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

I moved to a new house, top of a hill, with farm land across from my driveway.

This is our second winter, and my MTD is not up to the task of clearing the packed snow that blows into my yard, sometimes daily.

I have been looking for a couple weeks, and had made up my mind to get the Honda. I had been to the Yamaha dealer previously, but they were not willing to deal.

Well today a new twist, I went back to Yamaha, and was offered the YS928J for the same price as the HS928TC.

Specs are very similar, with some different features. The Honda has full Joystick control on the chute, and is 100 lbs lighter.

The Yamaha has plastic coated chute, manual up/down. Has no shear pins, which may be a bonus, if the 'Shock Protection' works correctly. Also the Yamaha is quiter.

I have been reviewing this site, however, there is limited information on the Yamahas, likely because they just came back to Canada in 2009 (15 year Hiatus) and I am not sure if they are available in the U.S.

Has anyone out there used these models? Can you offer an Opinion?

Before you buy either, you should take them out for a test run.  Track machines can be a bit onerous to use.   Particularly if you're used to a wheeled machine. 

Personally, I wouldn't spend that kind of money for either of those machines.  You can get excellent snow blowers from Ariens, Simplicity/Snapper/John Deer and Toro for a fraction of the cost.  You'll also probably find them much easier to use and live with when not in use.

borat wrote:

Agreed I'll stack my Toro 1028 up against a Honda 928 or any other consumer 28" snowblower. I'm sure Ariens and Simplicity will throw the snow just as far as my Toro and the Honda. But Honda doesn't have a quick chute, a plastic chute and twin trigger steering and an auger that recycles the snow. Honda doesn't even give you a light, until you buy an 1132.

" Honda doesn't even give you a light, until you buy an 1132."

If that gas leak sparks up, you'll have plenty of light.

borat wrote:
I can see that the opportunists will have some fun with this for a while. 

I guess I wont need the electric start or even pulling my engine to start.  Just park it outside, throw down a match, and let the snow melt.  :)

Oh wait, my 1132 isnt affected by the recall. 

Easy now aa335....

Just making "light" of the situation. 

Don't forget that B&S had a major engine recall back around '06-'07 for a fire hazard with their engines.   The dealer had to fix the engine on my Simplicity prior to me picking it up.

borat wrote:
Hey, I know what you mean.  No offense taken here.  I'm sure I won't be quiet if my machine will be out of commission for 3 weeks because of a recall.

It's just there are those who resort to "kick them while they're down" attitude. 

When I bought my HS928, I did not get much but got a full tank of gas and 1 QT of no-brand 5W-30 motor oil, which I replaced after 3-5 hours of use.  Maybe, Canada is better.

Yes the Yamaha weight is both a pro and a con. The dealer will have one in next week to take for a test drive.

I have 2 thoughts on this,      1) the extra weight will make it more difficult to manouver

                                                    2)the extra weight might help it stay down and eat through the hard packed drifts that my current MTD likes to rides up, or stop and spin wheels.

My driveways is 25 feets by 75 feet, last 50 feet is gravel. I am tired of pushing my snowblower through the hard packed snow, this is why I am looking for tracks. Most of my neighbors have wheel drive blowers, various modles, and face the same issues out here. When you wake up in the morning with 3 feet or more of hard packed snow, you need a bobcat, or something that can really push and eat its way through.

My wife likes the Hydrostatic transmission, which has brought us to these models.

As for the Honda, it does come with a light, and nicely featured. I have heard complaints though, about shear pins breaking to easy.

The Yamaha does not use shear pins, does anyone know about this 'Shock Protection' technology???

The dealer at Honda claims he has an 80 year old lady who can use the Honda, all about turning under power, etc???

My wife was able to manouver the Honda, she is 125 lbs, but she can not try the Yamaha till next week.

I weigh 125LB on a good day and have no issue with HS928WAS (wheel version).  I think the track is better on traction but I stayed away from track as it looked a bit complicated.  I am not sure how hydrostatic works (sounds like using fluid to manage propulsion) but I was not too crazy about it.  My Honda lawnmower is a belt driven and not a hydrostatic version.  The belt is really easy to change.  I really like simple and clean design like the Honda and see how does the hydrostatic works out.  Friction disk does not sound that complicated and looks like it is a reasonable fix.

My wife actually commented that the Honda was the same to turn as the MTD, but then she may not have been turning the MTD correctly, :-) I was not home.

I had the MTD for 13 years now, has served me well, in the city. Out here though, it is a task to push, lean, wiggle and fight with it to get through the packed snow.

I could put chains on it, but did not want to chew up the new exposed driveway.

When I buy a new blower, my Dad will inherit the MTD, he wants a used 2 stage for sidewalk and driveway. Also, chains would not solve the riding up problems. Both Honda and Yamaha have the tiltable auger, and can be set to dig down as they push forward, I would need to test this feature, but I have read several post here that confirm this action.

The hydrostatic is basically an oil pump, run by the engine, the oil flow is used to turn a motor attached to the drive. You use a single lever to change the flow, for direction, or amount of flow, for speed.

I have researched hydrostatic drives, and they seem very durable and reliable. I do wonder if the lines would pose an issue for leakage, etc, with age, but could not find any complaints.

What I can not find information on, is what Yamaha is doing in the Gear Case, to allow for the removal of shear pins???