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

Really these units are similar, but if you ask a dealer you'd think they were exact opposites.  Never used a lever traction system like the Toro, but did briefly try the auto trac on the Ariens.  I live 1/2 hr from Brillion WI and really do feel an attraction to Ariens, but that is another issue... Help me out guys!  I'll be pissed if I choose wrong.  Price is the same.

Well, I need to add my $.02 since I just took delivery of an Ariens Platinum 24 a few days ago.  Purchased online through HD, and set up and delivered by an Ariens dealer who is 80 miles away.  Obviously I can't comment on snow throwing ability yet this year but some things I have noticed:  The AutoLok steering seems to work fine on dry pavement, however I did notice a strange "shift" in one of the turns I made.   Now that this year's Toro 826 OXE has the freewheel steering, it's a tough call to say which is better.  The handling/balance between both machines is no issue for me.  I think the Ariens Quick chute mechanism is a bit clunky and sloppy feeling.  I am using it correctly but it's still nowhere close to the smooth convenience of the Toro joystick.  I don't know that either one is going to last any longer than the other because while the Toro is plastic, the Ariens design looks questionable.  I would be surprised if the design does not get changed or refined in the coming years.  The Ariens' separate control for deflector angle (which hung up on delivery) is less convenient than the joystick as well.  The Ariens overall seems to be a bit beefier in some areas, but the Toro uses reinforcing brackets on it's impellers and bucket to strengthen it up. The Ariens' Briggs 249cc engine may have ball bearing crank journals as opposed to sleeve bearing on it's competitors, but the damn engine backfires every time you turn the throttle down, unless you move the lever at a snail's pace (this is #%& annoying!).  This cannot be good over the long term for the head gasket.  Other than that the construction is decent except that Ariens uses control rods with hairpin cotter pins everywhere, and there are no flat washers between the pins and the control arms...cheap.  Also much of the linkage was not lubricated, the bucket had chipped paint and some bolts for the shift linkage were loose.  The bolts that hold the chute mounting rod (1" square steel tubing)  were tightened so as to crush the tubing.  The skid mounting bolts were tightened enough to bend the washers there into serious "u" shapes.  I am going to call Ariens today to see what they have to say about all of this (good luck, right?)

Ariens has a lot of folks dealers and owners alike both pushing their lineup. Every dealer pushes Ariens hard, I mean it's crazy how hard they push it but if they sell Simplicity and Toro you don't hear about those makes. They always try and steer you to Ariens. Now Ariens might make a decent machine but I dislike it when they try and steer me like a cow to the slaughter. I'm very happy I got the Toro. I did sort of wear down the skid shoes last year and after this year I'll probably have to buy another set. But the driveway has to be down to bare tar so that's the price I pay I guess.

I hope it all works out with your Ariens but it sounds like you're having buyers remorse. I had that with my Honda 928TAS, wife couldn't steer it either. So I lost a few bucks on the return and got the Toro 1028. Since yours is still new and Home Depot has a great return policy if you decide to return it and get a Toro you probably would be able to.

slinger: If you're not happy now, after just purchasing a new toy like that, you never will be. Steve_Cebu is correct - take it back and get the Toro or whatever brand that makes you happy. You're going to own this for a long time so you might as well spend a few extra dollars to enjoy using your equipment. Sounds like the QC department was sleeping the day the one you purchased rolled off the production floor.

Ariens has offered to send me a new chute pedestal (support rod) and some Ariens orange touch-up paint for the chips, but told me I would have to talk to Briggs about the backfiring engine.  It seems this is a common enough event that Briggs has adddressed it in one of their FAQs.  They say that it will NOT hurt the engine.  There is supposedly no adjustment screw for the carb...just a fixed jet.  The throttle should run at full speed during normal operation.  Any throttling down must be done verrrry slowly in order to avoid the backfiring issue.  They don't say why it is that way though.  The engine runs fine at speed...just don't shut off the key from full throttle & reduce throttle really slowly.  Have any of you Toro owners experienced this backfiring issue with your Briggs snow series motors? 

slinger wrote:

My Toro 1028 does not backfire when I OFF the throttle. I just push the lever all teh way left and it rumbles dead quickly. One pull to start it up again. I have a Briggs engine not sure of the exact size because it's being serviced right now. But mine for certain does not backfire. It sounds like you got a lemon.

Slinger,

So how did you make out with the Ariens? I just purchased a Deluxe 28 with the 250cc briggs motor and it does the same damn thing! I very much do not car for the backfiring. I don't think it is good for the engine or my ears. Have you pursued Briggs or HD any farther to see whether you should get a new motor or did you return your machine?
I am really considering returning the machine and probably getting the deluxe 30, the platinum 28, or possible a john deere. (i'm dealing at my local john deere)
Looking forward to hearing from you.
thanks

slinger wrote:

I think that your dealer is to blame for that one, not the Ariens factory. I had to put that piece on in the assembly of my boxed Deluxe 28.

NotMoneyGuy,

Your signature says you own a Dulex 28, does your machine backfire when you idle down from operating speed?

mmr_tiggy wrote:

It has done it once or twice. I will try to slowly turn down the speed as mentioned above.

Edit: Here is a B&S FAQ link.

Slinger-

Backfiring is caused by the winter fuel and the overlean fixed jet that the govt. requires in today's standards. In the motorcycle community when Harley was using the fixed jet Kehin carbs on the Evo Block ead engines in the early 80's it was standard practice to use a carburetor jetting ream in order to richen the mixture and the backfire and blueing of the exhaust pipes diminished. Harley eventually went to computer controlled fuel injection which is not an option for us.

On blowers as the engine breaks in the problem will diminish a little  but it is something we have to learn to live with.You certainly haven't gotten a "lemon" and will enjoy good service from your machine.

Just a point of interest- When the ope engine manufacturers were first forced to go to fixed jets by the govt. many of us who bought Tecumseh powered units spent the $80 for the old style adjustable jet carb which were still available for the snow engines and the lean run issues went away. Since Briggs had been out of the snow market for about 30 years the new design they introduced for blowers had a new carb with no old ajustable variant available that would fit. The result  is if you got a Briggs you just have to deal with those issues. Interestingly some Briggs owners will report none of these issues with their fixed jet units. This can be explained by the gas available where they live and the altitude at which the engine performs . Honda's don't experience this problem because they manufacture their carbs with several sized fixed jets available.They usually match the engines to the area in which they are sold. I have a pressure washer with a GX Honda that I boought off the net(not from a local dealer).It back fired like crazy until I got my hands on a high altitude jet (rich mixture)and then the problem went away.

Marc