Snow Blowers

I'm finally breaking down and looking at used snow blowers and was looking for some insight or words of advice from people who own them. I've never had one before and am looking used on craigslist. As far as the engine itself, I'm fairly mechanically inclined and know what to watch out for. What I don't know is anything about the particular brands, common problems specific to snow blowers, does a single stage actually work in New England, things like that. Any help would be appreciated, or better yet, if you're local, let me know if you're selling one!

 

In New England I would stick with a 2-stage thrower...but, if you don't normally get over 6-8" piles/drifts a single stage will work alright, anything above that height and you'll be wishing it was 2-stage...

As far as engines, most are powered by Tecumseh or Briggs & Stratton but there are quite a few Chinese built engines out there now to keep costs down, I'm not sure about parts availability but they do a good job slinging the white stuff.

If looking at a 2-stage, make sure the engine is at least 200cc's, otherwise they tend to get bogged down by the wetter, heavier stuff. Depending on what you're looking to spend you might be better off buying new. FYI, currently Ariens is making their snowblowers with Chinese engines under the name Sno-Tek (available at Home Depot), that's currently what I'm looking to buy, personally.

 

Def a 2-stage!

 

Thanks for the input! I was weary of single stage to begin with and based on what you're telling me a 2 stage would better suit the conditions up here. The price range is crazy on these things! They go from a couple hundred to over $2,000 I may have to kick some tires before finally purchasing to make sure I don't get some leftover POS someone just wanted to unload...

Good tip on the Ariens snow blower, I didn't realize they were selling as sno-tek. My dad used to have Ariens equipment and it ran forever (he still has a tiller that's got to be 20 years old). Do they still have the same longevity today?

 

I have this honda...good til about 10 inches of heavier snow. I apid about $600.00... 6 years ago.

 

Ariens stands behind the Sno-Tek, as far as longevity, it's kind of early to say. Another nice thing about the 2-stage route is that you won't need to replace the paddles every couple of seasons.

 

Echo the 2 stage. Don't waste your time with a 1 stage.

I have an Ariens 30". This will be my 2nd year with this one. So far pretty happy. Ariens was always a good name in the past so I'm hoping for more quality with this one.

Had a Brute with tracks before this one. I like tracks and somewhat wish I would have gone with them again. I never got the Brute stuck where this Ariens does struggle some times. The 2 biggest downsides of tracks are turning around can be a chore in real tight spots and the machine can't be easily moved without the engine running.

If you get a thrower with tires I'd recommend a weight kit. This is basically a 1/4"x6"x chute width chunk of steel to keep the nose of the blower down.

A lot of manufacturers void your warranty if you run chains so check on that.

Also make sure you get a serrated auger. It'll help bust up the snow pack at the end of your driveway. I've ran a 7"x12" chuck of ice through mine and it chewed it up like hot butter.

One thing about the Ariens that really impressed me is the Auger is supported in the center of the chute. A lot of other machines don't support the center and I can see that being tough on bearings in the future.

We have a Toro here at work that's been through hell and still runs. Sometimes it's not real happy but it gets the job done. Lol

 

Lots of good info, especially about the augers, weight kit and chains on the tires potentially voiding the warranty.

Thanks for the help guys, I'll start looking and see what pops up!