snowblower wish list

[bandit86]

if you wer to get a snowblower, what options would you want on it? I'm looking around, I like the idea of hydrostatic and tracks, but never having owned a snowblower, or even used one, I'm not sure if it's worth it or not

what ere good oprions, things to stay away from?

My driveway is about 100ft by 20 wide

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: snowblower wish list

1) Can you blow snow onto the area 10 feet along both sides of driveway?
2) What is a medium-large snowfall in London area?
3) What is driveway surfaced with?

 

[mthieme]

Re: snowblower wish list

My snowblower has 4 wheels, (duallies setting along the garage), a seat, and a 7' blade. No heater though.

 

[Pony]

Re: snowblower wish list

For me you can't go wrong with a dual stage 8-10hp thrower. I personally think a hydrostatic transmission would be a waste of money since usually I just pick a speed I am comfortable walking (given the conditions) and guide the machine along. With that size thrower you really just put it in gear and walk behind it as it does all the work.

I haven't seen the need for chains, but some people use them. Some people get those clear plastic snow shields but I find them tough to see out of at times.

 

[bandit86]

Re: snowblower wish list

yes I can blow 10ft on either side. on average we get 2-3 inches at a time, but we occasiabnlly get hammered with 6-8 inches. had about 1 1/2 feet so far in the last week or so

it's asphalt

 

[Pony]

Re: snowblower wish list

yes I can blow 10ft on either side. on average we get 2-3 inches at a time, but we occasiabnlly get hammered with 6-8 inches. had about 1 1/2 feet so far in the last week or so

it's asphalt

Then I would say for sure a two stage 8-10hp thrower is the best option.

I have a simplicity that has started on the first pull every time for 10 years now. Last year we had 124" of snow and it never faultered. The most snow I have thrown at one time was 24" twice. Once last year we got 24" in one storm and the year before we had that much over a weekend when I was out of town. It did a great job with that much snow......

 

[DJ]

Re: snowblower wish list

My days in Minnesota taught me a thing or two.

I had an 8 HP TWO STAGE. It had wheels which I later put chains on.

It would hurl just about anything.

Even a 5 HP TWO STAGE would probably be OK with your snowfalls. It might just take a few extea minutes in the deep wet stuff.

I never had a moments trouble with it but I maintained it meticulously.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: snowblower wish list

More power!! This was posted here some time ago

I use a 3/4ton with a 9' plow.......

 

[UnregisteredUser]

Re: snowblower wish list

More power!! This was posted here some time ago

That I like...

 

[bandit86]

Re: snowblower wish list

I remember seeing a lawnmower like that in a movie once...

 

[Mike722]

Re: snowblower wish list

Electric start is nice. Around here they are not used every day and the first start up can take some pulling.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: snowblower wish list

Electric start is nice. Around here they are not used every day and the first start up can take some pulling.

Oh just come to VT and play! There are a few days when you will NOT need a snow blower........ very few days!

 

[Mike722]

Re: snowblower wish list

Bob I would love a little more snow. All we need here is a big ice scrapper. I used the blower once last year.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: snowblower wish list

A neighbor's kid with a shovel is best, or his dads snow blower is better. but if your must part with your future retirement money, like I did, get one with electric start, not a battery, just a plug in type, once it is warm it will restart, easy enough, but this is one machine that is only used when its is too cold and so are you to mess around with starting.

dont get the 3pt hitch type for the tractor, they are a pain, backed mine into the corner of the house, trashed the corner, and the 2000 machine. which never worked well anyway.

 

[wuttja]

Re: snowblower wish list

I live in Wisconsin and we got a record snowfall of 100" last year. This year we are ahead of last year's pace, which is getting crazy. Although there are days I would like a 2-stage, I have been more than happy with my single stage Honda HS520A. It is a 4 stroke, so no oil/gas mix to deal with and it starts on the first or second pull every time. I was clearing snow that covered the entire snow blower, just the chute was sticking out but it worked great. I had a 2 stage before and it didn't clear all the way to the pavement like my current one and it took me longer because it was bulky and harder to handle. Just used it again today to clear 4" of wet snow.

 

[colobiker]

Re: snowblower wish list

ahh snow blowers.. my other passion.. I only have 4 of them.

if it were me.. I'd get a 8 to 10 hp elec start (plug in) 2 stage you can never have too much power.

my current fave...

a bolens tractor with a 38" PTO driven snow thrower...

the biggest thing about snow blowes.. traction traction traction. I have a walk behind 5hp non powered wheels.. PITA... especially in the wet 6" snow
I have a 5hp with powered traction wheels.. nice.. but in wet snow.. kinda underpowered....... then the other is a 36" thats supposed to be on the front of the tractor.. its going to be the mother of all blowers.. building a chassis
and powering it with a 24hp liquid cooled (much like the photo of the 454monster, my inspiration).. just got rid of a 42" 2stage.. it was a dream ..

 

[mickjetblue]

Re: snowblower wish list

Something we could do without, if there wasn't any snow, but once it's started up,
it's like a new toy to enjoy!

I've only had a couple, and now have a 24" wide Sears 5.5hp. I thought about going
with more hp, but the higher hp units are considerably heavier. The 5.5 will do more
than what you will need it for. Once I get going with it, I usually clear my neighbors
driveways, and even the street for several hundred feet.

 

[bandit86]

Re: snowblower wish list

so what brands are good, what to stay away from?

 

[redfury]

Re: snowblower wish list

I remember seeing a lawnmower like that in a movie once...

Richard Pryor's "Moving"....Randy Quaid was running the thing...great movie.

so what brands are good, what to stay away from?

You can't go wrong with the trusted brands; Simplicity, John Deer, etc.

MTD has become a large conglomerate and the quality really isn't there though I'm sure there are plenty of people happy with them. You can get a pretty good judge on "you get what you pay for" by looking at the prices of similarly equipped blowers.

I couldn't suggest paying through the nose for a snowblower you will only use a couple of times a season. Really, the biggest factor is doing the proper maintenance. The best way to ensure a good running machine if you don't do it yourself is to find a local hardware/small gas engine shop that stores lawn/snow equipment. You can have them store it, and pay a small fee for them to go through the blower during the summer months to make sure it will run flawlessly for you come the next season. The only issue there is your ability to transport it from place to place ( this is where having a 3x5 trailer is nice ).

I've got an old MTD/yardman single stage blower. The electric start went out on it recently. I got it from my mother in law. It would run for 10 minutes and then die. Well, it'll do that when the float bowl is half full of water! Does it every year. Just have to make sure you drain the bowl and use a little "heet". Prime it a few times and it'll start and run like there's no tomorrow. Tecumseh 2 stroke engine.

My other blower is an 8hp 2 stage. Hard to work on because of the heat shields for anything other than the plug. It's an old Allis Chalmers. Briggs and Stratton engine. Only problem I seem to have with it ( other than frying the starter this year ) is that the screw that holds the points open must have loosened up again, because I have no spark. It ran fine when I moved it to the back yard last spring.

 

[colobiker]

Re: snowblower wish list

I know an engineer who used to work at MTD in the engine dept. the thing about the cheap snow blowers (and mowers). the engines are built to have a life span of 100 hrs. so it depends on how long you want your shiny machine to live. The engines are essentially throw aways... they know that you will buy this machine for a good price use it for 4 or 5 yrs.. and then need to buy another.

what $$ you pay will determine how long the machine will last you. if you get alot of heavy snow.. go spend $1000 to $1500.. it will last you a long time. and be a reliable machine. if you live where I do (Denver). we get on average 1 or 2 really big storms. but usually a couple inches here or there. and usually a fluffy dry snow. a cheap $300-$400 machine will go 5 or 6 years if you take care of it... everything else is over kill.. .. but if your like me (cheap) who loves to wrench.. go pick up a snowblower with a dead engine for free or $50 bucks. go to harbor freight buy a new engine for $100, do a little work.. and viola.. youve got a good snow blower for a few years.. that diddnt cost much at all.

then if your really sick.. (like me) you build your own.. pick up a cheap snow blower for the front of a lawn tractor, and build a carriage and get an engine (from a junk car) and you can have a decent snow blower that will run for many years.. and be ultra reliable... I had said recently that i have a 36" for the front of a tractor.. I just found a free engine from a geo metro. if I combine the 2. I will have the mother of all snow blowers.. (then what will I do with my bolens and PTO driven snow blower?)... yea my neighbors think I am crazy.. but i am the 1st guy they call when its time to fix something or they need help.