Snowblower Advice?

[kootenayskier]

I'm gonna bump this thread as after our dump last week we are in the market for a snow blower. We are in Mammoth, looking for something to blow our deck which is approx 10' x 30', but the roof does shed onto it. When it snows here, it really snows. We got 6 or 7' last week in 48 hours. We shoveled 3 times and there is still snow on the deck. Deck is flat trex. Don't need to do the driveway if the plow guy actually shows up.

Toro any good? I have been told Honda Honda Honda, but not really looking to spend $2k to just get the deck.

Anyone have experience with the Toro Snow Master or Power Max? Is Power Max overkill for a deck? Wifey would likely use this quite a bit so easy to use is key. She doesn't want a monster.

I move a lot of snow. I bought a Toro Powermax 824 on the advice of my opinionated local small engine mechanic. 3 years in, other than breaking shear pins on my gravel driveway (which are simple to replace, but I do keep a bag of them at the ready) it’s been flawless.

[Sirshredalot]

I had an Ariens Compact 24 that I used for the driveway and deck. Also in a very snowy climate/neighborhood.

The roofalanche snow will require a metal shovel, especially with Sierra moisture content. No snowblower that can fit on your deck will get through that if it's had 12-24 hours to set up. I kind of had a system where I would chop it up with a metal square-bladed shovel and then launch the debris over the railing with the snowblower. It was better than shoveling all of it, but it totally sucked ass.

I would go with the most powerful single stage or smallest Ariens Compact you can find and make peace with the fact that a shovel is going to be involved with your roofalanche debris.

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[Skidog]

I move a lot of snow. I bought a Toro Powermax 824 on the advice of my opinionated local small engine mechanic. 3 years in, other than breaking shear pins on my gravel driveway (which are simple to replace, but I do keep a bag of them at the ready) it’s been flawless.

The newer 824/828 Powermax do not utilize shear pins anymore. The auger cowl is also plastic and like $100 easily replaceable. Its really the only weak part, but wont rust. I have been watching a LOT of videos lately on snowblowers. Im leaning towards an 824 myslf. Just under $1K 3 year warranty (bumper to bumper) and some sort of lifetime on something else.

[AKbruin]

I understand the reluctance to spend much on a Honda. I'd say that Hondas are most helpful when you need your snowblower to really throw the snow some height and distance, which might not be as much of an issue on a deck. But in 2017 and 2019 we had so much snow in my neighborhood that a couple neighbors without Hondas were screwed. Their Toros and Troy-Builts could not throw the snow over the berms and it just ricocheted back into their driveways. (We helped them out.) Both bought Hondas afterward.


(See my daughter in the upper righthand corner for scale.)

Also, keep in mind that whatever you invest, you're always going to be able to resell your Honda for $$$. Along those lines, if you can wait until the spring/summer, you might be able to pick up a used Honda for a good price. I got my trusty 1132 (too big for a deck) for $1500 in 2014.

[XXX-er]

craftsmen is no more but the craftsmen is still plugging along 11 yrs later

i'm pretty sure a bunch of those non honda's use the same chassis

[Sluff]

Cub Cadet 3X. Any of the 3X models that beat fits your needs. I have one. Best snowblower I have ever had. The snow throwing distance is incredible.

Buy aftermarket chains for the tires. Stock tires just slip and spin.

https://www.cubcadet.com/en_US/snow-blowers

[Skidog]

Cub Cadet 3X. Any of the 3X models that beat fits your needs. I have one. Best snowblower I have ever had. The snow throwing distance is incredible.

Buy aftermarket chains for the tires. Stock tires just slip and spin.

https://www.cubcadet.com/en_US/snow-blowers

Also a great choice...its on my list as well.

[altacoup]

Lived in LCC as a caretaker for over a decade. I’ve thrown a ton of snow. Honda’s are great but the newer ones have gone down hill. I would never even think of anything but a 2 stage even for a small area. Especially if it receives significant snow fall. I’d go Ariens. Just as good as Honda and way cheaper.


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[Tahoepa]

25y experience with Honda’s. 724 may be the biz for ya. 928 for the driveway. Shear pins are a bit of a pain but not that big of a deal. Electric start if u want it.

I haven’t used Ariens but round Truckee-Donner Summit the Honda always kicked ass. They chuck snow really far too which helps on those monster dumps back to back.

Sounds like that Ariens for a deck duty job may be good juice for the squeeze if it’s dependable. My craftsman was shit and I used it for half a winter and bought a Honda and never looked back.


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[kootenayskier]

This guy’s reviews seemed the most current, detailed, and objective, when I was researching a couple years ago.

https://movingsnow.com/2020/the-best...you-fall-2020/

Note that although Toro advertises that their blowers don’t “require” shear pins, but they have them, and when you’re working it as hard as I do, they shear.

[glademaster]

I was pleased with my Ariens when I lived near Brighton, UT for 4 winters. It always started as long as it was warmer than -10F, threw snow a long way, and I never broke the shear pins, despite moving 350-400 inches of snow per winter.

Now I live in Colorado, where a pushbroom is the only snow removal tool you need.

[ill-advised strategy]

Bit of handy cheapo advice:

I got a free, very old (like 70s old) Ariens because it ran but barely threw. I replaced the rusty inefficient chute with a newer more streamlined one, then sleeved the inside with polyethylene (ptex), added some plastic paddles to the throw wheel to seal it to the barrel and it was way better. Upping the engine rpm by tuning the governor spring tension got it to like a 50’ throw.
I always spray the inside of the chute and paddles with silicone.

Electric is great, but if not, starting fluid is a cheap way to get close. .

Tracks are great, but if not, tire chains are a cheap way to get close.

[Garth Bimble]

I've got an Ariens Compact 24 and as far as reliability is concerned it's great but when it comes to the heavy wet stuff it does as much plowing as it does blowing. Maybe if I tried some of the mods/lubes others have suggested it would be better but as a stock machine if I had to move snow in the Sierra I'd definitely look at other options.

[ill-advised strategy]

Anyone use one of those three-stage machines? Supposedly those are the answer for deep cement snow.

[ill-advised strategy]

I think this summer I’m going to pull the old tecumseh and drop a 212cc predator on there.

[RShea]

Anyone use one of those three-stage machines? Supposedly those are the answer for deep cement snow.

Years ago we had a 3 stage Craftsman snow blower. Had the drift buster auger on top of the standard ones like all the 2 stage. Had a propeller wheel at the bottom of the chute to increase the throwing distance for the early first rounds of the wet cement. It was back before things like electric start were also included unless it was the really high end over $1500 (in 1970's and early dollars)

[dewam]

DON'T use chains on a deck! Plastic grain shovels are much easier on the decking also. Decking is very expensive, a few smart choices can save a lot of money.
If it was me I would look for an OLD Honda 6/24 track rig. Talk with the local guy on Craigslist who posts the add looking to buy Honda snowblowers, he will know how to fix it up/rebuild to reliable shape.
Where I live building code requires 4" spacing on deck railings. Builder I know secured the bottom boards with door hinges and a pin to secure them. Made it easy to remove the bottom boards and push snow off the deck, no lifting. Doesn't work well with six feet, but the rest of the time pushing snow is a lot easier then lifting.

[El Chupacabra]

If you're using a snowblower on a deck, I'd look at replacing the metal skid shoes with plastic.

I use a plastic shovel for deck clearing, no metal edge.

[Mustonen]

I had a 10’ x 50’ deck, metal roof without snow brakes. Had a slide once that took the deck railing out and broke joists and one of the beams that supported it.

I cleared it with a big two stage ariens. Wheels. Put it in reverse and hoofed it up the steps when I needed it. Had plenty of times where it was 5ft of heavy packed snow, meant I’d cut down, then jack it up to knock off the roof of the tunnel I was carving.

Frickin workout, that was. No advice here, just commiserating. It was not something my wife at the time (who was into powerlifting) would have been able to manage. We’d had a single stage for the purpose and it was a joke. I never did build a ramp to make on boarding the fucking thing easier....

ETA: there’s a real problem where a snowblower big enough to handle the deep/heavy snow easily will be equally unwieldy in corners and other tight spots.

[XXX-er]

ETA: there’s a real problem where a snowblower big enough to handle the deep/heavy snow easily will be equally unwieldy in corners and other tight spots.

and that why I stuck with 24" which is adequate for my app

[Shredhead]

Cub Cadet 3X. Any of the 3X models that beat fits your needs. I have one. Best snowblower I have ever had. The snow throwing distance is incredible.

Buy aftermarket chains for the tires. Stock tires just slip and spin.

https://www.cubcadet.com/en_US/snow-blowers

I have the 3x 30” Max for my driveway and it’s been great. But it’s pretty big and a little unwieldy.

I had shoulder surgery last year and hired a service with a huge articulated snowblower. They don’t do quite as good of job. But it’s nice not having to wrassell that fucker around at 6am on a powder day.

I also have a lite electric Snow Joe for my decks. Because I do have to be able to a least get to the hot tub on those powder days.

[Hopeless Sinner]

Lived in LCC as a caretaker for over a decade. I’ve thrown a ton of snow. Honda’s are great but the newer ones have gone down hill. I would never even think of anything but a 2 stage even for a small area. Especially if it receives significant snow fall. I’d go Ariens. Just as good as Honda and way cheaper.


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It doesn't really make sense that any Honda product has "gone down hill" compared to earlier versions. I have a new Honda snowblower and it's better than the one I bought my old man 20 years ago - it certainly wasn't cheaper that's for sure.

[comish]

I'm back! Bought a used Ariens 24". Damn thing is super finicky. When it runs it crushes, but between starter fluid, a throttle that basically has to be full gas to work, and the starter rope sometimes not grabbing anything and needing hot water to defrost something to work, I'm looking again at other options. Oh yeah, that was after I found the tube for the prime had fallen off so no gas getting to where it needs to go, and the gas needing to be drained. Basically super finicky...

Anyone have an Ev GO 2 stage blower? Seems like they get good reviews. Lighter, easier to maneuver around the deck, and no maintenance?

We have only gotten something like 17' of snow since Jan 1st. The wife has definitely put in her fair share of shoveling, no complaints there! The snowbanks around the hot tub are about 10' at this point +/-. Lotta snow.

[Mustonen]

I have an EGO 2 stage. For your snowfall you’ll want an extra set of 7.5ah batteries, but if you have that I don’t have a problem recommending it for your use.

Part of why I’m all in on electric yard tools is because I’m hopeless with keeping small gas engines running.

[John_B]

I'm back! Bought a used Ariens 24". Damn thing is super finicky. When it runs it crushes, but between starter fluid, a throttle that basically has to be full gas to work, and the starter rope sometimes not grabbing anything and needing hot water to defrost something to work, I'm looking again at other options. Oh yeah, that was after I found the tube for the prime had fallen off so no gas getting to where it needs to go, and the gas needing to be drained. Basically super finicky...

Anyone have an Ev GO 2 stage blower? Seems like they get good reviews. Lighter, easier to maneuver around the deck, and no maintenance?

We have only gotten something like 17' of snow since Jan 1st. The wife has definitely put in her fair share of shoveling, no complaints there! The snowbanks around the hot tub are about 10' at this point +/-. Lotta snow.

You've probably got clogged jets in the carb. I'm not that familiar with Ariens blowers but the carb ought to be quite accessible. You may even be able to find a new carb for cheap at swap that on.

None of that helps with the recoil but could address the other issues.