# ariens compact drive slip



## hammer6315 (Dec 15, 2019)

I own a compact model. This is the second winter of use. It suffers from drive slip on occasion, and it will not move forward into the snow most of the time without a lot of pushing! I suspect it's got something to do with the auger on the front of the machine that is too high above the surface of the ground. I've adjusted the skids according to the manual, to no avail. This machine is not doing the job as I expected. A guy down the block is experiencing the same issue. Any ideas? Thank you!


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

Drive Slip is usually Either a Friction Wheel Adjustment/cleaning, or the belt is slipping. Try Tightening the cable that goes from the Drive Caliper to the Friction Wheel.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

When you say drive slipping, are you talking about the tires spinning, or no movement of anything when it is in gear?

If indeed you have the bucket adjusted properly, and you are moving forward into snow in the amount that the machine is capable of handling, and you get no movement, then it could be a drive belt damaged or not adjusted properly, the friction disc could be damaged or out of adjustment, you could have broken auger shear pin(s), you could have a damaged impeller roll pin, or it could be something else like gear box damage, broke internal gear, broke axle, keyways, etc., etc., ...…..


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## hammer6315 (Dec 15, 2019)

It will move forward, wheels turning, til it encounters snow. Then the wheels will start to spin, for a little while, and then stop turning all together. If I work the handlebars up and down I can get it to move forward a little bit at a time. I tilted it back on the handles and the auger is positioned above the ground! I believe this may be the problem: The blower housing is forced to enter the snow and the auger is not helping the machine move forward. The drive system is not strong enough to drive it forward, and the tires, even with chains, do not have enough traction. This is on pavement.


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

The augers are NOT supposed to help it move forward, They move the snow into the impeller and that is all they do, You are most likely needing adjustment on the friction disk and may be taking on too much snow at once, The compact is a light weight machine and does not handle too much snow as the larger machines do.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah, I am not a fan of chains on a grass tire, they bounce the machine to death, destroying parts prematurely.

When it encounters snow it stops, then for some reason that would indicate the augers not spinning into the snow properly and forcing it into the impeller for discharge. I would check that first, and then the drive train as well, as you could have issues there as well.

Really sounds like you have a lot going on there, and should probably have a relative or friend with some mechanical ability look it over.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

If your comfortable doing some investigating and have basic hand tools you can remove the V belt cover and then the fun begins:

If you have a warm place to work great, if not, dress warmly as it will take a few minutes to do.

If you can reach in the V belt housing section of your snow blower with your hand grip the V belts and if you come out with small pieces of rubber in the palm of you hand you need new V belts, The same remedy is needed for v belts that are glazed over which occurs from pulley friction.

If you can obtain Kevlar V belts to replace the ones in the snow mule all the better as they absorb shock better.


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## hammer6315 (Dec 15, 2019)

leonz said:


> If your comfortable doing some investigating and have basic hand tools you can remove the V belt cover and then the fun begins:
> 
> If you have a warm place to work great, if not, dress warmly as it will take a few minutes to do.
> 
> ...


I may do that, thanks. I already had to replace two out of three bolts whose heads were broken off in the drive shaft area beneath the machine.(bearing flange) (Had to remove the right wheel to replace them) From the looks of them they were tightened too much during assembly. 1/4" dia.


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## hammer6315 (Dec 15, 2019)

The drive belts look OK. I re-adjusted the skid plates and performed another alteration, and it seems better now. I like the way it throws the snow, but I am not a fan of the new style auger. I've broken two shear pins so far this winter, and it's only just begun! The snow plows have been pushing the snow across the boulevard onto the side walk in large chunks, which must be broken up by hand with a sturdy metal shovel. UGH!


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

I also live on a main road and have to clear the side walk and unfortunately the compact and a few of the smaller models use smaller sheer pins, I use a larger Ariens to tackle that as it also uses larger sheer pins also. The lighter weight machines were not designed for it. I think the larger pins starts on the deluxe 24” and up and the Sno-Tek line the classic and the compact have the smaller pins.


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## hammer6315 (Dec 15, 2019)

I am behind the times: I figured a $1060, 183lb. machine with '10ft. lbs.' of torque should be enough to do the job. Silly me! It does perform OK, I just have to watch that I do not overwork it.


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Don’t take that wrong, They are good machines but just not the heavy duty variant, I have a slightly modded Sno-Tek (made it more like a compact) and that gets most of the work done but when I get heavy snow I pull out the 10hp old Ariens out but have yet to start it this year, Your compact WILL get the job done but like your saying will have to not over load it.


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## hammer6315 (Dec 15, 2019)

*Ariens of the past*



Dauntae said:


> Don’t take that wrong, They are good machines but just not the heavy duty variant, I have a slightly modded Sno-Tek (made it more like a compact) and that gets most of the work done but when I get heavy snow I pull out the 10hp old Ariens out but have yet to start it this year, Your compact WILL get the job done but like your saying will have to not over load it.


 I am remembering back in the mid sixties, when I was a teenager, we had a 6 HP Ariens that could get the job done. It didn't throw the snow as far as these new ones do, but the housing was made of thicker steel, smaller wheels and an auger lock so you could park the machine with the auger operating and shovel snow into it. Of course in these enlightened days with all the litigation, that feature is a NO_NO! It had a throttle, & a larger fuel tank without that pesky screen in the filler hole. And the Tecumseh engine was very hardy!


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

@hammer,

You can still find the old ones for cheap, but you will have to know how to turn a wrench, and put some time and money into them, but should not take much. I have 2 of the 10000 series, and 2 of the 924 series … totally love the older machines. The 10000 series have new engines, a Predator and a B&S, and the 924's are running there original Tecumseh's … all run great.  … have other units as well, as snowblowers are kind of a hobby for me also ..


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