# Ariens 1028 drive issue



## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

Ariens 1028 model#924116. Cleaning up the driveway this morning when machine stopped moving. It's happened a few times this winter but always seemed to move after a few minutes. I replaced the friction plate last fall and machine was working fine. I removed the belt cover and belt wasn't broken. Then i put it in service position and removed the bottom cover and the bottom pulley is loose. Has a lot of movement like a bad bearing. Is there a bearing or a bushing that maybe worn out? Easily replaced?


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Sounds like the impeller bearing went bad. That will loosen the belt so it doesn't engage properly....You have to split the machine ...pull the impeller pulley, then replace bearing...a PIA during blowing season, but not hard.


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## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

Is that bearing attached to the pulley? Didn't see the bearing on a parts list.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

Sounds like you are talking about the wheel drive system and not the auger drive system? For the wheel drive system the belt closer to the engine drives a pulley which is attached to the swing plate through a bearing assembly. The pulley is the drive plate that is moved toward the rubber tired driven disc when you engage the drive clutch to move the swing plate to power the wheels.

The parts list for my machine does not show a replacement for that bearing or bearing assembly and so the swing plate (pulley, swing plate and bearing assembly) must be replaced as a unit. Sounds like your machine is similar. You may be able to replace the bearing in the assembly, but I have never needed to do that.


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## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

Yes wheel drive system. The bottom pulley has a lot of play.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

plbass said:


> Yes wheel drive system. The bottom pulley has a lot of play.


Before you get the chance to replace the swing plate assembly (or the bearing if you are lucky) try the lower forward gears since they are close to center of drive plate and the worn bearing would have less effect in not being close enough to the drive disc. Another approach is to tighten the drive clutch adjustment so the bearing play will have less effect. But be careful that you do not over adjust so that it is always driving.


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## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

Tried in all gears. In the lower gear the machine would move about a foot then felt like it jammed. Once i engaged the lever and roll the machine it would loosen up.


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## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

Looked on the web at a parts schematic for my model and doesn't show a swing plate assembly. Any idea where i can find a good parts diagram showing this part?


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## Shaw351 (Nov 15, 2016)

plbass said:


> Looked on the weed at a parts schematic for my model and doesn't show a swing plate assembly. Any idea where i can find a good parts diagram showing this part?


Your fairly close to me, if you have means to bring your machine to me on Saturday I'm sure we can get it fixed up properly and back into snow fighting duty. Send me a pm if interested and I'll give you my info. 
I'm pretty sure I have any necessary parts if they are needed, and 110% sure I can fix it with / for you.


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## Shaw351 (Nov 15, 2016)

Click on the view/download link on this website to see and or download your manual. Should be easy fix whatever it is. Worse case scenario is an elongated hole in the tractor body from worn shaft. Easily repaired with a little welding. 

Ariens Order Owners Manuals


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## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

Just to be clear, when you say "bottom pulley", you mean the one that drives the disc in the friction-wheel drive for the wheels?

I think people are getting confused because when the 'blower is in service position and you have the cover off the bottom you can see two pulleys, and the one for the wheel drive is actually the upper of those two.

Anyhow a parts diagram is below, and I suspect you may have multiple problems going on.

If there's a lot of play in the pulley, you probably need to replace the bearings #20 (there are two, p/n 05435100) in the diagram.

But there's another problem that plagues 924-series machines. Part #26 slides back and forth in part #19 to engage and disengage the wheel drive. Because the assembly is buried inside the unit and there's no grease zerk, those parts often never get lubricated and eventually get stuck. That can cause the wheel drive either to stay engaged all the time or never engage.

So what you probably need to do is pull that whole assembly apart, replace the bearings, and get the sliding parts unstuck and grease them.


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## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

Yes the one that drives the disc. I took the belt cover off first to check for broken belt. The belt is fine ( the belt closer to the engine) but the bottom pulley has a lot of play.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

parts radar is another good source for diagrams and part numbers.
https://partsradar.partsmartweb.com...F=Empartweb&loginID=ariensc&loginpwd=consumer

Ebay bearings: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS2&_nkw=.625X1.375X.43&_sacat=0

.


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## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

Went out this morning and took a better look at everything involved and found the spring for the idler is disconnected. Not sure if it's broke or just needs to be reconnected. Is there an easy way to access this spring? Looks be be in a tight area looking from the top where belt cover is.


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## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

It's behind the pulley, which is held on with a reverse-threaded nut if I remember correctly.

But if those bearings are junk (when you move the pulley around, does the drive disc move with it?) and you don't replace them, it's just going to cause other problems. If the pulley is moving enough, that might even be the cause of failure of the spring.


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## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

The bearings seem to be fine. The original movement i posted about was in and out. Didn't know there is constant pressure on the drive belt. Doesn't seem to be any side to side movement. Now i need to figure out how to replace the spring.


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## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

Going out this morning split my machine to remove the lower drive pulley and replace spring. Thanks to everyone for the help and thanks Shaw351 for the parts manual link. The exploded view gave me a direction to go.


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## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

In response to your PM... here's a photo showing where the spring goes. Pardon the crummy condition of the machine, the photo was taken pre-restoration.

The spring in question goes from the bottom of the idler arm to a hole in the housing right above the axle.


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## plbass (Dec 1, 2017)

Thanks


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