Guide to Servicing and Maintaining an Ariens Snowblower

You did well to get an Ariens snowblower. In order to preserve your investment and ensure peak performance, you should get it serviced once a year and conduct regular checks during the winter.

Maintenance for an Ariens snow thrower entails inspecting and adjusting the machine’s safety features, tire pressures, fuel system, auger blades, scraper bar, and belts, as well as replacing the spark plug and engine oil. Both 2- and 3-stage Ariens snow blowers require regular maintenance, including checking the oil level in the gearcase and greasing the shafts.

If you want to keep your Ariens in good working order, you need to undertake routine maintenance with care. This entails turning off the ignition and disconnecting the spark plug wire, waiting for the engine to come to a complete stop, and letting it cool down.

This article is about maintaining a 4-cycle Ariens snowblower. However, even though 2-cycle snowblowers are no longer produced, used models can still be purchased. There are no dedicated gasoline and oil filling ports on 2-cycle snow throwers.

Ariens Snowblower Preventative Maintenance Checklist

Keep your Ariens snow thrower in tip-top shape all year long with routine servicing and maintenance.

• Achieve this by amassing necessary equipment and materials.
• Verify all safety measures
• Maintenance: Oil and filter replacement
• Throw out the old spark plug and get a new one.
• Examine the gas tank and fuel system.
• Make sure the lug nuts are tight and the tires are properly inflated.
• Verify the transfer case (2-stage & 3-stage models)
• Belts and pulleys should be inspected for damage.
• Check the auger paddles and scraper bar for damage (single-stage)
• Check the auger blades, scraper, and skid shoes for damage (2-stage & 3-stage models)
• Repair any slack and replace any missing pieces.
• Apply grease to the traction drive and auger shafts.

Here Are 11 Easy Ways to Keep Your Ariens Snowblower Running Smoothly

Gather Parts and Equipment for Ariens Snowblower Maintenance

Gather up your tools and parts before beginning snowblower maintenance.

• To Change the Oil and Filter in Your Engine
• Prompt-Igniting Device
• Wrenches, Socket or Spanner
• Soap Dish
• Funnel
• An appropriate amount of gearcase lube (2-stage & 3-stage)
• Lubricant for use at high temperatures (2-stage & 3-stage)

Perform a Safety Check of Your Ariens Snowblower

Find out more about the safeguards built into your Ariens snow thrower by reading the manual that came with it. Check that they are working properly.

If you are using a single-stage snow thrower, when you let go of the auger bar, the auger should cease rotating. When the ignition is turned off, the engine must immediately shut down. If the auger does not stop when you release the auger bar, do not use the snowblower.

It is recommended that the auger and impeller of a 2-stage or 3-stage snowblower stop spinning no more than 5 seconds after the attachment clutch lever is released.

As soon as the clutch lever for the traction drive is released, the wheels (or tracks) must come to a complete stop. Do not use a snowblower if either of these parts does not engage or disengage in the proper manner.

Check your Ariens snow thrower’s safety features to make sure they are working properly. The presence or absence of other safety features varies by model, so be sure to consult your manual.

In the absence of certain components, the snowblower should not be used.

Operating a snowblower has risks. Knowing the risks and taking precautions with your snowblower are essential.

Maintain your Ariens snowblower by changing the oil and filter.

Most Ariens household snow blowers call for an oil and filter change every 50 hours, or once a year, to ensure the engine is always running on clean oil. After 5-10 hours of use, a brand-new engine needs its oil changed for the first time.

If you don’t change the oil in your engine on a regular basis, you could be causing serious damage to the engine.

• To prevent oil spills from reaching the ground, cover the area where you’ll be working. Newspaper and cardboard both serve the purpose admirably.
• Start the snow blower, set it on the protective covering for your workspace, and let it run for two or three minutes to warm the oil. In terms of fluidity, warm oil is preferable than cool oil. It’s important to exercise caution when working near the hot engine.
• Turn off the ignition and take the boot from the spark plug. While you’re working on your snowblower, make sure to take the precaution of removing the spark plug boot and the ignition key to prevent it from starting accidentally. To avoid major harm, this precaution is essential.
• To avoid contaminating the engine, clean the area surrounding the oil plug or oil drain hose (depending on your model) before removing it. Remove the oil drain plug and set a drain pan underneath it to collect the oil.
• In order to change the oil in your engine, you need to first remove the old oil filter and then clean the area surrounding it. Get a filter wrench to take off the old oil filter and put in a new one. Apply a little layer of fresh oil to the gasket of the new filter before installing it on the engine. After the oil has been drained, replace the drain cap.
• The crankcase should be filled with 5W-30 engine oil. If you want your engine to last, you need to keep the oil level up. It must be kept at just the right level, as extremes in either direction are harmful.
• Turn the Key to the Engine and Check the Oil: Replace the boot on the spark plug and run the engine for a while. It is important to shut down the engine and allow the oil to cool. Verify the oil level again. To the extent that more oil is required, add it now.

Changing the Ariens Snowblower’s Spark Plug

Each year, I like to change out the spark plug. It’s crucial to the proper functioning of your snow thrower and must be used whenever you turn it on. With a socket wrench, take out the old spark plug, and put in the new one, making sure the gap is just right.

Spark plug wires should not be reconnected until servicing of the Ariens snowblower is complete.

Look at the Ariens Snowblower’s Gasoline System

Now is a good time to make sure there are no leaks in the gasoline system. Trace the gasoline lines as they leave the tank and look for leaks in the hoses, fuel pump (if your model has one), and carburetor. If the fuel lines are dry, broken, or leaking, you should have them replaced.

If your carburetor is leaking, you may probably get it fixed by cleaning it or changing the gasket. To fix the carburetor’s leak, do what I say.

If you discover that your fuel is getting old, you should switch to new fuel to avoid any issues that could arise from using stale fuel.

You may stabilize the gas, decrease moisture, and clean the fuel system by adding a fuel additive to fresh fuel before introducing it to your snowblower. Sea Foam Motor Treatment is a product I find useful. Discover the rationale here.

Maintaining Your Ariens Snowblower: Check Tire Pressures and Lug Nuts

If your snow thrower has air-filled tires, check that the lug nuts are secure and that the tire pressures on both sides are the same. The sidewall of your tires will have a suggested tire pressure that should be used.

Having tires inflated to different levels might generate a snowy wake behind your vehicle. The scraper bar may wear out faster than normal.

Inspect the Ariens snowblower’s gearcase oil (2-Stage & 3-Stage)

Lubrication of the gears in the gearcase is essential. Because gears can seize without enough oil, the gearcase may need to be overhauled or replaced. This might add up in price.

Be sure your snow thrower is level before checking the oil level. To check the oil level, take off the plug on top of the gearcase and insert a clean tool such a dipstick or screwdriver.

To learn how much oil should be in the gearcase, consult the instruction manual. When you get there, replace the plug and continue filling with Ariens L-3 Synthetic Severe-Duty Gear Lube.

Verify the Belt and Pulleys on Your Ariens Snowblower for Wear

You should regularly inspect the belt(s) and pulley(s) of your Ariens snowblower to ensure that they are in good working order. Verify that the ignition switch is in the off position, the key is out of the ignition, and the spark plug wire is disconnected.

Do not remove the belt cover until you are certain that all moving parts have stopped.

Verify that the belt(s) is/are properly installed on the pulleys and is/are in good working condition. It’s time to get a new belt if the old one is looking shiny, strained, or broken.

Additionally, it is a good time to inspect the pulleys. When there is additional play (wobble) in a pulley, it could be a sign of a failed bearing. There’s a chance it’ll make a squeaking noise, too. You need to switch out that broken pulley right away.

Check the Ariens’s Auger’s Blades, Paddles, Scraper Bar, and Skid Shoes for Wear and Tear

Check the tire pressures (if air-filled) or that the wheels on your snow thrower are undamaged and that the machine is sitting on a flat surface.

This should be done before inspecting the auger paddle and scraper bar of a single-stage snowblower, or the auger blades, scraper bar, and skid shoes of a two- or three-stage snowblower.

Inspect the auger paddles and scraper bar of your single-stage snow thrower for signs of wear. Each component, including the paddles and the bar, is marked with an indicator showing when it needs to be replaced.

Wear indicators serve as a reminder that an item needs to be replaced. The auger housing can be harmed if the paddles and scraper bar are worn out and not replaced.

For all 2- and 3-stage snow throwers, check the shear pins and auger blades for damage. For your snow thrower, use only genuine OEM shear pins.

Standard bolts should not be used. When the auger strikes an item, the shear pins break off to protect the gearcase.

Because the owner didn’t have anything else to keep the auger running after the shear pin broke, numerous gearcases have been damaged by being temporarily fastened together with a normal bolt.

That’s why it’s smart to stock up on extra shear pins and shear bolts before the season begins.

Check the scraper for any damage. The cutting edge, according to some. This metal bar should not have any significant wear.

The snowblower won’t clear the driveway if the bar is damaged. When a bar becomes extremely worn, it might cause structural damage to the housing if it is not replaced.

If the scraper bar has to be repositioned, do do now. Use the snowblower on a flat, even surface by adjusting the skid shoes so that there is an additional 1/8 inch of clearance between the scraper bar and the floor.

When using the snowblower on gravel or an uneven surface, leave a 1/2-inch space between the ground and the blade. On a 2- or 3-stage snowblower, the scraper bar must remain off the ground.

Repair any dangling or broken pieces, then add any missing pieces.

Look over your snow thrower and secure any loose screws or bolts. Substitute in new or used equivalents for any broken or missing ones. Use a components diagram to determine if anything is missing.

Most Ariens snow blower component diagrams can be found on the company’s website.

Grease the Traction Drive and Auger Shafts (2-Stage & 3-Stage)

In order to keep the traction drive and auger shaft running smoothly, it is recommended that high-temperature oil be used once a year and again after every 25 hours of use. Specifically, STA-PLEX high-temperature grease is what Ariens suggests.

The operator’s manual will specify the areas that need greasing or oiling. Greasing requirements, including what and where to grease, change from model to model. Keep the belts, friction disc, and friction plate clean by avoiding applying lubrication to them.

Exactly how Often Should an Ariens Snowblower Be Serviced?

Ariens recommends servicing your snow thrower once a year, or after 50 hours of use. You should inspect your snowblower frequently in between full servicing sessions.

This includes inspecting the product for any potential safety issues or broken or missing components.

Prior to each use, you should also make sure the engine oil is at the proper level. Verify there is no oil leak and bring it back up to the “full” level if it drops below that.

Before you start the snowblower, make sure everything is tight and replace any missing screws or bolts.