# New 826 OAE User - Autosteer Question



## spiff72 (Jan 18, 2020)

Hello all - first post from a new member...

I just used my new 826 OAE for the second time today and I am not convinced I am a fan of the auto steer on this thing. It is tricky to control on my half-circle driveway. I find that I have fighting to keep it on a consistent line (or more accurately a consistent curve) as I follow the perimeter of my driveway. I have to assume that this is the nature of the auto steer - since I am following a curve and not going in a straight line, the diff is opening up and wanting to make a harder turn than I want to.

I adjusted the skids today because the first time out I picked up a lot of gravel at the base of my driveway (which isn't paved), and I made sure the pressure in both tires was the same (15 PSI). I know now that this is below the spec from the manual (17-20 psi), so I will adjust this to a higher pressure next time out. They were about 20 and 23 to start.

Is this just the nature of the beast in this case? My previous snow blower was a Toro Power Throw 622, which I had pulled the pin from one side after the first or second use, and it stayed that way for the 20 years I owned it. I was used to the steering on that one after so many years, so maybe this is just something that takes getting used to? This one is a lot heavier and larger than the 622, so I hoped the auto steer would work for me.

Any thoughts or recommendations? Should I just pull a pin on this one and see if that helps (assuming that this is possible)? I haven't checked to see if there is a pin to pull on these wheels.

Thanks!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

:welcome: to SBF spiff72

I don't have any experience with Toro auto steer so I'll let someone who has take this one.

.


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## minnesotaman82 (Sep 19, 2017)

I have the same exact same 826 with auto steer. The auto steer was OK when I first got it but after reading advice from people on this site I switched out the standard steel skid shoes that came with it for some Toro poly skid shoes. It made all the difference. Basically transformed the snowblower and how the auto steer performed. The poly skid shoes slide much easier and makes the auto steer behave MUCH better. I don’t know why all auto steer snowblowers aren’t equipped with poly skids from the factory.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## penna stogey (Nov 25, 2019)

Throwing the welcome mat from Gettysburg, Penna...


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## spiff72 (Jan 18, 2020)

minnesotaman82 said:


> I have the same exact same 826 with auto steer. The auto steer was OK when I first got it but after reading advice from people on this site I switched out the standard steel skid shoes that came with it for some Toro poly skid shoes. It made all the difference. Basically transformed the snowblower and how the auto steer performed. The poly skid shoes slide much easier and makes the auto steer behave MUCH better. I don’t know why all auto steer snowblowers aren’t equipped with poly skids from the factory.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks - I will look into getting a pair of those.

My other issue is that the engine surges when under load. (Which seems to be the opposite problem that most people seem to have (surging at idle). I need to look into this one a bit more. The gas is only about 2 months old (bought this new and bought new gas and put Stabil in it, and then waited 2 months for snow to come (to be expected when buying a new snowblower!).

I might have to post this one in a new thread to see if it gets any suggestions.


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