Author Topic: Rate your snow blower  (Read 2840 times)

Offline grimmey71

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #15 on: November 16, 2012 - 09:47:37 PM »
I have been using an old electric start bolens my brother found in the garbage, changed the plug and it started right up. 9years later and the only thing that broke was a cable I replace with a go cart cable.




Offline spamtank

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #16 on: November 16, 2012 - 10:15:27 PM »
There are two types of snow throwers, Ariens and everything else....  Very expensive, but you buy the machine once, just

 :iagree: :worshippy:

I've had my Ariens 824 for 12 years now.  A few years ago I had a problem with it, and took it to the shop.  I bought a craftsman for about $500 while my Ariens was getting "restored". 

I was happy as a clam when my 10 year old Ariens was returned, and I sold the craftsman for a loss 2 months later. 

The friction drive wheel wore down.  It would have  been a cinch to replace, except I failed to keep the wheel hubs greased on the axle (proper maintenance and all  :bricks1:).  They were seized to the axle from slush and salt, and I didn't/don't have a press or a torch to remove them. 

I'll buy another Ariens someday.  But I don't expect to need to for quite a few more years.

The Craftsman was no match.  It was flimsy, and could barely get out of its way.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2012 - 08:48:06 AM by spamtank »
Rick, Manchester, NH
1970 SE 383 2V AT Challenger
1977 M882/W200 Power Wagon
2013 RT Plus 6M

Offline Fern

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #17 on: November 17, 2012 - 07:08:56 AM »
If you buy a Ariens, make sure you go to a distributer, home depot sells them and they are not the same and no one will service them.

Offline BIGSHCLUNK

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2012 - 11:55:44 AM »
You dont see Ariens dealers around here that I'm aware of.  :clueless:

I was on a "live chat" on the Sears website today. The Craftsman blower are MTD's. You think they could tell me who the engine manufacturer was....... o hell no...... The only thing I've found w a "north american " made motor so far (in the size I need) is Snapper. -BRIGGS- They dont have a dealer network around here which could be a real PITA down the road if I need parts. Not that Briggs parts are hard to find but Im talking of anything else .  The Craftsman look like the Troy built units that Lowes carrys from what I can tell. Maybe I will go to Lowes and flip one over.   
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Offline spamtank

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #19 on: November 18, 2012 - 12:37:45 PM »
You dont see Ariens dealers around here that I'm aware of.  :clueless:

What's up with that?   :dunno: Looks like the closest ones to you are an hour and a half away.  Don't you guys get snow in Milwaukee?

Hope you find a good machine.  Have you considered looking on craigs list for a used ariens?  I still think a 5 year old ariens would be better than a new craftsman.
Rick, Manchester, NH
1970 SE 383 2V AT Challenger
1977 M882/W200 Power Wagon
2013 RT Plus 6M

Offline BIGSHCLUNK

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #20 on: November 18, 2012 - 01:20:32 PM »
What's up with that?   :dunno: Looks like the closest ones to you are an hour and a half away.  Don't you guys get snow in Milwaukee?



Last year was a free pass for all of us but the year before..........

Let me tell a story (I wish I had pics!)

Get up early after it snowing all nite 2 years ago. It was windy that nite so expecting some drifting I was going to sno-blo then get to the shop.  The way the wind blew drifted in the back door on the house but actually made a clear path to the garage. I'm thinkin' oh this wont be to bad.... WRONG ANSWER!!!! I turn the corner to the garage and the snow is as high as the cowl on my Exploder.  :22yikes: Holy crap!! Even in 4WD I'm going nowhere. The entire alley has snow fron 4 to 5 feet high.  :faint:  I start ddigging - any sno-blo machine is worthless at this point. Its about 6am at this point. Mean while people are starting to filter out into the alley... and get the BIG surprise! So I decide on a plan and negotiate a deal w the neighbors.

OK - we live a block off a main drag which I figure (this was a guess) has been plowed at least once or twice thru the night and should be passable in 4X4 mode.  The deal is this.... help me dig out to the street and I will get my BIG loader and plow the alley (this was really more of a scoop and move operation). Ok were about halfwat thru and my buddy calls me who lives just 3 blocks away. -
Sidebar- he also does all my local towing. So he's stuck in his alley also and cant get his truck on the road either.
So I tell him get over to my alley and get digging. You can come down to the shop with me and we can dig out your alley too!  :grinyes: We get pout to KK (the main drag by me) by about 10:30am. We ride down to the shop in 4X4 mode all the way. We make it to the end of the public street and look at the road (which is private and not plowed by the city)down to my shop. It ranges from waist to chest high snow allthe way down and maybe 200 yards to my shops front door. We only have 1 choice.... walk! I'm dreding this. I'm already beat out from the alley digging . The thought of walking and then digging out the front gate was not very appealing.

We get to the shop.... the snow is covering the front door , but the way the wind blew the snow in front of the gate was minimal. (thank you GOD). By this time ol BIGS is ready for a nap, I'm workin way to hard, but the show must go on. I climb up in my BIG loader..(ol Fiat Allis 545B w 2 1/2 yard bucket) which is always plugged in to assure quick starts in bad weather. Ya.... of course the storm blew out the ground fault interupt. Shess colder than a 90 year old virgin..... $hit. I reset the outlet and give her 15mins (belive me I needed the brake anyway) and she fires. I gotta restart her a few times but we get it going. At this point I have to dig a path just to get her to the street. 

Once were at the street I drive her on home... this took over an hour and a half. At a blistering 8MPH. Everyone stuck on the street was trying to be my friend. But I kept going, I had a job to do  and a promise to keep. I coulda made a pocket full of cash that day. But I'm not insured for that and this day was bustin my balls as it was. We get to my alley after 1pm. People have been digging. but for most part are just exhausted. We got the alley dug and had sno piles as high as my bucket could drop - 13/14 feet.  :eek4:

Drove to my buddys alley and repeated the process. When we were done he folowed me back to the shop in my truck and we put the loader back to bed. This was the very first time we were ever closed for business ever. And I've been there since 1984!

Afterwords we drove back to the nieghbor hood, I talked to my wife a minute, and we headed to the bar down the block for an adult beveage or two. By this time is was 6pm, I was crashed in my lazyboy by 8.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2012 - 01:23:17 PM by BIGSHCLUNK »
70 Chally R/T Convertible- Yes she's really got a HEMI, no she's not a Charger!
                                             [o o o o]
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                                              [o o o o]
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Offline BIGSHCLUNK

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #21 on: November 19, 2012 - 09:02:28 AM »
For grins I looked underneath my MTD this morning... the engine is dated 1995-1998. Guess I had it longer that I thought... i
70 Chally R/T Convertible- Yes she's really got a HEMI, no she's not a Charger!
                                             [o o o o]
                                                  OO
                                                  OO 
                                              [o o o o]
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Offline spamtank

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #22 on: November 19, 2012 - 06:31:34 PM »
Last year was a free pass for all of us but the year before..........

Let me tell a story (I wish I had pics!)


That's a great story.  Your neighbors are lucky to have you on the street.

I was thinking that must have been a long drive from the yard back to your house at 8 miles per hour. :22yikes:
Rick, Manchester, NH
1970 SE 383 2V AT Challenger
1977 M882/W200 Power Wagon
2013 RT Plus 6M

Offline BIGSHCLUNK

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #23 on: November 19, 2012 - 07:09:20 PM »
That's a great story.  Your neighbors are lucky to have you on the street.

I was thinking that must have been a long drive from the yard back to your house at 8 miles per hour. :22yikes:

There are times I may have hit 10MPH  :woohoo:   Even w the headset on by the end of the day I was half deaf!
70 Chally R/T Convertible- Yes she's really got a HEMI, no she's not a Charger!
                                             [o o o o]
                                                  OO
                                                  OO 
                                              [o o o o]
https://www.aanddtruckautoparts.com/
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Offline BIGSHCLUNK

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #24 on: November 20, 2012 - 04:15:51 PM »
Just figured out Snapper = Simplicity.....
70 Chally R/T Convertible- Yes she's really got a HEMI, no she's not a Charger!
                                             [o o o o]
                                                  OO
                                                  OO 
                                              [o o o o]
https://www.aanddtruckautoparts.com/
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Offline cudabeforeIdie

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Re: Rate your snow blower
« Reply #25 on: November 21, 2012 - 06:27:20 PM »
If you buy a Ariens, make sure you go to a distributer, home depot sells them and they are not the same and no one will service them.


Who told you that?    :roflsmiley: