Abby’s Guide > Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) > Discussions > John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation

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OmFlyer

Joined: Dec 3, 2011
Points: 11

John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Original Message Dec 3, 2011 7:29 pm

Well I've spent a lot of time researching new blowers and came very close to bring home the JD 1330se today but got cold feet after reading about the slipping drive issues. I'd be very interested to hear any long term reviews on this unit as it appears unchanged since 2010. I do have a JD dealer 10 miles from home so prep and support should be better than a Lowes units? Also if there is another blower 30ish inches I should consider please let me know. I live in northern MI with a 150' drive see a fair amount of snow. I dont mind paying a premium for quality if it makes for years of trouble free operation. Thanks for your input

This message was modified Dec 3, 2011 by OmFlyer

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borat

Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #27 Dec 5, 2011 3:36 pm

aa335 wrote:

Maybe that's a sign to move on. The 1330SE got really bad press in 2009 for the disc slip issue.

Not just the JD 1330SE. Just about every machine that had a B&S snow engine on it and didn't have the improved belt cover suffered from disc slip.

I just finished cleaning all of the grease off of the coupler for the easy steer on my machine. It was -3F here this morning and the lever for the easy steer didn't want to move. Too much frozen grease. Now that it's got oil instead of grease for lubrication, it's working much better. I also had a frozen deflector cable. Must be from water that was in there from last year. I haven't used the Simplicity yet this season and it's stored indoors. I pumped a bunch of WD-40 into the cable and freed it up then put a good dollop of grease on the upward facing end at the deflector then put a good gob of grease inside the rubber boot that covers it. Hopefully that will help keep it from freezing for a while.

OmFlyer

Joined: Dec 3, 2011
Points: 11

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #28 Dec 5, 2011 5:00 pm

Found one. Picking it up Saturday! Ariens Pro 28 – ST28DLE

scopes01

Location: Montreal, CANADA
Joined: Nov 27, 2011
Points: 22

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #29 Dec 5, 2011 5:40 pm

Congratulations, you made an awesome choice and won't regret it....

By the way, make sure to drop the oil after the first five hours of use. Because this is special break-in oil formulated for new engines. I first flushed my oil out with regular 5W30 oil and then re-filled again with “Mobil 1” 5W30 Synthetic oil. If your snowblower will sleep outside during the cold winter months then go with 0W30 Synthetic oil. Make sure to verify the oil in the gearbox too. It should be fine…but you never know. You can verify this by removing the oil screw on top of gearbox (read owner’s manual to identify proper screw) and using a 1/8 diameter rod not too long but long enough so it doesn’t fall into the gearbox to measure amount of oil. You should have about 2.380" to 2.630" measured from the bottom of the inside top plate to the level of the red oil L3 Synthetic severe duty gear oil. Very important, DO NOT OVER-TORQUE this screw as it is very easy to strip the thread on the cover. It should be torqued at 80lbs per inch not feet. Please post some feedback after use…Good luck! Scopes01…

Here are two links below to the owner’s & parts manual of your 2011-12 Ariens ST28DLE (926038) snowblower:

http://apache.ariens.com/manuals/04337400B_ENG.pdf

http://apache.ariens.com/manuals/04337500A.pdf

This message was modified Dec 5, 2011 by scopes01

OmFlyer

Joined: Dec 3, 2011
Points: 11

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #30 Dec 5, 2011 8:47 pm

Big thanks to everyone who posted here! Especially; Dr Woof, your experience and input was excellent! Borat, your advice will be followed. Scopes, I really appreciate your attention to all details. Awesome! Snow is in the forecast for Friday! Thanks Again, John

Dr_Woof

Don't blow into the wind, and don't eat yellow snow. WOOF!

Location: Saskatchewan
Joined: Dec 13, 2010
Points: 253

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #31 Dec 5, 2011 9:11 pm

WOOOOOOOF!

borat

Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #32 Dec 5, 2011 9:18 pm

That's a freaking coyote Woofy!

We have them behind our house as well as lynx and "real" wolves. I found a deer carcass in the back a few weeks ago so I put up a game camera near it. Got daylight pictures of a lynx sitting on the kill and a coyote desperately wanting to get to it but not at the risk of a scrap with a rather large cat. A day or two later, I got a picture of a nice wolf that likely brought the deer down. The pictures were taken in broad daylight and only a two minute walk from our house.

Dr_Woof

Don't blow into the wind, and don't eat yellow snow. WOOF!

Location: Saskatchewan
Joined: Dec 13, 2010
Points: 253

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #33 Dec 5, 2011 10:29 pm

They like to be scratched in the right places

borat

Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #34 Dec 6, 2011 9:40 am

Now that's something you definitely don't want in your back yard. Cougar have been spotted in the area and tracks confirmed by the MNR but no one has actually capture/shot one. Wolfe, lynx, coyote, and most black bears avoid humans. Cougars are a little different. Being a cat, they're a bit goofy and will attack anything that they think they can take down, including humans. Here are a few pics from my game camera:

Note times taken. These pics were taken only two minutes walking from my back door.

The lynx is near the kill but can't be seen behind the balsam on the left. The coyote is giving it wide berth.

Look to the left behind the tree. You'll see the lynx eyeballing the coyote.

Partial pic of the lynx sitting on the kill. Coyote want's to eat but doesn't want to tangle with the cat.

I suspect that this is the wolf that brought the deer down. Deer are often struck by vehicles and injured then they head into the woods where they're easy prey.

Dr_Woof

Don't blow into the wind, and don't eat yellow snow. WOOF!

Location: Saskatchewan
Joined: Dec 13, 2010
Points: 253

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #35 Dec 6, 2011 10:05 am

Nice pics! Its in Minnesota? Thats my daughter with the cougar. Part of her job was tracking them - says there are a LOT more of them around then most people think - they just keep a low profle. Usually. But......every now and then.....a jogger does go missing.

This message was modified Dec 6, 2011 by Dr_Woof

borat

Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692

Re: John Deere 1330 long term review or NEW Recommendation
Reply #36 Dec 6, 2011 10:21 am

Northwestern Ontario, Lakehead area.

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