# Just brought home a twin-stick teardrop 924



## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

This one had been for sale for weeks and was even mentioned on a recent thread here, but no one bought it.

This morning, I saw it listed for even less than the previous ad and I could not resist. I brought it home this afternoon.

Overall, it is presentable and will need a few things like the muffler, scraper bar, skid shoes, for starters.

It's a 8hp with a differential: Model number 924026, serial number starts with 03xxxx = 1978 model.


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## SHVLHEAD (Feb 12, 2017)

Good looking machine. What kind of plans do you have in store for her?


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

* MAZEL TOV on That 1. :wavetowel2:*


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Those are nice machines....like you saw, they are getting cheap. I stopped buying them cause of the hard time reselling.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Ideally, I'd like to have the original engine back running (it does have compression), maybe install an electric starter and a taller chute for it....


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## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

I remember you posting that steal deal.

Glad that chunk of old iron went to someone who can appreciate it!


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## Ian Ariens 924 (Dec 22, 2015)

Great machine, I buy all the 924 series I can find.
With a differential and electric start,they sell right away.It’ll outlast most new ones.

Good find


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## groomerz (Feb 7, 2015)

I just sold mine yesterday. I loved the differential and auger engagement stick instead of hand lever.










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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

The first order of business was getting the old muffler off. It was missing one of the 3 mounting bolts and the remaining one was a bear to remove... but I got it off. I also was able to remove the 3rd mounting bolt that is on the cylinder head.

I had a parts machine where I scavenged a much nicer muffler from.

That muffler was TOAST!

Next up, the carburetor cleaning.


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## rod330 (Oct 9, 2015)

I just finished up a similar 924039 last week. The original carb was a complete wreck so I bought one of those adjustable $10 Chinese carbs after an unsuccessful rebuild. I did make a few mods to the replacement carb. First I swapped out the bowl gasket and main jet gasket with new OEM Tecumseh parts. Next, I had to reuse the original choke shaft and butterfly to mate up with the old style ring pull choke hardware. Oddly, the bosses on the new carb were drilled but not tapped for the screws that secure the cover so that was fixed too.

Aside from the carb, all the usual stuff- brand new fuel line with shut off valve and filter, new shoes and scraper bar, new plug, oil change, greased augers, adjust speed control linkages, lithium grease on hex drive rod, etc. At least the friction disc and belts were all good.

My biggest headache was with a failed interlock switch. I decided not to spend $40 for a new switch and simply disabled the interlock. I can reconnect the wiring to the magneto kill if the new owner is willing to engage one of the interlock levers at all times to keep the engine running.

I paid $100, have at least another $50 in parts and hope to sell it for $225 in the fall. It's a good thing I don't count my labor because I'd probably make more working at a local burger joint.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.


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## Rutom (Jan 28, 2019)

Hey @db130. I just picked up the same blower. Got it for free, but it came with the carb disassembled and mounting brackets all off. Would you mind posting pics of the mounting brackets for the throttle/pics of the whole assembly with the carb cover off.
That third picture you posted has already helped me out. I finally get how the choke mounts!
The blower I picked up is missing a bunch of screws on the carb/bracket side so I'm just trying to sort this now. I'll start a new thread in here soon.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

@Rutom, mine looked identical to @rod330's post here:

https://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/1659375-post21.html


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Well, I have good news and bad news....

The good news is that I was able to install the engine-mounted throttle control from a later model 924 series (a 924082) AND I was able to rebuild a spare carburetor that uses a modern choke shaft.

The engine runs pretty well, even with the iffy spark plug and engine oil quality.

The bad news is that the bottom of the bucket is TOAST! I'm laughing at myself because I should have caught that very early during the inspection process. It will need a new bottom section welded on. Its impeller bearing and axle bushings will also need replacement.

Also, the idler pulley for the drive wheel is sort of askew?! I have a couple of early 924 machines that I could probably scavenge the needed parts from, I've just never seen that before.


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## JayzAuto1 (Jul 25, 2016)

Hey DB, that idler pulley issue is very common on the older 924 series machines. I’ve repaired quite a few of them. It’s not too bad of a job, it now uses replaceable bronze bushings and is a lasting repair. And since you will have the bucket off anyway, now is a good time to address that issue. It’ll save your belts and pulleys. Unfortunately I’m at work on snow duty and on my phone, so I’m having trouble linking the thread and pix. I’ll post that info later this afternoon after this “snow event”

GLuck, Jay


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

@JayzAuto1, I found your previous posts of the repair using the longer clevis pin and whatnot. thank you. That's a great repair.

I don't have access to a welder, I have another 924 frame where the idler pulley hole isn't hogged out like that. It'd be easier for me to move the engine over to the other frame.

My problem with this snowblower is the bucket... I need to find a guy who can weld on a 4" x 24" bottom section... or I find a replacement teardrop bucket.


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## aldfam4 (Dec 25, 2016)

Nice save and nice score db130!!!


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

I have a lead on a 924 teardrop bucket, but in the meantime, I just found a guy selling an aluminum gearbox+augers+impeller for $20, and I have a spare 1979+ bucket, so I'll cobble up a complete front end that way.

I also brought home a free Snapper 826 this morning that had been sitting for years. The Snapper wheels are a direct fit on the 3-lug 924 hubs.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Here's a long overdue update!

this snowblower has sat idle for over a year due to the the bucket issue and drive belt pulley issue as documented earlier. Last week, I found a guy with TWO non-running 8hp 924 series snowblowers and he was willing to deliver them to my house for a very reasonable price. One of them was a 924026 (8hp, small wheels, differential) and the other one is a 924040 (8hp, big wheels, no differential). 

I told him about the bucket situation of my current 924026 snowblower and he sent me additional pictures before delivering the snowblowers

















The serial number on the 2nd 924026 is 005xxx = 1976 model. Please note that the '76 model has the older straight chute crank that is below the nameplate, whereas the 924040 is a 1979-only model and has the multi-piece chute crank.









The 924040 has its *own thread here*. The 2nd 924026 has no issues with the bucket or the drive belt pulley, so it really just needs another engine. I will grab the engine/handlebars/nameplate from the first 924026 and I will get a working snowblower out of the two.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

The engine from the first 924026 has been removed and installed on the "new" 924026:










And here are the two 924026s side by side after the engine swap (the "new" one with the good bucket is on the left, the original with the bad bucket is on the right):










Handlebars/nameplate/chute crank/wheels will be carried over from the original to the new one.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Mid-progress picture of the handlebars+nameplate+chute crank being swapped (the control panel with the twin sticks stay on the snowblower):










Here's the "after" picture:










The engine ran last year but it wouldn't start for me this past week due to a stuck intake valve. I was able to free it up and get it started.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

I installed two new 7/8" ID axle bushings in it this week and also noticed that the rest of the snowblower had taken care of before it came to me as a non-runner. Someone before me recently installed a new friction disc, and everything inside was well lubed.




















I hit a bit of a snag today while trying to button up this snowblower, however... It turns out that the clutch fork had a broken weld, so that when the auger lever was engaged, it wasn't bringing the drive plate up to the friction disk. No wonder it wasn't driving the wheels.

I have a couple of parts machines to scavenge the clutch fork from, but by the time I pulled a good one, I was out of daylight. Maybe tomorrow.....


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

The replacement clutch fork was installed without any issues last weekend and I added a newer gas tank from a 90s vintage Bolens 824. The 8" 3-lug Snapper wheels also were added.


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## Clutch Cargo (Dec 27, 2015)

Nicely done.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

This snowblower performed flawlessly today. I may end up keeping it, at least for this season.










12/18/2020 update: Since I'm going to keep it for a while, I've installed a spare taller chute.


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## groomerz (Feb 7, 2015)

db130 said:


> The replacement clutch fork was installed without any issues last weekend and I added a newer gas tank from a 90s vintage Bolens 824. The 8" 3-lug Snapper wheels also were added.
> 
> View attachment 170325


So that 924026 had 6 in and you replaced with 8 snapper 3 lug with no problem? No other mods needed to upgrade to larger wheels. 


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

@groomerz, no mods needed, other than using the Snapper lug bolts instead of the Ariens ones, and that was because the Ariens lug bolt heads have a taper and the Snapper wheels do not. The Ariens bolts would likely work as well, but there will be a small gap between the bolt heads and the wheel due to the taper.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Here's a sneak preview of what's next for this snowblower.... While the original HM80 engine runs well, I have another HM80 engine that's about 10 years newer. 

That newer HM80 has solid state ignition and the 7 amp stator+5 magnet flywheel combo (84 watts) as it used to power heated grips and a giant 36w halogen headlight.

Having a headlight would be nice addition, as is the prospect of having heated grips on it someday.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Here's what I got myself into today... The actual swap of the engine didn't take long, since the old and new were both 8hp Tecumsehs. The newer HM80 came from my Bolens 824.










I wanted to use the factory pulley from the Bolens engine as its auger pulley portion is 3" in diameter. I ran into a small snag:









No amount of "percussive persuasion" would move that pulley back another half inch that was needed.

That crank pulley hadn't moved in 30 years, and it took the biggest gear puller I had to get it off of the crankshaft. I was able to wirewheel the crankshaft, slather the crank with antiseize, and then tap the pulley back into place so that the belts matched up.

Apparently, the drive pulley portion of the Bolens pulley is smaller than the Ariens pulley, and now the drive belt is waaaay too long. A couple of smaller drive belts are en route.

Also not surprisingly, the auger belt is now a bit too tight with the larger auger pulley, so the augers spin a bit even when the auger lever isn't engaged. That's not a big deal. I will work that out shortly with a slightly larger belt.

I grabbed an L-bracket for a headlight from my parts bin, and installed a 36W halogen light from the donor machine.


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## badbmwbrad (Jul 30, 2019)

Nice upgrade with the big wheels and light. I recently acquired a 924026 myself and it still has the same feel as a 10000 series machine but with a more powerful 8 HP engine. I'm not thrilled with the operator presence controls (interlocks) because I like being able to walk backwards when blowing snow into an oncoming wind. 

Did your auger pulley's drive ratio change such that the auger spins faster?

If you're like me and if a lot of time is spent getting a machine overhauled and customized then the less one is inclined to sell it off because a new owner won't highly value all of the man-hours it takes to make it just right.



db130 said:


> Here's what I got myself into today... I wanted to use the factory pulley from the HMSK80 engine as it has a 3" auger pulley portion. I ran into a small snag:
> View attachment 189518
> 
> 
> ...


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

badbmwbrad said:


> Did your auger pulley's drive ratio change such that the auger spins faster?
> 
> If you're like me and if a lot of time is spent getting a machine overhauled and customized then the less one is inclined to sell it off because a new owner won't highly value all of the man-hours it takes to make it just right.


Presumably so... the 3" pulley would be ~9% larger in diameter than the 2.75" pulley that it replaced, and would result in a corresponding ~9% increase in impeller speed:









Pulley size changes for increased auger/impeller speed?:


I'm considering experimenting with various different pulley sizes on my snow blower. My main go-to snow blower is a hopped up Craftsman II Trac-Drive 5/23 536.884800 with double the horsepower it originally came with (10HP Tecumseh with billet connecting rod in place of a 5HP Tecumseh) The...




www.snowblowerforum.com





At this point, this snowblower would have to be a keeper given all of the sweat equity I've invested in it. If I do sell it, I'd first pull the 5-magnet flywheel and the 84w stator for a future project. I found out today that same flywheel+stator combo goes for almost $200 on ebay.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Added a 3/8 x 28.5" belt for the drive. The original one ended up being too long after keeping the Bolens pulley.

As for the auger belt, I went up a half size to a 1/2 x 37" belt, up from the original 36.5" belt. The tensioner is now at the half way mark, so there will be room for additional adjustments in the future.



















The interlock still works, along with the on/off key, and I have the option to add heated grips at some point in the future. It runs/drives/blows!


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## Darby (Dec 18, 2020)

Nice. I'd love to have your chute on mine, looks taller and that kewl light too for that matter. No alternator on my unit.


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## badbmwbrad (Jul 30, 2019)

It will be interesting to find out if the throwing distance increases.


db130 said:


> ...the 3" pulley would be ~9% larger in diameter than the 2.75" pulley that it replaced, and would result in a corresponding ~9% increase in impeller speed:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Darby said:


> Nice. I'd love to have your chute on mine, looks taller and that kewl light too for that matter. No alternator on my unit.


I was looking at the engine on your 924026:










That engine looks modern enough to have solid state ignition (the ignition coil would be mounted above the flywheel). In fact, the engine from my Bolens used to look just like yours.

If so, you could try pulling the flywheel off and see if the block has the mounting bosses for the stator. You could be just a flywheel and stator away from having a headlight.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

DB 130...I love what you did to that twinstick....great modifications. Bradley.....I get involved with hotrodding and modifying a machine, and can't bear to part with them afterwards. On the subject of increasing the size of the impeller pulley....I narrowed down the bucket of a ST1236 using ST 824 axles and a 1978 924 twinstick clamshell bucket. The 12 hp OHV Tecumseh has so much power, I machined off the auger part of the stock pulley and bolted on a 3.5 inch pulley in its place...a 25% or so increase in speed. This year was the first time since I built this 4years ago that we had enough snow to try it out, and with the 27 inches of snow we had, plus the EOD pile, I was suitably impressed with its performance. I'm not sure if the Holy Grail chute it came with helped over the stock tall chutes the ST824's come with, but the snow really flew! No issues at all with the machine bogging....I even tried it in 2,nd gear to see if it would handle it and no problem.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

cranman said:


> On the subject of increasing the size of the impeller pulley....I narrowed down the bucket of a ST1236 using ST 824 axles and a 1978 924 twinstick clamshell bucket. The 12 hp OHV Tecumseh has so much power, I machined off the auger part of the stock pulley and bolted on a 3.5 inch pulley in its place...a 25% or so increase in speed.


Absolutely.... larger auger pulley+impeller kit+taller chute would be beneficial to most older 924s.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

One of the snowblowers I harvested for parts several years ago came with a 55w light assembly for a Caterpillar skid steer. It uses a H3 bulb (typically used for fog lights on cars) and is made in Finland. The housing can be taken apart to replace the bulb.

I did a quick test fit on the L-bracket and made a wiring harness from a scrap piece of wire (the back of the headlight has 2 spade terminals).

Cat p/n 168-6410. Reasonably priced at ~$30 brand new. I'd recommend it if your stator can drive higher wattage bulbs (although there are other H3 bulbs with lower wattage ratings).

I believe it is just a new H3 bulb away from being operational. I should know by tomorrow morning.










Morning edit: yup, a new bulb did the trick!










That sucker is pretty bright, as a 55W H3 bulb is typically rated for ~1500 lumens.


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