If you hit a rock or even heavy snow or ice, belts on your snow blower can either come off or even break. Correcting this problem is not as complicated as it seems.
Purpose
How to re-seat or replace the auger belt on a John Deere 1330SE Snow Blower.
Applicability
This solution should apply to John Deere 1330se, Simplicity L1730e, Murray 1330se and other similarly equipped models.
BACKGROUND
As you may have read in my previous post, my snow blower had a “date” with a large rock and lost. In addition to bending one of my “fin tabs” on the impeller, the accident also forced my auger belt to jump off the pulley, getting mangled during the process.
I thought I licked the problem when I repaired my impeller and wrestled the old belt back on to the auger pulley, but the belt kept jumping off the track. I visually inspected the belt with the auger running and noticed a significant slack, forcing the belt into a whipping motion.
Since I wasn’t sure exactly what was causing this problem, I decided to replace my belts first, then triage the problem.
Please note that I originally planned on replacing both the engine and auger pulley belts. I ended up replacing the auger pulley belt alone because the other belt was in excellent condition.4
The process of replacing the belt seem daunting at first, but it really wasn’t that hard with the snow blower basically splitting in half after removing few screws (one side of this split is shown inside the dashed line).
REQUIRED PARTS
- V-belt, 4L, 38.35, impeller pulley (Part No. 1736421YP
)
- V-belt, 3L, 33.13, engine pulley (Part No. 1733324SM
)
- Large, adjustable Velcro straps (to hold down the auger control lever/handle – 24 x 2 Inch Cinch Straps – 5 Pack
)
- Ordinary rubber bands (2 or 3) or black electrical tape (to hold the belt in place during replacement)
- You can check out this one at Amazon (Medline Sensicare 200 Non-Sterile Powder-Free Latex-Free Nitrile Exam Gloves, Large, 200 Count
) or if you belong to BJs, they have a similar item for around $15.
REQUIRED TOOLS
- Mini and large ratchets and socket extenders
- 10 mm / 1/2 inch sockets
- 9/16″ and 1/2″ wrench
- Scrap blocks of wood (to support the auger hood assembly)
- Box container, chair, or short ladder (to support the engine assembly)
ALL-THUMBS-DIY-STEPS
There are two ways to remove the auger pulley belt: 1) via the traction control cover panel (accessible only from the bottom of the machine) or detaching the engine side from the auger hood assembly. I chose the latter method because:
- It was much easier to remove the belt;
- I didn’t have to empty the gas tank (in order to access the traction control cover panel, I have to tip the machine 90 degrees)
STEP 1 – Remove the spark plug wire;
STEP 2 – Remove two screws (one from each side) using a 10 mm socket to remove the belt cover. If you hear a rattling noise while removing the cover, you may have some extra shear/cotter pins stored inside the cover! Just pop off the top lid to access them (fig. 1);
STEP 3 – Disconnected two wires that control the chute movement (fig. 2);
STEP 4 – At this point, we are ready to separate the auger hood assembly from the engine side. To control the separation rate (each side will tip away rather quickly if not supported), I positioned some scrap wood blocks underneath the augers and a container box under the handles on the engine side;
STEP 5 – Each side has 3 hex screws (Fig 3a and 3b) that are holding the auger assembly to the engine assembly. Please note that unlike 2 top screws marked “A”, the bottom screw “B” is seated on an open slot;
STEP 6 – Remove top 2 “A” screws (Fig. 3a & 3b) from each side. Then carefully loosen 2 bottom “B” screws, making sure NOT to remove them all the way. Once the bottom screws are loosened, each side will tip away from each other until hitting the support we placed in Step 4;
STEP 7 – Fig. 4 shows the end result from removing the top 2 screws from each side. I carefully lifted the handles by about 2 inches to “unhinge” the two bottom screws from the open slot brackets, allowing me a clear path to remove the mangled auger driving belt;
STEP 8 – Examine the new replacement belt carefully and made sure the narrow end (usually a grooved side) was installed face down (this side made contact with the pulley) (Fig. 5);
STEP 9 – Used a rubber band to tie the belt so that it would stay in its place and not get in the way when I re-assembled my snow blower;
STEP 10 – At this point, I started to re-assemble the snow thrower by “re-hinging” the bottom screws and tightened them (not the all the way). I then lined up the remaining screw holes for screw installation. Make sure to never force the screws back in! When that happens, the holes need to be re-aligned;
STEP 11 – Removed the rubber band then routed the auger driving belt around the idler pulley, then around the engine pulley. Idler pulley assembly (consisting of pulley and metal bracket) is attached to a spring so it can easily be pressed down to create some space to route the cable. The pulley itself sits on a flat metal bracket that can slide 4 inches or so horizontally (fig 10).
STEP 12 – To adjust the belt tension, I simply have to loosen the bolt on the pulley (I used a Craftsman 9/16″ wrench – fig 11) to allow it to slide on the metal bracket. Two things of importance:
- The belt SHOULD NOT be spinning when the Auger lever is NOT ENGAGED.
- The auger SHOULD STOP TURNING within 5 seconds of letting go of the auger lever
If these conditions do not happen, it means the belt tension IS TOO TIGHT. See fig. 9 for detailed spacing requirement.
STEP 13 – I also noticed the belt guide, which prevents the belt from jumping off the pulley, had moved quite a bit, probably from the last damage. To adjust the spacing, I used a Craftsman 1/2″ wrench to loosen its bolt and slid the guide closer to the belt, using the spacing requirements stated in the JD operations manual (fig. 9).
STEP 13 – With the cover off, I re-attached the spark plug wire, started the snow thrower then held down the auger lever with a Velcro so that I can visually confirm that everything was working correctly (Keep your hands away from any moving mechanisms!!)
STEP 14 – Satisfied with the result, I turned off the engine, reinstalled the cover and had a nice cold beer.
WRAP UP
Rather than spending over $300 to do get this repair done by someone else (one dealer’s quote), I saved a ton of money by doing it myself with a little bit of elbow grease and $25 in parts.
Hopefully I was able break the information down logically to show you that it really was not that complicated.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave me a comment.
Lastly, if you if you found this article to be useful, it would be awesome if you can sign up for my free newsletter. A signup form in located on the upper right side of the page.
Thanks and good luck with repairs!
Thank you for this….Broke the Belt the other night up here in the Northeast and this post was my savior…I knew there wasn’t much to it from previous machines i’ve owned but this one being only a few years old I just wanted to make sure and the operators manual was useless..thanks again
Keith
@Keith-
Thanks for your kind comment. Comments like yours makes me very happy 😉
Thank you so much for the information. My belt broke today just as I finished my driveway. I already had the belt, as a spare. Your instruction format was just perfect. It took me less than 30 min (at night after a 12 hour workday and snow coming tomorrow) to remove the broken belt and install the new one. You are a great help!
The 1330 SE is a good working machine, I have had it since 2010. But the two John Deere dealers near me will not help with any issues because I bought it a Lowes. It is very frustrating. They tell me to bring it in and they may get to it in a month. They will not look up part numbers and tell me to “look on line”. So I am great full for people like you who help us with taking care of the problems ourselves
Do you have any information on getting the lights to work? My have never worked, and the dealers won’t help me with it (even though they put it together for Lowes. Go figure
@George-
It’s great to hear that you found this article to be helpful. And I thank you for taking the time out to leave me a note!
I am disappointed to hear about your experience dealing with dealers though. I actually bought my 1330se from a John Deere dealer (in NJ) but they have always serviced all my John Deere equipment, regardless of where I purchased them, including a mower I bought from Lowes. I know JD no longer manufacturers walk-behind snowblowers but perhaps messaging their twitter account might get someone’s attention (https://twitter.com/JohnDeere). Nothing like a bit of public shaming to get people to take action!
As far as the light goes, do you mean it does not turn on at all? Both lights or just one side? Do you also have options like heated grips and electric chute rotation? If so, do they work? 1330se’s wiring harness do not have fuses so it’s a bit tricky
Kevin
As far as the lights
Hi Kevin
Thanks for the reply.
My lights have never worked. I do have heated grips and electric controlled chute motion.
There are wire connectors that are not connected (open and exposed), but when I connect them (one set is under the hand controls and look like they go to the lights and no wire diagram is manual to follow), the chute controls stop working. There is another single wire connector near the right side of the engine, I cannot figure where that goes either. Both JD dealers said they don’t work on the 1330SE, and would not offer advice on the wiring (this was back in 2010 when I purchased it.). No lights is not an issue for me so I never pursued it, I just curious about the wiring.
Hi George-
I know I’ve been looking for those wiring diagrams for the longest time but they are nowhere to be found (I’m not sure if they even exist).
Since my 1330se is fully operational, let me dig around my unit and see what I can find out for you. I may even create a brand new page just for this adventure!
Give me a day or so.
@George-
Alright. I created two separate wiring harness pages, using my working John Deere 1330se as a guide.
https://allthumbsdiy.com/outdoor-power-equipment/snow-blower/john-deere-1330se-snowblower-wiring-harness-for-the-auger-group
https://allthumbsdiy.com/outdoor-power-equipment/john-deere-1330se-snowblower-wiring-harness-for-the-handle-group
Let me know how it turns out.
Kevin
Used your instructions and found them most helpful. i noticed that the Auger Belt Flywheel has a bit of a wable in it, probably due to the burning of the belt. Do you think that this would be a big problemÉ
Mine has a subtle wobble too but it’s been like that for over 2 years. Wobbling will make the bearings wear out quicker but I would just keep an eye on it if it is not too bad.
Hi I have a JD 1028E augury belt broke my Q is after removing top screws and loosen bottom I have 2 square head bolts that hold the shaft to pull also looks like I might have a key way there
Hi Phil-
You shouldn’t have to remove the pulley or the shaft to replace those belts. Can you send me some pictures? Although I have a 1330se and you have 1028, the only different (as far as I am aware) is the auger size so everything should match.
Kevin
After getting a better look it’s the same. Thanks waiting on a. Belt now thanks
great. let me know how it turns out!
kevin
Your instructions are so detailed even I might be able to replace my broken belt. Thank you very much.
P.S now all I need is a new belt!
@ Hi Paul-
Awesome! It really is not that difficult and it definitely beats spending $175! Let us know if you have any questions and also how it turns out.
Kevin
Taking my time being careful so I could remember how to put it back together it took me about 40 minutes to replace the belt and test it. Next time it should take 15-20 Minutes. Your tips to use rubber bands and a Velcro strap make it a one man job. All went well. Cannot wait for the next snowstorm to give it the real test.
Thank you very much.
P.S. My headlights blew out after about an hour of use. Dealer replaced under warranty. Then no snow until the following season Headlights blew out after fifteen minutes of use. This time out of warranty.
They should have fuses
@Paul-
Awesome. I’m sure you do, but don’t forget to have a plenty of shear pins on hand!
PS. yea, I know about those headlights. maybe I will do a simple project to add inline fuses? what do you think?
lights are a problem with this machine , and are expensive from dealer, just broke my belt, going to try and fix it myself, where did you get the belt from,
hey tim-
I bought them from Amazon. Links are provided to you in the article.
Ironically, my belt jumped of the pulley wheel yesterday plowing (I hit another rock) so I will need to work on it myself today!
kevin
just did mine, Have to readjust the belt, the auger still moves when not engaged , great instructions, maybe put a video on for changing the drive belt looks more complicated
Thanks Kevin, saved atleast 150 bucks and the trouble of getting it done,
V-Belt 4L,38.35 Impeller Pulley Belt change in less than 45 min. Due to this site.
@ JV-
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know!
Kevin
Thanks for sharing this! Belt snapped last night during bombcyclone. Picked up belt today and installed with the help of this tutorial. Much appreciated.
@ Frank-
It makes me very happy to hear comments like yours. Just keep an eye on the belt adjust. After about 3 hours of use, you most likely will have to adjust the tension
Stay warm!
Kevin
Great article. I just ordered both the drive and auger belts. If I have to take it apart then I might as well do both belts.
Quick question, do you have any experience with changing the friction wheel? I think that will be next years project. I found the friction disk will slip, causing the wheels to stop spinning, when it gets too much rubber on the friction plate. I simply use rubbing alcohol to clean it and that takes care of the slippage.
Thanks again for the great article!!
Chris
The lights on my 1330se worked for a bit then burnt out. Replaced and they burnt out again – the hand warmer about melted my gloves. The unit was purchased at lowes and inspected by a JD rep … basically since purchase i dismantled most of the wiring except for the chute up/down and side to side -what’a waste of money for these options. Given the electrical issues, not worth much on resale so will drive the mustard out of it .. damn auger belt broke so thanks to this article i will attempt to fit myself – i am a 60 yo retired office worker and it will take me longer than 30-45 or even 60 min to fix but i will get it done in between house work (and soaps) but damn why when a storm is brewing – guess i will be using the shovel until i get the part and the will/want to get it done ..n
Kevin, at the bottom of the auger belt idler pulley assembly is a stub or pin shown in your figures #4 and #8, but is not shown in the belt diagram Figure 9. This pin sits very close to the large auger drive pulley when the auger is not engaged. closing the auger drive handle pulls this pin away from the large auger drive pulley (which is why the auger handle has to be clamped down to re-close the 2 halves of the machine..
My Q: Does the auger belt go outside this pin, or between this pin and the large auger drive pulley? The belt drive diagram in my JD 1028e (like your fig 9) does not show this pin, so I don’t know the answer.
When I opened my drive cover, I found my auger belt laying outside this pin after it came off, but that does not tell me where it is supposed to be.
PS Your figure 6 with belt held in place with rubber band around the large auger drive pulley/flywheel seems to imply that the belt goes between the flywheel and this pin.
Hi Joe-
TLDR; the belt goes between the pulley and the metal stud.
Long answer: I think you are referring to the “belt guide” (see fig 9). That adjustable metal stud normally clamps down on the belt to disengage the impeller/auger. Once you press down on the handle, the metal stud lifts about 1/4 which allows the belt to turn, which in turn engages the impeller/auger.
Make sure to adjust the belt to correct tension. Having it too loose will cause it to pop off; having it too tight will prevent the auger from disengaging when you let go the auger handle; the tension is adjusted by moving the idler pulley
let me know how you make out with the repair.
Kevin
Hi Nancy-
Sorry to hear about your 1330se.
For your hand warmer issue, did you make sure that your ground was attached properly (bare metal, not over paint)? Also, you need to make sure the light bulb you use is the correct one. I found out that there are too many knockoffs with incorrect specifications which definitely can lead to overheating issues (read my article about the light here – https://allthumbsdiy.com/outdoor-power-equipment/converting-to-non-oem-headlights-on-john-deere-1330se-snow-blower)
As far as replacing the belt, please make sure to tighten your belt to specification as having the belt too tight/too loose will cause problems.
Good luck and let me know how your repair turns out.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
I want to just add my thanks for your excellent instructions. When I was told from my dealer that you had to split the snow blower in half to change the belt, I didn’t think it was a DIY project. Not only was the repair expensive, but worse yet was that it would take weeks until they could get to it. Your detailed yet simple instructions gave this relatively inexperienced DIY the confidence to tackle the job, which took me about 45 minutes. If my belt breaks again I could probably replace it half that time now. Thanks again.
Hi Terry-
Thanks for your kind words. Great job!
Very useful tutorial! Thank you.