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

I know the question of snowblower suggestions gets asked a lot but...

If I do decide to definitely shop for a replacement for my hs1132 what models should I look at in terms of the features for my conditions;

-long driveway (1000' just in length)
-lots of snowfall (western adirondack snowbelt area) some dry and light, some wet and heavy.
-deep cold, and the blower is in an unheated space

-ease of turning.  I   want something that my wife can operate in terms of ease of turning. We do considerable clearing around the house - paths to the woodshed, utility shed, walkways around the house, and walkways around farm buildings

I bought the honda because of my experience with honda equipment and their reliability. I  was willing to pay the big price tag because I figured I'd be buying a machine that would last as long as I'd need it.
Who is at that same level of reliability and longevity?

I do have a husqvarna dealer nearby and I've used their saws for commercial heavy use for years with no complaint and only praise. Does this quality extend to their blower line?

And lastly, are the tracks that advantageous that their difficulty in manuvering is worth it?

A lot of demands to consider but snowclearing is a big part of our 5 months here. I appreciate the help!

Others will give you some good input on the board, but until they pipe up, I thought that I would add some things to consider.  I see tracks in your situation much more so than in a city lot where there is a lot of turning.  1000' driveway and the big machine with tracks should be appreciated.  Bluntly I would be thinking a pick up truck with a Western Blade and hydraulics in that situation and not a walk behind.  Sit  inside your truck, listen to music in a heated cab, life is good.  My father has a plow on the front of his pick up and he just doesn his own property and doesn't plow comercially.  Maybe you are looking at a couple of pieces of equipment, Dad has the plow on the truck for the drive, a large Ariens slow thrower and a little Toro power broom, (that's what I call that little single stage) to do the steps and back porch area. 

Poulan and Husqvarna are sisters.  Your Honda consideration is in a different league all together.  Have you seen the Yamaha:  http://www.abbysguide.com/ope/discussions/32052-0-1.html

Or you could go for the really big Honda hybrid ($$$).  Since everything is
power assisted, including turning, your wife should be able to operate it.
Watch the videos of women operating them.

Otherwise I think wives (generalizing here) prefer the small single stage
machines, which wouldn't be up to your conditions.

I know no woman that would want to wrestle with a two-stage snowblower.

Paul

A small four wheel drive JD diesel yard tractor with snow thrower attachment.  You can cut grass with it in the summer.   A buddy of mine has one.  For big jobs, that's the machine to have.

If you want tracks and a differential then the Ariens DLET might be right.  I believe that the lockout control is axle mounted however.   Unless your driveway is sloped a large wheel drive machine with either an automatic differential or a handle mounted remote wheel lock/unlock trigger should do the job and be easier to control. 

Now to your question of brand reliability...seriously who knows these days.  In the past large branded snow throwers were built like tanks.  They were reliable but they were also featureless.  Not a whole lot to go wrong.  For example the old crank to turn the chute was failsafe.  Now premium machines have electric chutes,  joysticks, remote deflectors...all nice features but in reading through the threads these features are all subjected to failure.

Plus as previously pointed out on the board, many snow blowers were designed to use the Tecumseh Snow King engines, which are out of production.  In the switchover to B&S engines special accomodations had to be made to prevent water from reaching the drive plate.  Based on this forum the jury is still out on how well manufactures have accomplished this.  You don't want to be at the end of your 1000 foot driveway with a 250lb machine that suddenly lost it's wheel drive. 

So the short answer to " Who is at that same level of reliability and longevity" as your old machine...is probably no one.  In other words, plan on having a problem or two.  So if your Husqvarna dealer is on top of his game regarding service you probably should take a hard look at their snowthrowers.  

This BobCat will do what you are looking to accomplish:  http://www.bobcat.com/attachments/snow_blower

I also see the city running around with Kubuta snow machines to do the sidewalks.  They have a heated enclosed cab for the operator and either a blower attachment or plow of the front.  I even saw one where the plow was split in the middle so that you could run down the middle of the sidewalk and it would push the snow to both sides of the sidewalk - seriously cool but more money than this guy has.

I agree with Borat:  you have too much driveway to be walking.  Go with the plow truck or compact tractor with blower. 

I would take the 1132 to the dealer and trade it in on a 928 wheeled machine.

1000 feet of driveway is a lot for a walk behind.  Assuming you get the biggest 38" blower, that's still at least 4 passes down that driveway, that's 3/4 of a mile.   Not to be a sexist, but I'm not expecting wives to be doing this kind of distance behind a snowblower, tracked or wheeled.

Now if you put them in a Kubota with a heated cab, some music, then there's a possibility.

Quote:  Now if you put them in a Kubota with a heated cab, some music, then there's a possibility.

If I had a Kubota with a heated cab & music, you wouldn't get me in the house!

That's one of the problems with my buddy's JD tractor.  He put a cab on it but it has no heater and no way to pipe engine heat into the cab.  JD likely has a cab heater and probably want an arm and leg for it.   Still a damned nice machine just the same. 

I should have mentioned that being on the low budget plan I've been using a walk-behind for four winters here but plan, hopefully sooner than later,  to get either a small kubota tractor with impeller or their utility vehicle (with cab) to clear the driveway.

 In the meantime - the next winter at least - I'll be walking and even after getting something to drive I'll have a bit to clear with the walk-behind with all the areas around woodshed, utility, etc that'll be a little tight with a tractor or utility vehicle.