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

 Honda snowblowers may not be worth the money.  Here's 10 things wrong with them

  1.)They are WAY expensive to fix.  

  2.)They're a smaller/lighter machine with less steel.   Not really, most modern high quality snowblowers of same class HP, width are comparable in weight. Honda seems to have lighter steel, but the weight is made up in the transmission and bucket tilt mechanism.

 3.) They may be uncomfortable for a user over 6'. 

 4.)They don't come with handwarmers, or a battery start as even an option. 

 5.)The light is pretty weak.

 6.) If you get a trac model its difficult to turn on dry pavement compared to a wheeled version. 

 7.)They don't come with a differential, so a wheeled version is more difficult to turn than a competitor's on dry pavement  Not really an issue.  When it's dry, the Honda stays inside.  When it's snowy, the Honda comes out to play. 

8.) The transmission doesn't really unlock even when you disengage it, so if you have to push it around in the Summer, you're going to end up starting it up-unlike its competitors which turn and are very manuverable when the engine is not running.  Yes, there's still a lot of friction on the rollers and tracks even with the transmission disengaged.  At least, it won't roll down a hill on its own.

   9.) The auger gearbox aluminium instead of cast iron, and its not as beefy as the competitors.

10.) They only come in one color.  and one brand.  :)  and we know who owns that brand.

Here's 10 things that make them better than other snowblowers, and why the 10 things I could find wrong with them don't count. 

 1.)  You don't have to fix them because they don't break.  The Honda GX motor has been the de-facto commercial small engine for about a zillion years.   Its worth about three Snowkings and an Intek.   If you use your equipment much you'll even notice the savings in gas.  True, I am surprised at how little the GX340 engine sips gas.  And it's quiet. 

 2.) Because they don't weigh their machines down with an extra 200lbs of steel to make up for weak de signs, they can  put the weight forward and you can still move the machine.  Some ORANGE machines ride up at the first sign of packed snow because the weight  is under the wheels instead and will ride up no matter how hard you pull up on the handles to try and dig through a snowbank. The track models have two rollers.  When the bucket is placed in the medium and low position, the weight of the engine is in front of the rear rollers, so the bucket bears more of the engine weight.  Most wheeled snowblowers basically have the engine weight right above the wheels, with exception of the Toro Powershift models.  This one can move the wheels and axle behind the engine, shifting the weight forward.  Same principle, different implementation.

  3.) Well, what do you want, all the handles are the same height.  The height has been perfect for me.  No complaints here.

  4.) They're so much faster to use you're not going to be out there long enough to get cold hands.  Who the hell doesn't wear gloves?  Altenators and batteries are another waste of money/weight and are more parts to make up for the cheap motors used in manufacturing that don't decompress on startup.

 5.) This is mine, but I think the new ones are coming with LEDs which will last forever and are much brighter because of the efficiency.  I'm interested in this modification.  How do LED lights deal with the fluctuating voltage of the alternator?

  6.) Who the hell uses their snowblower when there's no snow on the driveway? 

7.) Again, the lack of extra weight makes this a non issue for anyone healthy enough to be using a snowblower or walking for that matter.  Kinda neat in the showroom, but a differential is more parts and more weight again. I'd like to take a step further.  How about separate hydrostatic motors or electric for each side of the tracks?  Similar to ZTR mowers.  I don't mind the extra weight or parts for this benefit.

 8.) I don't take my snowblower for walks in the Summertime.  I may be alone in this, but this is a useless advantage.  

 9.)  The gearbox doesn't need to be that strong, because Honda's shearpins are actually designed to be CHANGED, UNLIKE OTHER AUGERS!!!!.  When you hit something with a Honda the shearpin is going to break, shear off and fall out.  I can change one in the dark with gloves on and one wrench.  You spin the auger, line it up, place the nut in the pocket, put in the bolt and tighten it.  You DO NOT have to line up the auger and knock out the old bolt before you replace the new one.  Good luck with that at 2:30 AM at the end of the driveway.  Agreed, changing Honda shear "bolts" are head and shoulders above shear pins in terms of changing.  And Honda also have impeller shear bolts to protect the engine.  I still can't change my bolts in the dark, yet.  :)  Something about reaching in dark places that can chop off my fingers doesn't seem right.

10.)  I don't mind red, but some folks who prefer the two-toned orange+rust of some competitors may be out of luck, because other than spots where the inside of the bucket has been scratched there is no rust on a Honda.