How to Fix a Snow Blower: 5 Essential Tips for Efficient Maintenance and Repair

Make sure your snow blower or snow thrower is maintained and ready to blow.

Schedule Snow Blower Maintenance

You don’t want to “blow it” when the time comes to break out your snow blower. Plan ahead: Don’t wait until the ground is covered in white to find out if your snow blower or snow thrower is in working order. A pre-winter tune-up for your snow blower is more than preparation—it's essential prevention. These check-ups ward off mid-season failures, ensuring your snow blower can handle every snowfall. Our maintenance service will keep your machine in peak condition, avoiding common issues that could disrupt your snow clearing plans.

Take advantage of our complete snow blower maintenance service that includes:

• Checking the ignition, starter systems, carburetor, throttle and choke controls.
• Cleaning the engine cooling fins.
• Changing the oil.
• Lubricating moving parts.
• Inspecting and adjusting drive belts and chains.

Easy Snow Blower DIY Repairs

If you do encounter some problems, below are four things you can easily fix yourself. Tackling snow blower repairs yourself isn’t just rewarding—it’s cost-effective. Just remember to disconnect the spark plug and battery cables before repairing any power equipment. And don’t forget to wear safety glasses and gloves to protect against harmful chemicals and debris.

1. Replace the Scraper Blade

Constant use wears down the scraper blade, whose job it is to scrape the surface of snow and ice underneath your snow blower. The scraper blade is located in front of the auger. This feeds the snow to the impeller, which then blows the snow out. To fix the scraper blade, unscrew all the bolts holding the blade. Remove the damaged blade from the auger housing and then install a new blade.

To avoid wearing down the scraper blade prematurely, set the skid shoes at the proper height as shown in this DIY video:

2. Replace a Broken Shear Pin

A shear pin is actually designed to break if the auger shaft is over-torqued — you don’t want the gear shaft to be damaged if you get something stuck in the auger. To fix this problem, lift the auger housing until the handle sits on the ground. The broken shear pin should fall out. If part of the pin is still in the shaft, use a small hammer to remove it. Install the new pin and tighten the bolt with a wrench.

3. Replace a Drift Cutter

The drift cutters are mounted on both sides of the auger. They help you clear more efficiently by cutting into high snow and directing it into the auger housing instead of letting it fall on top of the snow blower. If one or both are bent, you can replace them with new parts. To do so, loosen the wing nuts, remove the bolts and slide the drift cutters off. To replace, just insert bolts into the new parts and tighten the wing nuts.

4. Replace Worn Skid Shoes

Skid shoes slide along the ground to protect the sides of the auger housing from damage and also allow you to adjust the clearance between the scraper blade and the ground. These parts wear out over time by scraping over concrete and pavement. Many skid shoes have 2 sides so you can just reverse the skid shoes if both sides aren't already worn out.

You can replace them by doing the following:

1. Lift the auger housing and use a block of wood to keep it off the ground.
2. Remove the bolts and pull off the worn skid shoes.
3. Install the new skid shoes and tighten the bolts.

Adjust the skid shoes as shown in the above video.

How to Get Your Snow Blower Repaired

While some snow blower repairs are fairly easy to do, there are times a trained service pro is needed. The repair technicians at Sears Home Services have the skills and training needed to get your snow blower blowing again. When you have an engine failure or major snow blower breakdown, schedule service through our Sears Home Services website or call (802) 613-1926 to set up repair service by phone. We offer same-day and next-day repair service appointments in many areas for your convenience.

End-of-Season Tips

As winter winds down, giving your snow blower some end-of-season care is key to its longevity and readiness for next year. These maintenance tips ensure your machine stays efficient and extends its lifespan. By taking a few steps before storing your snow blower, you're preparing for a smooth start to the next snowy season. Wrap up this winter season with your snow blower well-maintained and ready for a rest.

• Visually inspect the snow blower or snow thrower for damage.
• Always remove all of the fuel from the device before storing. You don’t want old gas to gum up the system.

If you do both of those, you’ll be ready for next winter without having to do a lot of work.

When it comes to snow blower repair, you can find the parts you need at Sears PartsDirect. And if you run into trouble, Sears Home Services technicians are always available to give you a helping hand.