# Ariens throwing distance



## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Hi!! I have an Ariens 924032 I just refurbed, you can find the description of that in the Ariens forum with some pics. Long story short, replaced, cleaned, lubed and adjusted everything that needed it. It now has a 10HP engine. It will tackle just about anything and throw it, but it doesn't throw very far. The belt isn't slipping. The impeller fan isn't bent. I even bumped the engine speed up some. Is this a known thing? Is there a common fix people do? Maybe change the pulley for a faster fan speed?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Clarence Impeller Kit + 3.25" or 3.5" drive pulley for the engine.

Mine has a 3.25" pulley on the engine for the auger plus the Clarence Impeller Kit modification and it can throw a good 30 feet plus.

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/ariens/877-repainted-my-blower.html


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I have a solid 2 groove pulley now but have a seperate wheel drive pulley I could use if I want to upgrade the auger drive pulley. I'd do that first, before the impeller kit but I don't know why it's necessary. I've seen some talk about the chute size, shape, etc too. I'm going to measure the pulley ratio versus the ones on my toro.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

The gaps between the impeller fan tips and the barrel housing are what cause poor throwing. It definitely does make a difference.

3600 RPM x 3.25" pulley / 9" pulley = 1300 RPM for the impeller.

3.5" pulley would get you 1400 RPM on the impeller, but don't overdue it as you will cause extra wear on the parts and I have heard that too much speed just creates more turbulence and doesn't necessarily equal more distance.

Mine was a one piece pulley too, I bought the auger pulley and had a smaller one laying around I used for the drive.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I see around 1/4 or 5/16 gap but also, everything is rusty, especially the chute. I'm going to try sanding and painting that first. Also, I noticed the "fan blades" are kind of L shaped and could be bigger to hold more snow, don't you think?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Obviously the rust is a problem. It will cause all the snow to stick to it instead of get thrown out. You could also try some kind of wax or cooking spray on it after you paint.

I think the L shape is designed to limit how much snow can actually be pushed at one time. Some of the older Ariens had a full fan blade, but all the new ones use that notched/stepped design. It probably stops you from overloading it and stalling the engine.

With a gap that big you can see a big performance boost from an impeller kit. A lot of people make their own so they aren't expensive if you don't mind the work.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Shryp said:


> Obviously the rust is a problem. It will cause all the snow to stick to it instead of get thrown out. You could also try some kind of wax or cooking spray on it after you paint.
> 
> I think the L shape is designed to limit how much snow can actually be pushed at one time. Some of the older Ariens had a full fan blade, but all the new ones use that notched/stepped design. It probably stops you from overloading it and stalling the engine.
> 
> With a gap that big you can see a big performance boost from an impeller kit. A lot of people make their own so they aren't expensive if you don't mind the work.


 
I definitely don't mind the work. It's a hobby and I enjoy it. I MAY decide to pull the impeller and fill in the L shape a bit as I have the 10HP that will take the extra load. Do you think I can get an impeller from an older one to fit with bigger vanes?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Here is the old style. I believe they were mostly 10" diameter.









Here is the newer style, I believe they are mostly 12" dameter.









The newest ones I think are 3 blade L shaped and 14" diameter.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Sweet. Mine is the 2nd one. That's too bad they didn't make the earlier one in 12". Maybe I can make mine like the earlier one.


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## sboricic (Jan 18, 2011)

I have read that ski wax also helps keep snow from blocking the auger and barrel. I have yet to try it. I did use automotive wax and it seemed to help. I put several coats of it on during the fall last year while weather was good and it would dry properly.


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## sboricic (Jan 18, 2011)

Another thing I heard that someone used was a kids Crazy Carpet. They cut it to shape the barrel and auger and mounted it in place with either rivets or nuts and bolts. It's been a while since I read that post somewhere. They are cheap to buy if you can find one. You can Google Crazy Carpet for snowblowers and there are some links there to read.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

To ressurect this thread, and because I like to chat about stuff, I'll update. The thrower worked great and pumped out a lot of snow BUT, should throw farther because it was light snow, and I noticed snow falls not only far but close too, like it's getting deflected or something in the chute. I measured my pulleys and with a 2.75" engine and 9" auger, even if my engine is doing 3600rpm (I think mine is a lower RPM engine) the auger is only 1100 rpm. Some were talking about 1300 and 1400 RPMs. Second, the fan housing and the chute are pretty rusty. Third, these old ariens chutes are tilted over some so the snow hits and bounces instead of being gently guided. I'm thinking a replacement chute, something clean, narrower, and taller might help a bunch. Also, painting the inside of the fan housing, maybe add steel to the end of the fan blades or a kit. And a pulley of course, about a 3.25".


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

In addition, my little Toro 521 that throws well has a 2.375" crank pulley and a 6.5 inch auger pulley which results in over 1300rpm auger speed. Definitely adding a 3.25 or 3.5 pulley to the Ariens.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I pulled my one piece pulley off and put on a wheel drive pulley off another engine that was the same size, and an auger drive pulley that's slightly bigger. But now I can swap in a bigger one at any time. I also sanded the chute and used NAPA brand rust treatment on it.


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

I've found a New Auger Bearing will make a difference as well....My 2cents


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## Simplicity Solid 22 (Nov 27, 2012)

Jackmels said:


> I've found a New Auger Bearing will make a difference as well....My 2cents


Jackmels auger bearing or Impeller bearing???


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I put an impeller bearing in it when I had it apart. The auger gearbox felt OK when I checked it but it leaks so I'll probably pull it apart this spring.


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## Ariens1976 (Jan 1, 2013)

my st824 throws close to 20-25 feet as of now... planning on putting some impeller booster next summer.


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## woodtick007 (Apr 9, 2011)

Shryp said:


> The gaps between the impeller fan tips and the barrel housing are what cause poor throwing. It definitely does make a difference.
> 
> 3600 RPM x 3.25" pulley / 9" pulley = 1300 RPM for the impeller.
> 
> ...


What did you gain over the stock pulley going to the 3.25?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

woodtick007 said:


> What did you gain over the stock pulley going to the 3.25?


Never got use the stock pulley to throw snow since I bought it as a project and did the work before we had any snow. Sounds a lot better though and does throw great.


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## Simplicity Solid 22 (Nov 27, 2012)

nt40lanman said:


> I put an impeller bearing in it when I had it apart. The auger gearbox felt OK when I checked it but it leaks so I'll probably pull it apart this spring.


 
How did you find the quality of the previous impeller bearing??

My original bearing was crap compared to the new one which shocked me.
Original was cheap and the new one was solid and well sealed.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

nt40lanman said:


> Also, I noticed the "fan blades" are kind of L shaped and could be bigger to hold more snow, don't you think?


I would be cautious with that kind of thinking..
just because something *seems* like it could be better, or improved, to you and I, seldom means that is actually the case! 

because, who is more likely to know the "best design" for that kind of thing? The Ariens engineers, with decades of snowblower R&D research behind them, who purposely designed it that way.. or us "laymen" just looking at it and thinking "huh, that doesn't look right to me, I bet I could improve it!" 

IMO, making changes to a part like that is far more likely to make it worse than better..it "is the way it is" for a good reason im sure..even if we dont know what the reason is..

Scot


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

SS22, I got my bearing from some online in FL called USABearingsandBelts.com. I think it was a generic with the right dimensions and they have ariens numbers listed on their site. It was super cheap but felt good and was sealed. The original I pulled out was beat so it's hard to compare. 

Ariens 54063, 05406300 | Ariens 54063


sscotsman, I agree wholeheartedly about original design. When I was a mechanic and did fun "projects" on my own vehicles, I always tried to use original designs and concepts because manufacturers spent a lot of time and money designing them. In this case, I think the impeller RPM and design are partly due to the available HP. Mine came with 5 - 7 I believe. I now have 10HP available. Spinning it faster and/or modifying the blades as we are talking about obviously will put a lot more stress on things. The weak point I think will be the 2 roll pins that hold it on the shaft.


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## woodtick007 (Apr 9, 2011)

How was you clearance between the 3.25 drive pulley and the auger tensioner/engagement pulley? I played around with the idea of reducing the size of lower auger drive pulley due to the clearance issues that arise with enlarging the engine drive pulley much over 3.25"


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## Simplicity Solid 22 (Nov 27, 2012)

Thanks NT40!!! You must notice a big difference with new bearing eh??


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

woodtick007 said:


> How was you clearance between the 3.25 drive pulley and the auger tensioner/engagement pulley? I played around with the idea of reducing the size of lower auger drive pulley due to the clearance issues that arise with enlarging the engine drive pulley much over 3.25"


I had no problems with the larger pulley, the idler or the belt cover.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Simplicity Solid 22 said:


> Thanks NT40!!! You must notice a big difference with new bearing eh??


 
It's a little quieter but the old bearing hadn't fallen apart, it was just rusty and rough. I could hear it and was going to just grease it but found them cheap and decided to replace that and the one on the end of the friction wheel shaft in the drive unit.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Shryp, where did you get that pulley? And how much longer of a belt did you use?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

nt40lanman said:


> Shryp, where did you get that pulley? And how much longer of a belt did you use?


I am not really sure on how much longer the belt is since I have bought a few belts. I just looked at my order history from when I was messing around with that project and I see I bought a 1/2" x 36" belt and a 3.25" pulley.

The "Steel V-Belt Pulleys" here are the cheapest ones and what I would recommend unless you need something specific.
Pulleys & Idlers | Lawn Mower Parts | MFG Supply


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I have a 1" shaft motor and all they have is a 3.5. I don't know if I should go that much? My current belt is a Napa 4L360 and with the slightly larger pulley I found, the belt it too tight. I'll have to test fit belts.


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## YKT (Feb 23, 2013)

*Do you guys spray down the inside of the chute, auger case with wax or oil?*

I was told that spraying it down with cooking spray or WD-40 is good to do so the snow doesn't stick on the inside. 

Does this increase the distance the blower tosses the snow? 

I'm getting at least 12'-15' with my 6HP Ariens. I haven't really measured it. 

Ice definitely gets tossed further up though, which is pretty dangerous for any people or cars that pass by the street. Same for the windows. 

I try to remove the ice chunks with a shovel, so it doesn't run through the machine and become projectiles.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

nt40lanman said:


> I have a 1" shaft motor and all they have is a 3.5. I don't know if I should go that much? My current belt is a Napa 4L360 and with the slightly larger pulley I found, the belt it too tight. I'll have to test fit belts.


Check inventory of ebay seller "redsheller" - he has various diameters listed and he has them in bore sizes of 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8, 1, 1 1/8"

I ordered a 2.5" OD pulley with a 1" bore from him over the weekend for just over $13 with shipping.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

SWEET!!! Just ordered a 3.45". Now I just have to figure a belt.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

The impeller kit will help tremendously. When I had the Tecumseh it was a mediocre 
Snow blower at best. I put on the predator engine and tighten up the clearances with a homemade kit and it throws snow over 40 feet now. Check out my older posts I also have a video
too of my machine in action.


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## Simplicity Solid 22 (Nov 27, 2012)

GustoGuy said:


> The impeller kit will help tremendously. When I had the Tecumseh it was a mediocre
> Snow blower at best. I put on the predator engine and tighten up the clearances with a homemade kit and it throws snow over 40 feet now. Check out my older posts I also have a video
> too of my machine in action.


Did you have the impeller kit with the tecumseh???


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Simplicity Solid 22 said:


> Did you have the impeller kit with the Tecumseh???


No, I put the kit on this year when I changed out the engine. I was tired of messing around for 15 to 20 minutes trying to start the Tecumseh every time I need to go out and blow the driveway. The Tecumseh was just hard to start and even when it was running it was gutless compared to this new engine. The Tecumseh would consistently bog when it hit the packed pushed up snow at the end of the driveway will the Predator 212cc governor kicks it into high gear when it encounters a load. I enjoy blowing the driveway now and if you have an under-preforming engine like my old Tecumseh it makes for a great upgrade.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Uh Oh, snow's gonna get it now!! Got my pulley today. 3.45 instead of 2.75. I figured about an extra inch of belt to get around the new pulley?


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

Take some rope and go around the pulley's mark it / measure it.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Oops, I've been... pulley blocked. I can't get the allen set screw out of the temp pulley I put on there. Any ideas? I tried anglish and metric allens, and a torx bit. I hit it with a drill breifly but those things are hardened.


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

Do you have some thing to heat it up? If not take your allen, wrench put it on, tap it with hammer, Then spray it with some pb blaster let it sit over night. Tap n spray again and give it a try.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

My 2.5" pulley from the same vendor was supposed to be delivered today via but according to the tracking number, it has been "missent." to the post office 2 towns over from me.

Hopefully they will sort it out.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

After all the ideas I can think of, I'm down to two: A bearing seperator behind the pulley and use a puller to rip it off the shaft -or- a grinder with a cutting wheel to cut through the pulley and split it in half.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

nt40lanman said:


> After all the ideas I can think of, I'm down to two: A bearing seperator behind the pulley and use a puller to rip it off the shaft -or- a grinder with a cutting wheel to cut through the pulley and split it in half.


You don't have to cut through the pulley, I'd stop maybe 1-2mm short, then take a chisel or screwdriver right into the groove that you cut with the dremel.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Update for today. I hit it with the grinder and split it off the crank in just a few minutes. I got it all together with a 1" longer belt and dove into the plowpath along the street. It's over a foot deep and soaking wet and the ariens chucked it 25+ feet. I could hear the engine slowing from the load. Then I ran it around back to some virgin (old) snow and it threw it almost 40 feet!!! Even with the engine at a low speed it threw further than it did before!!!!

It seems great. After a test in fresh snow I may back down the pulley if I think I need to. I jumped from 2.75 to 3.5 but may back off to 3.25.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Here's some pics. As you can see, it still doesn't throw ALL the snow the whole distance so I'd like to figure that out.


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

Seeing that the old snow is very wet, Id say it throws very good.


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## sboricic (Jan 18, 2011)

I have a homemade impeller kit on my Tecumseh, 10.5 hp, and it works great. It throws the snow at least 30 ft. Even wet snow.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I was thinking of an impeller kit or adding steel to the ends with a welder.


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## MTD1014 (Feb 17, 2013)

nt40lanman said:


> Update for today. I hit it with the grinder and split it off the crank in just a few minutes. I got it all together with a 1" longer belt and dove into the plowpath along the street. It's over a foot deep and soaking wet and the ariens chucked it 25+ feet. I could hear the engine slowing from the load. Then I ran it around back to some virgin (old) snow and it threw it almost 40 feet!!! Even with the engine at a low speed it threw further than it did before!!!!
> 
> It seems great. After a test in fresh snow I may back down the pulley if I think I need to. I jumped from 2.75 to 3.5 but may back off to 3.25.


Where did u buy your belts? What size did u used with the 3.5" pulley? Why are you considering going with a 3.25 pulley?


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I got the belts from Napa. I did a little interchange game with the original part number between various manufacturers. I calculated half the circumfrence of the two pulleys to arrive at a 1" longer belt and I checked it with the belt measuring tool at Napa. It's a 4L 1/2 belt, 37". The "gear ratio" with the new pulley is higher, putting more load on the engine. If after a few more storms I decide it's too much, I may back it down and give the engine a break but it'll probably be OK.


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## MTD1014 (Feb 17, 2013)

10hp is a good engine for a 24" bucket. Is that a 10hp replacement engine? Did your belt cover fit properly with the 3.5" pulley? I had a 10hp engine on my machine but it broke a rod or crank and now I have a replacement 6.5hp engine. I would like to change the pulley but do not want to over tax the engine.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I just looked on CL for a big Tecumseh with a 1" crank and preferably a 12v tap and found this one cheap. Starts like a dream and is strong. The body ob my blower already had extra holes. There's a lot of tecumsehs available on CL. If I found a bigger one, 12 or so, I might swap that in.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

MTD1014 said:


> 10hp is a good engine for a 24" bucket. Is that a 10hp replacement engine? Did your belt cover fit properly with the 3.5" pulley? I had a 10hp engine on my machine but it broke a rod or crank and now I have a replacement 6.5hp engine. I would like to change the pulley but do not want to over tax the engine.


I have a 3 inch pulley on my auger drive and it works great. I would not go above 3.25 inch since overspinning the impeller and auger gear box could lead to their failure. Mine tosses it plenty good with the 3 inch pulley


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

You have to do the math and figure out auger speed. 3600 RPM times my pulley ratio (upper divided by lower) gives me auger speed.

3600 (3.5" / 9") = 1400 rpm

3600 (2.75" / 9") = 1100 rpm


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

nt40lanman said:


> SS22, I got my bearing from some online in FL called USABearingsandBelts.com. I think it was a generic with the right dimensions and they have ariens numbers listed on their site. It was super cheap but felt good and was sealed. The original I pulled out was beat so it's hard to compare.
> 
> Ariens 54063, 05406300 | Ariens 54063


I'm starting my tear down of a new to me 1969 7hp 32" mod #10954
It uses this bearing behind the impeller and two on the shaft between the big pulley and the flat drive plate in the trans.
I couldn't find anything for the 54063 at first and came up with these crossovers
54063 or 5406300 Ariens On Ebay, two for 24.95 shipped
John Deere AM122158
Oregon 45-035
1635-2RS which I found at Fastenal for $3.55 Oh yah !! Picking up three tomorrow.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

NT40 I would be a bit worried by adding anything with the welder to the impeller unless you're prepared to balance it equally. The bearing would take the brunt if unbalanced when turning 1000+ rpm.

Good Luck

Norm


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