I was at a local Honda dealer yesterday and I was stunned by the prices on their snowblowers. In Canadian dollars, they were: 928 wheels: $3000 928 track: $3400 724 track: $3400 1132 track: $3500 I know they have tracks, hydro tranny, honda engines, etc. but they're at least $1000-1500 more than equivalent toro and ariens models. Is it gold, they re making?

You have to look at the full product line of snowblowers available outside of North America and compare. Honda looks shabby because HoA chose to decaffeinate products sold in US.

" very unreliable friction wheel system"

More "fiction" about friction.

You have repeatedly mentioned your problem with your machine.  From information you provided it would appear that abuse of the machine was more likely the cause of your failed friction disk system. 

Your experience is not representative of the many millions of friction disk system currently in circulation. 

I know numerous people who own nothing but snow throwers with friction disk systems.  Many of these machines are going on twenty years old (some older)  and the friction drive systems are working fine.  Other aspects of their machines may be failing but not the wheel drive systems. 

One rather poor example of a failed friction disk does not warrant condemnation of a drive system that has proven very robust, reliable, inexpensive and easy to repair, even on the lowest cost machines. 

You're discrediting yourself ever time you make such unfounded statements concerning the reliability/functionality of disk drive systems. 

If that's the only purpose you switched to a Honda, you did so for the wrong reason.

I have had some Ariens machines from as far back as the 60s with the original friction wheel and still worked 100%  Very good system if done right.  I have a newer Ariens at work first year of the Briggs motor and the drive slips as soon as powder snow melts and gets in. Bad engineering.   I own several machines including Ariens, Toro, Honda and they all are great machines.

 While I really like my Honda machines and they tend to throw snow like nothing else I have used I must say I do not see them as built heavy duty like a commercial duty machine should be.  The metal on the bucket is thin. The gear case is aluminum, Thats not a bad thing but cast seems to be stronger.  Hondas are very basic but a system that is tried and true.  My Ariens dle has much heavier metal and a cast gear box.  The drive system in my Ariens "friction wheel type" Is flawless. 

I do like my Honda Hydrostatic drive.  You get what you pay for. While Honda machines are more expensive they are great machines. 

Knee_Biter wrote:

Having just had to drill through the Honda HS 928TAS Auger Housing to mount the Commercial Skid Shoes, I can attest that the guage of the Honda Machines Sheet metal is as good as any snowblower out there and heavier than most. So I feel the extra cost for the machine holds up in its construction at least.  The test of the paint will take some time, but the cheapo MTD - Craftsman machine was loosing huge sheets of paint in its first year, so it will undoubtedly be an improvement over that.  The big commercial Ariens I had before that was primed and painted in the Pre-VOC worry Era, so its paint was intact with a little spot rust showing through earlier this year when my sister, who got it from me, gave it away.  The powder coat was the stuff that failed on the MTD-Sears machine.

The Honda transmission will be a welcome improvement over the maintenance heavy, unreliable friction wheel of yesteryear, and the cast aluminum Hydrostatic Transmission casing won't rust out the way a cast iron case would, so I don't see that as a problem.  Besides the lighter weight case works for me, the machine already weighs over 200# already.  I agree that quality is worth the extra money.  I tend to take excellent care of my machines, which explains how the MTD - Craftsman cheapo managed to still work after 14 years, but i'm not into all that maintenance and the questionable capability of the old friction wheel gizmo.  If I had only light powdery snow it'd probably go unnoticed, but where I live the snow is always heavy, wet, and sticky so I need the more capable drive system.  Like you I feel the Honda's are great machines, well worth the added cost.

Has anyone seen the new Yamaha's close up? IMO they visually appear more stout than the Hondas. Of course I'd have to drive up to BC to buy one but that isn't that far from me. I was trying to see if their axle was locked like the Hondas or if they had some form of steering on the lower end models. I'll look around... I think there may have been some discussion last year on them,

I haven't seen one up close yet but from the information available, they look like very serious machines.  They actually make the Honda look insignificant by comparison. 

This is the baby I'd buy.

		Price Tag $3,999  msrp*
Overview Technical Details Features Accessories and Apparel Gallery and Media Payment Estimator Extended Warranty Select Model YT624E YT624EDJ YS928J YT1232ED	Clearing Width 71.5cm (28 in) Housing Height 51.0cm (20 in) Blowing Capacity 50 tons/hr Maximum Blowing Distance 16m (52 ft) Axle Rubber track Transmission Hydrostatic Speeds Infinitely variable Ground Speed (km/h) Forward: 0 ~ 3.2 Reverse: 0 ~ 2.4 Type Dual stage with "Shock Protector" Diameter 350mm (13.8in) Drive Electromagnetic Height Adjustment Gas assist Rotation Electric Deflection Manual, two-step (remote lever) Turning Radius 220º Chute Material Steel with inside plastic liner Model MZ250E Type 4-stroke air-cooled, OHV, single cylinder Displacement 251cc Maximum Horsepower 8.5 hp Starting System Electric 12VDC battery type (std) Ignition T.C.I. Recommended Fuel Regular unleaded gasoline (PON 87) Recommended Engine Oil Yamalube 5W30 Fuel Tank Capacity (L) 6.7 litres Engine Oil Capacity 1.1 litre Wet Weight 169kg (373 lb) L x W x H mm (in) 155.8 x 73.0 x 110.5cm (61.3 x 28.7 x 43.5 in) Private Use† 2-year, limited. Commercial Use† 1-year, limited.

I noticed that some of these Yamaha models have plastic liners in the chute and even the impeller housing!  

I put a plastic liner in my Simplicity chute when I bought it new in 2007 and it's been working great.  Never get snow sticking to it and it's wearing very well.  It looks like it's good for ten years at least, if not more.  I'm going to have to take a look at lining the impeller housing with the same stuff.  That however, will be much more critical and likely difficult.  That's the last place you want to wad up a sheet of tough plastic.

borat wrote:
I was tempted to line my chute with this slippery plastic too.  However, the only time I notice snow sticking is when I stop blowing.  Otherwise, there's enough velocity and distance in stock form to move the sticky snow from the chute.

Anyways, it must have some performance improvement since Toro 2 stage unit has the plastic chute and impeller housing.  That Powermax housing must be non-stick for it to work.

What kind of plastic did you use for your liner?

borat wrote:

I used a piece of Wacky Karpet/Krazy Carpet or some goofy name like that. 

It's a piece of plastic that textured on the back and very slick on the bottom.  It's a kid's toy used for sliding down hills in the winter.  Cost about $8.00 and can be found at places like Walmart and Canadian Tire.  Possibly elsewhere that winter outdoor sleds/toys are sold.  It's tough stuff and easy to work with.

I didn't line my chute to improve snow throwing distance, although, I'm pretty sure it does.  I lined the chute to keep winter control material (gravel/sand/salt) etc. from stripping the paint.  It's a bit of a job to measure, cut and install, but once it's done, it will last a long time.  If a second liner ever needs to be made/installed, it will be much easier to do because the first liner can be used as a template.   I also added a thin piece of stainless steel plate to protect the deflector.