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

My local dealer still has several 11526dle's in stock for $100 or so more than the 926dle ... or 13528dle's for $300 more.  They only have the Tecumseh models because they refuse to carry B&S. 

Is the 11526 worth any more than the 926?

Is the 13hp worth a $300 upgrade?

Are the B&S engines less prone to carb clogging than the Tecumsehs?  That's the only thing I didn't like about my old snow blower, if I wasn't careful about flushing the carb at the end of the season it'd gum up.

I've read all of the threads and am still confused..

Thanks!

As with most questions the real answer is "It depends".

I have a 10528 sized machine with a new 13HP engine on it, here is what I've learned from this setup.

Most of the time the wider swath won't buy you anything since for a normal driveway it will save you no more than one swath which means you're down at the end of the driveway and have to come back anyway. If you are doing ice rinks then maybe it will make a difference.

I spend a lot of time "muscling" my machine around so for me something a bit lighter and agile would REALLY be worth while.  Being able to backup under power and to turn easily without having to spend time unlocking the wheels is more important than having a lot of excess power. Personally my next machine will be the 926DLE ( or whatever they decide to call it).

As far as power is concerned my only real problem was when I was going too slow and the automatic throttle didn't kick in because there wasn't enough load. As soon as I went faster the engine roared and the snow flew. If I have a problem with too much snow then its normally not because the engine is bogged down, its because the auger/impeller  can't eject the snow as fast as its coming in. A slower speed or backing off a bit seems to solve the problem.

Try moving the machines around in the show room and then look at how you plan to use it and store it. That might  help you decide. Good luck.