Thinking about a snowblower

A model and serial number should help you determine this. My guess is AYP.

 

I have a Honda 7 24 I got it real cheap at a yard sale. Owners moving south in July $150 needed $25 in parts. I love the tracks! Never needed electric start always starts 2 nd pull 15 years old now. Did my driveway for 3 years and while I paid my self and saved for avatar. My driveway is no joke!

 

Find your model #, then check it here:
Craftsman OEM List | VintageMachinery.org

 

I was just considering an upgrade in the blower department. I have a plow on my truck but need a blower for touch ups. (Along with sidewalks and patio...) When it gets really deep, the plow can't push it all the way off the edge of the driveway either so I generally take a pass or two up and down each side of the drive after plowing. That said, The best I found is the Ariens Professional RapidTrack. It comes in both 28" and 32" flavors. I'm generally not a fan of tracked models as they are usually tougher to turn or you have all kinds of steering controls to help them do so. However, the tracks on the RapidTrack can work in "wheel mode" to make it handle just like a wheeled unit. When additional traction is needed you drop the bogy wheels. When max traction is needed, you can lock the back end down and it will climb a mountain. It's VERY easy to go between modes too and has "power steering" to boot. The only thing I don't like is they don't offer EFI on these models. Not a deal breaker but on your top of the line product, I'd like your top of the line motor. I looked at the Husky units too and while very well made after a recent redesign, they are a little more complicated to turn and throw 30% less snow than their competition at Ariens. The only downside to all the higher end units to me is the hydrostatic drive. Now, don't get me wrong... hydro drive is excellent and perhaps superior in 99% of blowing situations. However, if you're used to being able to freewheel backwards or to transport your blower around the garage, barn, etc. you'll be disappointed since you'll always have to "drive" these units.

If you want to watch some interesting videos, this guy has a ton of info on many brands.

https://www.youtube.com/c/PaulSikkema/videos

 

I can also agree about top push down handle controls. Some are better than others. Try them out even not running and you'll see how much pressure they do or don't take. My ariens has the auger control that can be used in "cruise control" as long as the lever that is used for the wheel drivers is held down. So in effect, 1 hand operation. This is nice. You can switch hands then.

The other thing to mention is the chute and controls. The chute rotation control is best at the same "plane" as the handles. Like this. Highlighted in light blue.

Our older friends that I will snowblow their drive to and walls has a couple years older, but still pretty new Ariens that has the chute rotation control in front of the rest of the controls, in front of the light even, and it's definitely not as easy or intuitive to use. Like this.


Cheaper units don't have the remote chute height adjustment. You need to reach all the way forward and grab the deflector and move it. Pita

Both the chute rotation and deflector height adjustment are really really nice to have back by the hand controls on case it's windy. That is unless you like getting blasted in the face by snow from your own machine. BTDT before. It can still happen with the controls in the proper places, but it's much less severe.

My friends ariens has the "auto turn" and I'm not sold on that either. Seems like a waste of money for something that most people don't use. Glad mine doesn't have that.

Simplicity used to make a great snowblower, then Briggs bought the whole company out and killed their line of blowers.

 

Sounds like the auto turn on ariens would be good for the tracked models. I can say that on wheeled units that the auto turn is pointless.

It's also good to hear that it sounds like Husqvarna redesigned their blowers. They used to be as mentioned before, just rebranded low cost machines. Those were not doing the Husqvarna name any good. Also, yeah, freewheeling a hydro drive unit is not user friendly. I almost never use the reverse gears on my ariens, or my old simplicity because I'd just freewheel it. It's quicker.

 

You got a great deal on that. Honda's are the only other snowblower that I'd consider along with ariens.

 

That's my hangup with hydro. I have no patience for reverse so when I get to the end of a sidewalk, I just freewheel roll it back and take another pass. I'd get used to hydro I'm sure but...

 

You have seen my driveway!! Snowblowers are cheap in June after bad snow year!!

 

I'll add another thing. My old simplicity had chains on the tires. I swore I would miss the chains despite the ariens dealer saying they are not necessary with the newer style tires.

The dealer was right. Those newer tires grip great.

 

I can't even imagine doing your drive way with a 24" blower, tracks or not. My driveway is flat, paved, and like what 200' long or so?

Yours had to have been at least a 6 pack and 4 hours worth of snowblowing with a 24" pass blower.

 

The Husq are definitely not the same as the one we had at work about 10 years ago. Very fickle industry.

Looks like JD stopped making their own back in 2012 or so.

Lots of good info Horkn.

 

Here's the unit I'm considering if anyone is interested. It would replace my Ariens 27" deluxe.

 

Go with an Ariens. I have a SHO engine 24”. Throws snow a long way, cuts through worst slush, haven’t have it ever bog down or clog, never an issue. Regular maintenance schedule.

 

Another option if you have an ATV/SXS or tractor to mount it to is a Bercomac blower. They make a really nice product. I was considering one but since I just have touch ups to do and not the entire driveway, it seemed like overkill.

Here's a link to their products...

Bercomac

 

I’ve had a Ariens Deluxe 27 for a good number of years. It has the 1150 B&S snow series engine. It’s been as reliable as a stone.

One thing I didn’t see mentioned though I may have missed it. The primary use of my snowblower is to open up paths in the yard. It does this very well...but it’s a beast to maneuver and turn with snow deeper than a few inches. As a point of reference I’m 6’4” and 220 lbs. I can’t remember a time that SOB didn’t wear my arse out using it in the yard. I just mentioned to my wife a few days ago that next year I’ll have a snowblower on the garden tractor. Just an FYI.

 

Yes, I've only heard great things about these bercomacs. I figured at some point I'll have a big enough garage to put the ariens GT with 48" blower on it. Then the 24" ariens walk behind would still be needed for front walk to the door and patio snow removal.

If anyone needs an awesome snowblower for a garden tractor, get one of these. Probably the best machine ever for this. Built like a tank ( tractor is really a New Holland but orange) with the best maker of snowblower ever.



You could even get soft or hard cabs for them.


You can pick up a nice gt with a blower for under 2k. Sometimes a 1k if you're lucky. These throw snow like 50-75'. That was with a 17 hp. You can get them with up to 22 hp and some retrofit engines with nearly 30 hp in them.

 

Exactly. I'm in the same boat. I can't get that detached garage built soon enough.

 

Now this is what I’m talking about!!