12. Prevent Catastrophic Auger Damage
Your auger is designed to be protected by the shear pin system.
Here’s how it should work:
- The drive shaft turns.
- Torque transfers through the shear pin to the auger.
- If the auger jams (rock, ice, newspaper), the shear pin snaps and sacrifices itself to save the auger and gearbox.
But if the auger rusts solid to the drive shaft, they become one piece. Then the shear pin can’t do its job — and a jam can destroy expensive parts.
To prevent that:
- Remove the shear pins.
- Apply lubricating oil along the drive shaft where it passes through the auger.
- Spin the auger by hand to spread oil along the shaft.
- Reinstall the shear pins.
This simple step can save you hundreds in repairs.
Put these habits in place now, and your snow blower becomes what it should be: a reliable winter workhorse — not a dangerous, expensive headache every time the forecast turns bad.
