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

My driveway is 54 ft. long; varies between 12 & 19 ft. wide. Basically flat, asphalt. In Mass., so the snow can be brutal, a foot or more, sometimes every week. Then there's the giant 2 ft high packed snow/ice dam at the end of the driveway after the town street plows. I've had two Ariens 2-stage Snow Blowers: A 7 hp, 24 in. that ran really well for about 8 years, then didn't. Recently, an Ariens 5.5 hp 20 in. with an "L-head" engine that was almost useless; I sold it after 1 1/2 seasons.

I think I'm going to try a Toro single stage this time. HD has the 221E E/S for $669, & the 221QE E/S for $719. Both have the the "zip deflector" (?). Only the The QE has the "Quick shoot". It would be nice to "change the chute direction without even slowing down" (for $50), I'm not sure it's worth $50 tho.

There's an Ariens 2-stage 24 in. Model 920006 for $799. I can't even tell how many hp the engine is, or whether it's an OHV? (205 cc Briggs and Stratton engine). I do know it's a 169 lb. monster.

My gut says to buy the Toro 221E E/S before they sell out, or HD stops offering free shipping.  Any advice?? TIA!

Actually, the 205cc 900 series Briggs is significantly more powerful than the 195cc Tecumseh SA/SP L-heads and the Tecumseh 195cc OHV's (even the OH195SP series). Briggs at one time had marketed this engine at up to 8hp with a steel cam (a stretch). The former ratings for the 800 and 900 series Briggs were 5.5hp and 7.5hp before they went to the torque power rating system.

The "extra" power now used on the Ariens Compact series (900 series engine) has been fully utilized with more efficient impellers (freeze resistant, low inertia, with channel-style cupped blades), higher imepeller speeds (10% higher), and better flowing chutes (taller, high trajectory, gradual curvature). That said, it will greatly outperform the 5520. I wouldn't hesistate to use this machine in heavy snow.

Still, I'd pay the extra $50 to get the Subaru SX17 instead (920010). Similar power to the Briggs, "Hemi" style Pent-roof head, smoother and quieter in a Swiss-watch-like OHC package.

   The Briggs site listed the 205 900 at 6.7 fp which would be roughly 5hp unless booted in some way.  On checking Ariens spec for the 920006 that motor is listed as 9 fp which would make it roughly a 7hp.

 

   A 7hp with 1320 RPM impeller speed would be nice.  Ariens lists the torque of the Subaru as TBD for the 920010.  It’s 169cc versus 205 for the Briggs.  If it does have similar hp and fp then something is booted.  Maybe is gulps gas like a truck to get the kick. ??  Is OHC the factor?

 

   The Yamaha L-Head at 6.5hp threw like a US 9-10hp and the throughput was great.  The crank was on roller bearings and ran at 4000RPM.  The impeller I think was 1400.  They used 4 roller bearings in the auger gearbox and the auger blade axle also on roller bearings. 

   I thought Ariens only had its bigger models running at 1300 impeller speed.  Maybe they have booted all their models up.  They are still on flange bearings for the axle and removed roller bearings in the auger gearbox.  I think they are using oil impregnated bearings.  Toro used to have oil impregnated flange bearings that were not so hot.  I wonder if the newer Areins units will perform for as many years as the older units?

 

"I wonder if the newer Areins units will perform for as many years as the older units?"

I doubt that they will hold up as well without much more maintenance than the older machines.

Very few things being built today are designed with longevity in mind. Look at appliances for instance. My mother-in-law has a clothes dryer that's over fifty years old and is still operating. In over fifty years, it's only needed a bearing for the drum. New dryers might last five years.

It's a sign of the times. Fast paced lives, throw away everything....

What I find amusing is that these so called "manufacturing innovations, improvements and new design features" are supposed to make us believe that we're getting a better product. Please.... In reality, it's window dressing for cheap manufacturing materials and methods. I don't see it getting any better any time soon.

Horsepower = (Torque + 3600) / 5252

 

Torque = (Horsepower * 5252) / 3600

 

That puts the 932006 at 6.1hp

A 7hp would be 10.21fp

 

Ariens has a footnote on its torque spec:

*Engine output stated in gross torque per SAE J1940 as rated by engine manufacturer.

 

What’s the difference between torque and “gross torque” and why do they need a footnote?  It reads like a disclaimer to me.  “Don’t blame us, blame Briggs”. 

 

Not long ago the engine manufacturers were sued over horsepower and lost.  They had a test setup that had some fudging with the word gross.  What they were doing was testing motors modified to be unlike used on equipment to get better ratings.  They also had a fuzzy spec that allowed at 15% fudge on horsepower. 

 

 

The blue rake bearing is from an Ariens 932105 which is about a 2004 826 model.   The blue bearing is plastic and very thin.  To the left is its holder. 

 

Below is a rake bearing from a 70 Ariens 724.   They lasted for many years.  It’s typical to find them with the collar separated from the bearing and the bearing worn to an oval but still not worn through to the support flange.  Also, the rake on the 932105 is about half the size of the 724 rake.  The newer bearing will have more weight and wear on a smaller area.  

The 920006 is about a 5hp engine.  It’s one of Ariens compact  models so similar to the 5520 you sold   It would collect a bit better because of the increased width but have as much trouble with high wet snow or compacted end of the driveway pile.........The single stages are great if you have a special need to get something small and easy to use.  They do fine on lesser snows and slush and toss a mile.  trouts2

One thing this discussion has done is to get me to rule out the Ariens "compact 24". The Deluxe 24 has a larger engine, so I may check that out. The 5520 wouldn't throw even dry snow far, & was completely useless on heavy wet snow. BTW, "heavy wet snow" seems to be increasingly all we get in the metro-boston area. There are times you could make sno-cones out of it.

Last winter, I shoveled (ouch!). But my neighbors had a snow-plow truck guy that I hired a few times for $30-$40 per. Hopefully, I can get a Toro single stage for smaller snows, & hire someone for those 1-2 ft. monster storms. Increasingly, buying & housing a 200 lb. snow-blower in my tiny garage, with my aging back, doesn't seem that realistic.....

One thing I have observed about Ariens,every year there's a modification to the previous model.Geez can they not get it right?But snowmann always makes it sound like Ariens is on the ball improving previous models etc etc.Bigger this,thicker that blah blah blah.Hey Ariens get it right and you wont have to change the change from the previous year.I understand making improvements but I dont think thats what Ariens is doing.They r fixing their screw up from the yr before.They must be experimenting with inferior parts and then fixing it.

Now tell us what you really think Mikie....

here in PA those Toros are a little cheaper.  Our HD also has SnoTek by Ariens.  I think the 24" was $599.  It looks the same except its all black, has a plastic shoot and chinese engine...no idea how it will hold up to the comparable Orange model.  I have an older toro 3350 (I think) single stage.  Is great int he snow but if I am getting a foot I try to get out every 6" or so.