How Long Snowblower Belts Last? Longer than you think!

By: Author John Cunningham. Published: 2023/06/13 at 2:39 pm

It doesn’t matter how well your snowblower engine runs; if you can’t get the power to where it’s needed, it is wasted, and that’s what belts are all about. Belts work super hard, and with snowblowers, any belt issues are quickly telegraphed by way of poor performance.

Snowblower auger and transmission belts should be inspected every season and replaced every five years, regardless of their visible condition.

In this post, we’ll cover snowblower transmission belts and auger belts, what they do, how to inspect them, and how to care for them, and I’ll provide links to replacement articles with images.

Snowblower Belt Types

The most common type of snowblower belt configuration is the V belt. So-called because of its cross-section shape. The V shape offers greater belt surface contact when paired with V-shaped pulleys, and a greater contact patch offers greater traction.

All belts are typically made from synthetic rubber compounds, cords, and synthetic fibers, but now all belts are the same.

Modern best-in-class V belts are commonly aramid (aromatic polyamide) corded and wrapped – the household name is Kevlar. Aramid belts are tough and great at withstanding all types of punishment. They are high tensile and resist stretching, heat, oil, shock load, backside loads, and backward bending.

Basic rubber-type belts are available too; they are made from synthetic rubber, cordes, and fibers; they are good belts but no match for the Kevlar belt. While some basic synthetic belts boast heat and oil resistance, they are still susceptible to damage, especially when overheated.

In my opinion, there’s only one belt to fit. It’s the aramid belt (Kevlar).

Transmission Drive Belt

As you know, the drive belt transmits power from the crankshaft to the wheels. It does so using pulleys and belts.

Snowblower transmission systems are wonderfully simple; a typical snowblower transmission system includes the following components:

• Crankshaft pulley
• Belt
• Tensioner pulley on spring loaded tensioner arm
• Axle pulley with integrated drive plate
• Friction plate
• Lever assembly with the integrated gear selector

Factors that affect transmission drive belt life

All types of belts will be affected by how we care for them. And as you can imagine, the factors that affect how long a belt lasts varies by machine. Factors that determine the longevity of belts include:

• Belt material – What your transmission belt is made from will be the main factor determining its longevity, Kevlor being the very best material.
• Hours of use – More you use your transmission, the more wear we can expect to see
• Workload – Some machines only move a few inches of snow over a small area, and some machines move tons of snow and perhaps on hilly terrain. Adding to the workload, you can guess which belt will last longer.
• Belt tension – a belt that isn’t tensioned correctly will cause slip, and slip means pre, mature wear.
• Pulley condition – damaged or misaligned pulleys will chaf on the transmission belt and shorten its life.
• General condition – Even a soft tire on your snowblower can affect the transmission belt. Poor maintenance will cause the machine and belt to work harder; transmission axles need greasing, drive plates need cleaning, tires pumping, etc.
• Storage – Storing a snowblower promotes corrosion on pulleys which directly transfers to the belts. Rust tends to accumulate on the belt and reduce friction; as you can imagine, causes transmission slip which increases belt heat and wear.
• Oil Leaks – Oil on a belt isn’t ideal, but it happens; a crankshaft seal sometimes allows some oil slip past, and oil on a belt will cause slip, yes, even on oil-resistant belts.

Lifespan Of Transmission Belt

If your snowblower works super hard, you could expect to replace it every three years or so. That said, it is possible for transmission belts to last ten-plus years; if that’s your snowblower, I’m impressed!

Symptoms Of Worn Out Snowblower Transmission Belt

The symptoms of a worn-out snowblower drive belt are, as you can imagine, varied; here are the most common symptoms:

• Won’t move forward or back
• Won’t move when engine cold
• Makes a squealing noise when drive engaged
• Slow drive on hills
• Stops on hills
• Smokes when drive engaged
• Drives, but feels jerky
• Have to help push snowblower
• Machine vibrates, and drive feels lumpy

The consequences of ignoring these warning signs include the loss of drive altogether, but more significantly, a belt that derails can get caught up in other components and cause damage. Here are a few I’ve seen:

• Belt snaps and wraps around the crankshaft, damaging the oil seal.
• Belts wrap themselves around the drive plate and friction wheel, damaging it.
• Belts come loose and damage the crankshaft pulley shield.

Transmission Belt Replacement

Replacing the transmission belt isn’t that difficult; the manufacturers may have you split the bin from the chassis, but that usually isn’t necessary and a good thing because older snowblower fasteners can be a little crusty and a pain in the jacksie to remove.

Anyhow, only a few basic tools are needed, and I’ve covered the whole process previously, and you can check that out right here – Replacing snowblower drive belt.

You should note I’d advise changing both belts simultaneously as if your drive is worn out, the auger belt is likely worn out too.

Auger Belts

Your auger is the business end of your snowblower; without the working auger, a snowblower is entirely useless.

Snowblower auger drive systems are simple; a typical snowblower auger drive system includes the following components:

• Crankshaft pulley
• Belt
• Controlled tensioner arm with pulley
• Impeller with integrated pulley
• Auger worm shaft
• Auger transmission
• Auger axle
• Two augers
• Two auger shear pins

Factors that Affect Auger Belt Life

Unsurprisingly the factors that affect a transmission belt also affect an auger belt; that said, there are a few differences.

• Belt material – What your auger belt is made from will be the main factor determining its longevity; Kevlor is best.
• Hours of use – More you use your machine, the more wear we can expect to see
• Workload – Some machines only move a few inches of snow over a small area, and others move tons of snow.
• Belt tension – a belt that isn’t tensioned correctly will cause slip, and slip means premature wear.
• Pulley condition – damaged or misaligned pulleys will chaf on belts and shorten their life.
• General condition – Poor maintenance will cause the machine and belt to work harder; auger axles need greasing; auger transmissions need to be lubed; auger axle bearings need to be in top shape; auger and shear pins need checking regularly, skid shoes and scraper bars need regular inspection and adjustment.
• Storage – Storing a snowblower promotes corrosion on pulleys which directly transfers to the belts. Rust tends to accumulate on the belt and reduce friction, as you can imagine, causing transmission slip, and increasing belt heat and wear.
• Oil Leaks – Oil on a belt isn’t ideal, but it happens; a crankshaft seal sometimes allows some oil to slip past, and oil on a belt will cause slip.

Lifespan Of Auger Belt

The lifespan of a snowblower auger belt is about five years; belts older should be changed as part of routine preventive maintenance.

Symptoms Of Worn Out Snowblower Auger Belt

The symptoms of a worn-out snowblower auger belt are varied; here are the most common symptoms:

• Auger won’t move
• Auger won’t move when engine cold
• Auger stops when hits snow
• Auger makes a squealing noise when engaged
• Auger moves, but feels rough
• Auger belt smokes when engaged
• Machine vibrates a lot when the auger engaged

Auger Belt Replacement

Replacing the auger belt isn’t that difficult, as with the transmission belt; some manufacturers may have you split the bin from the chassis, but that usually isn’t necessary and a good thing because older snowblowers tend to have hard-to-remove rusty old bolts.

As said, I’d advise changing both auger and transmission drive belts simultaneously.

Belt Inspection

When inspecting a belt, we look first at how loose or otherwise it is. A transmission drive belt is typically tensioned constantly, so it will be immediately obvious when the protective shield is removed. The auger will require a helper to apply the auger lever, which typically causes the spring-loaded tensioner to move across and tension the belt.

I’ve covered both inspecting the transmission and auger belts previously, and you can check out those links below.

Mechanics Top Tips for Extending Belt Life

I don’t label belts as needy, but they do like a little love. To show your belts the love, follow this annual preseason maintenance checklist:

Transmission Belt

• Check belt for damage
• Check pulleys
• Check belt tension
• Check tensioner bearing
• Lube axle
• Clean drive plate
• Inspect friction wheel
• Lube & adjust drive control lever
• Pump tires

Auger Belt

• Check belt for damage
• Check pulleys
• Check and adjust belt tension
• Check tensioner bearing
• Grease auger axle
• Grease auger axle bearings
• Check auger gearbox lube
• Inspect auger for damage
• Inspect impeller and chute for damage
• Inspect bin, scraper bar and skid shoes and adjust as needed
• Check shear pins
• Lube & adjust drive control lever

Snowblower Belt Mistakes to Avoid

• Using inferior belts
• Fitting belts either too big or small
• Neglecting basic maintenance & belt tension checks

Summary

Belts are essential for snowblowers, transferring power to key parts. They include transmission and auger belts, typically made of durable materials like Kevlar. Belts should be inspected annually and replaced every five years.

Factors affecting belt lifespan include material, usage, workload, tension, pulley condition, maintenance, storage, and oil leaks. Ignoring worn-out belt symptoms can cause damage. Belt replacement is straightforward with basic tools, and both transmission and auger belts should be changed together.

Regular inspection and maintenance are crucial. Avoid using inferior belts, incorrect sizing, and neglecting maintenance.

You may find the following links helpful:

• Auger belt smoking
• Snowblower smells like burning
• Snowblower smoking
• Auger stops in snow
• Snowblower won’t move