# An Ariens to be ashamed of



## bwright1818 (Dec 2, 2014)

I just picked up an ST 824, #924050, for parts. I knew the front end was gone, so I got it cheap, for the good engine and tractor. The previous owner said he was blowing and it just failed. Never hit anything, that he knew of and never sheared a pin, ever. I'd never seen the inside of one of those cases before, so I took it apart. The rakes were not frozen on, at all. The cross shaft was lubed and the steel was in like-new condition. The aluminum auger gear case was split wide open and the bronze gear was trashed; although it appeared to have plenty of grease in it, considering it was split open. What a pathetic little POS those aluminum cases are!! I am very disappointed that a well-respected company like Ariens would put their name on that hunk of crap gear case. I just can't believe it.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

You do realize that the ST series has been out of production for quite some time now...


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## bwright1818 (Dec 2, 2014)

Oh, sure; I do realize that. It's just that I've had a number of STs....2 ST 1032s, an ST 828 and an ST 1024 SHO. All of them have the cast iron gear box. Even they, I have found, need some work; but at least they are substantially built. Two or three times more substantial, judging by my eye. This aluminum box, I have seen toys built-better.

Don't get me wrong. I love most of my Ariens machines. I shouldn't be picking on this one directly, without acknowledging that most other brands seem to have aluminum cases and probably end up the same way. It's just that I am disappointed to find that Ariens felt that they had to stoop that low, in order to stay competitive.

I think one problem with this 824 is that it has the little aluminum box; yet it has 5/16" shear pins. There is very little chance of those things shearing before the gear case wipes out. (And yes, it had the correct shear pins, not some cobbled-up replacement bolt.)


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Yeah, the experiment with aluminum gearboxes wasn't the best idea..
But Ariens is subject to the same market forces as everyone else..when people want to buy cheap junk from your competition, a fine-line needs to be walked between quality and keeping costs down..but Ariens learned the lesson and stopped using them..

I would like to record which models used those gearboxes, and for how long..
I believe they started around 1975, but im not totally certain..maybe we can work out the timeline in this thread.

For awhile I had this idea that I wanted to collect one snowblower that represented "the pinnacle of the Ariens 1st generation"..meaning (for me) the "Orange and White" era, the 1960's and 1970's, before the switch to the Orange & Black paintscheme in 1980.

For awhile I thought it would naturally have be the biggest and baddest model from 1979, the model 924044..
Wide scoop, large wheels, biggest engine for the time:










But that model has the late 70's aluminum gearbox! So it might be among the "biggest"..but its not the "baddest"..

To find the "Ultimate 1960's and 70's Ariens" we need to step back a few years..to the last "Pro type" (they didnt call them Pro models yet) to use the original cast iron gearbox..Which I think moves us back to 1974:










(I havent worked out the exact model yet..and since im out of room to collect new snowblowers anyway, its not a high priority!  )

To be fair, its not certain that these aluminum gearboxes will *always* fail..there are still 30 and 40 year old machines out there using them..but yeah, there is also no question that they arent as robust as the earlier, and the current, cast iron gearboxes..they were definitely a step backwards..But Ariens fixed the problem, and today all new Ariens are using a cast iron gearbox.

Scot


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

I agree with the bad idea of large shear pins on an aluminum gearbox fitted snowblower.
On the othe hand, Honda and Yamaha snowblowers both use aluminum gearboxes. 
IMMHO I think the life of an aluminum gearbox will depend on the overall snowblower design and the care of the user while doing the work.
I have an Ariens ST1236 and an Ariens ST828 both with broken cast iron gearboxes.


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

dont mean to be rude but you really cant complain about a gearbox that lasted "only" 30+ years. in my experience those gearboxes are not the best but typically only fail if they are abused, and the few blowers ive had with that style gearbox had only failed due to near empty gearboxes, the use of the wrong shear pins, or the augers seized on the shaft. i do wish they had roll pins like the old style gearboxes. compared to an mtd or murray gearbox they are built twice as good


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## bwright1818 (Dec 2, 2014)

Just remember that this machine was bought and used its whole life on Cape Cod. MA, where as a general rule, we get more rain than snow. (Two years ago was QUITE the exception.) So, even though it was thirty years old, there weren't a lot of hours on it. The tractor end of it is in great shape.

I'm okay with a aluminum itself; it's just that the castings shouldn't have been so thin.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Depending on what you paid, you can update the auger and have another nice machine if it's in as good a shape as you think otherwise. Just FYI
Gearbox 52423000 Order now for same day shipping. 365 day return policy. RepairClinic.com


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

I think it is important to differentiate between case material and lubrication systems. 

Just from time and degradation a grease packed worm drive is apt to eventually have the worm wheel fail from loss of oil content and grease migrating from the mesh points where it is most needed. An oil bath case solves this. On the Gilson oil baths I have never seen a worm wheel fail unless there was a loss of lube story to go along with it.

The case material gets into the total mechanical failure risk. We see plenty of examples where the clam shell worm drives grenade and this is usually associated with a high shock jam. This will destroy the case and may take the worm wheel and other parts with it.

When Gilson decided to move the full sized machines away from cast iron housings they literally wrapped a 1 piece die cast aluminum (with hatch) housing around all of the same internal parts. This worked out really well. I have seen a few that were damaged in bizarre wrap around jams that got to the back of the housing and broke a rib. Otherwise the change was transparent to 99%+ owners. 

Needless to say a grease packed clam shell worm drive leaves me with little confidence.

Pete


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## bwright1818 (Dec 2, 2014)

Well, the ST 824 also had 99.9% of it's paint gone from the bucket, with a surface coating of light rust that I didn't want to deal with; so she has passed on to another life, donating her parts to future machines. The reality is that the machine wasn't worth the parts needed to fix it. I am trying to get smarter about throwing good money after bad; although in my mind, fixing things is more important than cost. (A mistaken notion.)

It's interesting that the the replacement case seems to require oil, not grease. I am wondering whether I should really be using oil in all my cast iron worm cases.....


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Those replacement cases are the same as the new cast iron top loads now out on the Ariens. I think it's kinda cool Ariens retro designed a replacement for most of the old girls. Most companies just list NLA and move on. They have a redesigned aluminum case available as well, but depending where you purchase it, very pricey (up to $150:facepalm_zpsdj194qh). I have one as well as the cast iron complete set sitting in boxes waiting for.......another project or replacement. Hint, never go on snowblower parts searches after St. Patrick's day party:wavetowel2:
https://www.jackssmallengines.com/jacks-parts-lookup/part/ariens/52408200


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