I've about had it, fixing snowblower with a sledge hammer....

[Booya]

Unless someone can help!

Craftsman 247.88255 24" 5.5hp w/Tecumseh motor.

broke it out the other day, fired right up, but the drive gears/transmission doesn't work. I've got no drive in the wheels. The drive cable and belt seem to be fine (belt could use replaced soon, but it's not totally shot). The auger works just fine, just no drive. OCCASSIONALLY, when I first engage the drive lever it works for about a foot, or when I switch speeds (1-3 fwd only) it may engage for a split second.... I've checked all the springs used by the cables/levers.

Only thing I can think of is that the transmission is shot? I've read about a sheared pin causing this, but I don't see any pins that might? I don't believe this model has a drive disc or friction disk.

Perhaps ps it's something really simple I'm overlooking? Any ideas or suggestions? All help is greatly appreciated. Sometimes I'm not very patient when it comes to wrench turning and the sledge hammer thing actually happens...

 

[hoosierdoc]

Sorry, if it hasn't had a heartbeat in the last 10 mins I'm pretty useless.

 

[hornadylnl]

How are the wheels attached to the axle?

 

[churchmouse]

Sheer pin..................

 

[Booya]

How are the wheels attached to the axle?

Bolted. The axle has a gear on it that's engaged by a gear on a geared shaft that comes out of the transmission.

 

[printcraft]

Do you have a manual with an exploded parts diagram?

You can see all the hidden pins that way. The gear is probably turning on the shaft.

 

[printcraft]

Wait...... Here's one......

Craftsman 247.88255 Manuals

 

[Bigtanker]

Don't take a sledge to it. This is a gun forum. Shoot the darn thing..........if you can't fix it.

 

[Scuba591]

I had to tear into my carb on my Craftsman blower. It would not fire and turn over. New plug and a carb clean later... it's ready for the next snow. I think I have the same one as you. If I recall there are several shear pins that came with mine.

 

[hopper68]

Don't take a sledge to it. This is a gun forum. Shoot the darn thing..........if you can't fix it.

A REAL gun guy would use lots of tannerite.

 

[Booya]

Do you have a manual with an exploded parts diagram?

You can see all the hidden pins that way. The gear is probably turning on the shaft.

i do! As far as I can tell, all the pins are gtg.

Don't take a sledge to it. This is a gun forum. Shoot the darn thing..........if you can't fix it.

Excellent point!

A REAL gun guy would use lots of tannerite.

I like where this is heading... Except the whole buying a new snowblower part.

I had to tear into my carb on my Craftsman blower. It would not fire and turn over. New plug and a carb clean later... it's ready for the next snow. I think I have the same one as you. If I recall there are several shear pins that came with mine.

Mine runs like champ, but that's a big boy to try to be pushing up and down my long driveway!!

 

[MAJB Retired]

Probably the clutch plates.

 

[MAJB Retired]

P.S. I've got the same model, so be for you take a sludge hammer to it, I might be interested in acquiring it for a parts item. Let me know!

 

[Booya]

Probably the clutch plates.

Im not sure this model has clutch plates?

 

[actaeon277]

Check out YouTube. I saw a video of a guy took a Craftsman snow blower apart, to the bolts.

Also, the cable from the drive handle to the drive, is it real tight when engaged. (the handle you press to make it move).

My cable loosened up. Kept the transmission wheels from engaging.
If it is like mine, here's the transmission.

Imagine two discs, one perpendicular to the other.
One turns with the engine.
The other is connected to the drive wheels.
The gear selector causes the one wheel to move from the center of the wheel, to the outside of the wheel, as you move up the gears.
Drive 1, near the center. Then Drive 4 near the outside edge.
The drive handle, that activates the drive, pulls the drive wheel towards the engine wheel. When the wheels touch, they are engaged.
If the cable is loose, the wheels will touch with very little pressure, and will slip.
Tightening the cable, causes them to engage better, without slipping.

 

[actaeon277]

[video=youtube;8WzMzrwHYFY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WzMzrwHYFY[/video]



Friction wheel, my mistake.
Good pic around 7:50
[video=youtube;FyswzGC4Rvg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyswzGC4Rvg[/video]

 

[Ranger Rick]

Go online to Sears Parts direct, type in info and and check diagrams. Could have gear turning on shaft with sheered pin? Hope this helps!

 

[femurphy77]

If it's like mine it has a drive belt as well as an auger belt, kind of a pain in the butt but definitely user fixable. Not near as much fun as some of the other options but after removing emotion from the equation do you really want to clean up the mess after shooting, sledging, etc?

 

[Booya]

Check out YouTube. I saw a video of a guy took a Craftsman snow blower apart, to the bolts.

Also, the cable from the drive handle to the drive, is it real tight when engaged. (the handle you press to make it move).

My cable loosened up. Kept the transmission wheels from engaging.
If it is like mine, here's the transmission.

Tightening the cable, causes them to engage better, without slipping.

Cable seems good, I got all up in them cables and I can't see that any are broke or aren't engaging. Springs are good and tight. Everything seems to move correctly? Mine has the actual transmission module and not the friction/drive disc.

Go online to Sears Parts direct, type in info and and check diagrams. Could have gear turning on shaft with sheered pin? Hope this helps!

Checked that and the diagram I have. All pins are gtg, unless I'm just overlooking one?!

If it's like mine it has a drive belt as well as an auger belt, kind of a pain in the butt but definitely user fixable. Not near as much fun as some of the other options but after removing emotion from the equation do you really want to clean up the mess after shooting, sledging, etc?

Good point! I know the drive belt is working, but it could probably stand being replaced. This is probably where I'll start unless someone points some elementary something I'm missing. Fingers crossed that the tranny module just isn't shot....



Horrible pic I know, but you can see the axle, "drive shaft", and lack of friction/drive disc, and the actual transmission module.

**edit** the belt isn't that loose during operation, but the gear selection has the pully not fully engaged.... But that's where I'll start I think.

 

[actaeon277]

Did you type your snowblower into YouTube?
Or just a general search on Yahoo or Google?