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Snowblower recommendations (24" 2-stage gas)

 
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
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Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:38 pm    Post subject: Snowblower recommendations (24" 2-stage gas) Reply with quote


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After 3 days of record snowfall I'm thinking of breaking down and buying a snowblower.

I'm looking for a 2 stage, remote deflector control. Smaller 24" cleaning width because I only need to clear a 2-lane driveway that holds 6 cars (and it'll make storage easier). I live in an urban area and need to be able to chew through the 2-3 feet of hard snowplow junk that gets put at the end of the driveway sometimes.

Prices seem to start at around $800 and can go well above $3000.

Considering:

- Ariens Platinum 24 - About $1500
- Husqvarna? Some say the controls are harder to use.
- To get into a Honda with the same features you're looking at closer to $3500 like the HSS724TCD. Not sure why, but if it's better built and will last forever I can be convinced.

Would rather pay for something well engineered than something that's the cheapest. I don't like poorly made things that just break after a couple of years of use.

Thoughts?

Kal

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Castermmt




Joined: 03 Jan 2011
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PostLink    Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your choices are all good ones. I had a Craftsman 9HP two stage and it lasted years, looked just like the Ariens but different colors. I gave it to my son when I picked up a plow. Go with the Ariens you wont be disappointed. Merry Christmas, Castermmt
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biglakewill




Joined: 30 Dec 2012
Posts: 69
Location: NC

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PostLink    Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have an older 10 hp toro tbat will eat through anything. That said tbe Ariens is a great machine. Living in Duluth, MN, I gave up the shovel years ago.

Can't wait for retirement ant warmer climes.

Will
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huaco




Joined: 05 Apr 2012
Posts: 1506
Location: Burleson Texas


PostLink    Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Snow blowers? What are those?
As stated from sunny, North Texas!
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perogi




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PostLink    Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have an ancient Ariens that's still working great (ST-586 or something like that - cannot read it). Keep the oil changed and some extra pins around and you are golden.

FWIW - I usually hire a plow guy to kick out the crap that the city plows create at the end of the driveway - usually very cheap and well worth the price.
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kal
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Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

captwill wrote:
I have an older 10 hp toro tbat will eat through anything.

Was at Home Depot today picking up some other stuff and while I liked the controls of the Toro, I was shocked at the amount of plastic parts they use nowadays. Everything you basically touch and man-handle is plastic, as well as the entire chute assembly. Not sure I like that, especially the throttles handles being plastic.

Kal

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biglakewill




Joined: 30 Dec 2012
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PostLink    Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kal

My toro is 20+ years old and admittably not a lot of plastic on it. But it is a work horse!

Best of luck in your search.....

Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep - seems everything's gone to plastic with some manufacturers over the last 10-20 years. The Toro especially. I really liked the single 4-way joystick for the shut control instead of having two separate levers, but it was 100% plastic. Even the handles you hold down to engage the clutch were 100% plastic and were spring loaded with tiny little plastic tabs to hold the springs. I can only imagine after hundreds of hours of use they'd start to wear. It would probably last 10-20 years but not the 20+ yours has lasted.

Kal

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silverspoons




Joined: 21 Dec 2010
Posts: 555
Location: Webster NY


PostLink    Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kal

i have that exact Ariens.. no problems "plowing" through even 30' of snow. The electric starter struggles when its below 0 degrees F. But then the pull start always wors on the second or third pull.

Silverspoons
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Byron Brewing




Joined: 05 Jan 2013
Posts: 32
Location: Guelph Ontario


PostLink    Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 7:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Craftsman that I bought as a demo at the end of 2012 season. 24" and 13.5 hp. I think it's made by Husqvarna.
Because it was a demo, it's loaded with options... One that I wasn't sure I'd ever use is "power steering". Must say though it's handy... Beats manhandling a heavy machine-especially around tight corners.
I've only use it 3-4 times but it seems to work good.
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skelley




Joined: 24 Feb 2012
Posts: 210
Location: brookfield, wisconsin


PostLink    Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the same Craftsman and love it!
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dunnry




Joined: 10 Oct 2012
Posts: 43
Location: Strongsville, OH


PostLink    Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the Ariens Sno-Tek 24. It works very well - electric starter, snow unplugging tool, etc. It throws the snow pretty far as well. It works a treat, especially when you have a foot of snow on the ground like I do today.
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I ended up with an Ariens Platinum 24":



Very few plastic parts, fairly large 291cc engine given the 24" size, and all steel transfer auger gear case where you can actually change the oil (unlike some of the cheaper models that are sealed aluminum cases):



The Ariens Platinum comes in 30" wide too but I prefer something easier/lighter to maneuver (driveway's not that large either). Now all I need is another big snowfall!

Kal

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Fejj




Joined: 10 Jun 2013
Posts: 213
Location: North Shore, MA


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can come try it out on my driveway if you like, we just got blasted with 18"Very Happy
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PercyGordon




Joined: 04 Jun 2015
Posts: 1



PostLink    Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah I'm looking for new one. My old snowblower got stuck with a hard branch and my son's toy.

http://www.thegoodgears.com/Snow-Blower/


Last edited by PercyGordon on Mon Sep 26, 2016 7:37 am; edited 2 times in total
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rcrabb22




Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 462
Location: Illinois


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I live in the Chicago area. My father retired and move to Las Vegas and gave me his circa 1968 Toro 2 stage 24" snowblower in 1991. It is still going strong although we have had many winters since '91 it never left the garage due to lack of snow. When I did use I called my father right away to thank him once again!!

Advice I received from a small engine repair person who refurbished the snowblower for me was this: If you find a snowblower at a garage sale and the basic frame and such is not terribly rusted, buy it for cheap. They don't get used all that many hours and the couple hundred bucks it might cost to refurbish the unit it will be less than the price of a new unit. His opinion might not pertain to more northerly climates, but in northern Illinois I consider it good advice.
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