Snow blower wont propel

[NEDLAX]

I have a craftsman snowblower 12 horse 33 inch cut, like ten years old it works great but wont propel itself all the time. Ive tightened up the spring that engages the clutch to the friction wheel. friction wheel looks fine. The belt looks fine as well. There was some grease on the clutch plate that ive wiped off. Every time I tinker with it, it will work for like 5 maybe 10 mins then stop propeling the unit. If i lift the wheels off the ground they spin but when i put i down nothing. Anyone else have similar issue???

 

[TROY COOK]

I am a member of this forum and being a Yamaha snow-blower owner and LOVE IT I'm a member of the Yamaha Snowblower forum check it out you may find your answer.[googlevideo]http://old.nabble.com/Yamaha-Snowblower-Fan-Club-f16437.html[/googlevideo]

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Does it work in either forward or reverse? Mine had a little rubber wheel that moved up and down a plate for speed control. Yours may just be worn.

Matt

 

[Deere10]

Yes a worn rubber drive wheel inside will cause this. Some machines there is an adjustment to bring wheel closer to disc.May want to look at the belt also.

 

[Jimbob]

Stand the blower on it's front, remove the bottom cover and make sure the bolt that secures the lower chain sprocket is in place. Bolt should be a 1/4 x 2, I think.

 

[DAKSY]

Take a look at the drive axle to see if you've sheared the pin for the engagement wheel (clutch plate?)...
I had the same problem with my Sears machine a coupla years ago...
Some times it'd work, other times not. The pin had sheared, but not fallen completely out.
Sometimes the remnant would line up with the hole in the drive pulley & it'd go fine...

 

['bert]

Rubber Drive wheel is worn out would be my guess. Normally they do not last more the 3 - 4 years. YMMV

 

[SPED]

I have a craftsman snowblower 12 horse 33 inch cut, like ten years old it works great but wont propel itself all the time. Ive tightened up the spring that engages the clutch to the friction wheel. friction wheel looks fine. The belt looks fine as well. There was some grease on the clutch plate that ive wiped off. Every time I tinker with it, it will work for like 5 maybe 10 mins then stop propeling the unit. If i lift the wheels off the ground they spin but when i put i down nothing. Anyone else have similar issue???

I had the same problem on my mid 70s one and as others have said, there is an adjustment(at least on mine) for the distance from the rubber wheel to the metal plate. I think mine actually says something like use a certain number of the pages of the manual to adjust, I can look it up if it helps. Also, I had the same prob as daksy once with a pin that busted but would kind of hold until i hit some real snow then it wouldn't move. Symptoms were slightly different when that happened tho.

Take a look at the chains if you do open it up, I replaced mine b/c they were stretched, got 10 foot of chain for like 10 bucks at tractor supply and picked up some master links, much much cheaper than what sears wanted.