# Tractor Snowblower



## film495

new to me Ariens S-12 with 48" snowblower for front PTO. Everything just about seems in basic working order. Tractor needs a tire fix,chain on the auger may be a little loose, but I'm not really sure how to check it yet. looking for tips on what I should do to/for this set up before I'm clearing snow; I'd rather do a little preventative now while it is still relatively warm, than be fixing something in 2 months going, if only I had ... I need a set of chains and already have a rear ballast box to fill with rocks. I'm curious if there are any common things I should look for. I changed oil, topped off transmission, hit the fittngs with a grease gun, put some grease on the Auger chain. Oh, I don't think I have the assist chains/springs for the front. I actually am not 100% sure if they go with this model, but the owners manual for the blower 831003 shows them. The tractor is model 931001. I'm also unsure how to drive with the blower attached, if there are any tricks etc. I found the manuls for tractor, blower, and motor - K301S, curious if anyone knows the common issues.


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## film495

this was curious so I figure I'll post it in this thread - so, there was no ignition key or button on this tractor and the solenoid was bad anyway so I had been jumping it off the battery to start it. I got to the local auto store and they found a suitable replacement, I had the part #, but they didn't find anything from that. They asked me if I had an old ford when they saw the solenoid in hand. Anyway, the one they sold me had 4 posts. I've seen that before, so just put the I post to the coil and figured that would work the same as having it off the battery. So, weird wierd weird, the motor started, but I had to leave the starter switch on to the battery. When investigating, there was no power to the coil with the run switch on. So, I don't get how it started or why it would only run with the circuit to the starter active. The only thing I can think of is the starter turned the motor enough to generate power from the alternator back to the coil and generated spark. What I can't for the life of me figure is why I had to keep the circuit for the starter active or it would die out, like no power to the coil. I've since abanded the I post, read that one doesn't need to use it. I always thougt the I post was a hot lead, but checking it with a volt meter indicated otherwise. Switced the connections off to the battery + post and everything works like I would have expected. Question is what is up with that I post?


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## Country Boy

I'm assuming by "I" post, you are referring to the terminal on the key that has the letter "I" stamped into it? It almost sounds like you got the wrong key switch for that tractor. For a battery coil ignition, you need a terminal that has power in both the start and run position, but not the off position. From looking at the wiring diagram for a similar model, you need the 5 terminal switch to cover all the functions. One wire comes in from the battery through the battery connection on the solenoid, then through the ammeter to the key switch. Another terminal connects to the B+ wire on the voltage regulator so the battery charges. Another terminal connects to the control terminal on the starter solenoid to crank the engine. Another terminal connects to the ignition coil, and the last terminal powers the PTO clutch and headlights. I don't have the wiring diagram for that exact model because that model's parts breakdown isn't available online. I can check the paper manual at work today if I get time. I have three parts books for Ariens at work, two are 6" thick and one is about 12" thick. Covers pretty much everything back to around 1960.

As for your thrower, it was built by another company Ariens. They would come in painted a different color, and Ariens would repaint them and rebadge them. That's what I was told by a guy in the Tech department that's been there for 44 years. There usually is a pair of lift springs to help assist in lifting the head. Yours has a mechanical lift rather than the hydraulic lift I am used to on the GT's I've worked on, so perhaps there is enough leverage on that hand lift to lift the unit without spring assistance. I can check on that in the parts books as well.

On a more technical note, what you have there is a snow *thrower* not a blower. A snow thrower is a single stage unit where the auger pulls the snow in and also throws it out. A snow blower is a two stage unit where the auger brings the snow into a separate blower fan that blows the snow out. Not trying to nitpick, but those are the official terms used on those units.


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## film495

This is great input thank you. I'm wondering if I really need the springs, like 70$ to get a new set, or if I can just attach a cord or something in place of it to help hold the blower to the tractor, from looking at how the blower attaches to the tractor, it seem to me the lift assist springs are as much to keep a positive pressure pulling the blower into the tractor as they are to assist in lifting the attachment.

Actually, I was referring to the I post on the solenoid. I'm not using a key switch, but honestly a simple toggle switch to act as the run position, and an alligator clip right now to initiate the starter solenoid like turning the key. I bough another toggle switch to send power to the solenoid to activate the starter, but it broke when installing, so I still need to return/replace it and wire it up. 

The power lead coming to the ignition switch from the ammeter seemed to not always have current, I didn't want to try to figure out why, since the current wiring on the tractor only had one lead off the switch that went directly to the coil, so I just dummied off the lead from the ammeter, and added a new wire from the positive + terminal on the solenoid to the toggle switch that controls power to the coil. What I rigged seems to work, and it still charges the battery; to my amasement. I'm wondering if I should add a fuse into the wire I added to the switch for the coil and/or for the activation of the solenoid for the starter. I'm sure I'm making this sound more complicated than it is actually. I just have 2 separate toggle switches, one that controlls current to the coil, like an on off switch, and one that activates the solenoid to send power to the starter. There isn't what would be considered a tradtional keyed ignition switch per say. I imagine the previous owner had at the wiring, so I'm not sure how much of it matches what was there originally - from looking at diagrams I found online, some of it is original. I did manage to find original manuals online for the tractor, blower, and motor - I can send you what I found for you records if you want copies.


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## film495

I noticed there was only one belt on the front PTO. Now to figure out how to get good belts on there before I try to throw snow with it. (edit add) Actually, I got the belts today and they went in easier than one I did a long time ago in a car. The trick is the front belt, there's 2 V Belts that go right next to one another, was missing, when I installed the new belts I noticed the front belt rides with part of it just off the idler pulley; well about a third of the width of the belt. I wonder if this caused the prevous belt to break early, thus why it was missing. I'm not sure how one would go about adjusting how it rides on the idler pulley, or if it will just wear out earlier and I should just keep an eye on it and replace when it looks worn. It worries me that if I try to throttle up it may just slip off the pulley and break something.(edit) pulled idler arm off and added a couple washers to move the pulley a little. belt seems to now ride on the pulley and not work its way off. That same front belt seem to have a little flop in it, but I do wonder if when there's an attachment on the PTO if they'll seat in more and it will flop less -- or if the back belt will stretch a little and it could even itself out? Can't test it with a load until I get a tire back on it and an move it to get to the attachment.


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## film495

a version on catenary effect is my guess on the belts. I really think I got the tractor tuned up and running well, some nitpicky stuff - but, running well enough to have some confidence in it. I rigged the snow thrower to it again and even after a quick run in on the new belts, they seemed to even out a little, which is good, considering what was there when I started. I think the snow thrower itself makes quite a racket when running, not 100% sure why. I had tried to get the auger out to grease the bearings at each end, but coudn't figure it out. I'll give it another shot when I have time to what at it, snow is almost here that's for sure. Actually, saw some come out of the sky just before dusk when I was in the drive rigging an ignition switch. If I can't figure out how to get the thing off, would it be worth just trying to shoot/squirt some oil into the bearing?


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## hollaswe

Country Boy said:


> I'm assuming by "I" post, you are referring to the terminal on the key that has the letter "I" stamped into it? It almost sounds like you got the wrong key switch for that tractor. For a battery coil ignition, you need a terminal that has power in both the start and run position, but not the off position. From looking at the wiring diagram for a similar model, you need the 5 terminal switch to cover all the functions. One wire comes in from the battery through the battery connection on the solenoid, then through the ammeter to the key switch. Another terminal connects to the B+ wire on the voltage regulator so the battery charges. Another terminal connects to the control terminal on the starter solenoid to crank the engine. Another terminal connects to the ignition coil, and the last terminal powers the PTO clutch and headlights. I don't have the wiring diagram for that exact model because that model's parts breakdown isn't available online. I can check the paper manual at work today if I get time. I have three parts books for Ariens at work, two are 6" thick and one is about 12" thick. Covers pretty much everything back to around 1960.
> 
> As for your thrower, it was built by another company Ariens. They would come in painted a different color, and Ariens would repaint them and rebadge them. That's what I was told by a guy in the Tech department that's been there for 44 years. There usually is a pair of lift springs to help assist in lifting the head. Yours has a mechanical lift rather than the hydraulic lift I am used to on the GT's I've worked on, so perhaps there is enough leverage on that hand lift to lift the unit without spring assistance. I can check on that in the parts books as well.
> 
> On a more technical note, what you have there is a snow *thrower* not a blower. A snow thrower is a single stage unit where the auger pulls the snow in and also throws it out. A snow blower is a two stage unit where the auger brings the snow into a separate blower fan that blows the snow out. Not trying to nitpick, but those are the official terms used on those units.


 I faced such kind of problem. Thanks for the post.


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## film495

almost half way through the winter and my tractor has worked very well so far. wanted to thank everyone here for their input and insight. I almost sent this machine to the scrap pile 'cause I didn't know how to get it going. can't thank you all enough


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## film495

wife took an action shot


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## Fluid

Glad you got your Ariens tractor & thrower going for you. That Country Boy sure is a great guy to share his talent, he knows his $hit about tractors and such. She looks good in the action shot. Do you have mower deck for your Ariens? Maybe a tiller for some summer work?


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## film495

I'd like to do some work with a box grader and a landscape rake, but haven't gotten to it yet. I'm not sure where to find one for short money or how to hook it up etc. Possibly a tow behind type?


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## film495

Looks like the snow season is over here. Made it through the season and this machine cleared the drive every time. I did have to do a few repairs along the way, but it was all small stuff, or fixing things I didn't do right the first time. Again, sort of surprised, but proud of myself and this 1974 garden tractor.


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