# Better chute control fix??



## pr0cess0r (May 25, 2014)

The chute on my machine will only stay where the handle is down so the control is not very precise. Any tricks to fix this ?? Im sure there is info on the forum but i dont know what to look for.


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Photo might help …. ?


----------



## pr0cess0r (May 25, 2014)

This is the machine the chute work perfectly but it will always be a full turn the weight of the handle will always bring it to the bottom position.


----------



## Motor City (Jan 6, 2014)

Just not a great design. It relies on the grommet for friction, and the grommets wear out in the middle. I really don't have a solution, but would need to lock the handle into a position, some way.


----------



## toofastforyou (Jan 29, 2019)

My Murray snowblower has the same problem… The chute mechanism is very free and requires little to no effort to turn it. The mechanism is so "loose" that the chute will only stay aimed in the direction where the handle happens to be in the "down" position.  I noticed that there's a spring at the bottom of the linkage near the little gear which engages in the grooves in the chute itself… Would it be a good idea to shim it or replace it with a new stiffer one?
Does someone know if there's a way to tighten things up a bit to put more resistance on the mechanism and tighten it so the chute stays positioned where I need it to be?

Claude. :icon_smile_wink:


----------



## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

Wear and tear on the chute control mechanism. About the only thing you can do is replace everything and they were not built with the super high quality parts to keep the price down.
One thing you might be able to try is to move the worm gear towards the chute is that is adjustable, and set it as tight as you can. Some different models you can adjust them like that.
When it is tight like that, it might be hard to turn the chute, but it will keep it from moving like you mentioned.
The chute bushing, if it has one, a little teflon plastic sleave where the chute meets the blower housing, any bushings in the control rod, chute hold down brackets, anything to tighten it up may help and as long as any parts are available for your machine.
That machine looks like a Murray machine, some were made by Yardman, an MTD company, but one problem is Sears going out of business, so parts will be a bit harder to find and purchase now.


----------



## Waterlooboy2hp (Nov 29, 2011)

pr0cess0r said:


> The chute on my machine will only stay where the handle is down so the control is not very precise. Any tricks to fix this ?? Im sure there is info on the forum but i dont know what to look for.


=======================================

This is one of 3 different things I did to fix the problem. I mounted a split Nylon block near the control rod. The wingnut and strong spring supply the tension on the rod. ---- John


----------



## pr0cess0r (May 25, 2014)

Thank you for all you ideas and help i really appreciate it. Sorry if im hard to understand but french is my native language!


----------



## pr0cess0r (May 25, 2014)

ST1100A said:


> Wear and tear on the chute control mechanism. About the only thing you can do is replace everything and they were not built with the super high quality parts to keep the price down.
> One thing you might be able to try is to move the worm gear towards the chute is that is adjustable, and set it as tight as you can. Some different models you can adjust them like that.
> When it is tight like that, it might be hard to turn the chute, but it will keep it from moving like you mentioned.
> The chute bushing, if it has one, a little teflon plastic sleave where the chute meets the blower housing, any bushings in the control rod, chute hold down brackets, anything to tighten it up may help and as long as any parts are available for your machine.
> That machine looks like a Murray machine, some were made by Yardman, an MTD company, but one problem is Sears going out of business, so parts will be a bit harder to find and purchase now.


Yes its a Murray from 2008 Machine and for now the parts are very easy to find vs my Honda.


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

@Waterloo, 

I like your ingenuity, … I was thinking of taking 2 thin pieces of a plastic cutting board I have (or you get one from the 1.00 store), put a groove in both pieces, and just screw it together for friction tension. 

Same principle basically.


----------



## Waterlooboy2hp (Nov 29, 2011)

oneacer said:


> @Waterloo,
> 
> I like your ingenuity, … I was thinking of taking 2 thin pieces of a plastic cutting board I have (or you get one from the 1.00 store), put a groove in both pieces, and just screw it together for friction tension.
> 
> Same principle basically.


==========================================

That works! I might well have done the same thing, but I had the Nylon left over from other projects.

Here is another one I did on the snow blower in my avatar. I got a bit overkill on this one, but you see, I had this vintage spring loaded door latch. I just added a small gear to the control shaft and re-cut the latch, so it was beveled on both sides. I then mounted it on some standoffs to locate it to the gear teeth. It makes for a very fine adjustment, with so many gear teeth. ---- John


----------



## Voniphone (Nov 8, 2015)

Waterlooboy2hp said:


> =======================================
> 
> This is one of 3 different things I did to fix the problem. I mounted a split Nylon block near the control rod. The wingnut and strong spring supply the tension on the rod. ---- John


This is very ingenious. Great idea!


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

@Waterloo, 

Is that one on your blue machine like the clicker for the spinning wheel at the carnival, that slowly stops the wheel. In this case, it looks like it keeps tension and lightly clicks along, preventing it from relapsing in either direction.

If not, then that would be an easy fix as well.

I love it when Yankee Ingenuity is at work ….  … and you have a good head for improvising inventions, as I enjoy doing the same.


----------



## Waterlooboy2hp (Nov 29, 2011)

oneacer said:


> @Waterloo,
> 
> Is that one on your blue machine like the clicker for the spinning wheel at the carnival, that slowly stops the wheel. In this case, it looks like it keeps tension and lightly clicks along, preventing it from relapsing in either direction.
> 
> ...


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

@Water,

My Yardman 7100 has a small type of cogged wheel on the chute crank rod, up at the driver controls. A chain also rotates the chute and chute body section, spinning it at the same time with a cable. There is also a small lever on a spring, which when you have the chute in your position, the lever is released to lock the chute. That is another way of doing it, albeit just an additional motion, but I am very used to it. That yardman also has the chute stack on a cable system, which spins around as you crank the chute movement, and also a lever down by the chute base at the main body, which you can release and override the auto swivel of the chute direction, and swivel it manually. A very cool feature, as it allows you to literally through the snow right next to you, or 50 feet in any direction. I'll post a photo later, when I go down to my shop.


----------

