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

Last year I bought a John Deere 1130SE snowblower and for the most part I was extremely happy with it's performance. I love the hand warmers, electric chute rotation, easy steer and the front end weight just to name a few.  The only problem I had, which was pretty significant, was the intermittent transmission slipping.  After sealing the transmission housing with silicone and some weather stripping, the problem was completely gone.  The remainder of the winter was very pleasing and I always looked forward to using the 1130.  I also had a second snowblower that I'm trading for a new 1330SE.  So now I'll have the 1130 and the 1330.  The 1130 will be for my business parking lot.  Some of the interesting features of the 1330 is the addition of an electric deflector control and dash area integrated headlights.  So now the chute is totally electric (both rotation and the deflector).  The slipping transmission should be resolved from water getting into the rubber/aluminum disc drive.  To fix this problem, Deere added a rubber gasket between the engine mounting plate and the transmission housing.  I'll try to post some pictures in the future.
BTW, my second choice would have been an Ariens since they seem to give people on this website support from at least one poster.  I wish Briggs, Simplicity or Deere would give the same support.

ihatetivo wrote:
Do you really need the JD 30-inch width?  That's getting pretty big.  If you don't have a really wide or long driveway, you might want to consider something like the Ariens Platinum 24: 
           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSLpqQWGys8&feature=autoplay&list=PLD86A1FC30DC408D7&lf=autoplay&playnext=4

You might also consider the Toro 826OXE with a 26-inch width, 250cc Briggs engine, the 4-way joystick Quik Chute control, and the left and right steering triggers.  Very easy to maneuver for both the blower and chute.  Then there is the newer Toro 926OXE with the 265cc Loncin engine that is now replacing the 826OXE.  Same features with a slightly bigger engine, though Chinese. 

Toro 826 and 926 blowers:                                       http://www.toro.com/en-us/Homeowner/Snow-Blowers/Two-Stage/Pages/Series.aspx?sid=Power-Max
Toro's description of their Loncin engine:                 http://www.toro.com/en-us/Homeowner/Pages/toro-premium-engine/two-stage-toro-premium-engine-lp.aspx          
Loncin's description of their snowblower engines:   http://www.loncinengine.com/Product60/#Text

Toro seems to be parting ways with Briggs and going with Loncin.  See the bottom line of their History of Loncin General Purpose Engine list:  http://www.loncinengine.com/About7/#Text

Be sure to let us know what you decide.  Good luck.

Coasteray & RedOctobyr: Thank you for the comments.

In the end, I opted for a single-stage thrower.  Specifically,  I got the Toro 621 QZR Power Clear.

I found nothing in particular that would have dissuaded me from the 1130SE.  In fact, the more research I did, the more convinced I became of its capability.  However, before pulling the trigger, I mapped out my driveway and tried to visualize using the machine.  In the final analysis, I realized that the majority of my snow would need to be blown into the front yard.  To do so means you're blowing snow directly into the wind.  I had visions of the Deere heroically throwing tons of snow high up into the sky, only to blow right back into my cold, sleepy, and frozen face.  So, I went with the Toro.  We'll rely on hiring someone to scoop us out w/ a blade for really heavy snows, but I will be handling the small-to-moderate amounts on my own with the Toro.  I'll write up a review on here, if there is a thread on Toros.

Again, thanks for the help, everyone.

ihatetivo