Winter's Coming!! Snow Blower Suggestions

[ray hampton]

Good news: We aren't going to get much snow here in the U.S. this winter. Just save your dollars, I'm expecting many days in the 40's and 50's and golf (for those that play) in December.

Will you be selling insurance in case we get exceed snow fall

[Harry Hagan]

I can give a recommendation for one to stay away from :

http://www.amazon.com/Powerland-PDST...land+equipment

I bought one of these from Costco a few years back. It was terrible right out of the box. If I was fortunate enough to get it started, the machine could barely throw 4" of dry snow 10' away! I struggled with it for two winters then sold the blasted thing and bought a new Cub Cadet blower.

The Cub's been flawless.

Why didn't you take it back to Costco? Costco wants and needs your feedback so they won't continue selling you inferior products—especially on a major purchase like a snow blower.

[David G Baker]

I also have a Simplicity 2 stage snow blower and a 300 foot dirt driveway. I have had it for around 7 years or more and it has been an awesome machine. It has an electric start the you plug into the wall. It also has a pull start and it starts on the first or second pull if it hasn't been run for a while. It has 5 speeds forward and two reverses. It does a great job of clearing my drive and I have used it in 22 inch deep snow. You have to go slow but it does the job. Once in a while it will pick up a rock and the shear pin will snap and need replaced. Snow blowers work better if they are stored in a warm place or cleaned very well prior to using it again because the snow blowing portion will freeze and will have to be forced to turn before it will work. Hot water works well for this. The first stage of the blower on the Simplicity made from a lot thicker metal than most that I have seen on display in stores. I paid over $1000 for it but it is well worth the price. I also have a John Deere with a back blade that I use when the snow is really wet, the Simplicity does a much neater job of clearing the snow and much less sloppy. When I use the blade I have to rake my lawn in the Spring due to all of the rocks the blade picked up and deposited in the Winter.

[Henry Keller]

If you have a paved driveway the single stage toro is the way to go.I have both and the single stage is faster.

[Jerry Thompson]

I highly recommend living in Florida!

[Jim Matthews]

My Husky is nearly twelve years old.

It's purring.
Never even sheared a pin off.

What's $600/12 years?

The electric start feature is a huge convenience.
I wouldn't consider a new machine, without it.

[Jim Matthews]

We average 90+ inches of heavy wet snow here each winter and I have yet to clog it. I do spray the auger and chute with silicone prior to use. Mine is an 8 Hp. There are good slid machines made in he U.S.

Yikes.
I'll never complain about the trace amounts that close the schools, uppa heya.

[Chad Helme]

I'm surprised when I read these threads that the Toro name never comes up. My single-stage Toro has done everything I've needed, and I live in Milwaukee (so we know snow). In fact, I'd never consider a two-stage because they seem soooo slow compared to my 6.5-HP 2-cycle single-stage. I'm always done with my driveway faster than any of the two-stage users around me.

BUT, Toro does make two-stage snow blowers. And yet in these threads, their name never comes up. Has anyone used one? Are they not any good?

I have an older Toro 2 stage. I bought it used on craigslist for $300. Has an 8 horse Briggs and Stratton and it has been a good machine. Its tired now, and every year I say I'm going to replace it but then the snow comes before I've done anything, and there I go, crankin' up the old Toro. Little bit of dry gas and it starts on the first pull. Something has happened to the electric start, but I think its just a frayed wire. I'm a carpenter, not a mechanic. The linkage to change gears needs constant adjusting too, but its had a hard life. I live in New Hampshire, no winters off here... Still, while my neighbor was shoveling because his new Craftsman was not running, I was out there limping along the old Toro. She won't quit. My other neighbor has a brand new Ariens that I'm fairly jealous of... It throws snow like a coast guard water cannon. When I replace, I'd love one of those If I can afford it.

[Phil Thien]

My other neighbor has a brand new Ariens that I'm fairly jealous of... It throws snow like a coast guard water cannon. When I replace, I'd love one of those If I can afford it.

Yeah, I always admire the 2-stage units that can seemingly throw snow clear across the street. And I feel like I should have one for that reason. But then I'm reminded I really don't NEED to throw the snow that far. It is only neat, not required.

[Myk Rian]

MTD 8hp 24" electric start here. Throws the snow further than an Ariens. I've had it 14 years. Put a new drive wheel and belt on it last year. Easier to do than I thought it would be. It's been a very reliable machine, and will throw 18" of snow all day long.

100_0313.jpg

[Leo Graywacz]

Single stage throwers are for driveways that you have a place to put the snow. My driveway is 140' long with houses on both sides. So you blow the snow to either end which means you are always blowing blown snow. I've had my Ariens 824 since 1989. A couple of years ago we had a snow that dropped 26". I made a pass up the driveway and cleaned out the apron which was 4' tall because of the snowplows. Then I made a pass back to the end of the driveway. Sounded like I needed gas so I fueled up. I made it about 20' and the motor stopped faster than I ever heard and engine stop. DOA.

I don't like any of the newer versions of snow blowers. They are all front heavy. Ariens that is. My Dad has been pushing me to take his, which he hates because of the heavy front end. I like mine.

I bought a snowking engine off of Amazon. I bought a bunch of other parts and replaced them. Put it back into operation the next year and after few adjustments we were back in business. The only thing I didn't replace were the wheel bushings which need to be replaced badly. I also have a problem with one of the drive gears skipping over the other, I do believe it is related to the worn bushings.

So I'll need to get that worked on before the next snow comes down.

[Phil Thien]

Very nice job Leo!

[Leo Graywacz]

Thanks. It was a cranky pc of machinery to rebuild. It'd been together so long it didn't want to come apart. Nice bearings, huh? LOL Had to cut the race off the shaft too.



This flange refused to budge no matter what I did to it, heat, oil, force. I finally cut it off and bought a new one. Same with trying to get the augers off the shaft. Lots of heat and force removed those. 1 was much easier than the other. The thrower auger needed to be removed with a 20 ton press and it resisted every inch of the way. Putting it back together was much easier when I cleaned and slightly sanded the parts.

I would have done the drive train but it was being stubborn too. And by that time I wasn't in the mood to fight the machine anymore. It was working nicely. But it will need to be fixed before I'll be happy with it.

[Phil Thien]

Any idea what you have into the rebuild with the new engine and other parts that were needed?

[Leo Graywacz]

The engine was the pricey part. $385.00 And probably another $70 in parts, mainly bushings and bearings.