How To Repair Snow Blower When Only One Auger Turns

Shear Pins

If only one of the two augers on your snow blower will turn, it is likely that the shear pin that connects to the driveshaft has broken. Both augers, as well as the impeller, are all connected to the drive shafts by shear pins that are designed to snap if they are met with a certain amount of force. This is a safety mechanism designed to prevent damage to the gearbox and belts, as the shear pins take the brunt of the damage, should the augers hit something solid while turning. Shear pins are cheap and easy to replace. It is very important that you always use the exact shear pin specified by the manufacture. Shear pins are engineered to break at specific torque limits. Using a pin that breaks at a higher torque than specified can cause damage to your machines components. Regular bolts from the hardware store are never a safe way to replace shear pins.