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

Good: price, 357cc engine, joystick chute control, dual trigger steering, heated handgrips, 16x6.5 tires, 30" auger width.

Maybe not-so-good: 12" auger dia., 12" impeller, plastic chute, MTD affiliation?

Consumer reports top pick for value per dollar (not that they are always correct)  Maybe it won't throw the furthest or last 20 years but for the money would you really be doing yourself an injustice if you bought this?  Some others claim to have gotten a good 10-15 years of service from MTD, Murray, Yardman, Craftsman units.  Are there specific issues that make this one a poor choice?  One can always say you should spend X dollars more and get something better but that's comparing apples to oranges.  Dollar for dollar this time, even if it's not what YOU would do...

Slinger:

   I would not worry about the many negative posts about MTD.  They are a good value machine.  I'm very familair with the the steering and rest of the tractor section which is fine and good for 15 to 20 easily with maintenance and proper use.   Their old plastic chutes were fine.  The new machines use a different chute and plastic but are probably fine.   All the stuff topside is fairly new so have not been around for years to get a grip on for durability.   I have not seen a lot of valid grips about them though.  The gearbox is the same as MTD used for the last 15- 20 years and can last.  If you don't take in a newspaper, big rock or piece of firewood your good for 20. 

DavidNJ mentioned cables and springs [belts are a non-issue].  The older machines I see do have occasional spring rust but not a big deal.  Every 5 to 10 years you may have to replace a spring but those can be had at any hardware store and can be replaced easily by anyone.  DavidNJ's MTD machine style had an auger cable issue at the left front (handles view) of the tractor section which pinched on some machines.  The sheath frayed and eventually wore down the metal brade.  If the cable tension is kept after it rides in it's wheel and not be a problem.   Regardless a few cables and springs over many years is not a factor.  I've had plenty of machines here that were 10-15 years old that never had a cable replaced but have had to install new springs on some. 

This model has the auger rake shaft supported on roller bearings which is nice.  This is a positive feature over other makers that lack them.  The fantastic Yamaha has it's rakes supported with roller bearings.   Shame on Ariens and Toro.

The friction disk seems to be the same as they have used for 15 years.  It's thin and not the best.  It can last 20 years of you don't gorilla man the machine around and use it normally.  If you are agressive and wear out the friction disk it is very inexpensive and easy to get the friction disk out and mount a new one. 

Best of all it does not have electronic cute control. I'd be very leary of those.  With very easy one hand control and joystick control on the chute I can't see the need for an expensive failure point.  The electronic controls have only been around for a few years so no telling how they will eventualy work out.   But the same applies for the joystick. 

The move is toward wheel drive and handlebar steering.  MTD has a great implementation for that, simple but robust.  Within a few years all the other makers will be offering wheeldrive.   I would not hesitate about this machine other than shopping around for a sale on a different brand name but the same machine like might show up at Sears or Lowes.

What about the bending of the scoop corners?

From your description it would seem my local MTD dealer didn't detail that well when it was in for service.

The MTDs I found most interesting were the Cub Cadet 900 series (also sold as Sears Professional) that had 16" augers and impellers with the handlebar steering. However, they have the slow direct crank for shute rotation.

The 30" equal to the Troy-bilt is at Sears for $980: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07188830000P?vName=Gifts&cName=WinterReadiness&sName=Winter%20Storm%20Clean-up&sid=IDx20070921x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=07188830000P#reviewsWrap

There are 17 reviews on the page.

Could someone comment on this:

"We just got 8" of snow overnight so I got to put the new snowblower to the test. It did not take long to figure out that 8" of snow requires you to be in slow gear so that the snowthrower can keep up with that much snow coming in the huge front end. Fortunately, it has a really low 1st gear and did a great job!

Easy to manuever, although the triggers take a little while to get used to. Started on the first pull after pressing the primer bulb three times and using full choke. The chute control worked very well, without any binding or other hangups that plagued earlier models. The locking mechanism on the joystick is kind of a pain, but does work as intended.

I have a large driveway (150' x 14' plus two 40' x 40' pads) and it completed the task in just over an hour. The chute really directed the snow well and I estimate it shot the snow about 30'. I have a 6' high fence and the chute directed snow over the fence when only 3' to 4' away which really added to my options as to where to blow the snow."

>>What about the bending of the scoop corners?

Get your glasses prescription checked.   I use channel locks to bend them back and at least while there are here and in use I don’t drive into things.  That’s really all it takes. 

>>From your description it would seem my local MTD dealer didn't detail that well when it was in for service.

I buy quite a few machines from people and many that have had steady dealer service over time.  It’s a pity what dealers don’t do on their service.  Service is mostly a rip from what I’ve seen.  For a machine already in the shop, flipping it on it’s bucket, un-mounting the bottom cover and checking out the inside is not a big deal and something a dealer should do on a general service.  The auger lever return spring also works the break spring.  It’s right there when the bottom cover is off and easy to pull out.  The other spring on your machine is under the belt cover and takes about 30 seconds to get into the tensioner bracket hole.  The other hard part is taking out the two screws for the cover which is not so hard.    

Each year during the summer (minimum every second year) you should have flipped it up and poked around in there for PM and avoid dealer costs and down the road problems.  Had you ever checked or topped off the auger gearbox?

The MTDs I found most interesting were the Cub Cadet 900 series (also sold as Sears Professional) that had 16" augers and impellers with the handlebar steering. However, they have the slow direct crank for shute rotation.

What’s with the gripe about slow chute rotation, this and Honda?  It’s a snowblower and you only use it a few times a year.  Do you have some place where if you don’t change direction quickly you break several windows or can’t complete the job?  Do you tire easily after cranking the handle a few times?  This seems like small potatoes.  For me anyway I never used a dash mounted crank that was a problem regardless of turns.  I do a fair amount of chute control here by the way because of several preferences for where the snow goes.  Lots of turning the crank while moving.  I can’t deal with machines that have do not have one hand control.  One hand and side crank is a bit of a pain but number of turns is a zero issue. 

I've posted our functional requirements in two other threads. In this case it isn't throw distance it is wet, compacted, heavy snow. It has to put enough energy into it to discharge.  Another goal is getting though the EOD mound the plows leave which are regularly 3-4' tall.  Even in powder, the 10hp Tecumseh MTD struggled a bit; we could only use 1/2 to 2/3rds of the scoop width without it spilling over the sides.

I can straighten it; it shouldn't bend in the first place. I don't know the gage metal used in the different brands. However the bends and creases for rigidity look feeble on the MTD, much better on the Ariens and Deere/Simplicity.

Yes...there are several places it needs to change direction and deflection as it moves near the house, some plantings, and the cars. Had the crank like the 16" auger MTD and Hondas on the current model...it was always a pain.

It does seem that I should have learned how to maintain these things. I've been thinking of rebuilding the current one, but it would probably cost $200+ in parts, and since its my first go through some if it, I'm guessing 15-20 hours. It doesn't seem worth it. An equivalent one new is $800 (on sale at Lowes last year for $680). Instead we would like to address the capacity, heavy snow, manuverablity, and reliablity issues.

This page has reviews of a large MTD: http://www.mysears.com/Craftsman-Professional-12-hp-33-in-4-Cycle-Tecumseh-2-Stage-Snowthrower-reviews?tab=reviews

FYI, just got an ad today in the mail from Lowes: All Troy-Bilt snow throwers 15% off.  I don't know if this is local or nationwide.  Their website does not reflect this yet.  The ad says prices valid 10/7/10 thru 10/11/10 or while supplies last.  Makes that 3090 XP model $934.15 before tax.  (I do not work for Lowes or Troy-Bilt).  Figures... I just ordered an Ariens Platinum 24 earlier this morning!

Would the $165 have changed your decision? A way to ask that at what price would you chose the Troy-bilt over the Ariens?

Actually it might have.  After realizing that a 30" machine was really too big, I noticed that on both the Lowes and Troy-Bilt websites, for each machine you can click on  "view demo" where you get a pop-up that shows the features of the machine.  The Troy-Bilt 28" model looked to have almost all of the features of the 30" including "touch & turn power steering", and still has a 277cc engine.   After realizing that the discounted price on this unit was only going to be $764.15, I ran straight to Lowes to see if it was in stock.   Fortunately it was....unfortunately, it does NOT have the "touch & turn power steering" (dual trigger) like it's bigger 30" brother does (Troy-Bilt's misprint).  So yes I would have saved $440 dollars if I had picked it up instead of the Platinum 24, but the lack of steering (locked axle) was the dealbreaker....for me.  

We were out last March I stopped into a Lowes for some plumbing piece. They had the close out sales and that 28" was $680. We knew the unit had died in a big way after being weak all winter, and were tempted. That Lowes was a long way from us (beyond or at the edge of their shipping distance) and we hadn't done any homework. We didn't even know about the 30" model or have an idea of what our machine needed. We weren't expecting more snow; we were way wrong on that one.

Redoing our analysis, that is only considering 28-30" machines with some form of steering, the MTD is interesting. It is $1000 including delivery and drift bars from Sears. This compares to $1330 for an Ariens 30" Deluxe, $1550 for the Deere 1330SE, $1580 for the Cub Cadet 930SWE (16" auger/impelle, many turn chture crank, some online complaints of flimsy chute), $1630 for the Ariens 30" Platinum, $1680 for the 30" Simplicity, $1875 for the Sears Profsssional 33" (same as the Cub Cadet 900 but 33"), $1900 for the Husqvarna 16530EXL (with hydrostatic drive), $2020 for the Toro 1128OXE (drift 'breaker' is an expense $70). It is less than half the price of the Toro!

Of that group only MTD, Toro, and Husqvarna have left/right freewheel 'power steering'. The Deere has the intuitive, easy electric chute control, the MTD 30" and Toro have one lever chute control. Haven't tried them all for balance, or seen the Cub Cadet, Sears Professional, or Husqvarna. The Deere looks a bit more substantial (other than handlebar arms) than the Ariens, then the Toro, then the MTD. However, I have no way of determining which is the acceptable level of construction and which is overkill. Some posts indicate my complaints about my 14 yo MTD have since been corrected in the newer models. There are no complaints that I've found that the Toro or Ariens models are inadequately designed. So the Deere may be overkill. The Toro may suffer from 'over price', however, it may have the highest ease of use.

Net: the price gap from the discounted MTD to the next unit is large, to the Toro which has similar features it is huge, and its performance and reliablity may be adequate.

I looked at the MTD (the Sears, same as the Troy-bilt) today and at the Ariens Deluxe 30. $980 vs $1300 (really $1000 vs $1300 net of discounts and shipping).

The MTD had the features but was clearly poorer in implementation. I found at least one piece of questionable engineering (the MTD auger, another thread). They are using a full length skid shoe to reinforce a rather weak scoop edge.

Seeing the Ariens 5 minutes later at Home Depot, the difference in implementation--scoop, auger, impeller, chute, controls--was immediately apparent. Every thing was stronger, better finished, worked smoother. Home Depot had two 30" models on display.

IMHO, the Ariens was clearly worth the price differential.