Snapper 5241 Operation and maintenance manual

SNOW THROWERS
THANK YOU for buying a SNAPPER product! Your SNAPPER Snow
Thrower was^esigned and built to provide long and satisfactory service.
Keep in mind that it, like any other mechanical device, can be potentially
dangerous if used improperly and that no accident prevention program
can be successful without the wholehearted co-operation of the person
responsible for the operation of the equipment. Study this Operator's
Manual carefully to learn about operation of all controls and pay par¬
ticular attention to the Important Safety Precautions on page 2.
Following these instructions will help you continue to enjoy the trouble-
free operation expected of a SNAPPER product.
POWER EQUIPMENT
FUQUA
McDonough,GA* 30253
INDUSTRIES
Company
1-4974
Printed in U.S.A.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING: This powerful snow thrower is capable of amputating hands and feet and of throwing objects causing in¬
jury. Read this manual carefully and question your Snapper Dealer if something is not clear. Should the dealer be
unable to answer to your satisfaction, send a letter to the Snapper Customer Service Department at Snapper Power
Equipment, Post Office Box 777, McDonough, Georgia 30253, or Phone [phone].
PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN
1. DO NOT allow children in area when Snow Thrower is being operated.
2. DO NOT allow pre-teen children to operate Snow Thrower.
3. DO NOT allow irresponsible teenagers to operate the machine — allow teenager only if exhibiting mature judge¬
ment and then only after thorough instruction and under close supervision of an experienced operator.
PREPARATION
1. Read this manual, get to know where all controls are located and practice how to use them before starting for
the first time and at the beginning of each season. Pay attention to Decals on engine and snow thrower.
2. Wear protective clothing including face mask and boots which will give you maximum footing on slippery sur¬
faces.
3. Before the first snow fall, check the area to be cleared and remove all objects such as doormats, sticks, toys,
wires, rocks, etc., which could be hurled or jam the snow thrower.
4. Survey the area to be cleared beforehand and plan where snow is to be blown. Be prepared to release blower
clutch or to change deflector quickly to discharge away from windows, cars, buildings and doorways to avoid
property damage or personal injury from hurled objects.
5. Adjust the collector housing height by adjusting skid shoes to clear rough spots or gravelled surfaces before
starting.
6. Handle fuel with care. Store only in approved gasoline container. Move machine outdoors where fumes can be
safely dissipated before filling tank. Never add fuel when engine is running. Allow cooling off period after stop¬
ping to avoid spilled fuel from igniting on contact with hot engine parts.
OPERATIONAL PRECAUTIONS
1. Before starting, make visual check to make sure blower housing is clear and all guards and shields are in place
and tight.
2. Warn everyone in advance to stay clear of area but keep especially watchful for children and pets darting into
area while operating.
3. Start engine only when exhaust fumes can be dissipated, allow brief warm-up period, practice operation of con¬
trols outside before putting the machine to work.
4. Start in slow speed and adjust traction speed to insure safe footing as you walk behind the unit. Exercise ex¬
treme caution to retain footing when reversing direction.
5. Transport unit with blower clutch handle released and activate only when snow is to be cleared. Set deflector to
discharge desired distance beforehand.
6. Adjust traction speed slow enough to avoid overloading capacity and resulting clogging of the blower housing.
7. Should the blower become clogged, release traction and blower clutch handles and, as an additional precau¬
tion, stop the engine before attempting to unclog the collector and impellers.
8. If you strike a hard object and break the auger shear pin, stop the engine and disconnect the spark plug wire
before inspecting for damage, and/or replacing the shear pin.
9. Stbp the engine if unit starts to vibrate excessively as this normally indicates mechanical problems. Disconnect
the spark plug wire to prevent unintentional starting before servicing or repairing the machine.
10. Avoid clearing steep slopes and keep away from drop-off areas where footing is doubtful or where the machine
could tip over. Clear snow across the face of slopes whenever possible.
11. Stop the engine and remove the key whenever you leave the unit unattended to eliminate the possibility of
children or untrained adults attempting to operate the machine.
2

INTRODUCTION
This manual covers the recommended operating instructions and routine service requirements for Snapper two-
stage snow throwers. On units with the four digit model numbers, the first digit indicates engine horsepower and
the next two digits indicate approximate blower housing width. With the five digit model, the first two digits in¬
dicate horsepower and next two, blower housing width. The last digit is reserved for major model change. Dif¬
ferences between models are pointed out wherever pertinent in the manual.
RIGHT SIDE
BLOWER
CLUTCH
HANDLE-
CONTROL PANEL
FORWARD-REVERSE
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL
FUEL TANK FILLER CAP*
(KEEP TIGHTENED)
DISCHARGE DEFLECTOR CAP
DISCHARGE CHUTE
IMPELLER HOUSING
DISCHARGE
CHUTE
CONTROL
TRACTION
CLUTCH
HANDLE
, f SPARK PLUG WIRE *
7 (REMOVE BEFORE SERVICING
SCRAPER BLADE
OR ADJUSTING UNIT)
THROTTLE CONTROL*
(ENGINE SPEED)
TIRES (INFLATE 12-15 PSI
WITHOUT CHAINS - 15 TO
20 PSI WITH CHAINS)
WHEEL RETAINING PINS
BLOWER HOUSING
COLLECTOR AUGERS
SKID SHOES
LEFT SIDE
LOCATION VARIES for DIFFERENT ENGINE MODELS
FIGURE 1 - LOCATION OF MAIN COMPONENTS
3

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Make sure that each person you authorize to operate
your Snow Thrower reads this manual beforehand
and pays particular attention to the safety precau¬
tions on the inside front cover and to the warning
decals on the machine. Check and perform the
following before each start-up.
PRE-START PROCEDURE
• ENGINE LUBE: Check level and add oil, if need¬
ed, of weight and grade specified in the Engine
Owner’s Manual.
• FUEL SUPPLY: After making sure unit is safely
away from ignition producing appliances and in
area where gasoline fumes can be dissipated,
fill fuel tank with gasoline specified in Engine
Manual.
• CHECK TIRES and bring pressure up to
specifications - 12-15 psi without tire chains or
15-20 psi with chains.
• CHECK UNIT to make sure guards and shields
are in place and tight. Also check blower hous¬
ing to insure that it is free of all objects.
• RESET RUNNERS to suit area to be cleared.
Lower skid shoes to provide greater clearance
over gravel or raise the shoes for smooth, paved
surface. Refer to skid shoe adjustment for
details.
• SET DEFLECTOR CAP to throw snow desired
distance. Loosen wing nut, push cap edge back
even with the chute to throw snow up to 30 feet
away or pull cap all the way out to throw snow
only about three feet. Retighten the wing nut
after repositioning cap. Always stop engine
before repositioning.
OPERATIONAL CONTROLS
Know hovy to stop the Snow Thrower quickly in
preparation for possible emergency situations. For¬
ward and reverse motion is stopped by releasing
your grip on the TRACTION CLUTCH handle on the
left handle bar. The blower auger blades and im¬
peller fan will stop rotating within five seconds*
after releasing the BLOWER CLUTCH handle on the
right. Stop the engines on all models by removing
the ignition key. Other operational controls are
discussed where pertinent under the following
operating procedures.
‘NOTE: If rotation continues after five seconds,
refer to the CLUTCH CABLE instructions for read¬
justment.
OPERATION
Whenever possible, push Snow Thrower outdoors
before starting. If the unit must be started inside
your garage, for example, make sure doors are wide
open to provide maximum ventilation. Move the unit
outdoors as soon as possible after starting. After
performing the pre-start checks and services
described earlier, proceed as follows:
1. THROTTLE CONTROL: Move control to FAST
position.
2. CHOKE: Refer to Engine Manual for priming
and/or choking details.
3. ENGINE IGNITION: On all units, insert key or turn
key to ON position.
4(A) ROPE STARTING: On manual start models, pull
starting rope out in smooth, steady motion until
engine starts. To prolong the life of the starter rope,
slowly guide the handle back to the engine rather
than allowing it to snap back.
4(B) ELECTRIC STARTING: On units with plug-in 120
Volt electric start, connect the starter cable to the
engine starter system then insert the three pronged
plug into a grounded 110-volt power receptacle and
depress the starter button on the cable until engine
starts. Detach cable from receptacle and engine. On
jump start equipped models, refer to instructins pro¬
vided in kit.
NOTE: If engine does not start after five seconds of
continuous cranking, release the kay or start button
to prevent overheating of the starting motor. Locate
and correct cause of starting problem before
repeating electric starting attempt.
WARM-UP PERIOD: Allow brief warm-up outside
with clutches released to avoid stalling cold engine.
Reset Choke as instructed in Engine Manual as the
unit warms up.
OPERATION: Select desired traction speed by ad¬
justing DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, depress TRAC¬
TION CLUTCH handle and drive unit to area to be
cleared then depress BLOWER CLUTCH handle and
proceed to blow snow. The THROTTLE CONTROL
should normally be in the FAST position for best
result under most conditions. CAUTION: If clogging
occurs, back unit away from snow bank, release
both CLUTCH handles and, as a further precaution,
stop the engine and remove spark plug wire before
clearing the snow from the housing and/or
discharge chute.
BEFORE STOPPING: Move unit to cleared area,
release TRACTION CLUTCH handle and run up to
top speed with BLOWER CLUTCH HANDLE depress¬
ed to clear housing of slush and snow thus preven¬
ting freeze-up of the impeller upon restarting next
time.
STOPPING PROCEDURE: On ail units, remove the
key to stop engine or move the THROTTLE CON¬
TROL to OFF or STOP.
4

FIGURE 4 ■ CHUTE CRANK WORM GEAR
SERVICE PROCEDURE
LUBRICATION SERVICES
Refer to the Engine Manual for lubrication re¬
quirements on the engine powering your Snow
Thrower. Your Snow Thrower unit has six grease fit¬
tings, four on the augers and two on the auger shaft
bearings as shown in figure 2. The unit also has a
lube checkpoint at the front of the auger-impeller
gearbox shown in figure 3. Service these and the
other general lube points as follows:
AUGER LUBRICATION: ONCE EACH YEAR,
preferably at the end of the winter season, remove
the two shear bolts, apply grease to the fittings then
spin the auger to work the grease out along the
auger shaft. Continue greasing and spinning augers
until grease appears at both ends of each auger
tube. Reinstall shear bolts and nuts after servicing.
This procedure will prevent the auger shaft from
rusting to the auger tube.
BEARING LUBE: ONCE EACH YEAR, apply one or
two shots of grease from gun to the bearing grease
fittings located at the ends of the auger shaft just in¬
side the blower housings.
GENERAL LUBE POINTS: ONCE EACH YEAR, or
more often if rust formation hampers operation,
spread a light coating of grease on the chute crank
worm and on the underside of the gear ring at the
base of the discharge chute. Also squirt oil from oil
can into the gap between the inside of the discharge
chute and the outside of the discharge flange of the
blower housing. Crank chute back and forth while
oiling to spread lubrication evenly over both sur¬
faces. Although not absolutely necessary, you may
want to remove each wheel at the end of the season
and apply a coating of grease on the axle shafts to
prevent rust and allow the wheels to be moved more
easily from transport to traction mode during the
next season.
GEARBOX LUBE: AFTER EACH 25 HOURS of opera¬
tion (or each time the engine oil level is checked)
remove the plug at the front of the gearbox and
check the oil level. With the Thrower on a flat, level
surface, the oil should be even with the lower edge
of the check hole. Use an oil can containing the
same weight and grade of oil specified for the
engine crankcase to bring the level up to the point of
overflowing from the hole. Reinstall the oil plug after
servicing.
CHUTE CRANK SERVICE
If the chute does not crank easily after lubricating as
specified under GENERAL LUBE SERVICES, loosen
both nuts on the outside of the crank worm bracket
as shown in figure 4 and move the bracket slightly
away from the chute gear ring or back in toward the
ring until the chute again cranks with minimum ef¬
fort. Retighten inside nut first then jam the outside
nut tight against the inside nut to lock at the new
setting.
5

FIGURE 5 ■ BELT TENSION ADJUSTMENT
BELT SERVICE
Belts do not require attention at any specific interval
but should be checked if performance deteriorates
as this could be caused by slippage due to worn or
loose belts. Check and adjust tension of clutch
cables first as described in the CLUTCH ADJUST¬
MENT section then check the belts if poor perfor¬
mance continues after clutch cable tension has
been corrected. Make sure the engine is stopped
and the spark plug wire disconnected before work¬
ing on the belts.
NOTE: Blower rotation should cease within five
seconds after the clutch handle is released. If rota¬
tion continues after five seconds, cable may be too
tight. If readjusting the cable does not correct the
stopping time, check to make sure the idler return
spring is connected and that the idler is properly set.
See your Snapper Dealer to have this condition cor¬
rected.
BELT TENSION: Tension on the traction drive belt is
automatically maintained by an individual idler spr¬
ing. After removing the belt guard, check to make
sure this spring is intact and properly hooked up to
the frame and idler arm. If the spring is properly con¬
nected, check for excessively worn belts. Notice the
return spring on the idler for the blower drive - this
spring activates the brake. The idler should always
return to braking position! Tension of the blower
drive belt, which is on the outside groove of the
engine drive pulley, is adjusted by loosening and
repositioning the idler pulley-to increase tension,
loosen the idler pulley retaining nut, hold the idler
arm and push the pulley tighter against the belt.
Retighten nut after repositioning and check for pro¬
per clutching action with blower clutch handle
released. Tension of the traction belt on the inside
groove is non-adjustable. Before reinstalling belt
guard check to make sure the wire belt guide on the
right side is about 1/16" away from the outside sur¬
face of the blower belt with clutch engaged. Bend
the guide in or out to correct clearance.
CLUTCH CABLE ADJUSTMENT
If slippage is noted, check tension of both clutch
cables. When properly adjusted, the cables should
be completely slack with clutch handle released and
tight when the handle is fully depressed. The springs
on both cables should deflect 3/8" when the handle
is depressed. To adjust shorten or lengthen cable
length by repositioning the "S" hooks at top of the
cable to different chain links.
SKID SHOE ADJUSTMENT
The skid shoes should be lowered to raise the
blower housing to clear gravelled or rough surfaces,
or adjust until almost even with the edges of the
housing to allow clearing down to smooth paved sur¬
faces. Note that the skid shoes can be installed up¬
side down to track better over icy or hard-packed
surfaces. To adjust the skid shoes,'block under the
lower edge of the blower housing, loosen the retain¬
ing nuts and slide shoe up or down to desired height
then retighten the nuts. Set both skid shoes in the
same position.
6

UP FOR SMOOTH
PAVED SURFACES
*
SCRAPER BLADE
Your Snow Thrower is equipped with an adjustable
scraper on the inside leading edge of the collector
housing. Its purpose is to prevent wear and damage
to the housing. When the scraper itself wears down
close to the lower edge of the housing, loosen the
five nuts on the backside of the housing and slide
the scraper downward. Retighten the five nuts after
repositioning. Replace the scraper if badly nicked or
when it no longer can be adjusted below the edge of
the housing.
& SHIFT SCRAPER BLADE
FIGURE 9 - SCRAPER BLADE ADJUSTMENT
SERVICE ASSISTANCE
Contact your Snapper Dealer for replacement parts
or for assistance when service is needed to keep
your Snow Thrower in top condition. To obtain the
correct parts or advice for your particular model,
always report the model and serial numbers as
found on the nameplate attached to the frame. For
engine parts and service, contact the engine
manufacturer’s dealer in your area. Complete
PARTS and SERVICE (Overhaul and Repair) Manuals
are available for your Snow Thrower at nominal cost.
Order these from your Snapper Dealer.
Service Notes

MANUFACTURER’S 2 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY*
For two (2) Years from purchase date for the original purchaser’s residential, non-commercial use
[ninety (90) days from purchase date for the original purchaser’s commercial, rental, or other non-
residential use], SNAPPER POWER EQUIPMENT, through any SNAPPER dealer will replace, free of
charge, any part or parts found upon examination by the factory at McDonough, Georqia to be
defective in material or workmanship or both.
All transportation cost incurred by the purchaser in submitting material to a SNAPPER dealer for
replacement under this warranty must be borne by the purchaser.
This warranty does not apply to engines and their components, as these items are warranted
separately by their manufacturers, and does not apply to batteries which are covered separately.
This warranty does not apply to parts that have been damaged by accident, alteration, abuse
improper lubrication, normal wear, or other cause beyond our control.
There is no other express warranty.
Implied warranties, including those of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are
limited to two (2) years from purchase date for the original purchaser’s residential, non-commercial
use [ninety (90) days from purchase for the original purchaser’s commercial, rental or other non-
residential use], and to the extent permitted by law any and all implied warranties are excluded. This
is the exclusive remedy. Liabilities for consequential damages, under any and all warranties are
excluded.
Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts,or do not allow the ex¬
clusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion
may not apply to you.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from
state to state.
WARNING: THE USE OF REPLACEMENT PARTS OTHER THAN GENUINE SNAPPER PARTS MAY
IMPAIR THE SAFETY OF SNAPPER PRODUCTS AND WILL VOID ANY LIABILITY AND
WARRANTY BY SNAPPER ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF SUCH PARTS.
IMPORTANT: Please fill out the attached SNAPPER Product Registration Card immediately and
mail to: SNAPPER POWER EQUIPMENT, McDONOUGH, GEORGIA 30253
"For new SNAPPER Walk Mowers, Riding Mowers, Lawn Tractors, Tillers and Snow Throwers
retailed on or after February 1, 1985.
SNAPPER
POWER EQUIPMENT
McDonough,GA* 30253
FUQUA
INOUaTRCB
Company
MANUAL 1-4974 (6/85)
Printed in U.S.A.