Snow blowers

the canuckian says 126' but there's also a ford in his driveway...

 

Denver got 45+ inches of record snow in 1913. 39,420 days ago. You prolly get that amount every winter and would make sense to own a snow blower

 

Ariens is probably the best bang for just above your price range.
We’ve been using them at work for the last 10+ years they are pretty stout being thrown in and out of trucks and like any newer small engine with basic maintenance (clean fuel system + spark plug) they always start and run well

I highly discourage getting tracks especially if you need to move it around in the off season

 

We average 45" a year here but have had upwards of 90" a year in my adulthood.

Still not a single snow day for me during school, work or my kids school...go figure.

 

I saw the same thing in Anchorage in 2012. The record winter which I have mentioned. Kids went to school every freaking day. No pansies up north! I went to work every day along with everyone else.

 

If you aimed the chute at small children, would they get knocked over?


I want an EGO single stage with the steel auger, but I'm hesitant to drop coin for a snowblower. I do think I'll get a Snowcaster for next season though.

 

That’s pretty cool man I wish drinking beer made me creative like that
4-5 and I’m pretty much like this little guy on right

 

I'm playing devil's advocate. I've shoveled lots of snow over the years. I just don't get excited to go blow a lot of $ on one after the rare snowfall hits! Wasn't born yesterday. Trying to save you some money. By the way I got off work early and shoveled out two elderly neighbors driveways on each side of my house with a too small snow shovel and cleared 125 ft of blockage so the melting snow would drain into the street gutter allowing the mailman to drop off their mail and home deliveries. I got done at 7:30. Next.................smh

 

I was looking at the EGO as well but there are a few other electric options on the market
Not looking to spend too much just something that’s easier for the wife to play with but still has enough power for me to clear the drive quickly when we get lighter storms

 

Being a tinkerer, I never buy new.

Last couple seasons, I had a MTD branded 24" Remington I picked up for free and saved. Did the auger impeller mod and that sucker shot snow and slush like it was nothing. Sold that for some cash and picked up a Toro 726 for the joy stick controller. Just need a carb cleaning and worked like new.

Stuff works amazing considering I'm paying next to nothing, adding in some time and know how, and have myself a running machine.

 

I couldn’t agree more on HONDA! Especially the track versions.

Unless your budget is $40k...love my heated Kubota with blower attachment

 

I'm done shoveling snow after today....forever. What about another atv with a blade? That would be fun and I know you miss yours. I know I'm going to be hurtin in the morning.

 

Most ATV plows will be too wide for residential sidewalks and you'll end up tearing up the grass on each side.

Others bring up a good point. Typically blowers don't get used frequently enough to wear out and if you're slightly mechanical used ones are pretty easy to work on.

Not sure about there but FB marketplace is littered with sub $200 models here and if you're average snowfall is under 6" don't discount a Toro/Honda single stage.

 

Retired BIL pushes Ariens Snowblowers on a deserted runway in Houghton, Mi at thier test site all day. Having fun he says, trying to break them.

 

Here in central New York, we average 120 inches of snow each year. I’ve used 3-4 MTD ‘s ever since my dad bought one when I was 18. Guess he knew I wouldn’t be shoveling everyday when I left for college. They all would last about 5-6 years then fall apart. I had one throw a rod right through the side. Sounded like a gunshot and scared the hell out of me. I’ve had an Ariens for about 5 years now and it runs well. The engine in this one is a Subaru. I didn’t even know that they made small engines.

 

I've got an Ariens 824 with Kohler cast iron block 8hp two stage I bought brand new about 15 years ago.

From what I understand, the newer models are not made nearly as well.

Mine has electric start, but I never use it...always starts on the first pull.

It's a great machine, for sure.

When I bought it, I ordered it from a place in the mid-west and it showed up on a pallet in my driveway a couple of days later.

Now that I have Tundra with plow, I've been trying to sell the Ariens on some silly neighborhood site but will move to Craig's List in the fall, as I no longer need it.

My property is basically one long driveway, and the walking path (large stones set into the grass up a hill) pretty much requires hand shoveling.

SPP

 

Those old 824s are beasts for sure
I don’t think anything newer is built like things used be

 

Just call @COMiamiFan . He does all the snow blowing in his neighborhood.

 

So I have a kind of simplistic question. If the snow you are trying to remove is 3-6" in depth (with occasional larger), why are you looking at a 2 stage snow blower instead is a 1 stage?

 

In my experience, single stage snow throwers bog down when moving 3-4 inches of heavy wet snow. If it's dryer, lighter snow then single stage is fine. Plus the stuff that piles up at the end of the driveway from the snowplows is usually too heavy for single stage to efficiently get through.

 

It chews through everything I throw at it. But, it’s a 369cc 17lb torque engine on the one I bought. The one you listed is 208cc. That would be the one my dad has which he has never complained about and he lives in the foothills.

 

To Bill's point, i believe Ariens went Chinese power round 2012/2013 on everything except their professional line. I have a 10 year old deluxe 30 and wish it had the same motor but smaller bucket on the heavy wet storms in new england. 95% of the time it's fine.

Craigslist is your friend for value when it comes to these machines, especially at your price point.

 

You seasoned NE guys prolly already know this, but spraying down your chute and chewers with WD40 or PB Blaster drastically reduces friction and makes your blower act like it has a turbo setting. Ill do that before I do the gutter that’s filled with that half melted, heavy, wet, slushy shit that would otherwise clog the beast. Amazing trick if you’ve never tried it.

 

We have an Ariens - bought a couple years back from a local equipment dealer.

The units were returned from 1 yr lease program with a local lawn care business and they were "like new"
got it at a good savings.