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

I had a honda hs828wa for 8 years and all I ever had to put into the unit was gas and oil + a few shear pins when I hit something I wasn't supposed to.  Great machine.  When I moved to my new home with a 400' driveway I figured I needed a bigger machine, and my honda was 10+ years old so what the heck.  I sold the honda for $800 (boy do they hold their value) and put that towards an Ariens that was 2 years old. 

At first I was not a fan of the Ariens, I have to say.  I wasn't prepared to have to tinker and work on this machine to make it work.  I've had problems with everthing from the electric shute not turning to augers not turning.  Belts, rehab on electic motor, wiring,  disc-o-matic/slip-o-matic, about 1/2 every time it snowed.  Some of this can be contributed to the possible impropper maintence of the previous owner, but it was a 40 yr mechanic who specialized in rebuilding clasic cars.  I saw his shop.  I don't think that's the issue.  Main issue is I expected a machine 2x as heavy to dig and scrape and push at least as good as a machine almost 1/2 its size.  It didn't.  So I kept my eye open...

Low and behold, I find a hs1132tas on craigslist for exactly what I paid for the Ariens.  I know I can get what I paid for the Ariens, so I'm going to sell it and keep the honda-BUT WAIT!!  While I'm the owner of these two snow devils I think it would be a disservice to ignore the opportunity to compare these two units, on the same driveway with the same snow.  After 2 storms this is what I've found:

I'm sick of snow.  I like Hondas, but give  Ariens their due.  I think the Ariens machine is a better choice for a majority of people, even if price is not an issue.  If you're not in good enough shape to push the Honda around, I would suggest hiring someone to do your dirveway for you because the 70yr old woman who was the previous owner had no trouble turning this beast on a grave driveway.   If you do snow removal for a living, then you already know what you like, but I'd use a wheeled machine because I could definately see the tracks wearing you out after a few long storms.  Honda throws the same snow farther, beit powder or wet snow.  No contest.  Do you need to throw any farther than 20'?  Probably not so its not importaint.

Honda pros: 

1.) The tracks are unstoppable.  I have 2' of hard snow in my yard and it can chew down to the grass (and beyond) if you let it.  If you make a few passes the snowblower will crunch up the bottom icy layers, and then just eat them up on the next pass.  This is an area I cannot do with the wheeled snowblower.  I can also get up on my truck ramos deck quite easily.  They grip, but I'm sure they will wear much faster than a set of tires.

2.) The engine is superior in 3 major points.  Its so quiet I can hear my phone ring under my jacket.  Its also uses about 30% less gas (dipstick for each blower's tank).   Much cleaner exhaust.  I dont' notice a difference in power per se.  I think both motors have more than enough power to do the job, the major problem with the Ariens being the inefficient disc-o-matic and slippery auger belt.  The last major point would be the automatic decompression that eliminates the need for an electric start.  I tried it but honestly, the lady I bought it from was 70 years old and she could pull-start it.  Ariens has it, and the necessary battery sits to the right of the chute, causing a lot of clogging.  The hydro trans. is less of a big deal than I can remember, because I got used to shifting with the Ariens.  The hydro is stronger, however.   No slipping or lack of power in reverse

3.) The balance of this machine is all towards the front, so when I'm scraping  I push down on the handles and get even more traction.  The Ariens is so well ballanced  the machine will ride up, and when you try to lift up on the handlebars the wheels then spin out.  You can ride up, level, or down.    It is vicious.

Ariens pros:

1.) This machine is very comfortable to use.  I don't have a problem pushing the track around (and neither did the 70 yr old lady I bought it from) but if I was doing sidewalks all day at a condo development I think I'd rather have the Ariens.  The remote chute and handwarmers are nice all-day features.  this is what I think this machine was meant to do, and not scrape up crusty ice or the end of the driveway.  It turns very easy (when the diff isn't locked) and the balance makes this very large machine very manuverable.  If I had to spend 8 hours a day using one and didn't have to go off-road and wasn't trying to pick up packed snow I'd take the Ariens.

2.) It moves faster.  If you have a light amount of snow (2 inches) this machine will do it much faster.  The fastest setting on the Honda's hydrostatic is about gear 3.5-4 on the ariens.   Anything over 4" however, this advantage is negated, because the 36" auger/impeller of the Ariens doesn't move fast enough (although the engine seems strong enough) to push the snow out of the bucket, and extra simply spills out the sides.

3.)  The Ariens (for the most part) seems to be easier to maintain.  They both have skinny little tubes for the handles, but Honda's are welded to the frame whereas Ariens are bolted, making repair much simpler and easier.    Slip-o-matic may not be able to push itself out of a wet paper bag, but it sure looks a lot. cheaper and easier to work on.   It should be noted however, I've never had a problem with even tighning a belt on my 10+yr old Honda and that's after more than 1,000 inches of snow.

Conclusion:

The Ariens may look like some bad boy, but does a polite job (when workingcorrectly) in a majority of circumstances.  This Honda is more specialized.   The Honda is an aggressive, snow thirsty crazy $#%* that will eat anything.  It crawls along and is only happy when eating nasty snow, and doesn't wheel nicely (tracks I guess) to and fro.   I had so much fun chewing into snow drifts with the Honda, I ripped up a piece of gutter that had come off the downspout.   It chewed it up and spit it out by the time I heard it in the auger.  Only aluminium but still pretty cool!  The Ariens cloggs on slush.   I broke a shear pin hitting a piece of wood that I'd dropped 2 month ago.  VERY EASY TO CHANGE.  The Ariens is a pin that goes through one side of the auger and out the other, and when it breaks it leaves a piece inside that you have to find (full of grease, not easy)  line up, knock out then replace.  The hondas are two bolts on the outside so when they shear off they fall out and your ready to insert another.  Honda also uses a different metal, maybe galvalume or something because there is no rust on the Honda even in place where the paint has been scraped off, but the Ariens has creeping rust in every corner.

Coldfingers wrote:
I remember seeing someone put a height adjuster from a walk behind lawnmower wheel just for that purpose. 

aa335 wrote:
I would love to figure out a way to rig up something like that.  Currently have skids set plenty high to avoid flinging driveway gravel everywhere but I hate leaving 1 1/2 inches on my concrete paths. 

borat wrote:

For comparison, a Honda HS928TA track model is $120 more than the HS928WA wheel model.  This is a small difference relative to the snowblower price of around $2400.  For the $120, you get the tracks, as well the hardware to to tip the snowblower forward or backwards.  I think that's pretty reasonable.  For comparison across another brand, Ariens 1332DLET track is $500 more than the 1332LET wheel model on a $2800 snowblower.  This will definitely warrant people to really evaluate if they need tracks or not.  Ariens wheel to track conversion kit costs $550 plus installation. 

With that said, it is no secret that Honda 2 stage snowblowers ranging in price from $2000 to $3000 is not the best value.  Despite of that, it is a good machine and most people who have them seemed to like them.  But if we wanted just best value, MTD offerings do that very well.

I'm with Coldfingers on this - since he's said most of what I wanted to say.

I can put my tracked unit into transport and make dog paths in the woods, and run through the mulched areas of the flowerbeds for clearing out a place for the melt to runoff onto. I also make a path completely around the garage to the back of the house for the propane man to use to fill my tank. In many of these cases, wheeled machines can rip lines in the grass where the skids hit, or get caught on sticks frozen into the ice. It also has nowhere near the tendency to climb EOD that the wheeled machines I've used have. A wheeled machine is easier to maneuver - scratch that - not easier, quicker. A powered 180 degree turn to either side is as simple as a 1 finger squeeze but is slower than you can wrestle one around by hand.
 I have a pretty good slope at the top of my driveway and when it's sunny the runoff from my garage roof hits that and once 3 PM comes it all freezes. I've often gone up and down that slope over black ice by just holding onto the handles and sliding without moving my feet; this is made possible by being able to steer with just the fingertip levers.

I could get by with either, I've had both. But if I were buying again tomorrow, I'd want another tracked unit. If I lived in a different house with a different layout, I might change my mind. I must also point out that I've not run a tracked unit that did not have independent releases for each track but that I consider that a very important feature.

Bill_H wrote:

I did this very thing a few weeks ago, holding on to snowblower while it climb.  I did wished that the snowblower could push my rear wheel drive car up that icy driveway.

What model is your snowblower that has independent release of the tracks?

Thanks for the review.  We have a very steep driveway/parking area that totals about 3,300 sq. ft.  I just replaced an aging Craftsman 10 HP 32 inch track drive with a Honda 1132TAS.  Track drive is nice on the steep bits.

I was amazed at the difference in what kind of snow the Honda will throw, without clogging.  The Craftsman clogged constantly with mildly soggy snow.  Nothing seems to clog the Honda, not even slush.  I also like the hydrostatic drive.  The Craftsman's disk slipped in reverse so badly that it has always been difficult to drag it backwards, if facing down hill at all.  The Honda backs up with no problem on hills.  The Honda is much quieter as well. 

The Honda was a lot of money, ($3079) + delivery, but so far I am happy with the performance and user experience.  This board was great for a resource in the decision process.  Anything I bought was going to have to come from a long way away since our neighborhood is a small mountain community surrounded by desert.  Dealers that carry snowblowers are hundreds of miles north.  Being able to read of others' experiences and even links to the you-tube videos was an invaluable aid in the decision process!!

aa335 wrote:
It's an old and discontinued Yard-Man. The model number is 31BH763G401 according to my manual. I know there's a series number (3 digit I think) but I can't recall it or find it, sorry.

aa335 wrote:

I've just sold the Ariens for what I paid for the Honda. It was definately a deal, even if the MSRP wasn't that far off.   I'm guessing I'll save $20/yr just on gas.  After 2 snow storms I've yet to fill it and I'm still runing on free gas left when I bought it.  Its much more efficient,  and it digs like a gopher.

Tracks are not for professionals, who would tell you no about a tough path to the propane tank, or snowblow the woods for your dog, or scrape your pavement so you don't get an ice build-up, or anything else that's going to take longer and cost more than people are willing to pay.  Tracks are for nit-picky homeowners who like it done the way they want it done.   That being said, if a driveway is straight in and out It would still be a piece of cake.  I took my blower off-road to a snomobile path 200' behind my house, and then used it to clear the skate pond. 

I LOVE my HS1132tac.  I tried the electric start just for kicks but I'm guessing that will be the last time.  There's no point with the decompression on the honda, my 8 yr old daughter can start it.    The tracks turn easy enough when you're moving.  I turn while I'm moving, because with the hydrostatic tranny I don't have to stop (like the Ariens).

nhmatt wrote:

I read in another post that you got quite a deal on a used Honda HS1132TAS.  I wished I could be as patient.  The best price for a 2 year old 1132 lightly used was $2500 in my area.  And new track models were hard to find even in late November.

I also got the electric start model, $100 more.  I figure I don't need to use it often, but if I do, it may be worthwhile (broken starter cord, bad gas, really cold temps)  Besides, it may help resale later on.  Realistically, if I had to use the electric start often, then I'm not physically fit and should not be operating this snowblower.

I used to operate a HS621 single stage that I bought for my father and I love that machine.  Now I have the HS1132TAS, I also love this beast.  When the snow gets worse, this thing just gets better.  Scraper mode is awesome, chews through ice and packed snow left by car tire tracks.  No single stage blowers can do that. 

I've broken two shear bolts, both my fault.  I have to agree with you that replacing the shear bolt nice and simple.  Step on the pedal, tilt the bucket back, spin the auger by hand and pop in a new bolt and lock nut.  Nice.  Although I don't know how tight I the lock nut should be torqued at.

Definately a beast.  I drove it up onto my deck yesterday and started clearing off 3' of packed snow.  One of the layers of ice was over 1" thick and I had to keep checking to make sure I didn't have a chair/shovel or something hiding somewhere in the crackling ice chips.   I'm scared.  Nothing stops it.