The snowblower drive belt is set up to spin without issue.
When the snowblower moves, the belt will also spin to allow the motor to function properly. In general, this is not going to cause issues and you will know the snowblower drive belt is going to keep working as it is designed to.
Unfortunately, it is possible to be in a situation where the snowblower drive belt is slipping.
If the snowblower drive belt is slipping, it might be due to damage to the belt. Additional reasons include minimal belt tension, a misaligned pulley arm, or a damaged drive belt idler arm. To fix this issue, tighten the belt, re-align the pulley arm, and make sure the drive belt idler arm is undamaged.
Most people are going to want to start pushing the snowblower around as soon as it turns on. If the snowblower drive belt is slipping, the snowblower is not going to work properly.
This article is going to show you what to do when the snowblower drive belt is slipping a lot.
Table of Contents
Things To Consider When Fixing A Snowblower Drive Belt That’s Slipping
1. Check For Misaligned Pulley Arm
The pulley arm may be the reason the snowblower belt keeps slipping.
It is not going to move as you want it to because of misalignment. When the pulley arm is out of place, this is going to cause the belt to move in an incorrect pattern.
This is what you will have to avoid.
You need to make sure the pulley arm is set up in a way where it does turn as you want it to. If it does not, you will lead to major issues.
It’s possible the pulley arm is going to get damaged when you do this and that is not good for how the pulley arm works.
Focus on going with a solution that is going to re-align the pulley arm and then it is going to work as you want it to.
2. Tighten The Belt
You will want to take the time to check on the belt.
If the belt is too loose, this is the reason it is slipping. The belt is not turning as it should and that is going to be due to it not holding in place.
Do not let this happen.
You have to make sure to tighten the belt as carefully as you can. This includes assessing how the belt is going to move once it is in place.
In most cases, it will take a few seconds to tighten the snowblower drive belt, and then it will be good to go. It will stop slipping.
If you feel it is not tightening, you might have to take off the belt and put it back into place.
3. Check For Damage To The Drive Belt Idler Arm
You will also want to assess the drive belt idler arm.
This is a part of the snowblower that is going to keep the belt in place and it has to be robust. If it is not, this is going to push the snowblower belt to move in an unsafe way.
You will not want to allow this to happen.
The best thing a person can do is make sure the drive belt idler arm functions as you want it to. This includes making sure it continues to turn properly.
4. Check For Damage To The Belt
It is also important to think about the snowblower drive belt itself.
Is the belt damaged?
Most people are only going to look to tighten the snowblower drive belt and that is a good starting point for a problem such as this one. However, you will also want to look at potential damage to the belt.
What type of damage?
You will have to look for fraying as that can happen when the belt gets older. If this is the case, the best solution is to swap out the belt.
This is a much better solution than attempting to fix the snowblower drive belt.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to focus on the steps here when you are dealing with a snowblower drive belt that’s slipping.
If the snowblower drive belt is slipping, the best solution is to check for damage to the belt and then tighten it. Additional issues can be a misaligned pulley arm or a damaged drive belt idler arm. Look at each part and get the belt working properly.
In most cases, the issue is going to be with the belt.
This can either involve the belt being too loose or it is damaged. It is important to inspect each element associated with the belt to get it to move properly.
This is the best way to make sure the snowblower moves as you want it to.
