# 2490 3 stage question



## Nicole (Mar 24, 2016)

I bought a Troy Bilt 2490 3 stage at the start of the season and it worked great with dry snow. Today we had about 18-20 inches of heavy wet snow and it would not get it done. It would just clog up and not clear the snow at all. 

The question I have is: on the rear grey colored impeller blade I can freely move that with my hand when the machine is off. When the machine is running it turns. Is that correct, or do I have a problem? 

I checked the 2 shear pins and they are both intact. Does this machine have more than 2?

Thanks


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

Hi Nicole, it sounds like it's working OK. The impeller is only engaged when you pull the lever (A belt tightens around the pulley). So it sounds like your OK there. The wet heavy slop you guys got is tough to deal with, but you can improve the throwing/clearing of the snow by doing what we call the impeller modification. What that is - basically adding a rubber wiper blade to the blades of the impeller.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

You should have pins on the outer augers, the "3d stage" augers and possibly the impeller. The impeller I'm not positive I didn't look it up.

If you're turning one of the third stage augers they should be turning together along with the impeller and they should turn the shaft that then turns the outer augers too. From what I understand the shaft that the impeller and third stage ride on turns 10:1 for the outer augers.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Nicole,
as for the clogging, see this thread:

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/ariens-snowblowers/91793-change-my-mind.html

and this one:

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/honda-snowblowers/91697-hss928-first-year-review.html

Nearly everyone had clogging issues this past winter!  the snowblower model doesn't matter..Its not a problem with your specific snowblower, its just the snow.

There are "impeller kits" that can help with this problem..
But its just a fact of life that 2-stage snowblowers dont like wet slushy snow, its not what they are designed for..If you live in a mild-winter climate (near the ocean in the North-East, or south of Pennsylvania on the east coat) then a 2-stage is often better..they throw the slush just fine.

Im not familiar with the general nature of snow in Colorado..but other people have have called the recent Colorado snow "liquid concrete"..
very dense, wet and heavy..
ANY 2-stage would have trouble with that snow..my guess is, that kind of snow is the exception, not the norm.
probably 90% of the time your snowblower will work just fine..this storm wont be an accurate gauge of its "normal" performance.

Scot


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

Isn't this your machine? 



Another thing that I have found when it's wet heavy crap is that if you move to slowly it will actually clog up faster...... it sounds counter intuitive, but if you move quicker it gives the snow more force leaving the chute and will not tend to pack up as bad..... either way, it's no picnic! lol Hope you get dug out and it melts fast.......


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## Nicole (Mar 24, 2016)

Thanks for all the help. It was the inner auger shear pin. The manual only shows 2 shear pins, but this machine actually has 3. When I was outside and it was not working, I could see an opening for the pin, but I could not get it installed. I looked in the manual and was beginning to believe that there were only 2 shear pins. I dried every thing off, got some good light on it and it fit right in. Doh

I then went outside and the machine worked better than I thought it would. I love this snow blower. It throws 18 inches of wet snow 15 feet, and it did not clog up at all. Not even close.

Thanks again. I really appreciate it.

Nicole


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## E350 (Apr 21, 2015)

*Nicole*: Three posts from the start of two threads to finish! 

And she solved her own problem. 

And also included a snow blower review for extra credit.

Dang, that there is a model of female efficiency...


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## Nicole (Mar 24, 2016)

E350 said:


> *Nicole*: Three posts from the start of two threads to finish!
> 
> And she solved her own problem.
> 
> ...


Actually, Kiss4aFrog solved it for me. I suspected there was a 3rd shear pin even though the manual indicated 2. Having the 3rd stage auger blade turning freely also did not seem right. Thanks to everyone for all the help and suggestions. Especially Kiss! :icon_smile_wink:


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