# auger housing twisted



## lilrky (Feb 11, 2014)

I have an Ariens 1224 Pro which choked when I accidentally fed it a car cover last week. The cover wound aroung one end of the auger shaft, but didn't break any shaear pins. I disengaged before the engine could stall and cleared out the wreckage. Everything seemed to work ok, but I noticed it was pulling to one side for the rest of the session. When I finished and parked it I noticed that the auger housing was lifted by more than an inch on one side only. If I leaned on that side, the whole machine came down under my weight, but the opposite corner lifted up and the opposite wheel came off the ground.

It looks to me like the auger housing SPUN along the driveshaft axis by a few degress. Nothing seems to be rubbing and it was throwing snow normally, no weird noises or anything. No broken welds that I can see. No bent sheet metal that I can see. But now I've got a nor'easter in the forecast (I'm in southwestern NH) and I need to get this thing sorted before Thursday. 

Has anyone had this happen? What's the general procedure for splitting the two halves of the machine? Does this sound repairable? I'm handy, have everything I might need to disassmble this thing, but I'd rather not waste time screwing around if I can have some idea of what I need to do to get this thing fixed.

Rich
Milford, NH


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

Hi lilrky,
I have seen this once before and we were not able to get the bucket to twist back to its original position. It would "pop" from its twisted position and move to a new twisted position to the opposite side...sort of like a spring. We ended up finding a used bucket on another blower and attaching it, augers and all. The previous owner had a fire and burned up the tractor part pretty badly but the bucket was still good. If yours is still running OK (ours was not) you might be able to get by with an adjustment to one skid shoe, at least to get you by until you find a parts machine. Good luck. MH


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## lilrky (Feb 11, 2014)

Do you know how the two boxes are attached? Welded, bolted, magic-super-glue? 

"If it bleeds, we can kill it." If I can take it apart without destroying it, I can probably fix it, even if it means some funky sheetmetal fabrication. But if it's a Project, then I think I'll be smart and run it like it is for the remainder of the season and tackle it over the summer. After all, how much more snow can we possibly get? (imagining a room full of blizzards turning as one to stare in my direction with evil grins on their faces)

Thanks for your feedback...

Rich


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

These threads might help you. They deal with similar issues.

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/ariens-snowblowers/12298-ariens-auto-turn-adjustment.html

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...15833-bent-housing-ariens-920014-compact.html

For more videos you can look here. Search for videos of belt replacement or auger gearbox repairs.

donyboy73 - YouTube

With any luck you can get by with just loosening the bolts on each side of the tractor and jiggling the bucket back straight.
And yes, the 2 sections are simply bolted together. Usually 2-3 bolts on each side.


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## cdestuck (Jan 20, 2013)

With something as ''springy'' as a housing I can imagine it might be next to impossible to twist back into original shape. But let us know if ya make out.


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## lilrky (Feb 11, 2014)

Problem solved! I took it out to clear snow today, despite the housing sitting an inch and a half off the ground on one side. Noticed that the tire looked funny and checked the pressure. Both tires were dead flat! Put 20 lbs in both and lo and behold, the housing problem was gone. The moral of this story: don't overthink things! Check the basics first. And you can bet this machine is going to get a serious going-over this spring. Thanks all!


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Well then. Glad it was cheap and easy to fix.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

lilrky said:


> Problem solved! I took it out to clear snow today, despite the housing sitting an inch and a half off the ground on one side. Noticed that the tire looked funny and checked the pressure. Both tires were dead flat! Put 20 lbs in both and lo and behold, the housing problem was gone. The moral of this story: don't overthink things! Check the basics first. And you can bet this machine is going to get a serious going-over this spring. Thanks all!


Good deal! You nailed it with starting with the basics and workkng from there.


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## mkd (Dec 31, 2013)

lilrky! find the flattest level you have and park the snowblower on it and push down on the handlebars very slowly and take note if both skids leave the ground at the same time. if not a very simple procedure for adjustment is here.


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