New Yorker: Start a place where you'll hopefully update your experience with your new Honda.
New Yorker: >>Sorry but 'overdriving' is impossible. The machine was never out of its lowest speed position, and even that was unable to push the auger into the snow pile without me pushing it as well. The Friction wheel rubber slipped, either because it was worn or the drive plate was worn smooth. That is why I got rid of the machine and bought the Honda. I'll have to use my strength to turn the Honda, the old Craftsman-MTD had steering triggers, but that is far easier than providing the forward movement of the machine. If I bought a 'Friction Wheel' machine I'd never buy one with tracks again. the Tires have a chance of slipping when they can't move forward, the track machine simply makes the friction wheel slip.
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From the reading of the last post and given your many replacements of the friction disk it seems you were overdriving the machine. At least from my reading. You may not think so and expect that the MTD should have handled the way you were using it. Many friction disks later would suggest you expected too much from the machine.
You mentioned wheel slipping versus the good bite of the track. That’s what tracks do so something has to give when it can’t move forward and that’s the friction disk slipping. If you dig in hard enough to have the wheels slipping often that will also be very tough on the friction disk.
Your summary of all this is the friction disk did not match up to your expectations and a poor design for your use. A few on the forum think differently but it was your machine and you were springing for the disks. Case closed, you got a Honda.
Since you have a great deal of experience with the MTD and now have a Honda I’d be very interested in your comparison between the two after you get some use with the Honda. Please post what you experience is after a few outings with the Honda.
The MTD was probably an 8 or 10hp and the Honda 9. The MTD was well worn and you had an attitude against which may color your evaluation. The Honda will be new and have full compression and a great tossing machine. But if you can remember the MTD as when it was new and in peak condition and evaluate that to the new Honda that would be interesting.
I’ve used a Honda 828 track and it was a fantastic machine. I drove it into high hard pack and it got stymied just like other US 9’s and 10’s I drove into the same pile. For most of your wet EOD it will probably be a big advantage over the MTD and have very little problem. Anyway, keep in mind that a few of us would like to know how the two compare.
