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.
David B
If you have a paved driveway the single stage toro is the way to go.I have both and the single stage is faster.
I highly recommend living in Florida!
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.
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.
Last edited by Chad Helme; 10-19-2014 at 3:19 PM.
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.
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Last edited by Myk Rian; 10-19-2014 at 6:34 PM.
Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night
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.
Very nice job Leo!
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.
Any idea what you have into the rebuild with the new engine and other parts that were needed?
The engine was the pricey part. $385.00 And probably another $70 in parts, mainly bushings and bearings.