5 little problems that can stop a snow blower

Watching from inside as snow piles up doesn't instill dread for anyone with a snow blower that's up to the task. Such confidence, though, could quickly turn to misery. All it takes is for one of several little things to go wrong. You can't keep them from happening. Still, you can improve the odds of a mishap putting your snow blower out of commission just when you need it.

Check the pull cord

Gas-powered models with electric start have a pull cord only as a backup. But if your model lacks the easy starting, your pull cord will get much more use and might snap at a critical point—say, when you're about to clear snow after a blizzard. Replacing it isn't easy, but doing so can prevent hours of shoveling. When no snow is forecast, pull the cord out slowly and look for signs of fraying. If you see any, take the machine in to be serviced and with luck you'll have it back from the shop before the next storm.

Keep a spare belt on hand

Any gas-powered snow blower uses at least one belt. They can be hard to replace when your hands are cold, but the greater challenge is having the foresight to order an extra or two before you need them. If one breaks while you're clearing snow and you don't have a spare, you're out of business until you either buy a new one or take your snow blower to the shop.

Avoid a cable outage

Snow blowers use numerous cables that run between the control panel and the chute, the transmission, or another component. While these don't typically break, one could go slack from tight maneuvering near shrubs or something else that catches on the cable. You'll know it when the control no longer works: A chute won't adjust as intended or a dual-stage model's speed control won't change speeds or direction. The fix? Locate the cable, which is sometimes located within a cover you'd need to unbolt, and adjust it until the control works.

Adjust the tire pressure

When you first buy a two-stage, gas-powered, snow blower, the tires sometimes come overinflated to reduce shipping damage. (The manual will specify the proper pounds per square inch.) But if they're underinflated, which can occur over time, you'll work harder to maneuver the machine and notice less traction. And if just one tire is deflated, the snow blower may lean a bit to one side. More obvious, though, are both the scraping of one bottom corner of the auger box, on the side with the deflated tire, and the corresponding line of uncleared snow that slips beneath the auger box on the other side.

Stock up on shear pins

The telltale sign of a broken shear pin is when one half of a gas-powered, dual-stage machine's auger suddenly isn't turning; it's pushing snow instead. What's happened? Such models have a transmission to drive the auger. To protect it from overworking (say, when up against a dense, compacted plow pile), the shaft of the auger has shear pins, little bolts that are weak enough to break instead, usually halting one half of the auger's rotation. They'll also corrode on their own over time. Again, keep extras around that are meant for your model. It's a quick task to tap out the snapped one and push a new one through before you secure it. But whatever you do, don't permanently install a bolt and nut—you'll be putting your transmission at risk since the bolts are not meant to break.

Need a new snow blower?

Snow blowers are being cleared out of home centers and most other sellers as mowers and grills increasingly take up floor space. So call ahead about a model you're looking for; first check out our snow blower buying guide and our Ratings of more than 110 snow blowers. Top-scoring gas models include the two-stage, 30-inch Cub Cadet 31AH57S, $1,500, and Ariens 921032, $1,300, the compact, 24-inch two-stage Craftsman 88173, $680, and the single-stage, 21-inch Toro Power Clear 721E, $570.

—Ed Perratore (@EdPerratore on Twitter)