not, then it will not be balanced properly. I used baler belt from the local Fleet Farm to make mine along with some basic rectangular/flat steel stock cut/drilled to length and SS bolts with SS locknuts.


Thanks.


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

dmwesq said:


> How many paddles did you add to the impeller? I've seen videos with as few as 1 and as many as 4. Also what type of material did you use to make the flap out of?


If you can get an old 1 stage paddle they last for ever. They are very thick and tough. You want it to be balanced so cut everything to the same size. As close a possible and use the same hardware on each blade. On a 4 blade impeller you can get a way with doing two opposite blades.

On the cover bolts that are spinning you can either drill and tap them for the next size up. Which is what I have often done. Or...... see if you can get some of the clips with a threaded hole that you push over the edge of sheet metal. NAPA has them or any decent hardware store should also have them. As long as the tapped hole is close to the edge, they work great. I forget what they call them. Someone will know what I am talking about and offer up the proper name.. Sorry my memory is not what it was.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> If you can get an old 1 stage paddle they last for ever. They are very thick and tough. You want it to be balanced so cut everything to the same size. As close a possible and use the same hardware on each blade. On a 4 blade impeller you can get a way with doing two opposite blades.
> 
> On the cover bolts that are spinning you can either drill and tap them for the next size up. Which is what I have often done. Or...... see if you can get some of the clips with a threaded hole that you push over the edge of sheet metal. NAPA has them or any decent hardware store should also have them. As long as the tapped hole is close to the edge, they work great. I forget what they call them. Someone will know what I am talking about and offer up the proper name.. Sorry my memory is not what it was.


Thanks. I was going to get this from Amazon - I think it should work.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

that looks like it should work. the price even seems pretty good.


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

Not sure how thick that is but I am sure it will do the job. If you have any local small engine shops you could stop in and ask if they are throwing out any old single stage paddles. They are just trash to them.


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## dmwesq (Dec 17, 2020)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> Not sure how thick that is but I am sure it will do the job. If you have any local small engine shops you could stop in and ask if they are throwing out any old single stage paddles. They are just trash to them.


Not a bad idea - thanks.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

It has been mentioned a couple


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