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

Most sub $1000 snowblowers have 12" augers, usually with 12" impellers. Ariens has 14" augers and impellers on their Deluxe, Platinum, and Professional lines; Simplicity/Deere/Snapper have 14" augers on their large frame and professional models with 12" impellers, Toro has 14" augers with 12" impellers on their PowerMax series. Honda uses 14" augers on its larger models. MTD's Cub Cadet and Sears Professional lines have 16" augers and impellers.  However the Husqvarna Crown has 12" augers of a different design.

What is the advantage of a larger auger?

DavidNJ,

Have you tried researching the used market yet? I did, and it was VERY revealing. Here in Quebec at least, you'll lose very little if you're selling a hi-quality machine like a Honda or Yamaha. I'm seeing older 8hp/28" Yamahas selling for as much as $2k. and from what I understand, Yamaha has been out of the North American market since 1995. I'm seeing used Hondas from 2002, 2003, going for $2300. and more.  Why not look for a well-maintained older machine, and you'll have everything you've been looking for (hydrostatic / hi-speed impeller / durability / reliability / performance / good re-sale value). Use it for a few years, then flip it if you want a newer machine. You'll get back most of what you paid, and all the while, you'll be working with a top-notch machine.

How tough can a New Jersey winter be on a hi-quality used machine? We get an average 10.5' of snow annually, and those machines just keep on tickin'.

Steve_Cebu wrote:
He didn't want a Toro because they reinforced the load bearing parts, remember?

Silly Steve.

I just took a look at that thread DavidNJ posted over at the other site - man that guy could over think the construction of a toothpick! Can you imagine what it was like for him to buy a car or other big ticket item? He's trying to figure out what the next incarnation (2 - 3 years down the line!) of snowblower will have for features before he decides to keep the SnoTek he already bought or buy a different brand this season.

The guy could most likely get away with a nice single stage for 95% of the storms that come his way. Better not throw that one out there or he'll start a new decision tree/mathematical equation to figure how the snow will discharge from the inadequate chute design, poor tires, lack of drive unit, gauge steel/type of plastic used in the construction, handle location, number of chute rotations, etc...on & on & on & on & on & on....

The funny thing is that he is so fixated on hydrostatic transmission and bucket rise. Not once did he mention anything about technique until asked. The analysis and conclusion were way off. I'm sure glad this guy does not work on space program or designing real things that we all use.

I can see that even with a new snowblower he won't even learn how to use it effectively but instead he will pick on insignificant details. Like someone who bought a $3000 camera and $2000 lens just to take pictures of trees and branches flapping in the wind, only to criticize how the pixels aren't sharp and the color is off. For $5000 in equipment I would ask what was the outcome? Any spectacular keepers that you can put on a wall or sell?

Shryp wrote:

Geez I'd be surprised if he even consider a unibody vehicle a with adhesives and tack welds and plastic bumpers.

He fits the classic description of an "intelligent moron". Can solve any mathematical equation/problem thrown at him but can't figure out which end of the hammer is used to hit the nail. I've seen this time and again over the years and no matter what you say or do, they will always be "right".

Shryp wrote:

Yeah silly me.

Why reinforce something to make it stronger. That's just crazy talk.

FrankMA wrote:

I'm just glad he's not insulting on here any more. But yeah he'd probably be ok with a Toro single stage. I just don't see New Jersey getting all that blasted with snow like we do in upper New Hampshire. Ah well.

aa335 is right he's really not concerned with the outcome, he just gets bogged down with details. Most of these machines will throw snow pretty far and last a long time. He said I don't know how a snowblower works. Well it's true "I just drive them". But at least mine throws snow pretty darn well even if I don't know the impellar speeds or auger size.

My neighbor with a Toro 221Q single stage can cut through 2 foot high EOD pile faster than it takes DavidNJ to figure engine RPM, ground speed, bucket weight needed just to roll his snowblower out of the garage.  He would probably start these threads:

"How fast should a snowblower be traveling while taxiing out to the driveway?" 

or

"What is the optimal turn radius for reverse gear?"

or

"If there's a 60 mph headwind, how big should the snow chute deflector be?"

As an engineering manager I understand why he is the way he is.  Sometimes an engineer is not satisfied until they think something is perfect, or at least close to it.  And a snow thrower is just one of those toys that is not too big to analyze everything about it and see ways to improve it (in their mind at least).   That's why some of my engineers have trouble finishing a project...they don't want to release it until they've exhausted all ways to make it better.  I admit that he took some things way, way too far (measuring the  weight on each wheel with a bathroom scale?), but he did inspire some beneficial technological discussion in the process.  It did get out of hand at the end though.  I can relate somewhat because as soon as I took delivery of my Ariens Platinum 24, I immediately went to town making various improvements to the machine.  As delivered, I was not really happy with it, but now the thing is much more solid, mechanicals function smooth as silk, and little things that could have become problems down the line have been modified up front to avoid them.  It's a fun project, taking a machine and making it better.   I just think he would have been better off designing and building a machine for himself...that's the only way he might have been happy.