A 2-stage snow blower that stops launching snow beyond a few feet usually has one of three root causes: slipping drive belts, broken shear pins, or badly adjusted skid shoes that starve the impeller.
The second stage fan can only throw snow that reaches it. If your Craftsman, Ariens, or similar machine dribbles snow instead of launching it, the auger is almost certainly not feeding enough material to the impeller. Before you assume the engine is weak or the machine is worn out, walk through these four checks — the fix is often a ten-minute adjustment under the belt cover or behind the front auger.
What Causes a 2-Stage Snow Blower to Lose Throwing Distance
The most common failure sequence is a stretched auger belt that slips under load. The front augers spin slowly or stop, the impeller fan runs at speed but gets almost nothing to throw, and what snow does reach the chute barely clears the machine. Belt glazing — a smooth, hardened surface from heat — makes the problem worse by reducing grip on the pulleys. The second most frequent cause is a broken shear pin at the front auger: the engine drives the shaft, but the auger itself spins free on a broken pin and cannot pull snow in.
Check 1: Test the Shear Pins Before Anything Else
Shut the engine off, wait until all moving parts stop, and disconnect the spark plug or remove the battery. With the engine off, try to rotate one of the front auger fins by hand or with your boot. If the auger spins freely without turning the central shaft, the shear pin has snapped — this is the machine’s designed weak point, meant to protect the gearbox when you hit a rock or frozen chunk. Replace it with the exact shear pin specified for your brand and model. Using a standard bolt can transfer the shock into the gearbox and cause expensive damage.
Check 2: The Belt and Tensioner System
Remove the plastic belt cover. Pull the auger lever fully and lock it down with a clamp or bungee strap. Look at the idler pulley — it should press firmly into the auger belt, taking up all slack. If the belt is loose or the pulley arm barely moves, the belt has stretched or the tensioner spring is weak. Tighten the adjustment pulley until the belt is snug when engaged, and replace the belt if the surface looks shiny and hard (glazed). A slipping belt starves the impeller as effectively as a broken shear pin, and it is the single most common cause of poor throw distance on Craftsman 247-series blowers.
Table 1: Quick Diagnostic Guide for Short-Throw Problems
| What You Observe | Most Likely Cause | Check This Part First |
|---|---|---|
| Augers barely turn, engine revs fine | Stretched or glazed auger belt | Belt tensioner under belt cover |
| One auger fin spins freely by hand | Broken shear pin on that side | Shear pin at auger hub behind front panel |
| Impeller fan spins but chute barely throws | Snow is not reaching the impeller (belt or skids) | Auger belt first, then skid shoe height |
| Machine eats snow slowly, chute dribbles | Skid shoes set too high, auger rides above the snow | Skid shoe adjustment bolts |
| Chute clogs immediately in wet snow | Snow is sticking inside the housing and chute | Chute and housing lubrication |
| Travel speed is normal but throw is weak | Friction disc or drive belt issue on auger side | Auger belt tension, then friction disc condition |
| Fresh shear pin broke right away | Rock or ice debris still inside the auger housing | Clear housing before replacing pin |
| One auger turns, the other does not | Broken shear pin on the non-turning side | Shear pin for that specific auger half |
Check 3: Skid Shoes and Scraper Bar Height
If the shear pins and belt are fine but the machine still cannot gather snow, the skid shoes are probably set too high. The auger housing needs to ride close enough to the pavement to grab the snow layer — about 1/8 inch between the scraper bar and the ground when the machine is on a flat surface. Adjusting the skid shoes lower forces the front auger to bite deeper. On many models this takes two wrenches and five minutes, and it is the most overlooked setting on machines that are mechanically perfect but underperform.
If you are tired of repeating these repairs every winter and want a machine that throws as designed, check out our full roundup of the best 2-stage snow blowers with tested models from Ariens, Cub Cadet, and Toro that hold their settings longer and handle wet snow.
Check 4: The Second-Stage Impeller (The Fan That Actually Throws)
With the engine off and the auger lever engaged, look directly at the second-stage impeller — the spinning fan behind the augers that accelerates snow up the chute. The impeller hub should be locked to its shaft. If you can rotate the impeller vanes while the shaft stays still, the shear bolt or pin connecting them has broken. This is less common than a front auger shear pin, but it produces the same symptom: the engine revs, the belt looks fine, the front augers turn, but nothing throws. Replace the impeller shear bolt with the factory-specified part.
Table 2: How to Fix Each Cause in Order
| Root Cause | Tools Needed | Fix Steps (Always Disconnect Power First) |
|---|---|---|
| Broken shear pin (front auger) | Replacement pin, punch, hammer | Align the auger hub holes, drive old pin out, insert new pin, secure with clip |
| Loose or glazed auger belt | Wrench for tensioner bolt, replacement belt | Remove belt cover, adjust tensioner until belt is tight at full engagement, replace if glazed |
| Skid shoes too high | Socket wrench | Loosen skid shoe bolts, lower shoes equally so scraper bar sits 1/8 inch above ground, retighten |
| Impeller shear bolt broken | Replacement bolt, wrench | Rotate impeller to access bolt hole, remove broken bolt, install new shear bolt, torque to spec |
| Snow sticking in chute | WD-40, vegetable oil, or SnoJet, clean-out tool | Clear packed snow with broom handle, spray lubricant inside housing and chute, never use hands |
| Wrong operating technique | None | Reduce travel speed, take partial-width cuts in deep snow, keep auger speed high, avoid Turbo mode in heavy wet snow |
What to Do When the Fixes Don’t Work
If you have replaced shear pins, adjusted belts, lowered skid shoes, and the throw distance is still under ten feet, check the worm gearbox that connects the front augers to the output shaft. Turn the augers by hand — they should rotate together with the shaft. If one turns independently, the internal gearbox connection has failed on that side, and the gearbox needs professional replacement. On electric 2-stage models like the EGO Power+, the same step sequence applies, but also confirm the battery is fully charged and the travel speed is on the lowest setting before blaming the machine — these units perform well in deep snow only when the operator matches speed to snow depth.
References & Sources
- Consumer Reports. “Easy Fixes for a Balky Snow Blower.” General troubleshooting guidance for common snow blower failures.
- Craftsman Model 247 Discussion. “Snow blower not throwing far enough.” User reports and belt tension fixes specific to Craftsman 247-series.
- NAPA Know How. “Snowblower Not Throwing Snow? Check These Things.” Systematic diagnostic steps for belt, pin, and chute issues.
- Mower Doctor Inc. “Troubleshooting Snow Blowers.” Professional repair shop diagnostic sequence for auger and impeller problems.
- Ariens Blog. “How to Keep Your Snow Blower Chute from Clogging.” Lubrication and chute care for preventing snow adhesion.