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

Guys,

I may get to go check out some SS's. One is a Yardman 21" 5hp 2-stroke. The other is a Toro CCR2000e 2-stroke.

I am leaning towards the Yardman, based on boratification possibilities. I'm guessing/hoping it has a 5hp Tecumseh, maybe the HSK850. The Toro would have a 4.5hp Suzuki engine, from what I understand. I don't care about electric start. Any reason to avoid the Yardman? I realize it's probably not as solid/durable a machine as the Toro. But if it could be ramped up more in the power department, I could live with that. Thanks for any feedback.

The auger assembly looks like it came from a Toro CCR2450 / 3650. Those were 20" wide.

It's amazing what people will come up with to make things works.  Referring to the auger bearing flange extension bolts.  Never seen anything like that.
But it was a good idea, I love it.

Red:

I haven't taken the MTD machine apart so I'm not certain about the motor mount arrangement.  However, I suspect that it's very similar to yours.   If you're seeing excessive vibration, you may want to stiffen the engine mounting system some how.  You'd be surprised how even a little pulley offset can eat up belts. 

The engine doesn't look too bad.  I wouldn't really that scoring on the cylinder/piston.  It looks more like regular wear on an engine that's obviously seen it's fair share of work.  Run your fuel at 32:1.  The extra lube will be good for the engine.  

I do like the impeller swap.   That modification combined with a throttle mod will likely make that thing quite the kick-ass snow blower.  You may have to weigh it down some to keep it on the ground but I bet it will chuck some serious snow.   For fifty  buck, you did well.

   The MTD isn’t a bad machine even compared to Toro.  They both have their points even with the price break.

 

   Below are pictures of engine supports on the Toro Powerlite and MTD 5.5hp. 

 

   The Toro has a triangle brace running from the lower handlebar over to a triangle brace mounted on the cowling recoil.  

 

   The MTD has a couple of inch horizontal brace bolted to the intake housing running to the engine cowling and cross machine lower brace.  It’s a nice stiff support.   

 

   Both are strong but the MTD better.  The MTD allows access to the recoil and gas tank.

 

Borat,

   The MTD 5.5 weighs 62lbs.  The Craftsman 3/21 53lbs.   Too much to be just engine an difference.  Your MTD is probably a different model.   Maybe it’s riding up is due to the angle and way of attachment to the base. ?  Toro’s will ride up also.  I’ve got a Toro 3650 here this year so can get in some comparison runs to the MTD 5.5.    

trouts2 wrote:

I'm glad the engine on the Toro Powerlite is supported at the crankshaft and the recoil cowl.  These two points should at least be the bare minimum of engine support.  I would be leary of crankshaft support only unless if it is really beefy.  When you have a flooded engine, the recoil rope can put a lot of cantiliver forces on the engine crankcase engine mount.

The MTD engine mount seems very solid.  The forces of recoil and engine torque is braced by triangulated members.  These are the same as the Honda SS.  Having unobstructed access to the recoil housing is nice on these.

RedOctobyr wrote:
Good idea on the spacer for the auger assembly.  Reminds me of something MacGyver would have come up with.  Although the right side of the snowblower wouldn't perform as well as the left side.  Also, the auger discharge doesn't exactly line up with chute opening. 

That Tecumseh HSK850 engine is surprisingly compact with that muffler.  The chassis seems to be fairly stiff to handle extra power.  I've never seen a spark plug that close to the console before.  This is a very tidy compact machine, I like the separate gas tank that is not part of the upper housing.  Easy to pull off without worrying about fuel leakage.

I just weighed both machines with some very accurate American Tourister luggage scales.  MTD was 59.6 lbs. the Craftsman was  ten pounds heavier at 69.6 lbs.  Both machines clean with no snow/moisture on them and both full of fuel.  Ten pounds difference.

The MTD is Yard Machine 31A-260-516 with no electric start.  The Craftsman has electric start. 

Trust me.  There is a major difference in how both machines get the job done.  The Craftsman is, hands down, better at throwing snow.   The MTD might be able to match it if it had more weight but as it is, it doesn't.  

Just out of curiousity, does the the your Craftsman seems to have the more of engine weight in front or rear of the axles?  I find it that a machine is easier maneuver when the weight is more towards the rear, but it tends to ride up and bounce around more.   10 lbs difference might not mean much if both machines have the same weight balance over the wheels, but it is quite noticeable when that 10 lbs is in front of the wheels

The Craftsman is a longer machine overall and it does take more effort to tilt the front upward compared to the MTD.   Without going into a thorough weight distribution analysis between the two machines, my observations lead me to believe that some of the additional weight of the Craftsman is more forward.  The electric start motor is toward the front and bottom of the engine.  That alone puts a few pounds in the right place.  

>>>I just weighed both machines with some very accurate American Tourister luggage scales.  MTD was 59.6 lbs.

 

   Just checked your MTD model and it’s very close to mine.  Mine has electric start so that might be the difference.

 

  My Craftsman is a 3/21 so some weight there.  Mine has electric start. 

 

Oops, just thought of the amount of gas in the tanks would make a difference.

 

>>>Trust me.  Their is a major difference in how both machines get the job done.

    I believe you, it’s the reasons.  Weight could be it. ??  As aa335 mentioned how the weight is distributed would be a factor along with handles and other things. 

    Ten lbs will make a difference on a big two stage.  There’s more leverage there but weight would be a factor for the SS’s. 

 

   Just checked the Craftsman weight again and it’s the same.  Not much gas in the tank.

 

   Without question the weight on the MTD is much more forward compared to the Craftsman.  The Craftsman tips backwards with the handle falling to the ground on the slightest bump in front.  If I just lower the handles slightly it will fall backwards.  The MTD goes forward from a much lower position.  The weight on Craftsman is pretty much over the wheels and on the MTD forward of the wheels. 

 

   Maybe my Craftsman is build different. If your’s does not fall back with a couple of inch tilt to the handle then it’s different. 

 

    The angle of the handle bar to the machine is the same on both at least on my machines.