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

I'm considering buying a used (Honda HS1132 or HS928) snowblower--track version.  Need to blow deep, wet "Sierra cement" snow and have a steep driveway and a few hundred feet of private road to clear.

There are several relatively new-looking used units advertised locally.  They're not cheap, but a lot cheaper than new.  Before plunking down big bucks, I'm wondering if there are any key indicators of the condition of a snowblower  that I can easily check.

Beyond obvious things like starting the snowblower, checking how smoothly the engine runs, and engaging the tracks and auger, what other items can and should one check if its not possible to have an expert check it out for me?    How much wear is acceptable on the auger, impeller, housing, and tracks?  Do the engines smoke upon start-up? 

Thanks for any hints from the gurus.

Here is a great general guide.
http://www.kedawei.com/snowblower.htm

And here is a direct link to the used guide.
http://www.kedawei.com/Snowblower/kicking_the_tires.htm

"Do the engines smoke upon start-up?"

If the choke is on, yes, even a brand new one off the truck. I would expect the honda engine to start with no more than 2 pulls from dead cold, regardless of temperature (choke on). I would expect the engine only to need the choke for <1 minute, and then run smoothly as you throttle up and down. There should be little or no play in the auger or impeller. The transmission should work smoothly with no hesitation or slippage.

I would look for some indication of maintenance; if the snowblower looks well taken care of, I think its a good sign. If it looks beat up, or rusted, that's a good sign that it was left outside for extended period (which is a bad thing).

You won't be able to tell much from looking at the oil, if the oil is low, that's a bad sign, since the engine generally doesn't use any oil even if the oil is in there for a season.

All controls should work smoothly without sticking.

All general, basic stuff.

Both machines are excellent choices.  Can't go wrong with either.  I have a three year old Honda 928 (wheeled version) and it's performed flawlessly with nothing more than fuel stabilizer and frequent oil changes.  

Just an FYI.  Honda issued a recall this past December on several 724, 928, and 1132 snowblowers.  Here's the link breaking down the serial numbers in question.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11082.html

Nothing major, just a gas tank gasket issue.  If you end up buying a used machine, just check with the previous owner to confirm if the recall was performed. 

OPE that's been neglected (rusty, beat-up, left outside) is usually enough for me to not consider the purchase. If you can't store the equipment properly, then you most likely don't maintain it properly either - just my opinion and observation.