Need a new snowblower Recommendations please! (50 years isn’t bad on Craftsman 3/20ES)
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tlc1976
Minister of Fire
FYI, the Honda 1332A and I think the 928A has a service advisory specific to New England and Atlantic Canada regarding clogging from wet snow. Lots of folks complain about clogging in wet conditions. They have a specially modified replacement chute covered under the 3 year guarantee to reduce clogging from wet snow. The trade off is some impact to throwing range and aim. If you look at the snowblower chute from the front side there is solid chute short front chute about 4 to 6" high that comes up from the base. All they do is cut a D shaped piece of the chute out of the way. Several folks on the snowblower forum just did it themselves with a plasma arc or cutting torch and claimed it made quite a difference with wet snow although some did note the impact to the ability to precisely throw snow long distances. Being up away from the coast I havent seen this issue and have not done the mod.
I think most dealers sell snowblowers as an afterthought to selling motorcycles and ATVs so many may not even know about the service advisory. My parts manual shows the chute but says it is no longer available (what is pictured is not the modified version.), I did find what I believe is the part number that replaced it but no picture (broken link removed to https://www.hondalawnparts.com/oemparts/p/honda_power_equipment/76310-v45-a01za/chute-r280-power-red). So it may be worth checking into it and spending the $53 bucks to upgrade.
Here is a link to long thread on the snowblower forum. There is you tube video of a DIY modification.
I think most dealers sell snowblowers as an afterthought to selling motorcycles and ATVs so many may not even know about the service advisory. My parts manual shows the chute but says it is no longer available (what is pictured is not the modified version.), I did find what I believe is the part number that replaced it but no picture (broken link removed to https://www.hondalawnparts.com/oemparts/p/honda_power_equipment/76310-v45-a01za/chute-r280-power-red). So it may be worth checking into it and spending the $53 bucks to upgrade.
Here is a link to long thread on the snowblower forum. There is you tube video of a DIY modification.
That's good to know, I know Hondas are a quality product. I have a eu6500 generator running right now its awesome! As far a slush and heavy snow my husqvarna and my dad's ariens perform better than my dads old honda for less than half the money.
don't forget if you buy new don't go with the smaller engine. i bought ariens deluxe 24 it has a huge mid section almost as wide as the 24 inch cut but i got the smallest motor that they offer because i only had a 1000.00 dollars to spend. i think it is a 208 cc. it throws light snow into the next yard if your not careful. but when the snow is heavy the motor drags down a lot, way to much. the headlight dims quite a bit. heavy machine but built pretty well. i had a john deere 24 inch with a smaller mid section and a 7 horse tecumseh engine and in the 18 years i owned it it always started on the first to second pull. the only reason i don't still use it is because i got some plastic pieces for the gas tank in the carb and needed a snow blower that was bigger for the burms the plow was leaving. otherwise a great blower and the first year i used it we had a huge storm that the machine was running under the snow for about 250 feet. just the tip of the chute was sticking out and the machine never even hiccupped . ariens makes a host of different machines for different companies to their specs. (john deere, husky, mtd, to just name a few.
I’d like to thank everyone for their support and patience with helping me choose a snowblower to replace the old Craftsman snow thrower. I did look at some used machines but they were heavily used or too expensive for used. (For example the exact same make and model as my old machine with chute control rod missing was $125. I’d have bought it for parts had it been reasonable.)
I decided on an Ariens 24” Deluxe with 254cc Ariens motor. It’s the residential model but my driveway and area to be cleaned is not huge. Ariens is sold through a local dealer and you have educated me on the brand. I’m at the top of what I budgeted based on $1500 but it will be a huge advance over the old machine. I plan to get an extended warranty if it’s reason able. As discussed in previous posts it got some bells and whistles that really aren’t need for me but could attract some people.
I decided on an Ariens 24” Deluxe with 254cc Ariens motor. It’s the residential model but my driveway and area to be cleaned is not huge. Ariens is sold through a local dealer and you have educated me on the brand. I’m at the top of what I budgeted based on $1500 but it will be a huge advance over the old machine. I plan to get an extended warranty if it’s reason able. As discussed in previous posts it got some bells and whistles that really aren’t need for me but could attract some people.
saberbass
Member
I have a 36 in Ariens ive been using for the last 15 years on a big gravel driveway. I always break a few shear pins a year . Its well made and built strong . In 15 years Ive had the carb done once and the impelor replaced and the gear plate? replaced once. I also have a 24 in husqvarna as a back up and for smaller paths to the wood pile and compost bin. I would say get something heavy duty for a gravel driveway because your gonna pick up some rocks and when those get caught that puts a lot of stress on the machine and you want to break shear pins not gears and shafts.
hope you haven't paid for it yet i looked at my ariens it is a 254 cc motor. see if you can get bigger. i have the same machine and under load i don't see the motor lasting.
The 254 is the big motor :-0 , Even used on deluxe 28. I hope it will hold up to the workload. It’s got to be an improvement over the 20” single stage Craftsman snow thrower I would think. I was going to check on availability of extended warranty, you just cemented that choice.
i use regular pump gas. never had any issues with it and never used stabil. my john deere snow blower ran it for 18 years without a problem. and that motor got oil changed all the time but only one spark plug change. i run my lawn tractor on pump gas and never had a problem with it either. in all the gas stations i've been in around here i never seen non ethanol gas. the only non ethanol gas i've seen is sold at the hardware store by the quart for 5 to 10 dollars and i'm not about to pay 20 or more dollars a gallon. at the time i bought the ariens snowblower they made a bigger motor for it. and that would figure because the machine i bought has a second stage thrower that is about 18 to 20 inches around and i will have to look it up but will throw somewhere around 54 or 59 tons of snow a hour.
and i should add that i run my lawn tractor dry everytime i shut it down and chock it when it starts to stumble so that i get all the gas i can out of the carb. and as far as the snowblower the gas either gets taken out at the last day or i run it dry also. i'm thinking it helps. the one used log splitter i bought the gas was left in it all the time and i had to rebuilt that carb.
I can get it locally at $4.00/gallon. I’ve seen the quart cans you mention and won’t pat that price either.
I do that with my motorcycle ( Klx250SF) hadn’t thought about it for lawn equipment. Thank you for the suggestion.
I use regular gas with stabilizer, too. I run dry after the season. There's a petcock in the fuel line that I finally noticed. Used to run all the gas out of the tank before I noticed the petcock. Runs dry much faster just shutting off the fuel supply. 😀
I don't fill the tank the last times I use it, so there isn't much fuel left in the tank over the summer. Dilute with fresh fuel at the start of the season.
I don't fill the tank the last times I use it, so there isn't much fuel left in the tank over the summer. Dilute with fresh fuel at the start of the season.
Hello
I got the corded Electric Snow Joey you cannot beat the price?
Although the Electric cord was a little more costly
(broken link removed)
See the lectric cord here. I can use the cord for other tools too.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/installing-100-ft-20-amp-retractable-extension-cord-in-garage-for-electric-snow-blower-car-vac…etc.196882/
I got the corded Electric Snow Joey you cannot beat the price?
Although the Electric cord was a little more costly
(broken link removed)
See the lectric cord here. I can use the cord for other tools too.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/installing-100-ft-20-amp-retractable-extension-cord-in-garage-for-electric-snow-blower-car-vac…etc.196882/
Bought the Ariens deluxe 24” 254cc as well 5-6 years ago. $1000 at the time. Has worked great on the little snow we’ve had since. The 254 and 24” width is what I wanted. Fits in the garage and throws much better than my old 5hp Tecumseh snow king. Bigger tires, auto turn, electric start and a light are other ++ over my old unit.
I always use ethanol free, and always shut off the valve and run carb dry every use. Have done so for the 30 years I owned my old one, which still starts easy at camp.
I always use ethanol free, and always shut off the valve and run carb dry every use. Have done so for the 30 years I owned my old one, which still starts easy at camp.
I hesitate to go electric with large lawn/yard tools because it strikes me as limited in use. I have some small properties w/o electric power. Hand tool however I like cordless options.Hello
I got the corded Electric Snow Joey you cannot beat the price?
Although the Electric cord was a little more costly
(broken link removed)
See the lectric cord here. I can use the cord for other tools too.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/installing-100-ft-20-amp-retractable-extension-cord-in-garage-for-electric-snow-blower-car-vac…etc.196882/
The retractable ex cord is a great idea!
I do ethanol free on my klx250s as well, and if I don’t shut the gas petcock off every time it will give me issues starting.
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