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

On my Ariens 824, not me. I already have too much on my bod.  I have read on the forum about a weight kit, would that alleviate my having to pull up on the handlebars the whole time I am walking my snowblower. That gets tiring but unless I do it, the walk just doesn't get clean.

I am surprised that you would need additional weights on the Ariens 824 in normal conditions. That is a 240lb machine I believe, and you shouldn't need to lift up for it to work properly, even with the EOD??

When the snow gets deep and is wet on top of it there will be a need to constantly apply some counter pressure on the handlebars to keep the auger housing nose down so to speak, this is true of all wheeled machines.  This at first is un-noticed in my experience but with time it does get tiring if you are battling big storms or pushing back old snowbanks or clearing a path through a field of deep old frozen snow, etc.  The weight that you mention Dave is accurate but it is not sitting on the top of the auger housing lol....It is not hard to tilt a wheeled unit back on it's handlebars with the weight of the motor acting as a counter balance torwards the rear so to speak.

Again for me they would be a necessity with my steep drive.

C 

I n one of the posts that has dissapeared. There was one about using sand for a weight.
One of the sand tubes for weight in my pick-up is 70#
Could try one and if too much weight let a little sand  out,till you get the
right balance, that will take the strain off your arms and shoulders.
My .02 worth T.J. terry   Have a glorious day!!!

bmwe0692 wrote:

Thanks T.J.

I'm going to check into this and see just how I could set it up on my machine....

Robert

That sounds like a good way to try it out TJ, thanks for the idea.  I dont' know, i must be doing something wrong or something. I always feel like I have to lift/pull up on the handlebars regardless of how much snow and here in CT, there usually isn't all that much. 

I just finished today's little bit but next storm I guess I will have to try both the sand and just adjusting my "technique".

Thanks again Guys!

Smitty;

I would think that a 70# bag of sand is excessive!  Not to mention that it would look like hell!  As I mentioned in my earlier post of the weight kit did the trick on my machine to prevent the upward creep.  The plate steel from ariens is around 20#s as I remember.  If I had to do it over again, I would use a 1/2" thick plate (vs the 1/4" or 3/16" plate from Ariens), ease the edges and paint.

I believe that if you used the 70# sand bag that there could be unneccessary strain on the drive system as well as the auger if it hits some hard stuff, not to mention the constant replacement of shear pins.

My 1028 needed the weight kit because the balance point is fairly close the wheel line, it seems that the 8 series were built with the balance point more towards the front.

Just my opinion.

bbwb

Hi...


My original sandbag post was lost in the restore...

I suggested it as an inexpensive way to see if it solves your problem... and as said... it's weight can easily be adjusted...

Yeap... kinda' unsightly...

Another idea...
Use dumbell weight plates... (ones with the holes in the center of the plate)
Maybe have 1 or 2 posts on the blower housing they can be lifted onto...
They would be easy to add/remove as needed...  just lift on/off...
Use different weight sizes/combinations as needed...


Dave...

bbwb:
 In my post I said to use 70# sand bags. If you thought that I was refering to using the whole 70# i appologise!!! !! (MY BAD).
Later in my post I said that if it was too heavy, just let out some sand until the right balance was achieved. 
Ugly or not people have to git-er-done!! any and all ways,daylight or middle of night!
t.j

SMITTY:

In all the replies, it  was not asked if your skid shoes or scraper bar were adjusted right!
Was rereading your post and you said,  that if you don't lift, the walk doesn't get clean.
Your post refered to weight kit so I assumed that was what needed.
If skids and bar are adjusted right,then you might have to use weight.
T.J. terry

bmwe0692:

I still think that putting a loose item on the front of the machine is more work than it is worth.  If I had to do it over again, I would get a 1/2" x 4" x 24"+- piece of plate steel, drill the holes and paint to match.  That should be more than enough weight to make it go.  After digging into the lower drive train and seeing the rinky dink configuration,(Ariens 1028 deluxe #924116) I believe that it would self destruct with any more stresses added.  The chain tensioner system was designed by accountants and not engineers!

As I mentioned on WTB site, when it is off warranty, I am going to redo this properly.

bbwb