# 48" ariens sno thro attachment with bad gearbox



## newbie75 (Dec 16, 2012)

Hi all. Last year I purchased a late 1970's S16 tractor with a cab, weight box, chains, and a 48" two stage ariens sno thro attachment. I LOVE IT!! Last week we got some nasty ice followed by a snowstorm. I ended up hitting a huge hunk of ice that was hidden in the snow, resulting in my brass gear and/or worm gear stripping. My own fault....did not realize the previous owner had put hardened bolts in instead of shear pins. Anyway, this is my first front mount blower and my first ariens. I am a little overwhelmed as to where to start as far as dismantling so that I can get to gearbox. I believe my model is either the 831010 or the 831009....not really sure of the difference? I checked out the manuals at the apache ariens website. It will be helpful once I need to order parts, but as of now I just need to get the darn thing apart. I have the attachment off of tractor. I pulled off belt cover and removed the belts. I have also taken the pto coupler and bracket off of the shaft. Now what? I know I have to get both pullies off so that I can bring the impellar out the front. Does the pulley just slide off the end of the shaft? I am pretty mechanically inclined, but I will admit I am a little overwhelmed. I just want to make sure I do it right. ANY advice would be helpful, or even better, step by step instructions would be GREAT! I have searched the web and am not having much luck finding any help. Thank you in advance!


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I think most people here work on walk behinds, but I am sure someone will come along that knows how to help you. I know with walk behinds you split the blower from the drive unit, remove the bearings on the sides of the augers, remove the pulley from the back of the impeller shaft and then pull the whole assembly out the front.

Check for set screws on the pulleys or a bolt behind it and then try a gear puller to slide it off.

Good Luck.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Welcome to the forum newbie,
Can't make any promises but a few detailed pics would sure help in diagnosing your problem. 
Another thing. Have you tried going online to see if you can download a service or even a parts manual? I have fairly good luck sometimes ny typing in the product name and number and then PDF. I have found lots of manuals or at least found answers to many mechanical problems. Get some pics on here.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Went to google just now and got this by typing you part number in and added "PDF"
Is this your snowblower?


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

micah68kj and I must have been looking for the diagrams at the same time.

There is this thing called Parts Radar on the Ariens site.

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You can print that exploded diagram that micah68kj posted. That should be a big help in figuring out how things go together.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Here you go Newbie,
these should be useful:

http://apache.ariens.com/manuals/031932.pdf

http://apache.ariens.com/manuals/PM-931000.pdf

http://apache.ariens.com/manuals/000127A.pdf

All three manuals contain information on the snowblower attachment.
Looks to be about 1990 vintage.

Scot


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## newbie75 (Dec 16, 2012)

Thanks for all the info guys! I have previously downloaded the parts, service, and owners manuals. They are useful for ordering parts, but not a great help as far as dismantling it. It tells how to replace the brass and worm gear but they start the instructions with the gearbox already off of the machine. Any more ideas?


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

newbie75 said:


> Thanks for all the info guys! I have previously downloaded the parts, service, and owners manuals. They are useful for ordering parts, but not a great help as far as dismantling it. It tells how to replace the brass and worm gear but they start the instructions with the gearbox already off of the machine. Any more ideas?


If the manual has that shouldn't it have a section "gearbox removal" in the service manual? I mean, this is the same manual that the Ariens technicians would use to disassemble it.

*I've just been looking at the parts blowup. Seems as if you take the auger main shaft out and loosen the two impeller retaining bolts it should come out to where you can work on it on the bench.*


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

I looked a little closer and it looks like you only need to either unscrew or pop the gearcase front cap off and remove the retaining bolt. Pull the auger shaft out and you've got it out. I dunno.......looks fairly straightforward and simple enough to me.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

newbie75 said:


> Thanks for all the info guys! I have previously downloaded the parts, service, and owners manuals. They are useful for ordering parts, but not a great help as far as dismantling it. It tells how to replace the brass and worm gear but they start the instructions with the gearbox already off of the machine. Any more ideas?


I have run into similar issues with manuals! I have a 1964 Wheel Horse Tractor, and I discovered that back in the day, the manufacturers just took it for granted that everyone knew certain basic things! of course that isnt the case anymore (and it probably wasn't always the case back then either) but I think they just assumed more often, in the past, that everyone knows how to remove things..So the instructions for your gearbox begin something like: "Step 1, remove the gearbox" then goes into detail about the gears...but umm..hello..more info on step 1 please! 

Here is my post from another forum on this topic..Newbie, I think you might have been hit by this same phenomenon!



> Thanks Mike!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## newbie75 (Dec 16, 2012)

Exactly Scotsman! It LOOKS straightforward in the service manual, but rest assured...it is not! I can't take the auger shaft out without first taking the impeller shaft off. The impeller shaft is roll-pinned in close to the impeller blades. Impeller housing is a welded unit, so I have no way to access it. The only cap on the front of the gearbox is the fill/sight plug, so no dice there either. The gear box has a side cover so the augers have to be off to take the cover off. I am near certain that I have to get both pulleys off so that I can drive the impeller shaft, auger shaft (with gear box attached), out the front of the unit. I know that I have to take out the bearing supports so that I have enough play/side movement with the auger shaft so that it will come out. Upon further review, I believe I may just have to use a puller to get both pulley's off. I soaked end of shaft/pulley with penetrating oil overnight. Hopefully that will help.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Yea, I would go that route and put a puller on the pulleys and the whole assembly should slide out the front. Make sure there isn't a bolt on the impeller shaft. You probably have 2 set screws on the side and they are probably on the collar behind the pulley.


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## hawkeye13 (Oct 30, 2012)

My 48" Gravely is easy. 
With the blower unit off the tractor, loosen the set screw holding the driveshaft adapter on, remove the bolts on ends of the auger, pull it all out the front.


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