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

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