# Slowing down the drive on a Predator engined 524?



## gellfex (Oct 2, 2018)

This winter is the 1st time I've put my Predator re-engined 524 through it's paces since the changeover done with the help of this site, we had no snow here in NJ for 2 winters! The biggest problem is the higher revs of the Predator 212 make the 524 a little quick for heavy snow. I recall tuning the clutch as slow as possible, but is there anything else to be done? Can the gearset to the axle be changed?


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## yoda (Dec 30, 2015)

I ended up adding a manual throttle control cable (any auto parts store has them) and a digital tachometer to my Predatoro 521. It's quite useful to be able to see and adjust engine speed from the control panel. I can use it for any snow depth. 3600 rpm is a good all-around engine speed and I bump it to 4200 rpm for deep snow or long throwing distances.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Snow blowers, lawnmowers, etc are designed to work at full throttle.

If you can not adjust your speed selector, then use the clutch, or take smaller bites.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Tuning the clutch ???

The clutch, i.e. the friction disc coming into contact with the drive plate, should have a nice firm grip. This will not have anything to do with the speed. 

The speed is controlled by the position of contact which the friction disc makes with the drive plate. Some machines have the ability to adjust where it makes contact, some not.


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## gellfex (Oct 2, 2018)

oneacer said:


> Snow blowers, lawnmowers, etc are designed to work at full throttle.
> 
> If you can not adjust your speed selector, then use the clutch, or take smaller bites.


Yes, I want to keep full throttle but slow down the wheels. Because of the Predator it's moving faster than designed even at the lowest speed setting. And yes, I either use the clutch and advance a few inches at a time, or like what I mostly did yesterday, took 4" slices off at a time. It would be great to be able to halve the whole speed range.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

A smaller pulley on the engine going to the wheels would slow it down.


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## gellfex (Oct 2, 2018)

Shryp said:


> A smaller pulley on the engine going to the wheels would slow it down.


That would not work with the transmission design of this blower. One pulley off the engine. To slow the wheels and not the blower I think I'd need to change the gears from the variable transmission to the axle. I wish I had taken pics when I had it open.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

yoda said:


> I bump it to 4200 rpm for deep snow or long throwing distances.


I'm going to try this on my own Hemi 521 next time it snows. I have it at 3600.


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

> That would not work with the transmission design of this blower. One pulley off the engine. To slow the wheels and not the blower


Are you saying that because you have a single pulley with two grooves that drives both belts at once? Swapping that out for two separate pulleys mounted side by side should work if you can get a smaller diameter pulley for the drive.


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## paulm12 (May 22, 2015)

yes it is a one piece, 2 slot pulley on many 80s and 90s mid frame Toros. 2 separate pulleys could work as deezlfan wrote. 

tx


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