Ariens ST11528DLE Drive problem Original Message Dec 26, 2008 12:09 pm
Ariens Snow Throwers are junk.!! I purchased a model 926015 -ST11528DLE a couple of years ago from a dealer.. and have been fighting with them to replace the thing ever since. The first storm it wouldn't throw snow, as the auger belt needed to be adjusted,,, then,,,, The drive mechansim (friction plate) stops working as snow leaks down from the engine to the plate and causes slippage. After several trips to the dealer (or former dealer as they gave up the line due to so many service issues) Ariens finially recognized there was an issue and had me go to another dealer for service where they installed a baffle cover ??that was to prevent the plate from getting wet... Well.... let me tell you that didn't work at all. My machine is still not working and is a piece of junk and Ariens will not replace it.. just want me to keep bringing it back to have it looked at again. I will never ,,,,never purchase another Ariens product ever again....
Re: Ariens ST11528DLE Drive problem Reply #11 Jan 26, 2009 4:16 am
As for your problems with your ariens, I don't know the answer. I replaced a miserable Toro 1128 OXE with an Ariens 11528DLE PRO and that was the best decision I made. Not one service issue with the machine!
As for the pre-MTD Troy-bilt's nothing compare's to them now! (like any other machine built ten years ago) I live in the city where Bolens originated from. Then it was Troy-bilt. Troy-bilt moved to New York and then MTD started making their products. A far cry from what they used to be. Any pre-MTD Troy-bilt or Bolens is no comparison to what is made today.
A few months ago Simplicity shut down and moved south. We used to have two of the largest outdoor power equipment manufacturer's here in the city and now we have none! How times have changed.
Re: Ariens ST11528DLE Drive problem Reply #12 Jan 26, 2009 5:25 am
Paul7 wrote:
Interesting. A guy down the street from me is selling his immaculately maintained pre-MTD 8hp 24" Bolens snowthrower for $125. Based on Marc's comments I feel like I should buy it just to have an example of the "way they used to build em".
For $125 you should seriously consider that purchase. Is it badged Bolens or Troy-Bilt? If it's red and Badged Troy-Bilt it has the differential.
Re: Ariens ST11528DLE Drive problem Reply #16 Jan 27, 2009 8:31 pm
How about people just admit that there isn't a decent snowblower built in this country anymore. Its retarded. Ariens sucks unless you like to work on them. There, I said it. Rig and fuss all you want. Tweaking is for crackheads. There's no excuse. $100 bucks of steel, a motor, and a pump isn't that hard. All you Ariens boyz who spew love for this piece of crap product are either in denial, or dealers trying to protect a name, or have never used another snowblower. MTD? sure its junk but at least you're paying semi-junk price instead of $3000 for garbage!!!!!!!!
I was in the Ariens dealership last Friday (need a part? of course I need a part before I sell this beast.) and noticed the 1336dle doesn't have a motorized chute anymore, but a cable/joystick assembly. I thought it was a good idea untill I tried the joystick. Just when you think they can't make them any cheaper they surprise you. And another thing: Why do Ariens rust so fast?
Re: Ariens ST11528DLE Drive problem Reply #17 Jan 27, 2009 9:37 pm
nhmatt wrote:
How about people just admit that there isn't a decent snowblower built in this country anymore. Its retarded. Ariens sucks unless you like to work on them. There, I said it. Rig and fuss all you want. Tweaking is for crackheads. There's no excuse. $100 bucks of steel, a motor, and a pump isn't that hard. All you Ariens boyz who spew love for this piece of crap product are either in denial, or dealers trying to protect a name, or have never used another snowblower. MTD? sure its junk but at least you're paying semi-junk price instead of $3000 for garbage!!!!!!!!
I was in the Ariens dealership last Friday (need a part? of course I need a part before I sell this beast.) and noticed the 1336dle doesn't have a motorized chute anymore, but a cable/joystick assembly. I thought it was a good idea untill I tried the joystick. Just when you think they can't make them any cheaper they surprise you. And another thing: Why do Ariens rust so fast?
It's not that people are in denial but more so that some people can buy an Ariens, work the heck out of it, and never have a problem. Then others can buy the exact same machine and have nothing but problems. This is THE problem. Quality control should be synonymous with the brand name. If quality control is such that an unacceptable percentage of lemons due to set-up or whatever find there way into the hands of consumers then they're all junk. One shouldn't have to hope to get lucky that they received the unit that works.
Sadly the problem isn't just unique to snowblowers. I just decided to replace my 1975 refigerator with a new one. The thing is 34 years old and still running strong and it's new home is my garage. Went to a full line major appliance store and the salesman told me that he dosen't have a new refigerator in stock that will give me more than 10 years of service.
Side Note: Years ago I bought my first Ariens product, a lawn mower. After a few years the orange paint started flacking off of the deck. Not wearing off but literally falling off in peices the size of a book of matches. I went to the dealer and asked to buy a can of Ariens orange spray paint to touch it up. The dealer called Ariens and they said that the problem was due to a change they made in a cleaner to clean the metal of oil after their stamping process. The new cleaner didn't work as well as their old one. Anyway Ariens authorized the dealer to replace the deck with a brand new one. I was happy. Sometimes when a mistake is made it how the company handles it that defines their reputation. Based on that experience I bought more Ariens lawn mowers, tillers and snowblowers. Now that all happened over 25 years ago so todays company might be a whole different operation.
