# Craftsman 247.88790 chute control issues



## Dr. Dex (Jan 19, 2016)

I inherited this machine and I would have preferred something other than an MTD product but "the price was right". The 4way chute control works fine for upper chute positioning but the lower chute won't rotate. I've removed the chute control box and it works fine but when placed on the lower chute it won't rotate it. The female connection on the lower chute is just circular while the male end of the chute control box is flat on its sides. I suspect there may have been plastic fins on the chute that have broken off. Why? the owners manual says to apply "an even coat" of lithium grease to the lip of the chute base which I have done (after cleaning the old grease off) but the chute is very difficult to rotate by hand especially in the cold. I suspect that may be why the female end on the lower chute is missing something. Has anyone else run into this issue and does it sound like i'm on the right track and need to replace the lower chute? What should I lube the chute base and lower chute with if I'm correct about the cause of the problem?


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## Golfergordy (Oct 29, 2014)

Since you aren't the original owner you may not have the owners manual - here's where to find the manual online: CRAFTSMAN 247.88790 OPERATOR'S MANUAL Pdf Download. 
You got any pics, which may help? Here's a pic of my 247-88790's chute rotation pulley. 
Are your cables connected to the pulley properly?


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## Dr. Dex (Jan 19, 2016)

Golfergordy , thank you for the reply. I do have the owners manual and have done everything I can glean from it but it has't resolved the problem. The chute rotation pulley works fine when not attached to the chute. I've enclosed 2 photos (I hope!) the 2nd showing the female point of attachment on the chute and there is nothing there that matches the male end,its just essentially a circle/hole. Can you address my ? re: whether the chute turns freely by hand when the rotation pulley is not attached, the grease seems to bind it up making it difficult to rotate.


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## Vermont007 (Mar 29, 2015)

I have an MTD product (mine is branded under White Outdoor Equipment) which I believe has the same JoyStick control for the Chute.

For me, the issue has always been frozen Cables within the plastic cable housing.

I try to send a little silicone lubricant down inside the housing in the off-season, during the summer,; but age (8 years) has resulted in a few cracks in the plastic coating has allowed more moisture to collect at the driploops.

Lately, in mid-winter, if I have a cable that hesitates to budge, I apply some heat from a hair dryer for a few moments, and it frees itself up. I then get it reasonable hot to evaporate whatever moisture might be left, and I try to be careful to wipe the plastic housings down . . . . particularly at the dips where I'd imaging the bulk of the moisture is infiltrating my cables.

I think there are replacement cable housings sized for these cables; but I'm dealing with the problem using my "work-around".


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## Golfergordy (Oct 29, 2014)

Dr.,
The chute should in-fact rotate freely when the pulley is not attached.

The male end coming out of the pulley should fit into the female end which is molded into the chute. The female connection point is not a round hole, but rather, an oblong hole which the male end sloppily fits into. When these parts are all connected, when you operate the joystick to rotate the chute, there's some slop in the male/female connection point, so when you operate the joystick, there is some rotation of the male end before it contacts the female end to rotate the chute. If the pulley rotates ok when not connected to the chute (as you said), then there must be something preventing the chute from rotating down at the bottom of the chute. When the pulley is not attached to the chute, I believe the chute should easily rotate and come right off by lifting it up. You mentioned that it's very hard to rotate by hand, so I would recommend you lift the chute off of its lower connection point (called the chute adapter), which is just above the impeller housing, and clean it, as well as clean the chute adapter, which the chute rests on. Clean these parts very well and then apply a lubricant to the contacting pieces and the chute should then rotate freely by hand. You might have to connect the pulley in order to get the chute to stand vertical by itself when trial rotating it. In the 10 or so years that I've owned this SB, I've used automotive grease at the contact point between the chute and chute adapter. One time I think I used Fluid Film - I usually lubricate it every year.

It's too bad that (when I had these parts disassembled a few months ago) I never took a pic of the female connection point (molded into the chute) where the male piece from the pulley fits into, to verify that there's nothing more than the oblong hole to make contact with the male piece from the pulley.

Let us know how it works after you clean and lube it up.


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