# John Deer 826



## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

High guys I joined because I need to buy a blower. I found this JD 826 right now the price is at $400.00, she just came down from $500.00. I didn't get the SN yet to learn the year
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can you fellas advise if this is worth that price?


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

That unit looks like it just rolled off the showroom, never even used.

My opinion would be definitely worth 400.00.

Nice find, well built machine.


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

Oneacer said:


> That unit looks like it just rolled off the showroom, never even used.
> 
> My opinion would be definitely worth 400.00.
> 
> Nice find, well built machine.


It sure does look new, I been digging around and see parts are still available. I asked her if she can ger me the SN so I can try and identify the year built.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Welcome to SBF jmg.
Machine looks to be from the late 1980's, post the engine serial # and we can give you a more accurate age.

Machine appears to be near mint condition, remarkable if it is original paint. Possibly the machine was restored, if so it was done very well.
Some paint wear inside the chute, the muffler looks brand new. Definitely well cared for. 

If machine runs fine, well worth $350.00 -400.00 IMHO. Prices for used machines seem to have gone up during the past year. Try to find out the history of the machine, whether it was used very little and stored away or if it was restored.


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

Thanks for the imput, she will maybe reply to me after work. I don't think this is a restoration, her add discription. My 1st offer was $300.00 and she dropp $100.00 right out of the gate.
"

Condition
Used - Like New
Brand
John Deere
For Sale John Deere 826 walkbehind Snowblower. Very good condtion. Used. 8 hp. 26 in. cut. This machine is like new.
Electric start. Runs great. No rust. Looks like new. You will not find one in better condition. Don't miss on this great deal. 
Local pickup only. Cash Payment. Price $500.Serious buyers please contact.

"


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Probably all original, and very well looked after. Even the control knobs look brand new, usually they are faded and often missing or replaced.

These are well built machines manufactured when JD was still building their own machines. These later models had the taller chute which is a good feature.


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## quexpress (Dec 25, 2013)

That snowblower looks great. As others have mentioned, go for it!


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## carguy20 (Feb 8, 2021)

Completely worth it. The only things you may have to replace on it (just due to age) are tires and fuel lines. That looks to be the worst case scenario.


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## ou2mame (Dec 23, 2019)

I would rather spend 400 dollars on this than 1000 on a new one. The quality of now vs then is not even in the same league. It might need some work but it's well worth getting your hands dirty.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

The downside to that model is left drive lever. It's tiring to squeeze up. Skids, cutting edge, tires, are all in great shape, cast iron gearbox, maybe the thickest auger ever on the market, throttle on the dashboard. The weak point is the handlebars near the bottom but more so for the 1032.


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

I got the serial number will you guys have any idea how to find the Mfg year with the SN? Thanks for all the help so far. I tend to agree about the older quality being stronger than the new stuff these days.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

You need to post the serial number of the engine, however you can call a JD dealer with the snowblower's serial number.


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

JLawrence08648 said:


> You need to post the serial number of the engine, however you can call a JD dealer with the snowblower's serial number.


OH I didn't know I needed the block number, oh drat. I guess i will look up the dealer number and give them a call to use what I have already. I am still in the process of negotiation to buy. I am hoping to get this down closer to $300.00.


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## farmer52 (Dec 27, 2020)

It is a 1989 model (595001-750000) and the last year of production for this model/series. The tires are not original but that does not mean the machine is not original. The runners are not original either (look like plastic/poly replacements). Check the scraper bar for wear. Find out what you can about the history/maintenance. Does it run? The machine is worth $400 if everything checks okay.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

If I were you, I would just pay her the 400.00 before someone else grabs it, as she already came down 100.00. That's a nice machine. Should not have to do anything to it, except change the oil, using a 5W30 *Full Synthetic*. Make sure you use treated gas. In all my 5 gallon gas cans, I always put in 2oz of Stabil and also 2oz of SeaFoam. 

That machine is built well and should last you many years.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

If the machine runs well and operates fine, I would offer $350, but would pay the $400 if she won't come down any further. The owner has upgraded the tires and skids over the years as mentioned above, which probably means it has been well maintained.

If the paint is all original, you will probably never see one of this vintage in better condition. It looks like it has seen 3 winters not 32.


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## jalessi (Dec 8, 2015)

Go see the lady with $300 cash money in hand and buy it.


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## Old JD Guy (Dec 10, 2020)

It’s worth all of the $400. My old JDs are a 1982 model 826 and a 1973? Model 526. Both start first pull and blow snow like crazy. 

You would like this 826, and so will the next guy if you don’t snap it up!


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

BUT are we forgetting it's July, not January, No snow! What happened to off season pricing?


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

No off season pricing in my area ... a machine is worth what it is depending on condition .... doesn't matter if its July or November.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Oneacer said:


> No off season pricing in my area ... a machine is worth what it is depending on condition .... doesn't matter if its July or November.


Ditto.


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## kshansen (Aug 4, 2020)

If I was in the market for a snow blower I would be all over that one for that price. Plus I have one very close to that but nowhere as pretty looking but with a bad motor. It ran last I knew but has enough blow-by that it tends to drip a little oil on driveway. Wife sees the rainbow effect and thinks she is walking in puddles of oil. One drop of oil looks like a major oil spill in the driveway!


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

@ kshansen,

I'm sure a Predator 212cc will bolt right on. Problem solved. 

I'm also sure a wax, or a paint touch up would give you that nice appearance as well ....


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## kshansen (Aug 4, 2020)

Oneacer said:


> @ kshansen,
> 
> I'm sure a Predator 212cc will bolt right on. Problem solved.
> 
> I'm also sure a wax, or a paint touch up would give you that nice appearance as well ....


I might be tempted but I did replace the original engines on two Arien's "910018" with these 15c107-0040 11.5 Briggs and Stratton Snow Engine 3/4 X 2-5/16 Formerly 8hp for sale online | eBay a couple years back. Not much difference in price from the Harbor Fright engines and I got the 110 volt starters and the 12 volt power outlet to run lights. 
Actually the 110 volt starters are somewhat of a waste as the Briggs start 99.9% of the time with one easy pull on the starter even with them sitting in an unheated shed in 0º weather!


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## kshansen (Aug 4, 2020)

kshansen said:


> I might be tempted but I did replace the original engines on two Arien's "910018" with these 15c107-0040 11.5 Briggs and Stratton Snow Engine 3/4 X 2-5/16 Formerly 8hp for sale online | eBay a couple years back. Not much difference in price from the Harbor Fright engines and I got the 110 volt starters and the 12 volt power outlet to run lights.
> Actually the 110 volt starters are somewhat of a waste as the Briggs start 99.9% of the time with one easy pull on the starter even with them sitting in an unheated shed in 0º weather!


Now that I look the Preditor is actually more money if you go by the online prices!


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah, I have 2 units that I replaced the engines years ago, one with a Predator and one with a B&S ... I just use the pull cord on both, as no need for the electric start, even though my B&S has an electric start.


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## quexpress (Dec 25, 2013)

kshansen said:


> I might be tempted but I did replace the original engines on two Arien's "910018" with these 15c107-0040 11.5 Briggs and Stratton Snow Engine 3/4 X 2-5/16 Formerly 8hp for sale online | eBay a couple years back. Not much difference in price from the Harbor Fright engines and I got the 110 volt starters and the 12 volt power outlet to run lights.
> Actually the 110 volt starters are somewhat of a waste as the Briggs start 99.9% of the time with one easy pull on the starter even with them sitting in an unheated shed in 0º weather!


Is the shaft on that Briggs & Stratton engine at the same height as the original 8HP Tecumseh?


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## kshansen (Aug 4, 2020)

quexpress said:


> Is the shaft on that Briggs & Stratton engine at the same height as the original 8HP Tecumseh?


See drawing below, note that I believe the 8 horse Tecumseh will have a 1 inch shaft where this Briggs has a 3/4 inch shaft. One of my Ariens had the 3/4 shaft( 6 horse Snow King) so it was a simple install. The Ariens that had the 8 horse engine had a 1 inch shaft so I got a 3/4 to 1 inch bushing so I could use the original pulley. But to answer your question the crankshaft height was the same as I recall I was able to use the original belts on both the machines I did.

Two other things that needed some work for the Ariens. One was the mounting studs on mine were designed for the stamped steel base of the Tecumseh on at least one of the snowblowers so I had to replace them with longer bolts. The original ones were welded in so that took a little work to disassemble the tractor part and do some grinding to get them out then I installed longer bolts and tack welded them in place.

The other thing was due to the cylinder of the Briggs being on an angle I had to make some changes to the crank for the chute. This may or not be needed on all machines as Ariens has made changes over the years and models. Would not be able to give any details with out seeing the exact design of the machine you are working with.


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## quexpress (Dec 25, 2013)

I'm on the lookout for a 208cc or 212cc OVH engine for my Ariens 910018.
I stumbled on a 305cc 13.50 Briggs & Stratton engine but took it for granted that the shaft would be higher than the 8HP Tecumseh.
Note: I'm surprised by the height of the crankshaft. The drawing shows 1.25 inches. A 7 HP Tecumseh shaft is at 4.5 inches and the 8HP is probably at the same height.
I'm not too concerned with the pulley size and the bolting pattern on the tractor for the engine.

Thank you!


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

quexpress said:


> Note: I'm surprised by the height of the crankshaft. The drawing shows 1.25 inches.


That's not what that drawing shows... It does not give the shaft centerline height. 1.25" is the height of that hole above the shaft centerline.


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## quexpress (Dec 25, 2013)

tabora said:


> That's not what that drawing shows...


Oops! You're right! Thanks!


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

As tabora mentioned, that 1.25 is not the center line of the shaft from the bottom of the base. Your reading it wrong.


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## quexpress (Dec 25, 2013)

Yes I was reading it wrong.
I found one diagram showing it as 4.17 inches. A spec that now makes more sense to me.









Thanks everyone!


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## farmer52 (Dec 27, 2020)

jmg - did you buy it? please update us on the outcome. thanks!


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

I bought it $350.00 it seems OK I hope it will be OK. I guess I will drain the fuel and change the oil and maybe clean it up a little. Should I do some repainting? What do you guyd think?


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

I think that is not the original muffler
is that an original starter motor?


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Machine looks to be in fantastic condition. It appears to have a new muffler installed.

I would change the engine oil and the gear oil in the auger gear box, check the condition of the belt and spark plug (replace if necessary, purchase a spare belt and plug anyway) and check auger and axle bushings as well as the impeller bearing.

Drain the fuel and flush and clean the tank and replace the old clear style fuel line.

Grease and lube the tractor internals and apply grease or never seize to the axles, check the condition of the friction disc and drive plate. Pull the shear pins and ensure they are in fact shear pins and grease the auger shaft.

Ensure the scraper bar has been leveled and adjust skids as required.

You could sand and repaint the inside of the chute if you wanted to, but the paint will most likely eventually wear off, although I probably would as well as apply a good coat of wax, since the machine is in such nice condition.

I would seriously consider replacing that clear fuel line with proper reinforced rubber line.

Consider installing impeller kit, if the impeller gap is greater than 1/4"

The condition of this machine is remarkable. It appears to be the original paint and definitely well cared for. I think you got a great machine for a very fair price.


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

Hey Ziggy thank for the list of chores dang, I just took off the belt guard it has two belts does the loose one tighten when you engage the drive? I guess I have to dig into the owner’s manual, but it is in covid quarantine for a while. Here is a pic of the belts wow the two bolts didn't even have any corrosion. The belts seem to look good like they have been replace recently. I wonder how many hours are on this machine.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

You got yourself a nice unit there.

I was given a JD 826 and am in the process of restoring it.

Hey, if it is not to much trouble, could you post the measurements for that brake bracket there, its the U shaped bar with the mini v shaped brake pad on it. The one in the last picture there, that clamps on the auger pulley when the handle is disengaged. Mine is missing that bracket. i.e. length, width and depth of the U shape. Also at what dimension the brake pad is located. I would greatly appreciate it.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Thanks for updating us on your purchase, so many people ask for advice on a machine and we never here back from them.

Yes the condition of that machine is remarkable. I imagine you could blow snow tomorrow with it and have no issues, but better to tackle the inspection and maintenance in warm weather at your convenience than 2 hours before the big blizzard hits

The list of items I mentioned may seem long, but really won't take long to go through unless you run into rust welded axles or auger rakes. The machine looks like it has seen some use (paint worn off in chute), but it has been stored indoors and hopefully well maintained over the years. I don't think I have seen a machine of this age in such nice condition. 

The belts look good (check for cracking and fraying and excessive belt debris), when you engage the drive, the idlers will tighten the belt. I would order a spare for each. 

It would be interesting to see some photos of the tractor internals, when you put it in the service position and remove the belly pan. Keep us updated and we love photos.

There are many knowledgeable folks on this forum willing to assist you with any questions or issues you run into.


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

Oneacer said:


> You got yourself a nice unit there.
> 
> I was given a JD 826 and am in the process of restoring it.
> 
> Hey, if it is not to much trouble, could you post the measurements for that brake bracket there, its the U shaped bar with the mini v shaped brake pad on it. The one in the last picture there, that clamps on the auger pulley when the handle is disengaged. Mine is missing that bracket. i.e. length, width and depth of the U shape. Also at what dimension the brake pad is located. I would greatly appreciate it.


Hey Ziggy I'll get through the list before fall but I have to learn thes parts shear pins and things.

Is this the u shap bar your talking about? Ithis a brake pad? I will measure it, am I on target what you want?


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

ziggy is numbr 18 the shear pin?


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Yes and the ones on your machine appear to be correct as per the drawing. It is also good to have a set of spare shear pins, incase you break one. You don't want to use a regular bolt, as the shear pin is designed to break or shear if you hit something buried by the snow (frozen newspaper, large rock, piece of wood etc.) while running the machine, protecting the auger gears from damage.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

@jmg,

yes, that is what I referring to ... I will be making my own, and would be nice to have the measurements from the original to start with.


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

Ziggy65 said:


> Yes and the ones on your machine appear to be correct as per the drawing. It is also good to have a set of spare shear pins, incase you break one. You don't want to use a regular bolt, as the shear pin is designed to break or shear if you hit something buried by the snow (frozen newspaper, large rock, piece of wood etc.) while running the machine, protecting the auger gears from damage.


Understood 


Oneacer said:


> @jmg,
> 
> yes, that is what I referring to ... I will be making my own, and would be nice to have the measurements from the original to start with.


ok I measure it I was looking in the john deere parts and I do not see that stuff listed. how soon you think you'll be ready to begin that task.

Ziggy thanks for the recomendation I will order a set of shear pins


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah, it was no. 2 in the schematic you just showed ...

No rush, it will be awhile before I reassemble it.


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)




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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

@jmg,

Thank you ... I appreciate that.


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## farmer52 (Dec 27, 2020)

Congrats on a nice machine. Excellent advise above. As for paint, they are only original once.

One belt is for the drive and the other for the auger/blower. Check belts for cracks, wear, etc. Buy spare belts, shear pin, spark plug, and other parts as needed just in case.

Drain the fuel, change the fuel lines, put in fresh gas, check oil level, and try starting. Get the engine warm then drain the oil.

Did it come with the owner's manual? If not you can download a PDF here JD Technical Information Store


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## jmg (Jul 19, 2021)

I realy appriciate all the help, theirs now way I could have come up from a zero so fast with out you guys. I put the deal together and feel pretty comfortable about the machine. It starts easy it doesn't smoke, it may have more hours on it than it apears; It was just well taken care of. I think for $350 it beats out any new junk going for double the price.
Thanks guys 
I'll stay in touch


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## DickR (Jan 27, 2018)

Nice find. My first SB was a used JD826, but not in as good shape. Still, it was a beast, and just about always started on the first pull, even after three seasons in the garage. I think mine was the Tecumseh engine.

There is one thing you might want to check, though, in case it is a potential problem. On mine, after some years of use, it was running erratically, and one time gave me trouble starting even with the electric start. At first, the starter motor seemed to miss engaging the flywheel, but after removal and cleaning/lubricating the gear assembly on the end of the shaft, that problem went away. But still, after finally getting it started, I had the erratic engine output. I replaced the carburetor with a cheap aftermarket, and while at first it seemed to run well, soon I was back to the same performance. At some point, after noticing that the engine actually seemed to run smoothly when I upshifted to run faster through some wet snow than I would have preferred, I looked under the top "dashboard" to check wiring. What I found was one wire coming from one of the hand grip switches that kill the engine if both are let go had been rubbing lightly against the threaded rod that was part of the forward speed control. There was a small bit of shiny copper wire showing. So the ignition was intermittently grounded out from vibration. Some electrical tape over that spot and rerouting of the wire eliminated that problem.

The machine had seen some heavy use before I got it, and the impeller was pretty badly banged up from hitting things. It wouldn't throw slushy snow at all. I tried to do the impeller mod, but I gave up on that after too much frustration trying to remove the impeller to flatten out the outer tips. I didn't have the tools to deal with it. Ultimately, the impeller ate a fist-sized rock on a gravel driveway, and the impeller bearing assembly broke. At that point, I was just ready for something newer. I took it to the dump, and within a couple of hours someone had hauled it away.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

@DickR,

I would have hauled it away if I saw it ... 

I am actually restoring one now ... its under the thread " Next Restore "


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