snow blower
 

hi all, got a newbie up here from the south . needs a cheap snow blower. help is appreciated.

Not sure how cheap you're looking, but I'm very much a fan of Craftsman for value. We've got five in the family, ranging from 9-15 years old, and none have needed more than gas and oil in that time. Good luck, and welcome to New Hampshire!

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85% of all snowblowers on the market are made by the same company, MTD, including Craftsmen.

Depending on how big the area is that you will be clearing, there are a couple Craftsmen models that are Consumer Reports best buys, a 24in with a 208cc for around $680 (model 88173) and a 26in with a 208c and zero turn steering for around $899 (model 88694). Those are current prices from yesterday when I was in-store. They were $599 and $799 not too long ago....

I bought the 26 in November to replace my old Ariens. That zero turn is neat.

Here's a review on the abovementioned recommendation (this site says it's the best value, after 75+ hours of testing): http://m.thesweethome.com/reviews/best-snow-blowers/.

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I forgot about the quiet engine. I was really surprised at how quiet it was compared to my old Ariens.

With snowblowers you get what you pay for. Don't short change yourself. A premium snowblower is well worth the price when it comes to heavy wet snow. The more horsepower the better for throwing snow.

How big is your driveway?

JanN is right. A cheap snow blower will not handle heavy snow and will need repairs after a few years. A quality blower will be dependable and will handle the heavy snow. I recommend the Cub Cadet 930. It has a 357cc engine and handles heavy snow. If you are going to be up north for a while it will be worth the price difference. Good Luck

Little known fact (perhaps) --

If you buy a "Name Brand" machine at a Big Box store remember that it is not going to be of the same quality you would get from a dealership or dedicated retail store. This is true of not only for snow blowers but also major appliances.

The models that the Big Box stores carry are typically a negotiated priced/ features piece of equipment (or appliance) that is mass produced exclusively for that chain.

I am not saying that this is either good nor bad to most .... but I got burnt when parts weren't available for an Ariens I had purchased many years back ---- I have since moved over to a dedicated Retail store.


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Friend of mine bought a pretty high end John Deere runs good but it has electronic controls to turn,raise and lower the chute and they freeze up every time he uses it.A total waste of $$ and he has to blow snow in only one direction because the chute won't move.

This is not a universal truth my any means. Yes, large retailers sometimes negotiate to have a model made specifically for them. Many times this is for "price matching" guarantees. If Home Depot is the only one selling the Home Depot model of an Ariens snow blower then of course they can guarantee they have the lowest price because nobody else has that model.

In some cases cheaper/alternative parts may be used. A dishwasher might have a plastic tub instead of stainless steel. A snowblower might not have heated handgrips or might not come with an accessories kit (shovel to clear clogged auger, spare shear bolts, etc.).

As others have said in this thread, a snowblower is one of those things that if you try to get the absolute cheapest model or version, you'll likely pay for it in the long run. Major brands also don't want to risk their brand image on selling garbage products, so it's not like every product at Lowe's or HD is going to be cheapified unit that can't be repaired.

I bought my latest snowblower, an Ariens, at Home Depot about 8 years ago. I've purchased replacement parts (belts mostly) at the local outdoor equipment place that also sells Ariens without a problem. I've also repaired an MTD unit I had in the past, as well as done some repairs and tune-ups for friends and neighbors on snow blowers. They all have pretty much the same auger drive components, same mechanisms and setups for the transmission and so forth. I took apart a 25 year old Ariens that was pretty much the same basic guts as a modern Craftsman or MTD.

If I were buying a new unit today, I'd look for power to width ratio (eg: biggest engine for a given clearing width) and the engine itself. I've had very good luck with Tecumseh cold-weather engines, so that's my personal preference.

I just bought my first snow blower after many years of plowing my own driveway. Simply couldn't justify the cost of a new truck and plow just for my own use.

I was looking closely as the Husqvarna ST330T track model but could not get one locally without ordering. This made me nervous if/when parts are needed for maintenance or repair.

I opted for the Ariens Hydro Pro 28" track model. This has a 420CC engine and will be no problem handling the heavy wet snow that we so often get here in central Ma.

Because it's the track model the cost is significantly more than a wheeled unit ($3k), however my driveway is over 500 feet long on a hill with a couple of bends, a turnaround/parking spot and 3 cars wide in front of the garage. the tracks will provide much better traction on the hill. I wanted to make sure that I didn't undersize the unit only to regret it later.

So this year I'm pretty much guaranteed that we won't have any significant snowfall. We only got about 1.5" here yesterday, not enough to fire up the new blower especially after the wife and kids drove up and down the driveway several times before I could even attempt too get out and clear it. Therefore my shiny new blower sits patiently waiting in the garage for the next chance to try it out.

4 years ago I purchased a Simplicity 11224e 2 stage snow blower. I got the smaller of the 2 fames offered with the largest engine, Briggs & Stratton 1150, available. This combination works great for my steep but short driveway. I bought this from a local retailer in S. NH who also provides service and not a big box store. It has been a great investment for me.

Snapper
 

I have a Snapper 26" and extremely reliable! Bought in 1982 and still put to good use! Driveway is 50 feet long and two cars wide. I even clear the neighbors every year!

I bought an Arien 28" a few years ago and never liked it. Sold it for half what it is worth as no one wanted a used one. Even if it is only used one winter.

Best accessory I bought was the tire chains. Worth it!

Snappers are not made by MTD. Last I heard they are USA made including USA parts. My Snapper lawn mower is just as old and still use today!

Pays to go to a dealer, service and sales are second to none!

The Big Box Stores.

Skip the big box stores. Purchase from a local authorized dealer that also has an on sight repair. Yes, warranty work is warranty work. Fine. Just purchase for a local shop.

Craftsman.

Skip anything Sears. All of the Craftsman snow throwers have engines made in China. Yes, some do have good luck. All Sears warranty work is done in Connecticut. The local Sears repair shops are long gone.

I'd also skip any brand made by MTD.

Stick with a snow thrower with an engine Made in USA.

Clearly you are already getting opinions that run the gamut. But I'd echo a few consistent ones.

Bigger and more hp is always better. This is an area where some extra money will save you in the long run. Handles bigger, heavier storms better and will last longer due to not straining so much. Not to mention the extra hp you need to expend just using a smaller machine.

Not sure I agree with avoid the big box stores. As has been mentioned, most machines are actually made by the same company. The difference is in the bells and whistles that most of the time either don't matter or break soon thereafter.

My snowblower is a Noma (made by Murray, used to be the OEM for many, including Sears). I bought it at Home Depot. It is a monster, 12HP, 30" wide. I had a 400+ foot driveway at the time and needed to move a lot of snow. It was the same as the comparable John Deere and Chraftsman models, and made by the same OEM, but not as "fancy" and therefore cheaper.

30+ years later it is still going strong, despite being used for almost every New England snowstorm since that time (27 of them doing that 400' driveway). Started yesterday on the first pull.

Tecumseh
 

Pretty sure that Tecumseh is no more....they are out of business unfortunately.

This is accurate--most machines I've seen use Briggs, Honda, Kohler, or a Chinese engine (which, according to my non-big-box mom-and-pop high-end repair shop, are "gosh darn good values.").

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About 7 years ago we bought a Poulan Pro dual stage that has 11 h.p. a 30" cut and electric start. We have never used the electric start as it always starts on the first pull. We have been very happy with it. It's a beast!

Ask yourself how long you need the blower. The reality is that an MTD big box blower, if you take care of it (change oil, etc.), will typically last 12-15 years with an average driveway. If you want it to last 30 years, go with one that is 3x the cost. As stated earlier, the resale value will be low so consider it a disposable asset.

To answer the original questing as stated, my wife recently got a very basic Troy-Bilt Storm 2410 to do the walks and our large wrap around low deck.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_189194-270-3...d=3255746&pl=1

It is a 24" two stage with elect start and that is about it. Small enough so that she can handle it and it appears that it will do the job. Probably could handle a small short drive way. Will have to wait and see how the Troy-Bilt Chinese engine holds up. She did really like it in the 1st small storm.

OK this is just a BTW talking about snow blowers. Towards the other extreme I do the 600' steep driveway and have used a plow truck for many years. Not a typical homeowners situation. As I already have a JD 3320 tractor, I picked up a 64" Frontier PTO snowblower this fall. Waiting for a real storm to see if it can replace the plow truck.

Nice!
 

Now THAT'S a snowblower Slick!!

Snapper is made by Briggs.

Do you have to drive backwards to make that work Slick???

Yes but not too hard to do. A front mount blower would require adding a mid power take off (PTO) $$ and removing the front end loader (FEL). The tractor already had the standard rear PTO and I did not want to lose the use of the FEL. We use the FEL all winter for driveway sanding and other things. The rear mount blower won the trade off.

Yes, I have a Kubota L3430 cab model with front. I can leave the frame on and put tbe loader on but it is a bit of pain! Thedriveway and barn roadare 1/2 mile sodoing t hat in reverse would get old fast!!
Nice rig Slick!!

Tips:

Get a couple packages of "Shear Pins" when you buy your machine. They lock the blades to the turning shaft and will break if you hit something hard. If you replace them with regular screws, you may break a belt or a key-way instead. Both of those jobs are a pain...

There are usually two belts in a snow blower. A drive belt (makes the wheels go 'round) and an auger belt (makes the snow go away). You may want to get one of each at time of purchase. Not just so you have them if needed but so you will have the part numbers on the sleeve if you need to get them twice.

Power is your friend. I suggest at least 5hp unless you are doing just a little bit. If you get bogged down, shift the drive to a lower gear and stop the drive to allow all the power to be used for clearing the mouthful it has. Start off slow then use the higher gears until you are comfortable with what your machine can do.

Don't clear the minimum area. If you have space, do it wide so there will be space for the melt-water to drain.


Good luck!

PS: I have a "Yardman" from Home Depot. It's identical to most store-brand machines regardless of HP. If anyone needs a copy of the manual send me a PM and I will forward it as an attachment.

Here's my entry into the virtual snow blower show. Complete with a heated cabin and tunes.

Nice LB, I can't get a cab into the garage so I am jealous. I do have chains on all 4 for the winter.

Best value in a cheap snowblower is a well maintained used Toro from the 80s to mid 2000s, IMO. They are ruggedly built, easy to work on, powered by Tecumseh, have real transmissions, and don't use shear pins. The mechanisms for shifting, chute movement etc. seem far superior to MTD/NOMA stuff.

My neighbor has a B3030 with the front mount blower. Really slick setup. Envious... That said, it seems to waste a lot of power throwing the snow quite far (I'd estimate it at 80 feet). I would have designed it for less distance and more volume so you could go a little faster.

This is spot on and we've debated this many times over the years. The BB stores have name brand manufacturers make power equipment and appliances specifically for them. They are not of the same quality. As it relates to the subject of snowblowers, less expensive components are used allowing the BB stores to sell for less. Buyer beware and shop around from your local power equipment vendor. You'll be better off in the long run.

BT

My first snow blower was a 1971 Ariens 24" with a 7 hp Tecumseh engine. I bought it in the early 90's when it was already 20 years old. Other than a throttle cable, some tire chains, belts and spark plugs, it always answered the bell. It was built like a tank. I retired it 2 years ago after 40 + years of service. It still ran but everything from the engine, bushings, etc was worn out. I replaced it with a another Ariens, this time a "Deluxe 28" from a power equipment dealer.

After two biblical winters, I give the new machine two thumbs up. It throws snow twice as far as the old machine did on its best day and while it has electric start, I haven't needed it as it will start on the first pull easily. The "auto steer" feature took some getting used to, replacing the stock skids on the bucket with after market "Armor Skids" made a huge difference in how it performs. (I'm pretty sure the tractor blower that Slickcraft has has them, look very similar to mine)

Ariens still makes the machines in Wisconsin, however there are no more USA engines, all Ariens engines are by LCT made in China. So far so good after two seasons. I'm a freak about maintaining my equipment so I'm hoping it will be with me for at least 20 years. Good luck!

I may agree to a great extent with that. Back in the mid-late 90s, I bought a used John Deere 826 (8 HP, 26" width cut) machine, built back in the mid 80s as best as I've been able to find out. And, yes, it's green and yellow. The thing is a beast, ruggedly built. The engine is a Tecumseh, and it starts easily after a pull or two, even after sitting in the garage for 9 months. The tires came with chains on them.

During a period last year when I was having trouble getting it started and running well, I did use the electric starter for the first time. I had to remove that first and work in some lubrication, as it had been a couple of decades since it had been used, if at all. The starter itself ran well after that, except when I tried to use it during a power outage. Wondering if the cord had failed, I plugged a light into it, which is when I felt really stupid, as I had known the power was out before I went out to move snow.

Thinking that the carburetor might be gunked up from ethanol fouling, I replaced the carburetor, which it turns out was not the problem. Later, in troubleshooting a failed clutch linkage spring, I found a small spot on a wire connecting to the on/off key switch that had been rubbing on a threaded rod connected to the forward speed lever over the years. There was an intermittent grounding of the electrical system, and that was the source of all the trouble. It starts and runs well again now. Although the carb didn't need replacing after all, I've taken to shutting off the gas valve at the tank and letting the engine run through whatever is left in the bowl.

Over the years, I've replaced the drive friction wheel and a couple of belts. Parts are still available for it, so I've no particular reason to get something newer. My only complaint is that with very wet snow, practically slush, the chute clogs, and I have to shut down and clean the chute. Any wetter and I have to get out the shovel.

I bought a 10HP (Tecumseh), 24" MTD at Sam's Club back in 1997 for $697. I used it until 2012. It handled everything I threw at it, and only busted 1 shear pin. I sold it for $200, and it always started on the first pull.

Keep it clean
 

A few tips That I'm sure most know, but if it helps one person ....

I have an old hunk of Parrifin wax that I use to rub down the shoot and auger area. I have also used Pam, but get questioned by the wife at dinner time. (ONCE I went and got the cold can from outside and when she pushed the button, it just sputtered and dripped down the can:rolleye1:)

Always clean the machine when your done, no matter how tired or late you are. Lost 2 hours last year because the wheel axels were frozen. Heat gun on mid temp made me nervous near the gas.

On wet heavy stuff turn the shoot in the same direction as your discharge auger rotates, since it's all the same direction it clogs less. Not always convenient but neither is the snow in the first place.

I've had 2 Ariens and very happy with both. I help a friend that has a horse farm and clears over a acre each storm, all grass, dirt or crushed stone; she has a 24" Honda for the tight spaces and I really like it. For the bulk of the yard she has a Honda tractor with a 40" blower on the front. Unfortunately they stopped making them years ago, we had to go to NJ last spring to buy a used blower attachment, we limped through last year, but only with the help of the service guy at the Honda dealer in Manchester. Can't say enough nice things about him.

Last year I was lazy and that happened to my augers. By an odd twist of fate, I had a spare snow-blower on hand and whenever my primary machine had a 'casualty' I was able to switch to a functional unit. This year, my wife 'loaned' #2 to some friends who moved to a place where they have to do their own cleanup. I really hope they look at Craigslist sometime in the next 9 months!