I need to purchace a snowblower,but I have never had one . I will be clearing five driveways . Each about 300 feet long.Average snowfall is rarley more than 4 inches a snowfall.I need one I can load in a pickup.Any advice on width, HP or features is appricated.Dealers in my area are JD,husky,simplicty and the ones at the big box stores.Are the ones at Sears made buy husky?
Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing need advice on snowblowers
- Thread starter echoman
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art
Super Member
Get the 48" cadet walk behind!
tsteahr
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If your snowfall is generally less than 4 inches and you are looking for a blower you can load into your truck I would suggest a good quality single stage unit, perhaps a Simplicity. They weigh about 80 lbs opposed to several hundred lbs for a large two stage unit. The Simplicity SS922EX is the highest hp single stage in their line and would allow the fastest travel speed.
Edit: I just noticed you are clearing 5 drives, each about 300ft. A blade would be MUCH, MUCH faster. With such little snowfall I don't understand if there would be a issue with snow piling up?
My memory is fuzzy on plows but I think Hinicker(sp?) makes a light weight blade that reverses itself for driveways, pretty slick. If you are into snow blowing them, look into at least a 28" machine, fill it with a good synthetic oil and get a rear carrier mounted to a drop sleeve to haul it. Ramps or lifting in snowy conditions are a recipe for disaster, I suggest a strong machine because 4" of snow can become 2' of hard pack at the end of the driveway when the plows come by and leave their "gift" for you...
tsteahr
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If you feel you absolutely MUST use a blower, and you are want to use a large frame unit then consider a small trailer with folding ramps rather than trying to get a 300+lb machine into the bed of a your pickup. I'm still concerned for light snowfalls (many/most of which will be 1-3 inches if your max is about 4") a blower is not the ideal tool, especially a two stage. Single stage walk behinds seem to work better in light snowfalls than two stage units. In 2" of snow I'm not convinced a 28" two stage is going to be that much faster than a 22" single stage. It will be harder to maneuver however.
lungdoc
Gold Member
If you have (or want for other needs) an ATV, a plow on it would be a fast, cost effective option you can move with a pickup.
leonz
Super Member
For the money involved even the smallest
John Deere riding tractor with a snow blower
and chains and a vey small trailer will be better
than dealing with a walk behind and ramps that the
snow casters auger housing wil catch on at the drop
of the hat.
KSagal
New member
Being here in New England my whole life, I have used many snow blowers.
There are all kinds of factors to consider, and you may find that one man's meat is another man's poison...
I have a cheapo big box unit, 28 inch throw, 10 horse B&S motor. The unit is made by Husky I believe, but not labeled that way. It works well, and has for the last 10 years. I like a motor I know, like a Briggs or a Kohler, as I have good luck with theirs.
I clear the 87 year old's drive way across the way each storm, and a couple years ago he insisted I take his Honda. It is 28 inch, 8 horse. (Both are two stage)
I like mine better, in spite of the fact that it is older, and 1/2 the price of his. I have drift breakers on mine (Wing type blades that stick up from the mouth of the auger housing for breaking into drifts taller than the snowblower entrance) that his does not have, but other than that, both have about the same features...
His controls are a tiny bit better, and has one more remote handle for adjusting the top deflector. I will admit his engine is quieter, and his machine will throw the snow much farther than mine. On a normal day, mine will throw the snow 25 to 30 feet max, and his will throw the same snow 40 to 45 feet.
Some times that extra throw is very convenient, sometimes it is not.
All of the single stage throwers that I have seen use a rubber blade instead of a serrated metal one typical in a two stage unit. That will frequently sweep and clean a small snowfall much better than the two stage. So for light snow, a single stage is sometime superior, even though it does not throw snow as far.
Also, in case you are not sure of what everyone is speaking about with single stage or two stage, it has to do with how it collects snow, and how it throws it. On a single stage blower, it has one rotating set of blades, kind of like a large rotary mower, that is horizontal. That rotating set of blades scoops up the snow and forces it out a portal in the top of the housing. That portal has a short tube, with a deflector at the top, and you can rotate and adjust that portal to toss the snow any direction you choose.
A two stage has the same horizontal rotary blades (Usually metal) but feed the snow farther back into a chamber with a fast moving fan that feeds the snow up to the portal like before. The advantage is that it can move more snow, and because there are two stages, you can have the larger horizontal blades moving slower and bite into the snow better, and have the second fan stage mover very fast, with throws the snow with more force, and therefore farther.
A second factor with single stage vs two stage is that most single stage blowers that I have seen do not drive themselves. The blade does contact the ground which will have a tendency to drag itself forward, but the wheels do not drive. A two stage machine almost always has a transmission of sorts and a drive mechanism to move the wheels. This is very important if there is any incline that you must navigate. Any one with a self propelled lawn mower vs a simple push mower will know what I am talking about.
Good luck. Have fun. Consider buying a test machine of one sort, and use it a few times to figure out exactly what you like and do not like, then buy your perfect machine.
I have always had good luck and good finances to buy lawn tractors in October, because I can make a better deal, and snow blowers in April, for the very same reason.
Let us know your final decisions.
There are all kinds of factors to consider, and you may find that one man's meat is another man's poison...
I have a cheapo big box unit, 28 inch throw, 10 horse B&S motor. The unit is made by Husky I believe, but not labeled that way. It works well, and has for the last 10 years. I like a motor I know, like a Briggs or a Kohler, as I have good luck with theirs.
I clear the 87 year old's drive way across the way each storm, and a couple years ago he insisted I take his Honda. It is 28 inch, 8 horse. (Both are two stage)
I like mine better, in spite of the fact that it is older, and 1/2 the price of his. I have drift breakers on mine (Wing type blades that stick up from the mouth of the auger housing for breaking into drifts taller than the snowblower entrance) that his does not have, but other than that, both have about the same features...
His controls are a tiny bit better, and has one more remote handle for adjusting the top deflector. I will admit his engine is quieter, and his machine will throw the snow much farther than mine. On a normal day, mine will throw the snow 25 to 30 feet max, and his will throw the same snow 40 to 45 feet.
Some times that extra throw is very convenient, sometimes it is not.
All of the single stage throwers that I have seen use a rubber blade instead of a serrated metal one typical in a two stage unit. That will frequently sweep and clean a small snowfall much better than the two stage. So for light snow, a single stage is sometime superior, even though it does not throw snow as far.
Also, in case you are not sure of what everyone is speaking about with single stage or two stage, it has to do with how it collects snow, and how it throws it. On a single stage blower, it has one rotating set of blades, kind of like a large rotary mower, that is horizontal. That rotating set of blades scoops up the snow and forces it out a portal in the top of the housing. That portal has a short tube, with a deflector at the top, and you can rotate and adjust that portal to toss the snow any direction you choose.
A two stage has the same horizontal rotary blades (Usually metal) but feed the snow farther back into a chamber with a fast moving fan that feeds the snow up to the portal like before. The advantage is that it can move more snow, and because there are two stages, you can have the larger horizontal blades moving slower and bite into the snow better, and have the second fan stage mover very fast, with throws the snow with more force, and therefore farther.
A second factor with single stage vs two stage is that most single stage blowers that I have seen do not drive themselves. The blade does contact the ground which will have a tendency to drag itself forward, but the wheels do not drive. A two stage machine almost always has a transmission of sorts and a drive mechanism to move the wheels. This is very important if there is any incline that you must navigate. Any one with a self propelled lawn mower vs a simple push mower will know what I am talking about.
Good luck. Have fun. Consider buying a test machine of one sort, and use it a few times to figure out exactly what you like and do not like, then buy your perfect machine.
I have always had good luck and good finances to buy lawn tractors in October, because I can make a better deal, and snow blowers in April, for the very same reason.
Let us know your final decisions.
Thanks for all of the advice.The reason for not using my tractor is that I have to haul it 20 miles on snow covered roads to get to the first driveway .And last year it had road salt all over it . I also thought I could clear sidewalks with a snowblower so i wouldnt have to shovel then.I would also like to stick with a moter I know such as B&S,a lot of then have moters I have never heard of before .The auger gearboxs some are alumiun and some are cast iron, witch is better ? Is there very much problems with these?
tsteahr
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You could throw a heavy tarp over the tractor, or make some plywood sides for the trailer, or both. If those options don't work for you then a plow blade for the truck and a 80lb single stage from a good dealer to clear the sidewalks. This would be light enough to lift into the truck bed without needing ramps and will be more than sufficient for the light snowfalls you are clearing. As to the gearbox material, I don't think you can say one is better than another just by the material. Buy from a reputable, local dealer that will stand behind what he sells. Simplicity happens to use B&S motors if that is a important feature for you, as does Ariens and Husky.
Good luck.
