Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Craftsman Snow Thrower won't move forward/backward

Hi,

I have craftsman 9 HP 536.887990 snow thrower. It worked fine couple of days back in a big snow storm but suddenly it stopped moving. I am not sure why?

Augur works fine. Control gear to move forward/backward seems to connected but it doesn't move. Any idea?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Hi, my next door neighbor just solved the same problem with my 9 hp Craftsman thrower. If you remove the bottom plate where the cable for the gear lever goes, you will see the aluminum wheel which turns, and a black rubber wheel perpendicular to it. When you depress the lever to put the thrower in drive, the rubber wheel is contacted by the aluminum wheel at a certain point, depending on what gear you have it in. Follow the chain of force provided through this rubber wheel, and you'll come to another small wheel. I(My neighbor) found that there was a bolt through this smaller wheel that had been sheared off. He replaced it with one he had laying around his house, and it fixed the problem like new!

To add to what kayakfishingdad said there should be an adjustment for this cable.
you may have to only turn it to allow it to apply more pressure to the friction wheel.

hi,

my question is on my craftsman snow thrower the right wheel won't turn when the traction driver level is depressed. the left one moves. Now i can see the tension pin is in the axle and not through the wheel hub, but when i try to line up the wheel hub to the axle hole, i can't because of a locking washer that wont come off unless i cut it off. i don't want to cut it off though as i assume it's needed?

I'm losing traction very frequently and i believe if i move the second wheel to the drive axle then it will reduce traction loss.

am i missing something? i thought all i would need to do is to put the pin through the wheel hub, not move the wheel?

thanks.

I have a 9hp craftsman 29" snow thrower

That lock washer is not needed. It was used during assembly to keep the axle in place while moving down the line. Cut it off and slide your wheel out so you can have 2 wheel drive.

hi,

my question is on my craftsman snow thrower the right wheel won't turn when the traction driver level is depressed. the left one moves. Now i can see the tension pin is in the axle and not through the wheel hub, but when i try to line up the wheel hub to the axle hole, i can't because of a locking washer that wont come off unless i cut it off. i don't want to cut it off though as i assume it's needed?

I'm losing traction very frequently and i believe if i move the second wheel to the drive axle then it will reduce traction loss.

am i missing something? i thought all i would need to do is to put the pin through the wheel hub, not move the wheel?

thanks.

I have a 9hp craftsman 29" snow thrower

I also lost the drive to the wheels this past storm and the same bolt had also sheared in two. Looks like a design problem.

Anyone know where to find a parts list/diagram for a Craftsman 536-81112 snow blower.

I just picked this mint 11 HP 30 inch cut machine up last night for low $. It runs great (the motor) and throws snow like a sum*****. Only problem is - no drive to the wheels/axle.

Belts were good, Tilted it forward and dropped the bottom (protector?) plate. Aha! The bolt (P/N 653) that you guys have been talking about was gone. Had a 20D nail in my pocket, slipped it in and snipped off the excess just to test it. Still no go.

It was getting dark and I needed to get back to Nashua so I thought I would download that parts and service manual last night. Can't find the one section that I am sure is the problem.

I believe it is referred to as the -shift yoke- group. I did briefly catch a glimpse of that hard rubber rimmed disc that rides on the driving aluminum plate. Since the axle is now hard coupled to the driven sprocket (by the spike), I can only assume that there is an adjustment to be made which will increase the interference pressure between the driver (aluminum plate) and the driven hard rubber wheel.

I was able to get all the drawings pertaining to this machine from Sears' web site except the shift yoke group.

Any help - if nothing else, I would like to know the proper nomenclature for these parts. In case I have to buy something.

Oh, and by the way, who actually makes these machines?

drsprite, the "locking washer" you referred to is called a push nut and you should not have to remove it. The axle has two holes and you must utilize the inner hole in order to obtain two wheel drive, if you utilize the outer hole you will have way too much axle endplay and you will shear the bolt that the thread starter, mikoo 1965, likely sheared. The inner hole should be 90-degrees to the outer hole and you may need to push in the opposite wheel in order to give you the clearance and ability to get a full hole in which to place the lock pin through.

Your snowblower was made by Murray.

Anyone know where to find a parts list/diagram for a Craftsman 536-81112 snow blower.

I just picked this mint 11 HP 30 inch cut machine up last night for low $. It runs great (the motor) and throws snow like a sum*****. Only problem is - no drive to the wheels/axle.

Belts were good, Tilted it forward and dropped the bottom (protector?) plate. Aha! The bolt (P/N 653) that you guys have been talking about was gone. Had a 20D nail in my pocket, slipped it in and snipped off the excess just to test it. Still no go.

It was getting dark and I needed to get back to Nashua so I thought I would download that parts and service manual last night. Can't find the one section that I am sure is the problem.

I believe it is referred to as the -shift yoke- group. I did briefly catch a glimpse of that hard rubber rimmed disc that rides on the driving aluminum plate. Since the axle is now hard coupled to the driven sprocket (by the spike), I can only assume that there is an adjustment to be made which will increase the interference pressure between the driver (aluminum plate) and the driven hard rubber wheel.

I was able to get all the drawings pertaining to this machine from Sears' web site except the shift yoke group.

Any help - if nothing else, I would like to know the proper nomenclature for these parts. In case I have to buy something.

Oh, and by the way, who actually makes these machines?

Thanks IP500,

I will look for drawings via Murray.

Jerry

Getting there. The drive engagement is adjusted a bit differently than I am familiar with. There are actually two cables in series that actuate the drive by pulling the swinging plate aft towards the friction plate. Any excess play is taken up by removing the slack in these combined cables.

Between (and connecting) the cables is a small plate with multiple drill holes that can accept the bitter end of the cables. By repositioning the bitter end of one or both of the cables closer to each other on this plate, the belly is removed from the linkage.

A bit of WD-40 and some light grease on the yoke and shafts assemblies makes a huge difference in the ease of shifting. After lubricating the mechanism a few shots of degreaser on the friction plate and wheel faces helps maintain a good contact between them.

Speed change is effected by shifting the wheel across the face of the friction plate. The further from center the contact is made the faster the tires turn. Passing the wheel across the center axis changes direction.

Be aware that over tightening the cable will cause the entire drive train to run continously - I think.