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PowerSmart 24" Snowblower Had Its First Breakdown!
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- Опубликовано: 3 июн 2018
- Originally recorded April 28, 2018.
The absolutely FLAWLESS PowerSmart Snowblower had a problem in the last storm of winter 2018. The problem was very simple, but diagnosis, and access to the innards was the hard part.
The problem was the auger belt was thrown off the pulley. Not from hitting an object, it just happened. Inspection revealed that yes, the belt was thrown off the pulley. Getting it back on was tricky to say the least, but much easier once you know how. The problem was it would continue to throw the belt when the auger handle was released.
I believe the belt has either worn some or has stretched. Tightening the cable was the fix, and in every test I've done on it since the repair, it's been working fine once again. Probably isn't a bad idea to pick up a replacement belt for your snowblower to have on hand, as they are indispensable tools!
Special thanks to RUclipsr The Epic Savage for a link to replacement KEVLAR belt:
D&D PowerDrive ORB-H-1075 Kevlar MTD 754-0101A, 954-0101A Replacement Snowblower Belt, 1/2" x 35", 4LK Section, Rubber
www.amazon.com/dp/B01EA0NV10
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My second stage stopped working this morning. May be the belt so thanks for sharing.
No problem.
It's clear to see the idler pulley that tightens the impeller belt is crooked and that's going to sear out that belt or make it run crooked.
It's also nothing I'm going to fix. Belts are cheap, this one has been running for SEVEN years now, I think that's fair for any snowblower.
tip the machine up onto its auger housing for this procedure.
Thanks, I could have used your help 5 years ago when I made this video.
Glad I found this video. Picked mine up like new for $60. It had a couple issues - scraper blade was shot, skids needed to be replaced, 1 shear pin was missing. Fixed all those things but it would barely throw snow. Today it wouldnt even spin the auger. The belt was extremely loose but still on the pulleys. I tried the top adjustment at first and remembered your video. Moved it up 2 holes in the plate and its working like a dream! May be a cheap off brand snowblower but after years of messing around and working on 20-30 year old snowblowers I just wanted something that ran and would handle the heavier stuff our little toro single stage couldnt. So far I'm happy with the Powersmart, it just runs and does the job! Thanks for the video!!
Sure, no problem. Glad you got yours all fixed up. I don't know if the belt stretches or becomes that worn, but for now, adjusting that tension solves the problem. Mine is still running strong. Haven't needed it this 2022-2023 snow season, there hasn't been more than an inch and that's very rare in New York.
I also have a newer PowerSmart, like this year's model, I did a video showing the differences between them, in case you were interested in watching.
The belt change is way easier than you think and you don't take bottom cover off, you partially separate the auger assy from the main body. You have to call powersmart to get a belt, slow process but you will get. The belt on these always goes first and not fast to get replacement. I would order one just to have on hand. Probably this one Item# PSM-302040079
PowerSmart Part number 302040079
Auger Belt (Gates Truflex 4LXA720)
Thanks for the info.
Good video jaykay! I have the same machine and this year is the 3rd year I've had the machine. I had a similar problem with the auger belt and tension; Wasn't throwing the belt off the pulleys. Just needed adjustment to the auger cable. There is no adjustment left if it happens again, so Thanks for the link on the replacement belt. I'll be ordering it soon. I'm also planning to add rubber paddles on the impeller to improve the discharge of snow. Plenty of videos for doing it easily and inexpensive.
Thanks Bob!
I had the same exact problem after 3 years. Thanks for the video.
No problem John!
A lot of time on Powersmart snowblowers folks forget to make sure when replacing the auger belt is to when looping it onto the drive auger pulley, they need to push inward the auger tension pulley, because this will then open up the “auger brake” so that you can then properly have the auger belt seated between the auger brake and the super drive pulley. The “auger brake” is hard to see, use a flashlight just to see what I am talking about. It is right near the bottom of the auger drive pulley, watch it move and open up when you push inward the auger drive pulley, look downward towards the bottom of the drive pulley. So if you don’t have the belt between the auger brake and drive pulley, that is if you install the belt looped on top of the auger brake. It will run for a short while, and then it will either slip off, burn off/stretch and break. So always make sure you do this step when replacing auger belt or you will end up replacing the belts prematurely often. Hope that helps.
Typo “super” should be “auger” in the text.
Thanks. Made that mistake at first, but I kept the switch and fuel off and had somebody pull the rope a few times so I could see it run not under power, and I quickly saw my mistake and fixed it. Didn't hurt the belt at all since it didn't run that way.
Tip it on the auger chute. 🤷♂️
The best accessibility comes from removing the auger assembly.
I have same problem what should I do
Watch the video?
My belt got worn down and needed to be replaced. I replaced it and got two extra belts for future use. Works great!
Good to hear.
Thank you for the review!
You're welcome.
To get the auger belt off, you take all the tension off the idler by loosening the cable. Take the belt off the top pulley and feed it through the bottom. Install in reverse order. There are videos on RUclips step by step on how to do it.
Maybe now there are, but at the time there was ONE video which wasn't terribly clear to begin with.
@@jaykay18 Yours is an MTD style snow blower. MTD bought out most now a days. Power Smart is one one them. So look for any MTD style 22 inch snow blower video. There are some variations in the type of cable is used, but the idea is the same. If you had a two pulley system for the auger then you have to disconnect the auger.
Thanks for the info.
Glad I came across this. Mine quit working after about 10 solid hours of use today. It’s pretty frozen up right now, but once it warms up I’ll be digging in to it!
If you can do it somewhere, er, not frozen, it'll make the job a lot easier.
I have a brand new one. The belt won't stay on even after tightening the linkage. The pulleys aren't lined up. I bought it from home depot online. I'm returning it to the store. They originally sent it with the wrong snow chute so that involved a lot of emails and photos to get the right one. Lots of wasted time . I'm going to spend a little more and get a husqvarna.
You'll spend a lot more and get a Husqvarna.
@@jaykay18 as of right now the compatible husqvarna model is 50.00 more at Sears. The pulleys in your video appear to be metal. On the same model now the pulleys that push in with the auger handle are plastic. I'm going with a shovel this year because homedepot would only issue an in store credit.
Thanks for the video. It was very informative 👍
@@johnwilkinson67 That must be one of the last few Sears stores, they've closed all of the ones here.
I've found that a lot of times, the shovel indeed is your best tool. Sometimes we get minor snowfall, maybe only an inch or two, and it's not worth getting the big machine out to clear the snow, the shovel works fine.
Many times when a new auger belt is put on a powersmart snowblower, what happens is the belt is improperly installed, resulting in the belt slipping off or tearing up shortly thereafter installation and use. Powersmart snowblower has an auger brake mechanism situated sort of at the bottom of that big auger pulley wheel that you are trying to loop the belt onto. The new auger belt needs to sit between auger brake and the big auger pulley wheel. Thus the reason why it is said in the manual that you need to push in that small tension pulley, so that the auger brake opens up and you can wiggle the auger belt between there. If you forget this step, then the auger belt is resting "on top" of the auger brake mechanism. It will work temporarily like this, but will eventually either slip off or rub to the point that the new belt burns/tears off prematurely. I'm assuming that is probably what happened based upon what you experienced.
Hello Jaykay18,
My 2018 Powersmart stopped throwing but a few feet during the snowstorm in the New York/New Jersey area January 31/February 1, 2021. The auger and the impeller were moving slowly in fits and starts, and snow soon choked the bucket and chute. Checked YT and found your post. Took me 10 minutes to see that auger drive shaft was moving as it should but the belt was jumping around. I tightened the auger cable and that did the trick, throws snow like a champ! Like yours, the belt probably stretched and I'll replace it during the off-season lay up. Other than that, the machine has done a great job.
Thanks very much, glad this was helpful for you!
Dude to work on them the service position is to flip forward on to the auger housing.
While that may be done in the field, the manual for it specifically states to unbolt the auger housing like I did.
@@jaykay18 I was referring to the point (3:01) where you wanted to remove the belly pan. To remove the belly pan just flip in to the front so your blower is sitting on the auger housing.
@@BarryB382 Yeah, I got there halfway, just enough for the pan to come out.
@@jaykay18 Much easier to just put it in the service position in the first place. Also, your auger should stop pretty quickly, the opposite of the belt tensioner is the belt stop, this should stop the auger fairly quickly, not in seconds.
@@jaykay18 Also, you have the cable too tight, the belt tensioner is actually engaged in the last part of your video. You have your machine totally out of adjustment. This is why it is taking the auger longer to stop because your auger belt is still almost engaged because of the mis-adjusted cable. You should have some slack on your belt when adjusted correctly.
Thank you very much for this video! It helped me figure out what my issue was ;) I needed to tighten the cables a lot!! All the best, Jay
You're very welcome!
thankyou for this video , out here in the snow what a blessing in getting info at the right time so i can finish thanks again
No problem, best of luck!
My belt was just loose. Would pickup snow but didnt through it far enough. this video had me back up and running within ten mins
Great tio hear Dave!
Thank you for the video, really help me out..
You're welcome.
Thank you for the video much appreciated. Mine did the same thing and threw a belt.
Sure thing!
@@jaykay18 I have the same one and it's worn through 4 belts in 5 years! Now I can't figure out why anymore! PowerSmart customer service is ignoring me
@@shibbbby87 Either they are low quality belts, you're using the heck out of the machine, or something's misaligned. If you take the belt to a good automotive parts store, they should be able to match the belt up with something they have. That may last longer.
@@jaykay18 thanks, PowerSmart/Amerisun sent me three replacement belts.
I already moved one of the washers that they assembled in correctly and everything does appear to be lined up so I'm waiting for a repair around to come which may not be until the summer because of all the snow. Thanks
@@shibbbby87 Sure, no problem.
I bought this same make and model last year and it became apparent when I opened the box and started to assemble it the build quality was poor compared to my old Troy Bilt.
The plastic parts are ill fitting and of low quality, has no choke or idle and worst of all the upright handlebars put a lot of strain on the lower back while using it.
The only plus is the lower price, but you get what you pay for.
I could only imagine how the quality had gone downhill since I bought this one, I think 5 years ago at this point. While mine isn't that high quality, this was the ONLY time I EVER had ANY issue with it. Otherwise it starts immediately, runs great, and has never had a problem even with snow as high as the front.
Great info to know-Thanks for posting-Tim in MI
No problem Tim!
You can flip the blower on the front where the snow goes in and that should make it easier to work on. That's a bummer the belt came off. You'll get it fixed though. I know you will!!!
Never thought to flip it forwards! But it's fixed, all it took was tightening the cable for the belt like I showed at 5:13.
@@jaykay18 old comment, but a blower mechanic trick is to, well, shut off the fuel, obviously, but take off the gas cap, then put a rubber glove or something between the gas cap and tank, put the cap back on, this will stop leaks out of the gas cap typically.
@@l337pwnage Thanks for that!
I didn’t read the comments but lift your snow blower up and let the machine stands up on the front part where the snow is taking in where the auger is! It is so simple just use You Tube to see how others do it. Good luck and 🥳
Thanks, others have told me that. I found it was a lot easier to service this way.
I'm considering getting one of these. I can't quite tell, maybe it''s just the camera, but at 5:08 or so, it looks like the front pulley is tilted forward and not parallel to the belt.
You are correct, that's how it is. Pretty sure it's not supposed to be that way. We've had some hard winters here that this has endured, maybe that did something to it. Besides this problem, which was not a terrible issue, it's been absolutely flawless.
I'm not saying this is your problem, but what does happen with that design is, and I think it's just starting on yours, look at the top bolt there where tractor flange is bent out to bolt to the bucket, it will crack at that 90 deg. bend and as the crack gets bigger, the bucket flexes more relative to the tractor then the impeller pulley starts to get out of alignment with the engine pulley and then belts can get thrown.
That finger bolted on the engine is supposed to help with that also. Sometimes that can be adjusted.
The video makes it look a little tight to me, but I could be wrong. My concern is if it is too tight it might start wearing faster.
I'd get a new belt and save that old one as a back up. And look for a high quality belt. I think the best ones now are kevlar, but don't quote me on that.
Thanks for the additional info.
I'm on my second season with mine, and I had belt issues yesterday. It didn't throw the belt, but it did slip and would not throw the snow. Belt looked okay, but loose. I tightened the cable and it got me through this monster snowstorm just fine. I wish I knew the belt size so I could pick up a spare... looks like a critical part.
302040011 V-belt
302040026 Synchronous Belt
Those are the part numbers I have.
At 4:00 whats the yellow cap for on the side of the engine?
That's the oil fill port. You're supposed to add oil through there, rather than the dipstick tube.
@@jaykay18 awesome, thanks!
One more question: On the opposite side there is a similar hole but with no cap. What is the purpose ? At first I thought there should be a cap but from looking at pictures it's suppose to be open.
@@al1679 I have no idea.
My early 2000s Craftsman that I bought at a yard sale about 4 years ago hasn't crapped out yet. It has electric start but is gas operated
First of all, it's not yours. Second of all, you don't know how many times that belt was replaced before you got it. Thirdly, you don't know how much usage my machine has gotten in comparison.
You're right on everything except for the first one. If I buy it with my own $45, then, technically *I* own it.
I once worked with a guy named Kenny. On certain days we came in at the same time, and I happened to notice he had a Florida license plate on his car. So I asked him about it, I said "Kenny, I see you have a Florida license plate on your car. This is NY, and obviously you live here. Isn't that illegal?" Kenny said "Well, technically, it's not." So I said "If you have to say "technically", IT IS." He never said another word.
@@niks_crazy_world hey Nik, I'll bet you still haven't had to replace the belt on that craftsman snowblower!😃
Good that you got it fixed. It is nice that they included that adjustment just for that purpose. What manufacturer made it? MTD?
This reminds me that I have to replace, or otherwise service the bearings on my '68 Toro SnowHound. By the end of winter they were squawking when not under load. I'll never get rid of it, too nice of a machine.
I did some quick research, and what I found was that PowerSmart is made by Amerisun, Inc. It may have an LCT engine on it, which is mainly found on Ariens. Yeah I'll bet that 68 Toro is a beast!
What a great video .. thank you.. mine just stopped turning today.. it's 4th season with ZERO problems.. I love this thing.. and I think you were right on when you said belt stretched.. did you try holding the new one up to the old one.. that would have told you instantly that you were right.. mine was stretched.. so after putting the new one on.. I didn't have to adjust anything and it now works fine.. thanks again for such a great and informative video..
Thanks very much. I never held them up side-by-side because I never replaced the belt. I adjusted the tension and it's been working fine since. I couldn't imagine it would be anything but a stretched belt. So far, I've used the machine once this winter, and it was perfect. Might need to use it a few more times.
@@jaykay18 well mine went and it burnt in half.. so I am in the middle of replacing the belt.. went to Home Depot to get a replacement as that it where I bought this.. and no one there had a clue... it was laughable.. they were trying to send me to some repair place a few miles away.. and guess what.. the cost to have someone replace the belts at this place was almost half of what I paid for this brand new.. I mean really where the heck to these people come from that try to charge you 75 frigging dollars an hour and want at least 3 hours to fix something that with the tools I can do in 15 mins... this is a joke and to be honest.. this is a good snowblower but I will NEVER but any power equipment again from Home Depot.. they are the worst ... It's going to be cheaper for me to go up and buy a socket set for 100 bucks and fix this myself.. the auger and the drive pullies are so close you can't get the belt between them to replace new.. so you have to loosen the side bolts on one side and just kind of bend it and then it opens up enough AT 4:23 you can see those 3 shiny bolts facing forward take those 3 off and you can open it up enough to squeeze the belt between the 2 pullies .. thanks again for great vid... wish me luck... lol
even in the owners manual.. NO BELT SIZE NOT EVEN A PART NUMBER.. it's a joke
@@zsavage1820 It comes as absolutely no surprise that Home Depot knew nothing and could do even less. And yes, these repair places charge that much because people are willing to pay it. It's work that they can't do themselves so they have somebody else do it. And it costs a bundle. That's why I try to do every possible thing I can myself.
You can pick up a socket set for about 15 bucks that will do the trick. This doesn't take much in the way of tools. As for actually replacing the belt, you can see that while the prices these repair places charge are astronomical, they're not exactly completely out of line, because of the way everything is built. Serviceability is never thought of, that makes no difference to the manufacturer. I'm a computer technician by trade, and even working on that stuff, service is the last thing on the manufacturer's mind. In fact, the manufacturer doesn't even fix them, they pay service places to fix their machines under warranty.
Saved me 👍
Glad this helped you!
They say with time you press down on those handles a lot, so you may have to loose the side bars bolts, prop something to whole up those handles upward and retighten both those side bars bolts again. See if that will help you. Only you can see what cause this variation in the auger cable. See the last video on Bruce Pender RUclips Channel.
Thanks, I'll check that out.
I have same exact unit . Same just happened to me this morning after i used it last night. i started this morning when i hit auger it stalled. then it ran and struggled, i smelled something burning and smoking like rubber. then auger stopped running. i opened top but noticed belt was loose but still on. tension pully cord on handle was loose. i did same as you and i adjusted pully cord. seems to be ok for now. ordered a belt in case it snaps when u need it most
Great job, glad this helped.
That auger idler out of align. A bit Mickey Mouse part.
Came from the factory that way.
I bought a Toro single stage in 2016. I had to go up two on the belt adjustment at the last storm in the beginning of this year. I bought an extra belt to have because the "Average" lifespan seems to be 5 to 7 years. Not too fun when the blower dont run.😂 Might not be a bad idea to pick up a set now as a backup.
Yes, when the weather gets a bit cooler out and it's time to fire this guy up again, I'll look into a replacement belt to have on hand!
So it's been over a year. Hows the snowblower working? Any update video coming?
No snow yet. In the coming weeks I'll be doing a startup video of it for 2019.
On my 2nd belt and had to put it back on today...i just take out the 6 bolts since i now have way too much experience in working there....this is a 6 yr old machine
Just had this one issue, just this once.
first the belt tension pulley is a bit crooked and that would be enough to throw the belt off Then you need to make sure there is no crakes in the auger housing and last but not least make sure your bolts are tight to specs to what joins the auger to the rest of the blower. Hope that helps you.
Thanks for the additional info.
How do you adjust the drive and reverse lever.
See page 16 in the manual, it explains the entire procedure.
mine didn't even make a year, selling it as soon as i can, what i can tell snow melts and enters in the belt areas and often causes it to stop moving for a few moments. design flaw. oh and it's been eating oil too
Mine hasn't been eating oil, still runs like a top.
I bought this same one 3 years ago and the auger belt is constantly slipping off, I'll try the adjustment on the handle after I get the belt on.. I thought it was a bad belt but I only used this machine about 5 times. If I had to do it all over again I would not have bought this machine, I've had bolts fall out of the shoot twice, cheaply made in my opinion... First snow storm today, December 2nd 2019 and the belt is off again...
I hope you know they're all cheaply made. There's no real better brand than another. Quite honestly, I'm more concerned with the engine, the most expensive part of the unit, and there is no other snowblower you're going to get with a real engine, unless Honda sells them, in which case you'll pay a fortune. It'll run forever, but the rest of it will fall apart.
I think the engine on this PowerSmart runs exceptionally well, I've never had any trouble with it, starting or otherwise. I have a generator from Harbor Freight that's going on 5 years old now, and its "Chonda" engine is running just as well as new.
Snowblowers vibrate. A LOT. Loose bolts are really a maintenance item, they should be checked once a month while in service but I know, neither you nor I will remember to do it, nor fit it in to our schedule.
Allegedly we're getting snow today also. Started as we'd be getting a coating. But because everyone always likes to spend needless money upgrading things that don't need to be, they've upgraded the storm to half a foot now. By evening it'll be nearing a foot. Unfortunately, my snowblower is buried in the back of my garage, not ready to go, as we usually don't have snow this early in the season. After this storm, whatever it may be, I will most certainly rectify the situation, and I might just go over all the bolts on the machine while I'm at it.
Your supposed to flip the blower up 90° on to the auger bucket.
You're 3 years too late.
Is it still working well?
I'd imagine so. This was recorded in the last storm of 2018. 2019 had almost no snowfall to speak of, so I didn't even fuel it up that year. Now it's 2020, and we're just turning the corner into December.
I noticed when you were looking at the front there weren’t any noticeable shear pins, do they have something different in place of that, I’m going to be getting this come tax return time and I’m trying to get as much info as possible on it
Oh yeah, the shear pins are there all right. The camera just didn't get a good shot of them.
Take a close look at 4:36 in the lower-left corner on the shaft where the auger is, you should see what looks like a bolt going through it. That's the shear pin for that side.
Yes there are 4 of them.i have the 27" model.i actually broke one because the auger housing bent inwards from hitting a curb or something.cant see it cant avoid it.thankfully they give you a number of extra ones.and thanks for the vid as my belt has squealed a lil since first use.
I wish someone would show how to actually adjust the cable for the auger.
Exactly the same mechanism on the auger cable. Just take the hook out of the plate and move it.
What size belt do u use .i have the same machine and i dont know how to buy the right size belt
302040011 V-belt
302040026 Synchronous Belt
Those are the part numbers I have.
Thank u 👍
No problem. That's what the book says; I can't guarantee the book is right. The old belt may be marked, and that would be your best indication to be sure.
It says Gates Truflex G 4LXP880. But i ordered the 4lxp885.the order says it will fit.
Excellent, that's 2 potential belts that may work.
It looks like the tensioner pulley is sitting a bit crooked as well, could be a combination of the two things. Maybe the arm holding the pulley got a little bent over the years. Try straightening it.
Yes, I had noticed that as well. Thanks.
Is it still run the new? This is the model I like, small, compact and doesn't much room to store.
Yes, I made a video today showing it running.
Just happen to me.. same belt hanging there... I’m assuming I’ll still need to take that bottom plate off to put the belt on? No way around that?
Most likely you will need to remove the bottom plate. When I put my belt back on, I actually dismounted the entire front of the machine. There are only 6 bolts, it's not really a big deal. But that doesn't need to be done, from what I understand. I hear you can tip the entire machine up onto its "mouth" (where the snow goes in) and work on it vertically like that. For me, it was easier to unbolt the front, which gives you full access to the front of the engine, like the old V8s were. Just pick a nice day, when the sun is out preferably, it will make the job go a lot easier.
@@jaykay18 that’s when I was thinking about doing it.. but my luck I’ll have. Blizzard before that
@@mrkenschmid I think the worst of it has passed us. Here in NY where I am, we had a week where every other day it was a couple more inches. Today finally was warmer, and a lot has melted. Looks to be similar weather for the rest of the week. And we're well due for that.
What type of grease do you use in the gear box? I have the Snow Devil DB7651-26 model. I was told to use Lithium grease total 4 oz. Power Smart is now Amerisun.
The gearbox on mine is completely sealed, there should not be a need to add any unless it were opened up. The manual makes no mention of the type of grease to use, so I don't have a real answer for you, sorry.
@@jaykay18 If you take a closer look there is a small bolt on top of the gear box that you can loosen and unscrew. My manual doesn't say anything either about gear box maintenance. I was told by Amerisun that the gear box takes 4 oz. of lithium grease and should be checked. You can call the same 800 # that is on your snowblower or e-mail them.
@@pag6999 Yes, I'm aware of the small bolt on top. But, if it's not leaking, there should be no need to replace any grease or oil. It's sealed. There really shouldn't be any maintenance that needs to be done to it.
do you have the belt size for the auger and drive? I have contacted power smart and they will not give me the info, they want me to order from them and I would rather buy local.I have the PowerSmart PSS2260L 26 in. I am pretty sure they are the same size as the 24 in. I am just wanting them for spares for now. the manual just list the company part stock number and that is fine if I was ordering from them lol but I am not.. Thanks
That's all the info I have. Your best bet is to remove the belts, and do this when it's warm out of course, and bring them to a good auto parts store and they should be able to match up some replacements.
@@jaykay18 thanks for the reply, I did some research and found them, the drive is D&D PowerDrive 735-5M-15 Synchronous Timing Belt, Rubber and the auger is I believe M28 V-Belts 28" Pitch Length , I am Jenny's husband (James) if its ok to leave this up for future reference someone with a 26 in. might find it helpful, we just bought ours this year, it does a really good job. we got it when the auger gears went out in our Craftsman snow blower , bought it to use until I fixed the old one, now we have two
@@jamiewebb6809 Thanks for that info!
I saw your video and it was helpful. BTW I have to replace the discharge chute seat. Have you any experience in how to replace that seat? Thanks
Should be very simple. Never had to on mine, but there might be a bolts or two, or a clip or two, fairly simple.
@@jaykay18 I'll check it out. Thanks
@@donblack9884 No problem.
For people that can do some home maintenance I suggest finding old snowblowers and fixing them. I’ve got a 64 Craftsman 11hp 30” that I’ve had to do some minor things to but it’s made much better than this new plastic crap.
I know the old machines are absolute beasts (I have a 67 Buick Rivera as a weekend car), but this is surprisingly solid for being "new".
I want to buy this but I am not good at fixing things. Does your warranty cover changing of belts or was it that you could not wait for servicing?
Belts are considered consumable items. That means, it is known that they will wear out in time. Chances are, no warranty will cover that.
As for waiting for servicing, it wasn't that, rather it's that I'm cheap. I'd rather try and fix it myself and die trying than to have to pay someone else to do a lackluster job.
These are serious machines, like cars. If you can't fix a car, you go to a mechanic. For something like this, typically the "lawnmower fix-it shop" in town will service these no problem, it's how they get their winter business.
@@jaykay18 ok thank you for this info.
@@autumn_b905 Sure, no problem.
Thank you so much for sharing this! We traded our neighbor our smaller snowblower (15+years old but maintained] for their larger one last year, they couldn’t handle the big one anymore. It worked great 2021 snow season, it clogged/bogged today, 8 inches of snow. I think it took longer to watch your video than to fix it. The cable needed tightening. Thank you again!
You're very welcome!
I have this same snowblower. I broke the auger shaft after one year of limited use. It broke where the hole was for one of the shear pins. By design the shear pin is to fail before any drive train components. Also this will flood very easily. Push the primer bulb maybe once. When you feel pressure stop. Do not push 3x as directed. Will start with one pull. Other than that it has been a decent machine. You can tell that it is cheaply made by looking at it. Mechanical engineers look at things differently than most consumers.
This was the only problem I've had with it in probably 5 years now. I know it's cheap, but I wasn't impressed with more expensive ones. I usually prime it till gas starts puking out of the carb, then it fires right up, haven't had any trouble doing that.
Mine was used only two times and on the third heavy snow we had couple days ago the belt stretched already. I believe the belts are crappy.
Thanks for sharing because I would've never known that it's that easy to tighten it up, it's kinda like a bike cable when the pads wears out . I almost bought a new belt. Eventually I will need that I guess but not today.
Indeed, the belts may not be of good quality. Mine has been working well since I adjusted the belt tension, we just got a huge snowstorm and it performed flawlessly.
@@jaykay18 good to hear. Same here I guess we had the same Storm :-)
@@steveq2211 New York?
@@jaykay18 North Jersey
@@steveq2211 Close enough, got a friend there.
i wonder if they sell a universal part to replace that auger tension adjuster with the holes. its a bitch to move into a tighter slot. maybe a screw type adjuster.
That's a great question that unfortunately I don't know the answer to. I'm sure there's some kind of gizmo out there with a screw or turnbuckle type adjuster, maybe a place like Tractor Supply Company would carry such a thing.
@@jaykay18 had to replace belt. Lesson learn . Propellers were frozen so when I hit auger it kept spinning under the belt. I burned out some of the belt. Got a Kevlar belt instead.
@@sonicboomin That's actually a good thing to look out for, I've never had the thing freeze up like that, it melts down in my garage.
I'd be most appreciative if you have a part number for that belt, and where you got it.
Its the exact same size as original. I did the research
@@sonicboomin Thanks very much!
Good luck trying to get in touch with someone when you call the toll free number that's on the sticker on the side
Same goes for just about any company today.
When you buy cheap you get everything cheap, even customer service. Powersmart is cheapest machine you can buy and the worst quality too.
I have the same one but labeled as "snow devil" I bought used on craigslist for $100...needed a fuel line replaced and a spring replaced but otherwise works and looks like new. Was out snowblowing today and jammed up auger, now my belt is loose as a goose and needs to be replaced. I tip the machine on front end to pull off panel. I plan on loosing front end just enough to slip belt out without completely separating them. Moral of story is its a decent snowblower for being so cheap.
I bought this one brand new, and for the most part, it's been trouble free and runs like a champ. This was the most trouble I've had with it.
Not uncommon for belt to slip with these blowers
Belts can actually be quite loose yet still work. That of course depends on the load placed on what it's driving. In this case, there were no abnormal sounds at all, that belt stayed completely engaged as the machine plowed through anything. In fact it was engaged so well, the engine was slowing down as it went through extremely heavy stuff.
Welp that’s it. Time to buy two more and throw all three out.
Absolutely!
These are total junk, they have plastic bushings on the auger axle and cheap knockoff honda carbs. Stay away from this brand.
Buy a different brand, and find the same thing. They're all made in the same factory in China, the only difference is the name haphazardly slapped on.
@@jaykay18 I have had almost every make and model apart and repaired various issues, Powersmart snow blowers are the worst design and quality.
@@BarryB382 This was the one and only problem I have ever had with the machine. I repaired it, and the next season, it worked flawlessly once again. My friend bought a Craftsman, very similar unit, and paid $50 more.
@@jaykay18 Your friends craftsman blower has a ball bearings on the auger axle (or brass bushings) and a good carb, not a knockoff honda engine and carb. Your auger axle has plastic bushings. Your auger housing is flimsy and easily bent.
@@BarryB382 I have an extraordinarily hard time believing any of that. Same Chonda engine on his, same junk all around. His came with a bottle of oil, mine didn't. For $50, if they threw in a bottle of oil, a better engine, better carb, and better auger axle, it would cost well more than $50 even at wholesale prices. We both bought our snowblowers at the same time. We live a mile apart, so we have almost exact weather conditions and amounts of snow. We have similar size properties. You sound like a disgruntled PowerSmart employee.