How to Get Better Performance from Your Snow Blower

Posted on February 27, 2019 by leapgo

Do you feel like you’re not getting the best performance from your Honda single or dual stage snow blower? Are you looking for ways to make snow clearing easier on yourself? These tips will help you clear snow faster and avoid common problems with starting and clogging.

Prepare the Area You’re Clearing Ahead of Time

Removing hazards, including rocks, chains, garden hoses and extension cords from the area before it snows will keep you from running over them. Placing markers around the edges of driveways and sidewalks will let you see the area you need to clear once the landscape is covered in snow. This doesn’t just save time by limiting what you clear, it protects your lawn, which can be damaged by your blower’s auger.

Do you get the newspaper? Make sure it’s out of the driveway before you start clearing. The paper and the plastic bag it comes in will have no problem jamming up your auger and breaking the shear pins.

Keep Your Fuel Fresh

There are few places where snow storms are constant, so it pays to be prepared for the next storm whether it’s tomorrow or in a couple months. Straight gasoline starts going stale after a month, but by adding a stabilizer shortly after purchase, the fuel will stay fresh for up to three months, making your machine easier to start. Between storms, keeping the tank topped up will reduce the amount of contact it has with oxygen, keeping it fresher longer.

Move Snow While It’s Still Snowing

This seems counter-intuitive: by clearing snow while it’s falling, you’ll have to go back and remove any remaining snow once the storm stops. However, the less snow your machine has to move at one time, the faster it can work. Clearing snow as it falls also keeps the weight of fresh snow from packing down lower layers, making it easier to remove. That means breaking up the job into two clearings can decrease the total time you have to spend out in the cold.

Throw Snow Where You Want It the First Time

When your snow blower picks up snow, it should be forced through the chute far enough to land outside the area you’re clearing. If it isn’t, changing your methods can keep you from having to make a second pass to move snow you already tried to clear:

– Overlap more with each pass, letting the auger pick up less snow at a time.
– Go slower and increase engine speed.
– Increase the chute angle.
– Aim the chute to work with the wind.

Keep the Chute from Clogging

Wet snow may not be dense, but it likes to stick to the auger housing and chute. If you’re having trouble with chute clogs, go slower, even if the snow isn’t that deep or dense.

Applying polymer car wax to the inside of plastic chutes can keep snow from sticking, while silicone spray lubricant can be used on the surface of the impeller and inside metal chutes to help snow slide through the machine.

Wait Before Refueling

You may be tempted to refill your blower’s fuel tank as soon as possible so you can get back to work, but it only takes a few spilled drops of fuel on a hot engine to start a fire. When your Honda runs low on fuel, take a break to let the engine cool down and your body warm up. Once you’ve refueled, move your snow blower at least 10 feet away before restarting to prevent the ignition of fuel vapors.

Consider a Snow Cab

Wind chill can make cold temperatures dangerous while blowing snow is unpleasant regardless of temperature. A snow cab may not look like much, but it can shield you from these two hazards, making it easier and safer to clear large areas. Honda makes cabs that fit all of their two-stage models.

Plan Ahead for Parts Replacement

Shear pins and belts can break at any time, so it pays to have some extras on hand to keep your snow blower running. Hondalawnparts.com has these parts as well as everything else you need to keep your Honda snow blower working. When you select your model and serial number in our search engine, you’ll see factory parts diagrams and descriptions, making it easy to find the right item for your equipment. Want to add a snow cab or a set of drift cutters? We sell those, too. We ship across the U.S. and Canada.

Servicing HSS1332 Snow Blowers

Posted on February 20, 2019 by leapgo

The HSS1332AT and HSS1132ATD are powerful machines, but like any piece of equipment, they only work well when they’re maintained. Here’s everything you need to know to take care of basic maintenance tasks on these Honda snow blowers.

Service Schedule

Before Every Use:
– Check the scraper and shoes, adjusting as needed.
– Check the bolts and fasteners on the machine for tightness
– Check the engine oil level.

Every 100 hours of Use:
– Change the engine oil

Every 300 hours or Four Years of Ownership:
– Replace the Spark Plug

Getting Your Snow Blower Out of Storage:

– Change the engine oil.
– Check the spark plug.
– Check the track tension.
– Charge the battery on electric start (ATD) models
– Have your snow blower serviced professionally. This includes cable adjustment and auger transmission maintenance.

Putting Your Snow Blower in Storage:

– Drain fuel system and clean carburetor sediment cup.
– Lubricate drive chains on track models
– Lubricate joints
– Charge the battery on electric start (ATD) models

Battery

The HSS1332ATD comes equipped with an electric starter powered by a battery. This battery is stored in a box directly behind the gas tank. To open the box, pull down on the rubber strap to release it from the pin, then tilt the top of the box top up and forward.

Check the output of the battery with a multimeter. If it reads below 12.9 volts, the battery needs to be recharged. Honda recommends limiting current to two amps. Charging should take between 5 and 10 hours.

When removing the battery, disconnect the smaller negative terminal first, followed by the positive terminal. Next, push down on the battery strap to unhook it from the base. Reinstall in reverse order.

The starter is protected by a 5 amp fuse, located in a cover next to the battery.

Oil

The GX390 engine that powers these blowers is designed to use 5W-30 oil for gasoline engines. When draining the oil, use a wrench to keep the drain extension in place while you unscrew the drain bolt.

To get an accurate measurement, check the oil with the blower on a flat surface and do not screw in the oil filler cap/dipstick. When filling, the oil should reach the edge of the filler neck.

Lubrication

There are three points on the snow blower that should be lubricated with waterproof grease:
– On the guides, the bolts slide on to adjust the chute angle
– On the sliding surface where the chute meets the auger housing
– On the sliding part of the levers, between the lever and the mount.

The drive chains for the tracks should be lubricated with Hondalube graphite or moly chain lube, or an equivalent high-quality lubricant.

Spark Plug

The gap between the electrodes should be between 0.028 and 0.031 inches. Some wear is normal, but the plug will need to be replaced sooner than recommended if the insulator or electrodes are damaged.

When installing the plug, turn it until you feel it seat. If the plug was used previously, turn it an additional 90 degrees. If you’re installing a new plug, turn it 180 degrees to crush the sealing washer. You can also use a torque wrench, tightening both used and new plugs to 13 ft-lbs.

Track Tension

To check the tension, place 11 lbs. of weight on the top center of the track. With this weight in place, the track should move 7/16 to 5/8ths of an inch.

To change the tension, find the adjusters on the bottom rear of the machine. These look like studs with two nuts threaded onto them. Loosening the outer nut will let you turn the inner nut to adjust the tension. Once the track deflection is within specifications, tighten the outer nut to 16 ft-lbs.

Skid Shoes and Blades

The skid shoes have two friction surfaces. Once one side wears out, the shoe can be unbolted and flipped upside down to use the other surface. Replace the scraper blade if it’s less than 1/16 of an inch thick.

Get the Parts You Need Without Leaving Your Home

Honda Lawn Parts sells parts for everything from Honda’s Power Equipment line including snow blowers. If you need something for your HSS1332, check out our snowblower parts & accessories section, or enter your model and serial number to see parts for your machine. Our site has factory information including exploded diagrams and descriptions built in, making it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. We ship across both America and Canada. To order, visit www.hondalawnparts.com.

Servicing HSS928 Snow Blowers

Posted on February 13, 2019 by leapgo

Are you having problems with your Honda HSS928 snow blower? Is it due for some preventative maintenance, or needs to be readied for storage. This is everything you need to know to keep your HSS928AW or HSS928AWD clearing snow.

Maintenance Schedule

Before putting your blower to work: Check the level of the auger shoes and scraper. Inspect the auger and blower shear bolts. Check the engine oil level.
First 30 days or 20 hours of operation: Change the engine oil and check the track adjustment (if equipped.)
Every 100 hours: Change the oil.
Every 300 hours or four years: Replace the spark plug.

When getting your blower out of storage: Change the oil, adjust the spark plug gap, adjust the track tension (if equipped) and charge the battery on AWD blowers.
Before putting up the blower at the end of the season: Check the tires (if equipped,) drain the fuel system, lubricate the drive chains (track models only,) check the chute control cable.

To keep your machine in top condition, Honda recommends professional service after 20 hours or one month of use, before the start of the season, every 300 hours, every 1,000 hours and every four years. These services will handle adjustments and repairs that are too difficult for most owners, including cable adjustments, idle adjustment, and fuel system cleaning.

Oil

To get oil past the frame, the 928 comes with an extension installed in the engine drain hole. To drain the oil, use a 17 mm wrench to keep the extension in place and loosen the drain plug with a 10 mm wrench. Use a new drain plug sealing washer when changing the oil.

Honda recommends using 5W30 motor oil that meets the API’s SJ service category or later. When fully drained, the engine should hold about 1.2 quarts of oil, which is enough for the level to reach the edge of the dipstick cap hole.

Spark Plug

The plug gap should be anywhere from 0.7 to 0.8 mm, or 0.028 to 0.031 inches. When installing, tighten the plug to 13 lb-ft, or tighten it until it seats, then turn it another ¼ turn for a used plug or ½ turn for a new plug.

Track Adjustment

With 11 lb-ft. of force on the top middle of the track, the track should move 11-16 mm or 7/16-5/8 inches. The tensioner can be moved by turning the adjusting nut. It’s threaded onto a stud sticking out of the rear frame member. Loosen the lock nut on top of to this nut, then turn the adjuster nut until the track deflection is within spec. Tighten the lock nut to 16 lb-ft.

Tires

The tires are designed to perform best at 20 psi. Replace the tires if they’re cracked, damaged or have worn down treads.

Shear Bolts

The shear bolts will break under pressure, protecting the drivetrain if an object jams the auger or impeller. Shut off the engine and disconnect the spark plug before replacing broken bolts. The auger and impeller have sharp edges, so you should wear heavy gloves when working around them.

Start by using the cleanout tool, attached to the back of the auger housing, to clear out snow buildup and dislodge debris. If the auger or impeller is bent, stop using your snow blower and have it looked at by a dealer. Once everything is freed up, install the new shear bolts.

The auger is split into two pieces, each connecting to the transmission with a single bolt. Slide the bolt through the side of the hole closest to the transmission, then thread on and tighten the nut.

The impeller attaches to the transmission using a carriage bolt. This bolt goes through plates on the auger and transmission output shaft. You may need to spin the impeller to line up these two plates. Insert the bolt from the back of the plates, lining up the square end with the hole in the impeller, then screw on the nut.

Skid Shoes

The shoes used on the HSS928 are double-sided, so once one side is worn down, the shoe can be flipped upside down to use the other surface.

When adjusting skid shoe height, track models need to be lifted up using the height adjusting lever, then slowly lowered to the ground until the shoes make contact with the ground.

The shoes can be moved by loosening the two nuts holding them onto the auger housing. The height of the shoes will depend on your operating conditions:
Ordinary snow on paved surfaces – 4-8 mm (5/32 to 5/16 inches)
Snow on ice-covered pavement – 0-5 mm (0 to 3/16 inch)
Uneven surfaces – 25-30 mm (1 to 1 3/16 inches)

Getting Parts for Your HSS928

Hondalawnparts.com is an authorized dealer of Honda Engines and Power Equipment, so we carry everything you need for your two-stage snow blower including shear bolts, skid shoes, air filters. We ship across the U.S. and Canada.

Servicing HSS724 Snow Blowers

Posted on February 6, 2019 by leapgo

Want to make sure your light-duty Honda snow blower maintains its performance? Here’s what you need to know to keep your HSS724AT, ATD, AW or AWD two-stage snow blower working reliably.

Maintenance Schedule

Before use: Check engine oil level, skid shoes, scraper, tire pressure, shear bolts, and bolts and nuts.
Before the start of the season: Change the oil. Check the tracks (if equipped) and charge the battery (if equipped.)
Before storage: Lubricate joints and chains, drain fuel system and charge battery.
First month or 20 hours of use: Change engine oil. Check tracks (if equipped,) belts and cables.
Every 100 hours: Change oil and clean spark arrester.
Every four years or 300 hours: Replace spark plug.

Honda recommends having these snow blowers professionally serviced before the start of the season for cable and belt adjustment, every 300 hours for engine maintenance, every two years for fuel system cleaning, and every 1,000 hours for combustion chamber cleaning.

Fuel

To drain the fuel system, remove the sediment cup on the bottom of the carburetor and turn on the fuel valve. Once drained, replace the cup and run the engine until it stalls.

Oil

When checking the oil, do not screw the dipstick into the filler neck.

The engine has an extension on the drain plug to allow oil to drain outside of the snowblower frame. When draining the crankcase, use a 17 mm wrench to keep the extension from spinning and a 10 mm to unscrew the drain bolt. Always use a new washer when reinstalling the drain bolt. Torque the drain bolt to 8.1 ft-lbs. to get a tight seal.

This engine holds 0.6 quarts of 5w20 oil. When filled, the oil level should come up to the bottom edge of the filler neck opening.

Spark Plug

The spark plug is above the cylinder head, just to the right of the muffler. Wait 20-30 minutes after running the engine before checking the plug to prevent burns from the exhaust.

The spark plug gap should be between 0.028 to 0.031 inches. When installing the plug, torque it to 13 ft-lbs.

Tracks

With 11 lb-ft. of pressure on the top center of the tread, the tread should deflect 7/16 to 5/8 inches. Tension is controlled by tensioner bolts on the rear axle. To change the tension, loosen the outer lock nut, then turn the inner tension nut. Once the tension is correct, torque the lock nut to 16 ft-lbs.

Tires

On wheeled models, the tires should be aired up to 20 PSI. When checking the tire pressure, be sure to check the tire surface for signs of damage and dry rot, replacing as needed.

Shear Bolts

Shear bolts are designed to snap if the auger or impeller is jammed, cutting power transfer. Always use genuine Honda shear bolts to ensure they break away before your machine is damaged.

If a bolt breaks, shut off the engine and wait until everything on the snow blower has come to a complete stop before walking to the auger.

Inspect the auger housing for debris build-up or other issues that may have caused the break. Once the problem has been addressed, the broken bolts can be replaced. HSS724 snow blowers use two types of shear bolts:

The carriage shear bolt is for the impeller. It goes into a hole directly behind the transmission.
The auger connects to the transmission using a pair of standard shear bolts. These go in holes next to the transmission. All shear bolts thread into 6 mm self-locking nuts.

Skid Shoes and Scraper

Shoe wear: If the edge of the shoe is less than 0.02 inches thick, flip the shoe upside down to use the other edge. If both edges are worn, replace the shoe.

Shoe and scraper adjustment: If your model has track drive, push auger height adjustment lever and push on handlebars to raise to max position. Release pressure on the bars and let the auger slowly lower until the skid shoes contact ground.

Loosen bolts and adjust the height to meet snow conditions:
Normal clearing conditions – 5/32-5/16 inches
Ice-covered surfaces – 0-3/16 inches
Rough, uneven surfaces – 1-1 3/16 inch

Scraper ground clearance should be 3/32 to 5/32 inch under all operating conditions.

Torque scraper bolts to 18.5 lb-ft. and skid shoe nuts to 19.5 lb-ft.

Battery

Electric start models have a battery inside a housing next to the handles. Check the voltage every 6 months. If the output is under 12.9 volts, it needs to be recharged at 1.2 amps for 5-10 hours.

Get the Quality OEM Parts You Need for Your Snow Blower

Hondalawnparts.com is an authorized Honda Engines and Honda Power Equipment dealer. That means we’re able to ship OEM parts and accessories for your snow blower and its engine to any location in the U.S. or Canada. Our site has a section for commonly needed snowblower parts including belts and shear pins, or you can use our search engine to find parts specific to your model.