# Ariens ST1032 pulls BAD, to the right



## bwright1818 (Dec 2, 2014)

Was using it in wet, pasty snow last night and it was all I could do to keep it going straight. I literally had to lean on the right handle, the whole time. Differential lock IS locked in and both chained wheels are turning. Not positive whether they are exactly the same speed or not, though. It also seemed to dig the right side into the dirt, no matter what direction I was going, although I know I set the new shoes up with an eighth inch under the scraper... Any ideas? Thanks.

Edit...both augers are turning as they should, too...


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## copperhead (Aug 30, 2014)

Don't know if it could be the same issue...but I had a similar problem last night. Discovered that an ice chunk had built up under one side of the scraper bar. Until I tipped the machine back, I couldn't tell it was there. It caused a drag on one side and caused that side to dig into the ground.


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## Geno (Nov 29, 2011)

both tires aired the same..or is one flat but feels close to norm because it is cold?


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Checking tire pressure seems like a good idea. I assume it behaves the same way if driving on cleared pavement, or clearing snow?


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## Bolens93 (Nov 24, 2015)

might sound silly........is the right pin sheared? if its plowing, it would have that effect


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

Almost has to be the tires or scraper bar adjustment......


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## bwright1818 (Dec 2, 2014)

I took a look at it today, in the light...I MAY have found the problem....the right side axle bushing has MAJOR wear, allowing the axle to flop around almost a 1/4". Think that might be it? It might be allowing the right side of the bucket to dig in further than the normal adjustments on a concrete floor would allow...

Thanks for all the ideas. I will check the tire pressure. Yup, both shear pins are okay and augers were turning.


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## Geno (Nov 29, 2011)

very good chance that you might have found the problem.. even if not, it needs to be fixed so fix that and see what happens. Not sure right side would dig in more since it is riding on the skid/shoes- but could I suppose if if was so bad it changed the angle of the skid. You definitely have excessive amount of play there.


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## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

Out of curiosity... is this machine new to you or have you had it a while and this problem just appeared?

I've had/have two Ariens 32" machines and directional stability wasn't either one's strong suit. I had an old 10000-series one that I think was the mechanical bull of snowblowers... keeping it going straight was extremely difficult. Now I've got an ST1032 and it's a bit better, but still not nearly as easy to control as the 24" models I've owned.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

That behavior has also been fairly characteristic of the ST1032s I've used as well. They do a great job, but those fat stubby tires are hogs.


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## Biketrax (Jan 28, 2015)

Like Geno said sounds like you found the problem which needs to be addressed.
However
Is that Axle Bearing Wear... Vertical (which would explain it) or Horizontal? 
Now you are talking about Auger axle bearings?
Not the wheel axles bearing (which I have experienced) which has different symptoms?
Pictures would be nice!


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## bwright1818 (Dec 2, 2014)

I have had this machine for a few years and basically brought it back from the dead. It was sold to me as a parts machine, with a hole through the block; but I couldn't bear to part it out and got it going. I knew it needed more work; but since I have six other machines, I may have forgotten about the axle bushing problem, if I ever noticed it. This last time I used it, it was run for a much longer time than ever before; so I guess I finally noticed that, unlike my other 1032, which pitches back and forth, this one pulled only the one way. I know I HAVE done one axle bushing on one of my 1032s but maybe it was the other one! I hope!


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## Zedhead (Jan 1, 2016)

My 1032 has axle bearings. 

One thing I've noticed about the wider machines is that the nature of the wider scraper bar makes it drag on any irregular surface a lot more than the narrower machines. I do all gravel drives, and some run paths in the yard for the dogs. The sloped edges of the drive is much more work with the wider machine than my old 824


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## bwright1818 (Dec 2, 2014)

Zedhead said:


> My 1032 has axle bearings.
> 
> One thing I've noticed about the wider machines is that the nature of the wider scraper bar makes it drag on any irregular surface a lot more than the narrower machines. I do all gravel drives, and some run paths in the yard for the dogs. The sloped edges of the drive is much more work with the wider machine than my old 824


I couldn't agree more, as I do the exact same type of blowing....gravel and paths for our dog! I think they are known as beasts, not for the snow they move but for how much harder they are to use. Anyway, too cold to do the work right now but I DID notice in the parts breakdown, that I have bearings, not bushings, as you state. There must not be a ball left in it!.


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## Zedhead (Jan 1, 2016)

I do know if the machine is not set up right, you fight it more. This vid is for auto turn, but the same basic set up is for all machines. Getting the tub square is vital.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I've had 2 Ariens blowers (ST824 & 1024 Pro) that had axle bearings which were seized up when I bought them. At least the 1024 looked like it had been stored outdoors. 

On the ST824, I think both bearings were stuck, and they must have been like that for a while. So the axle itself was spinning against the inner race of the bearing, since the bearing no longer turned. This is, of course, NOT how this is supposed to work. This was wearing grooves into the outside diameters of the axles. 

For the 1024 Pro, one bearing was turning, one was stuck. Fortunately, this must not have been happening long, as there was no real damage yet to the axle outside diameter. 

Bearings for the axles are a good idea, if the bearings keep working, and if the user tries to check this every once in a while. But if the bearing seizes up, and no one notices (or they just oil the squeak, like what I heard from one seized bearing sliding on the axle shaft) you'd probably have been better off with bushings  

I had a hard time removing the fasteners that hold the axle bearings flanges in-place. They go into threaded inserts that are pressed into some sheetmetal. Well, on rusted machines, those fasteners rust up, and most of them spun the pressed-in threaded inserts in the holes. So they couldn't be removed. I had to cut the heads off. So now I don't really like those splined pressed-in threaded inserts. I replaced them with stainless traditional nuts and bolts.


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