Snow Blower Selection

levittownnick

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How does one determine which type of features a snow blower has that will have the greatest snow & slush throwing features? What features do you have on your machine that are great and any that did not work out so well? Any reliability issues would also be good to know about. I am not considering any machine without its own drive system, I need a walk-behind type machine. (Ballpark price range $1K.)

Now that the snow season is winding down, I think may be a good time to upgrade (or not).

Happy Spring,
Nick
 

mla2ofus

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Dec 30, 2008
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For $1k you can choose from quite a few different brands. Only one I can speak for is my Poulan 24" 6.5HP I bought 4 yrs ago for $500. It seems well built and has handled all types of snow very good. Almost any will handle slush fairly well to the point where there's just too much water in it. I have a plow on my wheeler for that. Best advice I can give is go to outdoor power eqpt. forums that have snowblower subforums and check out independent reviews on the various makes and models.Also check with friends and neighbors that have one and get their opinions.
Mike
 

dolluper

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Any model with a 10hp or greater Briggs with a high auger opening would be good. Make sure the shute is metal the poly don't last very well.As to slush most will work hard and even clog up one trick is to attach rubber to two opposing impeller paddles to take up the gap and prevent cloging
 

NewfieDan

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Look at the Honda. Although I have a tractor mount, a lot of people here in NL like the Honda for its reliability. It also seems to handle the ice(think of windrows from snowplow) and heavy snow the best out of the big box brands. It is a bit more, but have better reliability. I believe they come with either tires or tracks, and both are self-propelled.
 

Grub54891

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I had a craftsman with tracks. Did not like it one bit, it had no steering controls, had a tendency to walk up on top of the snow, resulting in an extra pass to remove the snow. It was a pain I n the a**.
 

Scott Danforth

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I suggest an Ariens or a Sno-Tec

The Briggs motors have carb issues (chinese carbs with metal shavings in the bowls)
 

82rude

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Toro, you will never regret it.The inventor of the personal walk behind snowblower..Tuff as nails.
 

Scott Danforth

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Toro is getting better. the head engineer for their snow product is the former Ariens head engineer. Ariens does have a better gear box and auger. Toro gets their motors from Guangzhou china
 

MTboatguy

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I suggest an Ariens or a Sno-Tec

The Briggs motors have carb issues (chinese carbs with metal shavings in the bowls)

I have a snow tec and I have to rebuild the carb on it every single year, bought it 4 years ago and I have to pull the carb, clean and put back together every fall before it will start!
 

mla2ofus

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I have a snow tec and I have to rebuild the carb on it every single year, bought it 4 years ago and I have to pull the carb, clean and put back together every fall before it will start!
I've had the Poulan 4 yrs and haven't had any carb problem like you. When it's put away in the spring I siphon the tank empty, start it and let it run 'til it dies.Been doing that with all my small engines for over 10 yrs and haven't had any carb problems.
OP, please excuse the hijack.
Mike
 

82rude

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Pick your snowblower wisely and you will have it for a long time .The last big snowblower site i visited had them rated as 1. honda 2. toro 3. ariens 4 ..husky .Just remember you buy cheap you get cheap.My blower has seen 12 years of hard service and all i need is a auger belt and auger bearing otherwise its basically mint.Ibelieve this year it did triple duty as it never stopped snowing and i live on a main street that gets plowed up to 5 times a day so im constantly doing the end of the driveway which is always heavy snow and ice.
 

MTboatguy

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I've had the Poulan 4 yrs and haven't had any carb problem like you. When it's put away in the spring I siphon the tank empty, start it and let it run 'til it dies.Been doing that with all my small engines for over 10 yrs and haven't had any carb problems.
OP, please excuse the hijack.
Mike

Well, you are lucky, because I have had to do it every single year and the people who built it, said they don't have a solution to the problem!
 

rbh

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The first thing you need is enough horseys to get rid of wet snow, not a big issue with dry powder but wet snow is taxing on a small motor. Tire Chains are a must as well what kind of drive way do you have paved or gravel- this makes a difference if you get just a straight single stage auger or a 2 stage auger style- because if you have a tendency of picking up rocks and gravel it will eat the second stage impeller over time.
Picked up an old craftsman a few years back with a kohler engine, need a good cleaning but it was reliable till we got the JD blower for the front of the tractor, do you have a large HP garden tractor? how about a blower implement?
 

WIMUSKY

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Definitely get a 2 stage for a walk behind. I "think" the attachment I had for a garden tractor was single and did just fine. Now my 6' blower I put on a tractor was 2 stage. That thing would eat 2x6s..... Now I plow..... :)
 

Scott Danforth

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I have a snow tec and I have to rebuild the carb on it every single year, bought it 4 years ago and I have to pull the carb, clean and put back together every fall before it will start!

run the tank empty at end of season
 

rbh

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Definitely get a 2 stage for a walk behind. I "think" the attachment I had for a garden tractor was single and did just fine. Now my 6' blower I put on a tractor was 2 stage. That thing would eat 2x6s..... Now I plow..... :)
Hi bud hows things? Yup we plow as well but when the snow banks on the side of the driveway get to be 3+ feet high you gotta get the blower out or the drive way gets real narrow awfully fast.
 

rbh

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I do...They have already admitted, there is a problem with the location of the carb on this particular model. I have a dozen emails back and forth between them and I.
is it a heat thing? fuel is boiling and leaving residue in the carb?
 

WIMUSKY

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Hi bud hows things? Yup we plow as well but when the snow banks on the side of the driveway get to be 3+ feet high you gotta get the blower out or the drive way gets real narrow awfully fast.


Hey Robby, doin' well. Waiting for it to green up so I can start mowing!

I'm fortunate enough with my drive that I can stack up the snow where I can find a place to move it. "Most" my accounts are that way. 4 winters ago, some had to hire a guy with a tractor/snowblower to widen their drives. I had to v-plow my way to get out of 1. Drives are really long around here......

As far as small engines, I never drain the carbs during winter/summer layup... Garden tiller/mowers etc......

Here was 4 winters ago at my place.....



 

82rude

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City took snowbanks as big if not bigger than yours away from the sides of my street twice this year WIMUSKY! This year it seemed to snow forever but she,s disappearing fast now.They invested in a few blowers made by Larue(sp) i believe that have their own diesel motor and you attach them easily to a cat loader. Takes about a minute or so to fill a large dump truck if not less.If i won the lottery id have one for the one day a year id see snow,lol.
 
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