# Craftsman wheel drive pulley issues



## mojo44

Recently purchase a used Craftsman 27" 250cc Snowblower (for a steal) model 944.522420. The wheel drive belt was off and jammed between the pulley and drive plate. Unjammed and reinstalled belt. Problem is when I start the blower and engage the wheel drive the belt comes off and jams up again. Noticed the top and bottom pulleys are out of alignment quite a bit. I can't seem to find any way to adjust them. Any suggestion?


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## Shryp

Check all the bearings for slop. Check the frame for cracks. Make sure the engine is bolted down tight. There are generally 2 types of pulleys. Some are held to their shafts with a bolt and not really adjustable and some slide back and forth and are only held on by a set screw. If yours are the setscrew type just loosed the setscrew and slide them in line and tighten it back down. If yours are the large bolt in the end of the shaft type you might need to shim them with washers.


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## YSHSfan

Pictures would help us help you.


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## mojo44

Ok finally got around to take some pics! Here is ths beast we're dealing with.


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## mojo44

Sorry couldn't figure out why I couldn't put all pics in one post. Here is the left side view drive pulley not engaged.


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## mojo44

This is with the drive pulley engaged. If I put a straight edge on the bottom pulley it pretty much lines up with middle of top pulley. Suggestions or thoughts?


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## mojo44

Anyone?


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## dbert

Is it possible your engine sheave is migrating off the shaft? I'm not sure if the amount of shaft showing between sheave and engine is normal. Is the bolt that connects the sheave to the pto shaft tight?
I don't think it's related, but are your other engine mount bolts ok? the one in this photo looks like it's missing.


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## db9938

Yeah, sorry for the late response, but it looks as though the engine/pulley has shifted forward. It also appears that the engine mounting bolts are all the way forward in the engine mounting bosses. 

My vote, the engine needs to be moved back, to allow the pulley to come back into alignment. Make sure to use a straight edge, to ensure alignment on either side of the pulley.


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## skutflut

mojo44 said:


> This is with the drive pulley engaged. If I put a straight edge on the bottom pulley it pretty much lines up with middle of top pulley. Suggestions or thoughts?


I just took a look at mine, which is the same as yours except I have a 305cc Briggs engine (with a rear mounted oil drain and a soon to be added throttle control  ).

Quick question for ya... do the front auger pulleys set line up properly, or are they offset is a similar manner? If they both have an offset, then I would say the engine is not in the right place on the mounting deck and needs shifting. My engine does NOT have the elongated slots in the base of the block that I see in your photo. I don't see any actual mounting bolts but that's probably due to the photo angle. I have never had the engine off the mounting plate to see if the mounting holes are slotted to allow for alignment.

Mine traction pulleys also has a offset of about 1/4 inch when the clutch is at rest, and they line up pretty much spot on when the clutch is engaged, and the friction plate is pulled back. 

I measured the small traction pulley from the rear edge of the pulley to the engine block and came up with 19/32". Check yours and see if its much different from that, which would indicate that the pulley has somehow moved on the shaft. 

You also want to confirm that you have the correct belt width on there. I believe the traction belt on mine is 1/2" x 34" Check the manual for that one, might be different on the 250CC engine.

The traction belt spins under tension all the time, even when the clutch is released and its running slightly (1/4 inch) off axis from the lower traction pulley. The only thing that seems to prevent the belt from possibily walking off the top pulley is the belt keeper. Mine is actually just barely touching the belt, very little clearance. Did you note the position of the belt keeper in relation to the traction and auger belts when you first disassembled the unit? 

Might be if the keeper had too much gap from the belt, there was room for the belt to escape. 

Kind of a half baked design when you think about it. My previous Craftsman 8/24 had an idler pulley for the traction drive which was pulled in by the clutch, similar to the auger drive. When the clutches were released, all the belts stopped and the drive pulley spun inside them. Never had any trouble with that setup.
Attached is an image of the parts list, you are looking for item 53 which is part no 409475 Spacer. you might have the wrong one on there, if the engine is in the right place.


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## mojo44

K I think I might have got it. The auger pulleys line up bang on and the motor mount bolt holes are not slotted for adjustment. I know in one of my pics it shows motor mount holes but they are blind holes. The motor is bolted from underneath. So knowing that the motor can't be moved back or forth I studied the pulleys at the motor. They are held on with a bolt on the end of the auger drive pulley. Pulled off both pulleys and reversed the traction drive pulley. Looks like the top and bottom pulleys line up way better now. Here's a pic of what it looks like now with the drive engaged. Disregard the condition of the belt. I have a new one but wanted to test with old in case the belt got destroyed when tested. Does this look right. I mean it works. Is it normal for the spring to be that close to the belt and pulley. I don't know exactly how it looked correctly assembled as the belts were off when I picked the machine up.


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## mojo44

Also is it normal for the belt guide to be so close to the belt and pulley Like in the pic?


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## mojo44

And the traction idler arm is really close to the top pulley and belt. Does this look right?


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## skutflut

mojo44 said:


> K I think I might have got it. The auger pulleys line up bang on and the motor mount bolt holes are not slotted for adjustment. I know in one of my pics it shows motor mount holes but they are blind holes. The motor is bolted from underneath. So knowing that the motor can't be moved back or forth I studied the pulleys at the motor. They are held on with a bolt on the end of the auger drive pulley. Pulled off both pulleys and reversed the traction drive pulley. Looks like the top and bottom pulleys line up way better now. Here's a pic of what it looks like now with the drive engaged. Disregard the condition of the belt. I have a new one but wanted to test with old in case the belt got destroyed when tested. Does this look right. I mean it works. Is it normal for the spring to be that close to the belt and pulley. I don't know exactly how it looked correctly assembled as the belts were off when I picked the machine up.


I think you have found your problem.


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## skutflut

mojo44 said:


> Also is it normal for the belt guide to be so close to the belt and pulley Like in the pic?


yes, as I mentioned, mine are almost touching the belts. No room for the belts to jump off the pulleys. If they do, and fly upward they will probably trash your belt cover. One of the plastic mounting ears on mine broke the other day when I took the cover off to compare my arrangement with yours. Not much plastic there to hold that thing down, and mine has a little storage box on top of the belt cover that holds a wrench (such as it is) and spare shear bolts. I now have a 4 inch long sheet metal strap on one side replacing the plastic mounting ear. Much more secure. In spring, I will probably make another strap for the other side.:blush:

That same belt keeper also extends to the front auger pulley. so everything needs the same clearance, very little. Maybe the thickness of a business card. I'm sure there is a spec for it somewhere, but its meant to be close.


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## skutflut

mojo44 said:


> And the traction idler arm is really close to the top pulley and belt. Does this look right?


Can't really tell from the picture how close it is. They should not be touching. Did you find the spacer behind the drive pulley when you took it off? Is it still present and is it a spacer or a washer? It looks like the previous owner had it apart and didn't put it back together right since it sounds like the pulley was on backwards Check for that spacer, if its not there, then add a washer or two with a 3/4 inch hole to get a little more forward set. Don't go too nuts or you will be back where you started with too much offset. 

By the way, that square hole in the idler arm is to put a 3/8 ratchet drive into to take tension off the idler so you can get the belt on easy.


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## skutflut

mojo44 said:


> K I think I might have got it. The auger pulleys line up bang on and the motor mount bolt holes are not slotted for adjustment. I know in one of my pics it shows motor mount holes but they are blind holes. The motor is bolted from underneath. So knowing that the motor can't be moved back or forth I studied the pulleys at the motor. They are held on with a bolt on the end of the auger drive pulley. Pulled off both pulleys and reversed the traction drive pulley. Looks like the top and bottom pulleys line up way better now. Here's a pic of what it looks like now with the drive engaged. Disregard the condition of the belt. I have a new one but wanted to test with old in case the belt got destroyed when tested. Does this look right. I mean it works. Is it normal for the spring to be that close to the belt and pulley. I don't know exactly how it looked correctly assembled as the belts were off when I picked the machine up.


That tension spring is not hooked up properly. It should be going to the hole in that black bracket on the side, just behind the round hole you have it hooked into now. Take a look at the diagram I sent, bracket is #44, and spring #42 hooks on at the rectangular hole at the top. If you put it there, it will increase the clearance between the pulley and the spring


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## mojo44

skutflut said:


> That tension spring is not hooked up properly. It should be going to the hole in that black bracket on the side, just behind the round hole you have it hooked into now. Take a look at the diagram I sent, bracket is #44, and spring #42 hooks on at the rectangular hole at the top. If you put it there, it will increase the clearance between the pulley and the spring


Can you post a pic? I don't get it?


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## skutflut

mojo44 said:


> Can you post a pic? I don't get it?



I drew the two points in yellow. The upper circle is where the spring is currently anchored. Follow the line to the second circle on the hole in the black bracket and move the spring there. The spring hook should pass through the rectangular hole in the bracket, and the open end moves up and hooks to the top of the hole. You might have to remove the other end and rotate it 180 degrees because the open end of the hook now appears to be facing down, which the previous owner probably did to get it to hook to the current location. Twisting the spring only at one end to get the orientation right is probably going to cause it to be difficult to attach. Springs don't like being twisted.

If the hook is not oriented properly, the spring might interfere with the belt cover when you put it back on. Just make sure the hook end goes THROUGH the rectangular hole in the black bracket and then hooks on.


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## mojo44

skutflut said:


> I drew the two points in yellow. The upper circle is where the spring is currently anchored. Follow the line to the second circle on the hole in the black bracket and move the spring there. The spring hook should pass through the rectangular hole in the bracket, and the open end moves up and hooks to the top of the hole. You might have to remove the other end and rotate it 180 degrees because the open end of the hook now appears to be facing down, which the previous owner probably did to get it to hook to the current location. Twisting the spring only at one end to get the orientation right is probably going to cause it to be difficult to attach. Springs don't like being twisted.
> 
> If the hook is not oriented properly, the spring might interfere with the belt cover when you out it back on. Just make sure the hook end goes THROUGH the rectangular hole in the black bracket and then hooks on.


I guess I'm blind! I get it now! Thank you! You mentioned in an earlier post about adding throttle control? Can this be added to my machine also?


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## skutflut

mojo44 said:


> I guess I'm blind! I get it now! Thank you! You mentioned in an earlier post about adding throttle control? Can this be added to my machine also?



That depends. If you remove the gas tank and the plastic cover under it, and post a picture of the steel plate there surrounding the governor, I will see if its the same as the one on my engine. 
I found a replacement throttle plate on Ebay that had the parts I needed attached. You cannot add the parts to the existing plate because they are riveted in but the plate i got was about 15 bucks, bolted right on, and did what I need. I also added a fuel shutoff valve since it all goes in the same place. Now I can run the fuel out of the carb when I shut it off.


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## mojo44

skutflut said:


> That depends. If you remove the gas tank and the plastic cover under it, and post a picture of the steel plate there surrounding the governor, I will see if its the same as the one on my engine.
> I found a replacement throttle plate on Ebay that had the parts I needed attached. You cannot add the parts to the existing plate because they are riveted in but the plate i got was about 15 bucks, bolted right on, and did what I need. I also added a fuel shutoff valve since it all goes in the same place. Now I can run the fuel out of the carb when I shut it off.


What about adding a stop switch instead of pulling out key?


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## skutflut

mojo44 said:


> What about adding a stop switch instead of pulling out key?



Mine has an ON/OFF switch mounted on it already. Depending on the throttle plate you can get, there is also an option to have a stop switch mounted on it, so when you push the throttle lever off all the way, it pushes a microswitch and grounds the ignition and kills the engine.

Can you take a picture of the back side of your engine, when the pull starter is so I can see if its similar to mine? The Ebay guy has lots of bits and pieces. The plastic covering that fits around the engine where the fuel valve goes and the throttle control goes probably has a cutout for an on off switch as well. 

I have attached a picture of my original throttle plate, and the one I purchased so you can see the difference. All this only applies if your engine is similar to mine. Lots of briggs engines use common parts so chances are good.


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