Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Hello all, I’m new to this forum after discovering it a few days ago and going through all the great info here.
 
I recently acquired an old Ariens 924038 (serial 003312) with a 7HP Tecumseh (H70-130210D serial 81670) engine from a friend.  Cosmetically it is in great shape for its age but mechanically it is a different story.  I know that the last time it ran was about 6 years ago and it ran rough initially but as it warmed up it would start to backfire and stall.  From reading through this forum it seems like these old Ariens snow blowers are good solid machines well worth a few bucks in parts and a little bit of time.  So I’ve decided to get it going again and put it to good use this winter.
 
Based on what I’ve learned from this forum and general web surfing I know I need to rebuild the carburetor, replace the belts, change the oil, and replace the spark plug at a minimum.  I’ve also determined that the parts I need are a carburetor rebuild kit (PN 31840), new belts (PN’s 072108 & 072098), oil (5W-30), and spark plug (this one confuses me as I’ve found conflicting info but I believe it should be a Champion RJ17LM).
 
My questions for the experienced folks here are:  What else should I do?  Are there problem spots on these machines or anything else that should be changed, lubricated, or adjusted in addition to what I’ve listed above?  Also, I’ve noticed there is a pretty big price difference between the Ariens OEM belts and the aftermarket offerings – does anyone have any experience running aftermarket belts in one of these machines and can recommend a brand?
 
Thanks in advance,
Ted