John Deere Snow Blower Auger Is Not Moving

The Impeller

• Snow blowers work by sucking in air through the intake and blasting it out through the nozzle to blow snow. This is possible via the impeller, a propeller-shaped component that’s responsible for the forcible intake of air. At times debris, whether bits of rock, gravel or paper, can get lodged inside the intake and jam the impeller, which prevents the auger from moving. As simple as it sounds, try gently hammering on the unit to get the piece to dislodge.

Frozen Intake

• If a clear way to the air source is obstructed, related components won’t be able to work properly; thus the auger won’t spin and do its job. A common culprit reason for a stuck auger is a frozen intake. Since the intake’s job is to bring in air, cold moist air collects and freezes the fan. This causes a seize-up. The simplest approach to remedy the problem is to set the blower in a warm environment under direct lighting for a few hours to melt the obstruction.

Worn Belt

• The belt that spins the impeller has a tendency to fray from wear and tear over time, the same as a belt on a car or truck’s engine would. Consult the manual that came with your particular John Deere model for the belt’s exact location and what model number you need to replace it with; generally speaking, the belt is located on the rear of the impeller.

Sheared Bolts

• The auger’s shaft features a few bolts that allow you to fine-tune the auger. Check around the auger to locate the bolts. If any are missing, replace them. While you're there, visually inspect each pin for shearing, where use has rubbed the shaft of the pin (or pins) down. Replace any worn pins.