# My Ariens repair adventure



## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I thought I'd throw a story in here. I accepted a repair job on a 926002 11528LE blower with many problems. I received it missing a headlight, the shift linkage broken and gone, the dash between the the shift and chute broken, everything mis-adjusted, a board jammed behind the auger pulley to keep it applied, chute control broken. Combine that with the drive slightly applied and them shifting it by kicking the lever, and it was a deathtrap.

I replaced the belts and oil, and adjusted the auger lever/handles/pulley properly. 

I replaced the sector gear in the chute and had to adjust that locking mechanism which probably caused the broken gear.The chute deflector adjust cable was disconnected because the spring doesn't have enough pressure, and the rivets had loosened, allowing the hinge to warp. I cut out the rivets out, straightened the hinge, and re-riveted it. I stuck a nut under the spring the give it a little more tension.

A new control panel was $100 so I ground the cracked edge and welded it up. The drive lever was slightly applied, making shifting tough, probably why the dash broke and the shift rod broke. I adjusted the drive lever and put in a shift linkage.

During the process, I took the bottom cover off to check/adjust/lube. There was a solid block of ice in the bottom 2" thick from the belt cover being off and snow getting in. I found 2 sockets in there too.

In the end, a lot of this is on the owner, treating a $1400 machine like that. My impression of a few things on the machine, though were not good.

I don't like the little cables. The deflector cable I understand. The rest I don't like.

The chute rotation lock mechanism seems overly complicated and could become iced or mis-adjusted easily.

The drive and auger handles are thin sheetmetal and I bent one when it caught my coat as I was walking by.

The shift lever has a joint in the middle so it can be folded with the handle bars. That's where it broke and it's unnecessary.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Where are the before and after photos


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

so after all your effort do you have a happy customer


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## HillnGullyRider (Feb 9, 2014)

I have this model and there are many know issues, Ariens provides repair kits for most of them.

First it's no use buying belts, you'll roach the single belt in short order. Just upgrade to the double pulley kit and it comes with new belts and double pulleys for about $45.
Second there is a drive belt correction kit that comes with a spring and arm.
Third there is a chute corrector kit that comes complete with new cables and the later style bevel gear.
Fourth, you need to install the engine baffle kit to keep water from dripping down behind the belt cover. 
Fifth there is a trigger corrector kit, the cable gets stretched easily.
Sixth, there is an auger baffle kit that keeps it from ejecting snow out the left side auger, results are mixed.
There is also a hex shaft anti rotation kit if it didn't already come with one.

The cracked dash is a very common problem on these, and probably one of the reasons why they switched to the new dash that shines the headlight in your eyes.
They also switched the deflector cable routing so it faces downward at the deflector connection and doesn't fill with water.

There is also a AT differential kit, and a top-load iron gearbox kit available as well as other accessories to make it more of a real pro style machine.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Wow, HillnGullyRider, so I wish I had posted here BEFORE the repairs!! I searched around about the model and looked at factory service manuals and none of those popped up at all, anywhere!!!

The double pulley kit might be nice.
The drive belt wasn't a problem, just old.
The chute would be fine if they didn't beat it because of the lock.
The baffle might be nice but I told them to keep it inside from now on. 

What's a hex shaft anti rotation kit?
I can't see a reason the dash should break. Once it was in good shape, there was no stress on it at all.
It could use a diff kit as the "left wheel disconnector" kind of sucks.
It has the aluminum gearbox which I hate.


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## greatwhitebuffalo (Feb 11, 2014)

although all the new machines have them now, cables are a mistake on a snowblower from a design standpoint. eventually they sit outside and seize.

the other issues are a matter of personal preference, and abuse, in the case of that machine.


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## HillnGullyRider (Feb 9, 2014)

greatwhitebuffalo said:


> although all the new machines have them now, cables are a mistake on a snowblower from a design standpoint. eventually they sit outside and seize.
> 
> .


There is a Craftsman model that uses vending machine motors enclosed in a plastic case up under the dash. The control is an industrial 4-way electrical thumb joystick switch that can be operated without removing your hand from the bar. (it does use a motor driven double cable for the deflector which is the weak point, but some type of servo or actuator could be switched in to eliminate that cable)


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## HillnGullyRider (Feb 9, 2014)

nt40lanman said:


> Wow, HillnGullyRider, so I wish I had posted here BEFORE the repairs!! I searched around about the model and looked at factory service manuals and none of those popped up at all, anywhere!!!
> 
> 
> The drive belt wasn't a problem, just old.
> ...


I found most of those by searching through every part # that began with "526" It also helps to search keyword "Kit". There is also a little known accessories and attachments catalog where they picture a lot of this stuff. You can even buy an auto-turn cutaway display kit.

I think the DBK comes with an upgraded spring and an arm that stops it from popping off (which is another common problem)

The HSK is a little piece of rectangle metal that bolts to the outside of the frame and forks the hex shaft.

The AT kit comes with axles, a new hex shaft and pinion, all pins and keys, and of course the AT differential.

The cast gearbox is around $225 and comes complete minus auger rakes and impellers. You can switch to the latest 3 blade style impeller for another $50.



nt40lanman said:


> The baffle might be nice but I told them to keep it inside from now on.


It's not simply an inside/outside storage problem. All snow that gets near the engine area while running turns to liquid water then sets on the frame. From there it finds it's way right on to the friction disk and drive belt if there is no baffle/dam installed.


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

HillnGullyRider said:


> I have this model and there are many know issues, Ariens provides repair kits for most of them.
> 
> First it's no use buying belts, you'll roach the single belt in short order. Just upgrade to the double pulley kit and it comes with new belts and double pulleys for about $45.
> Second there is a drive belt correction kit that comes with a spring and arm.
> ...



Wow,
Either they didn't have all those problems with the 924s or I just don't know about it? My machine is a 1999 924108. How would I find out about such things?


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## HillnGullyRider (Feb 9, 2014)

Every series has it's own set of problems, the problems outlined above are reserved for the early models of the 926000 series (2005-2008 or so). Ariens identified and worked out most of these problems for later models.


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