Ariens Snowblower Steering

Toyman · 02-02-2008, 03:34 PM

I bought a new ST624E (6 HP) 4-stage Ariens, just in time for an 8-10 inch snow. It started easily and did a good job, except for being hard to turn. One of the wheels is (drive) locked and the other is not. That makes it tend to pull to the side while trying to track a straight line. Also the drive wheel slipped a lot.

I'm out of snow to experiment on, so was wondering if someone has a tip to help me work smarter - not harder - before the next snowflake falls.

If I lock both wheels to drive, I suspect the machine will track straighter & slip less, but will it be a lot harder to turn 180 degrees to reverse the track? That is, will I need to manhandle the thing to turn it.

My driveway is short at about 50 feet, but by the time I finished it, and a neighbor's, I was sweating bullets. I have a better understanding now of why my brother-in-law died of a heart attack while trying to remove 31" of snow with a similarly sized machine. I'm sure the job would have been easier with a shovel.

Any thoughts, or should I plan on hitting the gym to build some muscle?

NateHanson · 02-03-2008, 03:00 PM

You need to lock the axle for snowblowing. Otherwise it pulls one way, and the single wheel slips (just like you said). It'll be easy to turn because you'll be on a snowy surface. The only time you need to unlock the axle is if you're trying to wheel it around in a garage or on a non-snowy surface. I had a 8hp ariens and it was a great machine. No problem steering it around with the axle locked.

Toyman · 02-05-2008, 02:36 PM

Thanks, I'll lock the other wheel. I'm looking at (forecast) 2-4 inches of the stuff tomorrow morning, so the tip is timely.

NateHanson · 02-05-2008, 03:42 PM

Personally, with that amount I usually found it easier to shovel than use the big snowblower. I found a big snowblower like that indespensible when we got 6 inches or more (had a couple 30 inch snowfalls before we moved!)

With light snowfalls it takes too much effort to motor around behind that beast.

Toyman · 02-08-2008, 08:28 AM

We got about 3 inches of the wet, heavy stuff, & I shoveled (pushed) it off the drive. The worst part was the snow plow came by in the middle of the night. By the next morning the drive entrance was a 4-inch pack of ragged ice. Left the blower in the garage and chopped it out.

02-02-2008, 03:34 PM	#1
Toyman Toyman Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 4	Ariens Snowblower Steering I bought a new ST624E (6 HP) 4-stage Ariens, just in time for an 8-10 inch snow. It started easily and did a good job, except for being hard to turn. One of the wheels is (drive) locked and the other is not. That makes it tend to pull to the side while trying to track a straight line. Also the drive wheel slipped a lot. I'm out of snow to experiment on, so was wondering if someone has a tip to help me work smarter - not harder - before the next snowflake falls. If I lock both wheels to drive, I suspect the machine will track straighter & slip less, but will it be a lot harder to turn 180 degrees to reverse the track? That is, will I need to manhandle the thing to turn it. My driveway is short at about 50 feet, but by the time I finished it, and a neighbor's, I was sweating bullets. I have a better understanding now of why my brother-in-law died of a heart attack while trying to remove 31" of snow with a similarly sized machine. I'm sure the job would have been easier with a shovel. Any thoughts, or should I plan on hitting the gym to build some muscle?

02-03-2008, 03:00 PM	#2
NateHanson Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Downeast Maine Posts: 999	Ariens Snowblower Steering You need to lock the axle for snowblowing. Otherwise it pulls one way, and the single wheel slips (just like you said). It'll be easy to turn because you'll be on a snowy surface. The only time you need to unlock the axle is if you're trying to wheel it around in a garage or on a non-snowy surface. I had a 8hp ariens and it was a great machine. No problem steering it around with the axle locked.

02-05-2008, 02:36 PM	#3
Toyman Toyman Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 4	Ariens Snowblower Steering Thanks, I'll lock the other wheel. I'm looking at (forecast) 2-4 inches of the stuff tomorrow morning, so the tip is timely.

02-05-2008, 03:42 PM	#4
NateHanson Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Downeast Maine Posts: 999	Ariens Snowblower Steering Personally, with that amount I usually found it easier to shovel than use the big snowblower. I found a big snowblower like that indespensible when we got 6 inches or more (had a couple 30 inch snowfalls before we moved!) With light snowfalls it takes too much effort to motor around behind that beast.

02-08-2008, 08:28 AM	#5
Toyman Toyman Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 4	Ariens Snowblower Steering We got about 3 inches of the wet, heavy stuff, & I shoveled (pushed) it off the drive. The worst part was the snow plow came by in the middle of the night. By the next morning the drive entrance was a 4-inch pack of ragged ice. Left the blower in the garage and chopped it out.

Ariens Snowblower Steering