# AX414 on Platinum 30 too powerful :)



## PixMan (Feb 14, 2015)

Last week we got a few inches of snow, and the berm from the town plow was pretty thick...and wet.

I tried moving through it with my aforementioned Ariens, but it was only dumping a few feet away. I know with more "normal" snow if it's light depth and it's not throwing far enough the key seems to be to speed up the advance rate. 

Well, that didn't work so good with this stuff. The machine clogged up (first time ever) and stopped throwing anything.

I put the machine away and finished with a shovel. When I opened up the belt guard, both auger belts were shredded. The smaller belt for the wheel drive was fine, but those two are toast. I had a lot of fiber and rubber to clean out.

I think a weaker motor may have stalled. The AX414 just kept on running as if nothing happened. Beast eats itself alive!

Anyone else experience such a thing?


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

Sounds like insufficient belt tension. Slight slippage that turned into shredded belts.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

The belts on my machine seem to be wearing well, a surprise since I blow out 6 to 8 driveways. The belts were adjusted fully in the fall so probably need new ones for next year. I have a spare set in case of premature failure.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Pixman, Just wondering if you have an issue with the idler pulleys not in line with the belts. Have seen it on other newish dual auger Ariens. As Town notes, they should run quite a while without issues. Previous post about a new one needing shims to align pulleys to correct.
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...72162-platinum-30-sho-possible-belt-slip.html


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## PixMan (Feb 14, 2015)

I do seem to have that alignment issue. For a couple of months I still have a machine shop, so I'll make shims if needed to get both sheaves and the tensioner into alignment when I get the new belts (probably tomorrow.)

There's no way for me to know if the failure was due to insufficient belt tension, both were shredded and off the pulleys. Is tension something that can be adjusted or is it done by virtue of the tensioner alone?

Mine is was bought new in August 2013 buy the original owner. I got it in February 2015 from the Ariens dealer who originally sold it, promising to honor the remainder of the warranty. That was apparently expired in August 2016 at the latest so I'm on my own with this. The machine worked fine until I abused it by feeding it slop.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

I remember the tension is simply adjusted with the cable and spring near the right foot when in the operator position. I think it said 1/2" more than the disengaged spring length is correct for engagement. There was also something about the idler bracket should "kiss" the tractor housing when disengaged. The couple I saw had alignment problems, not tension so not much help. Both were new enough to be warranty repairs. I do know there is NOT a lot of room between the idler and the back of the auger bucket. Town probably has a better handle on the spec's having one in hand.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

The idler wheels are adjustable to move them closer to the belts. The idler wheels bracket is slotted, so loosen the bolt and move the wheels to tension or loosen the belts. I keep the belts tensioned so that there is no roughness on clutch take up. 

I think the auger clutch linkage is to position the arm for brake operation. I have never needed to touch that.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

Attached is a pic of the idler wheel adjustment nut.


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## PixMan (Feb 14, 2015)

I thought I'd add a follow-up on the belt replacement. I got it all back together and my pulleys and belts all fell into place, aligned correctly. Mine look exactly like your photo, Town. I haven't started it up since the repair, but I'll ask: Should I be worried that the belts just about touch that heavy bent rod guard on one (left, in the photo) side? It looks like yours. When I close the lever to engage, it pulls away a bit but man that's close.

BTW, my dealer couldn't get replacement parts for the recoil starter spring and associated plastic part that got mashed, saying Ariens no longer sells individual parts. So I had to by the complete starter assembly, and I'm still waiting. No idea if we'll get any more "snowblowerable" snow this year, but I'd like to have it just the same. What's up with Ariens parts supply for a 3 year old machine?


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

The starter is actually the engine manufacturer and they may not have those parts available so ariens can not sell them, one of the downfalls of the Chinese engines now used.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

PixMan said:


> ... Mine look exactly like your photo, Town. I haven't started it up since the repair, but I'll ask: Should I be worried that the belts just about touch that heavy bent rod guard on one (left, in the photo) side? It looks like yours. When I close the lever to engage, it pulls away a bit but man that's close.
> 
> ...


No you should not be worried at all. That heavy bent metal rod guard is actually a belt guide. When the belts are tightened for operation they clear the guide but when the auger clutch is released the guide ensures the belts rise to release the drive from the pulleys. For the guide to operate properly it needs to be set close to the belts. The owner's manual tells you the adjustment detail including the distance from belts to guide. There is no rubbing of the belts but you will get a very small buildup of dust over a long and hard season.

Good luck.


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## PixMan (Feb 14, 2015)

Well, an overdue update. 

We got some snow last week (12" of fine hard-pack type, not wet) and the machine performed like a champ. Where the town plow had come by on the street it was super dense and right to the top of the auger housing. On the lowest forward setting I could take a full width cut straight in and the machine tossed it into the next county. Funny how the more you feed these, the further they'll toss it.

I still hadn't got a call from the Ariens dealer about the replacement recoil starter I'd ordered and paid for so I had to use the electric start and a fuel refill done "hot". A few days later I called about the starter and got an apology, "sorry, I forgot to call you." It bolted right on and is now pretty good assurance that I won't have to pull the new handle until November or December of this year.


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