Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents as this site was a big help in deciding on which new blower to purchase. I picked up the 1330SE to replace my 11 year old MTD 8-26. So far, I'm pleased with the new unit. As mentioned before, the heavy front end weight does help in holding the machine down which is a plus but can make it a little harder to control on rough concrete. As far as performance, it considerably cut down plowing time compared to the old MTD. The heated grips worked better than I thought, didn't find myself holding my hands in front of the muffler very often. I (like others) was kind of skeptical about the electric chute motors, but once you have them you'll never never go back to the old manual system. If they ever go out, I'll simply replace them, (nothing lasts forever.) These things are great time savers as you can make adjustments without stopping. One thing worth mentioning, 6th gear on the JD seems to be noticably slower than my old MTD, but I was still able to clear my 4500 square feet in record time.
Overall, I'm happy with my purchase and would recommend this unit. There's a few things shown in the pictures I'm not to crazy about but I guess they just don't make em like they used to.
Under the dash: Misssing plastic conduit, wires rubbing against sheet metal edges.....Although I shouldn't have to, it's an easy fix.
Gas valve: Now I ask, sinse when is "off" in the vertical position? That will take some getting used to.
Just a shot of the drive system.
Plastic cover removed from motor. No clip on the gear, the cover is what keeps it in place.
Plastic tensioning wheels, the MTD had steel and two drive belts on the auger.
