# New Ariens ST1032 - my first snowblower. Few questions. Lots of pictures.



## ktr (Oct 25, 2019)

Just picked up an Ariens ST1032. It's a little rough but it does run up here at 10,000 feet, which is more than I can say for a great deal of other carb-powered appliances. It's got wheels, which is bad because my terrain is very, very steep, but I don't mind giving it a little push. I really ought to have tracks, but there was just nothing available within a few hours for under a grand. It has no electric start, which is bad in case my wife wants to use it. It's got a Briggs and Stratton engine - I believed these probably came with Tecumseh engines but this site says they did not: https://scotlawrence.github.io/ariens/Page7.html . The year given is "before 1983", so it's considerably older than I am. The scraper bar is worn down, but since I have to use it on dirt, I don't really mind. Likewise, I have a very difficult time getting it up the stairs. How am I supposed to bring it up stairs? Is it supposed to be in reverse and am I supposed to go up backwards? What spares do you guys think I need in an area where we get almost a foot of snow per day for nine months of the year? 



It has a few issues. First of all, the auger won't actually stop unless I kneel and manually disengage the lever. Secondly, when I tilt this thing back, the carb spills tons of gas. I am mostly concerned with those two things before I start worrying about further issues. 



There's a few photos.


The model plate:










The engine, helpfully informing me that it has "provisions" for an electric starter. I suspect they cost more than I paid for the machine, if I can even find one:











This is the metal gear for turning the chute. At my age, metal gears are somewhat of a curiosity to me, especially visible ones. I know the machine is rough, but it's a nice touch. I like the way it looks and feels. I don't know quite how long the chute is gonna stay attached, but it's just neat. This thing is older than I am. I like most old things. They really built these to last. 
















Some janky tubing from the tank to the carb. 












The auger that will not stop.









Oops, since the auger wouldn't stop, I got my parking space really, really good. Clogged with slush, oh well. 












The auger control lever. It's quite sticky. I don't understand why it's made like this. 
















The pivot of the auger control lever. Please excuse my asking, but what the **** and should I replace this with a bolt? 












The nameplate. It says "Aliens". 












The engine identification plate.











What is this tiny black rubber thing and why the **** is it spinning? 












The carb. Gas pours out from under that black plate. Why? 












I don't need knobs. 












I have a few things to do after I address the gas spilling and the auger refusing to stop. First, I should change the oil. Honestly, it looks quite fresh, but since I don't know, I'll have to change it anyway. Second is getting it to back up the stairs. Then LED lighting, and then probably the scraper bar, as little as I will use it. I'll also grease anything with a zerk fitting. Maybe I'll add an electric start if I can find one. I should also clean the carb. At some point I'll just rewire it so it doesn't need a key. There's virtually no crime here anyway, and if there were, I doubt that old key is going to stop them. For what it's worth, I know this thing isn't exactly in the best shape, but I'm still excited. It's huge, it's loud, it's got all sorts of things that spin, it flings mud wherever I want it to. Sitting here and noticing the details, it's clear that someone took a lot of time in designing and building these things. Thick steel, all around strong construction. I wish more things were made like this. I am mechanically inclined, but still/always learning. This will be my first "small" engine. So please tell me if I seem like I don't know something. 



Thanks for saving me from buying a garbage new model Craftsman.


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## ktr (Oct 25, 2019)

Quick updates: Was extremely cold this morning. Engine started in half a pull no problem. 

Got the machine apart. Very dirty, and it turns out brake cleaner removes the paint, so back to good old gasoline it is. Yes, I know I'm going to die. But we're due to have snow tonight and I fear my wife far more than I do burning to death. Now I also get to hit it with some paint. I also learned that this thing actually has a locking differential, like my truck. That's incredibly nifty to me, if perhaps a bit pedestrian to most of you. They don't even sell true off road vehicles with locking diffs nowadays, for the most part. A real solid axle, a real locking diff, and huge metal drive gears. I've wasted probably fifteen minutes just admiring it. Also, the transmission on this thing is a work of art. What they actually look like to me is a form of ball and disk integrator, or in our case, disk-and-disk: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball-and-disk_integrator

Using an analog computer as a transmission is pretty stylish. 

I also learned that the weird black spinning rubber bit was, in fact, a dirty zerk. 

It definitely needs new belts and a new friction wheel. The old one is cracked and nasty. This is a very rural area so let's see what I can scrounge up at the local parts stores. The tires are a bit cracked, and I've heard it said that new tires are very much a great thing. The chains are old and make it somewhat hard to get up the stairs, so maybe I will remove them. Also, unfortunately, the knob for my diff lock is missing. Looks like if I want one, I have to buy a whole new assembly, which are 60-110 dollars. I suppose I'll just find a way to make do with what I have if I can't find the knob itself. I'll post some photos soon.

I like to tinker. While I've had no problem moving this thing, I imagine my wife may - so I'm going to try to rig up some sort of BS "power steering" once all is said and done. All it'll do is brake one wheel with the diff open. 

I still don't know what's up with the auger.


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

That has the adjustable metering screw on the carb so you dont have to worry about rejetting it for high altitude. It is very easy to adjust for different elevations by turning the screw but before you try to turn the adjuster screw, loosen the packing nut first, then after you have it set and adjusted, re-tighten the packing nut.


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## ktr (Oct 25, 2019)

The good news is that I fixed and painted it. The bad news is that the tires finally went and I can't get any till Wednesday.


Guess we're doing this the hard way.


I greased all the fittings except the two nearest the gearbox on the auger. Try as I might, I simply couldn't get grease to flow through those. Why might that be? I also greased the axle and good lord it took a ton of grease. I'm concerned it may have never seen grease before. There's also a little bit of play in the axle, but I'll probably have to wait until summer to address that. 



I have learned that my machine is missing the chain from the rod to the lever. That would explain why it's too tight.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Here is what a ST1032 SHOULD look like.


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## ktr (Oct 25, 2019)

Where'd you get the tall chute from? Mine is kind of clackety and loud.


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## ktr (Oct 25, 2019)

Got the shear pins out today. One dropped free and the other one had to be coaxed out with copious amounts of swearing, heat, hammering, and a drill. I'd likely have had to use the drill anyway because the core of the shear pin came out separately from the exterior thereof. Now, I'm seeing that the rakes are frozen to the shaft. Not very surprising, but it is inconvenient, and it does explain why those zerks wouldn't take grease. I'm going to try to fill the shafts from the ends with ATF/acetone mix and put it on its side and see if that helps free them. I stood on a hi-lift handle attached to a pipe wrench and neither side wanted to budge. 



If that doesn't work, I'll just attack the end of driveway ice pile for a few hours and see if that frees the rakes. And if that doesn't work, I've got no choice but to pull the whole assembly and try electrolysis.


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## ktr (Oct 25, 2019)

Quick question, got the auger and rake out. Can I pop the entire thing into an electrolysis setup, gearbox and all?


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## badbmwbrad (Jul 30, 2019)

The gearbox output shaft resides within the auger tubes. If the auger binds on a stick, rock, Sunday newspaper, etc then the shear bolt fails then the gearbox output shaft spins inside the auger tube. The gearbox is protected from destructive forces because the shear bolt fails before the gearbox fails. 

During routine preventive maintenance, the correct procedure is to remove the shear bolts then inject grease into the zerk fittings on the auger tubes. Most importantly, the augers (rakes) should then be rotated around the gearbox output shafts to evenly distribute the grease. The grease prevents rust from seizing the auger tube to the gearbox output shaft which would defeat the function of the shear bolts. Make sure there are (aluminum?) genuine Ariens shear bolts installed and not ordinary steel bolts!


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## badbmwbrad (Jul 30, 2019)

If you're able to apply heat to the auger tubes then the rakes may free themselves from the gearbox output shaft.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

https://www.snowblowerforum.com/for...ntenance-forum/149921-rust-welded-augers.html


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## badbmwbrad (Jul 30, 2019)

Check the belt to verify there's sufficient free play. Someone may have installed a belt that's too short. 

You'll have to remove the carburetor float bowl. Take off the heater box to access the carburetor. Remove the central-mounted bowl nut. The float valve assembly should be free to raise/lower without sticking at any position. 

There should be an elastomer float valve seat or perhaps it has an elastomer on the float valve needle's conical tip. 

I just completed freeing stuck auger tubes from the gearbox output shaft. Jam a length of 2 x 4 etc. into the impeller to lock its movement. Another length of dimensional lumber is inserted into the auger to form a lever. Stand on the lever :smile2:


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

I haven't tried that 2x4 method....will try that today on an ST1032 myself!


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

Nice 3rd post. NOT. 

I can see that you will not have lots of friends on this forum.

You also have a nice day. BTW, the purpose of this forum is to help each other, not to trash talk each other.


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