# Cannot operate blower one handed



## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

The locking mechanism on my machine barely worked the day I got it (used and abused) and doesn't work at all now. From what I recall, the auger control should stay down as long as I hold down the drive lever? No such luck on my machine.

It seems way too simple, but is there any chance this is the only part I need to replace?


It looks like the edge on mine is rounded and is stopping it from locking but I'm hoping, maybe, this is both a very old and common setup and perhaps this is a very common problem. 

With my luck, Ariens only used this setup for one year. :smiley-confused009:


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

and model/size would be helpful. All snowblowers are not created equal.
Is there some way of filing it deeper so it'll hold? I've had to do that on my old wheelhorse tractor levers.


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> and model/size would be helpful. All snowblowers are not created equal.
> Is there some way of filing it deeper so it'll hold? I've had to do that on mynold wheelhorse tractor levers.


Sorry, it's in my signature.
1999 Ariens 924108 824SLE.

I had considered filing / grinding it but haven't had a chance to look at it.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

ChrisJ said:


> Sorry, it's in my signature.
> 1999 Ariens 924108 824SLE.


Shoot. I rarely look at the sigs. Since it's not under warranty what have you got to lose by filing it a bit? Don't go too far. If you get it to work stop there. You don't want to go too far. There's a reason for it to unlock when the handle is released. 
*SAFETY FIRST*


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I have year 2000 Ariens 1024 Pro. Probably the same setup as your '99, or at least very close. 

I bought mine used, and my lock wouldn't stay engaged either. I did what you're describing. As I recall, I removed the piece, and found that the area that should be "vertical" had kind worn into more of a ramp. I believe it's the area shown in the middle of your picture, that's where the lock is supposed to engage. 

I used a file and tried to make it more of a vertical wall again, rather than kind of rounded and angled. It needs to be a sharp inside corner, and a "vertical" wall, to work properly, in my opinion. If that vertical surface turns into more of a ramp, it will want to unlock itself. 

Filing it helped, but it would still sometimes release. I then added another spring, to increase the tension holding this arm against the mating piece. After adding the additional spring, it worked reliably last season. 

I considered welding this piece up, then re-grinding it, but I haven't had to resort to that yet. Either this piece, or the mating one, was rather expensive as I recall. Maybe it was the mating piece that was expensive, but I figured it was worth trying to fix, vs just replacing the parts. 

I had a '93 Ariens that never had this trouble. So maybe they changed the design, or perhaps they had some issues with the parts around '99-2000?


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

ChrisJ..,,Did you get this problem taken care of?


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> ChrisJ..,,Did you get this problem taken care of?



Hi,

No, haven't had time. Unfortunately I work very long hours and don't get home until late at night so I won't be working on it at all until this weekend.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

I'm curious how this'll turn out. Let us know what happens.


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> I'm curious how this'll turn out. Let us know what happens.


Will do.


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## Reg (Jan 18, 2016)

Don't know if someone else mentioned this but I had the same problem with my 1994 ST1032 (couldn't operate it one-handed). I replaced the spring that keeps the long control arm engaged and that solved the problem. No doubt the original spring had lost some tension.


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## AndyW (Mar 10, 2015)

I had to grind down the interlock tab on a new Deluxe 28 before it would work properly. I was told by Ariens it would not void the warranty. You can see on the right cam that the metal tab is too long before grinding off a little .


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