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.

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.