Loose auger belt

Poulan_Noob

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Hi, I desperately need help! ... I have a Poulan Pro (making me the Poulan Noob) snowblower that is about 5 years old and very rarely used due to spending one season in the shop and the other years having very mild winters.
Since the blower was new, the auger always slipped a little ... I decided to open it up and change the belt even though the old belt looked fine, as did everything else, the tensioner pulley looks new and the bearing in it has no play at all.. The new belt was just almost as loose as the old one ... I have tightened the adjustment rod to the end, but it won't bind the belt properly unless I give the auger control rod an extra little nudge with my foot ... there is nothing disrupting the movement of the tensioner arm and it looks as though it moves exactly as it should.
Poulan calls for a 5L 380 belt (5/8" X 38") .. I tried another belt I had on hand, a 1/2" X 36" and while tighter, I was still able easily slide the belt by hand without it catching the pulley.

Has anyone got a clue what the problem could be? Help would be so very appreciated as my sledgehammer is starting to give me nasty ideas ..
 

reynoldston

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very first thing are you using a OEM belt? There is a big different in V belts and more then just length. It just sounds to me like you have a belt problem or wrong pulleys??
 

Poulan_Noob

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I've only, tried an aftermarket belt as the OEM is back-order, but the original belt looks almost new as well and it doesn't do any better.... I just went to re-re-re check everything and everything is solid, sound and looks pretty new (slightest bit of surface rust on big main auger pulley, as expected with any piece of metal)
 

reynoldston

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You are saying it was slipping from day one when it was new. If the belt fits the pulley right, no oil or grease on the belts, and you have proper tension I have to say I have never ran into that problem. Maybe try some belt dressing? I just repaired a Ariens snow Blower with a bad auger bearing, check that. Just maybe someone else has a lot better idea then I do?
 

Poulan_Noob

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Ok .. got it figured out ... The damn damn control shaft .... I was lucky to find a neighbor that had a newer machine, pretty much the same model, put his control shaft in my machine just for kicks and it worked! ... Lined them up side by side and whoever welded the lever on my control shaft got the angle slightly off! ... I knocked it apart and re-welded it and working like it should have in the first place!! ...and I don't feel like such a noob anymore! Snowblowers are generally pretty easy to work on!

Thanks for your help and time!
 
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