Most reliable snow blower?

[ephotrod]

Any well maintained one.

 

[KCarGuy]

I dont know about todays Snowblowers...But,
I am still using my Father-in-Law's 1967 Toro.
Pulled it in my garage the other day...Filled it with Gas, checked the oil, and 3 pulls later...she was running and throwing Snow.
I cant even imagine that in 2058, someone may be writing...Hey I am using my Dad's old 2013 snowblower.
(because too many parts are being molded out of Plastic)

 

[Greatwhitewing]

Mine has electric start except the POS starter pinion closer resembles a pulley. Starter spins real good but motor just sits there and snickers at me..

I've heard good things about Ariens but I bought what was available with a big storm bearing down on me two years ago. I bought the last one they had, a mid-sized two-stage 27-inch Snapper (with reverse).

Since then I haven't had the chance to find out about all the bells and whistles it has (no snow) but recently had a difficult time getting it started using the pull start.

HOWEVER, I noticed an extension cord in the package. It was an AC plugin for using the electric start. That dude cranked over fast and started right up using the electric cord.

Even though I take good care to maintain it, start it up from time to time, I'll never buy another without an electric start.

Steve

 

[Philly20]

I bought a Husky 24" 2-stage electric start from TSC a few years ago and have had no trouble with it. Starts right up evey winter...even with me neglecting to drain the gas or add sta-bil each spring. I've only had to run it really hard in just a few storms, however.

 

[Matt M PA]

I bought my Ariens 6 years ago in August as Home Depot still had it....and it was marked way down. It has the Tecumseh Snow King engine with the plug in electric start. I run it dry at the end of every season.

 

[cburnscrx]

Honda. See other posts.

 

[Greatwhitewing]

Okay, so looked at the 3-4 brands mentioned. I really like Honda stuff but paying roughly 2x the price of the others is a tough pill to swallow. I am 55 now and hope to retire to a place where snow in only on the news. I assume the Honda would also have the highest resale value??

 

[MG44]

The most important thing is make sure it does not have an off shore generic engine.

I sent my father to Home Depot a few years ago with $2000, I told him to get me two of the biggest snow blowers they have for my shop and one for a small apartment complex I bought. He came back with two real nice Yard Machine snow blowers, 179cc machines. Man they really throw some snow, never stalled, and never got clogged up.

Long story short we had a very warm winter last year, almost no snow. So neither machine got used. I went to start the one at the shop this year and it was getting no gas. I took off the carb. bowl & float, the needle valve was corroded to its bore! We soaked it, tried removing, and it broke. MTD could not get me the needle valve for my particular off shore, chinese, no name brand engine model. They had to sell me an upgraded version of the carb. Its running now, but that $850 snow blower needed a $75 carb instead of a $5 needle valve.

 

[Beaumont67]

I bought a mint used Honda 624 (track drive) snow blower, 15-20 years ago for $1100.
- it was garage kepy and only used 7 times (Canadian retail was ~$1800 back then)
Last year rebuild the skid plate - bottom steel wear plate worn out from scraping the paved driveways.

Still starts and runs like new and will throw snow 40 feet...strongest 6hp I have seen in a walk behind.
I also prefer the 24" wide models, easier to man handle and fits in tight places (like along sidewalks)
- never a starting issue, in almost 2 decades (I run premium gas with SeaFoam added & synthetic oil)

Option #2 would be an old Ariens 24" wide / they will take a 5.5hp Honda motor (or clone) very nicely.
Option #3 would be an old 8hp Toro.
I would never buy the likes of a new MTD brand...waste of good $$, even if its the gold series.

 

[Beaumont67]

Okay, so looked at the 3-4 brands mentioned. I really like Honda stuff but paying roughly 2x the price of the others is a tough pill to swallow. I am 55 now and hope to retire to a place where snow in only on the news. I assume the Honda would also have the highest resale value??

If I ever sold my Honda 624 snow blower, around here I could still get $800 to $1000 range.
- very low depreciation, isn't bad...but I started out buying excellent used
- has never been taken into a shop, for costly repairs ($$)..never needed
(unit will be handed down to our adult son, one day...no sense in selling top quality)

The true Honda overall design & manufacturing quality reminds me of the mini bikes in the early 1970's.
- there was many **** mini bikes being made & the Honda CT70 was over engineered and build to last
(and I have a mid 1980's Honda 2 wheeler now - and a commercial 13hp liquid cooled Honda generator)
I like to buy, only once.

 

[RPH]

Honda, track drive makes it a snow eating machine. Have had mine for over twenty years. Starts on first or second pull. Cost is high at first but over the years it's ended up only pennies per day and you the best every time you use it. I live in a lake effect area on Lake Huron. Threw out toro's. Honda as other have stated.

 

[CoryZ]

... However, I'd look for something OTHER THAN MTD...

I'll second this. I have a MTD. It was free and I still can't wait to replace it. Cheap junk that doesn't handle much beyond what is easily done with a shovel.

 

[storm77b]

Ariens, hands down.

 

[volaredon]

Honda makes THE BEST snowblowers, but the insane price of them keeps them from being popular

I would go with an older Ariens, theyre pretty bulletproof and hold their value well

screw Honduh, older Ariens (they still make a model comparable but not thru big box stores and not cheap) or older Toro are the way to go
On the JD blowers; the "TRS" series are made by either Murray or MTD; the heavier ones are Ariens machines painted green instead of orange. Watch for cast iron gear cases on the impellers and axle locks where you can lock both drive wheels together; if your Deere has these it is definitely an Ariens.
There are Ariens, Toro and older Sears machines still throwing snow, 30-40 years old!

Tecumseh engimes have taken a bad rap among the most recent ones but the Snow king engines never seemed to get the "bad engine" message;
IF you but a newer 9within last 3 years or so) at least get one with a Briggs, many of the newest don't even have a brand ID on them; some are "powermore" who the He11 makes them? They all need maint now and then you want something you can get parts for and even though tecumseh is gone, parts are still pleintiful especially "common parts" and now that the aftermarket is picking up on small engines like it did 40+ years ago on cars
parts wont be an issue on tehse.
The best 2 things you can do for them; 1) put Stabil in the gas for the off season I start mine up and warm up the engine 3-4 times over spring summer and Fall just to keep things lubed up
and 2) check under the shroud for a "mouse house" built while the machine was stored.

MOST box store brands sold today are made by MTD with different colors of paint, being the only differentiation. Troy bilt Cub Cadet Sears Bolens MTD 'themselves" are all built by the same company now a days but again beware of the engines currently being installed on them!

 

[volaredon]

I'll second this. I have a MTD. It was free and I still can't wait to replace it. Cheap junk that doesn't handle much beyond what is easily done with a shovel.

depends on how old it is. older=better if they have had any semblance of maintenance.

 

[bigbearcraig]

I have an electric start Ariens. I've had no problems, and starts so easily I don't even use the starter. Always starts on the first pull.

 

[Packard V8]

I can't really comment on the long-term durability of my 1978 Simplicity with the 8hp Briggs & Stratton, but so far, so good.

jack vines

 

[Gary S]

There is no "best" snowblower. The best one would be one that lasts forever, but forever is too long for a snowblower to last.

That being said, the older snowblowers had better engines than the new ones today. (we all know why).
I'd look into getting someone's old used one in good condition.

 

[Skin]

You cant just buy an old machine and call it good. Generally speaking 20-40 years is very hard on a snow blower so expect many of the bushings and bearings to be shot and the gear case could probably use a rebuild. Frankly speaking just from what I've seen, be prepared to pay someone who knows what they're doing another $400-$500 in parts and labor to restore an old machine to perfect working order.

The only older machine I would buy would be Ariens branded. They're the only company who still fully supports their machines with replaceable parts dating all the way back to the 60s. MTD and Murray have gone through numerous revisions/ownership changes so generally speaking parts for something 20-30 years ago can be non-existent beyond the common things like belts. Toro is a bit better but still, go back to the 70s-80s and you'll see a lot of components discontinued.

Long story short we had a very warm winter last year, almost no snow. So neither machine got used. I went to start the one at the shop this year and it was getting no gas. I took off the carb. bowl & float, the needle valve was corroded to its bore! We soaked it, tried removing, and it broke. MTD could not get me the needle valve for my particular off shore, chinese, no name brand engine model. They had to sell me an upgraded version of the carb. Its running now, but that $850 snow blower needed a $75 carb instead of a $5 needle valve.

Not everyone sells only carb assemblies, Toro is pushing those Chinese engines hard and does offer individual parts for them. That said they still ****. One huge problem with them was the Chinese fuel line they were installing that deteriorated and gummed up the carb or froze the needle like you experienced so make sure its a good fuel line like Greenbar. That still wont save you from the **** metal they use on the carb bowls which will rust after a few years no matter what, never mind the rest of the fuel tank which is likewise powder coated mild steel and also likes to rust.

I was joking with someone the other day that I like working on those machines because the fuel system becomes trashed so quickly while the rest of the machine is basically new. Makes for few other issues and quick turn around .

 

[Gary S]

We have tons of older used snowblowers around here.
http://www.bismanonline.com/content/action/Search/?doSearch=True&q=snowblower

Anybody who wants one can easily find one in good condition.

 

[Modifieddriver]

Best solution is to relocate. You'll save in the long run.

Moved in '77 and left all this behind for the next guy:

Snow blower, snow board, snow boots, snow bunnies, snow chains, snow drifts, snow plow, snow men, snow mobile, snow sleds, snow tires, snow shovel and the overall cost of snow removal with all its other associated costs/disadvantages like salt, rust, frost lines, etc.

You couldn't get my *** back up there even if you aimed me in that direction and put a lit stick of dynamite up my ****.

 

[RKA]

I'll echo the Honda vote. I'm on my third blower. First was a single stage HS520A. unbelievably efficient and easy to start. I still have this one. Second was a track drive HS724. A child could start it on first pull every December. It had a lot of torque, but the engine was a bit small for what I put it through and I wanted a wider bucket. I convinced myself I could get something newer and better for the price of a used Honda. Last year I got an Ariens Pro 28", but it sat for the unseasonable mild winter. Last Dec I pulled it out of the shed, changed to oil, burned off the old gas and put in some fresh stabilized fuel. Yesterday, about 15 mins into the job, the motor sputtered out. The job was completed by the single stage Honda! I found some mild corrosion in the bowl! To say I'm pissed is an understatement. With proper maintenance, neither of my Honda's have given me any grief over the years. The ariens has already begun on its first pass in the snow.

Do look for a nice condition used Honda. The new prices are hard to justify. Used you can get them for 50% give to take. If you sell it in a few years, you'll get your money back. I made $100 on my HS724, without trying. Bought it within a week of looking and sold it within a week of placing the ad.

 

[kc-steve]

I've heard good things about Ariens but I bought what was available with a big storm bearing down on me two years ago. I bought the last one they had, a mid-sized two-stage 27-inch Snapper (with reverse).

Since then I haven't had the chance to find out about all the bells and whistles it has (no snow) but recently had a difficult time getting it started using the pull start.

HOWEVER, I noticed an extension cord in the package. It was an AC plugin for using the electric start. That dude cranked over fast and started right up using the electric cord.

Even though I take good care to maintain it, start it up from time to time, I'll never buy another without an electric start.

Steve

This thread got my curiosity up about starting my Snapper. Back when I had trouble it was 10-degrees outside after a snow. Today, it is 55-degrees outside. It started with one pull, no electrics.

And that makes sense because in very cold weather there can be many things besides the engine (B&S 250 cc) that would prevent an easy start. My guess is that I may have purchased a 5-gallon container of gas when the local blend was still a summer blend. I use a gas stabilizer, but the EPA has forced many communities to change the "blend" every 6 months, hence, gas shortages, high prices, and snowblowers that won't start with one pull of a pull cord.

I'm getting up in years, So like I said, I will never buy another without an electric start.

Steve

 

[IMStuner]

I paid extra for electric start when I got my Honda HS 828 track drive and only use it once to try it out, that was 20 years ago. It's a awesome feature but I haven't needed it yet.

 

[Greatwhitewing]

We have tons of older used snowblowers around here.
http://www.bismanonline.com/content/action/Search/?doSearch=True&q=snowblower

Anybody who wants one can easily find one in good condition.

Absolutley nothing within 50 miles, not even another POS like mine...

 

[Herb]

I have wondered quite a bit lately, why aren't there any diesel engine snow blowers available? My two tractors and generator are diesel powered and they always start without the issues gasoline can present.

 

[Farmall450]

Carb is probiably iced up. Probiably no way to to get heat in the garage or safely heat the carb? That issue will happen regardless of brand though. That's more of a product of the ****** gas they sell anymore which pulls water into by its nature.

Exactly.

 

[geotek]

1970's Yardman 7040-1 SnowBird. Purchased for $50 at a yardsale. Carb is messed up but still runs! Fires on first pull.

 

[Super Scout]

We have a 1953 Simplicity that starts everytime we need it. 3 pulls and it purrs like a kitten. Not sure if Simplicity's are still built that way or not. But they were certainly good units 60 years ago.

 

[Cyclonegrey]

Simplicity is the way to go. My small 22" 5 hp simplicity kicks the **** out of my neighbors 36" 10 hp warehouse store model. Had it for 10 years and never even hiccuped once! The neightbor is amazed how my "little" blower can just hammer through 12"+ without even slowing down. It's the small details that make the simplicity outlast and out perform the competition. Stronger gearboxes, better materials, HD component's as well as just thoughtful design makes them the best. I wouldn't get anything but a Simplicity. Pricey but like I said 10 years without a single failure is worth $$$ when you need it to start.

 

[Glacial_Speed]

While it's fun to try to pull out the superman card and say "I've got a good shovel for any amount of snow", I finally figured being hunched over in pain for the next week is less fun.

I searched for a snowblower two years ago and ended up buying a used 2003 simplicity with a 305cc B+S motor (off ebay, from Agawam, MA). It's nice, channel type arms and a solid feel, and good features like a lever to unlock one wheel so you can turn it around very easily. And the electric start is a big plus if the briggs feels lazy.
Cyclonegrey is right, there's a number of small details that make Simplicity a good machine. Also like the 2 reverse gears.

The front is only about 20 inches high so I was having to make two passes on most of the driveway. I suppose I could have attached a board over the drift bars, but my driveway isn't THAT big. It never did bog down and I had to make sure I wasn't throwing the snow too high and filling in my neighbors driveway. It says 10hp on it, but the same 305cc displacement was also used on the 11 and 12 hp models.....hmmm.

Of course now I need to start up the chainsaw after the rain stops because of a few downed trees.

BTW If you need aviation fuel, AirNav.com will get you a listing of places by zip code (even in Massachusetts).

And always have a few extra shear pins for your machine, that end of driveway slop from the town plow is always full of ice and debris.

 

[Twomato]

My Wife!

+ 1 + shovel.

 

[Greatwhitewing]

I stopped by a dealer and he loves the Toro even over the Ariens. Said the 2013 models are Toro motors made by Toro in the USA. I am going to try to check on that info. I sure liked the features and layout of the powermax?

Honda's are built like tanks but are WAY overpriced for what they are. Literally double the price of the higher end competition. Electric starts aren't standard across the model ranges like most other brands and infact aren't even offered on 2 stages until you hit $2800.00 price range, and they dont have other newer options like a differential or the ability to unlock an axle to pivot steer. For 1400-1600 you can get a really nice Ariens Platinum, electric start is standard and its got an automatic differential built into the axle so just a little turning pressure disengages one axle allowing turning on the spot. Simplicity is priced higher with the nice units starting around $1800 but they're easily built as well as a Honda with higher end Briggs engines and they pivot steer by a simple trigger system.

Quality wise of the chassis if Honda and Simplicity are a 10, Ariens are a solid 8, still leagues better than the common Craftsman, MTD and Murray units sold today.

I like Toro too but as stated their larger PowerMax models are all equipped with Chinese engines now.

 

[ndoran]

Gas goes stale real quick, more of an issue on small engines. The rule of thumb I have is: never use gas more than 30 days old and buy it from a station that has high turnover. I learned this again the hard way in the fall. I always store my blower with no gas in it. When I went to check the blower I put gas in that was left from the last cut of the fall grass about two months old. the blower would not start. Checked everything: spark good, compression good, opened the carb everything spotless no debris. Put it back together put fresh gas in it and started straight away.

 

[vartz04]

Garden tractor (old heavy one) with a plow is cheaper than a snowblower if you have a place to store it. My cub cadet with a plow was $215. Needs a rebuild cause it smokes a lot but it runs and I used it all winter. Gonna put about $400 into it this spring rebuilding and repainting and it will be good for another 40 years. Starts every time i turn the key.

 

[Kev442]

If you don't want your carb/needle/bowl corroded, quit buying the cheapest octane gas with ethanol in it. The 91 octane around here is still real gas. Buy 2 gallons fresh in December and it'll make it to March, no problem.

Dad's: 1986 Simplicity w/B&S 8 hp
Mine: 1995 Murray Estate with 7 hp Snow King

Dad's cost twice as much and is almost twice as nice. The Snow King was/is a great motor though, no issues with it at all.

I pity the fools who buy the HD/Lowes **** with china motors.

 

[Skin]

I stopped by a dealer and he loves the Toro even over the Ariens. Said the 2013 models are Toro motors made by Toro in the USA. I am going to try to check on that info. I sure liked the features and layout of the powermax?

If that was the knowledgeable people at a true small dealership that told you that inform them they need to update their information. They're Chinese engines 100%. You can call Toro's customer service and ask them for yourself (Toro has really great customer service). All Toro branded engines, without exception, are 100% made in China.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I have wondered quite a bit lately, why aren't there any diesel engine snow blowers available? My two tractors and generator are diesel powered and they always start without the issues gasoline can present.

My case 85xt snow shovel is diesel!

 

[Greatwhitewing]

If that was the knowledgeable people at a true small dealership that told you that inform them they need to update their information. They're Chinese engines 100%. You can call Toro's customer service and ask them for yourself (Toro has really great customer service). All Toro branded engines, without exception, are 100% made in China.

Very interesting. He told me the NEW engines were made in USA with a straight face. Either he is woefully uninformed, a shiester, or there is new information you don't know or were told wrong by Toro? Someone is mistaken

I'll perhaps do as you suggested and call Toro.

The good news is my old POS blower did start yesterday so my primary issue is likely ethynal related and fixable with the right fuel and additive choices. A good carb rebuild might be in order as well.

Now to start working on the elctric start issue. Spinning starter motor. Hopefully that issue is only the starter pinion????

 

[afdavey]

Honda - GX engine - track drive...
Say no more.



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