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

I think people should be a bit more careful in their descriptions of snowblower construction.  I don’t want to get caught up in what may be considered splitting hairs, but what is being referred to as plastic chutes, which lends the impression of being cheaply made, is actually rigid POLYETHYLENE, at least on a Toro.  Polyethylene of the proper thickness or grade, like on the Toro, was NOT used in place of steel to be cheap.  Toro has done a great deal of R&D in this area. 

Rigid polyethylene does not rust or corrode like steel and is a natural slippery surface when wet.  The result makes for a free flowing chute that also reduces clogging issues. Removing rust and corrosion from the equation allows for a much more free flowing discharge, which is just another piece of the puzzle playing a part in throw distance and efficiency of the machine.  Rust and corrosion is drag and slows down discharge.

 How many of you, like me, dislike the fact your metal chutes are always rusted or simply remove and paint them each year to keep them fresh looking and smooth?  I used to hate having to spray my rusted chute each and every time prior to clearing my driveway.  All of Toro’s two-stage machines have the heavy-duty polyethylene chute, which eliminates the need to spray them with silicone or other lubricants, and they stay looking great

There are some brands, in my opinion, that use a softer or more flexible type of material for their discharge chutes, perhaps even a cheaper grade.  They flex a bit too much for my taste rather than the more rigid type.  They also gave me the impression they could be damaged or fail easily.  This is what made me consider a different brand snowblower than what I had originally intended to purchase.  .