Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Ariens Snow Thrower Attachment Belt Idler Jam

I purchased a used Arens ST524 model# 932020 last year. With the help of this wonderful forum I was able to get the motor running. Last winter in a heavy snow I noticed that the impeler auger belt was sliping. This week thanks again to this forum I learned how to get at the belts. Both looked worn. While taking the belts off the attachment idler puller/brake became jammed to the point that I cannot push the auger/impeler assembly back together because the brake on the idler is in the way. When I took the belt off this moved freely. After I took the drive belt off I noticed it was jammed. I don't know what I did to jam it. I have all the manuals for this machine but have not found how to clear this jam. I have ordered the new belts and await there arrival.

Any help you can give me in freeing this up will be greatly appreciated. I am also worried about taking the auger/impeler off the machine to get at underside.

Thanks

Bill

Thanks again for any and all assistance.

Hope I can get some help with this. Its getting cold here on LI.

Hope you all had a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.

Bill

I'm sorry I have no experience with snowblowers at all. I'm wondering if the idler is spring loaded, and since the belt is off, the spring has it pulled beyond it's normal range of motion, which has something jammed. Maybe once you get it back to it's normal operating range, it will be clear of the obstacle?

Try loosening the bolt that the idler bracket pivots on.

Log into Ariens.com There site should have a owner's manual you can download.

Enter the model and serial #'s

Have the manuals but was wondering if there is an easy way to free up the idler pully for the impeller. It jammed when I took the drive belt off. I have the machine split and am trying to avoid taking the auger entirely off. From what I have read it is diffcult to reattach it.

Thanks again.

Bill