Common Snowblower Parts that Break
January 28, 2009 by The Quality Snow Blower Guy
Filed under Snowblower Repairs & Problems
If you've used a snowblower for any significant amount of time, than you'll know that a fact of life is that parts of snowblowers break. They wear down, they become overused, they break in half or become damaged. For the most part, there's no getting around this. Most snowblower repairs are necessary simply because after a period of time parts will break down.
You can minimize your need for replacement parts and snowblower repairs if you take proper precautions when operating your snowblower and you always check it to make sure it's in proper working condition. It's better to sniff out a damaged snowblower part early on and replace it, than to be stuck out in the middle of a storm and end up with a snowblower you can't use, and one that's probably in worse condition than it would have been in if you caught the problem right away.
I always keep spare snowblower parts on hand at all times, so I can prevent myself from running into a common problem and then being out of commission. How would you even get to the store if you couldn't clear your driveway because your snowblower is broken? That's why I keep some spare parts on hand at all time. Browse a selection of replacement parts for snowblowers.
So what are some of the most common snowblower repairs and snowblower parts that break? First, a problem many people run into is a broken shear pin. What some people don't understand is that it's an almost inevitability that you're going to have broken shear pins. That's why they are designed to do!
You see, shear pins are designed by nature to break down to prevent more serious engine components to become damaged. Think of them as the electrical fuse box of your snowblower. In your house, if something is overloaded, all of the wiring in the house doesn't catch on fire or explode. The fuse switches off, effectively limiting the problem and requiring that you go switch the fuse back on. In the case of shear pins, they actually break, separating the power train from the shaft.
I highly recommend keeping a handful of extra snowblower shear pins on hand. That way when it happens, and it will happen, you can let your machine cool down and then easily change in the new shear pin and keep on working.
One of the other most common snowblower repairs is replacing a snowblower v belt, or snowblower belt, that broke. Your snowblower v belts should last for several years, but that depends on how much you use your snow thrower and how hard the machine gets taxed when it does operate. I also recommend keeping extra belts on hand in case one breaks while you are using it. Always check your belts before you use the snowblower for the first time of the season to check for wear and tear.
Before you go take your snowblower into the shop or take apart the entire engine yourself to try to spot a problem, always check those two places first. The shear pins and the belts are the most common snowblower parts that break and will need repair. But they are just the beginning!
- From there you can encounter problems with your roller chain or the roller itself.
- If your machine can't even turn on to begin with, it may be a simple problem with a damaged spark plug.
- Noticing extra amounts of dark smoke, strong fuel smells and so on could be symptoms of a fuel line or fuel filter problem.
- Depending on the model and quality of snowblower you are using, the impeller blades or paddles themselves can become damaged.
These are just some of the most common snowblower repairs I've encountered, as well as a brief listing of some of the replacement parts for snowblowers that you may want to familiarize yourself with. If you are looking for parts for snowblowers, browse our selection of cheap snowblower parts for all brands and models. And check out our listings of Tecumseh engines and Tecumseh engine parts.

Jon on Fri, 27th Feb 2009 5:06 pm
My inlaws recently purchaced a used Toro 1028, the issue is that it does not shoot snow very far at all, as a matter of fact, their 15yr old Ariens 824 shoots it 2-3X farther. I have adjusted the carborator and have changed the belt but so far nothing has worked. Please help!
The Quality Snow Blower Guy on Sun, 1st Mar 2009 9:35 pm
That’s strange. Did it start functioning correctly and then break, or was it never performing as it should have?