![Bravo Company BCM](/images/2016/banners/sticky/BCM_StickyBarAd_225x40.gif)
![Login](/images/2016/spacer.gif)
Ariens, Husqvarna, Toro, Honda, Cub Cadet.
I have an Ariens deluxe 24 and a Husky 30" I think. They both work great. The Husky is 10+ years old and the Ariens 15 or so. They both handled the 48" storm we got last year. It was slow, but my son and I did 400' of driveway with them. The heated grips are not a gimmick, they work great. |
|
|
I've had a tracked honda for quite a while. It works great, but is a bit tough to maneuver. I haven't used anything else except a paddle type (fantastic if they will handle the snow) so maybe the wheeled ones aren't any better.
It is time for some maintenance on mine. I will replace the fuel line, probably the carb, straighten out some bent parts and see why the foot lever is iffy (changes the height) |
|
|
Whichever brand you choose do a couple of things:
Always run ethanol free fuel. Have spare shear pins. Throw the steel skid shoes in the trash, run the plastic ones. Set the auger height correctly, usually about 1/8” off of the pavement. Wax the auger housing and chute every fall, you can also get sprays but nothing beats 3M Marine wax. Do the “Impeller Mod”. |
|
|
Quoted: Whichever brand you choose do a couple of things: Throw the steel skid shoes in the trash, run the plastic ones. Set the auger height correctly, usually about 1/8” off of the pavement. View Quote No guy-try that on a non paved surface and you're not getting very far. My scraper is set for 5/16"(mainly because I had some 5/16" rebar pieces. I will probably go up to a 1/2" next year for the early part of the season. Great skids for the real world: https://snowblowerskids.com/ ![]() |
|
Quoted: No guy-try that on a non paved surface and you're not getting very far. My scraper is set for 5/16"(mainly because I had some 5/16" rebar pieces. I will probably go up to a 1/2" next year for the early part of the season. Great skids for the real world: https://snowblowerskids.com/ https://i.postimg.cc/xCykyYKb/IMG-0682.jpg View Quote Valid critique, depends on surface being cleared. I make my own skid shoes out of 3/4” thick HDPE, on your average concrete driveway they last forever. |
|
Don’t get a Husqvarna…I have one..nothing but issues with it. I should sell it and get a Honda or Ariens, but honestly I don’t think I could do that to someone with a straight face.
|
|
Ariens if you can get one with a Subaru engine doit those models a older and still good. Not shire if there china motors are any good these days.
|
|
Airens 28 deluxe, I have had it for 7 years and have only had to used it about a dozen times. Ethanol free fuel and it starts up every time I need it.
|
|
Find the snowman in your neighborhood who has the biggest smile and ask him.
|
|
Everyone says Ariens, but I looked at them and I wasn't impressed for the prices they were asking. Seemed like you were paying a premium for the name.
I just wanted a simple 2 stage that I'd be able to easily repair myself, if needed. Decided on a Briggs & Stratton from Home Depot. It's an animal. Always starts right up, nothing has broken, and I'm on my 5th season with it now. I changed the sliders on it because I didn't like the ones that it came with. ![]() Worth a look if you want a simple, reasonably priced machine that just works. |
|
1st blower was an Ariens, zero issues and was still kicking ass 18 years later.
It was pretty rusty and ended up getting a new 24" MTD from my neighbor who moved to Florida. It's done a great job but the newer ones have junk nonadjustable carbs. I replaced the carb for $9 and put some wipes on the impeller that is supposed to prevent clogging on slush and throw farther which it does. Buy a 2 stage thrower or save your money. |
|
|
|
|
|
Quoted: Everyone says Ariens, but I looked at them and I wasn't impressed for the prices they were asking. Seemed like you were paying a premium for the name. I just wanted a simple 2 stage that I'd be able to easily repair myself, if needed. Decided on a Briggs & Stratton from Home Depot. It's an animal. Always starts right up, nothing has broken, and I'm on my 5th season with it now. I changed the sliders on it because I didn't like the ones that it came with. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/61196/20220220_101843_jpg-2286286.JPG Worth a look if you want a simple, reasonably priced machine that just works. View Quote I didn’t know B&S sold blowers under their branding now. B&S is the parent company of Simplicity. It’s likely the B&S branded blowers are Simplicity with a different paint. The Simplicity Pro series are still leagues ahead of their consumer series, but the consumer series and now the B&S might be worth looking at if money is an issue. |
|
Quoted: Ariens! I have the 24" 254hp version from homedepot when they last carried them locally (2020?) it has been very solid. Just don't leave old gas in it over the summer. I am also jealous of my neighbors with their single stage toros when theres light stuff. Seems so much lighter and more simple to operate. Keep your current for this! I used to have 3-4 snow blowers at a time based on application I felt fit. The Ariens 2 stage is my favorite by far. View Quote Jesus H. Christ ![]() |
|
Quoted: https://i.imgur.com/hF9Lo8Q.jpg Everyone pushes Ariens, but they are not the same company that built your dads snowblower from the 70's. They Ever sense Toro came out with the quick stick, I wanted one. When my Tracked Craftsmen with the beloved 9 hp Tecumseh Sno king Engine gave it up (The body rusted away, Engine still started on the first pull) after 22 years. And last weekend, I bought a Toro Super recycler Personnel pace lawn mower.... ![]() View Quote Ditto on ariens shitshow. Hope your lawn is perfectly smooth with that mower. My personal experience is constant speed surges with every bump. There are videos addressing the problem. I was happier with my cheap mower that I just set a constant speed and I sped up to or slowed down to it. |
|
Honda is tier 1. But comes with a price tag. I have a Yamaha that has been great at a fraction of the cost.
|
|
The best snowblower I have found that moves damp/wet snow is a old Toro S-200. It's a paddle without the chute that plugs up with damp snow. I see them at garage sales for $20 or less. I usually offer $10 and get them.
|
|
Quoted: Ditto on ariens shitshow. Hope your lawn is perfectly smooth with that mower. My personal experience is constant speed surges with every bump. There are videos addressing the problem. I was happier with my cheap mower that I just set a constant speed and I sped up to or slowed down to it. View Quote The new mowers added a rubber shock to the push handle for thar scenario...We shall see. |
|
The truth be known, any snowblower that is the proper size (24 inch) and is two stage is going to perform just fine if you maintain it. Just change the damn oil at least once per year and don't break a sheer pin sucking up a rock or your newspaper.
|
|
Quoted: Ariens Platinum 30 SHO work great for me. Zero problems with any snow or slush. The only things that have slowed it down so far was a logging chain. https://i.postimg.cc/jjdBdjC8/IMG-0802.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/dV9zYCQk/IMG-0803.jpg When it was shiny and new: https://i.postimg.cc/DySZm24w/IMG-1533.jpg View Quote Here is the neighbors door mat, it was great because the rubber stored energy. ![]() |
|
Whatever you do don’t buy a Craftsman. I traded a pit bike for a brand new one and sold my amazing vintage Toro. What a pos. I should have bought a new Honda or kept the Toro.
|
|
Quoted: I didn’t know B&S sold blowers under their branding now. B&S is the parent company of Simplicity. It’s likely the B&S branded blowers are Simplicity with a different paint. The Simplicity Pro series are still leagues ahead of their consumer series, but the consumer series and now the B&S might be worth looking at if money is an issue. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Everyone says Ariens, but I looked at them and I wasn't impressed for the prices they were asking. Seemed like you were paying a premium for the name. I just wanted a simple 2 stage that I'd be able to easily repair myself, if needed. Decided on a Briggs & Stratton from Home Depot. It's an animal. Always starts right up, nothing has broken, and I'm on my 5th season with it now. I changed the sliders on it because I didn't like the ones that it came with. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/61196/20220220_101843_jpg-2286286.JPG Worth a look if you want a simple, reasonably priced machine that just works. I didn’t know B&S sold blowers under their branding now. B&S is the parent company of Simplicity. It’s likely the B&S branded blowers are Simplicity with a different paint. The Simplicity Pro series are still leagues ahead of their consumer series, but the consumer series and now the B&S might be worth looking at if money is an issue. Wow, I think you may be right. This is almost identical to my Briggs. ![]() All of the controls and the chute are exactly the same. Mine even has the same snow scraper on it. Only things that look different are the color and the lights. |
|
Quoted: Here is the neighbors door mat, it was great because the rubber stored energy. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/238713/E20A193D-9E8B-4A39-BA27-5F57AD0D6C79_jpe-2286497.JPG View Quote That looks like fun to pull out. ![]() I keep waiting for me to catch a random hunk of firewood that has fallen off the pile--lucky so far... |
|
Quoted: I paid $ 100.00 for it . https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/445620/IMG_1724_jpg-2286306.JPG View Quote that's a great deal. congrats!! |
|
Quoted: Here is the neighbors door mat, it was great because the rubber stored energy. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/238713/E20A193D-9E8B-4A39-BA27-5F57AD0D6C79_jpe-2286497.JPG View Quote BTDT..... Removed the shear pins, blades could free wheel, pulled it out and put the pins back in....Grrrr |
|
Quoted: I have an old tracked Yamaha , a newer tracked Honda and a 4 stroke flapper - the flapper gets the most use . Love the tracked machines and if I ever need to buy another new one , which I most likely wont as the Honda should last me , I'd drive to fucking Canada and buy another Yamaha . edit : looked up battery snow blowers and didn't realize they made them as big as they did . . . why though . . stupid batteries . . . View Quote I picked up a 60v Toro this year and it works for what I need it to do. It uses the same battery as my lawnmower. |
|
I bought a Poulan PR8527 from a co-worker for $360 a couple of months ago. It's probably 10 years old but he guessed it has less than 100 hours on it. The thing is overkill for what I need but, I couldn't pass up that price. It's worked great on the few snow days we've had so far.
|
|
|
|
Quoted: A couple of years ago we had a stupid amount of snow for this area. I got a great big Cub Cadet 3-stage blower. It's a monster, and I wind up doing three or four driveways, a couple hundred feet of sidewalk, and the street about half of the circle in front of my house. The yellow blower is pretty big and heavy, and it was difficult to maneuver around the cars so I got a smaller single stage blower to do between the cars and throw it out where the big blower could take over. It works great for that, but it's also totally awesome when the snow is light. I can whizz it off the driveway and do sidewalks and it's large enough to throw the snow a reasonable distance. I think one up to 6-7 hp would be a great thing to have. https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/37163ae7-b281-4ba2-b75b-0419605955f6/svn/cub-cadet-gas-snow-blowers-3x-26-64_1000.jpg https://images.bonanzastatic.com/afu/images/d383/33dd/9faf_8082037229/s-l1600.jpg View Quote I had one of those Toro 2 cycle jobs (actually, I still have it). You are right, it's super light and easy to maneuver(albeit loud). If the snow is heavy and wet though it struggles. |
|
|
Kamala Harris is a pretty good blower according to Willy Brown
|
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.