Topic 'Re: Snowblower replacement...' in forum 'Home Improvement' - dslreports.com

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:08:03 EDT

slyphoxj posted : I finally wound up getting the Ariens Compact 24 from the Home Depot site for $799.99. I did a Live Chat with a rep who added in the 10% off Lowe's mover discount bringing the subtotal down to $719.99 plus 7.75% sales tax bringing it to $774.83. I ordered it through the Citi Bonus Cash Center site and hopefully will get 3% off of the $774.83 bringing it down to $751.58. It should be delivered to my home in the next week or two by a local Ariens dealer.

I just kinda felt uneasy about the Sno-Tek with its no-name Chinese motor. Are the Ariens Compact 24's and the Briggs & Stratton motors on these still made in the US?

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:36:45 EDT

UHF posted : MTD snowblower engines are made in China. Parts availability is not an issue, and the quality is good. They aren't Chinese designed, they are designed in the US and built to specs. I would assume Snotek is similar. That said, I still like my Ariens.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:09:25 EDT

LazMan posted : I don't think there's anything inhenently wrong with the SnoTek machines - looking at them, they are very similar to the MTD built (Toro, Canadian Tire, lower end JD, etc) machines...

They just aren't an upper-end machine, either; despite being built by Ariens...

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:02:27 EDT

alkizmo posted : Well, we'll see. I have a sno-tek and this winter is announcing itself to be a regular winter.

If I have problems, I'll be glad to report it :p
So far, it started last week for a ready check.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 08:02:53 EDT

Draiman posted :

said by itguy05:

said by Draiman:

Again last year's winter was only mid for the Northeast. The rest of the USA got normal snowfall. But yes only 2 winters worth of use it may be too early to tell. Then again my "junky" Craftsman is still going after 6 years. Only issue is the finicky emissions compliant Tecumseh carb. But that's probably due to my poor storage habits early on.

Let's add in some facts about last Winter since you're stuck on it being only for the NE part of the US. Only 9 states had an average winter last year.

"U.S. Winter 2011-2012 is Fourth Warmest in Recorded History"
»www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/03/···-history
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 07:43:52 EDT

itguy05 posted :

said by Draiman:

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 07:18:21 EDT

Draiman posted :

said by itguy05:

said by Draiman:

Also add in the fact Sno-tek has only been around since 2009. That means they have been in service for 2 winters and last winter was virtually no snow. Not enough time has elapsed for people to be able to form a valid opinion on their machine yet.

That may be true for us in the Northeast but the rest of the country (Miswest, West) got their fair share of snow. And I'm sure HD sells SnoTek there too...

It could be the entire world selling them and still with only 2 winters and one being VERY mild for everyone there's no one who could provide an accurate review given no Sno-tek is outside warranty yet.
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:09:27 EDT

itguy05 posted :

said by Draiman:

That may be true for us in the Northeast but the rest of the country (Miswest, West) got their fair share of snow. And I'm sure HD sells SnoTek there too...

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:06:14 EDT

itguy05 posted :

said by telco_mtl:

thats why when my inlaws gave me their old tecumseh powered blower i kept the 7 year old engine off my old one. just in case, its pretty bad that its easier to get parts for a tecumseh (bankrupt company) than some of the chinese engines

Just use Honda parts. 99.9999% of the parts are the same as the Chondas are very good copies...

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:01:04 EDT

UHF posted :

said by telco_mtl:

its pretty bad that its easier to get parts for a tecumseh (bankrupt company) than some of the chinese engines

Techumseh parts are still available through Certified Parts Corporation in Wisconsin. Techumseh has not completely shut down, it's just been sold off.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:13:03 EDT

telco_mtl posted :

said by Draiman:

said by telco_mtl:

The issue ive had with chinese engines wasnt quality, it was parts cost, you can rebuild a briggs or tecumseh carb for about 10$ the last chinese engine carb i played with cost over 60$ to fix

That's what my dealer said when asked about Sno-tek last year. He said the few they serviced so far it took weeks to get the parts and cost a ton of cash since they were so difficult to obtain. If it breaks during the winter your SOL for a long time waiting on parts then paying a premium to get them. Not a gamble I'm willing to take personally. Paying someone to plow while my budget snow blower is in the shop for 3-6 weeks isn't my idea of a deal.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:55:19 EDT

Draiman posted :

said by telco_mtl:

The issue ive had with chinese engines wasnt quality, it was parts cost, you can rebuild a briggs or tecumseh carb for about 10$ the last chinese engine carb i played with cost over 60$ to fix

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:45:16 EDT

telco_mtl posted : The issue ive had with chinese engines wasnt quality, it was parts cost, you can rebuild a briggs or tecumseh carb for about 10$ the last chinese engine carb i played with cost over 60$ to fix

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:29:44 EDT

Draiman posted : Also add in the fact Sno-tek has only been around since 2009. That means they have been in service for 2 winters and last winter was virtually no snow. Not enough time has elapsed for people to be able to form a valid opinion on their machine yet. Listen to Arien's talk about their own machine! (see below)

"...the company has labeled the machines Sno-Tek, rather than Ariens, because they use different engines and have some less expensive parts."

"We had experience with their engines before we put them on a Sno-Tek," Dan Ariens said. "And we think that we have managed the risk by making sure we have backup support systems if there is a problem."

"But Ariens Co. isn't worried about its value-minded product line stealing sales from the Ariens brand.

A customer that wants a robust Ariens product isn't the same customer that will buy a Sno-Tek, Dan Ariens said."

I bet you not many Sno-tek owners know a Sno-tek is a budget sub-par machine made to compete in a down economy. If that's what you want then you get what you paid for. Just wanted to point it out so people UNDERSTAND what they're buying. They are paying less and getting less in all regards.
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:24:44 EDT

alkizmo posted : Everyone there gave it 4/5 except for one dude who gave 1/5 because he seems to have gotten an open box (tons of accessories/parts missing).

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:17:05 EDT

Draiman posted : Check out real reviews from consumer reports or other websites. It's not in HD's best interest to have bad reviews since dealer's don't sell Sno-tek only box stores. Dealer's sell Arien's though so you have to ask yourself why won't dealer's stock a Sno-tek and stand behind them like an Arien's?

Let's just take a wild guess. a Sno-tek has a weaker engine, small parts, and plastic parts. That means it's more prone to break and the engine takes more stress since it's moving the same amount of snow with less torque, smaller gears, and plastic parts. It only stands to reason given 3-5 years of use the extra stress will reduce the useful life on a Sno-tek far below a machine of any other brand which has correctly sized gears, engines, and uses quality materials on the parts that matter. Just saying....
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:06:33 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by Jack_in_VA:

Sno-tek is a Chinese made machine sold by Arien's.

That's all that needs saying

And Ariens branded machines are assembled in the US, but by what quality standards?

LCT engines are at least designed by an american company. Production is simply much cheaper in China due to multiple factors like labor, land leasing, materials supplies, proximity of other parts suppliers.

Just because something is made in the states doesn't mean they applied the best quality standards, nor is it that because it is made in China that it was made as bad as possible.

Honda cars are made better than chryslers, yet they are both made in the states.

We're only basing our assumptions on the past reputation of chinese made machines, a reputation made when quality engines were ONLY made in Japan, Germany or North America. Things are changing now. I took a leap of faith on the Sno-Tek snow thrower, but I can say from having used it for a year that it feels lot more solid than generic crap snow throwers and has a TON of power.

Will it break sooner than a Honda engine? Probably, especially when they are not well maintaine. Is it worth paying 2x the price? Only time will tell.

In 5 years I guess I could make a solid statement on the Sno-Tek's reliability. It's also too soon to bash it for being made in China. So far, the Sno-Teks have hundreds of reviews on home depot's website and their scores are near their upper-end counterparts.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:41:49 EDT

Draiman posted :

said by Jack_in_VA:

said by Draiman:

Sno-tek is a Chinese made machine sold by Arien's. It's a cheaper model then the orange Made in America Arien's unit. They are a decent machine but you get what you pay for. Don't expect it to last more then 5 years as it wasn't made to last and you didn't pay for it to last. Search on Sno-tek repairs and you'll find tons of people who can't find parts for the motor. I did a ton of research on them last year myself before going with a Arien's Deluxe over the Sno-tek.

Sno-tek is a Chinese made machine sold by Arien's.

That's all that needs saying

Yea I'm sad Arien's sold out making a lower quality/price machine to sucker people into spending their hard earned cash on a sub-par machine. Most people don't know anything about it except it's the cheapest machine they can find so they buy it thinking it's worth their money. If it seems too good to be true......it is!
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:32:44 EDT

Jack_in_VA posted :

said by Draiman:

Sno-tek is a Chinese made machine sold by Arien's.

That's all that needs saying

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:13:10 EDT

Draiman posted : Sno-tek is a Chinese made machine sold by Arien's. It's a cheaper model then the orange Made in America Arien's unit. They are a decent machine but you get what you pay for. Don't expect it to last more then 5 years as it wasn't made to last and you didn't pay for it to last. Search on Sno-tek repairs and you'll find tons of people who can't find parts for the motor. I did a ton of research on them last year myself before going with a Arien's Deluxe over the Sno-tek.

A few of the differences.
Sno-tek 11" auger vs. Arien's 14" auger
Sno-tek 9.5 engine torque vs. Arien's 11.5 engine torque
Sno-tek 205cc vs. Arien's 250cc
Sno-tek 178 lbs. vs. Arien's 220 lbs. (Lots of plastic!)
Sno-tek 12" impeller vs. Arien's 14" impeller
Sno-tek no headlight vs. Arien's has a headlight
Sno-tek plastic chute vs. Arien's all metal chute
Sno-tek throws up to 40' vs. Arien's throws up to 50'
Sno-tek Chinese made vs.Arien's American made

»www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25ecodZ···ications
»www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R···ications
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 06:58:53 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by slyphoxj:

I dropped by a Home Depot tonight and looked at a 28" Sno-Tek and a 24" Ariens Compact side-by-side (they didn't have a 24" Sno-Tek on display). The Ariens Compact has a Briggs & Stratton motor and a metal chute. The Sno-Tek has a Chinese motor and a plastic chute (but bigger than the one on the Ariens). But the controls on the two were almost identical. I'm wondering if the Ariens Compact is really worth the extra $200?

I have the Sno-tek 24", though it has a metal chute.

It was this one
»www.homedepot.ca/product/sno-tek···d/918481

Same model, different chute... weird.

I can't complain for mine, but we had an almost non-existent winter last year. I did get to test it on snow banks made by the city plows. You can imagine how dense plowed snow banks are, yet it was able to eat through them, even if the snow was higher than 20".

I already tested it for this coming winter and it started just fine (needed a couple of pull since the fuel line was empty).

The electric start works, but isn't needed since it starts easy after a pull or two.

said by slyphoxj:

I'm also wondering if I'd be just better off to get a good ol' used one off of Craigslist... but the prices on the ones on Craigslist aren't much better than of a brand new one (at least here in Cleveland).

It's a risk. If you are able to repair the machine yourself easily, go for it, more power to you! But if a broken blower = sending to a repair shop, you might not want to take a chance. Who knows why the seller is selling the blower, maybe the problem isn't obvious. Maybe the problem is like your current blower, it chokes on snow, but acts just fine when idling (can't test that unless you have tons of snow around).

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 23:10:11 EDT

slyphoxj posted : I'm in the market to replace my 7 year old MTD 21" single stage 2-cycle sorry ass excuse for a snowblower with a real one. When I say "real", I mean one that can go through a half foot or more of snow down a four car driveway without crapping out halfway or sooner and actually finish the job without me having to having to do any shoveling. And I'd rather not be bothered with having to mix the oil and gas (I wouldn't mind oil changes... I do them on my lawn mower).

I have my eye on the 24 inch Sno-Tek that Home Depot has for $599.99. I originally considered this 24" Craftsman that's on sale now for $499.99 but the Sno-Tek appears to be the better deal since Sears charges $69.99 for delivery and Home Depot offers free delivery... and the Sno-Tek has a bigger motor. I might even be able to use that 10% off Lowe's coupon that's in the USPS Change-of-Address packet (has anyone here had any difficulty getting Home Depot to accept this coupon for an online order?)

I dropped by a Home Depot tonight and looked at a 28" Sno-Tek and a 24" Ariens Compact side-by-side (they didn't have a 24" Sno-Tek on display). The Ariens Compact has a Briggs & Stratton motor and a metal chute. The Sno-Tek has a Chinese motor and a plastic chute (but bigger than the one on the Ariens). But the controls on the two were almost identical. I'm wondering if the Ariens Compact is really worth the extra $200?

I'm also wondering if I'd be just better off to get a good ol' used one off of Craigslist... but the prices on the ones on Craigslist aren't much better than of a brand new one (at least here in Cleveland).

EDIT: Fixed links

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:13:10 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by Draiman:

I'd much rather use a snow blower then a lawn mower! :)

What if they made a lawn mower than blows lawn like a snow blower?

Now that would be A-SOME. I'd let my grass grow to 10 inches before plowing through.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:07:59 EDT

Draiman posted :

said by burner50:

I found a great snow removal option...

Move somewhere snow rarely ever falls.

I just moved up here from Florida 5 years ago. You still have to maintain the lawn all year so it's either lawn work or snow work. I'd much rather use a snow blower then a lawn mower! :)
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:06:01 EDT

ptrowski posted : I did that for a while. TX, KY, and Fl.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:03:19 EDT

burner50 posted : I found a great snow removal option...

Move somewhere snow rarely ever falls.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:00:48 EDT

Chinabound posted : Fair enough.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:55:33 EDT

SwedishRider posted :

said by Chinabound:

A little more than he needs, wouldn't you say?

He asked what we all use, not what we recommend for his particular situation. Given his question phrasing, my answer was appropriate.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:44:29 EDT

Chinabound posted : I spread enough fertilizer here, don't I? ;)
It's great for the occasional topless sunbather in her backyard, although one almost made me vomit this past summer.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:30:09 EDT

Draiman posted :

said by alkizmo:

said by Chinabound:

Thanks - but I need them. :)

And what do you NEED out of a recreational plane kit? :p

I'm sure it's to spread fertilizer or to see the deer for hunting season. :p
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:26:46 EDT

Chinabound posted : Check for squatters? :D

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:21:51 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by Chinabound:

Thanks - but I need them. :)

And what do you NEED out of a recreational plane kit? :p

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:18:04 EDT

Chinabound posted : Thanks - but I need them. :)

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:17:21 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by ptrowski:

Saw that link, very nice setup!

It will be better in the new thread I'll make as things will be finalized. The only "unfinished" stuff are add-ons like lighting and receptacles in the shed that were made possible since I ran a second raceway to bring in power TO the shed through 30A 3-wire.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:11:57 EDT

ptrowski posted : Wow, you have some real toys!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:10:41 EDT

ptrowski posted : Saw that link, very nice setup!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:10:34 EDT

Chinabound posted :

said by ptrowski :
Is there really technically more than someone could need when it comes to toys?

You're preaching to the choir here! It wasn't easy convincing my wife I needed my airplane. :)

said by Draiman:

said by Chinabound:

A little more than he needs, wouldn't you say?

Although I know where you're coming from, realistically, there is such a thing. He mentioned he has a small driveway, so I thought it was a little odd he suggested his Rider. My entire driveway(s) total about 600' - so I need the power and speed an ATV offers, but I'm not going to suggest it to someone with a smaller driveway and two sidewalks.
There is no way that Rider is going to handle something like this, anyway.
[Att=2] [Att=3] [Att=4] [Att=5]

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:04:53 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by ptrowski:

Love the thinking of course. I did just buy a 6800 watt generator as well and am waiting for my transfer switch. :)

May as well build a shed to support running the generator inside.

Sometime next week I'll be posting pictures of final result of my generator shed project.
This one was last year.
»Generator house link project - The progress..

Next week I'll have a concrete slab put in the shed's wall for the generator's exhaust port, then everything will be complete. Since that thread I wired up the transfer switch properly, installed an exhaust fan in the shed. I'm still waiting for a 1" cord grip but that's a small detail and it won't arrive until mid-december (long shipping time).

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:00:54 EDT

ptrowski posted : Love the thinking of course. I did just buy a 6800 watt generator as well and am waiting for my transfer switch. :)

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:00:11 EDT

cowboyro posted : I have the Craftsman listed in the report. It's 4 years old and it does an awesome job. Started it this winter for the first time at the very first pull with gas left in the tank from last year (using stabilizer).

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:58:44 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by ptrowski:

This also gives me an excuse to get a new shed too.

If you get a shed, you need to buy a generator to put inside.
If you buy a generator to put inside, you need to buy a transfer switch to wire it.
If you buy a transfer switch to wire it, may as well buy a bigger generator.
If you buy a bigger generator, may as well have an underground NG/propane line to the shed installed.
If you get a NG/Propane line installed, may as well get an outlet for a BBQ
If you get an outlet installed for a BBQ, may as well buy a bigger BBQ.
If you buy a bigger BBQ, may as well buy a bigger shed to store it in winter.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:11:55 EDT

ptrowski posted : Sounds good to me, I think that is the route I am going to go. The 28" deluxe should suit me just fine.
This also gives me an excuse to get a new shed too.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:29:08 EDT

dogo88 posted : My Ariens is almost 30 years old and still going strong. Best investment I ever made.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:39:50 EDT

Draiman posted : Here's a review by Boston.com that showcases a few snow blowers.
»www.boston.com/business/personal···reports/

Note the auger on the Troy-Bilt in slide 2 vs the Ariens in slide 3. Also look at the chutes. You get lots of bells and whistles on the Troy-Bilt to awe you into buying it but it's not heavy duty like an Ariens.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:37:10 EDT

ptrowski posted :

said by prairiesky:

get a honda. A lot of the other brands are now all the same model painted a different color, and they're kind of garbage.

If you don't have much, the honda 520s are going for about 300 on ebay.

Looking online it seems like the Honda's that are new are much higher priced than I care to pay.
--
"So, Lone Starr, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."

Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:27:26 EDT

Draiman posted : A few more details.

Warranty:
Troy-Bilt = 2 year
Toro = 3 years
Ariens = 5 years

Ariens is 100% made in the USA. :)

Troy-Bilt and Toro have PLASTIC chutes where Ariens has a metal chute. Would you want to pay MORE for plastic then metal?

$300 more for a Toro gets you 15 cc's more power but a 2" smaller impeller plus a plastic chute and 2 years less warranty. Toro is a decent machine but the price just doesn't justify it when compared to an Ariens.
--
IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:20:30 EDT

ptrowski posted :

said by Chinabound:

said by SwedishRider:
42" Husqvarna Snow Thrower paired with my Husqvarna AWD Rider.

said by ptrowski:
I have a small driveway and 2 sidewalks

A little more than he needs, wouldn't you say?

Is there really technically more than someone could need when it comes to toys? :)
--
"So, Lone Starr, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."

Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:19:44 EDT

Grumpy posted : Consumer Reports likes Toros. I only have experience with two machines - one is a Troy Bilt, which may well be made by the MTD dynasty, the other a large Toro.

The Toro is a Mercedes to the Troy Bilt Kia.

Aside from a reverse speed* that's an insult to the buyer, the Troy Bilt / MTD works pretty well, but if you want top shelf - it's a Toro.

Like almost every small air cooled engine, mice nests that block the flow or cooling air that the fan under the screen supplies are your number one engine killing issue. I know I've harped on this before, but it's true.

*The good news is the Troy Bilt is so light that pulling it backwards is fairly easy.

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 07:45:12 EDT

Draiman posted :

said by Chinabound:

said by SwedishRider:
42" Husqvarna Snow Thrower paired with my Husqvarna AWD Rider.

said by ptrowski:
I have a small driveway and 2 sidewalks

A little more than he needs, wouldn't you say?

No way! There's no such thing as overkill with snow or lawns. You want to get the job done as fast as possible and more power just equals more speed not overkill. Your machine needs to be big enough for the right speed and conditions at their absolute worst! When you have 12-16" of wet packed snow at the end of your driveway from plows you'll be glad your machine can handle it. :)

Ariens 28" Deluxe all the way! They are $999.99 and you can get 10% off at Home Depot. Go online to their site and open a chat box. Tell the person you have a Lowe's 10% coupon you want to use. They'll honor that and give you 10% off. It's also free shipping so even with tax you'll have a nice machine delivered to your door for just over $900.
»www.homedepot.com/Ariens/h_d1/N-···qhORsg24

An Ariens compact is good for 3-6" of snow while a deluxe is 6-12". You move from 200 cc's to 250 cc's so a lot more power. The auger in a compact is 11" and 14" in a deluxe. The impeller in a compact is 12" and 14" in a deluxe. The tires go from 13"x4" in the compact to 15"x5" in the deluxe. For the extra $200 is well worth it to get a deluxe.

Also look into these Roller-skids.
»www.rcpw.com/ariens-skids/1250.html

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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Re: Snowblower replacement...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 06:51:43 EDT

Chinabound posted :

said by SwedishRider:
42" Husqvarna Snow Thrower paired with my Husqvarna AWD Rider.

said by ptrowski:
I have a small driveway and 2 sidewalks

A little more than he needs, wouldn't you say?