# Bolens ST160 snowblower won't throw snow far



## cybrdweeb (Oct 20, 2014)

Hello everyone- first post here for me and I'm glad I found this site.

I have an old Bolens ST160 hydro that I recently bought and fixed up and it runs good but the snowblower (snow caster) doesn't work good at all. I used it for the first time yesterday in about 2" of light snow and it barely came out the shoot. The tractor was at WOT and the auger was spinning but it just doesn't throw the snow.

I see there is an adjustment rod with an adjustment wheel under the tractor- how should this be adjusted and could this be the problem?

Also there are four metal tabs mounted on the auger in the center and they appear to be bent- are they supposed to be curved or straight?

Thanks for the help!


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## cybrdweeb (Oct 20, 2014)

I'm sorry - I see I posted this in the wrong forum. : (


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## bfarroo (Mar 1, 2014)

I remember my dads bolens single stage being completely closed where those two bent finger are. I'd at least make sure they are straight up and down.


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

Not familiar with Bolens, but those fingers just look wrong. They are the paddles that throw the snow. They need to be straight and solid, passing as close to the housing behind them as possible. As they are now, there is so much leakage around them, there is no way for them to exert any force on the snow to throw it. While it's technically a single stage thrower, it should still blow a fair amount of air.


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## ftorleans1 (Jul 12, 2009)

This may sound odd however, My own experience, Depending on the machines design, You may need more than 2" of snow in order for it to be thrown any real distance...


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## film495 (Nov 1, 2013)

my old Ariens has a solid piece where those fingers are. can you peek at an old owners/parts manual to see how that was originally? I'd but if they are the correct part, they are not supposed to be bent back, but straight across the opening in the auger blade. Possibly you can get them off and fix 'em in a vice? the single stage blower I run will clog up if I don't spray automotive car wax on the auger and particularly the chute; it just clogs in 2 seconds without the wax treatment a few times a year. I can throw fresh soft snow about 30 feet, wet sloppy snow will barely make it 5 feet, but that's enough to get it off the driveway and that's all I care about.


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## Mr claton (11 mo ago)

cybrdweeb said:


> Hello everyone- first post here for me and I'm glad I found this site.
> 
> I have an old Bolens ST160 hydro that I recently bought and fixed up and it runs good but the snowblower (snow caster) doesn't work good at all. I used it for the first time yesterday in about 2" of light snow and it barely came out the shoot. The tractor was at WOT and the auger was spinning but it just doesn't throw the snow.
> 
> ...


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## Mr claton (11 mo ago)

Question I got the same thing a bolens st160 Question is what size is the belt that runs the snow blower I can't find one


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

Mr claton said:


> Question I got the same thing a bolens st160 Question is what size is the belt that runs the snow blower I can't find one



Scroll down on this page and find the model number for your snow blower......ST160 is your tractor model number....You need to know which snow blower you have also....



Bolens Belt Sizes


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