# Honda HSS928A Auger Squeal



## frenchbuck (Feb 8, 2018)

I just bought a new Honda HSS928 A and noticed a loud squeal when i depress the auger lever. Is this normal or could it be an indication that the auger belt is loose and needs to be tightned?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

frenchbuck said:


> I just bought a new Honda HSS928 A and noticed a loud squeal when i depress the auger lever. Is this normal or could it be an indication that the auger belt is loose and needs to be tightned?


under warranty? take back to dealer.


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## Miles (Sep 16, 2016)

My HSS928 A makes a loud squeal for a second when I engage the auger as well. I think that is normal.


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## Marlow (Dec 17, 2016)

orangputeh said:


> under warranty? take back to dealer.


Lol that's what you say for every issue. Problem with that is, it is the middle of snow season and there are long queues at the dealerships for service. I wouldn't want to go a couple weeks without my machine for something so simple right now! 

There is a normal noise the machine let's out when you engage the auger. I wouldn't really call it a squeal though. Any way you can post a video?


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## DriverRider (Nov 20, 2016)

Squealing belts would be the exception rather than the rule and no way would I put up with that on a new machine, talk to the dealer to correct. Indicative of something else going on.


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## frenchbuck (Feb 8, 2018)

Miles, You are correct, it just does it for just a second when I engage and then runs fine and no noise until I disengage. Then squeals again for a second when I engage. I'm thinking this may be normal when the rubber belt makes contact with a spinning pully.


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## frenchbuck (Feb 8, 2018)

DriverRider, I'll swing by the dealer tomorrow and see what they have to say. Thanks for your help guys


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

Considering you are taking the impeller from a dead stop to 1300rpms in an instant a momentary squeal is no biggie. The brand new belts will break in a bit and likely the squeal will disappear.


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## csonni (Dec 26, 2017)

As I had suggested in another thread, what I do is drop the throttle down and then engage, then throttle up again. Easier on the ears and possibly on the moving parts, I might say. Give it a try.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

If it's brief (call it around a second), this seems like a normal type of sound, to me. It's a different brand, but mine makes a brief squeak/squeal when I squeeze the auger lever. As was said, you're getting a big piece of steel up to speed, in a hurry. 

You can throttle down, as csonni said. You can also squeeze the lever more slowly, to let the belt engage gradually, so it has an easier time of getting the impeller up to speed.


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## FullThrottle (Apr 7, 2017)

Mine does the same,I assume it's normal ,my old MTD did it for 30 years.
When you squeeze the auger handle and with it turning at that RPM,I would think you get that on all blowers.




Miles said:


> My HSS928 A makes a loud squeal for a second when I engage the auger as well. I think that is normal.


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## DriverRider (Nov 20, 2016)

As evidenced by 99.9% of belt driven devices in the world a squeal when engaged is not normal and which any designer/engineer/technician should have observed on prototype and corrected before production if this is a HSS trait.

I sure would not like to be the guy listening to that screech all day long in a commercial application.

Belt dimensions or "stiffness" of the material would be the likely culprit and would try a different manufacturers belt as a first step in correcting.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

frenchbuck said:


> DriverRider, I'll swing by the dealer tomorrow and see what they have to say. Thanks for your help guys


good deal. when you purchased your blower you paid for that warranty so make them earn it. it may be nothing but then again it may be something.

if you monkey around with it, they could maybe void your warranty.


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

I think it’s fair to ask, whats the duration on the noise, 1 second, half a second? 

If it’s a fraction of a second. Not a concern, and will likely go away when the belts wear in.

Anything more and a belt adjusment is needed.


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## Marlow (Dec 17, 2016)

orangputeh said:


> good deal. when you purchased your blower you paid for that warranty so make them earn it. it may be nothing but then again it may be something.


Make them earn it in the off season, not during peak snow season when you need the machine the most. Unless it's something catastrophic or urgent and your snowblower doesn't work - which doesn't seem to be the case. No harm in asking though - but just know that most of the staff at these places are just unqualified minimum wage kids, you'll get more help on here. It's not like an auto dealer where they have highly trained technicians. But I think you should post a video because there is a normal noise when engaging a snowblower auger that has occurred on any snowblower I've owned, and I bet that's what you're hearing.


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## frenchbuck (Feb 8, 2018)

I'm so glad I joined this forum. Thank you all so much for your advise. I think I'll learn some useful information that could save me money down the road!


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## gormleyflyer2002 (Nov 5, 2017)

mine is new this year and makes same squeal when engaging auger.........did it when they dropped it off, i assumed it was normal.


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## FullThrottle (Apr 7, 2017)

Like I indicated in the previous post,mine just makes a chirp for a second,just when engaging the auger.When you squeeze the handle and the belt comes in contact with the pulley,with it rotating ,wouldn't it be normal for it to make this chirp/squeal 



gormleyflyer2002 said:


> mine is new this year and makes same squeal when engaging auger.........did it when they dropped it off, i assumed it was normal.


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## csonni (Dec 26, 2017)

Speaking of warranty, is that extra 2 years Honda orders on top of the 3 years automatic? Our dealer here hasn’t caught wind of it yet. I bought mine just a couple of days before the New Year. Is it only a 2018 deal or would I fit in there?


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## jrom (Jan 10, 2014)

The chances are extremely high that it's the Honda "Squawk". Auger drive belt engage noise. 

If it turns out to be normal, just think of Captain Picard ordering the Enterprise into warp..."_Engage_".  Sometimes I'm still just a kid.


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## rosco61 (Dec 8, 2014)

My 1332 did that chirp when engaging as well. That chirp is no longer present. I'm going with normal.


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## Marlow (Dec 17, 2016)

csonni said:


> Speaking of warranty, is that extra 2 years Honda orders on top of the 3 years automatic? Our dealer here hasn’t caught wind of it yet. I bought mine just a couple of days before the New Year. Is it only a 2018 deal or would I fit in there?


Most likely that promo was not active when you bought your snowblower. But to get certain answers, call Honda Canada 1-888-946-6329.


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## csonni (Dec 26, 2017)

Marlow said:


> Most likely that promo was not active when you bought your snowblower. But to get certain answers, call Honda Canada 1-888-946-6329.


After a few calls, I found out that, no, I’m not covered. The dealer registered my Honda the day I purchased it on Dec. 28 and the bulletin for the additional 2 years came out on Jan. 2. The person I spoke with said, unless I can get my dealer to fight for the additional 2 years, I’m up of luck. Bummer. By 5 days only. She said they don’t back date any offers like that.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

That's too bad. Some credit cards extend the warranties on items. Depending on how you paid, maybe that could help a bit?


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## csonni (Dec 26, 2017)

RedOctobyr said:


> That's too bad. Some credit cards extend the warranties on items. Depending on how you paid, maybe that could help a bit?


I do get additional warranty through my Mastercard. I also went back to the dealer and they said come back tomorrow to talk to the manager. Maybe he'll go to bat for me.


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