# Toro with a wandering chute



## TimY (Oct 27, 2013)

I have a NTM this year Toro 8-24 power shift 38540 98 year. I really like this machine. I'ts well built no major issues so far with one exception. The chute doesn't want to stay were I put it. All the parts seem to be as they should as far as I can tell. Any thoughts? Tim


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

i was having the same issue with my 521E the last time i used it. i though something was worn out but like you said nothing was missing or worn. when i did the oil change on the 521R i wanted to see if it had the same issue but it didn't but i did notice that the bracket that holds the worm gear seemed bent in more than on the 521E. the bend in the bracket makes it touch the worm gear, seems thats all toro used to keep the chute from rotating so i took a hanner to the bracket on the 521E and knocked it in towards the worm gear. i might have to bend it more after i test it out


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## Kestral (Dec 22, 2013)

Interesting topic as my chute walks on mine esp in heavy snow. I just thought it was part of the design and I was living with it. I guess I need to look closer at mine and see if bending that piece would help on my "94" Toro 1132 Powershift.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

if this doesnt work, i and can't bend the bracket enough i'm going to take the assembly apart and add a washer to put friction on the worm gear


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## Kestral (Dec 22, 2013)

detdrbuzzard said:


> if this doesnt work, i and can't bend the bracket enough i'm going to take the assembly apart and add a washer to put friction on the worm gear


Great idea! Please keep us posted.. That washer idea will prob do the trick I think it just needs a bit of friction.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

Kestral said:


> Great idea! Please keep us posted.. That washer idea will prob do the trick I think it just needs a bit of friction.


 its snowing now so i might get a chance to see if bending the bracket works later today


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Before everyone goes bending their brackets, give the bolt a loosen. Most of them are slotted to allow for adjustments. OK, I know my old Ariens is and I think my 3521 Toro was.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Check out the chute plates and spacers. They might need replacing. The stupid things wear out fast. There is no slot on them they use a 5/16 carraige bolt. Be sure to load the collars with black grease that helps to.


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## TimY (Oct 27, 2013)

OK all good Ideas alas I still don't see any wear or out of alignment brackets. The control for the chute is on the dash. The rod goes through a plastic piece in the dash seems to have a lot of play, but appears to be as it should. I have noticed that with the blower running the control handle will bounce around a lot. I think powershift might be on the right track I'll have to recheck those plastic spacers that hold the chute on but I did have the chute off to do some minor touch up and they 'seemed' fine. This unit only had maybe 10 hours on it if that, spent most of it's life in dry storage so I can't imagine o did I see any significant wear. But it's way to cold right now.


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## Kestral (Dec 22, 2013)

My "94" 1132 chute has always seemed a little too easy to turn and or "loose" so some way of tightening the whole works would be great. When I have time I am going to spend some time figuring that one out.


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## EddyCurr (Nov 18, 2013)

Isn't the imbalance of the offset crank handle a root cause
for chute that does not remain in place ? When your chute
happens to be positioned such that the handle crank droops
down in the six-o'clock position, the chute stays put, right?

Provided we are talking about the same matter, then the
solutions already mentioned which introduce/increase friction
to the chute direction mechanism are one option - creating
enough resistance to hold the handle at any o'clock position
the desires.

However, I prefer the chute directional mechanism to be as
free turning as possible. Being able to be able to reach down
and spin the handle to a desired position at the end of each
furrow sure beats the sensation of cranking over the engine
of a Model T.

For my money, the answer is to add material to counter
-balance the weight of the off-set handle. (Or cope with
chute positions where the handle lies at six-o'clock.)

Simple enough to try - just use a couple of small worm
type hose clamps to attach a bit of bar stock or similar to
the leg of the handle such that it extends out the opposite
direction enough so that the handle stays put when at nine
or three o'clock.

.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

well i didn't get the bracket bent enough so the chute still doesn't stay where i want it so when it warms up some the washer is going in


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Might need plates and spacers


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

My troy will only stay with the handle at the 6 O clock position. I was thinking of trying to use rubber grommets to increase the friction on the rod with the handle itself. I too would rather not add anything to bind up the chute itself.
If the engine had a charging circuit I'd add an automotive window motor as I love the little joy stick and motorized chute I tried recently. Hope to do that to the craftsmans.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> Might need plates and spacers


 thats the plan my friend but i need warmer and dryer weather.13* its still snowing and i work in my backyard. soon as its near 30* and not snowingi'll get it done


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## TimY (Oct 27, 2013)

Well here's the rub, trying to get the chute so it's easy to turn but not to the point where it doesn't move from where you want it but not so tight that snow and ice bind it up. So when it warms up a bit in May maybe  I'll check those plastic spacers and maybe put one of those rubber grommets that protect electrical wires going though sheet metal around the chute control rod at the dash until then i'll deal with it.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

i just opended up the hole on a fender washer now i'm just waiting on a warmer day to install it, hope it works


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## F_Schmidt (Feb 6, 2014)

I had this problem with my Toro 622. Attached beneath the toothed metal chute ring are 3 ring-chute retainers (Toro p/n 37-6490), which ride on a collar and allow the chute to rotate. The screws holding the retainers to the ring appeared to be tight, but the retainers were slightly loose. I positioned the retainers for a tighter fit and torqued down the screws. Problem solved.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

F_Schmidt said:


> I had this problem with my Toro 622. Attached beneath the toothed metal chute ring are 3 ring-chute retainers (Toro p/n 37-6490), which ride on a collar and allow the chute to rotate. The screws holding the retainers to the ring appeared to be tight, but the retainers were slightly loose. I positioned the retainers for a tighter fit and torqued down the screws. Problem solved.


 helloF_schmidt, welcome to *SBF!!* and thanks for the advice


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## TimY (Oct 27, 2013)

Thanks for the tip F Schmidt. I'll have to check that. I had taken that chute off before the season so maybe I didn't get it on just right I'll check it this weekend when it in positive numbers temp wise.


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## fibersport (Feb 6, 2014)

I seem to recall when reading the manual for my 824, it mentions a bout moving the worm gear closer or further from the chute. I haven't looked at mine yet as it's about 0 right now but in the short time I used it last night the chute stayed in place, however the handle to adjust it was loose as is the worm gear. Mine must be just right -


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## HJames (Oct 28, 2013)

I had the same problem with my 68 ariens. I tightened the adjustments with no luck. I noticed some play in between the chute and the ring it sits on. I lined the ring with a strip of rubber and greased it. Problem solved.


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## SnowdIn (Feb 12, 2015)

[cross posted] I have been having this same problem this winter with my 824 Power Shift. I solved it by adding two washers at the end of the rod between the worm gear and the metal bracket. This was suggested in another thread on the forum and I decided to give it a try. The washers took up all of the play/slop there effectively tightening it enough so the chute no longer moves on it's own. Much better feel and contact to the teeth on the chute when turning the crank now too. I had already replaced the nylon chute retainers trying to fix this problem and that helped, but not enough to keep the chute from wandering on slight downhill sections of the driveway.


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## bbakernbay (Jan 2, 2021)

SnowdIn said:


> [cross posted] I have been having this same problem this winter with my 824 Power Shift. I solved it by adding two washers at the end of the rod between the worm gear and the metal bracket. This was suggested in another thread on the forum and I decided to give it a try. The washers took up all of the play/slop there effectively tightening it enough so the chute no longer moves on it's own. Much better feel and contact to the teeth on the chute when turning the crank now too. I had already replaced the nylon chute retainers trying to fix this problem and that helped, but not enough to keep the chute from wandering on slight downhill sections of the driveway.


any chance of posting a photo of your solution as I have same problem on my Toro Powershift 924


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