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

Track snowblowers are a bear to push when the engine is off.  The honda I just bought is very difficult to push in just a straight line (After DIS-engaging the Transmission -Or You can Do Severe Damage).  I simply tipped it up in front, slipped a 'Creeper' (those things you lay down on with wheels under them so you can slide under the car to work on it) under it, tilted it forward so the tracks rest on the frame of the creeper, and now I can easily roll the machine any where I want with very little effort. I've even decided to fasten a piece of 2 ft X 4 Ft Plywood (1/2" or heavier) so it doesn't have to be aimed so precisely when doing this.   It has the advantage of being able to move the entire snowblower in any direction, even sideways when desired.  The Creeper I used was a Free bonus when I bought a floor jack from Summit Racing some years back, and I rarely ever used it.

Coldfingers, "I have an ariens track drive snowblower."

Have you used it?   If yes, what is it like?  I have not seen one in action yet.  I wondered of they are any more difficult or easy to use than a Honda. 

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On the party side if you want to join me and Frank come on over with your machine.  Bring your dolly.  You're probably an interesting guy. I've never heard of a dolly guy with an orange machine.  It takes all kinds.  I thought it was only a Honda red machine thing.  No big deal though.  Everyones welcome at the garage, no descrimination.  Well......., it would be hard to imagine a John Deere dolly guy at the garage. 

Frank's dolly has a thing for his Honda so it's sort of a triangle affair.  It's not so strange.  There's a lot that has been published American Psychoananylists Journal and The US OPE  Journal about these relationships.  We can talk about these things at the party.   You got a white painted area in the garage? 

Here's Linda. Beautiful and race ready.

Made of rare 1 x 8 rare American Elm supports and top platform of three quarter Furnature Quality German old growth Birch. Six casters of Swedish Steel with ball bearings for zero or hair pin turning. The casters can individualy retract or expand on commands from a remote wireless hand set to adjust platform roll, yaw and pitch in any attitude for heights between1 and 6 inches. Loading is very easy from any side.

The Stealth Black top finish is Brittish Coach Varinish impregnated with titanium for wear. It also has a hand rubbed on magnitized top treatment of clear anti-static compounds that repell dust and dirt about 4 feet. It's a great feature to alleviate fears of dust contamination on a clean machine.

It folds in two directions for easy storage to a square of 10 inches and light at 4 pounds. For long term storage the tires can self deflated on command from the hand set but refill has to be done by hand due to no air lines running to the micro valves yet. I've got the compressor mounted in the Elm supports but still waiting for the air line to come in from Lincoln Labs NASA division. Linda is in daily use so no problem with the air but I'd like to get this project finished. If anyone wants some blue prints email me and I'll get them right out.

Yeah..... That Linda looks like one sweet ride.

Six casters?


Didn't know what to do with the other two huh?   It would be easier to maneuver with just four wouldn't it?   That thing seems to be pretty stout.  I doubt that there would be to much center deflection, particularly if the load is distributed closer to the corners. 

I love the snowblower, a tad tired and worn, but I never knew that Snapper Snowblowers had relations with John Deere Snowblowers, as this one is obviously the bstd. child of such a forbidden union.  Is there a track snowblower somehwere we can't see, a third point perhaps in this triangle, one that gets together with dolly  ? 

Excerpt from the Trouts Frankenblower Chronicles:


Trouts cranks furiously as he  frantically fastens down the remaining screws to complete his latest "Frankenblower".  

Sweating, trembling, he cautiously rolls the creation through the threshold of the shed door to the brightness of the revealing mid day sun.  He stands, pauses and lovingly gazes at the black, red, yellow and green hues of his latest family member.   Slowly, he reaches for the plastic handle of the pull start.  Quivering in anticipation, his sweaty fingers and palm firmly clasp the smooth cool ring.  His senses are overwhelmed  as he wafts in the sharp fumes of gasoline, the sweet aroma of white lithium grease and the pungent odour of gear oil.  In a low voice he proclaims: "I name thee Lucile."  With a banzai scream he cries out "Come to life my darling Lucile!" and pulls with all his strength.  The machine coughs, sputters, coughs again then roars to life.  "It's alive!  It's alive! he wails, as a large, oily tear rolls down his cheek. 

>>> Was tired and worn.  <<<

It's a sweetheart picked up for $30 and gone through.   It was in commercial service and did not see a lot of maintenance.   It received about 150-200 in parts and at least 10 hours of prep and paint work.  Dual night lights, huge tires, 10hp, 30 inch bucket and in fine shape waiting for snow.  I think it's pretty easy to tell I've too much time on my hands waiting for snow.

That model is a tiger but came with a very short chute.  The Deere bolted right on and the crank teeth a match that gives a good improvement in distance.  I've got the remote hood control but it never got installed.  It would be a nice touch but I am saving the cable for a future repair.  It's $110 for a replacement cable and I put enough into the Snapper already.

Six casters.  The dolley was built for a 650 pound military WWII radio transmitter in the cellar, here during my ham phase.  It now see's service as a dead blower carrier, things with locked gears or big buckets too heavy to lug around.  It's big and a pain in the a$$ to store but useful at carting stuff.  I'd use it more but my garage has uneven wood boards.  The driveway has many mounds and cracks which make it tough to roll with a load but sometimes worth the agrivation with heavy stuff.  

I've got a hydralic table on casters for most carting around of stuff but the dolly is good for big awkward things.  The dolly generally does not cart working tracked guys like Honda and Yamaha.  The get moved mostly without power by tipping them way back to ride on the back of the wheels.  MTD's and Yamaha's are fairly easy to move without power but not Hondas are tough.  I only do short moves here so no big deal.  It would be more effort to dig out the dolly. 

>>Is there a track snowblower somehwere we can't see, a third point perhaps in this triangle, one that gets together with dolly  ?

I'd have to confess, if I had a Honda and a big garage with a flat cement floor it would have a perminant relationship Linda. 

Borat: "It's alive!  It's alive! he wails, as a large, oily tear rolls down his cheek. 

Pretty darn close.  It's a rush to have them fire up and toss like a new machine, even a 6.5hp.  I've got a big wheeled Ariens 1128 that's been around for two years waiting for the right motor.   I've got an 8 and 10hp here both with great compression but it woud be a waste of a nice body to plant one of those.   

I use my son's skateboard with my Honda HS928TAS. I lift the handle bars to elevate the tracks while shoving the skateboard underneath the middle with my foot. Then let it down. It becomes wobbly and unstable but it's easily controlled and maneuvered. Can be rested a bit off-kilter with one track or the auger housing on the ground. I remove the skateboard when I have the machine where I want it. This is a good approach because it works with something many people already have in the garage, and you don't have to buy or make anything. PS - my first post on this b-board.

DIYer wrote:
Snowmobile dollies would work good as well.