Snow blower purchase

[airbiscuit]

I had an 8hp MTD for many years. Worked well, but was a workout to horse around (upper body). I would recommend one with Power steering. Here is a video from 2019. BTW Ariens is a good brand.

 

[yooperdave]

Can you get one with tracks that you can stand on? I have had several higher end walk behinds years ago. The amount of effort to turn them around wore me out. Let the machine do as much work as possible especially if the wife will be using it.

Good Luck

Yooper Dave

 

[leonz]

Can you get one with tracks that you can stand on? I have had several higher end walk behinds years ago. The amount of effort to turn them around wore me out. Let the machine do as much work as possible especially if the wife will be using it.

Good Luck

Yooper Dave

Not unless you spend the equivalent of a small compact car.

 

[ruffdog]

The Ariens Mammoth 850.........

Ariens 951001 Mammoth Stand On Snow Removal | the Lawnmower Hospital

 

[yooperdave]

Not unless you spend the equivalent of a small compact car.

Maybe learning to use the tractor is not such a bad idea after all.

 

[ArlyA]

We do get snow here and I've owned two tracked honda blowers over the years. I ran the 1st one for 15+ years and wore it out, sold it and got another. These have a hyrdotatic tranny which gave me zero greif in both and infinite speed control. Previous to those those i had 2 American made ones with friction wheel transmissions and they broke and a maintenance nightmare. I can not recommend any make with a friction wheel transmission.....

 

[PILOON]

Most OEM skids are a bit wimpy so you may want to upgrade:

Snow Blower Skids

If U have a welder, DIY upgrading is a simple task.
Just obtain some flat stock, say 2" X 10/12" and bend the ends a bit ( like ski tips) in your vice and weld them onto the bottom of the factory skids.
I've converted a few for neighbors as well as for my own equipment.

Since I re skidded my PTO blower I no longer have to rake stones every spring!

 

[fishhead]

We have a place in a high snowfall location (250-300?) and have had a series of blowers. Tenants use them so maybe not as controlled a durability experiment.

Best i would put the tracked Honda, i think it was an 1128. Best reliability and easiest to use. Had to rebuild the housing due to gravel wear but that's not the blower's fault.

Second i would put a couple of Ariens. With chains could work, more muscling though. One was stolen, the second traded on the Honda.

Third- (and not my choice to purchase) would be a big box blower- worst to use, did not hold up.

I have to second the earlier poster, if the exact use is feasible the demand on his wife might very well be less to get comfortable with a tractor than to wrestle with a big blower- obviously the exact situation will determine the best.

 

[leonz]

The lawn mower equivalent for 2 stage snowblowers are absolute junk.
YES I OWNED ONE and I hope thier show room burns down.
So, do not waste your money unless you can afford a kubota 1870 with
a kubota snow blower or JD series one sub compact tractor.

 

[TheMan419]

Several folks have commented about the muscle needed to turn these things. Is that true of the ones that have selfpropelled drive and "power steering"? Part of the reason to not use the tractor is walkways and other things where the tractor is just not practical.

Edit: May of the brands advertise "effortles" turning.....