# ST24 Deluxe used twice and in the shop !



## Hearth (Nov 7, 2013)

Brand new 2013 Ariens: Used two times and shift selector failed. Will only go forward in highest speed, NO reverse, no matter how the shifter is set. Have dropped it back to the local dealer where I bought it.... waiting......

Thoughts and any similar experiences ?


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

could be something as simple as a cable adjustment


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

Hearth said:


> Brand new 2013 Ariens: Used two times and transmission failed. Will only go forward in highest speed, NO reverse, no matter how the shifter is set. Have dropped it back to the local dealer where I bought it.... waiting......
> 
> Thoughts and any similar experiences ?


Sorry to hear about your problem. I can't tell you what is wrong right off the top of my head. 
What I can tell you is not to worry, because, as long as it is not a hydro model, it will be something simple. First off, you don't have a transmission. Its two wheels perpendicular to each other. It might be an adjustment of these wheels. The adjustment should be in your manual. 

The best part about owning an Ariens, (Non Hydro), is that any repair is normally simple and cheap. Most of the time the owner can do his own repairs.

Disclaimer: I am not picking on the hydro Ariens. I like them a lot, but I wouldn't tackle certain repairs on them myself.

Ken


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## Hearth (Nov 7, 2013)

Carl, unfortunately it isn't. I tried to make the adjustment that the manual suggested to the shift rod and the speed selector lever and that did not work. When I got to the dealer, they agreed that it was something other than a simple adjustment, as the "speed selector lever" is completely loose.


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## Hearth (Nov 7, 2013)

Thanks Ken, I appreciate that it is not a true transmission but for ease of describing in layman's terms the issue, that seemed to be the simplest...I will let you know what they tell me. On a bright note, I was very pleased to be able to take it back to the dealer where I bought it and not try to deal with a big box store....or take to a dealer with them knowing that I bought it elsewhere !


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

My guess is your shift rod came unhooked.


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

Hearth said:


> Thanks Ken, I appreciate that it is not a true transmission but for ease of describing in layman's terms the issue, that seemed to be the simplest...I will let you know what they tell me. On a bright note, I was very pleased to be able to take it back to the dealer where I bought it and not try to deal with a big box store....or take to a dealer with them knowing that I bought it elsewhere !


I have to apologize. As I was looking for a video to help show you the workings of the two disk design, I noticed that some mechanics are calling the whole lower unit a "transmission". So you may be right and in your use of the term transmission when describing it. I learned something today 

Unfortunately I couldn't find a decent video showing how the gear ratio is changed on the Ariens Disk drive setup. ): 
Maybe someone else knows of a link.

I'm confident your blower will work like new when it comes back.

Ken


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## Hearth (Nov 7, 2013)

Shryp,

Thank you... My understanding is that the shift rod is the external rod that connects the shift selector on the control panel to the speed selector lever at the bottom which goes into the machine at the bottom. That rod is connected to the lever at the bottom with a pin which in my case was definitely connected. 

What concerned me was that when I disconnected the shift rod from the speed connector lever as the manual suggested (to make an adjustment). the speed lever just "floated" from top to bottom. 

At any rate, I should know more today and will report back. As always most helpful and encouraging!


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## Hearth (Nov 7, 2013)

Thanks for your efforts, Ken!


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

Hearth said:


> Brand new 2013 Ariens: Used two times and shift selector failed. Will only go forward in highest speed, NO reverse, no matter how the shifter is set. Have dropped it back to the local dealer where I bought it.... waiting......
> 
> Thoughts and any similar experiences ?


I found a video that shows this guy changing the position of the friction wheel a few times. I really shows the replacing of the rubber friction wheel, but you might pick up some idea of what's going on inside. Its always good for the operator to have the basic knowledge of the workings. Its an amazingly simple design that actually could have an infinite number of speeds.


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## Hearth (Nov 7, 2013)

Thanks Ken, I appreciate it very much!


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

ken53 said:


> Its an amazingly simple design that actually could have an infinite number of speeds.


Yea, I have heard of people cutting new notches into their dash panels of various brands and adding a couple extra speeds. Usually it is an attempt at a slower 1st gear, but I think some people might have managed to get a quicker reverse.


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

Shryp said:


> Yea, I have heard of people cutting new notches into their dash panels of various brands and adding a couple extra speeds. Usually it is an attempt at a slower 1st gear, but I think some people might have managed to get a quicker reverse.


Its funny you bring up a slower first gear. I really am satisfied with my new Ariens P30, and the friction disk drive has treated me well on my older model for 20 years. That being said, a slower 1st gear would be nice to have. 

I understand the problems of adjusting it to close to the center of the friction plate, but has anyone ever attempted to change some gears to bring down the gearing overall. I rarely need the speed of 6th gear.

Ken


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

ken53 said:


> Its funny you bring up a slower first gear. I really am satisfied with my new Ariens P30, and the friction disk drive has treated me well on my older model for 20 years. That being said, a slower 1st gear would be nice to have.
> 
> I understand the problems of adjusting it to close to the center of the friction plate, but has anyone ever attempted to change some gears to bring down the gearing overall. I rarely need the speed of 6th gear.
> 
> Ken


You can switch the pulleys. Get a smaller pulley for the engine or a bigger pulley for down inside the machine. That will slow everything down including your reverse.

Depending on how new your machine is and the warranty you can look at the speed selector on the dash. If there is enough metal between N and 1 you can cut an extra notch there and get a slower speed that way.


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

Shryp said:


> You can switch the pulleys. Get a smaller pulley for the engine or a bigger pulley for down inside the machine. That will slow everything down including your reverse.
> 
> Depending on how new your machine is and the warranty you can look at the speed selector on the dash. If there is enough metal between N and 1 you can cut an extra notch there and get a slower speed that way.


Thanks the tips. I like the pulley idea. I do have the warranty hanging over me right now. I will take a look at it when we get out of this deep freeze 
Maybe a summer project.

Ken


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## Hearth (Nov 7, 2013)

The Repair ! 

Got the machine back from the dealer this AM. Shop Ticket says:

#1. Drive disk is out of shifting fork. 
#2. Shift fork is bent. 
#3. Disassembled unit, straightened fork and reassembled. 

So does that seem right, what would cause that to happen in your opinion?

2.2 hours at $75.00 for labor.... covered by warranty. 

Comments and thoughts ?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Umm, I would think for it to bend someone must have forced something. Being practically new I am not sure how that would happen as usually it is the old ones that are rusty and gummy that get stuck and people force trying to get them to change gears.

Any chance something was frozen with ice and you tried to force it to change gears?


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## Hearth (Nov 7, 2013)

I keep the machine in a warm (above 32) garage. I have used it twice, once in 9" of fluffy snow and the second time in about 3" of slush. 

I don't see how anything "frozen" could get to the interior of the machine in either case....and at no time did I have to force-ably shift the lever. I am at a loss, but I can assure you, I will be paying very close attention to what is going on when I do shift.... perhaps it was "newbie" error but hard to figure. 

Thanks for your help !


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

Shryp said:


> Yea, I have heard of people cutting new notches into their dash panels of various brands and adding a couple extra speeds. Usually it is an attempt at a slower 1st gear, but I think some people might have managed to get a quicker reverse.


That's exactly what I did. Not that I needed a slower 1st gear, but I saw there was room for another notch so took my die grinder out and went to work. I now have 7 forward speeds and two reverse. I also adjusted my linkage to the fastest forward and fastest reverse. You'll know when you achieve this as the friction wheel can only go mechanically so far before it hits it's limits. When I put the selector in the fastest forward and fastest reverse gear I can just barely hear the friction wheel contact those limits on both extremes.

I am 6'5", so the, now, 7th gear is just a normal walking pace for me and I use it quite a bit with all the piddly snowfalls we get around here.


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

Hearth said:


> I keep the machine in a warm (above 32) garage. I have used it twice, once in 9" of fluffy snow and the second time in about 3" of slush.
> 
> I don't see how anything "frozen" could get to the interior of the machine in either case....and at no time did I have to force-ably shift the lever. I am at a loss, but I can assure you, I will be paying very close attention to what is going on when I do shift.... perhaps it was "newbie" error but hard to figure.
> 
> Thanks for your help !


Its been a while since I had an Ariens apart so I am not up to date on the newer ones. 

Just from what you described, maybe the fork was bent before it was assembled on to the machine at the factory. It may have been just barely grasping the drive wheel assembly. The little bit of use that you gave the machine may just been enough to separate the fork (or what ever they call the fork) from the drive wheel mechanism. Once the two slipped apart, everything would feel loose and sloppy.

If you bought it early enough in fall, you may have a 5yr warranty, and could work in your favor. Otherwise that whole mechanism would easily be under warranty for 3yrs at least. 

If it where my machine, I would pull (No hurry to do this) the cover and just observe the workings while someone else moves the lever. The dealer straightening the fork makes me a little uneasy.  Its not a big deal because its so simple and so few parts nothing can go to wrong no mater what happens.

Now you just need to get out and enjoy it. 

Ken


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## Hearth (Nov 7, 2013)

Thanks Ken.... looks like I will have a chance on Saturday evening/Sunday AM... I will report back ! 

Have a good weekend.


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

ken53 said:


> Just from what you described, maybe the fork was bent before it was assembled on to the machine at the factory. It may have been just barely grasping the drive wheel assembly. The little bit of use that you gave the machine may just been enough to separate the fork (or what ever they call the fork) from the drive wheel mechanism. Once the two slipped apart, everything would feel loose and sloppy.


I would tend to agree...

BTW, Ken, are you left handed by any chance? I ask because I noticed you type your emoticons backwards compared to most of us and therefore they don't get automatically switched to the little emoticon faces seen here  If I type , it will get switched to , but if I type  it won't.


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

JRHAWK9 said:


> That's exactly what I did. Not that I needed a slower 1st gear, but I saw there was room for another notch so took my die grinder out and went to work. I now have 7 forward speeds and two reverse. I also adjusted my linkage to the fastest forward and fastest reverse. You'll know when you achieve this as the friction wheel can only go mechanically so far before it hits it's limits. When I put the selector in the fastest forward and fastest reverse gear I can just barely hear the friction wheel contact those limits on both extremes.
> 
> I am 6'5", so the, now, 7th gear is just a normal walking pace for me and I use it quite a bit with all the piddly snowfalls we get around here.


Wow ... using high gear often. I must be slow moving, or 5'9" is pretty darn short. 
My driveway drifts from the banks on each side. So when we get 2 inches, it drifts to 6. The 10" we got the other night was about 16", with the drifting in my driveway. 

Anyhow... I hardly ever get to let my blowers stretch their legs in high gear.  It must be fun.

On a side note: You might not like Auto-Turn as much as I do if you use high gear that often. I just thought I would throw that thought out to you. ):

Ken


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

JRHAWK9 said:


> I would tend to agree...
> 
> BTW, Ken, are you left handed by any chance? I ask because I noticed you type your emoticons backwards compared to most of us and therefore they don't get automatically switched to the little emoticon faces seen here  If I type , it will get switched to , but if I type  it won't.


 Nope , I'm right handed, but it wouldn't be the first time I did things backwards.  

I'll check that out.

Ken


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

ken53 said:


> Wow ... using high gear often. I must be slow moving, or 5'9" is pretty darn short.
> My driveway drifts from the banks on each side. So when we get 2 inches, it drifts to 6. The 10" we got the other night was about 16", with the drifting in my driveway.
> 
> Anyhow... I hardly ever get to let my blowers stretch their legs in high gear.  It must be fun.
> ...


Being in the woods, we get no drifting at all. Makes things nice when measuring snow  We just got 5" out of that last event. 

Yeah, I'm guessing Auto-Turn won't be as "easy" at higher speeds. My ATC is the same way, it's easier to "unlock" at lower speeds compared to higher speeds.


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