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

Hi All,

New here (first post) but have been reading on this site for a few years and appreciate all of the knowledgeable info from all of you. Thanks!

I had a Simplicity 555 snow thrower for seven years but it was way underpowered (5 HP), and I am pushing 50 with a bad back, so I decided to buy a new one with more power. I live in NJ and have a big driveway along with a sidewalk that is 150' long, . Also, the bus stop for the kids is on my driveway so it is important to me to make sure it it clean and safe. Well, tonight I bought a new Simplicity Signature Pro model 10524 from a dealer in Princeton. The dealer told me it was last year's model and would sell it to me for last years price for 1650.00, which I paid. But when I got home and looked at the receipt, I noticed the model was a 10524P, not P10524E as in last years brochure. On top of that, the 2008 model is P1524E.

Anyone know what the 10524P year is and did I get a bad deal? I didn't want to buy something brand new if it's a two year old model.

Thanks for your help in advance.

You made a wise purchase.  I bought a new 9.5 h.p. 28" Simplicity in October.  We've had over thirty inches of snow fall so far this year in three big dumps.  The last storm dumped over twenty inches on us.  The way the wind blows around here, it lifts the snow off of the roof of the house and dumps that onto the driveway as well.  Our driveway is 110 feet long with a 35 x 35 foot turn around area at the top.  It also has has 10% grade so there's some hill climbing involved.  The biggest deposit I had to move was the last dump we got.  It was probably on average 21" of drift pack snow.  It was often over the top of the intake.  Big snow is where the Simp shows it's stuff.  My old 10 h.p. Craftsman would have taken twice as long to get the job done.  The Simplicity is just that much more efficient at tossing large volumes of snow long distances.  I have made a slight modification to the chute on mine.  I lined it with a piece of Krazy Karpet.  That's one of those plastic sheets kids use to slide down hills.  Not sure if that contributes to the attained efficiency and distance but it does save the paint on the inside of the chute from gravel left by the snow plow at the end of the driveway. 

Needless to say, I'm very much impressed with the Simplicity.  I'm certain that with normal maintenance, this machine will last a very long time.        

Borat and all!

Go Google or go EBay: Tecumseh hour meter.

I bought  one for $15.00!!

Shows hours and tenths of hours

Needs no batt's.

Just wrap the input wire around the spark plug wire.

Sure makes it easy to keep track of OPE hour usage!

                                                        Fred

jubol wrote:

As Homer Simpson would say "doughhhh!!!" I bought a unit for my snowblower for $35.00.  However it is a tach as well.   Fifteen bucks is pretty good.  Is it also a tach or just an hour meter?   Thanks for the tip nonetheless. 

Just hour meter!!

I have a portable tach, called a: "TREYSIT "!

No power required, accurate to + or - 25 Rpm's.     IMHO

Cost $15.00, Tecumseh sells them.

Bought mine on EBay.

                                          Fred

                  

jubol wrote:

Hi Fred:

I went to the site for the Treysit  (Tecumseh Vibratach)  and they indicate a measuring capability of up to 50,000 rpm.  Is that correct or are they over by one zero?  I have a Tiny Tach that's multi functional and can measure to 20.000 (I think) could be a little less.  Problem is that I have it wired to an ATV and it's a pain to take off if I want to test another machine.  The tach on the snow thrower is good to 7000 which is a little shy for measuring two strokes.  Will this thing work on a three cylinder diesel?  If it does, I could use one. 

No , They are correct, just checked mine and it goes to 50,000 Rpm!!

It will work on your 3 cylinder or 4, 5, any number!!

                                                                                   Fred

Hi Fred:

This is shaping up to be a good thing maybe.  Several months ago, I needed a tach to measure the rpms of my diesel power plant that I have out a camp.  I ordered an electronic Tiny Tach that used a transducer that mounts onto one of the fuel lines.   Well it seemed to have worked for about two minutes.  Just long enough for me to get a reading of 1800 rpm then it went haywire.   So, I think I have the desired setting of 1800 rpm but not completely sure of it.  Now for my final question (hopefully), can this device be trusted to give me an accurate reading of +/- 50 rpm or less?   The engine I'm trying to test is a 3 cylinder Kubota diesel.   Cast iron block and head if that matters.

Talldog wrote:
When I bought my current snowblower both the sales slip and other paperwork stated it was a Honda HS928 TAS but the machine is actually an HS928 TCD like it says on the small serial# decal. The difference between the TAS and TCD is that the TCD has joystick type electric chute controls, DC electric starter (like a car) and work light, "the works". After ordering the machine from a dealer near my home in Maine I looked at the paperwork and got somewhat anxious over the fact that it appeared as if the dealer had made a mistake or was trying to push a TAS on me after charging me for the more expensive TCD. Called them and got it cleared up, they told me that since the TCD is a Canadian model that's only available in the US on special order, their computer did not have it listed as such but that if I read the small print I would notice that the extra features that come with the the TCD were all listed, and indeed they were. Apparently this saves Honda some extra duty fees.

When the machine arrived I was expecting the decals to proudly display the snowblower's impressive pedigree, with perhaps a maple leaf emblem to boot, so that I could make the Joneses turn green with envy but damn, it just said HS928!

Seriously, I think that's pretty wise. After all, all 9/28 Hondas are HS928's and that way they can change the suffix of specific models every year if they feel like it and still use the same decal.

I just bought the same 10.5 hp simplicity.

I like the machine, but that exposed wiper motor for the shute seems like it might be a trouble spot. It will get hit with plenty of salt from EOD crap. Hopefully it wont be a problem. I may make some sort of plastic shield for it?
$1650 is what I paid, I think that is list. Wish I bought last May.

Tubby wrote:
Tubby, I'm not too worried about the motor itself, but  its wiring might be a weak spot. There is also exposed wiring on the bottom of the starter motor. Guess time will tell. I was thinking of making some kind of boot/shield for it also. Maybe something like a spark plug boot?