Troubleshooting Auger or Drive Loss on a Two-Stage and Three-Stage Snow Throwers

The instructions below will guide you through troubleshooting your snow blower if the auger or wheel drive stops functioning. Please refer to your operator’s manual for more detailed instructions on servicing the drive systems.  

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Step 1 - Prepare your snow blower for maintenance. 

Place your snow blower on a flat surface.  Turn the engine off and let it cool. Disconnect the spark plug ignition wire and remove the safety ignition key to prevent accidental starting of the engine. 

Step 2 – Inspect and perform the cable adjustments. 

Cables do stretch over time. Performing the cable adjustments as outlined in your operator’s manual will tighten any slack in the cables. 

Step 3 – Inspect the auger and wheel drive belts.  

The belts can be found under the belt cover in front of the engine. Check the belts for signs of wear, including cracking and glazing. If the belts are showing signs of wear you should replace them. 

Step 4 - Check the auger shear pins. 

The auger sections are equipped shear pins to help prevent damage to other components should an impact occur. Fractured shear pins can cause loss of operation to one or multiple sections of the auger.  

Step 5 - Inspect the friction wheel rubber. 

If there is loss of drive to the wheels, it is possible the friction wheel rubber has worn down beyond its functional life. The friction wheel rubber is considered a normal service wear item and should be replaced when the thickness of the exposed rubber wears to approximately 1/8 inch.