i would change the belts and keep an extra set on hand.(nothing like trying to find a replacement belt when there is 2 feet of snow on the ground). the important thing here is to see if it runs under a load and you wont know that until the first snow fall. i would probably take the carburetor apart and clean it. hope this helps.

I would check the belts and replace them (or tighten them) if necessary. As far as the carb goes, if it started right up, leave that alone. I would clean or replace the air filter and spark plug as you had mentioned, as well as an extra sheer pin as someone else had told you.

Another one that many people forget about is you should change the fluid in the auger gearbox every 10 years or so. Some people will tell you this is something you never need to do, but gear oil wears out eventually and that poor gear box goes through hell in the winter turning that auger. It's cheap maintenance to keep your blower running tip top. At minimum at least check the level of the fluid in the auger gearbox.

My dad and I performed all of these things on a 1964 Toro snowblower that came with our house 30 years ago, and it ran until 2002. If we had put a new clutch plate on the thing, it'd still be running now.

there is no air filter;

Grease and oil it per the manual.

remove the shear pins when u grease it and spin em.

U can get the yr from ariens. 100$ running: Great deal good luck

I need belts for my Ariens Snowblower ST524 that's approximately 22 years old.