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

I here the Ariens has auto steering, Honda none. Honda has no cast-iron auger drive, Ariens does. Ariens is cheaper than a Honda. Anyone with experience with the Ariens Hydro pro track 28. I here reverse is very slow and weak, I do not know it a Honda behaves the same way. I am getting up in age and do not want to fight it to turn. I know Huskavarna and Troy built units have trigger steering. I am not impressed with there quality. I also know Hondas Hybred units have steering. It is big and beautiful but just to much machine for me cost wise. Any help in the pro and cons of these unit will be healpful.

I also have a Honda 928TCD as well as an Ariens Pro 28 wheeled unit.

I use the Honda on a gravel driveway with ruts in Ontario cottage country. The Ariens on several driveways in the city. I am considering getting the track conversion kit for the Ariens mostly for the height control and partially for the extra "tank like" feel of tracks.

1. Both units work very well and are well made. I lean slightly to the Honda on the build quality but the difference is probably less than negligible.

2. The Honda is a bear to turn since you are sliding both tracks sideways. The Ariens is wheeled with an automatic slip mechanism that they call "auto-turn" it is not what I learned in shop class was called a differential although it is trying to do the same thing. It works well and I like it alot. From what little I've heard the tracked Ariens has the same mechanism and it helps with turning however you are still slewing the tracks around so its going to be harder than a wheeled unit with the same auto-turn mechanism.

3. Both are snow and slush cannons which chug through deep snow with lots of power. The Ariens does have a more powerful engine

4. With proper maintenance ( drain the gas at the end of the season is what I do, stabilizer is supposed to work) both start very reliably. I use the electric start occasionally on the Honda with its on board battery, pull  start works very well on both. I generally run the carburettor dry after shutting of the gas so it does take a minute or so for the gas to get back into the carburettor at start up.

5. The Honda's electric chute control is nice but I prefer manual since I can fix it myself with less cost. I have had to yet.

6. The one thing about the Honda is that it is harder to maintain on your own. Changing belts, which doesn't happen often, is practically a shop required exercise whereas the Ariens is much easier.