Snow Blower Maintenance Tips

Regardless of when you decide to complete maintenance on your snow blower, there are eight areas that consumers should focus on. Obviously it is better to do this maintenance in the summertime when it is warm. However, you can perform these snowblower maintenance tips any time during the year, even when it is cold and the beginning of winter has begun.

Snow Blower Maintenance Tips

Here are eight tips that all consumers should consider to keep their machines running smoothly all year long.

• Change the spark plug
• Check the impellers and the auger
• Inspect the belts
• Inspect the shave plate
• Reverse the skid shoes
• Check the shear pins
• Change the oil
• Add fresh gasoline with stabilizer added

A few more comments on each:

Change the spark plug – at the very least remove the spark plug. Remove all corrosion and set the gap to the proper amount as specified by the manufacturer

Check the impellers and the auger – to make sure they are not damaged in any way. Grease the auger if there are grease nipples

Inspect the belts – Are they beginning to fray or coming apart? Properly set the tension of the belts.

Inspect the shave plate – it should not be loose and about 1/4 inch above the surface if you are clearing snow off a paved driveway. Higher if on gravel.

Reverse the skid shoes – check the skid shoes. Check them for signs of wear. Reverse the skid shoes. Tightly secure them.

Check the shear pins – replace the shear pins.

Change the oil – at least once per year and more often if you are using your snowblower every day during the winter

Add fresh gasoline with stabilizer added – this will ensure that the tank and filters do not get gummed up by old gasoline that is beginning to separate into its component parts.