QuestionQUESTION: Eric,
I have a Toro 524 snowblower circa 1978 that has never had the drive or auger belt replaced. The auger belt was easy enough to replace but I cannot see a way to remove the drive belt without either cutting it off or using a giant pry bar to get enough clearance to get it off the main pulley on the right side. I removed the belt tensioner, but there is just not enough clearance between the pulley and the rod which controls the auger belt tensioner to remove the belt or install a new one with damaging them. The owners manual only has a few sentences on this belt R & R procedure but there has to some trick to removing the belt without dismantling the whole right side of the machine - I hope?
thanks
Douglas
ANSWER: Look for a model number on your blower. It will be something like 38040 or 51591.
Did you go to Toro's website and download the service manual?
Send me the model number so I can look up the blower. I don't recall having to remove the the whole right side to replace the belt.
Send me the model number so I can provide some tips.
Eric
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Eric, it is a model 38040 s/n 9003702 (from 1979 confirmed) and I have the original operator's manual still , form 3311-191, which is the only info available on Toro's website ironically.Page 16 of that manual supposedly has the procedure for removing the drive belt from the traction pulley, but it does not mention how to squeeze the old or new belt between the traction pulley and the rod which controls the auger belt idler (Fig 32 in the manual. That rod I speak of only clears the traction pulley by maybe 1/4"-3/8" - not enough to squeeze the belt by.
Thanks Doug
AnswerThanks for the model number. I was wonder if the traction pulley could be removed or loosened...not very easy to do.
Can you remove of loosen the rod to provide more clearance?
FYI, that's a good little blower so I recommend hanging on to it as long a possible.
Let me know if the rod can be removed.
Eric
