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

I would like to get some input on a new snowblower  for home use. I have a 20 x 50 ft drive with and 10 deg incline halfway up that goes level, and 100 ft of walk. Maneuverability is an issue, since I have to  blow snow between cars. I have limited storage space too.  My area gets about 25 inches of snow per year,  but sometimes we get a dump of a foot of wet snow.

The Ariens Compact 24  920014   and  Sno-tek 24 920402 are on my short list.  Others I should consider? Are the upgrades for the steel chute, cast iron gear box and Briggs Ariens orange models worth it in this price point? How about the Briggs 250 cc and dual belt auger  on the Ariens 24  921031 which is a step up in $$? LCT snow engine reliability and parts availability?

I am concerned about some of the  poor online reviews of the Ariens Compact 24  920014 that cite problems with Briggs engine, carb and friction disk.  It is surprising the Sno-tek reviews seem to  have much fewer problems.  As many of you may know , it is the similar to the Compact 24  with the LCT engine and without above upgrades..

aa335 wrote:

But you shouldn't use a .410 on a moose either.

The point is, a single stage may do him MOST of the time but not all of the time. A 2 stage will do him ALL of the time. So for the difference in price, I think it's much more sensible to get the 2 stage. I certainly don't want to depend on my neighbor to clear the snow out of the end of my driveway because I bought a single stage.

GreatCanadian wrote:
You have a valid point.  There's nothing wrong with being self sufficient and equipping yourself with the right tools for the job. 

A good single stage isn't going be rendered useless for the original poster's area.

One thing to add is that a single stage is so so much easier, cheaper, and quicker to service and maintain.  I can replace all paddles, scraper bar, belt, lube and adjust cable tension, clean carburetor within two hours.  No special tools needed.  An assessment / troubleshooting of what needs to be done requires no more than 5 minutes.  Also, a $600 single stage is not the same as a $600 2 stage when it comes to cost of ownership.  With a 2 stage, there are friction disc, skids, scraper, belts, cables, shifter mechanism, auger shear pins, impeller pins.  Lots of things to keep an eye on to make sure they are in good shape and not let you down during a big storm.

edge10 wrote:

My take on this,with a similar slope on my drive is: I wouldn't go with an SS because I have been where you are heading meaning, that slope is going to be difficult with the SS. It will pull you down that slope faster then you can get traction with your feet. Up hill is also an issue and not what you think. It will go where it wants and give you a workout. Just ask me how I know. I've been on my a$$ more than once because of it and will never go that route again. I also have a 2 stage Ariens model 7524e for the last 7 years with only praise. I have had snow bucket high and yet some without any trouble. Just my two cents, Allan.

aa335 wrote:

At least, no suffering for poor rabbits.  SS snowblowers, such as Honda HS520 or Toro 621, are a great choice.  I really like the way SS can really clean it up the driveway and my pond.  For my small driveway, my 2-stage is an overkill but you don't get the satisfaction of snow blast (i.e., a clean kill of a rabbit with the 357 magnum) when it snows more than 6 inches.

GreatCanadian wrote:
I don't recall advising to "borrow" anything.  I suggested reciprocating work. 

Don't know how you operate but I get along fine with my neighbours and strangely enough, I've never seen a day when at least one of my nearest neighbours with a dual stage wasn't home after a snow storm.  
We take care of each other around here. 

I have four SS machines and one large frame Simplicity dual stage.   In the last two years, the dual stage has seen about 1/2 an hour of work.   Anyone with any experience with a decent SS machine knows what they can do.  From your response, it sounds like you may not have had the pleasure to use a good SS snowthrower.   I will agree though that with  the slope of the OP's driveway involved, a small dual stage might be a better choice in order to maintain control.  If the driveway was flat, I'd go with a Toro SS. 

borat wrote:

In my neighborhood, almost every 3 houses has a 2 stage snowblower.  I can pretty much tells who hasn't been home or late to take care of the snow on the apron.  In all my 5 years here, I've never seen anyone's driveway blocked in that they can't get in or out. Both of my adjacent neighbors do not have a 2 stage snowblower, but between the 3 nearby houses that do have them, the whole block is taken care of.  On one side, my neighbor has two useless teenage boys and a father that never does any outdoor work to clear their driveway, I just clear their apron when it's more than 18 inches high.  Less than that, they just drive their car through it.  On the other side, a new neighbor just moved in, so I knew they were not equipped to handle their driveway, plus they just had a 3 month old baby.  So I take care of them too.  I don't think anyone ever asked for help, it just happens.

aa335 wrote:
That's the way we roll in this neighbourhood too.  

We actually all enjoy getting out and "showing off our wares".   Because I'm the only one on the street with SS machines, it's an oddity that the neighbours seem to enjoy watching.  Especially when I crank up the old Tecumseh machines and actually out-throw a number of, lets say, less than premium snow blowers on the street.  

I used to have "attitude" about SS machines.  The reason was because I had never owned or used one before.   Now that I've seen the light, I've learned to appreciate and respect their capabilities. 

Looks like we've got about ten inches of wettish snow coming our way tonight and tomorrow.  Got the old Murray gassed up and ready to go!

borat wrote:

If you are agreeing, then why are you arguing with me???? OP described his conditions, driveway slope, and requirements. I gave my recommendation. And apparently you agree with it, so I just don't get the rest of your post.

I live in Newfoundland, in eastern Canada. Trust me, people here are VERY neighborly, friendly, and help one another out all the time.  I just don't get the concept of "Well, my neighbor has a 2 stage so I'll get a single stage".

GC

edge10.   i have a 1986 8 hp tecumseh 924 ariens that has served me well since i bought it new. my driveway is 20ft wide and 135 ft. long and yes there are years we don't get lots of snow here in wisconsin but there are also years like this year that we get more than the season average.is it too big sometimes? yes! but i sure am glad it can do the work when i need it to. if you are phisically able to handle a larger snowthrower that's what i would buy! it will do a good job on the light snowfalls and an even better job on the heavy ones! not only that but if you take care of it could be the last snowblower you'll ever buy.

GreatCanadian wrote:

Before owning a Honda HS520, I thought having 2-stage was a must and required.  After having both HS928 and HS520 this year, I am not so sure about saying HS928 is the best option.  SS will have a hard time in certain conditons, but for 95% of the time, it will be more than good enough. I would not want to bother my neighbors either and I like being indepedent.  Don't under-estimate SS like I did.