| Service | Every Use | 25 hours | Annual |
| Visual inspection | Yes | ||
| Check engine oil | Yes | ||
| Check drive clutch adjustment | Yes | ||
| Check auger engagement | Yes | ||
| General grease | Yes | ||
| Auger transmission lube | Yes | ||
| Engine oil change | Yes | ||
| Tire pressure check | Yes | ||
| Clean engine | Yes | ||
| Check drive belts | Yes | ||
| Carburetor bowl clean | Yes | ||
| Replacement spark plug | Yes | ||
| Valve lash check | 2 Years | ||
| Skid shoe adjustment | Yes | ||
| Scraper bar adjustment | Yes |
General Greasing Points
Most bearings are greased for life, meaning we don’t need to do anything. That said, there are still some components that require some lube.
Auger Lube
The auger axle needs lube to help prevent rust from building up between the auger and the shaft. It’s a common issue and means your shear bolts can’t do their job.
To lube them, you’ll need to remove the shear bolts, add lube through the Zerk fittings (greasing points) and spin the auger to distribute the grease before refitting the shear bolts.
Some makes may have a greasing point at the impeller also.
Auger Transmission Lube
Use synthetic severe-duty grease inside the auger gearcase. Fill to the bottom of the fill hole. The lube doesn’t generally need topping up unless you notice gear lube loss around the transmission seals.
You may need to add dope tape to the filler plug threads before refitting (it prevents filler fastener leaks).
Drive System Lube
Remove the belly pan and add a smear of grease to the Hex shaft, drive, and pinion gear.
Careful not to add too much – grease on the drive plate or friction disc will cause transmission slip.
Pull the quick-release pins, and remove the wheels.
Add some lube to the axles; it helps prevent rust build-up between the wheel and axle.
Maintenance Mode
When working on your snowblower, remove the start key, turn off the gas valve, and tip the machine onto its bin.
If your gas tank is full place a sheet of plastic underneath to prevent spill.
Remove the wheel quick-release pins and place them in the outer service/maintenance mode position for easy handling.
Don’t forget to place them back in drive mode, or your machine won’t have drive.
- About the Author
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John Cunningham is an Automotive Technician and writer at Lawnmowerfixed.com.
He’s been a mechanic for over twenty-five years and shares his know-how and hands-on experience in our DIY repair guides.
Johns’s How-to guides help homeowners fix lawnmowers, tractor mowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, power washers, generators, snow blowers, and more.