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

Hi, I am looking at purchasing a 2 stage cub cadet snow blower soon. It's a 208cc 24 inch clearing width.  My husband and I are asking for any information on this machine.  We appreciate your input. Thank you :)

mml4 wrote:

I don't understand why you would say don't use a differential lock like on a Toro? I have th Toro and tried the Ariens auto lock and found it to be awful to turn. My wife couldn't muscle it around at all.

The triggers make it a breeze to turn. The Ariens is like an old school snowblower but turns a whisker more easily if you put your back into it. We used to have a gravel driveway and they are nightmakres to deal with so his height would have o be up at least an inch depending on the grade and how smooth the surface is. Chances are if it's like ours was it won't be all that flat and will have some bumps and ridges.

Gotta agree with the electric chute controls not fun if that breaks. Our Toro quick chute works like a dream and is faster than any electric system.

To the OP i myself wouldn't buy a Cub Cadet, but if you do try and get an extended warranty.

mml4 wrote:
I personally think that trigger differential unlock is better than Arien's "auto" differential.  If I want to turn, I squeeze the trigger.  Toro has trigger on both sides so you can chose which direction you want to turn and still have power going to one of the wheel. 

For the electric chute control, I think several manufacturers have got it down right.  That one manufacturer that stopped using them probably didn't do their home work it has caused too much warranty claims and complaints from users. 

Just imagine, if every has no faith in power windows, we all still be using manual crank windows now.  These days, you cannot sell a new car without power windows, door locks, ABS, and air conditioning.  All these features are expected as standard.  Failure rates for these are very low.

Steve_Cebu wrote:

Steve-I didn't say don't use trigger lock differential I said full time differential was better. That is my opinion after having used and worked on both over time. Your opinion is just as valid as mine and certainly you are entitled to it.

AA-I like all the bells and whistles when it comes to cars. When it comes to outdoor power equiptment and motorcycles I prefer to keep it simple. Once again this is a matter of opinion and mine is no more or less valid than any of the other posters found on line.

Marc

Well here I am again. I thank each and everyone of you for your time, and oponions, and will certianly take all into consederation. We still have a few weeks to decide on what we will purchase and when we do, I will come back and let you know what we got, and give my review from a woman's point of view from handling and performance. And I will see what my husband has to say also. After purchasing one, I will be anxious for a big snowfall and ready to bring it on, and we will probally have light snowfall all year!! LOL  ( Never know)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Thanks once again,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Mousy

Mousy,

If you haven't already, I suggest you read Trout's web page about selecting & using a snow blower.
http://www.kedawei.com/snowblower.htm
It's a very good read & he covers a lot of aspects you might not normally think about. If you are not handy or do not want to do the regular maintenance or repairs the will happen, then you must buy from a reputable local dealer. Once you decide on a brand, go in & talk to them a few times before the seasonal rush starts. Try & talk to some other customers while you are there about the service they receive. Unless you have a method of transport, make sure the dealer can do it for you. Think about it, if you were a dealer, wouldn't you give quicker service to people who helped support you & bought the machine from you.

I didn't have to make a choice, I was given a 24" machine for free. But, after having used it for a year, I realized that it was the right size for me. The only consession I made to my inner Tim Taylor was to re-engine up from a 5Hp to an 8.

Good luck

I second that.  You can ask professor Trout anything.  Lots of useful information.  He's a walking wikipedia.  :)

I have a CubCadet 930. It's made by MTD, but you have to understand that there are 2 grades/chassis made by MTD. The 930 is built on the large chassis and has a 16" impeller. All other big machines have 12", except Ariens. They have 14". It weighs 385lbs and is no cheap tin toy.
The 930 is the smallest that MTD makes on the large chassis. You'll find 33" CubCadets, Toros, Craftsman, and Troy-Bilt blowers built on that chassis along with 45" Craftsman and and a few others.
Below 30", they use the smaller, 12" impeller, MTD frame. I'll let others bash MTD for you. I have little first hand experience with other modern blowers. This blower ( the 930) replaces an old 24-26" Wards/Gilson 5HP machine. There is simply no comparison.
However, from what I've read, I'd put the CubCadet 930 against any 30" machine out there.
I know you're asking about 24" machines secifically, but I had to chime in about the MTD=crap issue.

mml4 wrote:

Marc, I think you need to provide some additional supporting evidence. Theory would hold that snowblower is easier to turn when outside wheel on the turn is powered. The differential used on the auto traction loc Ariens and John Deere, the Hillard AutoLok, provides power to the inside wheel and forces the operator to power the rotation; possibly even fighting the powered inside wheel. In theory, it should be harder to turn than a system that allows you to selectively disengage the inisde wheel on a turn.

Some snowblowers, some Deluxe model Ariens, mid-to-high end Simplicitys, have a release that unlocks a wheel on a toggle. It allows the operator not to hold the lever, but only does one wheel, left or right. As a result the wheel torque assists steering in one direction but not the other.

That is not to say it wouldn't have advantages. Since it is automatic you are never fighting a locked axle as you being a turn or arc. It won't forget to lock itself causing the only one wheel to be powered.

Have you used a system with left and right momentary switch free wheels back-to-back with a similarly sized system with the Hillard AutoLok?

mousy, is your nom de net because you are tiny or because you are a bruiser? If the former you what to make sure you don't get to big. You need some form of steering. That should be mandatory. Also, although your main area is flat and straight, are there paths that aren't? Garage doors often get snow piled against them by the wind; will you be using a garage door or a side door to get the snow blower out? Net: maximum width is good for large open driveways but not necessarily for everything you will plow.

Many of the brands are owned by a common parent. MTD makes Yardmaster, Troy-bilt and many other brands; any brand with a 357cc engine on its biggest models is an MTD brand. Briggs and Stratton owns Simplicity and Snapper and makes John Deere. Every machine is a compromise of features, price, and service. For a machine that may last 15 years, $1000 price difference may be significant but $100-200 may not. On a cold winter night, fighting the machine and roaring wind, it may be easy to regret a few extra dollars that can no longer be spent. All the Internet videos of snow blowing seem to be on sunny days with no wind. My experience is that big snows usually occur during bad (cold, windy) weather, winter days are shorter and the daylight occurs during working hours not snowplowing hours, and the biggest storms require snowplowing during and after the storm.

Just thought I'd add that the Sear Professional 33", which is the Cub Cadet 933 in black, is on sale for $1700 through 10/4. It has the 16" auger/16" impeller, left/right free wheel 'power steering', and the MTD 357cc engine. However, it also has a 10 turn crank a reach below the console for chute adjustment having not gotten the lastes updates. The auger is a semi-open design.

I've never seen one in person. Based on the 'handlebar issue' between identical weight Ariens and John Deere units my wife and I saw today, seeing in person may be a requirement.

JimmyM, how easy to handle is it?

DavidNJ wrote:
I think it's pretty easy to handle. The trigger steering works like a charm for me. The weight of the unit doesn't seem to be an issue other than improving traction. But I'm 6'1"/230lbs. So it may be an issue for a smaller person.
The chute rotation isn't an issue. My previous 38 year old Wards/Gilson blower had, what looks like a chain sprocket, that engaged a perforated ring at the bottom of the chute. If the chute ring was too tight, it would bind up. If it was too loose, it would vibrate its way around to some other direction, or the sprocket teeth wouldn't engage enough and it would slip. So a 10-turn worm gear drive is a pleasant change.
I wish I waited on the purchase so I could have gotten the 33" for only $100 more. But, I'm happy with the unit. One thing I wish was different was the shifting while moving. I wish I could move the shifter while the machine was already moving and continuously control the speed. A small nag, but that's it.

Also, it doesn't come with a fuel shut off valve. I installed a panel mount one in one of the metal engine covers. Works nicely now.