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kal Forum Administrator
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
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Link Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:38 pm Post subject: Snowblower recommendations (24" 2-stage gas) |
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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 Posts: 863 Location: Lowell, In
Drinking: Steelhead Porter, Alt-Toids, Hefty-Weizen, Terry's Kolsch, African Amber, Pumpkin Ale, Double Dog Ale
Working on: Janet's Brown Ale, Terry's Kolsch, Pilsner
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Link Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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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
Drinking: Barley Wine
Working on: Weissbeir
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Link Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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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
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Link Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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Snow blowers? What are those?
As stated from sunny, North Texas!
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perogi
Joined: 12 Feb 2012 Posts: 850 Location: NH
Drinking: Perogi Pale, NEIPA, Nutter's Crossing Nut Brown Ale, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter Clone
Working on: Max's Maibock
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Link Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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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 Forum Administrator
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
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biglakewill
Joined: 30 Dec 2012 Posts: 69 Location: NC
Drinking: Barley Wine
Working on: Weissbeir
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Link Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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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 Forum Administrator
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
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Link Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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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
_________________ Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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silverspoons
Joined: 21 Dec 2010 Posts: 555 Location: Webster NY
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Link Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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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
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Link Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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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
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Link Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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I have the same Craftsman and love it!
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dunnry
Joined: 10 Oct 2012 Posts: 43 Location: Strongsville, OH
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Link Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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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 Forum Administrator
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
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Fejj
Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Posts: 213 Location: North Shore, MA
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Link Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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You can come try it out on my driveway if you like, we just got blasted with 18"
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PercyGordon
Joined: 04 Jun 2015 Posts: 1
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Link Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:06 am Post subject: |
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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
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Link Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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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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