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

I currently have an old Toro CCR 2000E.  It is still in great condition for a 19 year-old machine.  That said, I'm thinking it may be time to get a new blower.  The main issue I have right now is trying to decide between a single or two stage.  The driveway is about 50 feet long by 22 feet wide and I have about 120 feet of sidewalk to clear.  One side of the driveway has some trees/plants and the neighbors' house in fairly close proximity.  The other has a 3 to 4' tall retaining wall.  Standard procedure is to blow all of the snow over the retaining wall.  This becomes an issue if you a couple of significant events in a row as it gets very difficult for the CCR 2000 to get the snow A) over the wall and B) over the existing snow blown up there. 

We don't get the massive snowfalls some of you see back East here in Nebraska, but 8 to 12" events happen almost once a season.  If it is under 3” of snow I typically will just shovel it.  I only have space in the garage for one blower so it is either a single or two stage, keeping the old blower isn’t an option due to space.  So the question is do I want a single or two stage?  Will a two stage knock out moderate 4 to 6” events?   FWIW I've been looking at the Ariens Platinum 24 or the Toro 826 OXE and comparable Husky's as well as Honda and Toro single stages.  Thanks in advance for the advice. 

Well a Toro 826 will have no problem taking care of what you describe. You certainly will have no trouble throwing snow over a low retaining wall like that unless it's slush or 30 feet away from the snowblower. If you normally get 3-4" of snow why not get a Toro 421 single stage?

It should do the job nicely for you unless you have a lot of EOD stuff to take care of. Many posters in this forum like "aa335" have single stage Toro's for when a 2 stage is too big. Up where I am that is rarely the case, but the new single stage Toro's are very robust and should do teh job for you. But a 2 stage will generally do it better and moreso as you get more snow.

If you could keep the Toro, get a 24 or 26 inch 2 stage to handle some of the heavier/dense snow days.  Then use the Toro for clean up.

I'm thinking of doing the same.  I want to get a Toro 621 single stage blower and a two stage for EOD and tougher thicker snow.  West Michigan gets hit pretty hard.

I am somewhat in the same situation as you (weather wise) except that I have room for 2 machines.  Have you always had trouble throwing the snow far enough or is it just due to the age of the unit or the height of the trees/plants?  I can tell you this:  If you can only have one unit and a single stage will do most everything, thats the way I would go.  Single stage machines are so much easier to manuever and can actually get most light snows cleared faster than I can with my 2 stage.  That being said, if you need more than 25' of throw you really are in 2 stage territory.  Although thin, slushy snows will actually do better with the single stage...you're just not going to throw it real far.  If I had to have only one machine I would buy the best single stage I could find.  Either a Honda or a Toro.  (probably the Toro to save some $$$).  All I know is if I had to get get rid of my SS and only had my 2 stage I would not be a happy camper!

My Toro 421QE single stage wouldn't have any problems throwing snow over what you have described.  You mentioned that you have a great condition CCR2000e.  I would check the belt condition, belt tension, rubber auger paddles to make sure everything is up to spec and working optimally.  A slipping belt or worn out paddles greatly diminish snow throwing capacity of any single stage snowblower.

If I was in your shoes, I would try to see if I can snowblow 1/2 or 1/3 of the driveway onto the neighbor's side.  The trees and plants should be fine, unless you have delicate flowers.  Keep the chute aim low to avoid hitting windows and things.  The remaining 1/2 or 2/3 the driveway, put it over the retaining walls.

Your snow situation doesn't fully require a 2 stage snowblower.  I would exhaustively find away to utlilize the single stage snowblower, the existing one you have, to its full potential.  Don't be shy to utilize a shovel to assist the snowblower, unless you have a medical reasons not to.

A 2 stage snowblower wouldn't have any trouble at all throwing all the snow to one side over the retaining walls. It can also deal with end of drive more effectively.  It's bulkier, heavier, and costs more.  If you decide to get a 2 stage, I would recommend keeping the single stage Toro.  Make space for it by getting it off the floor with a pulley system or a strong shelf/platform. 

A single stage is idea for normal snow removal and will get used a lot.   We get heavy snow fall 3-4 times a year but mostly we get 3-6 inches so SS is an ideal machine.  I am planning to buy one soon (Toro 621 from a local dealer) because of its practicality and ease of use.  This is something my wife can use without a lot of worries and will do nice job. EOD is not always that easy even for a two stage.  It takes time for me as I have corner lot house.  I would buy a SS as the primary snow remover.  Perhaps you can buy a slightly used Toro 828 from a guy in NYC for a very good price.

I've owned a few two stage machines over the years.  My latest is a 2006 Simplicity 928.  Last season I got into the single stage mode.  I bought a cheap used Craftsman 5-21 and as it was, it was pretty lame.  The fact that it had a broken motor mount, which led to a broken belt, didn't impress me either.  Nonetheless, I repaired the machine, bought a new belt then devised a system to over-ride the governor and spin that little Tecumseh 2 cycle engine up to 6500 rpm.  At that kind of speed, the old Craftsman really impresses me.  So much so that I went out and bought a newer, used MTD single stage machine with the same engine.   The MTD is too light and doesn't work as well as the Craftsman.  If the Craftsman engine blows, I'll have another one on hand to replace it. 

That's not the end of my SS machine acquisition.  After hearing so many favourable reviews for the Toro SS machines, I jumped on a really good sale for a brand new 221QE.  Needless to say, it has lived up to all the hype.  It's a serious snow mover.  So much so that my Simplicity seldom sees any action unless the snow accumulation is over 10" wet and heavy.

Thanks for the advice everyone.  I think I'm going to pick up a new 621 tomorrow. 

MrNuke wrote:
Hope that works out for you. 

Went to the dealer today and couldn't pull the trigger.  It is down to the 621 or 826. 

MrNuke wrote:

Whenever there is any doubt, there is no doubt. Sounds like you really want a 2 stage. If the snow is light just run it up in 4th or 5th gear and it'll clear it in a hurry.

MrNuke wrote:
Go to a Honda dealer and check out the 928, most beautiful snowblower ever made. 

My local dealer has two on display, with enough space between them to drive a golf cart.  All the other snowblowers were side by side, 4 inches from each other.  They had it set up so you can admire it from all angles.

Just kidding! 

Looks like a 2 stage is for you.

Steve_Cebu wrote:
By any chance you sell cars for a living? 

aa335 wrote:

Now now, no need for insults.

If the guy couldn't pull the trigger on a single stage Toro then he's probably thinking he really could use a 2 stage which is IMO a pretty good choice. The Toro 826 is a nice machine and will handle almost anything you can throw at it. For less snow that we get the Toro 826 is a good choice. For more snow the 1028 is up there with Honda and Ariens and IMO a bit better in some ways.

Steve_Cebu wrote:
Ok.  I'm sorry. 

A One Size fits all machine would be the 7 hp two stage from Honda.  These machines are nearly bullet proof, can handle the monster storm when needed, and are extremely low in maintenance.  The handles are low, like better sized for a woman or a japanese man (they were designed by Japanese).  They have no steering other then you shoving the handles, so Consumer Reports rates them low.  But IF you check out the reviews for Honda snowblowers people practically marry them.  If you can pay the price, you'll never have to buy another machine again. wish you luck.

Note .....for observation purposes....as I was looking at the tracks the other day.
The bucket height is about 4" smaller on the trax version of the 724 & the impeller looks to to be about 33% smaller.

Don't know why as everything else 724 wheeled, and everything above is all the sa,e

I ended up getting an 826 got a good deal from the dealer and it was too good to pass up. 

mobiledynamics wrote:
When I was shopping for a snowblower, I did noticed that the HS724 tracked version had a lower bucket height.  I would guess that the HS724 engine is underpowered with the hydro transmission and tracks, hence the bucket was sized smaller.  Overall, the HS724 was extremely compact in size and very maneuverable. 

mobiledynamics wrote:
I read that even though the track version is smaller, it spins the auger/impellers faster so the volume of snow it can process is actually higher.  Of course, that probably doesn't help when the snow is higher than the bucket.  Also, one could assume if it is spinning faster it would throw further?