Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Ariens Snowblower - Drive Wheels Not Operating

I have an older Ariens model 932004 two stage snow blower that has operated fine for many years and all of a sudden the drive wheels no longer are powered when I engage the drive lever on the handle. The wheels can spin freely by hand and there is no strange sound when I engage the drive lever. The engine runs fine and the auger spins withut a problem. The linkage on the outside of the snowblower looks fine.

Before I start taking the thing apart, is there any common problem that could have caused the wheels not to engage? I don't have a manual so I am going blind even though I'm usually good at fixing things.

Thanks, David:wall:

Possible friction disc?

Having a similar problem with mine right now.

I am new to snowblowers so I unsure how big of a job it is to replace.

It does sound like the friction disc needs replacing. It could also be the axle bushings are worn allowing the axle to move to the point that the friction disc can not contact the drive disc.

Thanks a whole lot for the tips. Nest question is what's the best place to get a repair manual for my model? I found a place on the internet that had all the Ariens manuals for free but that has been discontinued. In any event it's worth it to purchase one. Any ideas?

Go to Ariens.com, click on "customer sevice" , "download owners manuals", the type in model # serial#, language, and which manual you want to download.. owners, parts, service.
Next screen looks just like the last screen except in the lower right corner it say "view manual". click on that.

Thanks for the link to Ariens. I never though of going there first. I know most manuals can be obtained for free on the internet but I searched all over and only found a few sites that were actually selling these Ariens manuals that were free on the Ariens site. It should not surprise me - everyone is trying to make a buck. Anyhow thanks for all your help. I've had this snowblower for about 12 years and never did much other than change the oil so it's due for some preventative maintance along with the drive wheel repair. I'm all set so thanks again. Soon I'll be ready for the next Chicago area snowfall.Beer 4U2