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

Hi All,

I just started using a snow thrower last year that I got from work.  Older MTD two stage self propelled.  OK machine but it needs a carb clean as it seems to hunt under load when not choked.  I really did not like the self propelled aspect of the unit.  Does anyone make a good two stage push snow thrower?  I think I saw one last winter it had larger pneumatic wheels in the back and was orange.  Thanks.

There are many options and types of machine that you can look at, and if you really evaluate your needs you can still be very overwhelmed with options. You have to decide if you need a two stage or can get by with a single stage. The major difference on the two is propulsion, the two stage has drive on the wheels that pushes the machine along and feeds the snow into the intake and the higher speed impellor. The singe stage will have a faster single impellor that also drives along the macking by con\tacting the pavement of driveway that you are clearing. There in lies a problem becaue if you are working on gravel or any loose surface you now are removing that at the same time.

Another consideration is the cost, a good singel stage Toro or Honda is going to run you $600-$1500 while a quality dual stage (Simplicity, Toro, Ariens, John Deere)  is going going to start at about $1200 and up to $3000 if you get the Honda tracked monster.

Do research here on the postings that others have inquired about and see what makes you comfortable, I personally found a 2008 large frame Simplicity L1428E barely used on Craigslist for $1000 but i need the power living on a Cul-Du-Sac and getting 4' drifts at the end of my drive.

Here is a great site that another person has reccommended that may people view.

http://www.kedawei.com/snowblower.htm

it is a great resource to research stages and types.

Kudos to Trouts2 for the posting of the site originally.

To clairify a bit...Paved driveway, two car width for about 60 feet with another single width circle of about 50 feet.  I live in southeast Wisconsin so we an get a lot of snow.

I live in Milwaukee and I use a 30+ year old Jacobsen Sno-Burst (single stage, paddle wheel type) to do my 2-car wide, 70-foot, heavily sloped driveway.  I'm a pretty big guy, but I've never had any trouble shoving it through the snow.  In fact, if I pick up on the handle a bit and let the paddle touch the ground, it pulls itself along pretty well.  I've happily shoved it through snowbanks taller than the machine itself.  The only time I ran into trouble was with the slush-storm we got a couple years back.  While trying to move the slush, the drive belt got wet, and that was pretty much the end of any useful power making it to the paddles.  If you're willing to put a little muscle behind them (which it sounds like you are since you don't like self-propelled), old Jacobsen and Toro single-stages work much better than you would expect and are readily available around here for cheap.