# TROY BILT SNOWBLOWER WON'T BLOW SNOW



## jerry430 (Jan 27, 2021)

I have a Troy Bilt Storm 8526 that I purchased used about 5 years ago. The engine runs strong and smoothly and drive wheels, augers and impeller all seem to work fine. However, it bogs down and clogs when we get over 4 inches of snow, even less if the snow is wet. When it isn't clogged, it only throws snow about 5' out the chute. I've observed my neighbors with machines half the size of mine effortlessly throwing snow 20'. I always have to shovel the snow left by the town plow at the bottom of my driveway. The engine seems to run strong all the while this is happening.
I should also mention that the blower always leaves a line of snow residue on the left side (and only the left side) for the length of the driveway so that I have to do each run twice.
Any suggestions?


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Almost sounds like you have a broke impeller roll pin as well as a possible damaged left side shear pin.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to SBF Jerry









Check to make sure the shear pin for the augers are still intact. If you haven't done it this season good time to pull them out completely to make sure they are in one piece and that the augers are free on the shaft that drives them. I'm guessing yours is a newer model and it has two left and two right augers. IIRC from my storm 2410 there isn't a way to grease them without taking it all the way apart but you can spray some lube in from the ends as best you can. With the pins out and being able to spin the augers lube is more likely to penetrate some.
Next I'd make sure the impeller is still pinned to it's shaft and hasn't broken the pins that affix it to it's shaft. Jam the auger with a chunk of wood or something and try to see if you can turn the impeller. Spark plug boot off the plug !!
Some times the pins can shear and due to rust and crud that impeller is pretty tight on the shaft up untill it get a load of snow.
Also check the adjustment on the drive belt according to the manual.


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## RAOUL225 (Jan 24, 2020)

Either the auger belt is old and tired,slipping because it needs adjustment or something driving that auger is broken.I suggest you take a look at your belt first to eliminate other stuff.


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## oneboltshort (Dec 16, 2019)

B&S 2 Stage Barely Throws Snow


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## jerry430 (Jan 27, 2021)

Thank you for all the suggestions. I checked all the auger shear pins and all are good. I was unable to locate the pins that hold the impeller on, but I wasn't able to move the impeller when the auger was blocked with a piece of wood, so I don't think the problem is there. I'm thinking the problem is the auger belt (as suggested by several) because it's the original and appears very loose. Ordering a new one on eBay.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Did you check to see if there is any room for adjustment to tighten it up ?
Might want to save the old one for a spare just in case.


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## jerry430 (Jan 27, 2021)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> Did you check to see if there is any room for adjustment to tighten it up ?
> Might want to save the old one for a spare just in case.
> 
> 
> .


Although there is an idler pulley, I don't see any way to increase the belt tension. The new belt was only $7.00, so, like you mentioned, I'll have a spare. Thanks.


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## jerry430 (Jan 27, 2021)

SOLVED
I ordered a new auger belt, but since a foot of snow was predicted I decided to take another look at it. I found that when I pushed down the lever that activated the auger (with the engine off) there was still a lot of play in the auger belt. There was no tension adjustment in the pulleys, however there was an adjuster in the cable that attached to the actuator lever. I tightened the cable until the slack was out of the belt (with lever actuated and engine off). Handled today's snow like a new machine.
Thanks for the help.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

jerry430 said:


> I should also mention that the blower always leaves a line of snow residue on the left side (and only the left side) for the length of the driveway so that I have to do each run twice.
> Any suggestions?


Now that it's working "like a new machine" you'll likely still have that spray of snow out the left side. It's common for a lot of machines and it comes from snow escaping the impeller just as it's going up and into the chute. That's why it only happens on the left.


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## jerry430 (Jan 27, 2021)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> Now that it's working "like a new machine" you'll likely still have that spray of snow out the left side. It's common for a lot of machines and it comes from snow escaping the impeller just as it's going up and into the chute. That's why it only happens on the left.
> 
> 
> .


You're right about the spray still occurring on the left side and your explanation makes sense. If there was only some way to fix it! Thanks.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I've seen on some machines where there is a "lip" welded on the left forward edge of the impeller housing. Kind of makes a "U" for the impeller to scoop snow in. 
If you were going to DIY something you'd want to make sure the Impeller assembly can tip to clear it for removal or that it was a bolt on.


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## jerry430 (Jan 27, 2021)

Regarding the line of snow residue that still remains on the driveway along the left side, I saw a posting on this forum about Youtube DIY videos providing instruction on how to improve throwing distance and reduce clogging by installing rubber extensions on the impeller vanes. By reducing the space between the vanes and the impeller housing, throwing efficiency is supposedly greatly improved.
I'm wondering if this would help my residue problem.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

have you tried slowing down ? most machines do the same thing when you over feed them, the excess has to go somewhere.


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## jerry430 (Jan 27, 2021)

nwcove said:


> have you tried slowing down ? most machines do the same thing when you over feed them, the excess has to go somewhere.


Even on the slowest speed with only a few inches of snow I still get the residue.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

Make sure you don't have a broken sheer bolt on that side.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

jerry430 said:


> Regarding the line of snow residue that still remains on the driveway along the left side, I saw a posting on this forum about Youtube DIY videos providing instruction on how to improve throwing distance and reduce clogging by installing rubber extensions on the impeller vanes. By reducing the space between the vanes and the impeller housing, throwing efficiency is supposedly greatly improved.
> I'm wondering if this would help my residue problem.


That is the "Impeller Mod" and it's great for helping a machine handle wet heavy snow that might otherwise clog it and it does seem to help with distance on regular snow too. Plenty of how to threads on the forum.
It will not help with that spray but it is a worthwhile modification to almost any blower. Especially if you've had problems with your machine having clogging issues.








MTD Impeller Mod


Last year I decided to add "paddles" to the Impeller of my MTD SnowBlower (Branded under White Outdoor Equipment) . . . . and I did so last Spring. This post is just to provide a little information on how well they're working. This was on a 26" Two Stage SnowBlower driven by a 8½HP Tecumseh...




www.snowblowerforum.com







nwcove said:


> have you tried slowing down ? most machines do the same thing when you over feed them, the excess has to go somewhere.


I have the same issue with a few different brands of machine. Since he's using the word "spray" on the left side I'm 99% sure it's from the impeller. If it was a matter of speed it would be a solid line of snow overflowing from the edge of the bucket and not spraying out. IMHO


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## jerry430 (Jan 27, 2021)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> That is the "Impeller Mod" and it's great for helping a machine handle wet heavy snow that might otherwise clog it and it does seem to help with distance on regular snow too. Plenty of how to threads on the forum.
> It will not help with that spray but it is a worthwhile modification to almost any blower. Especially if you've had problems with your machine having clogging issues.
> 
> 
> ...


Actually, it is a solid line of snow. Someone in one of the above postings called it a "spray," so I continued referring to it as such. That said, no matter how slow I go I still get it.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

In that case have you checked the left auger to see if it's shear pin is broken ? Can you rotate it by hand ?


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## jerry430 (Jan 27, 2021)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> In that case have you checked the left auger to see if it's shear pin is broken ? Can you rotate it by hand ?
> 
> 
> .


Yes, that was the first thing I checked. Shear pins are intact and augers rotate.


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