# craftsman model 536.887993 very little torque



## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

Hello everyone, looks like I ran into another problem with this blower since my last post. Well, I had replaced both drive and auger belt a couple of weeks ago ago and everything was running great, untill trying to deal with that major storm that hit NY last week, while in the middle of the storm I decided to go out there and do a second run when I noticed the wheels are turning very slowly, has very little torque power, I checked the belts and everything seems to be fine because they are brand new but this happened out of the clear blue. does anybody know what this could be ? been trying to figure it out with no luck. Any help would be great thank you !!


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## Marty013 (Mar 14, 2014)

ice on the friction disc?? it should go away after a little while if thats the issue.. try running in a little bit.. just letting it idle might flign it off..


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## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

Marty013 said:


> ice on the friction disc?? it should go away after a little while if thats the issue.. try running in a little bit.. just letting it idle might flign it off..


wow, could it be something that simple ? even for me, lol I hope so... sounds simple enough, ill put my salamander heater to help thaw it out. thank you so much. ill let you know how I make out


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## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

Got to checking it out, and it looks like it's the spring that attaches to the traction drive pulley, it's totally stretched out and mangled. I don't understand how that happened, I hope that it didn't stretch the belt out too. Here's a couple of pics


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## Small engine_user (Nov 14, 2020)

Sf1 said:


> Got to checking it out, and it looks like it's the spring that attaches to the traction drive pulley, it's totally stretched out and mangled. I don't understand how that happened, I hope that it didn't stretch the belt out too. Here's a couple of pics


your friction disk might be worn out or the spring (of the pics you posted) is too broken that its not giving the friction disk enough grab to actually drive the machine


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

Besides replacing that spring check to see if there is grease on the friction plate and wheel.
Clean both while your in there. ( drain some gas, stand it on it's bucket, take off the bottom cover plate, 4 or 6 bolts.)
A little bit of grease will slow it down so where it won't move at all.


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## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

Small engine_user said:


> your friction disk might be worn out or the spring (of the pics you posted) is too broken that its not giving the friction disk enough grab to actually drive the machine


ok no problem, but im not entirely sure where the friction disc is located though


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## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

Big Ed said:


> Besides replacing that spring check to see if there is grease on the friction plate and wheel.
> Clean both while your in there. ( drain some gas, stand it on it's bucket, take off the bottom cover plate, 4 or 6 bolts.)
> A little bit of grease will slow it down so where it won't move at all.


ok will do, thanks man


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## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

well i see the friction disc in the manual its #212 but the location is still not entirely clear to me, but at least i know the round about area now...


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

( drain some gas, stand it on it's bucket, take off the bottom cover plate, 4 or 6 bolts.) easy.
you will see the friction wheel on a shaft, it rides on the plate underneath it. the friction wheel is lined with rubber, when the rubber wears down it will put grooves in the plate quick.
Then you will have to change both more expensive and more work.
I know some will clean them up and rub with a emery cloth, I just clean mine. They seem to think the emery cloth will give the pieces more bite.
But if the have any kind of lube on them your machine will move slow or not at all.
If your rubber on the wheel is almost down to the metal replace it.


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## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

Ok I got it, this sounds like fun 😟 maybe it would be if I had room in my sheds and didn't have to work on it in the damn snow, lol hopefully I'll get to looking at it tomorrow. Thanks Big Ed, I'll let you know how I make out


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

An old picture,

There is the cover underneath a few bolts and it comes off. I have 4 on mine the drop light is hanging in one of the bolt holes. Easy.
Second picture, see the wheel on the shaft? Friction wheel it has the rubber on it. The friction plate sits underneath, when you shift the wheel slides along that shaft and contacts the plate in different spots. That is what changes the speeds. Check the bearings on each side of the shaft while your in there. Pull on them check for play. Grease the chain but don't over grease. The friction wheel should have 1 grease zerk (fitting) on it give that a shot of grease too. Put a little on the shaft where the wheel moves back and forth.

The wheel and plate should be squeaky clean for the wheel to turn the plate, make sure that there is no grease on them.
Drain some gas before you stand it on the bucket. Get in the habit of removing the spark plug wire too, and don't forget to put it back on when your finished.


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

Friction Wheel.
I have a new spare one, like I said if the rubber gets down to the metal part of the wheel it will put grooves on the plate.
Then you will have to get a new plate. The wheel is about 20 bucks, depending on the machine the plates are $100 plus.
And more work installing them. Mine is still the original wheel. My machine is from around the year 2000.

And looky there, it is not made in China. ha ha ha


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## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

Hey Big Ed, thanks for all of the pictures, you really made things alot clearer for me in order to do this and I really appreciate it.. and let me say WOW, you've got some machine there, it looks like a monster, and clean as a whistle, like you can eat off it, lol. Unfortunately, I couldn't even get to it today, I was too busy shoveling snow off my rooves. If you hate shoveling that much, as I can see by your tag, then you'd move to the Bahamas after doing my job lol. But I definitely feel way more confident messing around with my blower after you explained it so thoroughly. Hopefully I can get to it tomorrow. Thanks Big Ed !


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

Sf1 said:


> . and let me say WOW, you've got some machine there, it looks like a monster, and clean as a whistle, like you can eat off it, lol.


The pictures are before I cleaned it. 
Bahamas? Been there done it. Nice to visit but not to live there.
Matter of fact I like Jamaica better, yah Maannnn.
I do like blowing snow, and I like the 4 seasons too here in Jersey.
But I do HATE shoveling!
I do like watching the girl across the street shovel, she shovels like Wonder woman.....fast.....makes me tired watching her.
Snow flinging allover the place.
And he old man just stands there watching her. lol


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## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

Big Ed said:


> The pictures are before I cleaned it.
> Bahamas? Been there done it. Nice to visit but not to live there.
> Matter of fact I like Jamaica better, yah Maannnn.
> I do like blowing snow, and I like the 4 seasons too here in Jersey.
> ...


lmfao🤣🤣🤣TMI definitely tell her to come here and shovel for me, upstate ny winters make the nipps so hard, she can dial my antique rotory phone with it 😀


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## Sf1 (Sep 26, 2020)

hi big Ed, if you can believe it, that idler traction spring finally came in the mail after 3 weeks. the mail is so screwed up... anyway as soon as i got it i put in, drained the gas, and laid it on its bucket, and started to clean the friction disc just like you told me and i hope i did everything right. but when i started her up, she did the same thing, and i noticed that the traction drive belt was very loose, im thinking thats the problem but not sure till i get a new one, idk... I posted some pictures of before and after the cleaning to get a better idea. Wanted to know what you thought. Thank you


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