# Reverse = Slow and slower? UGH!



## AdkGal (Feb 8, 2019)

Hey Guys 

I have a 2012 Craftsman 28 inch Snow Blower ( model no. 247.883950) and can't understand why the reverse is so darn slow! Is there any way to make this thing go any faster in reverse? It's really frustrating!!!!! UGH!

Thanks,
AdkGal


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

There should be. The manually hopefully describes how to adjust the transmission gear-selector. Whatever happens when you put the gear selector to Reverse, you'd want to increase a bit. 

Let's say going into Reverse pushes a shift-rod down towards the tractor frame (vs pulling it up more and more, for faster Forward speeds). You'd want to adjust the shift rod to make it a little longer, so it can be pushed further down towards the tractor frame. 

Anything you adjust to one direction will have the opposite effect on the other direction. Speed up Reverse, and you'll slow all the Forward speeds slightly. Make sure you don't go too far. First gear Forward should still make the machine move forward. If it doesn't move at all, or goes backwards slightly, then you adjusted too far.


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

There is a Speed Adjustment. The Speed Selector has a cable connected to it. Follow the cable down to the bottom, and the adjustment is there by lengthening or shortening the Cable.


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

Does your driveway config allow for a 180 turn to minimize reversing moves?


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## aldfam4 (Dec 25, 2016)

AdkGal said:


> Hey Guys
> 
> I have a 2012 Craftsman 28 inch Snow Blower ( model no. 247.883950) and can't understand why the reverse is so darn slow! Is there any way to make this thing go any faster in reverse? It's really frustrating!!!!! UGH!
> 
> ...


I have the same machine, I just put it in neutral and pull it backwards, works for me. I will make some adjustments next year as were outlined by Redoctobyr's post.


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## Dannoman (Jan 16, 2018)

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast...


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## AdkGal (Feb 8, 2019)

Thanks Redoctobyr, That was exactly what I was looking for!

AdkGal


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## AdkGal (Feb 8, 2019)

tdipaul.......

Yes, I can do 180's, but there are places where I can't and need to use reverse. I can't always pull the machine back because of hills and such.. it's just too heavy for me to pull it uphill. So, I need/want it to go faster in reverse. There is a lot of snow here in the Adirondacks, and a lot of area to snowblow. I'm just trying to get it done more quickly with a speedier reverse.

Thanks
AdkGal


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## Homesteader (Jan 12, 2019)

You can get a larger drive pulley and belt. That will give you the reverse speed you want but decrease the toque, placing a higher load on your engine going over steep hill - minor load, but have a faster 1st gear as well.

There are always trade offs.

You can also adjust the neutral position back to increase reverse speed but you will reduce how fast you will go in drive gears. 

I’ve used a rotary tool to cut out an additional notch in my control panel to give myself a higher forward speed for moving from driveway to driveway. You could do this for your reverse gear if you machine allows for the clearances.


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## AdkGal (Feb 8, 2019)

Hey Homesteader 

This snow blower is CRAZY fast even in the 3rd gear (6 fwd available) Not sure I want to do the larger pulley and belt, thing, but will give it a go with the adjustments to obtain a faster reverse. But your post is definitely interesting and possibly a fix if this adjustment doesn't work.

Thanks!
AdkGal


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

AdkGal said:


> I have a 2012 Craftsman 28 inch Snow Blower ( model no. 247.883950) and can't understand why the reverse is so darn slow! Is there any way to make this thing go any faster in reverse? l


There are ways to adjust it to get a little more speed but it's designed to be slow so they don't end up in court defending themselves from lawsuits of people who ran the machine over themselves.
I know the feeling as I'd like R1 to be a bit faster and R2 to be more of a travel speed.

.


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## AdkGal (Feb 8, 2019)

*BINGO!!!!! Faster reverse!!*



RedOctobyr said:


> There should be. The manually hopefully describes how to adjust the transmission gear-selector. Whatever happens when you put the gear selector to Reverse, you'd want to increase a bit.
> 
> Let's say going into Reverse pushes a shift-rod down towards the tractor frame (vs pulling it up more and more, for faster Forward speeds). You'd want to adjust the shift rod to make it a little longer, so it can be pushed further down towards the tractor frame.
> 
> Anything you adjust to one direction will have the opposite effect on the other direction. Speed up Reverse, and you'll slow all the Forward speeds slightly. Make sure you don't go too far. First gear Forward should still make the machine move forward. If it doesn't move at all, or goes backwards slightly, then you adjusted too far.


Today I had a chance to check out the gear selector on my slow as molasses reverse. I played with the selector in both the 6th gear forward and the 2nd gear reverse to see which way the linkage had to move. It was an easy fix!!!! FINALLY, I can back this thing up without taking forever!!!! 

Thank you RedOctobyr and the rest who helped! Now, let it SNOW!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!
AdkGal :grin:


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Homesteader said:


> I’ve used a rotary tool to cut out an additional notch in my control panel to give myself a higher forward speed for moving from driveway to driveway. You could do this for your reverse gear if you machine allows for the clearances.


If you go this route cutting a notch in the dash, it will work and is fine to do, before you do, stand the machine on the auger housing, remove the bottom cover, move the shift lever to the direction you plan to cut the notch, check to see how far the rubber friction disk moves to the edge of the friction plate or if it will hit the inside metal of the snowblower. You certainly don't want a conflict or the disk coming off the edge if there is a chance of that. I haven't done enough of these to determine if there could be a problem.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Good advice about checking for interferences. But I think the rubber coming off the side of the metal disk would be unlikely, if you're trying to speed up reverse. 

Your fastest forward speed is where you're closest to the edge of the disk. If adding a reverse notch, you should still be closer to the center of the disk, unless you're making reverse faster than your fastest forward speed. And if you are, then I sure hope you're nimble on your feet!


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