You will probably have to remove the carb at this point and clean the internal passageways. In particular, the passageway that that is inside the center tube that the jet screws into. You probably have a Welch plug in the carb and if you don't see full flow fluid coming out of that tube passageway, the engine won't work right. I've seen it a thousand times. Your carb is probably very similar to this carb. Look at this former thread. In picture 12, you will see the red plastic tube inside the center tube of the carb. At the 12 o'clock position above the red tube is an opening. If you squirt carb cleaner in that hole, it must come out somewhere else. In the example of the carb shown, it will come out at one of the holes beneath the Welch plug in picture 13. There are no exceptions. http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lmower/msg061726346162.html

You might try a few drops of engine oil on the bearing shaft of that pulley! Don't get any on the belt, if possible, and don't put on too much. Try spinning it by hand. (Engine not running!) Disengage the belt tightness, to do that. Those pulleys get no attention, and finally stick.

Dave We have a Yardman 10 HP 28 inch wide Tracked Snowblower which is (IIRC) around 6 years old. The first 3 years we used it south of Buffalo in heavy lake effect snow area. Workes great, no issues except the first year the electric chute rotate motor was repaced under warranty. The motor bushing had to much play. The replacement was redesigned. The track drive is very easy to turn due to the "trigger turn" system which disengages one side of the track to let the machine power itself around a turn. When moving it around in garage with engine off you just pull both finger triggers to disengage the track from the drive and you can push and turn fairly easy. The big advantage with a track snowblower is the ability to use transport mode which permits the scraper/head up off the surface being cleared about 1 inch. This is great for gravel/dirt driveways and grass areas. In transport mode you can also drive it up into a pickup easy using ramps. If you only are using it on paved/concrete drives the wheeled blowers work well with the newer designed tires. The 10 HP Tecumseh L-head engine starts easy and runs good. Only used the elect start to try it a couple of times and when recouperating from injury. Usually starts on first pull with manual recoil so easier to pull the plug electric coord in. I use stable in fuel to keep it fresh and installed a fuel shutoff to permit running the carb out of fuel when unit will not be started at least once a month. Heated handle grips and headlight are nice features. Our driveway south of Buffaqlo was 32 feet wide by 80 feet long plus the use to keep the walk trails in the grass.

just a dissenting vote re size. My drive way is 125' long and it has a 4 car wide parking area/turn around too. The winter of 04-05 gave us a good amount of snow usually 8-10" at a wack. here in Marshfield. I'm close enough to the ocean so snow tends to wet. I was using an old Ariens 20" 2 stage with a 4.5 hp motor. It was the little engine that could. As long as I kept the intake out of the snow that rig handled 2' drifts with out a problem. Last yr , I had an 8 hp 24" Ariens. less snow, and it was a bit faster, but my back felt the difference. I have no recommendations re replacement. Are you sure your present snowblower has a gear trouble or maybe it just needs a new belt or two?