redneck joe
Supreme Mariner
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2009
- Messages
- 14,498
I'm starting to pay people to do things...
One reason to always help out the neighbors when ever I can, some day it will get related ! We live out in the country and everyone sort of relies on other neighbors when things go haywire. We don't often get a lot of snow, but on occasion we get clobbered. For that reason I have two blowers ( yep one is an Ariens) as well as a plow blade on my side x side. Also a neighbor down the road with a pickup and blade. We all pitch in when we get dumped on. I tend to have more toys than I really need because I try to be self sufficient. At age 75 that is becoming more difficult...but I have great neighbors.....that alone is worth its weight in gold !Well, the universe gave me something else to consider today. Fired up my Ariens snowblower, that has worked great for 9 years (first one lasted 16 years) this afternoon, to clear the 2 feet deep snow from the driveway. Ran about ten feet, blowing the snow about 30 feet, and suddenly no snow coming out the chute. Thought I broke a shear pin but it wasn’t that. The impeller engagement rod was loose and extended further out of the machine than normal. “Oh darn”, says I. “I can fix this in a jiffy”, says I. It was 4:30 pm and 18 degrees with the garage door up for light and using metal wrenches was not fun. The impeller rod end wasn’t connected to anything, a brass sleeve had fallen to the bottom of the housing unit, idler pulleys had become separated from the belts, and a large spring looks to be broken. I stopped looking at that point because the ten digits at the end of my ungloved hands were getting numb. I am unable to get a vehicle from my garage to the street. Did you ever call a snowblower repair shop for assistance after a blizzard? I swear I could hear hands rubbing together and a bit of laughter when discussing repair and pricing. One shop offered to come pick the machine up, make the repair, and bring the snowblower back….for $124 trip fee. $95 hour labor plus parts, tax, and whatever on top of the trip fee. I have a truck and a trailer here at home and can’t use either at present. Talk about frustrating. So, after some thought I am considering getting a new snowblower, repairing this one myself later when the weather is warmer, and donating the repaired snowblower to the county folks who help out the senior citizens (which is what I did with my last Ariens snowblower). So, saved new boat motor funds will most likely go towards a new snowblower. At least some of the money.
Or, I could just gas up the snow shovel and do the driveway the old fashioned way for old times sake, or talk a neighbor into using his snowblower to clear my driveway, or get someone to plow the snow out of the driveway. Lots of fun here in Up North Michigan when it snows! Looking forward to Spring.
Safe boating,
Joe
