Are you all dug out?

[ClosetExtrovert]

More snow here tomorrow - ending Friday night. It's prolly coming your way...

[Lucy Goose]

I was but now it's snowing again all afternoon and it's not even Friday yet????

[Rusty]

Speaking of digging out!

I'll bet that Bruce Campbell, one of the captains of the M/S Mount Washington, can't wait until summer gets here!

The below photo was front page news in today's LDS: (http://www.laconiadailysun.com/LaconiaPDF/2011/1/19L.pdf)

http://localhostr.com/file/K5JqBkU/MS%20Captain.JPG

[RLW]

And more of THIS (http://www.wolfeborobayrealestate.com/camera0.jpg) is coming.

[robmac]

Snowing in Nashua right now,and more coming thank the lord for machines to rid the driveway of it.

[Lakesrider]

I am just glad I took the snow off my roof when I did. The stuff this morning was like shoveling wet cement. And now I think that stuff is going to freeze rock hard. Won't make it any easier to shovel or snow blow when this next storm comes in on Friday. Yikes.
So I can understand what the Capt'n was saying about weight.

[fatlazyless]

Having a performance issue with my new $240 used "like almost new" Craftsman 8hp/26" snowblower. The v-belt for the auger slipped off its' big pulley wheel down under the engine so it do throw snow. The power to tires for forward/backward works good but the auger does not spin. This latest storm was some heavy wet snow....huh....and the v-belt done slipped off!

What's it take to put the v-belt back onto the pulley wheel so it will throw snow, and don't tell me to take it to Richter's small engine repair in M-boro? Will be fixing this myself! Isn't there a super el cheapo small engine repair in Laconia somewhere close to Main St like at Morgan Memorial?

[Rusty]

Having a performance issue with my new $240 used "like almost new" Craftsman 8hp/26" snowblower. The v-belt for the auger slipped off its' big pulley wheel down under the engine so it do throw snow. The power to tires for forward/backward works good but the auger does not spin. This latest storm was some heavy wet snow....huh....and the v-belt done slipped off!

What's it take to put the v-belt back onto the pulley wheel so it will throw snow, and don't tell me to take it to Richter's small engine repair in M-boro? Will be fixing this myself! Isn't there a super el cheapo small engine repair in Laconia somewhere close to Main St like at Morgan Memorial?

What’s the matter FLL , the combination Sig Sauer .45 w/ a mega handle clip of 32 bullets on one end and a heavy duty corn broom on the other end won’t work for you this time? I had to say that! :laugh:

Have you taken the covers off that expose the pulleys? If you have you should see a guide bar/s and an idler pulley for the belt. It should be as easy as moving the idler pulley (the pulley with the spring tensioner attatched to it)and then slipping the belt back on. You might have to move the guide bar/s back a little to get the belt back on.
You need to take enough covers off to expose the complete drive assembly.

Replacing an auger belt is more difficult that just putting one back on.

[Jeanzb1]

...but the weather couldn't be nicer down here on North Hutchinson Island, Florida. High 70s and bright sunshine. It got almost HOT down at the pool this afternoon. Ditto tomorrow. At 9:00 p.m. our sliders are now wide open and the full moon is glorious as it shimmers over the ocean. Right now I have a LAKE WINNI T-shirt on. But as much as we do love it down here in the winter, we really do miss the lake. :coolsm:

[Argie's Wife]

:rolleye2::eek2:


...remind me to double skunk you in cribbage when you return to NH... :devil:

[VitaBene]

and don't tell me to take it to Richter's small engine repair in M-boro? Will be fixing this myself!

Looks like you will be shoveling for the rest of the season!

[robmac]

It's not too bad to put one on but then again I have a heated garage and an AYV lift.

[upthesaukee]

Here's a website. maybe you want to replace your almost new v belt while you have the cover off, so that you have an unused belt on your almost like new snowblower. Just a thought.:rolleye1:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6037624_adjust-belts-craftsman-snowblower.html

Back to "Are you dug out yet?"

[RLW]

Upthesaukee, this is a great find. (http://www.ehow.com/how_6037624_adjust-belts-craftsman-snowblower.html) Thanks, as it may come in handy for many people during the winter months. http://i39.tinypic.com/o9n9f8.gif

[fatlazyless]

Learned something about v-belts for sno-thros yesterday......get one sold by the oem....and not one that looks exactly like the original. Instead of going to Sears, I got an exact look-a-like from Napa and guess what....the auger always spins .. :laugh: .. regardless whether the hand control is depressed or not. The whole exercise only took about three hours between finding a belt and working on the machine....and was able to clear away the snow before the "dead of winter" big freeze rolls in here, today or tonight or sometime soon.

In v-belts just maybe 1/4 inch in length makes a big difference, apparently, or something like that.....good grief! Plus now I get do redo the belt with the correct one from Sears as soon as the temp gets back up to about 30-degrees! What the heck.....that's life in the slow lane!

[Rusty]

Learned something about v-belts for sno-thros yesterday......get one sold by the oem....and not one that looks exactly like the original. Instead of going to Sears, I got an exact look-a-like from Napa and guess what....the auger always spins .. :laugh: .. regardless whether the hand control is depressed or not. The whole exercise only took about three hours between finding a belt and working on the machine....and was able to clear away the snow before the "dead of winter" big freeze rolls in here, today or tonight or sometime soon.

In v-belts just maybe 1/4 inch in length makes a big difference, apparently, or something like that.....good grief! Plus now I get do redo the belt with the correct one from Sears as soon as the temp gets back up to about 30-degrees! What the heck.....that's life in the slow lane!

In your first post you said that the auger belt slipped off, now you say that you replaced the belt?????

Am I understanding you right that the auger turns all the time instead of when you squeeze the hand control?

If it does, do not run this machine FLL. It is very dangerous if you can’t stop the auger by releasing the hand control. Get it fixed right or don’t run it at all!

[fatlazyless]

That's right, the auger now always spins regardless whether the hand grip is pressed or not. Despite that problem, the machine did a real good job of clearing away all the plowed-in, wet & heavy driveway snow and everywhere else. Some extra caution is definitely needed since the auger is always engaged or you could be breaking a window with a piece of gravel or ice. This 'always spin' problem didn't happen with the old worn out belt, so most likely just going to Sears and getting the correct belt will correct it.

Pulling the hand puller starter rope starts it right up even though the auger is engaged during start-up.

All the wet heavy snow will probably soon be frozen like concrete if not removed like today, so's the sno-thro did what needed to be did. Will replace belt during next warm spell.

Hey.....anyone know.....does the Lakes Region Community College in Laconia offer a certificate course in Snowblower Technology for just $1600 with 4 credits.......SIGN ME UP!:D

[LakeSnake]

FLL - sounds like the tensioner for the auger may need to be adjusted. There is usually an adjustment on either the cable or linkage between the auger control handle and the base of the machine where there is a level that engages/disengages the auger. This adjustment is to control the tension on the belt as it wears out - thus it may have been adjuster tighter as the old belt wore out and now needs to be looser with the new unworn belt.

May be worth a try before going through the expense/hassles of relplacing the belt again.

Hope this helps!

[SIKSUKR]

I'd be willing to bet he bought a smaller belt and the tensioner might not have enough adjustment.It doesn;t matter where you get your belt from as long as its the same length and style v:D

[fatlazyless]

Sears Plymouth didn't have the belt. One guy at Rand's Hdwe-Plymouth said Sears makes their machines with odd sized belts on purpose. The correct size is probably a 3/8" x 30 1/2" non-stretch green belt, and only Billy the small engine guy at Rand's who is off till Sunday knows what's what in the small engine dept. So will have to check back on Sunday or Monday. Right now, what's not working correct is a 30" belt which is too tight, plus it's just too cold to be snowing for the next few days.

Rand's-Plymouth has a very big selection of v-belts plus a separate small engine repair dept all loaded up with machines getting repaired. Sears-Plymouth had almost zero belts in stock.

[ClosetExtrovert]

You prolly want to get that thing fixed before Wednesday...a nasty one heading our way.

[dpg]

Did you call your friends at Wal Mart? :emb:

[fatlazyless]

Shoot, that 13-dollar 1/2 x 30" belt done got all burnt up yesterday, but at least it lasted long enough to do the driveway, walkways, and decks. It was too tight so the auger was always engaged, which is not a good thing or very safe, and when the small internal auger was frozen stuck with old ice, the rubber v-belt got so hot that black smoke started pouring out.....big time. Fortunately, it did not catch on fire what with about a quart of gasoline just inches away in the small gas tank, and the belt cooled off after 30-minutes, and was still usable, until it broke apart.

Today, I've got a 7-dollar 1/2 x 31" new belt, and I got my fingers crossed that this one fits correct. Keeping a fire extinguisher nearby is now part of the plan!

[Rusty]

Shoot, that 13-dollar 1/2 x 30" belt done got all burnt up yesterday, but at least it lasted long enough to do the driveway, walkways, and decks. It was too tight so the auger was always engaged, which is not a good thing or very safe, and when the small internal auger was frozen stuck with old ice, the rubber v-belt got so hot that black smoke started pouring out.....big time. Fortunately, it did not catch on fire what with about a quart of gasoline just inches away in the small gas tank, and the belt cooled off after 30-minutes, and was still usable, until it broke apart.

Today, I've got a 7-dollar 1/2 x 31" new belt, and I got my fingers crossed that this one fits correct. Keeping a fire extinguisher nearby is now part of the plan!


What is a “small internal auger”? Two stage snow blowers have an auger and paddle. The auger chops up the snow and moves it in the paddle which blows the snow out the chute. The auger and paddle are engaged when you squeeze the lever on the handle. The paddle rotates at a higher speed than the auger which is geared down by a transmission that is attached to the auger.

The auger belt should be loose until the idler pulley presses against the belt.

Why don’t you go to Sears and give them the model number of your snow blower and they will tell you which belt that you will need for it. You can also go online and to get the right one.