# missing piece Trac Drive 8/26



## dodgetrucker (Jan 15, 2016)

I bought a Craftsman II 8/26 trac drive in the dead of winter knowing it had a dead engine. Being that I knew that I already had a good machine at home, I didn't have to be in a hurry to get it together.
I bought this unit because i had a good Tecumseh 11HP OHV Snow King with the extended camshaft sitting under the bench collecting dust and I wanted to put it to use, I went looking for a machine that needed a twin shaft engine, and found this one. I found out this unit is a 1990 production. It is silver/gray, 12" impeller for the 2nd stage and the control panel on the handlebars is plastic (this, for ID purposes) 

For what it's worth, you could not give me a Predator or a Honda, sorry! 

Anyway I have it almost together and find myself missing a piece of linkage. The past owner had tried to swap engines and the engine he wanted to install did not have the extended camshaft so he bolted the original engine back on and listed it for sale on Craigslist. I got it for less than $100. 
It is missing the piece of linkage to actuate the belt that is run by the extended cam. The idler and bracket are there, just the actuator rod is missing. Anyone know where I can find that linkage rod? It is the only thing keeping this from being an operable machine.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Have you tried taking the model number and plugging it into Searspartsdirect and finding a drawing with the part and it's number and if it's still available ??
If you get the part number I'd shop around to see who has a good price as Sears is usually pretty high. You might also be able to make one with a rod from a hardware or box store.


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## dodgetrucker (Jan 15, 2016)

I did get the book with this machine but it is MIA at the moment, when I posted this thread I didn't have shoes on yet so couldn't go out to the garage and get those numbers... 
I will post them and see if maybe someone here may have a "for parts" version of this unit, and maybe have what I need?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Are you able to just go to a hardware store and get a piece of threaded rod or smooth rod?


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## dodgetrucker (Jan 15, 2016)

Shryp said:


> Are you able to just go to a hardware store and get a piece of threaded rod or smooth rod?


I do not know what the configuration of it is supposed to be, since I apparently never had the piece to begin with to see what it is supposed to look like.... length, bends, etc. I know it is a long shot since I have had it about 5-6 months now but next time I get into that area I was thinking of stopping by the old guy to see if somehow he might still have it laying around but failing that, I was hoping that someone here (being this is a specialized forum for snow blowers, after all) might have one for parts and still have that part available.


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## evh (Jun 22, 2015)

I think I have all the parts available for this snow blower. Feel free to text or call me at 269-340-1848. Dave.


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## Foreverfalcon40 (Mar 1, 2016)

Model number would be great! Parts catalog would be even better! Sears has the manuals online for free to download. If you can't find your model number (has happened to my trac drive) they cross referenced it with another one.

I use sears and replacement parts for part numbers. Take the part number and Google search for the best price.

Hope this helps.

Could always post a photo of what is exactly is missing.


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## dodgetrucker (Jan 15, 2016)

Foreverfalcon40 said:


> Model number would be great! Parts catalog would be even better!
> Could always post a photo of what is exactly is missing.


I just havent gotten out there to get the number off of it. I have an owners manual somewhere around here but it is currently MIA. 
Me? post pics? that is the scourge. I am trying to do so as we speak for a Craigslist ad that I am trying to write for a tow behind mower that I have just finished redoing, and am going nuts trying to do so. I have them on this stupid "smart" phone and I want to throw it thru a window right now...


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## dodgetrucker (Jan 15, 2016)

evh said:


> I think I have all the parts available for this snow blower. Feel free to text or call me at 269-340-1848. Dave.


thanks, will when I get a chance.


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## dodgetrucker (Jan 15, 2016)

Reviving an old thread... warm weather meant I kind of forgot about this.... but it's time to get it ready to go... 

I have the numbers off of the machine, and I looked on Sears Parts Direct at the breakdown, which is kind of vague. 
Model; 536.885910 Code 0262 

Looking at the breakdown, maybe it's just a spring that I am missing? can someone else chime in here? 
On the breakdown there are 5 separate drawings; from the way I decipher them, (I wish I could blow them up and zoom in, might help) 
Looking at the motor mount drawing; it may be #26? I see it is still available, for that amount of money I' just as soon rather order new IF that's in fact what I need to get; 
I will try to describe; left/right are referenced as standing at operator's position; On the left side and working on the aux drive belt (extended camshaft) there is a pivoting idler pulley and bracket that is just flopping in the wind. I see a hole in the bracket opposite the end where the pulley bolts to, and nothing in this hole, it is a round hole that looks like it could take a rod type piece of linkage but it could well be a spring.. 

also a 2nd question; I have a "belt keeper" (there are 2 on this machine) bolts to the engine near the same belt that this flopping idler pulley/bracket controls. , I am not sure where/how this bolts on? When I got this machine, the engine was bolted on but the pulleys and belt keepers were given to me loosely in the upside down belt guard, separate from the machine.... sometimes basketcase machines can be a pain.... 

PS I have been looking for that owners manual and still MIA; the last place that I knew I had it was in the back (club cab section) of my old Dakota which I totalled out back in May..... I thought sure that my son and I completely cleaned out that truck before it hit the boneyard, but there are a couple of other things that are also MIA since that wreck.... I don't believe that this manual went to the boneyard with the truck but maybe?


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## JamesReady (Mar 5, 2012)

Sounds like you are missing the spring that will push the idler against the belt... 
ON my 10/28 Craftsman, the part is called "spring, drive idler".... You likely require that spring for your specific model....

You should go to a parts supplier and use your model/make #'s and search for the spring.

Here's where I go, but you guys south of the border have a lot better supply outlets than us CDNs...
#1 Snowblower Parts Canada FREE SHIPPING!

Good Luck


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

From
CRAFTSMAN SNOW THROWER Parts | Model 536885910 | Sears PartsDirect
Something in this image?


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## dodgetrucker (Jan 15, 2016)

yeah now that I see this blowup I THINK that I am missing #24....


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## dodgetrucker (Jan 15, 2016)

ok got it, that spring seems a little weak/skinny for what it does.... now to finish the reassembly before that white crap actually flies...


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

Go to your local hardware store or HF. I think they have a box of various size and length springs from what I remember.


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## JamesReady (Mar 5, 2012)

Great stuff... hope you got it with a new spring in there...


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## dodgetrucker (Jan 15, 2016)

yup all back together now, even though that new spring is what is "called for" instead of just some random miscellaneous spring I had laying around, to me it seems like it could use a bit more tension.... it seems to work ok now (when there aren't any drifts for it to push against and slip the belt ha ha) but I took that "correct replacement" to a couple of hardware stores with assortments of springs and couldn't come up with anything that seemed suitable/ however both places had some "empty cubbyholes" in their drawer assortments..... and neither had them individually displayed on a board like I remember a few places around here used to do. 
the repower is done, the 11hp OHV Snow king is all bolted up (original was 8hp L head) I fabricated and installed an "impeller kit" on it, as it had ~1/8" at the back of the housing which tapered to about a 5/16-3/8 gap at the front of the impeller, the part closest to the 1st stage impeller.... No snow yet but I do notice a big difference in "wind speed" blowing air out the chute vs before I made the mod... it swept the metal shavings from drilling the holes for the rubber flaps right up and outta there.... would not have touched them before. 
now for a bit of snow to experiment with it and see what it'll do. 

On the repower, I wound up swapping crankshafts between the original 8hp and the replacement 11hp. On the original engine, the extended camshaft galled and so did the engine side cover where the cam "bearing surface" would be, and it was apparently leaking oil... crank looked like brand new. the only other choice would have been to take that original 11hp crank to a machine shop and have them shorten the PTO end, turn it down to match the size of the old 8hp one, and cut in a new keyway.... these engines have same bore, same stroke and even take the same rod and flywheel!!... so a simple swap was easiest, just glad the old crank wasn't scored or worn funny..... 
I bought this unit knowing it needed engine work towards the end of last winter, because I had this great running, 11hp dual shaft engine sittin here collectin dust.... I scouted CL til I found a machine that needed a motor showed up.... the rest of the machine is in otherwise very good condition. 
The machine is (I forget which)an '89 or 90 vintage and the engine that I put on was built about 10 years after the machine that it now sits on, was.


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