DDD777

Well, if you could provide a little more info, there are folks on this forum that probably have some ideas.

1.  What manufacturer's system is it?  i.e. Ariens, Craftsman, etc.

2.  By stronger, do you mean that the tracks slip and don't push the front of the machine where you want it to, or do you mean it hits a snow drift and stops with out the tracks slipping?

3.  How old is the machine?  (relevant to items like disk drives, if applicable or drive belt maintenance, if needed.)

If the plug is wet (fouled with gas) you might try drying it off with a rag, then placing it in a sparkplug socket and holding a propane torch on it for 15-30 seconds to thoroughly dry it and warm it up a little.  Thread it back in while it is still hot (this is why you hold it in a sparkplug socket while heating it.)  Give it a yank or two and see what happens with no choke and a little throttle.  If nothing, then give it some choke and try again.  Starting fluid (ether) might also be your friend, but keep it away from the torch :)

good luck.

Ok, so I have no experience with the Ariens machine and cannot offer an opinion on it. 

However, last year I bought a Honda HS1132TAS to replace a Craftsman 32 inch track drive thrower that sucked (it hated wet snow, plugged constantly and was painful to use in a variety of ways). 

I have a home at about 6,000 ft in the Sierras with a steep driveway that drops about 70 ft from the front of the lot to the back where it exits.  The slope is extremely steep, so the track drive seems like a must have for me.

We have had a couple of snows since I acquired the Honda.  My WIFE cleared the first one while I was traveling.  She's about 5' 6" and less than 110 lbs!  That would not have happened with the Sears unit.  The next snow was preceded by about an inch of rain, then about 2" of sleet, then about 1 ft. for very wet snow.  In the past, I would not have even tried to clear it with the Craftsman, since it would have plugged in the first 10 feet no matter how much silicon that I coated the chute with. 

The Honda was truly amazing.  It cleared to the blacktop on the first pass, throwing the slush/snow mixture about 50 ft in whatever direction I chose to launch it.  It did not plug once, but I did manage to break the shear bolts on the augers when I hit the pile of ice/sleet/snow that was about 3 ft high where the mixture slid off the roof onto a walkway.  Fix took about 3 minutes and I was back in business. 

The machine ate through the frozen slush at the end of the driveway that the snowplow left for me, no problem.  On a good day, I used to spend 6 to 8 hours after a normal to heavy snow fall with the Craftsman to clear the drive, if it was not too wet.  I think the most recent snow was about the worst I have encountered for removal and I finished with a clean driveway in about 2 hours.  Total surface area is about 8,000 sq. ft. with some very interesting steep spots and tight places.

My summary on the Honda, so far:

Things I like:

1.  Starts easy.  The electric start is unnecessary for me (5' 7", not athletic in the least.)  The compression release has it starting on the first pull, cold.

2.  Hydrostatic drive is great.  After having the unit with the disk/wheel combination, it is night and day difference.  You can set the motion forward or reverse to a crawl, and it will maintain the speed if snow conditions allow.  I can now back out of situations that were not possible on steep slopes before.

3.  Quiet.  I don't know how many decibels, but I would guess about half of the former unit's.  Compared to a 13 hp Briggs engine, at least.

4.  Fuel efficient.  Did my driveway with less than 1 gallon consumed.  Former unit, when it would do it, usually took about 2.5 gallons.

5.  Does not seem to clog!  No matter what you blow through it; slush, ice particles, whatever.

6.  Discharge shoot aiming works well, with high/low control on the console.  Easy to move with the crank; MUCH easier than the prior unit.

7.  Auger shear bolts are easy to find; a soft 6mm x 20 mm cap screw is the basic form factor.

8.  Throws snow 55 - 60 ft!!!  I could put snow on the other side of a street, without dropping it in the street.

Things I don't like:

1.  Like others mention; pain to move when not running.  You can disengage the drive with a lever, but it is still some effort to roll it around.

2.  Blower shear bolt looks like a specialty item, shoulder type bolt that will need to come from Honda.  Expensive.

3.  Did not come with an air filter installed.  Maybe my dealer forgot, maybe Honda cheaped out.  Maybe it is not necessary in the snow, with the housing installed, but it feels weird to run it without one, so I will put one on.

4.  Tracks slide more than the old unit on the steepest slope.  I think it weighs a little less, and I think they are a little shorter.  Not a significant problem, but requires getting used to the first time you head down a steep slope.

5.  Price.  I think it was something like $3,000 with tax and delivery.  Ouch!

Would I do it again?  Instantly!

Thanks for the review.  We have a very steep driveway/parking area that totals about 3,300 sq. ft.  I just replaced an aging Craftsman 10 HP 32 inch track drive with a Honda 1132TAS.  Track drive is nice on the steep bits.

I was amazed at the difference in what kind of snow the Honda will throw, without clogging.  The Craftsman clogged constantly with mildly soggy snow.  Nothing seems to clog the Honda, not even slush.  I also like the hydrostatic drive.  The Craftsman's disk slipped in reverse so badly that it has always been difficult to drag it backwards, if facing down hill at all.  The Honda backs up with no problem on hills.  The Honda is much quieter as well. 

The Honda was a lot of money, ($3079) + delivery, but so far I am happy with the performance and user experience.  This board was great for a resource in the decision process.  Anything I bought was going to have to come from a long way away since our neighborhood is a small mountain community surrounded by desert.  Dealers that carry snowblowers are hundreds of miles north.  Being able to read of others' experiences and even links to the you-tube videos was an invaluable aid in the decision process!!