snowblower season is in full swing here a few tips for u DIYs

[briggs]

That's back when racing took more skill.

I miss the days of using full frame cars now you have to run a jig car to keep up.
There are not many tracks around that run bone stock anymore.

yea me to it was cheaper thats for sure ..Last one i built was my pro street vega the frame cost more then the dam car lol 4g with out diff

 

[SRJMow]

My Troy Built 8 1/2 HP snow blower is about 8 to 12 years old. It has had very light use and more often than not, never left the garage during the snow season. If I had to guess, I would say that there is about 20 to 30 hours on it. The thing still looks brand new. I just ordered new belts for it in case it goes down during a snow storm I will have them readily available. I also have plenty of shear pins on hand. (got a door mat and a newspaper so far)
My question is: do you think I should change the belts now as the age might have dry rotted them, or just hang on to them I need them?

I purchased a John Deere tractor in 2007 and the next year got a set of belts for it. They are still hanging on a nail awaiting use.

I had a similar question about my snow blower. It's only 3-4 years old, but gets more use on average than your blower. Probably already has the same hours as yours or slightly more. The auger cable adjustment screw tends to loosen up fairly easily over time and I had to adjust it according to the owners manual specs in order to engage the auger properly. At the same time I decided to check on the belts just to make sure they did not get worn from the slippage. They appeared in great shape and everything was lined up properly, so I will not be changing them. But like you, I also wondered if there was a point at which it would be best to change them due to age, if not usage.
I think after ten years I may replace them even if they look good, but perhaps that is not necessary? The manual says to replace if worn or if cracks are showing.

Hopefully one of the more expert commentators will chime in as I am a real newbie in regards to snow blowers, and this thread is about maintenance tips.

 

[Jhon]

I had a similar question about my snow blower. It's only 3-4 years old, but gets more use on average than your blower. Probably already has the same hours as yours or slightly more. The auger cable adjustment screw tends to loosen up fairly easily over time and I had to adjust it according to the owners manual specs in order to engage the auger properly. At the same time I decided to check on the belts just to make sure they did not get worn from the slippage. They appeared in great shape and everything was lined up properly, so I will not be changing them. But like you, I also wondered if there was a point at which it would be best to change them due to age, if not usage.
I think after ten years I may replace them even if they look good, but perhaps that is not necessary? The manual says to replace if worn or if cracks are showing.

Hopefully one of the more expert commentators will chime in as I am a real newbie in regards to snow blowers, and this thread is about maintenance tips.

Well, I ordered the two belts last week just in case. Believe it or not, the cheapest price on got (For OEM) was directly from MDT. Now I will have them in case they go bad. Although it will be a pain to replace them in the middle of a storm, at least I will have the parts on hand.
I only have this winter and two more before I am off to the sunshine state. Hopefully when I sell the blower, I will be throwing in two new belts.
But, if I get the chance. I will take off the cover and give them a visual inspection. I just don't have the energy I had in my youth.
Oh, and in Jersey today, it almost hit 70. Pretty much the same for tomorrow. I hope to get the last of the leaves.

 

[SRJMow]

Well, I ordered the two belts last week just in case. Believe it or not, the cheapest price on got (For OEM) was directly from MDT. Now I will have them in case they go bad. Although it will be a pain to replace them in the middle of a storm, at least I will have the parts on hand.
I only have this winter and two more before I am off to the sunshine state. Hopefully when I sell the blower, I will be throwing in two new belts.
But, if I get the chance. I will take off the cover and give them a visual inspection. I just don't have the energy I had in my youth.
Oh, and in Jersey today, it almost hit 70. Pretty much the same for tomorrow. I hope to get the last of the leaves.

I did a little more research and found out that the auger belt is the most likely belt to break. Although if you keep it properly adjusted it can last a long time. So you may be good for the next several winters given the low amount of usage that you have on your blower. The drive belt undergoes less strain and can sometimes last the life of the blower if properly maintained. Given this information (I am assuming its correct) I will probably order a backup auger belt and not bother ordering a drive belt unless it starts to show signs of wear. Many auger belts have Kevlar on the outside and from what I gather the inside portion of the belt is most likely to wear out first. So when you inspect the belt pay particular attention to that part of the belt. I also heard it is very important to get the OEM belt that came with the machine or else the belt could wear out fairly quickly. Looks like that is what you did.

It warmed up quite a bit here in Connecticut, but nowhere near 70. A couple more warm days, and then the cold comes back. Supposedly January may start out quite cold, and could be favorable for east coast storms due to a potential blocking pattern setting up. So I am making sure that my machine will be up to the task, if needed. I enjoy all four seasons, so I will be staying in the Northeast. But I wish you the best when you head down to Florida in a few years. My brother spends half the year down there, and he loves it.

 

[Jhon]

I did a little more research and found out that the auger belt is the most likely belt to break. Although if you keep it properly adjusted it can last a long time. So you may be good for the next several winters given the low amount of usage that you have on your blower. The drive belt undergoes less strain and can sometimes last the life of the blower if properly maintained. Given this information (I am assuming its correct) I will probably order a backup auger belt and not bother ordering a drive belt unless it starts to show signs of wear. Many auger belts have Kevlar on the outside and from what I gather the inside portion of the belt is most likely to wear out first. So when you inspect the belt pay particular attention to that part of the belt. I also heard it is very important to get the OEM belt that came with the machine or else the belt could wear out fairly quickly. Looks like that is what you did.

It warmed up quite a bit here in Connecticut, but nowhere near 70. A couple more warm days, and then the cold comes back. Supposedly January may start out quite cold, and could be favorable for east coast storms due to a potential blocking pattern setting up. So I am making sure that my machine will be up to the task, if needed. I enjoy all four seasons, so I will be staying in the Northeast. But I wish you the best when you head down to Florida in a few years. My brother spends half the year down there, and he loves it.

Yes, I bought OEM. I am usually a cheapskate and get knockoffs, but for certain things I buy the OEM.

I did not notice you were from CT, I was born and raised in Stratford.

 

[OUTDOOR CONCEPTS]

Carburetor issues are our biggest problem. We find if you add a bit of fuel additive to whatever is left at the end of the season helps a ton! Also please don't leave your float bowl full of fuel for 8 months out of the year. Nothing good happens when gas and gaskets hang out together for that long.

Tons of good advice here, you guys are a great source!:thumbsup:

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

My question is: do you think I should change the belts now as the age might have dry rotted them, or just hang on to them I need them?

If you're asking that question then it's likely a good time to do them. Belts are always a good thing to do in the off season before you need them. It's too late when it brakes in the middle of your driveway with 18" on the ground and more in the forecast. If you're lucky you have a heated garage, I'm not lucky so I try to do all the maintenance I can in summer. It's also better to not need it right away in case you go in there and find something else needing attention.

Another good maint tip is pull your wheels yearly and apply a little grease to the shaft before you reinstall them. Same with greasing or oiling the augers. Pull the shear pins and get some lube in there and make sure the auger is still "free" on the shaft. You don't want to find out in a few years you have a flat and now you can't get the wheel off the axle. Or you just broke the augers gear box because the auger was rusted tight to the shaft and couldn't break a shear pin if it wanted to. I just ended up having to pull a transmission apart to get the axle out to get it on a press to get a wheel off :thumbdown: