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

What is the best blower for max 2 grand?? Leaning toward the Toro 1028 and or 1128OXE, is there anyting im overlooking? BTW this is not for me, its for my job.......

mvedepo wrote:

No doubt, well I disagree with that. Toro makes a damn nice unit for under $2k. Not everyone wantst to muscle around a 300 lb. monster that has no real help for turning. The Ariens differential is a joke compared to turning with a Toro. Ariens is a decent company but they are hardly the only company once you get into that price range.

From Toro's Service Manual regarding the pivoting/fixed scraper:

FIXED SCRAPER

Because the fixed scraper is bolted solidly to the auger
housing it is intended to be raised slightly off the ground
to minimize catching on pavement cracks and solid
objects. The amount that it should be raised depends on
how rough the ground is. The scraper is adjustable as
the mounting holes are slotted


PIVOTING SCRAPER

A pivoting scraper is more complex but has advantages
when used on paved surfaces. It can be set to scrape
down to the surface. Should it hit something solid, it
will slide rearward; two springs return it to the operating
position once it clears the object. However, use on a
gravel driveway may jam or damage the scraper, as
rocks can be forced between the scraper and housing.
Therefore, the pivoting scraper should not be used on
gravel surfaces


Good luck with your purchase

For 2k you can also look at the big B&S units, either the Snapper XL Frame series or the Simplicity Signature Pro. If I was getting a walk behind, they'd be at the top of my list, and I'd also look at the Deeres with the 1650 series engines.

Steve_Cebu wrote:
I agree the Toro's are very nice throwers.  But he is looking for a blower for a business.  IMO If I where looking for a business I would be looking at Professional grade blowers.  If you compare the Ariens Pro to the Simplicity Pro they are very close.  Except the Ariens puts a 420 cc on a 28" unit AND is a couple hundred cheaper.  A HUGE amount of bang for the buck!

As for the Ariens differential being a joke compared to the Toro, you are comparing apples to oranges.  That ATC is a limited slip differential for traction control. It is not meant to help steer the machine.

mvedepo wrote:

Well up here in New hampshire the guys who clear  the private schools and colleges use mostly Toro and Honda. These schools have to be done all the time to keep the walkways clear. I've spoken to dealers who sell Toro, Ariens and Honda as well as Simplicity and up here they go mostly with Toro and Honda. I do mean I have seen the machines being used so it's not just 3-4 dealers blowing smoke.

One dealer tried to convince my wife and I that the ATC's LSD was an easier way to steer the machine, which as you rightly point out it isn't. You muscle that machine around.

I do agree to do this for a business it's important to have a pro grade machine but true commercial machines cost a lot more than Ariens or Simplicity.

 My choice would be the Husqvarna  16530   with the Briggs  (American built) 342 engine

mvedepo wrote:

While the Ariens ATC differential does have traction control functions (relative to an open differential), it's main function is indeed for steering assist. With large heavy units, the primary resistance for turning is the fact that at least one wheel has to be dragged to get the unit to turn (with a locked synchronous axle). The ATC unlocks the axle during the turn and over-runs the outer wheel making it easier to turn. It then re-locks when the turn is complete (hence the first term "Automatic" in the ATC designation). Intuitively it would be better for the wheel on the interior of the turn to stall or unlock while the outer wheels drives, but the unit cannot function in this manner. As the speeds at which a Snothro operates are very slow in relative terms, the over-running outer wheel does not have much detrimental effect. It's possible if you tried a 180 degree turn at the maximum speed of ~3mph (which is generally a transport speed only) it may be less manageable. The trigger steering from the Toro OXE models and certain other brands can stall the interior wheel while the outer wheel is under power. This could be considered an advantage (in that the powered wheel can assist the turn beyond simply unlocking the synchronous axle), especially during large sharp turns at the higher speeds, but the Ariens has it's own advantage in that the function is fully automatic and requires no control actuation or know-how, or the increased complexity and part-count of a 2 trigger system. I'd also comment that if there has been any experiences with hard turning with the ATC, it would clearly have to be defective as this system does turn very easily. I have seen a few of these with defective o-rings (too hard of a durometer which causes a stiff unlock or dragging tires) that had to be replaced. It's possible that Steve_Cebu encountered one of these during his experience. The best way to evaluate a steering assist system (and a snowblower in general) is to try them out rather than speculate. Some dealers will allow a test drive.

Secondly, the Toro Power Max does have a lighter "front end" than many other snowblowers. This is good for showroom appeal for users of smaller stature and is maneuverable in many snow conditions, but in heavy dense snow a light front end is generally regarded a detriment in that the front end can ride up and over the snow (and why Toro does offer a front weight kit for these machines). The Ariens Pro machine discussed in this thread is targeted entirely for extreme snow conditions and will naturally not have a lighter nose.

And lastly, the Ariens Pro machine would likely be considered a better machine for commerical usage than the Toro PowerMax (which is a consumer grade machine). The Ariens Pro has features promoting durabilty and performance that the Toro lacks: Briggs 21 ft-lbs torque commercial grade engine with 2nd order counterbalance shaft, larger and faster 14" impeller, 16" augers, dual (Aramid) belt auger drive, cast iron auger gearbox with 5 year commerical warranty (toploader with no seams or gaskets in the oil sump), faster auger ratio (9.75:1 hunting tooth), full synthetic gear oil, triple lip oil seals with garter springs, special water-resistant RSTFP impeller ball bearing, ball bearing axle journals, 1.0" diameter A311 stress relieved axles (over 100ksi tensile strength and 23-30 Rockwell C), 16" tires, high strength A311 stress relieved wormshaft, hex drive shaft, and pinion shaft, 12ga fully welded frame with a structural truss reinforced engine deck (almost .25" thick at engine base), 12ga dash structure and clutch paddles, standard retractable drift cutters, handwarmers, halogen light with metalized parabolic reflector and color correction lens, commerical grade dual sided skid shoes with 1/2" thick abrasion resistant (AR) steel skids, long wearing boron steel scraper blades, all-steel chute/housing construction, etc... The commerical user warranty for Toro is 45 days. The Ariens commerical user warranty is 5 years for the gear case and 1 year for the rest.  A detailed comparison with the Simplicity Pro would be similarly unfavorable when compared to the Ariens, but I believe their commercial warranty terms are better than the Toro.

926038 would be the Ariens Pro model that can be had for ~$2k.

Short clip on the Ariens 

http://www.snowblowersdirect.com/Ariens-926038-Snow-Thrower/p3248.html

Snowmann wrote:
Snowmann, I have read various opinions about how the ATC works.  Everything from that it powers ONLY the inside wheel while the outer wheel is completely without power, thus requiring "muscle" to turn the unit until the turn is complete, to how hard it is to turn in general.  Knowing that Ariens has had a true differential available on many models over many years where BOTH wheels have power even during a turn, the action has always been very smooth and easy.  I have used an Ariens ST1032 at work, and my son has an Ariens ST824.  The differential action on both units is as easy as pie.  I assume that the newer ATC still provides that same easy differential function of providing power to BOTH wheels during a turn, NOT killing power to the outer wheel while providing power to only the inner wheel.   It's the same differential effect as in the past, but based upon a different mechanical approach internally.   Correct, or am I wrong? 
I get tired of all the confusion that gets generated about the ATC.  If you could confirm clearly if both wheels are powered during turns so everyone finally gets it right, that would be great.  Thank you.



I'm aware of the Hilliard AutoLok being used on the Ariens Platinum and Pro models, and the John Deere 1330SE model.  For those who would like to see a clip, here it is.  Note the Ariens and John Deere blowers sitting side-by-side:

 http://productsearch.machinedesign.com/FeaturedProducts/Detail/Hilliard/Hilliard_AutoLok_Differential/108436/0

Here's a quote taken directly from Hilliard:            http://www.hilliardcorp.com/drivetrain-clutch.html                
Auto-Lok® Differential

The Auto-Lok Differential is used on the primary drive axle and replaces the limited slip or open differential. It is easily incorporated into existing designs and is being offered as an off-the-shelf item for walk-behind equipment

Applications

The Hilliard Auto-Lok can be used as a hydrostatic or conventional transaxle, or stand-alone differential and axle in such products as utility vehicles, garden and lawn tractors, and walk-behind power equipment.

Find a friend with a Military ID card Go to Home Depot a get a Ariens  pro 28 with a 420 cc Briggs engine they go for $1990+ tax- Military Discount will get you 10% off.
There is a thred  from mvedpo that he bought his a few days ago check it out  (picked up my  pro 28 today) . You can go to LOWES and get a 30" Hushavarna with a 414cc for $1250 and still get  a 10% military discount.   Ariens is my choice , it is a MONSTER   remember though you go to the store to get the discount, they will not honor it online