Your Cub Cadet Snowblower Won’t Move (SOLVED!)

You invested in a snowblower with a drive system to help lessen the amount of effort needed to move through the snow. When it acts up or just stops moving, there are several items that you need to look at and repair, if necessary, to get your snowblower moving again.

A Cub Cadet snowblower will not move when the drive cable is worn, damaged, or out of adjustment; the drive belt is worn, broke,n or has fallen off; or the friction wheel is worn.

Belts, cables, and the friction wheel are all items that can wear with usage causing your Cub Cadet wheels to stop moving as designed.

Taking time to regularly inspect and service your Cub Cadet can help minimize the downtime you experience when you need your snowblower most.

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Follow all safety instructions provided in your equipment operator’s manual prior to diagnosing, repairing, or operating.Consult a professional if you don’t have the skills, or knowledge or are not in the condition to perform the repair safely.

Reasons a Cub Cadet Snowblower Won’t Move

Worn or Damaged Drive Control Cable on a Cub Cadet Snowblower

When you engage the drive lever, the cable raises the friction disc to make contact with the drive system.

The drive cable can become loose or stretched causing the disc to not make good contact with the friction wheel and fail to turn the wheels.

Check out the drive cable and make adjustments to put more tension on a loose cable. You may not be able to make the adjustment needed if your drive cable is too stretched out or is damaged. In this case you will need to replace it.

There are different adjustment procedures depending on the model Cub Cadet snowblower you own. Here are instructions for a couple of common Cub Cadet snowblowers:

Adjust the drive control cable on a Cub Cadet snowblower

• Cub Cadet snowblower WITHOUT a hydro transmission:
  • Check the cable while the drive control lever is not depressed and engaged. The cable shouldn’t have a lot of slack in it. If it does, you need to tighten up the cable, but you don’t want it to be tight.
  • With the engine off, locate the drive cable bracket.
  • Loosen the hex nut located on the top of the bracket and slide the bracket up or down to make the adjustment needed.
    • Slide the bracket up if the cable is too tight to allow some slack in the cable.
    • Slide the bracket down if the cable is too loose and the slack needs to be removed.
• Cub Cadet snowblower WITH a hydro transmission:
  • Check the cable while the drive control lever is not depressed and engaged. The cable shouldn’t have a lot of slack in it. If it does, you need to tighten up the cable, but you don’t want it to be tight.
  • When you don’t have a hydro transmission on your snowblower, you should be able to move the machine by pushing it forward when you don’t have the drive control lever engaged. When it is engaged, you shouldn’t be able to push it forward.
  • If you find slack in the cable, you find the snowblower won’t move with the drive lever disengaged, or it moves when the drive lever is engaged, the cable must be adjusted.
  • With the engine off, locate the drive cable bracket.
  • Loosen the hex nut located on the top of the bracket and slide the bracket up or down to make the adjustment needed.
    • Slide the bracket up if the cable is too tight to allow some slack in the cable.
    • Slide the bracket down if the cable is too loose and the slack needs to be removed.

If the adjustment doesn’t work or you find your cable is extremely worn or broken, the cable will need to be replaced.

When you have verified the drive cable is in good condition and adjusted properly, but your Cub Cadet still won’t move, it’s time to look at the drive belt and friction wheel.

Bad Drive Belt or Belt Out of Place on a Cub Cadet Snowblower

Check the drive belt on your Cub Cadet snowblower. It could have simply come off the pulley. If this is the case, check the pulley to make sure it is in good condition and it isn’t a reason for the belt falling off. Replace any damaged parts.

Next, check the belt for determining if it is worn or has stretched. It is normal for the belt to wear over time and fail to turn the pulley.

A shiny appearance to the belt or one that is showing signs of cracks are signs of a worn drive belt that must be replaced.

A worn belt or one that has fallen off the pulley will fail to engage the drive system to turn the wheels.

Bad Drive Friction Wheel on a Cub Cadet Snowblower

The friction disc is raised to engage the friction wheel to rotate the wheels. When the rubber on the friction wheel wears away, the wheel will begin to slip failing to move the wheels.

Because the friction wheel is a wear item, you need to check it periodically for wear. The rubber disc should be replaced when it is worn down to 1/8 inch or you find signs of cracking.

While the rubber in some friction wheels can be replaced by the owner, there are some models that require special tools to replace.

Consult your Cub Cadet operator’s manual for instructions on replacing the friction wheel on your model snowblower.