# Troy Bilt 2840 discharge question



## noupf (Jul 22, 2013)

Picked up this snowblower used, everything works fine, great shape, motor runs great, no bogging down or blue smoke. Fires right up in a second or two with the autostart.......I believe its a 2011 model......so heres my question........

We've had about 3 snow storms this year, each one averaging 6-10 inches of snow. 

The first snow storm ( medium wet snow ), the thrower was shooting the snow about 25 feet with the wind.

The second snow storm ( lighter, powdery snow ) was shooting it about 15 feet with the wind

Third snow storm, about 6 inches ( very wet heavy snow ), shooting it about 10-12 feet......

Is the discharge length all dependant on the snow type ( wind aside of course ) or is there an issue with my augers? I usually go slow, like speed #1 or #2...... I feel like everybody i talk to who has middle to upper sized snow blowers are bragging that there machine is throwing the snow 25-30+ feet all day long.

This is my first snowblower ever, so I am sorry if these are noob questions.



Thanks all !!!


----------



## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

Hi noupf,
Snow type does affect throwing distance, as does belt condition and proper adjustment, engine rpms and forward speed. Also the fit of the impeller fan in its housing...the gap between the fan blade tips and the housing wall. If you check some of the forum's threads on "impeller kits," there are methods for improving throwing, but if you are throwing any kind of snow 25 feet, I think you're fine. MH


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

First thing to consider when talking about throwing distance is the condition of the belts. If they are worn down, glazed or loose they are going to slip when a load is applied. Check your manual for proper adjustments. Most have the idler pulley on a slot and you can tighten it. Some also have some type of adjustment on the rod / cable connecting the handle to the drive section.

The second thing to consider is the engine. If the engine is running poorly it is going to bog down when a load is placed on it. Your engine should be running at around 3600 RPM and should not slow down much when you drive into the snow.

The third thing to consider is the depth of the snow. The deeper the snow the further it will throw. A snow blower likes to be loaded up.

The fourth thing to consider is the type of snow. Heavy snow will put more load on the engine and be more likely to slow it down. Once thrown gravity will pull it down faster. Wet snow will stick to everything on the way out and slow down. Powder snow will dissolve as soon as it is thrown and break apart.

The last thing to consider is the impeller to housing gap. Look up the threads on the "clarence impeller kit" or "impeller mod". People will bolt pieces of rubber to their impeller blades in an attempt to make their blower more efficient. The end result is it throws snow further and clogs less.

Another modification people do is change the size of the pulleys to spin the impeller faster. This only works if your engine has enough power to handle the extra load. It also puts more wear and stress on the rest of the machine so it is only recommended on older machines that are built better.

The last thing to think about is whether or not you really need more distance. Remember, most people only have a few feet they have to throw the snow. Most have no need to heave it clear across the street as you will end up hitting your house, your windows, your neighbors house or your neighbors driveway or something else you don't want to hit.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I merged both of your threads together to keep all the answers in one place.


----------



## noupf (Jul 22, 2013)

Thanks for he info fellas. Here is one thing that I don't quite understand though..... Today we got about 5-6 inches of heavy wet snow. I had it in slow speed #1. It was throwing the snow about 15 feet or so. Sometimes a little more and sometimes a little less. I had the top of chute wide open ( not angled down ) so that it could discharge with little resistance. As I was moving down my driveway, after about 20 feet or so, the snow would pile up in front of the snowblowers mouth. It seems like the augers couldn't pull the snow in quick enough. There were times where the snow was piling up in front and I had to stop and let the augers "digest" the snow before I could move forward again. Sometimes the pile up would result in snow falling off to the sides. Leaving little trails, piles and chunks as I went down the driveway. 

I read a post about augers possibly being on backwards......but if that was the case, it wouldn't throw the snow more than a few feet.....or at all correct?


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

The augers don't throw the snow at all. The impeller throws the snow. The augers pull the snow towards the center of the machine. If the augers are backwards they will push snow towards the edges. Have you checked for broken shear pins? With the machine off go up front and wiggle each auger. They should have a slight bit of play, but they should not spin around. If any of them can spin you need to replace the shear pin.

If you try turning one and they all turn you have a problem with your gear box.

It is possible that the machine is going to fast. That does happen and will result in snow being pushed instead of thrown. That means you need a slower gear. If you are already in the slowest gear then the right thing to do is stop for a second and let it catch up. That usually only happens when you are close to the height of the bucket though.


----------



## noupf (Jul 22, 2013)

well......after it was all said and done.........i had a bad auger belt. It was stretched and just wasnt staying tight to the pulleys. I adjusted the tensioner only to find that it was beyond useable.

Hopefully my local power / lawn equiptment dealers will have one in stock.....we have two more storms coming in the next week and I dont want to wait for shipping if possible. the part number is 754-04195.....anybody know how common it is?

I already split the machine.....and its ready to for me to slide on the new one.......so hopefully somebody local has it......

Guess i'll just make some calls in the morning


----------



## Buttchet (Mar 5, 2013)

just go to Ace hardware or similar and take your old belt to them and they will likely have a replacement belt that will work. I do that for every machine I own and they work great.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I looked it up and am seeing 1/2" x 37" on one site and 1/2" x 36.4" on another site. It shows as a cogged belt.


----------



## noupf (Jul 22, 2013)

Shryp said:


> I looked it up and am seeing 1/2" x 37" on one site and 1/2" x 36.4" on another site. It shows as a cogged belt.



Hey Shryp......I need your help. I found the belt that I researched to be the oem replacement at my local Lowes ( where this model snowblower is still sold ). I grabbed the 754-04195 and installed it. Its not nearly as loose as the old one that was thrown off the pulley, but its loose enough, when not engaged that it has me concerned. I just got home from the hospital today ( wife delivered our first baby ) and I am trying to clear 3-4 inches of very slushy now. I got the new belt on and went to work. the blower was tossing the wet slushy snow poorly ( i assume its the super wet slushy snow that caused the bad throwing ), but it was working. after a few passes, I let go of the auger engagment handle and all of a sudden I heard a whole lot of clunk clunk clunk clunking........which was the exact same sound that I heard when the old belt got tossed of the pulley a few days ago. I opened the protective cover and to my surprise, the belt was still on the pulley......but it was vibrating quite a lot. when i engaged the lever, all got tight and started working. After letting go, it would either come to a smoothe stop or it would vibrate and clunk around. It seems this belt is just a tab on the long side ( making it a tad bit loose when not engaged ).


FYI..... I do have another belt to try. I went to my local auto shop when I thought my local Lowes didnt have the belt in stock and I grabbed a comprable 36.5" belt that matched the ruined one. Perhaps I need that slightly shorter belt. 

Here are some pics, along with my model. any idea if I do need a shorter belt ( not the 754-04195 i researched and found to be my replacement ) ?


I'm trying to get this taken care of before the wife comes home with the baby in a couple days........we may have another huge storm coming sunday into monday......Thanks for all your help !!

fyi.......if you click on the pictures, they bring you to photobucket and they are not shown upside down......they are shown right side up.

Lee








[/URL]


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

You can try to move this pulley in some to take up some of the belts slack and then readjust the cable for the auger engagement handle.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

A shorter belt might help. Some of those tend to be loose as it is. Was there no wire guard around your belt to hold it on?


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I was thinking it was missing the belt fingers too but I looked up a manual and it doesn't show the model as having any ???
With the bottom cover removed it should have a bolt on the flat square plate the lower big auger drive pulley is attached to that holds the belt in the groove for the big end. That might need an adjustment. It should have been necessary to loosen it to get a new belt on and then be readjusted back so the belt can't slip off.

Page 19 / fig 7-4
http://dl.owneriq.net/f/f8af8ac7-b383-b624-85c8-d37e01238fe4.pdf


----------



## noupf (Jul 22, 2013)

Shryp said:


> A shorter belt might help. Some of those tend to be loose as it is. Was there no wire guard around your belt to hold it on?


nope, no wire guard. I found the alternate belt on the troybilt website and lowes had it in stock. Will thow it on tomorrow and see. I'm back at the hospital with the new born an momma. If the new belt is slightly shorter, i think it will solve everything.


----------



## noupf (Jul 22, 2013)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> I was thinking it was missing the belt fingers too but I looked up a manual and it doesn't show the model as having any ???
> With the bottom cover removed it should have a bolt on the flat square plate the lower big auger drive pulley is attached to that holds the belt in the groove for the big end. That might need an adjustment. It should have been necessary to loosen it to get a new belt on and then be readjusted back so the belt can't slip off.
> 
> Page 19 / fig 7-4
> http://dl.owneriq.net/f/f8af8ac7-b383-b624-85c8-d37e01238fe4.pdf




yes, i did have to remove the big flat nut device under the big pulley to install the new belt......however, the diagram shows a spring as well.......i do not recall that spring. I think its a fixed plate and the nut device is just secured to it. I know i re-installed it after the belt was slid onto the pulley and I am farely certain the little metal plate that i tightened it to is secure and not moveable ( meaning i dont think it needs a spring ).


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

That spring should be there. It helps that part on the right side where it's attached act as a brake for the belt. It should pivot on something up a little higher.

The photo is of my "Free" inlaw gifted Storm2410. They couldn't figure out why it would quit going forward in the slightest amount of snow. Well, that and where the metal shavings under the machine were coming from.


----------

