Ok, I know this topic is a bit off the beaten path for this forum and way off track for this time of year, but I just bought a house and I am budgeting for equipment I need to keep the place up.
I’ve been looking into two stage snowblowers and have been told about 5-7hp throwers that run about $1k or a bit less. Anyone recommend for or against any particular brand? Any features I should look for? I’ve been told about brands like Ariens, Simplicity (never heard of this one before)….
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Replies
how big is your driveway, sidewalks
also how big is your lawn and what do u use there?
how old are the operators?
where are u and how much snow do you get and what kind of snow do u get, light fluffy, heavy wet, ...
if both big enough then maybe a rider w/attachs better
if small enough an electric may do the job
bobl Volo Non Voleo
Here are the details. Driveway is about 100 ft long, I live in New York state about 45 minutes north of the city in subs. Last winter was really bad, operators are ME. Maybe my wife. I have a John Deer tractor that I can get a blower attachement for but that involves taking off the mowing deck each season and the driveway is on the narrow side so I dont the maneuverability would be so good.
I have an electric one but it doestn fare so well in anything over 4" or heavy stuff. Also have a bad back so I cant shovel too much. Especially where the plow comes by and leaves a mountain of snow/ice
100 FT LONG? iD GET AT LEAST 10HP , i HAD A 8HP ARIENS, SOLD IT WHEN I MOVED TO PHOENIX 6YRS AGO (FROM BOSTON AREA)
iF I EVER MOVED BACK TO SNOW REGION (HOPE NOT) IWOULD NOT DO WITHOUT A SNOWBLOWERmakinsawdust
My budget can only survive about $1k which I think is 5-7 hp range. Wouldnt a 7hp do just fine? Were you happy with your Ariens?
Take a look at the Ariens 824. 8 hp, 24" wide. Should fit your budget and do a decent job in most situations.
I've got a 100' driveway in CT. I bought the 1024, which is a 10 HP with heavier duty components (but runs about $1500).
You're going to get a lot of snow, often wet/heavy. I don't think 5 HP is going to cut it.
In any case, don't buy cheap. Cheap will still be a lot of money, and if it doesn't work well in big storms, you'll hate it for the next 20 years.
since u have a bad back, try muenuvering whatever u think you're interested in.
i'm in mass. my driveway isn't long. but it is two cars wide so i have a lot of muenuvering, can be hard on your back
i have a 5 hp toro about 15 years old, but i understand that MTD now owns Toro. Have a buddy who had a MTD in Nashua NH that he loved, handled the heavy wet stuff.
get an electric start
to repeat myself, with a bad back, u should be sure u can manuver the thing.
some folks like chains others don't, i've nvere needed thembobl Volo Non Voleo
Hey Wrecked Angle...what's a snow blower? Maybe RonT knows...Do it right, or do it twice.
a Gay Eskimo?Experienced, but still dangerous!
Buy a snowplow for your truck.
For HO's buy a snowplow for your suv.
For others get the local landscape guy to plow it, they have to make a living in the off season.
That's actually more an option for HO's these days. A few companies have started selling these HO light duty(and lightweight) plows by Sno-Way and SnowSport. They're cheap enough for a HO to justify buying and light enough to go on any truck/SUV. I think the SnowSport goes for about $1200.
Mike
Airens vs. Toro.....anyone have any preferences? Toro has some new models coming out and they arent in the dealers yet but ariens are. My dealer said Ariens is more for the buck but i've heard many good things about Toro.
I've got a 35ish year old Ariens snowblower (belonged to wife's grandfather) that I inherited this year.
It was well maintained, and other than some missing paint, runs great. I did a tuneup on the engine this year (points, condenser, plug, headgasket, etc), and it starts on 1 pull (I was too cheap to invest $150 in the electric starter).
I HIGHLY recommend Ariens - their stuff is built like a tank.
Mine is a 6hp, 4 speed self-propelled. I have a steep, but short, driveway (~20 degree incline). I bought new tire chains not because it wouldn't climb the driveway, but because it would slide sideways down it if I tried to go side to side (ie. turning). Now it doesn't slide EVER.
6hp will throw a full path (24") of 8" of heavy, wet, Michigan snow about 8-10 feet. Is that a ton? No, but it is far enough that you don't end up moving snow twice!
It doesn't get bogged down, and will continue on through the above snow even in the fastest gear (which is almost hard to keep up with). It runs at less than top speed, but gets it done.
My neighbor has a single stage Toro - it doesn't get it done around here, and I generally do the end of his driveway for him (so he doesn't have to get out the shovel).
In short - can't go wrong with an Ariens, and I suspect you would probably be fine with 6-8hp (I don't think a 5 would cut it) unless you are getting 4-5' at a time (which, by the way, simply means you blow snow twice).
d-
We've prabably got matching ariens'!
There's one of the same vintage as ours in a driveway by me and I almost crashed stopping to snatch it up, 'til I saw the $200 for sale sign. I'm gonna keep an eye on it, and if that price goes down....
Mike
Mine was a donation - the grandfather-in-law gave it to my wife's sister. Her husband used it for 1 season, hit something with it, and damaged a roll-pin (which is the same idea as a shear bolt, but not-user replaceable), and GET THIS: WENT A BOUGHT A NEW BLOWER!!!!
So, for the $50 it cost to have the roll-pin replaced (ok, plus the $100 or so I put into new parts), I got a $7-800 blower...
I WIN! :)
Yeah, mine started out as my dad's, went to my sister+bil about 14 yrs ago, then was finally donated to me 4yrs ago. The only time it's ever been in the shop was the yearly tune-up at my bil's expense.
Mike
Ron T will tell you, that a snowblower is what puts a smile on Frosty's face!!Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
Bobl, came back to this post because of your comment about menuevering the two stage units. Are they difficult to move around? Do they basically have to move in a straight line or can you steer them?
I have a ~20yrold Toro
i can "steer" it for small movements, slow changes of direction. don't forget when you are doing this you are in several inches of snow so you are moving snow in your turn, not just the machine
but when i need to make a 90 degree turn from a stopped position it becomes more difficult. usually have to lift the front end (by leaning on the handles) and turning. puts a little strain on the back.
making a wide sweeping 90 degree turn probably isn't too bad, but I don't have that luxury with my driveway
think when you hit the end of the driveway, how are you going to menuver the thing? or any tight spot you might get into.
my daugter (~5'2") uses an arien 824 new last year. haven't specificly talked to her about it but haven't heard her complain.
believe you mentioned a bad back, that was the reason for my comment. in the heat of battle it's easy to make a move to hurt your back
learn your machine and plan your attack take your time, it isn't a car with power steeringbobl Volo Non Voleo
Thanks. I'm also trying to figure out a storage issue for the blower. I know that out of season storage is better because the handles fold down but in season, I believ the 824 is close to 5' long (including handles).
Debating once again wether to just go with a single stage unit and work a bit more frequently on the snow remova. What is your opinion? Most people here say to go with the 2 stage units. My garage though is getting pretty tight with the lawn tractor and other misc tools. Trying not to make my purchase decision on this factor alone but I also dont want to buy something that wont get the job done.
As far as my back is concerned, its not that bad but I have to watch what I do. Shoveling the stuff the plow leaves behind at the end of the driveway is what would do my back in more than maneuvering the blower. Dont think the one stage units will fare that well with that stuff but I'm not sure.
Need some realistic input here. Always easy to get carried away and buy a super piece of equipment.
L
I would go with a 2 stage
I don't have a garage, so before I built my shed my blower sat in the yard, coverd, for about 10+ seasons. in the off season (now) i stand it on end for storage (but watch for oil coming out the filler tube), my handles don't fold
in the winter i would go out, clear the snow off the cover remove the cover, plug in the extension cord (electric start) and start it it. then clear a path to the drive way over the grass
I have a fuel shut off valve on my machine so I shut the fuel off and let it die before shutting off the key, also installed a fuel filter, and don't forget fuel stabilizer.
the shut off valve makes it easier to drain the fuel tank at the end of season
end of driveway is the last thing i clear (nothing like having a plow come by and filling in the end again)bobl Volo Non Voleo
Yeah, I think 2 stage is what I'll have to stay with. You stored it outside all of the off season with just a cover? No rust or tire rot issues? I dont have a shed but I'm thinking of building or buying one (another expense). I have to give the garage back to my wife in the winter so she can pull the car in. Thats when things are going to get interesting. Its only a one car garage with some room on either side of the car. Right now as things are arranged, I have to tell her to pull up to a certain piont with the car and step over the mower deck on the tractor. That was bad enough. Wait until I have to tell her to avoid the blower. .....
I've had some rust, but nothing significant, and the tires still hold air.bobl Volo Non Voleo
I have an Ariens that is older than I am.....it dates from the late 60's......solid cast iron machine. Newer Tecumseh 7hp starts first pull every time, doesn't have the safty features of the newer machines but also doesn't have all that plastic. Bought it used for $250ish......you can get a great machine for $600 used. Teh 824 is a great machine.
My father has an MTD from about 6 years ago.....8hp loves it....never a problem.
Good luck, buy HP and quality don't be concerned with buying used.
SJ
Know a little about alot and alot about little.
FYI - they delivered the Ariens 8524 Classic today. Real nice piece of equipment. Glad I took all the advice here and stuck with the purchase. Thanks all.
ps - only problem is...now I have to stare at it for 3 months or so until we get some snow.
Congarts on the machine.......... its a good one. You must know, now that you have that shiny new machine, you won't get any snow. <g>
Yep, my neighbors said I just bought them "insurance" that we wont get any snow this year. I hope not.
ps - I wonder how it would handle leaves in the fall.......just kidding.
Have the local insulation contractor come and blow a coupla feet in your drive way!
Then have a ball!!
Wait for a day with a stiff breeze tho!Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
Get used to that, you'll be looking at that Ariens for a looooong time!
Congrats,
Mike
I live north of you near the Canadian border. My friends, who are native to this area and know snow, advised me not to get anything smaller than 8 hp. So, I bought an 8. It's entirely powerful enough for everything I've encountered over 10 years.
I bought a White, because the dealer, who was very reputable, offered White and John Deere. The Deere's were quite a bit more money. I've had no trouble at all except for this: after the first few years I stopped treating the gas with stabilizer over the summer and running the tank dry. After a couple of more years the carburator gummed up. I called the dealer from work. They went over to my house and took the blower from my garage. When I got home from work, it was back in the garage, repaired and washed, and it only cost $70. Running great ever since.
The one option I would definitely recommend is the electric start! On a snowblower, electric start doesn't mean that it has a battery, but rather you plug it into the wall. The starter motor is powered from a wall outlet. After it starts, you unplug the cord. After a couple of minutes warm up, away you go.
"...after the first few years I stopped treating the gas with stabilizer over the summer..."
I'm definitely a believer in that stabilizer stuff. It's just dang near miraculous in my book. Q: Why do doctors slap babies' butts right after they're born?A: To knock the pen!ses off the dumb ones.
Ariens and simplicity are used by the pros who put 100 times more hours on their machines than you ever will. You can get a reliable 10 hp 24" 0r 28" inch blower from sears or HD for about $1,000. Most blowers have pretty much the same engine (tecumseh) and are relatively simple machines. I bought a 10hp snowking (murray) from sears 10 years ago and it works great. The extra hp makes a big difference, especially at the end of the driveway where the plows can leave you with 4' of heavy crud. Also, don't rule out buying a used one from the classifieds to save $, if you can confirm that it was well maintained and not used that much. Electric starter is a definite must.
Edited 7/31/2003 4:37:51 PM ET by TOMMH
Edited 7/31/2003 4:52:23 PM ET by TOMMH
Edited 7/31/2003 4:55:29 PM ET by TOMMH
Edited 7/31/2003 4:59:25 PM ET by TOMMH
I've had a 24" NOMA (HD store brand, some years ago), which has a 5 hp Tecumseh and uses a 12" second-stage (high speed) impeller. 5 hp is not enough power for a 12" impeller running as fast as it does. It will toss dry snow clear across the road when I do sidewalks, but that's the problem; it tosses it too far, which takes lots of power, and the heavy stuff overwhelms it, even small amounts. I end up taking very narrow swaths, going very slow, and letting the tires slip when it starts to bog. The 8 hp machines I've seen appear to have the same size auger and impeller (bigger wheels, though), and would probably perform much better. And as an aside, my father has the same engine on a smaller machine, and it doesn't struggle like mine does, but it's too small for his long driveway (100' plus). If I had to do it again, I'd not go below 8 hp, with the same 24" width. Even a small driveway is a chore if the equipment isn't well designed. HTH
Be seeing you...
My $.02, I'm in NW NJ and am using a 35yr old Ariens Sno-king. Second pull starts every year, and it'll chug thru anything.
Coupla yrs ago my bro bought a house with a 450' driveway and bought a Honda track-drive to clear it. Absolutely flawless, a pleasure to use, but pricey. Maybe you could look into Honda's lower models(less geegaws).
Mike
Also thinking ahead: What would you folks recommend for a lonnng drive in NW CT, sort of steep (+- 10 %?). Would a blower have enuf traction for work upslope? Need chains? Which make/models might work? HP? Thanks. Paul
Well, I'm east of the river, which has pretty wimpy weather compared to you. What is it about the northwest hills, anyway?
My Ariens, with no chains but both hubs locked and new tires, is good in dry snow, but borderline on a steep slope when the snow is wet or there's a layer of slush under it. It's even more exciting going downhill (think sleighride).
Pete
You can't even buy chains anymore here; dealer told me the new tires are so well lugged nobody wants them so the stores have dropped 'em.
Get the Honda tracked model if slope is an issue. At the ski center where I work in the winter, Maintenance uses one of these on top of the mountain to clear the decks outside the restaurant and patrol shack. We're talking 2-3 feet of packed wind drift at -30C some mornings. Worse, frequently they've gotta clear the overblow from the artificial snow guns, which has the same consistency once it freezes as cured stucco. The guys can drive this thing up and down the steps leading to the deck from the ground. Honda is pricy, but everybody I know who's ever experienced the difference between theirs and anything else feels like they got their money's worth. I'm waiting for my 10HP 30" White to break just one more time, and then it's gonna get replaced with a Honda.
I don't like White, MTD, or anything powered by Tecumseh--had the engine on my machine fill up with water just because it stood outside in the rain; then it froze, of course. The dealer refused to honor the warranty; I called White, they told me they only guarantee the frame and impeller drives; I called Tecumseh who told me to crate the entire snowblower and ship it to their main plant in Wisconsin (I'm north of Montreal) so they could 'evaluate' it. If they agreed with me, they'd pay back the freight. If they didn't, I'd have to send them a check in advance to have them ship it back to me. Freight charges woulda been about $500 one way including customs brokerage and so on and so forth. The machine cost about $1400 Can.; so they were asking me to bet $1000 against $400 to save the $75.00 the dealer charged me to fix it.
FWIW. Make your own decision.
Gotta go out and cut the grass with my 25-year-old Briggs&Stratton-powered, no-name, $99.95 lawnmower. Still got the original oil and spark plug in it; stands out in the rain and snow 12 months a year; I leave the gas in it all winter--and it still starts on the first crank every time. Even in the spring. It's going so well I'm afraid to touch anything on it but the starter cord and the grounding switch--it might get upset and die. (If you don't believe gasoline engines have souls, you've never owned one....)Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
"Also thinking ahead: What would you folks recommend for a lonnng drive in NW CT,"
I understand old Farmall Cubs are popular for that type work back there.
---"What would you folks recommend for a lonnng drive in NW CT, sort of steep (+- 10 %?)."---
We have 5 1/8 miles to the highway, with a steep hill up from the canyons, that tends to drift full in places, again and again, as the wind shifts.
We have a 650G JD dozer (used to have a 450B JD one, we upgraded long time ago) and it takes up to 8 hours the first day to clear the drifts to the highway and back on a blizzard's 2' snowfall (and clear a feedground for the cattle and feed and break ice for them on the way).
We also have cleared some roads for the county when the county grader, with chains on, was getting stuck in the drifts.
The idea of a snowblower on tracks is good. A tracked vehicle will get you where wheels won't.
.
We have a cat D8 and discussions about buying a D9 or D10...
never thought of using them to plow snow. Wow you got a lot of the stuff. We use blades on pick-ups.
I guess if they'll push a loaded 627 pan from a 40' lake bottom, they'd handle the snow...
we had three feet last year. More than we've had since I was a kid.
remodeler
Our dozer is the equivalent of a D4, some 90 hp.
To use such bigger ones as you have to move a little snow may be like using a shotgun to kill an annoying mosquito, overkill.<g>
They are costly to run per hour, compared with a blade on a pickup. Even if they will move much more material, faster, maybe not that much to pay the difference of operating cost.
The only concern of a blade on a smaller tractor or pickup moving big piles of wet snow would be the torque on the axles. It may bend them.
I guess that the best to do would depend on the conditions and the good sense of the operator on how much to push it's vehicle.
Get onit right now and put a wanted ad in your local paper. Often you can get a great deal from someone leaving the area or...
When you put the wanted ad in for any item (especially an out-of-season item) the person who calls often just wants to unload the thing. Using this method I'd expect to pay about half of new retail for whatever the item.
Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
Toro, Simplicity and Honda seem to be the way to go in Vermont. Honda will get you to $2K, but very reliable.
I just moved to Vermont from Phoenix last year and I will not go without a snowblower for another year. Plus once I spend the money, it will insure that we only get 1/2 the amount this year!
Good luck
What about Ariens? Any comments either way? One dealer close by to me carries Ariens and the other one carries Simplicity.
I love my Ariens 1024. It's only got 2 years on it though so I can't say much about longevity.
My only complaint is that you have to buy parts from a dealer, you can't buy them direct.
I like direct. My secondhand Agway-branded lawn tractor was made by MTD. It's not a quality product, but if I need parts, I call up the parts center in Foxborough, I pick what I need off the diagram they faxed me, and the parts (the right parts too!) are usually on my doorstep in 2 days. At this rate, I'll have the thing until the motor blows up. Of course, I would NOT recommend an MTD-built snowblower. It's going to take a beating; buy a good one.
Pete
Most snowblowers these days are pretty reliable. Most are powered by Tecumseh Snow King engines. The older side valve engines are reliable, I don't know about the newer OHV engines. Most of the problems I've seen are with gummed up carburators; using a fuel stabilizer is essential. As for features, I'd want electric start, chains if your on a hill, and if your driveway isn't well lit, a headlight. Make sure you have extra shear bolts. If you get a lot of snow drifts, you might consider slicer bars- they cut the drift and knock it down for the auger to pick up. Ariens makes a good snowblower. The 1024's were excellent machines. Some might disagree, but I think MTD makes some pretty good machines, too. Cub Cadet, Troy Bilt, White Outdoor, Yard Man, Yard Machines- all are MTD.
What are shear bolts? Are they easy to replace?
A shear bolt is similar to the shear pin in an outboard motor. The shear bolt holds the auger onto the shaft. If you catch a big branch or other obstacle with your snowblower, the bolt breaks (shears), disconnecting the motor from the auger. This helps you to avoid destroying the gearbox, auger, or yourself.
They're easy to replace. Make sure you have a couple in your garage. A lot of new snowblowers will come with extras.
Pete
Edited 8/6/2003 12:14:02 PM ET by BRADLEPC
The shear bolts are designed to "give" instead of the gears that power the auger when a rock or stone jams the auger. Usually not a bad job to replace them. Doesn't happen often but its good to have spares. As with most things, the failures come at the worst times- 4am and 2 feet of snow and the snow hasn't stopped yet. ;o)
Edited 8/6/2003 11:42:31 AM ET by jc
And don't use grade 5 or grade 8 bolts from the hardware store. If you do, it won't be the bolts that give when you try to eat a log.Be seeing you...
Still doing my research. Everyone says to get the 8hp 2 stage or higher. Are the 5hp smaller 2 stage and even the single stage toros that bad? Seems like I could save some bucks and just work a bit longer at clearing the driveway with the smaller ones and be fine......let me know what you think?
THe only drawback to the single stage units is that they are 2 cycle. That isnt appealing to me. What about the smaller 2 stage units?
My friend has a single stage Toro. They are ok in light snow' but won't put a dent in the heavy snow/ice/slush left by the snowplow. Also, they are not self propelled. You have to push them into the snow, so it can be quite a workout on a big driveway. They are light and manueverable and work well on small walkways where a bigger blower might not go.
Ditto to what Tom said. The smaller snowblowers are lacking when it comes to deep wet snow. That 100' drive may seem like 1000' with too small a machine. Your $1000 budget should get you a good machine capable of handling just about any storm and with proper maintainance and care, give you years of good service.
Sounds like I should just bite the bullet and get the one for $1k. Ariens seems to have the best bang/features for the buck. The Toro's look nice too but I think they are a few hundred dollars more.
Ariens makes some good stuff. Just retired an Ariens lawn tractor after 17 years. It's still running, just a little tired. A good servicing dealer is a definite plus with any power equipment.
I don't think the brand is that big an issue, but I would definitely steer you away from a single-stage. My neighbors all have them. They also all have shovels because they single stage won't move the pile of snow left by the plow....
I would still recommend a minimum 6 hp blower - by the time you turn an auger, a blower, and a pair of wheels, you really are asking a lot of anything smaller, especially if you are looking to go through 12"+ of snow...
d-
Thanks. One more thing....is it worth it buying a model up that has a built in auto differential or just use the manual pin ones? Sounds like steering these things isnt that easy. Would this help?
I have to admit that having a nearly 40 year old blower, I don't have any idea what you are referring to. I can tell you that mine has (as near as I can tell) no differential gear set - it has a drive gear attached to the drive shaft. This is the functional equivalent of a locked differential.
So what I do when I get to an area where I need to turn around is disengage the clutch - stop providing power to the wheels and a well balanced snowblower is VERY easy to manuever. With a permanently locked differential, of course, I have no problem going up or down hills at all...
Making the assumption that the new blowers also have a clutch (or some other way to free wheel, such as putting the drivetrain in neutral), I would suggest that anything above and beyond a normal locked differential is nice, but not necessary...
d-
Ah. I think I see what you mean. I was taking this differential issue to mean that you couldnt freewheel the thing. One of the dealers said that disengaging the locked differential would make it easier to move into the garage ie a tight spot for storage.
Ok. Just to wrap things up. Went out today and ordered the Ariens 824DLE (differential and electric start).
I think I bought last years model though because the Ariens website now shows the model number as 8524 for 8.5 hp and 4 blade impeller. Not sure what an extra blade on the impeller and a 1/2 hp gets you. Dealer swears that its the current model. Either way I think I'm pretty well set.
Any final thoughts?
Use gasline antifreeze! Keep the gas tank topped up to avoid condensation. Start the machine often, even if you've got no snow to blow.
Keep the skates set at least an inch and a half below the edge of the scoop until you've got a solid snow pack on your driveway if it's gravel; otherwise you'll go through a lot of shear bolts.
Don't push the machine--let it do the work. If the wheels start spinning as you hit a pile, shift down to a slower wheel speed. If the machine seems not to be throwing much and bogs down in minor amounts of snow, check to see if you've sheared the bolt on one side of the auger. It's hard to tell that from the operating position until you've got some experience. You'll have to stop the machine and go around front and try to turn the augers by hand. If you can--the bolt is sheared through.
Be careful where you aim the discharge chute. A small stone picked up with the snow can seriously injure somebody--or bust a window in your truck or house real easy....
Clean out the impeller and auger scoop after you blow any really wet snow--if you leave that stuff in the machine and the air temp drops radically, you will blow your tranny or burn the rubber on the drive wheel next time you engage the auger--frozen wet snow will lock the auger and impeller in place like concrete.
I would suspect "8524" stands for 8.5hp; 24" auger, BTW. I don't know what difference a three or four-blade impeller would make. Most of the big ones I've seen use three blades.
Wax your skis, too. The best reason to live with snow!
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Hey, thanks for the tips. Now to just get to when there will be some snow. Of course, the better the snow blower I get the less snow we'll have.
Thanks again
"try to turn the augers by hand"
that is use an old wood broomstick handle
Never put your hand near the implellers/augersbobl Volo Non Voleo
I did say to shut it down first, didn't I?
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
call me a conservative when it come to my body parts.
have sen things have a little 'spring" to them so when released they "jumped" enough to take part of a finger.
better safe then sorry at least until you have enough confidence in your knowledge of you machine and capabilities so you understand your risk.bobl Volo Non Voleo
Thanks for the warnings. I might be a rookie at this snowblower stuff but I've learned the shutdown and not using your limbs as tools warnings long ago. No offense. Thanks for all the help.
I agree with you on the conservative philosophy on safety--perhaps I should have gone into more detail about the mechanism involved so that you and larleb would be able to understand my recommendation.
A snowblower's auger and impeller are not connected directly to the engine driveshaft as is the blade on a lawnmower. Hand turning the blade on a lawnmower could cause you to become known as Captain Hook, because there is a possibility that you could start the engine by doing so--if, for example, the grounding lever were not touching the spark plug. Before doing anything like this on a lawnmower, you should remove the spark plug from the cylinder head. This makes it impossible to start the engine, and a lot easier to turn as well.
Contratily, on a snowblower there is a power transmission v-belt drive between the engine and the auger/impeller unit that disengages completely--we're talking well over an inch of idler wheel movement here, not like an automotive clutch--when the actuating lever is released. The auger itself consists of a steel spiral blade supported by struts welded to a hollow shaft. The hollow shaft rides on another shaft driven by the power transmission. The shear bolt is placed through aligned holes in the hollow auger shaft and the transmission output shaft. That bolt is the ONLY connection between the auger itself and the power train. If that bolt has sheared, the half of the auger involved will spin freely on the output shaft--unless the rock or branch that caused the bolt to shear is still jammed between the auger screw and the scoop. In that case visual evidence will tell its own story, and the auger will not move AT ALL when you try to turn it by hand.
If the bolt has not sheared, the auger will have approximately an inch of circumferential play back and forth when you try to turn it, and you will feel it fetch up against the shear bolt in both directions. This indicates that all is well on that side of the auger.
For the reasons stated above, it is safe to do this verification even with the engine running--but conservative safety practice dictates engine shut-down, in the unlikely event, for example, that a bystander would be stupid enough to press down on the snow-drive actuating lever while you were four feet away with your hand on the auger. I suppose that even if there were no bystanders, one could imagine a scenario wherein a large branch would pick that moment to fall from an overhead tree and land squarely on the actuating lever just as you had your hand in there. We are, after all, limited only by our imaginations. (Lawyers and technodolts are not even limited by that, but operate on a generalized ignorance-driven fear whose purpose is to cover all 237 bases even when there's only four of them.)
I agree that if you don't understand how a machine works (and your post was vague on that point, so I won't jump to conclusions about you yourself) you should take extra precautions. But I would suggest that operating something you're so afraid of that you feel obliged to prod gingerly at it with a long stick is a stupid and dangerous thing to do in the first place. Either take a training course, or hire someone to do the job for you. Like I tell my guys when we're on a roofing job: if you're not comfortable up there--COME DOWN. NOW.
Fear breeds mistakes. Knowledge of risk breeds caution.
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
great discription
fyi been using a snowblower for about 25 years, including changing belts etc
have lots of respect for it
had a buddy who lost the tip of his finger clearing his blower by hand
like to see good habits and respect develop for machinery.
you obviously know what u are doing.
can't always tell the experience level of a poster, or the details after 50 posts. some names you recognise so u don't add tidbitsbobl Volo Non Voleo
I can see how hard you're trying to make 5 hp work, but I think you've gotten good advice not to.
My mother has a 5 hp single-stage (Toro, a decent model not a cheapie). She has less driveway and gets less snow. For a light snowfall, the 5 hp is fine. For a heavy or wet snowfall it's completely hopeless and I have to shovel. It's not a matter of the 5 hp taking a little longer; the 5hp simply won't do the job. It's also rare that the 5 hp can cut through the heavy stuff that the plow leaves at the end of the driveway. If money's tight, the last thing you want is to lay out a good chunk of cash on a machine that still doesn't do the job.
If cost is a problem, you might check your local power equipment dealer for something used. You might also want to check the cost in your area of paying someone to plow.
When you need a snowblower you NEED a snowblower. If you buy a 28" 10/12 hp you will probably have it for the rest of your life. I have a John Deere 11228 (11hp,28"cut) and live in SE PA. JD will go through anything. Check out Northerntool.com. watch for their preseason sales. I think most of the SB's are made by Ariens- just badged differently. I try to stay away from Sears products.
"Sno-blowers", "tire chains", "snow plows", "shoveling"...man. You guys ever consider relocating?
I was going to make a smart-asss comment about how it never stops raining in Washington state, but we have had more rain here in the last 6 weeks and there is no end in sight!!Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
8 HP MTD, $6-700, been using it for 3 years, no problems. I have never had any issue with MTD.