# 824 PowerShift



## Skids (Dec 19, 2012)

Hi- new to Snowblower Forums. Just prior to last season, I purchased a Toro Powershift 824 off of CL to replace my Husqvarna 624 (also a CL score). I believe it was manufacturted in 1989, but in excellent condition. 

Here's a quick description of my layout: I rent in an urban area just north of Boston, on a busy main street. My driveway is sandwiched between two tenement houses, both with slate roofs. When conditions are right, the snow builds up on the roofs until it eventually slides down like a freight train and packs like cement on the driveway. On top of that, I often have to throw it more than once in order to reach the back yard. 

I struggled with that little Husqy for a few years, decided to get something a little beefier, and I thought the PowerShift option would help with the heavy wet stuff. 

I only had time to give the Toro a quick tune up before last years' first storm, and wasn't really thrilled with the performance. 

I wanted to start this season off right, so I rebuilt the carb, and when I went to install new belts, discovered the impeller spherical bearing was cooked (actually, practically gone). Hopefully, a new one will help with performance, so- while I wait for new bearings, (I ordered auger bearings as well), I was wondering if something could be done to the "barrel" augers to make them bite better, or "saw" into that wet heavy stuff. I do some fabrication, and am not opposed to welding some teeth on those smooth edge augers. I also considered making some short, regularly spaced cuts, and "setting" some saw teeth. I realize this may pose a problem with load-up, but I'm willing to take the risk. 

Also- I have seen owners modify their impellers with heavy strips of rubber in order to close the gap between the fan and the housing, thus getting the machine to thrown further. PHEW- anyone have any thoughts on all of this? 

Oh- and one more thing- I scored a differential axle (mine came with the solid axle). Is this worth installing?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Replacing worn out bearings can never be a bad thing.

I have seen at least one post from someone who cut teeth into his Ariens augers with good results. He found that his smooth augers were the same physical size as the new Ariens machines with serrated augers and actually took some paper/cardboard into a store and traced the new pattern out. Just make sure you don't get the left and right backwards or your serrations will probably make it worse.
Ariens Project # 1 Serrating augers

I have done the "Clearence Impeller Modification" on mine and like the results. In full disclosure though, I never used it before adding the kit so can't comment on before and after results.

When I first got my Ariens I didn't even know the old blowers came with differentials. I thought the new power steering was a modern invention and would require the purchase of a brand new blower to get it. I figured I had been manhandling snow blowers before and it wasn't worth it. Now I wouldn't want a blower without some way of steering it. What a great surprise it was when I started playing with that strange knob on the side of my wheel! 

Now for the bad news. I used to have a Toro 3521 before I got my Ariens, and those barrel / drum augers on the older ones had a tendency to ride up on heavy packed snow. Yours might handle it better though since it is a bit bigger and heavier plus you have that power shift option to add even more weight up front.


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## Piedmont (Nov 13, 2013)

My vote unfortunately is you should get a newer blower. Back then snow blowers were designed when people had 1 car wide driveways so snow blowers were designed to only throw snow 7-15 feet. Then 2000 - 2005 they changed the design for more throw as houses had 2 car wide driveways and the old ones weren't cutting it. The RPM of the impeller(s) increased significantly and the impellers got bigger so they could throw further. Honda I believe was the first to really take throwing snow seriously, followed by Toro, Ariens took longer. That is, a used Honda pretty much any year will throw excellent, a Toro around 2001 they started to throw 30+ feet (my 2001 Toro 824 XL threw heavy stuff 15 feet consistently and light stuff 30+ feet), I have no confirmation on this but I believe Ariens was late and started to take throw seriously in 2004 or 2005.

There's only so much you can do because your blower was designed in an era of 1 car wide driveways. Those paddles that attach help but I look at the physics. Going from a 12" impeller to 12.5" with the flippers attached is a 5% increase in outside speed which isn't going to improve things much. I can't prove or disprove the theory of clogging they claim.

That is the main reason I don't recommend an older blower for New England even if they're easy to fix, always run on the first pull, beautiful, etc. They were designed for 1 car wide driveways and are particularly bad with heavy & wet snow here. They are fine for light and powdery snow of other places. But my old Ariens, designed for 1 car wide driveways, with the real heavy stuff I could barely get it to throw over the wheel. So there's only so much you can add and do, it's not like it was designed to throw 30+ feet and something has happened and you want to get it back or want just a bit more throw so the flippers may help... a newer blower after they redesigned them to throw further is really what you need.


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## Skids (Dec 19, 2012)

Thanks, Piedmont- a new blower is not in the cards for me right now. Although, I am intrigued by the Cub Cadet "three stage" machines. While not a new idea, that center impeller feature looks like one of those "chunnel" borers.


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## Buttchet (Mar 5, 2013)

I have installed the Clarence impeller kit with very good results on a 1978 Bolens. I have a powershift 624 that I just picked up but I can tell you the first thing I will be doing is the impeller kit. The model you have is exactly what you need with the powershift function....adds a ton of weight to the front of the machine. Barrel auger or not, new or old, nothing will prevent riding up better than that feature. 
Now, as far as the engine, you may want to have a compression test done as they were good engines when new but valves go out after a while and don't have the torque or power they used to. If that doesn't work I have put a 7 hp predator engine on two older than yours toros and they have thrown snow 30+ Feet all day long. Always something to consider since they are only $89 for a new engine. If you do this I guarantee you will not be disappointed. 
My two cents anyway. Good luck.
P.s. My 624 powershift needs a new impeller bearing as well, I ordered the part but have not installed it yet.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

Many older snowblowers work very well in any type of snow if they are in top condition and running properly.

Mine will throw sticky slush 25 feet all day.

Many had upwards of 14 inch impellers and had close tolerances between the blades and housing.

Years of use can wear metal down even just a little. The Clarence kit returns the performance.

A big detail overlooked almost every snowblower I mess with is the running rpm. It is always too low.
even a couple hundred rpm makes a huge difference in throwing distance.

Teeth might help break up packed snow. Maybe someone that has used them can chime in.

Some work and mods and that Toro will throw from the street to the backyard.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I agree with td5771. My Toro 3521 could hit the house from the front sidewalk with a 6.5 HP Greyhound engine and a 10" impeller on it. That one didn't have an impeller mod. My Ariens can throw across the street. The Ariens has an impeller kit, 12" impeller, 212cc Predator and upsized pulley to 3.25" to give me 1300 RPM at the impeller.


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

Piedmont, I must disagree with your statement about old snowblowers. I have had many snow blowers both new and old and I can tell you that a quality well maintained old snow blower is the equal to almost every new snow blower and superior to most. While i have had many snow blowers the one i have decided to keep and use is a 1983 IH Cub Cadet. It is a 26" wide 21 tall bucket large frame with 16" Augers and a 14" diameter 7 deep impeller spinning at 1300 rpm. It weighs in at 340lbs and for ease of turning it has a posi-traction differential which makes turning it effortless. It has had the impeller upgraded to 1/16" clearance to the impeller housing. The old 8hp Tecumseh was tired and it now has a 11hp electric start Honda clone on it. It will toss medium snow 40+feet all day long. It will throw very wet snow 30 feet and it will pump out slush 25'


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## HJames (Oct 28, 2013)

I'm down on the south shore of Ma. so I know the type of snow you're talking about. I bought my house 2 years ago and the driveway swings around my garage, in the middle it is wide enough to park 3 cars. I have had to use my father in law's Husky to clear my drive way for the past 2 years and it would only throw the heavy snow 6 ft until I convinced him to let me put an impeller kit on. After installing the kit it throws the heavy stuff from the middle into my neighbors bushes about 20 ft away, not bad for a Husky. I picked up an older ariens for myself earlier this fall because I was tired of loading his into my truck everytime it snows. I put on the 212 cc predator and installed my own impeller kit using bolts and the side wall of an old tire. There are countless videos on youtube of these older machines, repowered and fitted with impeller kits, throwing rooster tails of every kind of snow. The engine took me an hour to install and the impeller kit only took half an hour. I would start with the impeller kit it, will be much quicker than cutting into your augers and you will certainly see improvement.


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## Skids (Dec 19, 2012)

Thanks- upon further inspection, I realized the impeller has quite a warp to it, and one of the vanes is bent back. Taking it to the shop this morning for some straightening, some reinforcing welds, and a quick spray. (that is, if I can press it off the shaft- it's really on there) The Clarence kit arrives tomorrow. Still debating over the auger mods- anyone ever swap out the Toro barrel type for a more traditional style?


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

Skids said:


> Thanks- upon further inspection, I realized the impeller has quite a warp to it, and one of the vanes is bent back. Taking it to the shop this morning for some straightening, some reinforcing welds, and a quick spray. (that is, if I can press it off the shaft- it's really on there) The Clarence kit arrives tomorrow. Still debating over the auger mods- anyone ever swap out the Toro barrel type for a more traditional style?


 even after you get the roll pins out they can be a bear to get off the shaft. I have straightened them out without removing them from the shaft in the past. A good bench vice will help.


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## Skids (Dec 19, 2012)

Thanks Carl- just got home- I'm lucky to have a machine shop at my disposal at my place of employment. The shop press and a little heat made quick work of sliding that impeller off the shaft. Good thing, too- it was a bear to get it reasonable straight. Vise and a dead-blow mallet were very useful. One particular vane was bent pretty good. I gave each vane a bead where they meet the disc- Toro only put one short bead towards the center. The one bad vane had bent upon some sort of impact- I welded some beads where the vane meets the outer edge of the disc. Between that repair, the new belts and bearings, I'm hoping for big improvements!


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