robmints

Emmo,

I'm one of the ones that would say $1000 would be a good budget number for a two stage machine.  If you need a two stage, I think I would lean toward Pete's advise and say that 8 HP is about the place to start.  Maybe a little less for a two stroke.

I would look at the 926LE Ariens and the 826LE/828LE Toro at a dealer.  IMO Home Depot and Lowes are not the type of store to buy something like a snowblower because they do not offer service and the help from the sales people is more likely to spotty than from a dealer.  When you look at the machines you and Lisa have been discussing and then at the 926LE and the 826/828LE I think the reason for the higher price will be easy to see.  I personally feel that more money spent carefully can be a better value sometimes, and this is one of them.

I am not an expert or even close, just posting my opinion.

Thanks MM,

It was either yours or Franks post about last years changes that was refered to many times.  It's real nice to have everything in one place.

May be center drill the center of the shaft so the puller has somewhere for the point to go.  Put a good deal of pressure on the shaft, and hit the end of the puller screw with a hammer to see if it will break loose.  I'm sure you tried this, but I figured I would post it anyway.

fcarp,

It might depend on if you have a good cold winter or not.  Good hard freeze, do like Chris.  Sort of cold then melt?  I like a piece of 1 1/2 or 2 by maybe 6 or 7, bend a little less than 2 inches fore and aft, leaves you about 3 to 4 inches of contact.  Set them where you are comfortable, maybe a piece of "one by" under the auger housing, gets you about 3/4 off the ground.  I would becareful and maybe drive the machine around dry (no snow) with no augers turning, and watch or have a friend watch and see if you pick up any rocks.   I worry about the skids being too long or wide and flexing the sides of the auger housing.  So sort of close to what you have from the manufacturer, but just big enough to provide enough surface area to give you some "float" is perfect. IMO.

Dave___in___CT wrote:

Dave,

We have 2 2544's on our street.  The machines are very nice.  I have only done some very minor maintainance to one.  Little things the lady can't do herself, like sharpen blades ect.  The one I have seen the most is older and only has a 12.5 Kohler.  But, if there was one weak point with the machine, it would be the mowing deck, and how it is driven.  The deck seems to clog easily.  She is mowing in some bad, but not extreme conditions.  She has become so frustrated, I have finished the bad sectons with my Toro.  And another personal observation of mine that sort of bugs me sometimes.  A horizontal engine, while maybe prefered as an engine layout, usually does not transfer power to the deck as well as verticle engine, unless it is driven by a shaft from the transmission.

Nice machine, just make sure it cuts what you want it to cut.  Plowing, pulling, tilling, mowing, that's one thing, take the good with the not so good.  Just mowing, I think there's better machines.  Please take it for what it's worth, I only have exposure to two.