# Alum Gear Case to Cast?



## ScubaPro16 (Oct 1, 2013)

Has anyone replaced their Aluminum Gear Case with a Cast Iron replacement?
Is this possible or do I have to stuck with an aluminum case?

Model 926002


----------



## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

ScubaPro16 said:


> Has anyone replaced their Aluminum Gear Case with a Cast Iron replacement?
> Is this possible or do I have to stuck with an aluminum case?
> 
> Model 926002


 *I belong to the if it isn't broke don't fix it club. I say change the lube or repack the grease in the gear box. I do it to my old MTD every other year or so and it is 17 years old and still works great and has an aluminum case on it too. *Why would you want to swap it out just for swapping it out plus you will need to make sure that the shaft to the gear case on the cast iron one is the same length as the aluminum one so it will fit. Plus you have to look at all the work to swap it out too. Now if it is blown out and in pieces I could see you looking at getting a better replacement part. If it is not blown I would make sure you are using shear pins and not plain bolts in the augers so if you hit something the pin will break and your gear box should be spared. 
Some of the new top end machines have cast iron gear boxes on them. If you have a large area to blow espcially in a wooded area where you are likely to pull in a down branch or a big rock in an unpaved driveway or dirt road then get a machine with a cast iron auger gear box. If you have a paved driveway and live in the city make sure your augers are loose and not frozen to the shaft and have shear pins in and you will be ok if you happen to hit a newspaper buried under the snow.


----------



## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Gearcase*

I have not but to parrot what's been said, if it's not broken why?
Having said that, if I was going to try something like that I'd get a whole auger housing so I could also get all the gears, shafts, bushings etc. Likely there could be a difference in parts other than just the case so that's how I'd approach it.


----------



## ScubaPro16 (Oct 1, 2013)

I was more just thinking ahead, for curiosity sake if I ever had to in the future....hopefully not


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I believe Ariens only sells cast iron ones now. They should be a direct replacement for the old aluminum ones.


----------



## Green Man (Dec 18, 2013)

Figured I'd jump in on this one since the thread is already started and I have the exact same model as the OP inquired about.

My XS aluminum case on my 2006 model 926002 is seaping and has been for some time now. I have to keep topping it off and cleaning up the floor which is becoming a PITA. I was thinking of opening it up and resealing it with the "red" Loctite as mentioned in the manual, however, if I'm going to go through the work to take it out, I'd prefer to put in the cast iron box if at all possible.

So... I messaged "Ariens" via their FB page and received a response that the 926XXX aluminum gear box models didn't have a durability issue in the field so they didn't develop a cast iron gear box kit for them, so no direct kit available from Ariens, boooooo. My next step... I've been looking through the parts diagram for the aluminum case models and the cast iron case models and the impeller is the same between the two so it appears that it can be re-used. Does anyone know (Ariens engineer response would be great here) if the 52600800 28" case iron case from a 926006 will work in my 28" 926002 if I utilize the correct accompanying parts as a bolt in? I can't believe that there would be a difference in the bucket or mounting location of the Rake Shaft between an aluminum and cast iron model that would make this more work than it's worth.


----------



## Snowmann (Dec 24, 2012)

Green Man said:


> Figured I'd jump in on this one since the thread is already started and I have the exact same model as the OP inquired about.
> 
> My XS aluminum case on my 2006 model 926002 is seaping and has been for some time now. I have to keep topping it off and cleaning up the floor which is becoming a PITA. I was thinking of opening it up and resealing it with the "red" Loctite as mentioned in the manual, however, if I'm going to go through the work to take it out, I'd prefer to put in the cast iron box if at all possible.
> 
> So... I messaged "Ariens" via their FB page and received a response that the 926XXX aluminum gear box models didn't have a durability issue in the field so they didn't develop a cast iron gear box kit for them, so no direct kit available from Ariens, boooooo. My next step... I've been looking through the parts diagram for the aluminum case models and the cast iron case models and the impeller is the same between the two so it appears that it can be re-used. Does anyone know (Ariens engineer response would be great here) if the 52600800 28" case iron case from a 926006 will work in my 28" 926002 if I utilize the correct accompanying parts as a bolt in? I can't believe that there would be a difference in the bucket or mounting location of the Rake Shaft between an aluminum and cast iron model that would make this more work than it's worth.


52600800 is not the current top-loader style, but it is a drop-in cast iron gear case for your unit. List price is ~$260.


----------



## Green Man (Dec 18, 2013)

Snowmann said:


> 52600800 is not the current top-loader style, but it is a drop-in cast iron gear case for your unit. List price is ~$260.


Thanks Snowmann! 

Some questions for you... Is the 52600800 a good case? I'm assuming that the current top-loader cast iron style is a bit better? Is there a current top-loader style cast iron gear case that will drop in to my unit or should I just go with the 52600800? Do you know if any additional parts are needed other than ordering the 52600800, if I go with that case?

Thanks again!
Mark


----------



## Green Man (Dec 18, 2013)

Just wanted to see if follow-up on my question above if anyone has knowledge on this.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Green Man said:


> Just wanted to see if follow-up on my question above if anyone has knowledge on this.


Sorry, I can't help with that.


----------

