Thinking about a snowblower

I know a bunch of you have them. Let me have the good and bad of your experience with what you have or had.
2 stage, electric start, and fairly wide are the only parameters that I can think of right now.
I figure might be the time to be buying soon, you know, end of the season deals

 

Buy an Ariens. They really are the best snowblowers. Made in the USA, and you can get them with US made engines too.

How wide of a blower are you looking for?

You can get heated handles even, but I find that my hands stay warm enough just from using it. I think all but the dinky ones have plug in electric start.

Mine is about 4 years old. Compact 24. Briggs US made engines if you get the Briggs, which I did. Looking it up, the compact 24 now only has the ariens AX engine, which is Chinese. Though well reviewed I spent a few more$ and got the us made Briggs over the Chinese engine as it was an option then on that model.

 

Don’t know how wide they make em. 36” 42” 48”? Just really today while shoveling around the airport hangers got to thinking about getting one. The airport board is buying a new kubota tractor for me to mow with, but not getting one big enough for a snowblower on it. But now I won’t really have much need for my old Case VAC with a belly mower. Thinking of selling it to fund another toy like a snowblower

 

They make them in many widths. Up to 36" in think. That's pretty typical, rarely well you see any that are more than 36" wide

 

I've owned a Craftsman just like this one:


for many years. It's been bullet-proof reliable. I just ordered and received it's first replacement part since buying it. One of the mount holes on the bottom of the plastic chute tore. It's been awesome. Plug an extension cord into it and push a button to start. I've always kept staybil in the tank and I've never once had a carb issue.

 

I agree with buying an Ariens, however, as of quite a few years ago already you can't buy a blower with a US made engine on it anymore. I have a 2013 Ariens Pro 32 and it has a Chinese built Briggs Polar Force 420cc. At least that's the way it was back when I bought mine.

What series is your Briggs? Any B&S snow engines that are made in the USA will have the “made in USA” sticker on them. In reality, though, almost all are made overseas. Briggs does own its own plant in China. According to the Briggs & Stratton website, the following engines are NOT made in the U.S.A. 800, 900, 1150, 2100 Snow Series™

 

Ariens
10HP
I’ve got Koehler Sno King motor
Only one I’ve owned so I don’t have anything to compare it to.
Except for some surge at idle a couple years ago, which was fixed with jet cleaning, the thing is rock solid.
And if you buy new, almost guaranteed not to snow that season!

 

I've been looking too. I have two Toros, probably 20+ years on them. Been good, but time to go a bit heavier duty. We have a larger driveway and parking area now, so a wider width is necessary.

A couple of things I look for in a machine.

Auger and drive handles on the top of handlebars. Easier to push down then squeeze handles. Heated handles are nice.

Mechanical chute rotation instead of cables. Simple, no cables to freeze up. No joystick or electric motor. Not a fan of the top mount auger handles that are horizontal like tapping a maple tree. The ones below the handles or on the console are fine with me.

No tracks for me. Friend had a breakdown on his tracked machine and struggled to get it back to his garage. Wheels and chains if necessary.

I need a tall scoop for large banks at the road from city plows.

I'm going to look at the Husqvarna 30 inch models. I believe Husqvarna engines.

Hondas are a bit spendy.

We have Simplicity machines at work that are probably 10+ years old. Solid machines, easy to start and operate.

2 family members have Ariens, that will be a second choice if Husq does not fit the bill.

I am looking for hopefully a 20 year machine. I can do a lot of repairs myself, so parts availability is important. Ariens probably shines on this. Not sure about Husq.

Unfortunately my 9 horse Toro was not taken care of by prior owner and always has starting issues. I have a friend that needs a machine and I will give it to him.

My 7 horse Toro had to be re-powered with a HF engine. No issues. Great small machine for small storms. Light and easy to move around. Love that little machine, no slouch.

 

I have a ariens no issues with it 2010 model I have one with tracks because the better half wants the paths around the yard to the bird feeders it is a 24 " and this last storm we had my neighbor could not use his tractor (he has no tire chains ) and our shared drive is very steep he came down and used it to clear the drive so I could get home after the storm (day job is working for a road dept ) it was a heavy 10 in snow and he said it worked great wife said he worked at it for 2 hours non stop except for fuel once I got home I cleared the rest with skid loader after 28 hours of pushing and salting roads no snowblower use for me but I do not think you can beat a Ariens as to Husqvarna they are decent machines just stay away from the ones with the plastic discharge chute if you do any stone areas I have had several customers break the lower part of the chute enough that I stock one Good luck in your search JB

 

Neighbor is looking at a Husqvarna 330 Anyone know the good bad or ugly on that particular model?

 

Buy a hydrostatic blower as opposed to a friction plate drive. I have 2 blowers, a TroyBuilt Storm 28" and the much better 29" Briggs + Stratton. The Briggs is hydro, metal shoot electric controls and the control is fast. No wrestling with hand shoot controls. The Briggs never clogs even with slush, has one hand operation. The TB has a junk carburator which I have replaced. The Briggs carb has never caused me issue 4 years running.
Ariens also makes hydros. Don't be afraid to check price on Amazon.

 

One thing to look for is a John Deere branded blower. They used to buy that kind of stuff and rebadge it. Blowers were ariens, saws, weed walkers were echo. Those snow blowers were a good build from a time when stuff was made to last. Used, maybe a bad engine or something should be not much over $150.

 

You thinking walk behind (seems like?) or a tractor mounted?
Tractor mounted will be available in much larger sizes and can blow the snow much further away if needed.
I personally have a Wizard (Western Auto brand...probably MTD made) with a Tecumseh engine...its probably 25 years old and has been trouble-free thus far...I bought it from my uncle's estate sale about 17-18 years ago when they sold out and moved into a retirement community...it still looked like new when I got it...he was one of those "wash n wax your OPE" guys...

 

I have a John Deere 1130E, works good!!

 

I have 2 Ariens. One is old as heck and just keeps on going. Probably 20 years ago I was worried it was getting old so I bought a spare. A Ariens commercial 36" 14 hp, heated handles, on board electric start, electric chute rotation, locking differential and headlights ect. Then when Tecumseh was shutting down I bought 2 new 10hp (iirc) engines. That snowblower has NEVER seen snow it and the engines sit up on the pallet rack.
Then I bought the tractor and I haven't used a snowblower at all in years. It sure bushes up my wife's tail if you remind her of it.

 

It's a Husqvarna in name only. It's made by AYP (American Yard Products)...at least they were back in 2012 when I bought mine and shortly sold after I realized it's nothing but a cheap Poulan Pro, etc that one can buy at HD.........but painted Husky orange.

 

I have a John Deere 1032D now, I got a deal I couldn't refuse. It is made by Ariens, some of the Jd's were made by Murray also. I need to modify the impeller on this on as it doesn't throw the snow as far as it should (I ran the same machine for the school for many years) The boss bought me a new Husqvarna 11 hp, I used it for two storms and had the Jd brought back as I didn't like the controls. They made my hands hurt after an hour or so of running.

 

Anyone know who made that Craftsman I own? Just curious as its built well and stood the test of time.

 

I see that it looks like all of the new Ariens have ax series or the EFI engines on the top line models, and they are made in China.

I am pretty sure the Briggs on mine has the made in USA sticker. I recall it was around $100 more than the compact 24 with the LCT ( Chinese) made engine.

Yes, some Briggs are made overseas, some Asia, some in eastern block Europe.
I know I bought catalyst for Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers for Briggs ( I worked for the RTO manufacturer that Briggs bought the rto's from) and had it sent to the Czech republic. I think there's a Briggs employee here on FHC that could clear things up a little. It's complicated, because I know that Briggs does make a number of engines here in the US.

 

Yes, don't buy the Husqvarna. It's a repainted restickered ex AYP which is the same as all of the other cheap blowers. Husqvarna blowers are not really AYP, American yard products, as that name went away. The Husqvarna blowers are still the same ayp cheapness though.