# Weird drive problem on craftsman



## n2_space (Dec 27, 2012)

Hi All I have a 24in wide 5.5HP Craftsman that is about 4 or 5 years old. Yesterday after cleaning my drive and a neighbors, I went to another neighbors house. he knew I was coming, but apparently he had an extension cord across his walk. It wrapped in my auger, and I turn it off and got it out. The weird part was it wouldn't drive any more. There was some black grease/oil on near one wheel and on the blower. 1, 2, and 3 would not go, however 4 and 5 as well as both reverse worked. I left it and now it seems like 1 2 and 3 works sometimes. Something is obviously amiss.... auger works fine. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

The friction wheel needs adjusted or replaced. Check the manual for the proper setup instructions. The other possibility is the bearings or bushings in the drive system are worn out and causing the friction wheel hex shaft to wobble.


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## n2_space (Dec 27, 2012)

Hmmm... seems to be pulling fine now but it's leaking oil still, my guess is some seal or gasket is leaking, and it got on the belt and made it slip before... off to the shop it goes


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## n2_space (Dec 27, 2012)

Shryp said:


> The friction wheel needs adjusted or replaced. Check the manual for the proper setup instructions. The other possibility is the bearings or bushings in the drive system are worn out and causing the friction wheel hex shaft to wobble.


 Thanks for the reply! This thing doesn't have but a few hours on it so I don't think anything is worn, it's pulling now, but I see oil below the engine... something is wrong there I think


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

where below the engine, can you show a picture?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

If it is leaking oil then you probably have oil running down onto the friction disc and that is why it is slipping.


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## Colored Eggs (Dec 7, 2012)

I hope you didn't get your engine damaged. Was it leaking before you hit the cord?


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## n2_space (Dec 27, 2012)

Shryp said:


> If it is leaking oil then you probably have oil running down onto the friction disc and that is why it is slipping.


Yep, exactly what I figured after it starting pulling fine the next day 



td5771 said:


> where below the engine, can you show a picture?


It was on the left side (if you are standing behind it) and the back. No pics as it is at sears... after this (this is the second blower I had die on me within 4 uses) and several other sears products, I'll never ever buy another sears product again, absolute garbage!



Colored Eggs said:


> I hope you didn't get your engine damaged. Was it leaking before you hit the cord?


I think it's ok... I had to run a full tank of gas out because they wouldn't take it with any gas it in. I don't see any before I hit the cord... I'm guessing a gasket or seal somewhere is needing replaced. It ran just fine and dripped only a little oil.


Thanks all for your replies and help!


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

_" I went to another neighbors house. he knew I was coming, but apparently he had an extension cord across his walk. It wrapped in my auger, and I turn it off and got it out. "_

No good deed goes unpunished.
Let's see, cleaned up sidewalks and driveway for 8 of my neighbors today after the plows came through, besides cleaning them a couple days ago......"Thank you!!" 
It's OK though What goes around comes around. The guy across the street cleaned up for me 3 years ago when we had about 36" of snow in back to back storms.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

i clear the snow for several of my neighbors and its also my duty to check the area that i'll be clearing snow from for debris before the snow falls and throughout the winter. one of my other neighbors clears snow also but one winter he didn't check one of his customers and sucked a door mat into his airens two stage blower. the mat had metal wires running through it holding each rubber link together. it took us almost two hours to free the mat and his blower had a bad vibration afterwards. i had finish up all the neighbors that we would normally do with my toro 2450e


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

buzzard, I like what you said about it being your duty to check for debris
I do 4 neighbors EOD (when we get enough snow, which has been rare in West MI) Another neighbor just never seems to get the community newspapers out of their box reliably (see them blown out by the wind all year long and laying in the street, yard). I stay away from that driveway


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