Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: 41magsnub on March 03, 2017, 05:21:42 PM
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Anyone have any experience? I have enough driveway now that hand shoveling it, especially if we get another winter like this one, won't be fun. We routinely get more snow than I'd want to use a single stage snow blower on, so 2 stage.
I'm looking specifically at this one (or whatever the next model year replacement will be if they change it up): http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/snow-blowers/st-227p/961930097/ (http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/snow-blowers/st-227p/961930097/)
I like the 27" width and the extra HP. 2 stage will be fine. Will need the tire chains too, not going to spring for the uber model with tracks.. too much money :(
There is a good local service and support network for them and I like their chainsaws.
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Looks pretty good to me for the price. Slap some tire chains and you're good to go for most situations.
I have 32" wide 2 stage John Deere with 10hp engine that was $2k 19 years ago.
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Call your local lawn mower and small engine repair shop. Ask which brand they see the least for repair.
Weigh that against the brand(S) that shop sells, and then buy an Airens.
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Over my lifetime I've had several types of snowblowers. The ones with the caterpillar treads are horrible to manipulate. Don't even consider. I had one for a week and returned it. Way too heavy and cumbersome. The larger 2 stage blowers also are hard to turn around and difficult to manipulate through drifted snow. Both of the aforementioned do handle heavy snow, but you will pay a price both $$$ wise and in trying to maneuver, even with a multi speed tranny.
I have two Honda single stage snowblowers. 4 cycle engines. One is a 5hp mod 520 and other a 6hp mod 621. 20 inch and 21 inch. Both are rather elderly. The 6hp I bought around 1993 and the 5hp around 1999. Both are still going strong and throw snow a long distance and are easy to manipulate and manhandle, especially if you have to cut through a drift now and then, as well as carving up what the goobermint plow leaves in the end of the drive. I've had 'em tuned up once or twice and had to replace the rubber auger blades and the skid plate now and then. Easy to do. I've had two homes, one with a 20 ft deep pad in front of a 3 stall garage, with another 25 ft drive to the road, on a slope. Our present drive is the width of a two stall garage to the street, about 50 feet.
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I second the Honda. My dad had one for about 15 years, he bought a bigger one, I sold his old one to a friend of mine at least 5 years ago and its still kicking.
I have a craftsman one someone gave me an its flimsy. Had to weld quite a few parts back on it. It's over 10 years old as well.
Once I put the fuel valve on it a few years ago to burn the gas out of the carb after each use its been decent. Briggs and scrap iron 10 horse I think.
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Not sure about Husq. I have an Ariens 8hp 2-stage that's older than I am. I had to put a new belt on it maybe seven or eight years ago and I have to pump up the right tire a couple times a year. Other than that it just works.
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Anyone have any experience? I have enough driveway now that hand shoveling it, especially if we get another winter like this one, won't be fun. We routinely get more snow than I'd want to use a single stage snow blower on, so 2 stage.
I'm looking specifically at this one (or whatever the next model year replacement will be if they change it up): http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/snow-blowers/st-227p/961930097/ (http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/snow-blowers/st-227p/961930097/)
I like the 27" width and the extra HP. 2 stage will be fine. Will need the tire chains too, not going to spring for the uber model with tracks.. too much money :(
There is a good local service and support network for them and I like their chainsaws.
I'm pretty sure we have that exact model at work. It has handled two mild winters right on Lake Michigan with no problems. The Huskie we had before that was ancient but ran great through two hellacious winters, more than 130 inches of snow in each.
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The reason I lean husky is a winter like this one is atypical. I own honda lawn mowers and love them, but to get the comparable 2 stage snow blower is more than I want to spend. Mom has a 1 stage honda that is reaching end of life. It is getting harder to start, but it made it for 30 years. Same with an ariens, hear good things.. more than I want to spend.
I also have a 10% off coupon for lowes for anything up to $5000. They carry this model.
Oh, and we have a very long driveway now so self propelled would be nice.
Edit: actually the ariens aren't bad price wise. I don't think I was comparing apples to apples before. And Lowes carries Ariens as well. Hmmm