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?

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. 

Steve_Cebu wrote:
Well, because the reinforcement adds about .3 pounds of weight to the bucket to keep the nose down, and you can spin that impeller 1 RPM faster.  What's wrong with you?  Can't you read?

Peogeot figured how to keep the nose of the car down by dangling a 1 pound carrot 3 feet in front of the driver and they now dominate WRC but can't sell a single car in the US.  Meanwhile Subaru WRX is no longer in the race because they should really be focusing on selling cars.  My decision tree tells me that I should buy the Husqvarna hydrostatic snowblower because no one know how well a ribbon auger works and dealers don't stock it.

Steve, I'm really joking so don't be offended.  Sometimes its hard to decipher over the internet.

slinger wrote:

Having worked with a variety of engineers over many years. I apparantly haven't known any to be as bad as what I saw that guy do. But I do agree some of them get really boggged down in the details and that can screw up a project. However like you have pointed out he should have bought something close to what he wanted and then modified it to his own liking. That would have been an optimal solution.

aa335 wrote:

Yeah, I know you're joking and it's quite funny actually.

I had stated to him many times that you buy a snowblower to blow snow. All those details aren't all that important. Because there are far too many unknown variables between machines.

But I thought Ford with it's 300HP Focus (Europe only) was the dominator in WRC? It changes every year. Even Ken Brock doesn't drive a Subie any more. maybe if it had a hydrostatic ribbon auger it would do better.

Steve_Cebu wrote:

Not a chance, unless it you bolt on the Turbo Encabulator, Spastic Sigmoid Resonator, 175# on the Snowflakka Scoopula, and Seismic Detonator Diffuser.

aa335 wrote:

Oh well, sure if you add THOSE to it of course it would be awesome. Don't forget a V8 engine preferably a 426 Hemi Crate motor just to get a wee bit extra throwing distance.

Like this one for example

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2009/01/21/v8-snowblower-can-probably-plow-through-cars-too/

Well, that pretty much answers the question:  "How big should it be?"

What a beast!  Unfortunately we now have been told that our snow throwers are "boring"...  The only question left is: How much of the V8 blower's 800 lb weight is on the left track and how much is on the right one?

That all depends if the "loose nut" is on the right side or left side of the engine.  Is that uphill or downhill?  What is the phase of the moon and Obama's approval rating?  Price of crude oil and Apple Ipad profit margin?

In any case, we're going to need a bigger bathroom scale.  Do you want the answer in a table form or 500-page dissertation of the Kennedy conspiracy?