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

This thing is a monster!  Though it's huge the balance is awesome. Also I can't emphasis enough how smooth this engine is.  Very impressed.  Can't wait to give her a go!  

Hi Bus 708

I also have an Ariens 2011-12 Professional 28 with a Briggs & Stratton 420cc motor. I am from Montreal, CANADA and recently we got little over 10" of snow...The snowblower is very agile and easy to manoeuvre...the Hilliard Auto-Lok differential works great and very easy to turn/steer. The motor is very smooth and starts very easily with only one light pull. Overall I am really happy with the machine and don't regret buying it...However, I must say that I am somewhat dissapointed with the way the chute operates...I find the design poor and not quite suited for a commercial grade machine...It is flimsy and doesn't lock in place properly when blowing snow. I went over the service manual and tried to adjust it...but it is what it is..I am considering perhaps in modifying it or install the chute system from the other Ariens models like the Deluxe model...It is a turn crank system from the top and it is rigid and stays in one place. Besides that....it is a very beautiful machine. Haven't considered making a video yet..maybe one day I will...Take care!...scopes01

scopes01, I played with a Pro machine in a store a month or so ago. I was curious how that chute-steering system worked, since you only had to move the lever left/right, but you did not have to, for instance, squeeze anything to unlock it first. If I remember correctly, there was a little locking mechanism underneath the control panel, which was spring-loaded. As you started to push the lever, the spring-loaded lock pulled away, and you could aim the chute. When you stopped applying pressure to the lever, the lock re-engaged. Am I remembering this right? Is the problem that it doesn't really lock back into place, and the chute can rotate on its own, while blowing snow?

It's sort of funny you mention possibly going to the Deluxe method. I actually looked at the Deluxe approach and thought it seemed like a rather non-ergonomic design. You had to kind of lean forward, beyond the control panel, and turn a crank using a little offset section in the middle of the rod. It didn't really strike me as being an improvement over the old method of just having a crank on the control panel, say. But maybe it's at least more secure than the quick-lever on the Pros.

Please don't take any of this the wrong way, they seem like awesome machines (especially with the big engine), and are much more advanced than mine. But it does seem like perhaps the different companies are still working to try and perfect the new-style chute controls.

RedOctobyr wrote:

Hi RedOctobyr...Your exactly right!...this systems works exactly the way you described it in your message above. I have the service repair manual and tried to make adjustments to this system...unfortunately the design limits me and connot optimize it's function. I was kind of made aware of this weaker design...but chose to buy the machine anyway. However, I had already thought of replacing the system with the crank style as used on the Deluxe models...Yes I would have to lean over to crank it...but I was also considering having a longer rod and crank it from the rear as used on older Ariens models. I think that the original idea is good on the Pro Series machine...but Ariens needs to make more adjustment possible to increase the load to the locking mechanism. The other flaw is that there is too much play between the teeth and the lock mechanism. Therefore, making the chute less sturdy while blowing snow. The size/thickness of the teeth on the gear or the mechanism locking piece should be increased a little to lock into each other better. Besides the chute issues...this machine is awesome...I have added the 10 lbs plate option to prevent it from lifting...but I think it could use another 10 lbs to keep it down a bit more...

On my pro 26 model I have to lift the chute lever up in order to move it from side to side and then when I let it go it doesn't move at all know matter how much snow is coming out of it. It seems to unlock when I lift up a little before turning it, hope this helps.

On my 2005 926DLE I did add a washer in the gears area under the black cover atop the chute. Can't remember exactly where but I bet if you look in there you may find some slop than can be tightened up with another washer. That "hole" chute system is a crap design but with some persistance and very fine adjustments of the chute cables under the dash you can get her to be adequate. I would rather have the crank type controll.  I remember that chute going bonkers before I fine tuned the pos.

O

 

Did you get a change to use it this year? Give us a good review

Did you get a change to use it this year? Give us a good review