Abby’s Guide > Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) > Discussions > Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions |
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epremack
Joined: Feb 24, 2011
Points: 8
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Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Original Message Aug 26, 2011 11:19 am |
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I've been planning to buy a Honda snowblower this fall from my local dealer. Had my eyes on the 928TA model which I've used in the past and have found quite good.
He said he's going to start carrying Husqvarna too, noting that its 1830EXLT model has track drive, hydrostatic transmission, and an 18 lb-ft motor (Snow King), and is a lot cheaper than the Honda.
He also noted that Honda has upgraded the motor for its 30-inch blower to its GX 390, but tells me this one is much harder to handle than the 928.
Anyone familiar with this Husky or the upgraded Honda?
I need to be able to reliably blow out a steep, 100-foot drive. Where I live, we measure our wet, heavy snow ("Sierra Cement") by the foot, not the inch.
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aa335
 
Joined: Nov 29, 2008
Points: 2434
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Re: Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Reply #3 Aug 30, 2011 5:14 pm |
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Interesting upgrade from Honda, from 337cc to 389cc. Perhaps the GX390 shares the same block with the GX340 and has been updated to get more power, less emission, and higher fuel economy. I doubt the engine will weigh significantly more to matter to the operator. When you have to wrestle the weight and will of an elephant, how worse can it get with a few pigs on top? The new model HS1332 also sports reversible skid shoes (read cheaper and less durable than the commercial skid shoes). This means that no more rear of bucket skids shoes just in front of the tracks. Also, new HS1332 also comes factory installed with a carb icing kit ($2 USD plastic flappy doodad, containing my excitement!) that should have been on all older HS1132. Not that the flappy dillywack matters to me, I've never had any carb icing problems in my locale. I guess Honda will not do anything significant to challenge Yamaha until it is sold in the US. *SIGH* All I really ask for is a HS928TCD to be sold in the US, priced $800 above comparable domestic branded but made elsewhere American iron. The HS1332 is great for throwing snow, being biggest and baddest in the lineup to humble the neighbors, but the HS928TCD is what most homeowners need. Who's running Honda snowblower marketing department?
This message was modified Aug 30, 2011 by aa335
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royster
" It is the use of power tools that separates man from animals"
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: Feb 11, 2011
Points: 284
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Re: Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Reply #4 Mar 24, 2012 5:32 pm |
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Husqvarna snowblowers are one of the the best snowblowers . They have all of the features , hydrostatic drive, power steering, heated grips , good separate solid controls for the shute and deflector , Most models have Briggs and Stratton engines, also the new Snow King engines are available if that is your preference. Tracks or wheel .They are quality built in the USA.
This message was modified Mar 24, 2012 by royster
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borat
Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692
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Re: Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Reply #5 Mar 24, 2012 7:11 pm |
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Husqvarna snowblowers are one of the the best snowblowers . They have all of the features , hydrostatic drive, power steering, heated grips , good separate solid controls for the shute and deflector , Most models have Briggs and Stratton engines, also the new Snow King engines are available if that is your preference. Tracks or wheel .They are quality built in the USA. Doo-dads and tinsel don't necessarily make a good snow blower. To claim that a Husqvarna is "one of the best" is a bit of a stretch. Might be a reasonable value but, in reality, it's pretty much a gussied up Craftsman. I wouldn't compare it to a Honda nor a Yamaha by any means.
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royster
" It is the use of power tools that separates man from animals"
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: Feb 11, 2011
Points: 284
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Re: Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Reply #6 Mar 25, 2012 7:09 pm |
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Doo-dads and tinsel don't necessarily make a good snow blower. To claim that a Husqvarna is "one of the best" is a bit of a stretch. Might be a reasonable value but, in reality, it's pretty much a gussied up Craftsman. I wouldn't compare it to a Honda nor a Yamaha by any means.
A gussied up Craftsman, what a strange remark from someone that should know better. Husqvarna is the Manufacturer , not Craftsman.
Over the years, some Craftsman models were (are) built by Husqvarna, and some of them were very similar to comparable models in the Husqvarna line. Husqvarna has 38 production facilities around the world , 3 manufacturing plants in the USA , including their US headquarters in Orangeburg , SC . Their head office is in Sweden.
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borat
Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692
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Re: Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Reply #7 Mar 25, 2012 8:01 pm |
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A gussied up Craftsman, what a strange remark from someone that should know better. Husqvarna is the Manufacturer , not Craftsman. Over the years, some Craftsman models were (are) built by Husqvarna, and some of them were very similar to comparable models in the Husqvarna line. Husqvarna has 38 production facilities around the world , 3 manufacturing plants in the USA , including their US headquarters in Orangeburg , SC . Their head office is in Sweden. I own a Husqvarna riding mower. I also own a Craftsman riding mower. Other than the paint and engines (Kawaski/Honda respectively), they're pretty much identical. If you do a bit of research, you'll find that a number of Husqvarna and Craftsman snow blower models built in North America come off the same assembly line. Paint and doo-dads may differ, but that's about it. Park your machine beside a similar Craftsman and look them over. Let us know how they compare. I've owned a couple of Craftsman snow blowers that held up fairly well for ten years with reasonable maintenance. However, at the end of their lives, they began to develop weld cracking and metal fatigue. In addition to that, they weren't particularly stellar performers. The Simplicity that I replaced the Craftsman with is a much better machine all the way around and, the price I paid was close to the same. You might find this an interesting read: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tractor/msg031443392439.html
This message was modified Mar 25, 2012 by borat
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royster
" It is the use of power tools that separates man from animals"
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: Feb 11, 2011
Points: 284
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Re: Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Reply #8 Mar 26, 2012 10:48 am |
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I own a Husqvarna riding mower. I also own a Craftsman riding mower. Other than the paint and engines (Kawaski/Honda respectively), they're pretty much identical.
If you do a bit of research, you'll find that a number of Husqvarna and Craftsman snow blower models built in North America come off the same assembly line. Paint and doo-dads may differ, but that's about it.
Park your machine beside a similar Craftsman and look them over. Let us know how they compare.
I've owned a couple of Craftsman snow blowers that held up fairly well for ten years with reasonable maintenance. However, at the end of their lives, they began to develop weld cracking and metal fatigue. In addition to that, they weren't particularly stellar performers. The Simplicity that I replaced the Craftsman with is a much better machine all the way around and, the price I paid was close to the same.
You might find this an interesting read: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tractor/msg031443392439.html
Thanks for your reply. I agree that some Craftsman snowblowers are nearly identical to some Husqvarna models , no argument from me. Sears contracts their purchase of snowblowers to different builders each year, and Husqvarna has been one of their suppliers for the last 5-6 years. Here in Canada , the 2012 Craftsman snowblowers are supplied by Briggs and Stratton (who also manufacture Simplicity snowblowers and John Deere) and the cheaper Craftsman models are built by MTD.
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FrankMA
Location: Merrimack Valley/Northeastern Mass
Joined: Jul 1, 2010
Points: 587
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Re: Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Reply #9 Mar 26, 2012 11:35 am |
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I've been planning to buy a Honda snowblower this fall from my local dealer. Had my eyes on the 928TA model which I've used in the past and have found quite good.
He said he's going to start carrying Husqvarna too, noting that its 1830EXLT model has track drive, hydrostatic transmission, and an 18 lb-ft motor (Snow King), and is a lot cheaper than the Honda.
He also noted that Honda has upgraded the motor for its 30-inch blower to its GX 390, but tells me this one is much harder to handle than the 928.
Anyone familiar with this Husky or the upgraded Honda?
I need to be able to reliably blow out a steep, 100-foot drive. Where I live, we measure our wet, heavy snow ("Sierra Cement") by the foot, not the inch.
If tried and true reliability, performance and build quality are your top priorities, I would suggest you go with the Honda as it is an industrial quality machine with a proven track record. I'm not knocking the Husqvarna but it is difficult to find unbiased feedback on these machines, particularly the track drive models. The 928TA is more than capable of handling your requirements and will get the job done quickly and efficiently. I went from a Honda HS624WA wheel drive (owned it for 10 years) to a Honda HS928TA (2 years ago) and have a 130' sloped driveway in northeastern MA..
I would strongly suggest you compare both machines as objectively as possible before making a decision based solely on price, especially considering your stated requirements and the type of snow you typically encounter.
Toro Wheel Horse 522xi GT, Honda HS928TA, Honda HS621AS, Honda HS520A, Toro CCR3000 (work in progress), Honda HS624WA (sold 08/23/2010), Stihl BR550 Backpack Blower, Stihl MS250, McCulloch MS1635, Honda EM6500SX Generator
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Snowmann
Joined: Dec 3, 2003
Points: 494
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Re: Husqvarna Track Drive Snowblower--How Good?
Reply #10 Apr 9, 2012 10:34 pm |
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Borat is correct. Husqvarna is the parent company and the brand of the snowblower in question, but the origin of manufacture is not the same as Husqvarna chainsaws and motorcycles. The facility that produces the Husqvarna snowblowers is the former AYP/EHP group (Amercian Yard Products/Electrolux Home Products). Many brands of snowblowers have been produced by this facility (now referrred to as HOP, Husqvarna Outdoor Products). To infer esteemed lineage from the chainsaws and motorcycles may be less accurate than drawing comparisons with refrigerators and wash machines from the preceding parent company (the current HOP snowblower base platform preceded the current parent company). Nearly all of the Husqvarna snowblower engines are LCT Sno-Kings per their website. I'm not implying the snowblowers are good or bad, just clarifying some of the assertions in the previous posts.
Another comparable option to the Honda and Husqvarna would be the Ariens model 926056. It's a 28" Hydro Pro Track Sno-Thro. This model includes a Briggs & Stratton commercial grade engine (Polar Force Pro, 21.0 ft-bs torque with a 2nd order high speed balance shaft) and an infinitely variable actively cooled hydrostatic drive (it's able to sustain higher axle torques and operate in higher ambient temperatures than a Honda). The integrated cooling system is comprised of 3 passive (2 on a wheel drive model) and 3 active elements to significantly reduce operating temperatures (heat is the ultimate demise of a hydrostatic drive). This transmission was jointly developed by Ariens and Hydro-Gear specifically for the Ariens Hydro Pro Sno-Thro and is synthetic oil equipped. This model also has the standard Ariens Pro Sno-Thro features: differential equipped, commercial grade skid shoes (1/2" thick) and boron steel scraper blade, water/contaminant resistant impeller bearing, sealed ball bearing axles, dual belt auger drive, cast iron auger gearcase with 5 year commercial warranty, 16" augers/14" high speed impeller, hand warmers, etc... Suggested promo selling price is $3099. MTD has a track model or two as well. Not sure if the Yamaha is available in the US, but I believe it is in Canada. I hope this helps.
This message was modified Apr 10, 2012 by Snowmann
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