Few pieces of outdoor equipment earn their keep the way a snowblower does. When winter hits hard and your driveway disappears under a thick white blanket, your Craftsman snowblower becomes the most important machine you own. It eats through snow, throws it clear, and gives you your mornings back.
Craftsman has been a trusted name in snow removal for decades, and part of what makes their machines so reliable is the straightforward engineering behind them. Every gear, bolt, and blade has a purpose. And when something wears down or breaks mid-season, knowing exactly what that part does and where it sits in the machine can save you real time and money on repairs.
That said, staring at an exploded parts diagram for the first time can feel like reading a map in a foreign language. The good news is that once you understand what each component does, the whole picture starts to make sense fast. Let’s break it down piece by piece so you know your snowblower inside and out.
Craftsman Snowblower Parts Diagram & Details
The provided Craftsman snowblower parts diagram is an exploded-view illustration of the auger housing assembly, which is the front-facing, snow-eating section of the machine. Every component is pulled apart and numbered so you can see exactly how they fit together. At the top, you’ll find the discharge chute and its deflector mechanism. The large cylindrical body in the middle is the auger housing itself, and toward the bottom, the auger blades, impeller fan, auger shaft, and scraper bar fan out in order of assembly. Various fasteners, bearings, shear pins, and brackets fill in the gaps between these major parts.
What makes this type of diagram so useful is that it shows the relationship between parts. You can trace a bolt from the outside of the housing all the way to the component it secures on the inside. Whether you’re ordering a replacement part or doing a full teardown, this visual guide is your roadmap. Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of each major component so you understand what it does and why it matters.
1. Discharge Chute
The discharge chute is the tall, curved channel mounted on top of the auger housing. Its job is simple but critical: it directs the snow stream away from the machine and onto whatever spot you choose, whether that’s your yard, a snowbank, or unfortunately, sometimes your neighbor’s car.
Most Craftsman discharge chutes are made from a durable polymer or reinforced steel, depending on the model. The material has to withstand the constant impact of snow, ice chunks, and the occasional gravel piece that gets scooped up. Over time, the interior can develop scoring or ice buildup, which is why giving it a coat of silicone spray before each use is a tip seasoned operators swear by.
Mounting to the top of the auger housing through a rotating collar, the chute connects at the point where the impeller forces snow upward. The opening at the base of the chute sits directly above the impeller outlet, catching everything that gets launched and funneling it through the curved channel. If the chute ever becomes cracked or develops holes, throwing distance and accuracy drop noticeably, making replacement a priority.
2. Chute Deflector
Sitting at the very top of the discharge chute, the chute deflector is a hinged flap that controls how high or low the snow gets thrown. Tilt it up and the snow arcs high and far. Angle it down and the snow lands closer to the machine in a tighter pile.
The deflector is typically controlled by a rod or cable that runs from the operator’s position back at the handlebars down to the deflector itself. This gives you on-the-fly control without stopping the machine. On the diagram, you can spot the deflector hardware clustered at the top of the chute assembly, including the pivot bracket, retaining clip, and adjustment rod.
3. Chute Rotation Mechanism
Right where the discharge chute meets the auger housing, you’ll find the chute rotation mechanism. This assembly allows the chute to swivel left and right, so you can aim the snow stream in a full arc without repositioning the entire snowblower.
On most Craftsman models, the rotation is driven by a crank handle or a worm gear system connected to a control at the dashboard. The crank engages a ring gear that’s seated around the chute collar, and as you turn the handle, the chute pivots smoothly. The numbered hardware you see in the upper-center portion of the diagram, including pins, washers, and retaining rings, all work together to keep this rotation assembly tight and responsive.
Wear in this area is common, especially if snow and ice build up around the collar. A chute that becomes stiff or jerky when turning usually points to corroded hardware or a worn ring gear. Cleaning this area regularly and applying a light lubricant goes a long way toward keeping rotation smooth all winter.
4. Auger Housing
The auger housing is the large, open-front drum that forms the main body of the snow intake section. It’s the part that faces the snow head-on, and everything else in the diagram attaches to it or sits inside it.
Built from heavy-gauge steel, the housing is shaped to guide snow inward toward the auger blades and then upward into the impeller and discharge chute. The curved interior walls help direct the snow flow efficiently, reducing jams and keeping the machine moving forward at a steady pace. If you look at the center of the diagram, the housing is the large barrel-shaped component with mounting points visible along its sides and top.
5. Auger Blades
These are the spiral, paddle-like components visible at the bottom of the diagram, and they do the heavy lifting when it comes to breaking up and moving snow. Craftsman snowblowers typically use either rubber paddles (on single-stage models) or serrated steel augers (on two-stage models) that spin to chew through packed snow and ice.
On two-stage machines like the one shown in this diagram, you’ll usually see a pair of helical steel blades, one on each side of the auger shaft. They rotate inward, pulling snow from the outer edges of the housing toward the center where the impeller takes over. The serrated edges grip compacted snow and ice that smooth blades would simply slide over.
These blades take a beating every season. Gravel, frozen newspapers, the odd garden hose buried under the snow, all of it takes a toll. Inspecting the auger blades before winter starts and replacing any that show heavy wear, chips, or bending ensures your machine clears snow efficiently instead of just pushing it around.
6. Impeller
Located behind the auger blades and tucked inside the rear of the auger housing, the impeller is the fan-like component that launches snow up through the discharge chute. While the augers gather and feed snow inward, the impeller provides the force that sends it flying.
The impeller spins at high speed on the same drivetrain as the augers, and its blade fins are angled to create strong upward thrust. In the diagram, you can identify it by its fan-shaped profile, typically with three or four fins radiating from a central hub. The clearance between the impeller fins and the housing wall is intentionally tight to maximize throwing power, so even a small dent in the housing or a bent fin can reduce performance.
7. Auger Shaft
Running horizontally through the center of the auger housing, the auger shaft is the steel rod that the auger blades mount onto. It transfers rotational power from the engine’s drive system to the spinning augers.
The shaft passes through bearings on each side of the housing, which keep it aligned and allow it to spin freely under load. In the middle section of the diagram, you can trace the shaft running through the various spacers, keys, and bearing assemblies that hold everything in place. A bent auger shaft creates vibration and uneven snow clearing, and in severe cases, it can damage the bearings and housing. If your snowblower starts shaking or making grinding sounds, the shaft is one of the first things worth inspecting.
8. Shear Pins and Shear Bolts
Small in size but massive in importance, shear pins are the intentional weak links in the auger assembly. They connect the auger blades to the auger shaft and are designed to snap if the auger hits something hard, like a rock, a chunk of ice, or a buried tree root.
Without shear pins, that sudden impact force would transfer directly into the gearbox or engine drivetrain, causing damage that could cost hundreds of dollars to repair. The shear pin sacrifices itself to protect the expensive stuff. You can spot them in the diagram where the auger blades attach to the shaft, usually secured with a cotter pin or retaining clip on the outer end.
Keeping a handful of spare shear pins in your garage is one of those small habits that pays off big. When one snaps on a freezing morning, you can swap it out in under five minutes and get right back to clearing.
9. Scraper Bar
Mounted along the very bottom edge of the auger housing, the scraper bar (sometimes called the scraper blade) is a replaceable metal strip that rides along the ground surface as you push the snowblower forward. It scrapes the pavement clean, picking up that last thin layer of snow and ice that the auger blades can’t quite reach.
In the diagram, the scraper bar is the long, flat component visible at the base of the housing. It bolts on with a few fasteners and is designed to be easily removed and replaced. Because it’s in direct contact with concrete, asphalt, or gravel, the scraper bar wears down faster than almost any other part on the machine.
A worn-down scraper bar doesn’t just leave a film of snow behind. It also allows the auger housing to ride lower, which puts extra stress on the housing itself and can lead to costly damage over time. Checking scraper bar thickness at the start and middle of every season is a quick task that prevents bigger headaches.
10. Bearings and Bearing Housings
On each side of the auger housing, you’ll find bearing assemblies that support the auger shaft. These bearings allow the shaft to spin at high speed with minimal friction while keeping it precisely centered inside the housing.
The bearing housings are the flanged, circular mounts visible on the outer side panels in the diagram. They bolt directly to the housing and contain sealed or greaseable bearings depending on the model. Sealed bearings are maintenance-free but need full replacement when they wear out, while greaseable bearings last longer with periodic lubrication but require more attention.
A squealing or grinding noise coming from the front of the machine, especially when the auger is engaged, often points back to a worn bearing. Left unchecked, a failing bearing can seize, which stops the auger shaft cold and can shear multiple pins at once or damage the gearbox.
11. Side Plates
The side plates are the flat or contoured panels that close off each end of the auger housing. They give the housing its enclosed, drum-like shape and provide mounting surfaces for the bearings, skid shoes, and various brackets.
In the diagram, these plates flank the main housing body on the left and right. They’re typically secured with several bolts and can be removed during major service jobs like replacing the auger shaft or swapping out bearings. On some Craftsman models, the side plates also feature reinforcement ribs stamped into the steel for added rigidity under heavy snow loads.
12. Mounting Hardware and Fasteners
Scattered throughout the diagram, you’ll notice dozens of small numbered components: bolts, nuts, washers, lock washers, retaining clips, cotter pins, and spacers. While none of these parts are glamorous, they’re the glue that holds the entire assembly together.
Each fastener is sized and graded for its specific location. The bolts holding the scraper bar, for example, need to resist constant vibration and abrasion, so they’re often grade 5 or higher with lock nuts. The hardware securing the chute rotation mechanism has to allow smooth movement while staying tight enough to prevent wobble.
During any teardown or repair, it’s good practice to bag and label your hardware by section. Mixing up bolt sizes or using the wrong washer type can lead to loose fits, vibration, and premature wear. If any fasteners look stretched, corroded, or stripped during disassembly, replacing them with the correct spec from Craftsman’s parts catalog is always worth the small investment.
