Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Take pity upon me. I've been lurking here, and I'm looking for some suggestions on a snowblower.

I've narrowed it down to four snowblowers (all around $900 to $1,000):

Cub Cadet, 10 hp, Tecumseh L-head, 28-inch

Husqvarna, 10.5 hp, Tecumseh OHV, 30-inch

Craftsman, 10.5 hp, Briggs OHV, 30-inch

Arien, 9 hp, Tecumseh L-head, 26-inch

The Husq and the Craftsman look to me to be made by the same manufacturers. The Sears guy told me that theirs is made by Murray. Yikes! I actually prefer the first three for ease of use. Of course, I'm aware of the Ariens reputation, though the 9-hp model isn't overly impressive.

Any thoughts? (My driveway is 25 by 50, and I live in Maine. Snowfally can be heavy, but the worst part is the pile at the end of the driveway that's caused by the snow plow!)

Thanks,

David

 dsharp,

I would go with either the Huskey or the Ariens!!

I have the Huskey 927STE, which is a 9 HP OHV Tec engine with a 26 inch bite, paid $1050.00 for it.

I paid for a 9 HP engine, but when I checked with Tecumseh with serial numbers, they told me I had an 11  HP engine.

I love the Right and Left triggers for turning, will turn on a dime!!

Also love the Chute controls.

I have only used my blower one time on  4 to 5 inchs of very heavy wet snow.

It was throwing it about 30 to 35 feet!!!

         Hope this helps,

                                       Fred 

I'm also looking at similar snowblowers and my conditions are about the same.  I'm in CT.  However I'm also considering any of the Toro models - love that joystick control.  However, my husband will be using it and he is partial to the Cub Cadet - he likes the size of it.  Any thoughts?    

CLEBLANC,

The Cub cadet blower is to big for home use!!

To big when you store it!.

To cheaply made!!

Go with Ariens, Simplicity, Toro or Husqvarna blowers!!

                                                           Fred 

IMHO, the Cub has the best controls of the four and seems to be the easiest to use. Also, it has a few stainless parts including the back "scoop" that's likely to come into contact with the pavement.  What are MTD's shortcomings? I'm not lobbying for the Cub, just trying to figure out what makes MTD products so bad.

The Ariens'  controls aren't so great, and at this price range it doesn't have the turning ability of the others with the trigger controls. I've checked out the Toro, but it would cost $500 more for the same horsepower.

On the Husq and Craftsman, I like the idea of an OHV engine. I know the Snow King is tried and true, but a little extra torque and less noise from either the Tecumseh or Briggs OHV would be nice.

Any other thoughts?

MTD uses a lot of bushings in leiu of bearings!

MTD also uses thinner steel on their blowers, IMHO.

MTD machines are  great where I live , Dover, Delaware, might put 1 to 2 hours of blowing a year on it!!

Put 20 Min's on mine last  snow season.

                                                                     Fred 

I jubol wrote:

I think you're confused on the model.  The Cub Cadet that is $999 is the 528 SWE and is one of the smallest.  That is why my husband like it over the Ariens and Toros - easier to store.  He also likes the big wheels.  It is basically the same model as the Craftsman 88790, only it has larger tires, stainless steel skide plates and shaver plate and is 10HP instead of 9.  I personally would prefer to buy either a Toro 1028LXE or an Ariens 11528LE.  Both are $1399.  Can anyone help me convince my husband why it's worth $400 extra and that this is the better choice?    

Sounds like cleblanc and I are on the same page... I'm thinking about the $1,399 Arien as well, though its controls aren't as good as the others. Everyone sings the praises of the Arien. Is it worth another $400? (I definitely like the Toro controls, but it's too much $$$ for me.)

Maybe no one else is thinking of snow blowers right now? Seriously, this is probably a wearisome topic for the old hands around here. Thanks to Fred for responding. Anyone else -- feel free to weigh in. I tend to agonize over big purchases. Heh heh

I've been reading the emails here with interest as I'm in the same boat as some others, namely can't make up my mind what to do on snowthrowers.  Having done some research though, I learned that the Craftsman 88790 is made by MTD Manufacturing, which makes Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, Yard-Man and Yard Machines.  If you go to the MTD Canada Maufacturing site, you'll see the different logos of their brands, but if you click on the Troy-Bilt and follow the links, you'll see an exact replica of the Craftsman 88790 in there somewhere.  Sears has this blower on sale right now for $850.  Anyway, my indecisiveness has to do with noise, specifically, does anyone have any experience with Briggs Intek OHV being noticeably quieter than a Tecumseh L block or a Tecumseh OHV or even a Briggs non-Intek OHV?  I have my eye on an Ariens 9526 DLE (new for 2007), which has a Briggs Intek, but at $1700, it is exactly double the price of the Craftsman 88790, which has a Tecumseh OHV.  I'm like Sabesh of last year's reviews, where I need to do the chores in early AM or late PM.  Also looking at the Toro 1128 OXE (also $1700) as it has a Tecumseh OHV engine (lower models aren't OHV).  If the noise differences aren't that great between any of the various engines, then I would consider stepping up to name brand quality (Ariens, Toro) but saving some bucks vs the high-end models.  By the way, I have a corner lot with lots of sidewalk that is prone to ice problems, so I was also looking for something that is good at removing ice.  Anyway, thanks for listening, and any advice would be appreciated.

I think we've finally made a decision.  After spending the last month looking at the Sears models, Cub Cadets, Husqvarnas, Toros and Ariens - we finally decided on the Toro 1028LXE for $1399.

The Sears 88790 for $850 this week was very tempting and the Cub Cadet version for $999 at HD was my husband's favorite for biggest bang for the buck.  We also had a 10% off coupon for HD which would make it only $50 more than the 88790 which would be worth it since you get 10HP instead of 9, and stainless steel skid plates and shaver plate.

But when it came down to it, I wanted to buy from our local dealer and I also preferred either a Toro or an Ariens based on the excellent reputation of both.  So then I was looking at the Ariens 11528LE and the Toro 1028LXE both for $1399.  I chose the Toro for the ease of use of the joystick controls.  Also it has a 5 year warranty on the chute.  I felt if I bought the Sears or Cub Cadet I would have had to buy the 5 year at-home warranty which would have added another $150.  I don't think that's necessary with the Toro.   Plus the dealer will set up and deliver for free.  Sears wants $60 for delivery and HD wants $75 plus $15 for setup.

Another factor in the decision is that Toro is offering 1 year no interest no payment financing right now.        

Congrats on the new Toro. I, too, am now looking at the Ariens 11528LE and the Toro 1028LXE. But I'm also seriously considering the Craftsman 88105. It seems identical to the Husqvarna at Lowe's, but it has a 10.5 Briggs OHV instead of the Tecumsh L-head at Lowe's. (I was mixed up in an earlier post). I prefer an OHV since they allegedly have more torque (theoretically good for wet snow) in addition to being quieter and better emissions. Eventually, they'll all have OHV units. The Sears Craftsman is $999 on sale through the weekend, so I've got to decide soon!

I went through this two seasons ago when buying a lawn mower. I ended up with a Toro with aluminum deck. I know from that exercise that there's more to it than just the engine. So I'm trying to keep an open mind.

I'm probably leaning toward the Arien at this point  ...

We also looked at the Sears 88105.  I think it is $979 right now which is a great deal.  As you pointed out it is like the Husqvarna.  If you are a member of Costco, it is also like the Poulan Pro 1130ES that they sell for $999.  But that one is not an OHV engine, I don't think.

We ruled these out because we didn't want 30 inches.  28 was as high as we wanted to go since we want to store it in our garage during the winter.

Pricewise I would have preferred the Ariens 926LE or the Toro 826LE but neither had the power steering which I felt was a must.  

I can't believe what a tough decision this has been.  Good luck with your choice!

   

i bought a toro, hd sold it and i ended up w/ an ariens.

I am happy w/ it.

One thing on the SEARS, the "handlebars" are VERY high and unless you are tall it may become uncomfotable after a while.

DSHARP,

Check with your Husky or Poulan dealers (same machines with different Names).

Sears version, I understand uses bushings instead of bearings, smaller belts on Traction and Augar drives.

They have OHV engines on some of their blowers. Also trigger disconnect triggers for turning on a dime.

My chute controls, not quite as good as Toro's, but better than anyone else.

Huakys also have infinate speed settings, not just 4 or 5 speeds.

 Blower should run about $1100.00 at a dealer.

Lowes a 10.5 HP L head engine. 30 inch bite $999.00, with their credit, 10 % more off makes it $899.00 and also receive a  free

snow cab for it.

                                         Fred

DSHARP,

 Forgot tis bit of info.

Go to the Husky and Poulan web site  and read up on them.

You can also download op's and parts manual.

                                                            Fred

Well, I like 'em all including the Husky, but I'm leaning toward the Ariens at this point. I liked the 11528 with a 11.5 hp OHV. engine  I can get it at the orange big box store or from a local dealer. One question is whether the almuminum gear case is OK, or whether it's worth the extra $$ for the cast iron gear case. That's the only big difference I see between the two.

The Ariens is about the same price at both places when you include the extended warranty. If I skip the warranty (which includes pickup service), then the cost advantage goes to Home Depot. Are these things reliable, or is an extended warranty a good idea?

The dealer says he thinks the Toro is sturdier than the Ariens. Hard to know what's in the guts of the machine. The 10-hp Toro costs $100 more -- better controls but no OHV engine. I like the Toro too!

David

As it turns out I did not get the Toro yet.  My local dealer tried to pull a fast one on the order and charge me $50 for a documentation fee.  I said I wasn't paying it and resented him adding it on after the fact and not telling me about it when we made the deal.  They would not admit they did anything wrong so I cancelled the order and walked out.  I have another local dealer that I can get the Toro from but my husband is leaning toward the Cub Cadet at HD again for $400 less.  So far my local HD has not had them in stock so we have not purchased yet.  I still would really like the Toro and I even let their customer service department know about what the dealer did.

Has anyone else ever heard of a documentation fee?  Is this common when buying outdoor power equipment.  The dealer claims it was for applying for the 1 year Toro financing.  This makes no sense to me at all.  I have applied many times for 1 year no interest no payment financing and have never heard of a fee associated with it.  Why would anyone use it if it cost $50 to do so?  I think my dealer was just trying to make up for giving me the free delivery I asked for.   

My local dealer didn't charge for the financing option when I purchased a Toro Super Recycler mower. I think your Toro dealer is nuts to let you walk away over a $50 fee. Toro customer service is actually decent. I had a problem with my Super Recycler and they made it right. I also found that while I was not thrilled with the sales staff, the service department at my Toro dealer was pretty easy to work with.

 Good luck!

Thanks for the help here. I'll put out one last call for counsel:

I'm looking at either the Toro 10 hp Tecumseh L-head, or the Ariens LE 11.5 hp Techumseh OHV. Both have a 28-inch bite. I don't want to sink the money in the pro model, and I believe I can live with the cast aluminum gear box based on a chat with the service manager of my local dealer. The dealer carries both Toro and Arien.  I'm probably leaning toward the Ariens at this point, but could be swayed. Interestingly enough, the sales staff recommends the Toro over the Ariens LE and Ariens pro line based on its "tough gear box." The service department, however, recommends Ariens based on the no polycarbonate/plastic justification.

Plastic/metal aside, I'm hung up on the engine choice: I like the Arien's OHV but it has less displacement, 318 cc vs 358 cc on the Toro L-head. Which is going to work harder/last longer, the OHV with less displacement and higher hp, or the L-head with more displacement but less hp? What sayeth the engineers? 

I have the day off on Friday, so I plan to make my purchase then. I figure I can't go wrong either way.... I wish I had a strong color preference, orange vs. red. That would would make it easier

Go with the Ariens, greater HP!!

You may not need it, but when you do for EOD, it's there!!!!

                                                   Fred

I ended up getting the Toro 1028LXE after all from a different dealer.  He was able to match the price of $1399 and give the 1 year financing.  He also gave me free delivery since he is only 5 minutes away.  It is scheduled to arrive this Saturday.  I'm glad that decision is made.  It really was a very tough decision between all the snowblower choices.

Dsharp - Obviously I voted for the Toro over the Ariens 11528LE (which was a big contender with us too).  I think either machine will be fine as far as the engine goes and it came down to which will be easier to use.  Nothing was able to beat the joystick controls for me   My husband  preferred a plastic chute too and the Toro has a 5 year warranty on the chute so I am not worried.  We also preferred the lighter weight of the Toro.

Good luck with your choice.     

dsharp wrote:

The Ariens XS style gearbox (Aluminum and Cast Iron styles) is easily the equal to the Toro, and in some ways better (although the Toro gearbox is of good robust design). I can elaborate if you wish.

I don't really agree with their "so strong it doesn't even need shear bolts" propaganda though. That's like removing the seat belts from a Ford Excusrion just becuase it's so big.

PK

Nice spelling I have there. "Excusrion" and "Becuase". Moderators, where's the ever so helpful edit button?

Thanks Snowman, Jubol, Cleblanc et al:

The deed is done: I got more snowblower than I need, at least I hope that's the case. Got the Ariens ST11528LE from the local dealer. Same price as at the big box, but with free setup and delivery, along with a $98 warranty extension. That makes five years total and the dealer will retrieve it if there's a problem; furthermore, the dealer will send a snow plow if it snows while it's in the shop. Pretty nice.

I know the pro-level is better, but I think the aluminum box will work. The service manager says the alminum box has brass bushings compared to bearings in the pro models. But he says he has seen the brass bushings work 30 years with proper maintenance. (Snowman, does this sound right?) In fact, he told me this will be the last snow blower I buy if I take care of it. I'm only 40, so this was a little disturbing. I hope he means it'll last 60 years ;)

Cleblanc: I'd be interested in hearing your experience with the Toro. I like it a lot -- it's lighter and more maneurable even without the triggers. One reason I decided on the Ariens is that they seemed to be the preferred equipment in Maine. I think it'll have decent resale if I get relocated.

Thanks again

David

 

One final thought: I fired up the 11.5 OHV Tecumseh in the parking lot. It's like any other snow blower engine -- it's loud as heck! I didn't notice any difference in sound compared to my neighbor's Ariens L-head... People hoping for a quiet engine shouldn't get their hopes up with the Tecumseh OHV,  IMHO

dsharp wrote:
I read the same thing about OHV being "quieter". I didn't notice a difference, they were all loud. I always wear at least ear muffs and almost always have plugs in as well. Damage to ears accumulates so you need to save them all the time.

Interesting side note. I to a rock concert and wore ear plugs. I tried taking them out once or twice and found that I could hear the music and the singing better with the plugs in, the group sounded better with the volume turned "down"..

dsharp wrote:

David,

The internals of the XS Aluminum gearcase are the same as the current Pro Cast Iron gearcase (although the Pro has the superior cast iron & carbon steel housing). The former revision of the Pro Cast Iron gearbox (the one without the Ariens logo on the front) had a pair of tapered roller bearings on the input shaft (924,XXX series units). These were unnecessary as they worked no better (or longer) than the current PM bearings and thrust collars. Wet sump/oil bath applications for PM bearings (bronze bushings) are hard to beat because of the hydrodynamic effects of leaching oil. The XS style gearboxes were designed to eclipse all others in robustness and benchmarked against the top competitive design . It will outlive the rest of the unit as long as it remains properly lubricated.

PK

Thanks for your response. I now feel even better about the purchase.  I've already checked out the part of the owners manual about changing the crank case lubrication. I think I can handle that. Too bad the warranty on the Tecumseh isn't as good as the overall machine warranty! Looks like two years? Oh well, it should last a long time as well with regular maintenance.

The beast was delivered today. Now I've got to clean some toys out of the garage to make room for it!

Happy election eve...

David

dsharp..

Nice purchase! You are going to be be amazed at the power of your machine!

I have an older 2003 1128DLE 12vdc model and love it! The newer machines are even more convenient with the trigger wheel lock, self-contained drift breakers, halogen light and the "quick stick" chute control. Even the drift breakers were optional when I bought my machine.

I recently moved into a very windy part of NE PA and realized the weight kit that I purchased 2 years ago will work as a counter balance for a protective cab. I am going to order one from my dealer as soon as I can confirm the correct Arien's part number.

These machines make you look forward to Winter. Good luck!!!

dsharp wrote:

David,

The engine does carry the 3 year warranty.

The gear case filler screw should be re-sealed with a generous amount of thread sealant each time it is removed. Be sure not to cross thread it when re-installing (it is a thread rolling screw). 

Also, don't lose any sleep about service lubrication unless you see evidence of leakage or a damaged casting. There's a good deal of gear lube inside (8 to 8.5 ounces). There'd need to be a very apparent leakage to lose enough lube to damage the gearbox under operation.

PK

PK:

Let me tap your font of information one more time  The instructions don't mention draining the gear case; just topping it off? Once you take the plug out, it seems to me you're going to lose most of it anyway (because the unit is in teh service position). Do you top it or drain it, or will it become obvious once I try it?

Looks like I'm going for a record here on the replies.

Tnx again

dsharp wrote:

The gearcase isn't meant to be serviced in the "service position". Kinda of ironic huh?

You should never need to replace the gear oil. The operational service life  and demands of the gearbox are not significant enough to break down a good EP gear oil (but I'm sure some people replace it for piece of mind, and possibly to check for shavings to indicate the general condition of the gear set). If you choose to check the level someday (you should, per the service schedule), the level of oil should simply be up to the filler screw hole when the unit is on a level surface (again, not in the service position).

PK

I'm confused as always. Tnx for straightening that out.

PK is THE Ariens Guru. He knows all, tells all. LISTEN to him WELL folks!

Marty FORMERLY MAJORXLR8N <------ bowing to the Ariens Guru