# Craftsman 9 hp - not throwing snow



## dgatto (Jan 12, 2011)

Let me start by saying Im not very handy but yesterday while snowblowing the blower all of a sudden stopped throwing snow - It just piles up inside. sometimes the blades spin and sometimes they dont - it seems like they only spin when I engage the tires to move. the part that turns to throw the snow out the shoot is running but the blades are not turning. I have heard about checking the pins and Im pretty sure all 4 of them are in there - can you help?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Sounds like you broke something in the front. You say you checked the pins and they look fine. That would indicate a problem with the gearbox. That can be expensive to fix. As a test I would say grab the augers and try to spin them. You mention 4 pins so I am going to assume you have 2 separate augers on each side. If all 4 are locked together then you have a problem with the gearbox. If all 4 turn independent of each other then you somehow managed to break multiple sheer pins.


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## dgatto (Jan 12, 2011)

Are they supposed to spin all together? If I spin them by hand I believe more than one of them spin. If the 4 pins are all there - you think the gearbox has a problem?

I also noticed that I used to be able to hold down the drive throttle and the thower handle would stay down - but yesterday - I had to always have both hands on the handles - connected in any way?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

The interlock usually connects up on the handles somewhere so that should be a different problem. The way the gearbox is probably set up is 1 axle coming straight out the front that the impeller fan is on goes into the gearbox, then 1 more axle perpendicular to that and across the front has the 4 auger blades bolted to it. If all 4 auger blades are turning together I would say that means the whole front axle is turning, but the gears are no longer connecting it to the impeller shaft. If you were able to turn one auger forwards and one backwards, that would be a sheer pin issue. Since you say they are all still connected, but not turning when they should I would assume you have something wrong in the gearbox.

If you post the model and serial numbers off the tag by the handlebars people can probably hunt down the correct gears for your machine. I have heard a few reports of the problem simply being the pin that holds the gear to the axle. That can be the difference between a 50 cent repair and a $50 - $100 repair. If you were to pay a shop to fix it, you would be better off buying another blower used.

Pictures might help too, or video. But, from your descriptions so far it is sounding like a gearbox problem.

Here is a video of one that had the case completely ripped apart.





Here is the first of a 4 part series on what is involved in fixing it.


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## BOSMECH (Dec 16, 2010)

Shyrp those videos look like a nasty problem.
OUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

BOSMECH said:


> Shyrp those videos look like a nasty problem.
> OUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Thats why you don't use hardened bolts in place of shear bolts


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## smallengineguy (Jan 15, 2011)

I just replaced the brass gear in one of those and the gear was $65. If the machine isn't rusted together it really is an easy swap.


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