It could also be a design decision. All other things being equal ( they're not but go with me) throw distance is basically dependent on how fast the snow exits the chute and at what angle. Given that both makes can set the chute angle to the same range of angle it becomes a matter of exit velocity. Here you get into the standard trade off, for a given HP more speed equals less power. That means you can throw the snow further but you are moving less snow.
I put a B&S 11.0HP OHV engine on a machine that was formerly powered by a 10.5HP Tecumseh "L" Head. I also changed the pulleys on the engine shaft from 2.75" to 3". It moves noticeably faster and throws much further. In fact some times it throws too far and it becomes difficult to get the snow where I want it. It also chursn through snow quite nicely. The point is that theres a subtle balancing act between speed and power, tweaks can be done but there are consequences. To get the extra performance I had to get a bigger engine with "better" performance as well as adjusting the pulleys. I expect my machine to wear out a lot qicker because of the extra stress I'm putting on it. Also useability does not always mean "throw it further".
Re: simplicity vs ariens Reply #3 Nov 5, 2008 4:17 pm
Using printed data to compare snow thrower throwing distance is about as realistic as believing fuel mileage figures issued by automobile manufacturers. Real world performance is often considerably different than what manufacturers would like us to believe when making a purchase.
