quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Arians 2 stage. It's the Honda of snow blowers.

Wouldn't Honda be the Honda of snowblowers?

Looking at comparable Ariens vs Honda, it looks like the Honda's are WAY more, I wonder why that is?

When we lived in Lancaster County PA, I had an Ariens Snow Blower for 8 years. It had a 2 speed transmission and locking differential and I had the optional tire chains. It used 110vac (via extension cord) to spin the starter motor. I stored it outside in the winter, covered by a tarp. It never failed to start. It mastered the Blizzard of 1993

I'm in Lancaster Pa. I went with the Arians. It's a compact 24" and it does a great job for my needs. 40' x 17' wide driveway, 20' x 15' patio and a 17' walkway. No remorse. Trouble free, starts 1st. Pull, has a 110 input if you need it to start. Good luck, Pickle Rick.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pickle Rick,

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

quote:

Originally posted by ubelongoutside:
You need to decide whether you need a single stage or a two-stage.

I think I need a two-stage.

Shoveling some powder off the sidewalks and rear walkway is no biggie.

What I need is something to dig through the 12-18 inches of hard, wet snow the plows that come down our street always seem to leave right up against our cars. We are on the right side of a one-way street and the plow trucks must have the plow canted to the right as I'll come out and the cars on the other side of the street will have no snow up against them, and ours will be buried halfway up the doors sometimes.

Serious question from one who's never lived in the snow - are you allowed to blow the snow back into the street?

My youngest brother lives in Colorado and received a fine for doing just that (after the plow came through). His argument, the snow in and from the street is the city's, driveway and sidewalk is his snow.

His story is, even though it was something like a $75 fine, he went to the city council and argued his case. Showed the city laws describing how the residence were required to remove naturally failing snow from the (city owned) sidewalks. Also showed the statues (or whatever they're called) where the city plows the streets and POVs are required to be moved.

The words "naturally falling" tripped up the council. Per my brother, the council debated about 15 came back out, and retroactively changed the wording of the law to read (along the effects) "any and all snow without littering the streets with it."

The words my brother used resulted in two nights in jail AND a fine the next day (while in jail mind you) for not clearing his sidewalk.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Arians 2 stage. It's the Honda of snow blowers.

Wouldn't Honda be the Honda of snowblowers?

Looking at comparable Ariens vs Honda, it looks like the Honda's are WAY more, I wonder why that is?

Yeah, that's a real head-scratcher, isn't it?

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

quote:

Originally posted by ubelongoutside:
You need to decide whether you need a single stage or a two-stage.

I think I need a two-stage.

Shoveling some powder off the sidewalks and rear walkway is no biggie.

What I need is something to dig through the 12-18 inches of hard, wet snow the plows that come down our street always seem to leave right up against our cars. We are on the right side of a one-way street and the plow trucks must have the plow canted to the right as I'll come out and the cars on the other side of the street will have no snow up against them, and ours will be buried halfway up the doors sometimes.

Serious question from one who's never lived in the snow - are you allowed to blow the snow back into the street?

My youngest brother lives in Colorado and received a fine for doing just that (after the plow came through). His argument, the snow in and from the street is the city's, driveway and sidewalk is his snow.

His story is, even though it was something like a $75 fine, he went to the city council and argued his case. Showed the city laws describing how the residence were required to remove naturally failing snow from the (city owned) sidewalks. Also showed the statues (or whatever they're called) where the city plows the streets and POVs are required to be moved.

The words "naturally falling" tripped up the council. Per my brother, the council debated about 15 came back out, and retroactively changed the wording of the law to read (along the effects) "any and all snow without littering the streets with it."

The words my brother used resulted in two nights in jail AND a fine the next day (while in jail mind you) for not clearing his sidewalk.

That would be a big-time no, as in No.

Remember this. No man has ever said at the end of winter " Damn, I knew I should have bought the smaller snowblower"

If it fits in the garage, get it.

I have a rather small Toro 2 stage. What I find is the discharge capacity is where your money is spent. Mine will throw x pounds of snow per minute the transmission is how you get the largest loading of snow. One time I had to get down to first gear. A normal heavy snow is 2nd gear average snow is 3rd.

I do have to work at the driveway entrance. As much getting a bite as capacity issues it wants to climb over rather than stay low and dig. Tracks might be key here I do not know that though.

Let me say that maneuverability is more important than you might think splitting the drive axle for instance makes turning way easier. Standing on top of a 3 foot berm trying to turn in the width of your sidewalk sucks. Think rototiller not lawn mower.

Have had a Honda 828 dual stage wheeled blower since 1997,Never had a problem, changed the oil and replaced tires one time. Electric start. Starts first pull. Love it...

Honda’s cost more because they have more features, some of which are more expensive. Ariens makes a fine snowblower, but it uses a fairly traditional belt drive system for propulsion. Honda snowblowers use a more robust (in my experience) and much costlier hydrostatic propulsion system. It is a very nice feature, especially when trying to crawl into the concrete like heavy wet snow that plows leave behind. I’m still on the fence about the tracks as I’ve used both wheeled and tracked snowblowers. I currently only use a snowblower like you are looking for on my sidewalk as I have a 120 horsepower farm tractor with HLA 3000 series power angle plow on the front and Pronovost 8 ft snowblower on the back for my driveway. I have a 15 year old Craftsman that I’m using now, but when it gives up the ghost, it will be replaced by a Honda, even with the limited use it will see. I think they are that good, and worth the extra.

I have a single stage Toro that does the job fine.
During "Snowmageddon" when we got 12 inches last year overnight, it went through it with no problems.
Depends on how much you want to spend.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
Serious question from one who's never lived in the snow - are you allowed to blow the snow back into the street?

Absolutely not.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
My youngest brother lives in Colorado and received a fine for doing just that (after the plow came through). His argument, the snow in and from the street is the city's, driveway and sidewalk is his snow.

Except, if your brother's property is like most, he'll find the government at some level has an easement the extends well into "his" property. Yes: He is required to maintain "his" property in that easement, but, likewise, whichever government level has rights to that easement can do just about whatever they want within it.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
The words my brother used resulted in two nights in jail AND a fine the next day (while in jail mind you) for not clearing his sidewalk.

Sounds like he earned it

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
Remember this. No man has ever said at the end of winter " Damn, I knew I should have bought the smaller snowblower"

If it fits in the garage, get it.

^That^
Many years ago, after shovelling the large parking area behind our house, and in front of our three car garage, for the umpteenth time that December; I got in the pickup & went into the John Deere dealer. I found the biggest snowblower on the showroom floor & told the guy to get it ready, because it was going home with me.

My wife gave me hell for paying so much for it, but I told her that if it never snowed again in our lifetimes, it'd still be worth every penny. That one lasted for about 20 years of hard Winters here in PA. That one got replaced with a big Husqvarna three years ago. The new one has heated hand grips! Woo Hoo! All that's missing is a cup holder.

Funny side story..

When my family moved to New Hampshire in 1960 my Dad was doing a lot of international travel and could be gone for a month at a time. Our first Winter I was only 4 years old so my Mom had to do most of the shoveling of our 50 foot driveway. My Dad always told her it was no big deal and basically to stop whining about it....until he was home when the next snowstorm hit....

My Mom gleefully watched him struggling with shoveling all that snow (it was a bunch as best I remember) when he finished he got in the station wagon without saying a word and drove down the Hammer Hardware in Nashua and came home with the biggest snowblower he could fit in it!

I used that snowblower until I went off to college many years later...

Not mentioned is don't buy one that does not have an electric start!!! I bought Ariens as I couldn't justify the cost of a Honda. My Ariens is a two stage (a must) and works fine. My dad and brother have Hondas and they are just a better machine IMO. My next one will be a Honda and be track driven as my driveway is quite steep.

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:
Not mentioned is don't buy one that does not have an electric start!!!

*shrug* Our Toro SnowMaster has electric start. TBH: It starts so easily with the recoil starter I don't bother most of the time.

I had a Gilson Sno-Cannon from the late 70's that I'd been using for about 10 years. I replaced it because it was wearing to the point where I needed some body parts that are NLA.

I replaced it last winter with a Toro 3650 I pulled out of the trash (thrown rod) and put a used motor in it. It has longer handles than the Gilson did which is a huge plus for me.

I also had an Ariens ST524.

I unloaded that last weekend as a buddy just gave me his Toro 824XL that he can't use anymore. The three extra HP aside, it has longer handlebars which mean I won't need to hunch over when using it like I did with my Ariens.

All of the above have electric start, which I almost never use.

Features are nice, but make sure whatever you buy is comfortable for you to operate.

I move real snow with a 14' plow on a loader, but I also move lots of snow around buildings on the farm. The Honda is way better than the competition but you pay for it. Hydro transmission and available tracks are two huge plus.
If all you do is fun up and down a modest length drive way or sidewalk gears aren't too big a hassle, but otherwise they suck.
These things last a long time, the price difference amortized is not very much.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:
Not mentioned is don't buy one that does not have an electric start!!!

*shrug* Our Toro SnowMaster has electric start. TBH: It starts so easily with the recoil starter I don't bother most of the time.

Another vote for a 2 stage Ariens here. I have the 20” wide one so it fits in my garage. It also has electric start but its so easy to pull start I never use it. Mine has gone through 3 feet of snow with no problem.

I have an Ariens 824. Works great. I rarely use the electric start - only if it is being stubborn. In light snows I just set it to go as fast as possible.