# Only One Wheel Working



## abby1234

It's me again, the man with the bad gas cap!!! Today I went out to blow snow and only one of my wheels is functioning properly. The left one moves very little and very slowly. Any ideas on a fix, or do I spend another $100.00 to have a service tech come twice in one week!!!!!!! 
Thanks for any help in advance!!!!!!!!


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## Shryp

I am not sure what model you have, but some snowblowers use a "pin lock" system on the wheels and the axle has 2 holes. If you put the pin through the wheel and the axle the wheel is driven. If you put the pin through the outside hole then the wheel just spins on the axle and allows easier turning. Maybe the tech moved the pin while he was pushing the blower around your garage?


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## abby1234

Shryp said:


> I am not sure what model you have, but some snowblowers use a "pin lock" system on the wheels and the axle has 2 holes. If you put the pin through the wheel and the axle the wheel is driven. If you put the pin through the outside hole then the wheel just spins on the axle and allows easier turning. Maybe the tech moved the pin while he was pushing the blower around your garage?


 
Thanks for replying! I'm not sure how I'd correct this. I'll look around and see what kind of damage I can do!!! Hopefully not!!!!! Thanks again!!!!


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## HCBPH

*Wheel*

Some Ariens have a pin that can be changed to unlock the wheel








You pull it out and turn in and put it and it unlocks the wheel to make it easier to turn corners, but only one wheel is then driven.

Others have a bolt that goes through the hub and axel








Sometimes the bolt is pulled, the wheel pushed in and the bolt is put back only in the axel. That allows the wheels to freewheel, making them easier to move by hand.

Hope you issue is that simple to take care of. Let us know.


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## Shryp

HCBPH said:


> Some Ariens have a pin that can be changed to unlock the wheel
> 
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> You pull it out and turn in and put it and it unlocks the wheel to make it easier to turn corners, but only one wheel is then driven.


Not exactly correct. Those Ariens actually have an automotive style differential and both wheels are driven when the pin in unlocked. It makes turning really easy, however, if one wheel is on ice or off the ground then it will spin and the other wheel won't turn.


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## HCBPH

*Locking pin*

I stand corrected. Good to learn something new every day


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## abby1234

HCBPH said:


> I stand corrected. Good to learn something new every day


 The service tech returned yesterday. He had left the Remote Axle Lock Control
on. I had never used it, nor did I know what it was for. Am I observant or what!!! I didn't get charged for the service call. Thanks again for your help.


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## sscotsman

Shryp said:


> Not exactly correct. Those Ariens actually have an automotive style differential and both wheels are driven when the pin in unlocked. It makes turning really easy, however, if one wheel is on ice or off the ground then it will spin and the other wheel won't turn.


I LOVE the differential on my '71 Ariens! 
both wheels turn independently of each other, turning the machine is a breeze, yet both wheels are always powered! brilliant..

After I bought the Ariens, and began doing research on snowblowers in general, I was amazed to find out many modern snowblowers do *not* have a true differential! I just assumed it would be something all snowblowers would have by default..but many modern snowblowers do not, because of cost..

Scot


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## snow80

sscotsman said:


> I LOVE the differential on my '71 Ariens!
> both wheels turn independently of each other, turning the machine is a breeze, yet both wheels are always powered! brilliant..


That doesn't sound brilliant to me. An ordinary differential on a snowplow jeep sucks in snow and that's with 4wd - you want a limited slip differential. I'd expect the same on a snowblower, otherwise one wheel would slip on the ice/snow.

I presume there must be a differential lock - preferably operable from the handles. Is there one?


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## sscotsman

snow80 said:


> That doesn't sound brilliant to me. An ordinary differential on a snowplow jeep sucks in snow and that's with 4wd - you want a limited slip differential. I'd expect the same on a snowblower, otherwise one wheel would slip on the ice/snow.
> 
> I presume there must be a differential lock - preferably operable from the handles. Is there one?


I dont know exactly what kind of differential it is..don't know specifically whats its called, or exactly how it works..I just know it works really well! 

There is a lock on one axle..you can "unlock" it..which I guess unlocks one wheel, disengaging it from the transmission..but I don't know why you would want to do that exactly, when it works so well in the "locked" position..(im sure there is some good reason that I am simply not aware of)..but I have mine always in the "locked" position, which is "differential on" I guess you would say, both wheels powered..I never unlock it, and probably never will..works just fine in that position..even when the engine isnt running, I can wheel the machine around the garage very easily.

Scot


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## Shryp

The knob on the left wheel has an "IN" and an "OUT" setting. There is a long axle and a short axle that slides over the end of the long axle. The differential gear assembly is splined to both parts of the axle. When the knob is "OUT" the axle is free and they both turn under power, but the outer axle will rotated over the inner axle to aid in turning. When you turn the knob to "IN" it engages a pin that locks the 2 piece axle together which makes it behave like a solid locked axle. It isn't a limited slip differential, when one wheel starts slipping it just sits there spinning. The most likely reason for that design was the use of summer attachments and not wanting a solid locked axle to tear up your grass when turning. If you have a lot of rough and uneven terrain, ice or hard packed solid snow dragging on one side then locking the axle will give you better traction and assist in keeping the machine going straight.

I have heard that the newer and modern ones went with the lockout pin on the handlebars somewhere before they went with the automatic system the new ones have.


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## slim

*remote lock out*

Before you adjust it is easier to do if you take off the cover and look as it is attached to a spring and hard to tell when the slack is out. It is pretty obvious how it works. Mine was more than adjustment it needed to be cleaned and lubed. Careful not to get cleaning or lube down in. It works like a pen. They call it a clicker. Adjustment can not be too loose or too tight it's kind of fussy. The other thing is that it helps to wiggle the machine back and forth at the top of the throw. Here is a link to view its opperation






I also made sure it was in two wheel position as I closed as I never use the one wheel position.


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## fju2112

snow80 said:


> That doesn't sound brilliant to me. An ordinary differential on a snowplow jeep sucks in snow and that's with 4wd - you want a limited slip differential. I'd expect the same on a snowblower, otherwise one wheel would slip on the ice/snow.
> 
> I presume there must be a differential lock - preferably operable from the handles. Is there one?


I have an Ariens 28" deluxe that I bought about 8 years ago. It doesn't get nearly the use that its size would ordinarily demand in New England due to our short driveway, so it's been a real trooper all these years! Works so well.

Only problem is, I'm having the same symptom - one wheel will spin and the other will not at times. What you describe above is what I have - a handle on the left grip that, when engaged, allows one to easily pivot the machine 180 degrees for easy back-and-forth sweeps of a driveway. Problem is, I find myself engaging this handle when this symptom occurs just trying to stay straight at times; otherwise, I'll sometimes see one wheel spinning (the right) and the left one doesn't move at all, so the machine doesn't propel or veers off in one direction. It seems the left wheel "gives up" or sticks/freezes in the middle of use, and it's very frustrating. Any way to fix this?


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## Ballroomblitz

I always have one wheel disengaged (free moving, non powered, pin out) as it allows me to turn the machine rahter quickly seeing i am in the City and driveway is short requiring lots of runs. When i had both wheels engaged it was difficult to turn the blower 180 degree's at the ends of the driveway, and with a 30" 10HP beast of a machine it weighs a hefty amount.

I tried both 1 wheel drive and 2 wheel drive but in the end the 1 wheel drive setup was the one that worked best.

If i had a extremely long run i might get away with 2 wheel drive, but not in my current situation.


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## fju2112

In my case, I think there is an issue with how it's functioning. One wheel should not be frozen when the idea is to propel straight ahead, and I do have the grip that allows me to free up the left wheel and turn more easily. So, how do I fix this issue, maybe the grip is getting stuck in place, not allowing the left wheel to spin when I need both wheels moving?


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