Forums Archive Index > Outdoor Power Equipment > First problem with Toro 726

Author: AZinOH

Date: 17 Dec 2005 3:02 pm

I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. Better that it's minor grief instead of major. Below is my letter to Toro...let's see how they respond.

My Toro snowblower is a 726te model 38610 s/n 24000**** purchased October 2003
Until now the machine has operated perfectly and I'm very satisfied with it. Except for the problem listed below the machine continues to operate normally.

My problem is that the augur-engagement control (right hand) no longer stays engaged when both the traction drive and augur are engaged and then the right hand is released. I've inspected the underside of the control area and can see nothing which is visibly loose-missing-broken or otherwise malfunctioning. Am I correct that something in the left-hand control assembly is supposed to maintain pressure on the connecting rod between the two handles to keep the augur engaged when the right hand is released? This condition developed suddenly. I am the only operator of the machine and know of no reason why this has occurred. How can I correct this problem?

Thanks in advance for your assistance

Author: robmints

Date: 17 Dec 2005 3:33 pm

AZ,

I know nothing about snowblowers. Most of the machines I have seen connect the two handles with some sort of rod and tube between the enguagement levers on the handle bars. Sometimes it is easy to see, like on the new Ariens where two "flags" lock each other together when you press both handles down and don't release until you let the traction control lever up. Or they can be hard to see (like on my Craftsman below) that sort of does the same thing, but with a ratchet and pawl. You might be stuck dealing with the dealer unless you can get a good look at what is going on and fix it yourself.



Author: buttlint

Date: 17 Dec 2005 5:36 pm

Ouch! That left a mark. :cry:
Quote:
You might be stuck dealing with the dealer unless you can get a good look at what is going on and fix it yourself.

AZ,
Please excuse the quality of the image.
There was a powermax update kit issued in early 2005. (SB #72)
I believe it deals with other issues that the early model had. It's about 6 pages long....and I can send it too you if you like...(if I can get the dam thing too lay flat on my scanner.)
We dont sell them...so I dont see many of them....sorry if I cant be of anymore help than this.

Author: AZinOH

Date: 17 Dec 2005 9:12 pm

Lint...check for a PM & thank you.

Do you know of any other service bulletins applicable to this model?

AZ

Author: robmints

Date: 17 Dec 2005 10:57 pm

When I say "getting stuck" or "being stuck" by or with your ope dealer it is not meant derogatorily, it is truly, in my mind, a term of indearment I assure you.

Author: snowshoveler

Date: 18 Dec 2005 8:18 am

oh yea MINTY...
just trying to get on Sherri's good side.
she might just swap your sheer bolts for some grade 8 hardware.
snap crackle pop :wink:

Author: robmints

Date: 21 Dec 2005 10:11 pm

AZ,

How did you make out?

Author: AZinOH

Date: 22 Dec 2005 4:47 am

robmints wrote:
AZ,

How did you make out?


No reply from Toro yet.

AZ

Author: LL

Date: 22 Dec 2005 1:35 pm

AZ,

I had the same problem with my 826 but it's a pretty easy adjustment to fix. Basically, there are a couple of bolts under the handlebars that adjust the tension on the spring that holds the controls down. All I did was play around with them until "it snapped in" pretty well when I pulled the auger engagement handle well. Took a little trial ane error, about 1/2 hour but I finally got it. and it's been working fine since.

don't have the machine in front of me so I can't remember the specifics other than it wasn't too difficult.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need anything else.

LL

Author: AZinOH

Date: 22 Dec 2005 4:37 pm

LL wrote:
AZ,

I had the same problem with my 826 but it's a pretty easy adjustment to fix. Basically, there are a couple of bolts under the handlebars that adjust the tension on the spring that holds the controls down. All I did was play around with them until "it snapped in" pretty well when I pulled the auger engagement handle well. Took a little trial ane error, about 1/2 hour but I finally got it. and it's been working fine since.

don't have the machine in front of me so I can't remember the specifics other than it wasn't too difficult.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need anything else.

LL

Thanks LL,

Does it need to be adjusted on the left side, the right side...or both?

AZ

Author: LL

Date: 23 Dec 2005 12:36 pm

I believe it was just on the left, at least in my case. I'll take a look tonight and let you know if any different.

LL

Author: LL

Date: 24 Dec 2005 1:58 pm

AZ,

Just checked...it was only on the left side (standing behind the machine). Under the handlebars there's a bolt head in front of the "yellow" bar that extends across the handlebars. You can see the spring that the bolt contols. I played around with that bolt head until I got the tension right so the lock would engage when it should and not release when I let go of the auger control lever.

Hope this helps.

LL

Author: AZinOH

Date: 24 Dec 2005 2:24 pm

LL wrote:
AZ,

Just checked...it was only on the left side (standing behind the machine). Under the handlebars there's a bolt head in front of the "yellow" bar that extends across the handlebars. You can see the spring that the bolt contols. I played around with that bolt head until I got the tension right so the lock would engage when it should and not release when I let go of the auger control lever.

Hope this helps.

LL

Thanks LL, I'll have a look at it.

AZ

Author: jubol

Date: 28 Dec 2005 4:07 pm

:lol: AZ,

What is the story on your blower??

Fred 8)

Author: AZinOH

Date: 28 Dec 2005 4:20 pm

jubol wrote:
:lol: AZ,

What is the story on your blower??

Fred 8)

The story is...it was well below freezing when I last used the machine. Since then we've had quite a warm spell and everything has melted. Now the control mechanism is working just as it should again. Am guessing that maybe some melted snow refroze, causing it to jam up. I never did get around to tinkering with it.

I know this happened just before the holidays, but it disappoints me that I never received a reply from Toro about my problem. I'm not going to make a big deal over it now unless it acts up again. We'll see.

AZ

Author: jubol

Date: 28 Dec 2005 4:25 pm

:lol: :lol: Az,

At least it s working as it should!!
Fred :lol: :lol:

Author: buttlint

Date: 29 Dec 2005 7:05 am

AZinOH wrote:
jubol wrote:
:lol: AZ,

What is the story on your blower??

Fred 8)

The story is...it was well below freezing when I last used the machine. Since then we've had quite a warm spell and everything has melted. Now the control mechanism is working just as it should again. Am guessing that maybe some melted snow refroze, causing it to jam up. I never did get around to tinkering with it.

I know this happened just before the holidays, but it disappoints me that I never received a reply from Toro about my problem. I'm not going to make a big deal over it now unless it acts up again. We'll see.

AZ

Toro actually does have a system in place for handling situations like yours.....They are called "dealers". These dealers employ people that they call technitians. They pay these people enormous amounts of money too actually look into a situation and find out what the problem could be and offer customers solutions too any concerns that they may have with thier products.
This system is in place too save the corporation time and money on simple problems, and also provides a human interface between the corporations and thier customers.
Not all problems can be handled by email or remote surgery.
And believe it or not....the president of the Toro corporation has never touched a wrench in his life and doesnt even know which end of a screwdriver is up. :shock:
I am sorry too sound like a smart a$$ AZ :oops: but you could have saved yourself a lot of keystokes by simply relying on a dealer too remedy the situation. Working from the top... down, isnt always the way too go. All that it really results in, is the corporation calling the dealer and asking them too look into the problem for them. (Then the dealer feels all hurt inside because he feels like he isnt doing his job correctly. :cry: )
If a tech would have had the chance too see that there was a freeze up problem...he could have called his distributor and reported it and put it "on the record". With enough of these reports from dealers....they may even work on a solution too solve any future problems. Now all they have is an email from an irate customer....and dont really have a clue what the real problem was. (They need eyewitness stuff from techs....not month old information from internet discussion groups.)
So......everybody quit being dealerphobic...give the dealer a chance too provide some service. If you are not happy with the service..then call corporate and complain....That is how the system was designed too work. :wink:

Author: AZinOH

Date: 29 Dec 2005 5:31 pm

Lint, you are right of course. I could have mentioned it to the dealer. But since taking the machine to the dealer is somewhat problematic for me and since the info you gave me in the service bulletin made reference to the traction drive system, I didn't necessarily think it was wrong to use the web site Toro provides to mention it...thinking they might possibly have some input. I did have another question on an unrelated topic which I didn't include in my post here, so I wanted to see what if anything Toro would say. By the same token, I figure what good does it do to spend $ maintaining a web site if you don't respond to customer's queries.

I would've understood completely if Toro had replied and said "please contact the dealer", and I would do so.

Maybe I need sensitivity training to understand the dealer's feelings better, but I also would've felt like $.02 complaining about something that turned out to be trivial and bothering the dealer unnecessarily.

Thanks for your input. It is appreciated.

AZ

Author: robmints

Date: 29 Dec 2005 6:02 pm

AZ,
Are you within the 15 mile limit? You might want to get it looked at before the warranty runs out. What is the website? They do take time to maintain. I am one of those people that believes that it is better to have no website or page than one that is poorly maintained. I have sent Toro an email or two and have always gotten a response. They do answer the phone too. Not too bad of a phone maze.

Lint,
At first I thought AZ's dealership was made up of a bunch of humps and he might not want to bother. It looks like he was just looking for the easy way. Waiting for the ice to melt was pretty easy.

Author: AZinOH

Date: 29 Dec 2005 6:36 pm

Robmints,

I am about 17 miles from the dealer. That wasn't a problem when I did have my one prior warranty claim. Since I purchased in October 2003 my 2 year warranty is now over by about 60 days...so I wouldn't expect a freebie unless it turned out to be something that was known to be a problem and would've been covered during the warranty period. That's what I was hoping to find out by writing Toro...to see if they would voluntarily mention something like the service bulletin which I later learned about from Buttlint.

I don't have and wasn't planning to cultivate a "relationship" with this dealer. The snowblower is the only big ticket item I am ever likely to buy from them. However, they have met every reasonable request and treated me fairly. But as OPE dealers go they are a pretty large concern and I don't expect them to remember my name unless I can somehow go in there and drop $10K on a JD garden tractor (unlikely...but I can dream, can't I?)

AZ

Author: buttlint

Date: 29 Dec 2005 8:01 pm

AZ.
Toro is pretty "liberal" when it comes too warranty.
Around my area (go up 75, take a right at 8 mile rd.) :wink: you cant throw a cat without hitting a Toro dealer. Try a different dealer if you feel uncomfortable with the one purchased from.
Smaller dealers can sometimes do "stuff" that the larger ones cant. Thier livelyhood may depend more on the service end of things, rather than the sales end of it. It pays too shop.