# Repower / Restore 1970 Ariens Sno Thro



## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

Q. What do you do with a 1970 Ariens 5hp snow blower that has gotten a little tired and rusty?

A. Think, "What would Tim the Toolman do?" 

Back in 2005 may dad's old snowblower did a lot of work in Boston but was tired. Largely because of this sentimental attachment, I decided to rebuild it. So with some help from forums and the Ariens manuals, I decided to rebuild it to make it more usable, with a "design life" of 15 more years.

The advantage of these machines is that they are very simple and greatly overdesigned. Almost all parts are readily available from dealers and online. Many parts have been superceded by newer designs, but they are backwards compatible for the most part. They have 12" impellers and cast iron auger housings, so they are extremely tough. I don't believe that the new machines are worse - they work better - but the old ones can be worth keeping.

These machines are old enough that you can buy "parts machines" as well - I got one in excellent condition but with a blown engine for $75. It turned out to be quite helpful to have a second machine during reassembly when instructions or my pictures weren't completely clear.

The disadvantages are that the sub-7hp machines have a locked axle - great for traction, not so great for manuevering (Snow Hog tires help turning as the tread deflects more). Also, these machines have an auger that's engaged, or not - there is no quick way to stop the auger except to kill the engine. 

Newer models have some advantages which should not be overlooked. Most newer models have means to quickly stop the auger - some even have a brake for instant stop. This could be an important safety feature although snowblower injuries don't seem to be too prevelant. Many of them have some way to unlock the wheel to improve manueverability. One thing I did not find: despite frequent statements to the contrary Ariens machines I measure up to early 2000's manufacture use the same gage sheet metal as this 1970 machine. ...The shape of the newer housings is probably more efficient, and the discharge chutes are taller as well. 

Total expenditure for the project including paint and supplies was around $400, but that includes new engine; friction disk; tires and tubes; bearing for the auger shaft; auger bushings; wheel bushings; feather, Woodruff, and cotter pins; scraper blade and runners. I ordered the parts and owner's manual from Ariens, and was able to purchase a 1979 dealer service manual (for the entire product line, including Sno Thro)on eBay for about $10. 

I stripped the unit down to nuts and bolts and put parts in plastic zip lock bags by sub assembly. 

The blower housing was sent off for welding, then painted. In the meantime I ground off the rust from the exterior of the tractor housing, repainted it, and reassembled it with all new bushings, feather pins, etc.

Tractor prior to restoration:









After:









The axle bushings were completely worn out:









The Auger bushings were so badly worn that the holders were worn and had to be replaced with the new stamped steel version.


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## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

Boston snow statistics are highly deceptive: the official measures are at Logan Airport, out in the harbor near warmish ocean water. The average yearly snowfall there is 45". But at Blue Hills Observatory in Milford (which you can see from Logan) they average 60", which would put Boston much higher on the list. 

Even tougher is that in many neighborhoods cars park on both sides of the street, so the plows just push the snow up against your car. This snow is heavy, often wind-packed before plowing, and has plenty of salt to make it even denser.

The old 5hp Ariens still ran but was very tired and rebuild was expensive. I bought a 7.75hp B&S Intek Sno engine. This was back before the lawsuit so engines still had hp ratings: believe it is a 9 lb ft of torque engine. 









This was an easy fitment and B&S even had an applications engineering group who could help me with the fitment.

I made a bracket and used a couple of ujoints from McMaster Carr.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Garandman said:


> Q. What do you do with a 1970 Ariens 5hp snow blower that has gotten a little tired and rusty?
> 
> A. Think, "What would Tim the Toolman do?"
> 
> ...


Nice Briggs and Stratton 7.75Hp Intek snow engine! I redid an old Gilson made Mongomery Ward 8/26 but ended up repowering with a 212cc HF Predator when the old engine was in need of new valve guides and a valve job for sure and plus it was just an old flat head Briggs and Stratton with the problematic 2 piece updraft carburetor and I was not too happy with how it ran after the resto. Had it ran well enough I would have kept it. The reason it was most likely sold so cheap on Craigs list is that the engine was weak and not running well and it was sitting in the man's garage taken up space. In many ways the body of an old snowblower is extremely overbuilt and if you can replace certain worn parts such as bushings and bearings with the thickness of the steel that was used to make these machines you can repower them and get the best of both worlds. Old robust contruction and new modern OHV engines. A nice combination


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## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

The blower housing was rusty, had a few cracks in it, and the bracket to hold the worm gear had to move a bit for re routing the chute crank. After welding, I sanded it down and painted it with Chevrolet engine orange paint: same color as Ariens but much cheaper. And this was stupid: should have had it powder coated like the new ones.


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## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

This machine still had the original turf tires with chains. The chains were rusty, worn and loose and a pain to turn. I bought original-size Snowhog tires, then realized I could go a size wider.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Did you weld up the cracks Yourself? I had a few stress cracks in the handle bars (reinforced and welded up) and one in the chute (just welded up) on my Old Gilson made Montgomery Ward 8/26 that I repowered with HF Predator 212cc. Make sure to take a drill bit and drill the end of the crack before welding it to prevent the crack from continuing through the metal. Powder coating requires taking it to a place and having it done profesionally. It cost more however is more chip/scratch resistant and has a nice shiny baked on look. Paint in a spray bomb is cheap and something you can do at home. I got pretty good painting with spray bombs over the years. I agree that a profesional powder coating baked on finish will be more durable over the long run than a spray bomb job.

How quiet is your Briggs intek 7.75hp? I like the HF 212cc Predator since it has the same multi-baffle muffler design that Honda uses and it is way quieter than the loud Tecumseh that was on it originally.


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## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

One of the rakes was stuck to the shaft. I heated it with a torch: no dice. I sent it to a shop to be pressed off: no luck. Finally, I slit it open with a Dremel and replaced it.


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## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

Turned out pretty well and is still in use by my brother.


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## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

So while this machine ran great and was a lot more productive than with the less-powerful engine, there was two problems for city use: the small wheels were not great and going up and down curbs and it was tall enough to throw over snow banks. So I gave it to my brother.

Picked up a 1998 ST824 that had the engine replaced by the dealer in 2003. This was a more powerful machine with the larger diameter wheels. I did some similar maintenance on this machine: belts, friction disk (much easier) new tires, lubed the shafts for the rakes/augers, rust cleanup, new skids and scraper bar. 









Also retrofit a taller chute from a later model, modified to use with the worm-gear setup.


















Used this machine for three seasons and while it was an improvement. We have to pile a lot of snow in small spaces, so the additional power and height was a big improvement. Because since we had to put pile snow from the street on one side yet keep the sidewalk clear, in the city you wind up with huge snowbanks relative to the amount of snow received.









And the problem was the 8 hp machine didn't cut it. I tried a lot of things including impeller kits and the taller chute. But when it hit the heaviest piles of snow, it would still bog down.


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## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

So in 2011 I found an Ariens Pro 1124. Ariens only made machines with the Tecumseh OHV 318cc 11.5hp/14 lb ft torque models with a 24" bucket for two years in 2003 and 2004. I find a used 2003 in perfect condition. No more power problems: 









Only made or plan to make some minor mods to this one. Don't really need LED lights as the streets are well lit. But I break shear pins fairly regularly and taping spares to the handle bars seemed kind of cludgy. So I used CAD software to design a "shear pin holster" and used double-sided tape to the control panel.










The Ariens shear pins are kind of tight and have to be banged out when they break. I learned that the Honda pins have a looser fit and can be changed in seconds (and according to owners, they need to be as they break often). So this Spring I'm going to open up the holes with enough clearance to be an easy slip fit even in cold temps. With the purchase of a 1/2" ratcheting wrench, I'll be able to change them out "On the road" quickly.

Finally, while the engine has plenty of power to turn the machine into a submarine,







The traction is not as good as it should be. I used a Troy Bilt 30 last week and while the machine has many shortcomings, it had wide X-Trac style tires that drove the machine through snow more effectively. 

So I'm looking at just replacing the current Carlisle Snow Hogs with X-Tracks, or better yet, upgrading the wheels and tires from the stock 4.80-8 to the larger 16 x 6.50-8 tires used on the bigger Pro models.


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## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

One more important modification. Everyone knows the best bang-for-the-buck power mod is decals, right?


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I really like your work, and your screen name, GARANDMAN!!


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## Fred9 (Dec 21, 2013)

I agree that your work is super!! Thanks for sharing.


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

Hey thats got to be good for melting at least an inch


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

Very nice work Garandman


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Rusted Rakes*



Garandman said:


> One of the rakes was stuck to the shaft. I heated it with a torch: no dice. I sent it to a shop to be pressed off: no luck. Finally, I slit it open with a Dremel and replaced it.


I've been able to get probably 6-8 rusted rakes off a shaft without cutting them. I pull the assembly out of the housing and have a rack to hold the shaft vertical. I spray alot of penetrating oil in and use a maap torch to heat it. I also have a beater which is nothing more than a piece of pipe that fits over the shaft with a steel plate end on it. Put the other end on a 4x4 block and whack it a few times with a big hammer. Keep repeating tillyou get some movement then go to the hydraulic press and they came off.
It may take a week or more on some while others are a couple of hours but so far I've gotten every one I've tried without having to cut them. May save someone some money in the future.


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## Garandman (Jan 24, 2014)

HCBPH said:


> I've been able to get probably 6-8 rusted rakes off a shaft without cutting them. I pull the assembly out of the housing and have a rack to hold the shaft vertical. I spray alot of penetrating oil in and use a maap torch to heat it. I also have a beater which is nothing more than a piece of pipe that fits over the shaft with a steel plate end on it. Put the other end on a 4x4 block and whack it a few times with a big hammer. Keep repeating tillyou get some movement then go to the hydraulic press and they came off.
> It may take a week or more on some while others are a couple of hours but so far I've gotten every one I've tried without having to cut them. May save someone some money in the future.


After many penetrating oil applications it was put in a press and heated: you can see the paint is burned off. 

One of the reasons I bought a parts machine was I was concerned it would _never_ come off. The other side gave up without a fight. But at the behest of a gent on another forum, after slitting it and some heat and using a puller we finally did get it off. Huge time delay, luckily I'd started in April....

Another delay was finding the replacement Woodruff keys that lock the wheel to the axle. Oddly, several hardware stores did not have them while the local HD did. That was a first.


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## WestminsterFJR (Dec 30, 2013)

Thanks for sharing the story, Garandman. Very inspiring, and top-notch workmanship.


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## AverageJoe (Feb 19, 2014)

Nice work there Garandman!


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