IH QA36A belt adjustment problems

[mch19w]

Hi guys, I am in the middle of a beautiful snow happening here in Rhode Island. We got about two and a half feet in to days. Now, not a week later, we are going to get hit with another two or three day storm. We usually don't get anything like this. My family and friends think I'm crazy sitting in front of the TV rooting for a snow storm like its the New England Patriots or something. And here is why. I got my IH 147 and QA36A snow thrower operational just in time. I've been out there for three days throwing snow all over the neighborhood. I had no idea the thing was going to work as well as it does.
I am experiencing a problem with the belt adjuster. It is obviously designed to be turned by hand but no matter how much I lubricate it, it is imposable to turn by hand and there is no tool in my arsenal that will turn it I end up having to take the whole thing apart just to tighten it up.
Any suggestions?

[cadzag72]

I had a similar problem with my qa42a when I first purchased it. With the blower off the tractor, I wire-wheeled the threads, put some never-seize in them, then turned it further to expose the rest of the threads that were covered and give them the same treatment. Now it turns very easily! Good luck!

Ps, where in RI are you? I'm up in the snow belt in foster and I'm having a blast with my 125 devouring snowbanks.

[ol'George]

It is entirely possible that the 4 carriage bolts with spacers, in the slots that the plate slides on, are missing some or all 4 spacers.
If so, the plate will not slide up/down with the hand adjuster wing nut.
The mounting plate should be free to slide up/down with the 4 bolts/nuts tight.
The spacers can be made using a pipe nipple cut to length, and a drill run through to open them up just a bit.
Clear as mud?

[finsruskw]

May be your belt is a hair too long, stretched or badly worn and you are at the end of the adjustment.

If It's been working up till now??? And all of a sudden it's not, time to check it out between flakes, that's for sure!!

Good luck!

[mch19w]

I'm in Charlestown. Ew usually don't get any snow but when we do its big.

[Berwil]

I agree with Ian and George. Last year I had to loosen the bolts on the adjuster frame or use large channel locks on the adjuster. I went over my thrower in the fall, I cleaned and never seized the adjuster threads and greased between the adjuster plates before reassembly. My spacers were in place, but rusted and gunked up prohibiting movement. After cleaning and lubing, it is working great this year.

Bill

[Yosemite Sam]

If the adjuster turns easily enough while it's apart but will not when it's put together, then you gotta find out where it is binding.

As mentioned earlier the little spacers could be missing, the belt could be too long/worn out putting the adjustment at the end of its travel.

If the adjustment plate doesn't slide up and down easily with the bolts tight and the adjuster loose, I'd start there.

This has got to be a pita if you're doing it out in the cold.

Good luck.

[RLause]

Hello. I have the exact opposite problem. Mine wants to vibrate loose. Have to tie the adjuster down.

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by RLause

Hello. I have the exact opposite problem. Mine wants to vibrate loose. Have to tie the adjuster down.

Yes we most all experience that, and come up with various ideas to secure the
"wing nut"

[DoubleO7]

Originally Posted by ol'George

Yes we most all experience that, and come up with various ideas to secure the
"wing nut"

Drill a hole in the wing and use a solid copper, easy to bend piece of wire as "safety wire"