[WIHD]

Is this clicking sound normal? (video below)

So....pulled this off (above), the entire thing came off the axle. Upon reinstall I hear this clicking when rotating the machine on the ground. I haven't turned the machine in awhile (been sitting) so honestly do not recall if I should be hearing this noise?

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Here is rotating the wheel in the service position, Same clicking. Is this normal?

(I put this in a different thread but was hoping to get a bit more visibility)

 

[tadawson]

If it has Auto Turn, there will be a clicking when it unlocks when turning, and your cideo sounds just like that. Does the clicking happen if rotate both wheels together?

 

[WIHD]

If it has Auto Turn, there will be a clicking when it unlocks when turning, and your cideo sounds just like that. Does the clicking happen if rotate both wheels together?

if rolling the machine straight forward or backward there is no clicking. Turning right or left there IS clicking - this is with the machine "off" (as the fuel is drained for service).

So unsure if that clicking is present when the machine is running and I'm turning? Dont recall ever hearing it when blowing or manuvering until today.

 

[WrenchIt]

When you turn the snowblower the wheels describe different arcs and will turn at different speeds. Unless there is one continuous axle and one wheel skids, (not what you have) they have to turn at different rates, so the clicking sounds to me like one unlocking to allow an easier turn. @tadawson said this is normal, I don't have an Ariens so I'll bow to his knowledge.

 

[Ziggy65]

Sounds normal to me, similar to my Ariens

 

[tadawson]

if rolling the machine straight forward or backward there is no clicking. Turning right or left there IS clicking - this is with the machine "off" (as the fuel is drained for service).

So unsure if that clicking is present when the machine is running and I'm turning? Dont recall ever hearing it when blowing or manuvering until today.

Def sounds like Auto Turn working. When running, you can feel it. Seems normal from here.

 

[WIHD]

Def sounds like Auto Turn working. When running, you can feel it. Seems normal from here.

Thanks. Wondering if the clicking still there while turning when running the machine....

Once I regas the machine I'll fire and listen, just don't recall that sound when actually running the machine. Its really noticeable turning in the garage (when its off).

 

[tadawson]

Yes - it is the diff unlocking, and as I noted, you can feel the release/click when running, since it is inaudible over the engine noise. There are some good videos out there that show how AutoTurn works, and also have the click.

 

[tadawson]

Watch when it unlocks at about 1:15 . . . the big teeth jumping past each other is the click . . .

 

[WIHD]

Good video, thanks....so the clacking is those 2 gears rubbing on one another in the video.

wondering...wont that friction/banging together cause those gears damage over time? also not sure if there is any form of lube in there (?) to reduce the friction as they rub etc

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Thankfully that part looks easy to replace if needed as it just pops out when the axle is pulled, but I am questioning the part damaging itself over time by virtue of its design (?)

 

[Town]

My 2015 machine had the clicking from new, when powered and when moving around manually. I took the Auto-Turn apart and there was very little grease in there and it was hard. Cleaned out the unit and filled with grease and the clicking stopped altogether. There was no visible wear, and that is now my spare since the grease seals cannot be replaced by factory units. I bought a new Auto-Turn and used it this last season and no clicking at all, so probably has much more grease than earlier models. No difference in functionality.

 

[WIHD]

My 2015 machine had the clicking from new, when powered and when moving around manually. I took the Auto-Turn apart and there was very little grease in there and it was hard. Cleaned out the unit and filled with grease and the clicking stopped altogether. There was no visible wear, and that is now my spare since the grease seals cannot be replaced by factory units. I bought a new Auto-Turn and used it this last season and no clicking at all, so probably has much more grease than earlier models. No difference in functionality.

are they meant to be greased? (dissembled and greased)?
there is no visible grease in the video, so wondering (?) you stated the one you dissembled had grease in it, am I understanding that correctly?

Wondering if I should be dissembling mine and lubing it somehow. I can't imagine this would be routine maintenance...

If the gear were in ones hand, there'd be an axle hole in the middle, so a pen oiler would make putting lube between those teeth easy? (haven't had mine off the axle so just guessing this is the case?) OTOH, if too slippery, the teeth would not engage/lock and drive the machine forward (?)

Feel like I'm missing something w/ this part. Thanks.

 

[Town]

are they meant to be greased? (dissembled and greased)?
there is no visible grease in the video, so wondering (?) you stated the one you dissembled had grease in it, am I understanding that correctly?

Wondering if I should be dissembling mine and lubing it somehow. I can't imagine this would be routine maintenance....if it were, a grease zerk on that gear would have made sense somehow.

Feel like I'm missing something w/ this part. Thanks.

I have not seen any info on the need to rebuild the differential. None of the parts are available for purchase, not even the many grease seals. I don't think it is meant to be taken apart and maintained. But it has great life expectancy if you can stand the clicking. There is grease in the unit, mine was very hard and not very much. It would be difficult to provide a grease zerk (even the cupped ones used on 4x4 front drive shafts universal joints) because of the way the unit is constructed. I could not see an easy way of getting grease into the central area where the slipping and sliding and lockup occur. It is easy to remove the unit from the machine and then take it apart and clean and lubricate, and that would last a long time if the seals hold up.

As far as I can see the Auto-Turn will last a very long time if the clicking is tolerable to you. I have 7 seasons on my machine and probably well over 400 hours (60 hours this past low snow season).

 

[Ziggy65]

WIHD,

I would not mess with the unit.

Town has 400 hours on his machine, which to the average residential user could be 20 to 40 years of service. The Auto turn unit could be good for another 400 hours?
When I am blowing snow with my machine, I can't hear the clicking noise over the engine noise.
When moving the machine around with out the engine running, the clicking noise shouldn't bother you, knowing that it is normal and functioning as it was designed.