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Totally OT: Who makes best walk behind Snowblower

Bodgit

Hot Rolled
Joined
Sep 27, 2002
Location
Glen Allen, VA USA
I need a new walk behind snowblower. My 30 yr old Ariens is functional but simply too heavy for my wife to move around even with it's self propel. It doesn't turn easy. A 24 to 28" machine should be fine with electric start.
I'd appreciate the wisdom of members of this forum as always when making a machine purchase.
TIA,
Steve
 
Ariens and Simplicity are the front runners. Toro is good but they have more plastic on the outside and I'd say the internal mechanism isn't the same quality. I have a Toro right now I'd trade for one of the other two.

Honda makes good snowblowers too, but they're incredibly expensive and rather complex.

How big is your current Ariens? You won't find new ones of similar quality any lighter for the size.
 
Steve
Two simple things to do:
1 Pump up the tires more, will make a big difference
when turning.
2 Add a counter weight to the rear, just enough so the front still stays down. This will make the
"feel" of the blower lighter when operating.
Andy
 
I think we all missed the real focus here. You said too heavy for your wife to move around?

First, if your wife snowblows why do you need a new one?

Two, your my hero!

LOL Kidding of course... sort of.

I have a simple Craftsman 30" cut that works fine for me. But I don't think we get as much snow here in IL as you. Plus I only use it for sidewalks etc. I have a snowthrower for my Cub Cadet for the big stuff. Good luck!
 
As a former Honda owner (10Hp with hydrostatic transmission and tracks) I'm a bit biased, go with the Honda. Compared to the MTD garbage I have to use now it was a pleasure to use. Chewed its way through the hard crusty stuff that the plows would leave at the bottom of the drive without a problem.

My two cents,

Dave
 
We have sold Simplicity, John Deere, Toro
and Honda blowers for a long time.
If I was buying one I'd have a Honda, however
the Simplicity units are pretty good as well.
Most larger 2-stage units now have some form
of unlocking differential, this will help
turning. As already pointed out new units
of equal size will not be much lighter than what
you already own. We have lots of customers
that buy a larger single stage like a toro
CCR3650 and keep the old two-stage as well.
If you have a paved driveway a good single
stage will move 8-12 inches of snow real well,
plus on lighter 2-5 inch snowfalls they are
faster.
Dave P.
 
I have a tractor-blower for the driveway. I use the walk blower on the walks. My wife only would use it when I'm away on business- 3 7 days a month. I kind of doubt it would be used but she says she'll use it. The old Ariens is really a load but does work. Also it only shoots the snow 5 to 10 feet. It is a 1973 model. Are the Hondas good enough to buy a used one or am I better off getting a brand new one?
Thanks for the help guys. I really appreciate it.
Steve
 
What's a snowblower?
.
texas.postcard.jpg
 
Assuming you have an Ariens 24" with the cast-iron front gearbox, you have probably the best snow blower ever made. Most of the new snowblowers including the Honda have cast aluminum front gear cases which are filled with grease instead of gear oil and do not last as long.

Your snow blower came in two models one which did not have a locking differential and another which was called the "Track Team" and featured a locking differential. If you look at one of the wheel hubs there will be a cast knob that you pull out and turn to unlock the differential.

Overall the Honda's are nice blowers, but they do not work well in heavy wet snow. The second stage blower and chute is much smaller than on your older Ariens and easily becomes clogged.

I would stick with what you have or find one with the locking differential.
 
You guys sure think ahead.. It has been near or over 100 degrees for the last 2 weeks, here.. We do get a small snow or 2 per year, but not enough for a snowblower.. I often think it would be fun to live in a snow area...
 
Who makes best walk behind Snowblower
Maybe Pam Anderson would be a contender but would she be comfortable at walking behind? She probably would prefer to walk backwards.

I've been looking for a chance to mention an unusual weather event which occurred here last weekend. A small low pressure cell formed just off the coast and resulted in 4 or 5 days of blustery, showery weather. In the end it looks like we got about 6" of rain here. The rainfall was very variable with some areas receiving much greater deluges.

Since we are still in severe drought conditions with level 6 water restrictions in place and our fire fighters are being forced to provide their own resources so are drinking lots of Coke, and it is unclear how much rain fell in the catchments of our storage dams and water levels were around 15% of full, we will have to wait for an announcement of what effect the rain will have.

The variability included flooding of coastal resort towns about 100 miles to the north of here. Noosa was flooded receiving over 800mm of rain in a forty-eight hour period and a small town of Rainbow Beach received around 950mm during the same period.

Can you imagine how much rain more than 3' of water is? But the crucial question is what effect will there be on dam levels?
 
Bodgit, I have a single stage 2 cycle John Deere and I live in a lake effect area like you. Aside from mixing gas I like it. Very easy to move about in the hard to reach areas. I blow once or twice a day when the lake snows are falling and I find that it will handle up to 8" on the ground with out a problem. The only problem is when the snow banks are more than 4' and I have to angle a little steeper than usual. Shovel time.
 
Dittto Pazuzu71, What is a snowblower? I am glad that is something I know nothing about; however, as hot as it has been in Arkansas, a little snow sounds kinda good.

Grits
 
Get your hands on a electric start Model L Gravely with snow blower attachment. Old, heavy but balanced and bullet-proof.

The only complaint I've ever heard about them is they tend to put the snow on the neighbors roof!

John
 
The 11hp honda will do that.

Coupla years ago the gas station across the
street hired a plow guy, his idea of plowing
their apron was pushing across the street in
front of my house, where the city plow would
then smear it all into our driveways.

Next time he did that I waited till the plow
guy drove off, and put all the snow back
across the street where it came from.

They got the idea after that.

Jim
 








 
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