Snow Blowers (Page 1 of 3)

I'd pick up a old Ariens on Craigslist, throw in a new plug and enjoy.  The old ones are built like tanks.

Back when I lived in that crap, Ariens was the only way to go.  The older ones last forever.  My younger brother is still using the one my dad bought back in the 60's.

bs

What...California...Bay Area no less!  Are you allowed to comment on snow blowers without losing your medical marijuana card?  I mean I sure there is snow, and blowing, there but we are talking about stuff that naturally falls from the sky, is cold and was a topic in less popular John Hughes film (bonus if you know the quote).

I typically like to research my purchases, especially home appliances, TVs, mowers..... And snowblowers.

Well, last year I get home after spending all Sunday afternoon working on the Lemons car, and the wife has it in her head we are going to get a snowblower... NOW!!!!  "The mother of all storms is bearing down on us and I'm not shoveling anymore!", says the wife.  Now granted, we had been married 16 years at this point and had never owned a snowblower.   Unfortunately, the only place open at 6pm on Sunday is Lowe's.  So off we go.

We get to Lowe's, and of course, I'm immediately drawn to a nice two stage unit. Wife says. "No, too big."
After much discussion (5 mins) she points to a single stage Troy-Bilt.  At this point I'm hungry and just want to go home. So I say "fine". Guy asks if I want to put it together or by one of the 10 pre-built ones for $50 more.  Wife, "we don't have time to put it together."  I'm thinking, "#1, We?.. And #2, yes I do!"   But I keep my mouth shut, grab a snowblower and roll it to the checkout.  I pay the man some money and cram it in the back of the Honda Pilot as it starts to snow. 

We drive home and the wife can tell I'm not pleased.  I express my frustration with the lack of time to research, and that I probably paid an 18-year old kid to assemble my snow throwing machine. She suggests I should get over it. Before we know it we're home and unloading the blower of snow.  I pull of the tags and put oil and gas in it.  It has an electric start, but has to be plugged into the wall, so I give it a try and lo-and-behold it starts right up!  My mindset is starting to change, and by this time we have 2 inches of snow and it's coming down pretty good.

Wife says, "aren't you glad we got it?"  Me, "Yeah.. Good idea.." 

So, I start to make a few passes and the thing chugs along nicely but certainly doesn't have the distance of a two stage blower.  I get 4 passes in and all of a sudden.... "Clank! Grrrrrrrrr...".  The GD wheel falls off!!!!  By this time it is blowing 20mph and the damned snow is coming down hard.  I drag the god-forsaken snow non-blower into the garage and go back and find the wheel, press-on nut, bearing and washer while combing through the snow with bare hands.  I proceed to sound like the father from The Christmas Story (or whatever it's called) as it is apparent the said 18 year Neanderthal who put this together bungled it up.  After persuasion with vice grips and a large rubber mallet I manage to get the wheel to stay on.

Apparently, my wife has heard me, and so has my neighbor, as they both have come out to see why I'm swearing.  I explain my frustration, put back on my gloves and hat, and finish blowing the damned snow.

Thankfully, with some TLC, the snowblower continues to chuck snow for us, but my wife will NEvER try to persuade me to buy something in that way again.

THE END

Just had the discussion with the fiance about it, She basically said buy whatever you want, but then I showed her the two stage 24" Ariens at $859 and she was like "seriously"  I took that to mean try again.  So I'm gonna troll craigslist.

I have seen this "Snow-Tek by Ariens" brand thats a bit cheaper and sold in normal stores.  I can get a similar one around $600, anyone have any experience with them?

You get what you pay for.  For a couple hundred bucks, buy the Ariens.

bs

What Squidrope said.

I bought a 1962 Ariens off of CL for $125.  It ran, but needed tinkering, and was hard to start.  We didn't have any snow worth blowing for 2 years but then for the 3rd year I thought I'd really get it going.  Taking it apart a bit, the gears and whatnot in the bottom end is built stronger than what's in my Honda Civic.  The body is rust free, everything works, etc.  The motor was tired though, compression was down, it was hard to stat and to regulate the throttle, and loud as an RX7.  I then saw that Harbor Freight had their Honda copy 212cc engines on sale, and with a coupon I picked on up for about $87.  It fit almost perfectly in place of the old Tucumsuh (sp?) engine that was on it.  Seriously.  Bolt patterns were the same, output shaft diameter was the same, and in the same place so the pulley went right on and fit perfectly.  All I had to do was make a new bracket for the level that turns the chute. 

So, now for a total investment of about $210, I have a snowblower built like a tank, with a new motor that starts right up, has a self regulated throttle, and is quiet.  It also has no safety features at all, being from 1962.  Unlike the new ones where you have to be holding three levels and 2 switches to make it work, this one will just keep going with no hands on it until you stop it, so it's not for idiots, and Tom you're borderline sometimes, so be careful! 

I'll throw my vote in for the used craigslist purchase.  People are getting rid of stuff all the time that just needs a tune up or some Seafoam in the tank.

If I were to buy new, I'd go with a reputable brand.  Ariens seems to be the go-to brand for most people who've had a few.  My dad has one and it serves him well.

As for me, my father-in-law works for Sears.  So he has a Craftsman.  And I have his OLD Craftsman.  (He got his new one as a door prize at a Christmas party or something.)  Before that, I had somebody else's old Toro that I got for free.  Sure, the electric start was busted.  But it ran OK.

The older ones genuinely seem to be built better.

Oh, nobody has said this but: how big is your driveway?  If it's longer and/or wider than two cars, you may want to upgrade the width.  That's all about how many passes it will take to clear your driveway.  I've mostly had dinky 22" or 24" units.  You'd be surprised how many passes it takes with one of those.  But my driveway wasn't very long.

The question is who builds craftsman snowblowers.  I found this is typically the thing you need to research when buying anything from sears.  Sometimes you get a great deal, sometimes you don't

I have a 24 inch craftsman and it does quite well, Of course as soon as I got it, Winters started getting dry as the moisture has started shifting up to where you are lately. So I use it like twice a season.

Never ever take an electric start lightly, In the bitter cold, you'll be glad you have it.

Bigger/beefier is better.  You don't want to be that guy who spends half an hour getting through the snow bank left by the plow.