# HSM1336i 12 years old maintenance before the winter (with pics)



## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

Before the winter season, I wanted to verify/change all parts on my machine to be sure it would run top notch for the next few years.

I'm the second owner, the previous owner took really good care of it, besides oil changes, he only had to change the chute motor in 8 years (he bought the unit new in 2008). It was always stored in a garage.

I did 2 winters with the machine without any issues.

While the unit is teared down, I wanted to do a few mods:

impeller rubber kit to help clear the slush
plastic skids (my metal ones are almost worn out)

Tearing the front portion appart:















Front auger bearings and impeller bearings are a little bit stiff but no play in them (will change them anyway).








Belts are also in good shape (will change them anyway).








So far, for a 12 years old machine, it's in really good shape and will do many more.

I've own 2 "pro" Ariens snowblowers before, it's not the same game... Ok the 1336 is not cheap, but no parts to replace except a chute motor in 12 years... With my Ariens, I always had to replace parts every few years (the impeller bearing and clutch disk every 2-3 years).


I will post updates as I continue the process.


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

preventive maintenance never hurts . nice work with one suggestion, the new bearings if you are very careful removing the seals with a tiny pick from under the inner edge,you will find have little to no grease in them, 
personally i found even brand new ( imported from we all know where) bearings to turn with a dry feeling so i remove the seals on every bearing and hand pack them fully with a good water proof silicon grease,remove the excess so the seals go back on easy and have found it makes them last longer and not feel dry.


.


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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

captchas said:


> preventive maintenance never hurts . nice work with one suggestion, the new bearings if you are very careful removing the seals with a tiny pick from under the inner edge,you will find have little to no grease in them,
> personally i found even brand new ( imported from we all know where) bearings to turn with a dry feeling so i remove the seals on every bearing and hand pack them fully with a good water proof silicon grease,remove the excess so the seals go back on easy and have found it makes them last longer and not feel dry.
> 
> 
> .



Thanks for the tip, will do!


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

The belts are cracked and the toothed belt has lost quite a bit of rubber so changing them is a real must.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

With that said I always keep a set a belts around, even if it's just the worn ones that I removed. If one breaks in a storm, a worn-out belt for a replacement is still better than a shovel.


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

RedOctobyr said:


> With that said I always keep a set a belts around, even if it's just the worn ones that I removed. If one breaks in a storm, a worn-out belt for a replacement is still better than a shovel.


amen to that! just like a old navy saying any port in a storm, any belt is better than known


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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

RedOctobyr said:


> With that said I always keep a set a belts around, even if it's just the worn ones that I removed. If one breaks in a storm, a worn-out belt for a replacement is still better than a shovel.


I always keep spare/used parts, a used part is better than no part at all!


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## E350 (Apr 21, 2015)

@hatesnow Curious how you like the HSM1336i


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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

E350 said:


> @hatesnow Curious how you like the HSM1336i


It's beast and it will last a long time. You pay for what you get, I bought it used and it was cheaper than a new HSS1332ATD and I don't regret it!
Buying the 1336i brand new for me was a no go, but buying a used one at less than half brand new price was my best move.

With this snow blower you "operate" the snow blower, no force needed to blow more than 2 feet of packed snow. Only have to operate the joysticks. It can throw snow very far with very little throttle (most of my snow blowing is done at 1/3 -1/2 throttle). The weight (540 LBS), the tracks and serrated augers do the work for you.

When I'm not home, the wife is able to use it, she didn't want to touch the old Ariens. 

With my last Ariens, you had to push/pull, right/left when blowing hard snow/ice and it was almost always at full throttle to throw the snow at the same distance (I had an 1996 Ariens 10hp 28" with the long chute and 6 pallet impeller). With the Ariens, you always have maintenance to do on it every few years, a bearing, clutch... As stated in my first post, this is his first maintenance in 12 years (except yearly oil change). Some parts for Honda snow blowers do cost more (starters, chute motors) but bearings and straps cost less than my old Ariens and need less maintenance.

Since it has electric motors, you can move it in the garage without having to start it up, a nice feature.

Only downside I could find is it takes more time to do a short driveway since it's on tracks instead of wheels (it takes more time to turn around or do a U-turn).

If you have the place to store it and you can find a used one in a great shape for the right price, you should pull the trigger.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

very interesting.


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## E350 (Apr 21, 2015)

@hatesnow I have a 6x6 UTV side by side for which I am almost done setting up the attachment of a Kimpex ATV 48" snow blower. I have NO municipal services on Echo Summit, California where I snow blow.

I also have a Honda HS1132TA tracked snow blower which has been a great machine for my use, except that I continually break shear bolts.

And I have an older Ariens ST1032 with snow hog tires and V-bar chains, which really does not perform well on my inclined dirt and granite driveway.

The 6x6 UTV side by side also has V-bar chains and winches front and back and is used for skidding logs for firewood, etc. I am concerned about its length with the Kimpex blower attached. I definitely cannot skid logs with the snow blower attached. So I would have to remove it more often than I likely would prefer. For my application, I will likely be doing more "Y" turns in my driveway to change direction while blowing because although my driveway is inclined and the UTV would have great traction, my driveway is not all that long, but has little "offshoots" for vehicle parking and vehicle turnaround, etc.

I have been seriously considering buying the HSS1332ATD for the auger protection, etc. systems.

But it looks like the ski resort which I frequent is slowly switching over from the HSS1332ATD to the HSM1336i.

So I am considering selling the Kimpex ATV snow blower, the HS1132TA, and the Ariens ST1032 and saving up and buying the HSM1336i and keeping the side by side nimble for firewood retrieval.

Apologies to @Ronin for previously chiding him for not buying a tractor with a blower attachment. Now I think he may have been on to something which I missed.

@hatesnow and others, any suggestions you guys have would be appreciated. 

Does a HSM1336i sound appropriate for Echo Summit, California where we often get "tons" of snow (just a little less than @orangputeh gets at Truckee, CA)? 

Any "options" for an HSM1336i which I should consider would also be appreciated.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

E350 said:


> @hatesnow I have a 6x6 UTV side by side for which I am almost done setting up the attachment of a Kimpex ATV 48" snow blower. I have NO municipal services on Echo Summit, California where I snow blow.
> 
> I also have a Honda HS1132TA tracked snow blower which has been a great machine for my use, except that I continually break shear bolts.
> 
> ...


the other poster had the right idea buying used for half price. If i were you I'd wait until spring/summer and do the same. Not familiar with 1336 but do they come with hour meters?

also , it would serve you well to know what to look for in a good used machine.


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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

E350 said:


> @hatesnow I have a 6x6 UTV side by side for which I am almost done setting up the attachment of a Kimpex ATV 48" snow blower. I have NO municipal services on Echo Summit, California where I snow blow.
> 
> I also have a Honda HS1132TA tracked snow blower which has been a great machine for my use, except that I continually break shear bolts.
> 
> ...


In Canada, Quebec, we get about 200cm - 400cm (78in -157in) of snow per year, I found you are getting about on average 1000cm (400in) of snow per year. Damm son! That is a lot of snow!

As you can see in this picture, the 1336i can handle deep snow very well (snow was over the chute, about 4½ feet tall):











Go try one at your local Honda dealer, best way to "feel" the beast 

The only time I broke shear bolts (genuine Honda shear bolts, not cheap stuff), is when I hit a 2x4 with it. Even in icy packed snow, it "grinds it", no breakage. Of course with icy snow yo go though it slowly...

First upgrade I did on mine is change the halogen light for an LED light. This year I did an impeller mod (add rubber piece on impeller blades to remove the gap between impeller and housing), it helps a lot with clearing slush. I've also added an hour meter/Tachometer.

Electrical system is 24V (since you have 2 x 12v batteries in series).


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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

orangputeh said:


> the other poster had the right idea buying used for half price. If i were you I'd wait until spring/summer and do the same. Not familiar with 1336 but do they come with hour meters?
> 
> also , it would serve you well to know what to look for in a good used machine.


No hours meters on 1336i, as with others snow blowers, check for "too much play" in the impeller/auger gears, too much wear on the auger teeth, condition of belts, too much rust on the carriage... Since there is 2 x 12V battery you can check the health of the batteries using a battery tester (used on cars to see if it has the correct CCA rating).


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## E350 (Apr 21, 2015)

@hatesnow thank you for your photo and for your info.

@orangputeh I will likely buy new. I did buy the HS1132TA used about four years ago but it was a no brainer. (I repair our automobiles, so I am realtively mechanically inclined.) I was told it had probably been used maybe once. But from its obvious condition, I am not sure that it was even used once! Now it has two new belts and a new impeller shaft bearing thanks to your and others help.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Wow, these are an impressive machine.

Looking online, it looks like they start at $8600.00 CAD in Canada

This seller is asking $7500.00 CAD for a used older version, that has definitely seen some use, based on the paint loss on the chute. 
Does this older version warrant this kind of price, or is the seller dreaming?









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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

Ziggy65 said:


> Wow, these are an impressive machine.
> 
> Looking online, it looks like they start at $8600.00 CAD in Canada
> 
> ...


For one that old... he is dreaming.

Here is one with a more realistic price (5700$ CAD) :

Souffleuse Honda HS1336i 2010 | Souffleuses à neige | Ville de Québec | Kijiji


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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

Late update about the maintenance (better late than never?!)

A little bit of paint:








New shoes, I had some recycled plastic lumber left around, so I made new skid pads, will see how long they live...






















New belts in place:









Homemade impeller mod (really helps to throw slush farther):








Other angle of the impeller mod:


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

I always thought that the 1336 would be good for commercial applications or very large residential use. Otherwise I recommend the 1332 which is almost 300 pounds lighter.

the 1132-1332 has enough weight to stay low in MY experience. I live in the same area as E350 and the 1132's I used can handle just about anything. I have built 1128's which IMO were better than than the 1132's and easier for ME to use.

I do not have a snow removal business but if I did I would own a 1332, a couple 1128's or 928's and several 720's.

It really depends on your application needs. E350 may need the 1336. 

you do have to be careful about dirt/gravel. It can really ruin your day and machine pretty quickly.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

hatesnow said:


> Late update about the maintenance (better late than never?!)
> 
> A little bit of paint:
> View attachment 173404
> ...


excellent. where do you get that plastic lumber as you call it?


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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

orangputeh said:


> excellent. where do you get that plastic lumber as you call it?


Local hardware store, it's used to build outdoor patio/decks instead of pressure treated wood, can also be called composite or Trex.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

And remember, if you're looking, the more modern ones are HSM, not HS prefixes...


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Ziggy65 said:


> This seller is asking $7500.00 CAD for a used older version


And that one only has the GX340 engine, not the GX390.


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## E350 (Apr 21, 2015)

@orangputeh I think your assessment of the adequacy of the 1132/1332 for our environment is correct.

Except possibly for one difference between us.

You live full time at your place in Truckee, so you can get on it as soon as it snows, whether it snows 6" or 3'. That way it never settles into cement.

I am at our place primarily on weekends. So, when I come up on Friday nights I often find a four foot tall CalTrans EOD berm 16’ deep and deep heavy consolidated "snow."

Two Winters ago (I am sure you remember that Winter) I was able to blow a ~32" wide path 80 feet long by tying the auger handle down and shoveling consolidated snow into the bucket. It was hard going, and I never made it the last 40 feet to the EOD where the neighbor had dug out a divot to park our Bronco, but said that he couldn't do it any longer because the bucket on his backhoe was only 12 ft high and he could no longer lift the snow over the sides of the excavation.

PG&E used my driveway as their entrance for their Tucker Sno- Cats to the power lines running behind our place (stock image):









I know that there is no magic bullet. I know I am asking alot of a machine especially when I am letting the snow sit for four or five days after the storm. So, the HSM1336i may not be sufficient for my situation, but if it can reduce the workload even a little more than a 1132/1332, I am interested in trying it.


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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

@E350 You could use a another type of beast from Japan :










From the Wadosng brand.


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

where's yanmar ron maybe he could export one of them


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## JnC (Feb 21, 2014)

The 1336 is a great machine, I almost jumped on these two that came up for sale earlier last year for 4000 USD each locally. It was a party rental/ tent rental company that was switching to plows. I have to clear hard packed piles of snow that have been piled real high by the plow guys at two of my businesses. The 1332 I have for work does a great job but it still needs to be man handled a bit when clearing some areas. 

May be if the opportunity comes up again I'll do it. The HS1332 sits in a nice heated area within the building, sadly there would have to be a different means of storage for the 1336 as the doors are barely wide enough to let the 1332 inside.


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## E350 (Apr 21, 2015)

@hatesnow i think that may be the machine which @Ronin uses in Japan.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

Hello Jnc

Do you own the building?
If you do a perhaps a 48 inch swing door is the solution to keep it indoors?
I would be willing to sell you my shed in a box as its never been used and needs to be
packed up to be shipped but it would not prevent it from being stolen.

Do you have room for a small pre built shed? you could order one with an
walk through door and and overhead door that locks.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

if there is a snow removal guy in your area perhaps you could hire them just for the berm. around here Paul will do that for $300 a season. I do some snowblower work for him occasionally so he does ours pro bono.

"good trade"


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

Do not rule out the BCS model 853 2 wheel tractor with the honda GX 390 engine and a Rescia Giuliano single stage snow blower as an option. 

The BCS 853 is a gear driven 2 wheel tractor and the Rescia Giuliano 32 inch single stage snow thrower and gear driven snow thrower which uses a reduction gear drive system to a final drive using heavy roller chain drive and sprockets for the snow blower rotor which develops great amounts of torque to cast snow.

It is small and light enough to trailer safely and it also has an electric start. 

Fluid Film will help you a lot in any case as it will let you double your casting distance.

The BCS 853 2 wheel tractor will be more useful as it has many attachments available like lawn mowers and generators.


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

@hatesnow Hey, I wish I caught this thread while you had things apart. By chance, do you happen to know the diameter of the drive pulleys? Alternator and impeller?


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## hatesnow (Oct 12, 2019)

drmerdp said:


> @hatesnow Hey, I wish I caught this thread while you had things apart. By chance, do you happen to know the diameter of the drive pulleys? Alternator and impeller?


I will measure them when I have some some spare time, you want simply the OD or "full specs" pitch diameter, wall thickness, belt housing...?


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

Great thanks. I suppose these numbers are the most appropriate.

My thoughts are to have known pulley diameters that have The appropriate id for Honda’s metric crankshafts on their snowblower engines. Your machine and HSS machines use belts with identical top widths and nearly the same thickness. Im not sure about HS series belts. 






*Step 1:*









*
Step 2:*


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