Looking to buy: Teach me your ways about snow blowers / throwers

[Zeze]

My poor parents in Mass are breaking their back shoveling 87384738 inches of snow. I just found out there's another 24 incher coming tomorrow, wtf.

I may get them a snow blower, I did some prelim research but need your hands-on experience.

1. So this is your New England snow. They don't fvck around. I think I'll need something that doesn't work around either. 2 stage, and lots of horsepower/cc. The parents' have a big drive way, you can fit 3 cars side by side, and probably 1.5 cars 'long'.

Snow blower A: 208cc, this is probably labbored, looks expensive for what you get (+$100 shipping).

Snow blower B: 250cc, little bit better. Is this adequate enough?

Snow blower C: 357cc, this is a 3-stage. From what I read, this should be the job most of the time.

Any feed back on those? Quality of engines, etc... any other recommendations entirely?

2. Should I still buy them now or wait til next year? Should I wait til summer or something if they get cheaper off season- if so, worth the wait for saving?

3. General maintenance tips? Change oil, put gas, that's it?

Overall thoughts of your own snow blower experience? I presume it's always worth it to do a pass WHILE snowing to lessen the stress on the machines?

Thanks guys.

 

[Markbnj]

Yeah, get a two-stage. I have a one-stage Honda thrower that is fourteen years old and it's been a tough little unit, but it has serious limitations. It won't get through more than a couple of inches of heavy wet snow. If the snow is light and powdery it might get through as much as ten inches with some work. But my neighbor's two-stage unit will chew through a foot and a half of heavy snow with ice on top and not even sound like it's working.

 

[DrPizza]

That size driveway, sounds like room to park a truck. Is getting a used truck with a plow out of the question? 10 times faster and 10 times easier for removing the snow.

Or, for the $1000+ that you had in the OP, why not just pay someone to plow the driveway after a significant snowfall? I don't recall that it snows that often there - stats show about 20 times a year with a total of only 40-50" of snow.

My own experience is that I just plow the snow off - I use the tractor. My main driveway holds 3 cars wide, 3 cars long. My other two driveways are a bit smaller. Takes 10 minutes if we get a foot of snow or more. Just this morning, I cleaned up our driveways, plus did a few of the neighbor's driveways for something to do. So, I don't really have much experience with a snowblower. If at my father's house, he has a big snow blower - but I just do it by hand.

 

[isekii]

That size driveway, sounds like room to park a truck. Is getting a used truck with a plow out of the question? 10 times faster and 10 times easier for removing the snow.

Or, for the $1000+ that you had in the OP, why not just pay someone to plow the driveway after a significant snowfall? I don't recall that it snows that often there - stats show about 20 times a year with a total of only 40-50" of snow.

My own experience is that I just plow the snow off - I use the tractor. My main driveway holds 3 cars wide, 3 cars long. My other two driveways are a bit smaller. Takes 10 minutes if we get a foot of snow or more. Just this morning, I cleaned up our driveways, plus did a few of the neighbor's driveways for something to do. So, I don't really have much experience with a snowblower. If at my father's house, he has a big snow blower - but I just do it by hand.

I wish I was your neighbor

 

[Ns1]

#eastcoastproblems

but that cost of living tho.

 

[Anubis]

get at least a 2 stage
min 24" mouth opening

if your gonna drop a grand just get an Ariens
our is 28 years old, still works fine

basically an older version of this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ariens-D...ing-921030/204266986?N=5yc1vZbxc5Z2ciZ1z0wwdx

 

[Jeff7]

#eastcoastproblems

but that cost of living tho.

Our forests don't catch fire often either.


(Because everything's too depressed, or dead, from all the cold weather to care enough to be bothered to go up in flames.)

 

[notposting]

From the research I was doing earlier:

Ariens or Honda snowblower would be good (though Ariens switched from B&S USA engines after 2013 iirc)
2 stage should be sufficient
Electric start is probably a glorious option to have
I'm waiting for the post winter clearance specials.

Alternatively, just get them a Yooper Scooper (Silver Bear). Saves the back, stuff disappears quickly. Big storms will still take time. But no gas, no real maintenance. Get the wheels to help with most smaller snowfalls, and it also doubles as a low impact/light duty scoop/wheelbarrow in the summer.

 

[pontifex]

That size driveway, sounds like room to park a truck. Is getting a used truck with a plow out of the question? 10 times faster and 10 times easier for removing the snow.

Or, for the $1000+ that you had in the OP, why not just pay someone to plow the driveway after a significant snowfall? I don't recall that it snows that often there - stats show about 20 times a year with a total of only 40-50" of snow.

My own experience is that I just plow the snow off - I use the tractor. My main driveway holds 3 cars wide, 3 cars long. My other two driveways are a bit smaller. Takes 10 minutes if we get a foot of snow or more. Just this morning, I cleaned up our driveways, plus did a few of the neighbor's driveways for something to do. So, I don't really have much experience with a snowblower. If at my father's house, he has a big snow blower - but I just do it by hand.

sounds like room to park a truck and thats it. don't think a truck with a plow would be much use there.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

get at least a 2 stage
min 24" mouth opening

if your gonna drop a grand just get an Ariens
our is 28 years old, still works fine

basically an older version of this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ariens-D...ing-921030/204266986?N=5yc1vZbxc5Z2ciZ1z0wwdx

Another vote for a 28" Ariens. Mine is a freaking beast.

 

[Jumpem]

Cub Cadet 524 SWE for $799. I like it much more than my previous larger and much more expensive snow blower. The non-metallic shoes are great. They don't leave marks on the driveway.

 

[Jumpem]

This one (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Cub-Cade...Steering-2X-524-SWE/202938393?N=5yc1vZbxc5Zeb) since we are all posting Home Depot links.

 

[Murdoc]

I bought a new Ariens Compact 22 back in November and it's been chewing through the snow without breaking a sweat. It has a 208cc engine and a 22" wide auger. We've been getting a lot of snow the past couple weeks.

I have a single wide driveway though. With a 3 car wide driveway, you could go with a 28" wide or greater auger.

One thing I regret with this model is it doesn't have a remote deflector control (can't adjust throw height from handlebars). Don't make the mistake I did, get a remote deflector control.

Snowblower C would be overkill for typical Mass snow imo.

Maintenance isn't a big deal, though I was surprised that I needed to re-adjust the auger belt on mine after a few uses because it started to slip. The manual says there is a run-in period for new belts (15 minutes) from the factory and then re-ajustment is needed. I was surprised that apparently the shop that I bought it from didn't take care of this before I bought it (they assembled it).

I would say 2 stage, 28" or greater, 250cc, and a remote deflector control would be more than adequate. You could even get away with something a little smaller and just have to make a few more passes with each use.

 

[richardycc]

I am in MA, and I have the Troy-Bilt Storm 2410 179cc 24-in Snow Blower, it's totally useless if the snow is wet slushy type, it's just not powerful enough to handle heavy and wet snow. my next snow blower will be one with a at least 250+ cc engine 28-30" wide. get your parents the Ariens Deluxe 28. Sometimes they make a special "plus" version with a more powerful engine, but those are probably all gone now. 2 stagers have been around forever, 3 stage are too new, and I think it's just a gimmick.

oh yeah get them one with the Push-Button Electric Start so they don't have to struggle with pull cord.

 

[rcpratt]

Off-topic, but in what regions do people call them snow "throwers"? :hmm:

 

[LegendKiller]

Plastic = NFW.

Get an Ariens, it'll outlast any plastic POS you can buy at HD. Get it through a local dealer, not a big box store. They'll tell you how to take care of it, like shooting grease into the auger drive shaft to prevent it from rust-welding itself. If that happens and you get a rock stuck or hit something your shear bolts won't work and you'll rip the hell out of your gearbox. That's half the cost of the blower right there.

A lot of HD plastic jobbers don't even have the ability to grease the shaft.

Screw the joystick shit too. Stick to what has worked forever and will work forever.

I have a limited edition 28+ with a 305CC and the thing destroys whatever snow it touches in MN.

Absolutely get an elec start, at 0 degrees the last thing you want to do is be cranking on that thing. Two pumps, choke, throttle and hit the button and the thing rips.

 

[Elixer]

From the research I was doing earlier:

Ariens or Honda snowblower would be good (though Ariens switched from B&S USA engines after 2013 iirc)
2 stage should be sufficient
Electric start is probably a glorious option to have
I'm waiting for the post winter clearance specials.

Alternatively, just get them a Yooper Scooper (Silver Bear). Saves the back, stuff disappears quickly. Big storms will still take time. But no gas, no real maintenance. Get the wheels to help with most smaller snowfalls, and it also doubles as a low impact/light duty scoop/wheelbarrow in the summer.

Lol, that scoopper isn't meant for lots of snow, that is mainly for a couple of inches max.
And just where do you think you are going to push the snow anyway ? You can't push it into the street, that is illegal in most areas. You can't push it to the side, once the stuff you pushed before hand piles up to more than a few inches.
Maybe if you live on a hill, you can make a nice snowball with it.

2-stage is what you want, but, some of these are still pretty heavy even if they are self-propelled. Dunno if that is an issue for your parents or not, and the same for the engagement levers. Some are much harder to hold down, so, you might want them to tag along to see if they can manage it.

 

[Markbnj]

Off-topic, but in what regions do people call them snow "throwers"? :hmm:

I've heard it both ways, but I always thought "throwers" was reserved for the smaller single-stage units.

In any case, it's a more accurate term for what they do.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Good luck trying to find one at this time of year. I don't get why, but hardware stores seem to only sell them for limited time then they move back to all the summer stuff. Got screwed two years in a row that way. This year I managed to buy one, had to buy it in like November.

On the other hand you can get lucky with deals at this time of year too, but it's really hit or miss. The BBQs and lawnmowers will be out soon, then the Christmas stuff. lol

 

[herrjimbo]

was just looking at snowblowers today. my next one is going to be a troy-bilt vortex 3 stage. probably the 28 inch. really impressed with the amount of snow it can handle and quickly without bogging. roughly $1300. the 24 inch $1100.

 

[stinkynathan]

Another vote for a 28" Ariens. Mine is a freaking beast.

This. Except I have the 24" with last year of the the B&S engines. That thing is a little beast.

...and I'd sell it to you if you were in WI. We just bought a new house with a 3-stall by 65 foot driveway. Bought a Deere lawn tractor with blower from my FIL for pennies. The Ariens has sat all winter long. No sense even starting it when I can clear everything in 15 minutes with the 44" JD blower.

 

[NetWareHead]

Or, for the $1000+ that you had in the OP, why not just pay someone to plow the driveway after a significant snowfall? I don't recall that it snows that often there - stats show about 20 times a year with a total of only 40-50" of snow.

Have to disagree with some of the opinions in this thread and Mass gets lots of snow and plenty of it at a time. Its not uncommon to have at least 1-2 serious blizzards a year along with a few storms. This year has been exceptional but I have lived in New England now for 6 years (lived in Mass and now NH) and a snowblower is my one essential tool that I maintain the hell out of. Its a god send especially when you have to clear the ice walls at the end of the driveway that are deposited by the snowplow. It may snow one time but the plows visit your street multiple times per storm and you need to clear that each and every time. Even after a storm, the winds continue and you accumulate snowdrifts that need to be cleared even in the absence of falling snow.

My driveway would take hours to shovel and I can get it done in 20 minutes with my snowblower. Dont forget walkways, sidewalks etc... I use my snowblower on my lawn and clear a path out to my grill. If I had a a-frame with a block and tackle setup, Id hoist it up to my roof and snowblow that (flat roof house). My driveway has 5-6 foot banks of snow on either side and is still the same width it was before winter. My buddies who shovel find themselves dealing with an increasingly narrower driveway with each passing storm. The snow piles up at the edges and shrinks the driveway down. Sure this could be managed by shoveling the snow to a more intelligent location but that means you have to shovel and throw all of it further away. The point is when you have a snowblower, you now get the chance to snowblow many other opportunity areas that were simply not worth the effort before when you had to shovel.

Dont get a snowblower or any outdoor power equipment from a big box store. I go to an outdoor equipment dealer. If/when you need service, your local box store will just outsource it to one of these local power equipment dealers anyway. And they are gong to put there own customers first before home depot's.

Get a snowblower with at least a 26 inch wide cutting path for efficiency's sake. Electric start is a luxury but ultimately not needed (depending on your own physical strength). If you dont have electric start, keep your engine well maintained and use fresh gasoline. Take care to not get any snow/water in the tank. A well maintained engine is easy to start in the cold; mine started in -15 the other morning with 2 pulls.

Dont get a snowblower that uses plastic on any part expecting to see heavy operation. That cub cadet you linked has a plastic chute and is just about the worst idea. I bought a craftsmen snowblower secondhand and the plastic chute ripped clean off; it could not hold itself to the rotating ring that aimed the chute. The velocity of the snow/ice/etc was to much for it and it broke. Replaced it with a new chute ($$$) and it started to crack in the same place as the previous one. Sold it.

I dont like that 3-stage model and think its a marketing gimmick. 2 stage models are the defacto standard. Its really going to suck to get around that front impeller to change a shear pin on the rear impeller...

Ariens is a very decent brand and is much tougher than cub-cadet IMO. At minimum I would buy Ariens. The have decent engines, all steel construction and useful comfortable features. If money were no option than IMO Honda snowblowers are the creme de la creme. Commercial quality Honda GX engine, hydrostatic transmission and built with longevity in mind. Somebody started a "what snowblower should I purchase" thread and ended up with a Honda. He was (and probably still is) very happy. Despite being expensive, I believe Hondas are an example of you getting what you paid for. My Honda was purchased in the 90s and is running very well.

 

[Jumpem]

This year is an anomaly for MA. Boston has an average snowfall of a meager 44 inches.

My Cub Cadet and previous 30" snow blower both had plastic chutes. I never had a problem with 120"+ winters.

 

[Jumpem]

I looked at Ariens too at the time, but they are still using metal shoes which I wanted to avoid.

 

[brianmanahan]

i bought one for 1$ at a garage sale. it's not the best, but it runs, and it only costed me 1$.