The Trials Of Personal Snow Removal.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Ariens.

[Alpinord]

Figured this was as good a place to ask as any...I'll be in the market for a new snowblower soon and I'm in the pay once / cry once camp, so it seems like Honda is the choice. Driveway will be roughly 40' x 50' so I'm thinking 28". Tracks or wheels? Or something totally different? Thanks!!

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You can buy a workhorse Ariens and a new pair of skis with bindings for the price of a Honda. Mines been very reliable and powers through most jobs for 11 years 28in, Ariens® 1150 Polar Force™ Series. A friend has a Honda with the sweet feature to adjust the height of the 'box' from all the way down/scrape mode to raised for gravel driveways is nice. On the Ariens it takes a few minutes with a socket wrench.

[Bunion 2020]

Woke up to 10" and a big drift across the yard/driveway. I had shoulder surgery last Thursday. About 10:00 I hear my neighbor shoveling off my walk. Now her husband is plowing out the driveway with his 4 wheeler.

Brings tears.

[riser4]

Woke up to 10" and a big drift across the yard/driveway. I had shoulder surgery last Thursday. About 10:00 I hear my neighbor shoveling off my walk. Now her husband is plowing out the driveway with his 4 wheeler.

Brings tears.

Did they invite you over for tea and ask for your number for emergencies?

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

When I was working with a local construction company, we ran Ariens. Laborers couldn't kill them which is saying a lot. I've got a 24" Platinum SHO that will throw 20" of wind slab and frozen dog shit over my neighbors roof without breathing hard.

[frorider]

Figured this was as good a place to ask as any...I'll be in the market for a new snowblower soon and I'm in the pay once / cry once camp, so it seems like Honda is the choice. Driveway will be roughly 40' x 50' so I'm thinking 28". Tracks or wheels? Or something totally different? Thanks!!
]

Sounds like you’re in camp Honda. The resale value is ridiculous, so the net cost when you move to Florida & sell the blower is negligible per year.

What’s the driveway gradient? What is the most overnight accumulation?

[Bunion 2020]

Did they invite you over for tea and ask for your number for emergencies?

Yes and already have it. Good neighbors are priceless.

[XXX-er]

I forget the thread but apparently good neighbors are not priceless , maybe a regional thing ?

[heckacali]

Depends on where you are and how deep your average storm is and how deep your max storm is.
Truckee CA, Honda 928 tracked is the standard for small area cleanup, 1132 or 1332 if you do a bigger driveway.
Only tracked machines, wheels don't cut it here.

[neufox47]

Figured this was as good a place to ask as any...I'll be in the market for a new snowblower soon and I'm in the pay once / cry once camp, so it seems like Honda is the choice. Driveway will be roughly 40' x 50' so I'm thinking 28". Tracks or wheels? Or something totally different? Thanks!!

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Ariens Kraken Professional RapidTrak (32") EFI Hydrostatic 420cc Two-Stage Snow Blower 926520 https://a.co/d/06Cx7w0

[Shredhead]

Or something totally different? Thanks!!

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I’d at least get a quote from a service.
I did mine until I had shoulder surgery.
Then I hired a service with a big articulated snowblower. Its really nice to have it already done on a powder day.
I’ll never mow my yard again either.


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[riser4]

Ariens Kraken Professional RapidTrak (32") EFI Hydrostatic 420cc Two-Stage Snow Blower 926520 https://a.co/d/06Cx7w0

HFS!!! That thing could grind up a horse and shoot it over the neighbor's roof!!!

[Dshack89]

Thanks for all the responses, super helpful! I'm just on the E bench of Sandy, so nowhere near Truckee snow removal levels. Typical winter has 5-10 days with 6"+ on the ground, with the occasional big 15"+. This winter has been off the charts.

I do like Ariens and will have to look into them again. I had an Ariens Compact 24 for a smaller driveway and it worked great. Only frustration was it couldnt handle the end of driveway plow pile very well. And even with the wheels locked out there were times they would just spin and I'd have to manhandle it.

You're probably right that I should consider hiring it out, but I actually kind of enjoy snowblowing. But maybe that will change now that I'm getting a significantly bigger driveway.

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[Touring_Sedan]

Thanks for all the responses, super helpful! I'm just on the E bench of Sandy, so nowhere near Truckee snow removal levels. Typical winter has 5-10 days with 6"+ on the ground, with the occasional big 15"+. This winter has been off the charts.

I do like Ariens and will have to look into them again. I had an Ariens Compact 24 for a smaller driveway and it worked great. Only frustration was it couldnt handle the end of driveway plow pile very well. And even with the wheels locked out there were times they would just spin and I'd have to manhandle it.

You're probably right that I should consider hiring it out, but I actually kind of enjoy snowblowing. But maybe that will change now that I'm getting a significantly bigger driveway.

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I'm also up on the East Bench of Sandy, between Alta High and the Cemetery. FWIW, I typically use my 28/8.5 machine only 3-4 times a year, with this year being the exception. It'll easily handle the end of the driveway and can get the heavy shit off the driveway which is partially below grade. Most of the time I'm using the little Toro pictured above. It's much quicker.

[ghosthop]

What should I get my neighbor who has been snow blowing the sidewalks all season on my corner lot? I was thinking a 375 of mid shelf whiskey and $20 for gas, if it turns out he’s Mormon I’ll drink the liquor and get him a restaurant gift card.

[John_B]

I seem to get a couple fifths of whiskey and 50 bucks or so for doing a few neighbors driveways during big storms.

[old goat]

A gift card for the local snowblower repair shop.

[::: :::]

I see Jeremy Renner is going to be interviewed next week
He may have us all beat on the trials of snow removal

[Touring_Sedan]

What should I get my neighbor who has been snow blowing the sidewalks all season on my corner lot? I was thinking a 375 of mid shelf whiskey and $20 for gas, if it turns out he’s Mormon I’ll drink the liquor and get him a restaurant gift card.

Out here in Mo-Mo land I find a little bit of reciprocation goes a long way. Bring in or out their garbage cans, offer a tool when they're working outside, a little driveway leaf blowing, etc.

[riser4]

I see Jeremy Renner is going to be interviewed next week
He may have us all beat on the trials of snow removal

/thread

[jmedslc]

Ariens Kraken Professional RapidTrak (32") EFI Hydrostatic 420cc Two-Stage Snow Blower 926520 https://a.co/d/06Cx7w0

Why would you purchase this instead of the Honda 13 x 32?

[m2711c]

ariens > honda and cheaper too. tracks suck. they make it very hard to move the thing when the engine isn't running.




fact.

[shroom]

What should I get my neighbor who has been snow blowing the sidewalks all season on my corner lot? I was thinking a 375 of mid shelf whiskey and $20 for gas, if it turns out he’s Mormon I’ll drink the liquor and get him a restaurant gift card.

i’m in the same spot, neighbor dude is at least 85 too. champ. i gave him $100 to a local restaurant for xmas this year and a fancy new mailbox that matches mine last year. dude knows i disappear when it snows and it’s awesome. you’re the people’s champ, Ed.

[XXX-er]

I got a couple of tall boys in a safeway bag hanging on my front door, I think it was neighbor across the street, his driveway literally takes like 5 min

I dragged a tracked honda around the women DH at whistler and I agree maybe chains on the tires would be better

[jmedslc]

ariens > honda and cheaper too. tracks suck. they make it very hard to move the thing when the engine isn't running.




fact.

Ariens is better than Honda? And cheaper? Based on the screen cap i saw above, the 'cheaper' comment is not true and to think Ariens is better than a Honda (in any aspect) is hilarious to me. I wonder why the guy in the neighborhood whose Ariens keeps failing (various mechanical trifles + difficulty starting) threw in the towel and bought a Honda like everyone else has in the hood? Maybe because they're bulleproof reliable and that's what you need when you have a 30" of snow to clear. Starts on first pull every time, does not break down with proper maintenance and ease of operation is unsurpassed.

As for track/no track, my .02 is that if there are any sort of incline, the tracks are indicated. wheels with chains are vastly inferior. And i don't GAF if it's easier to move when the engine is not running. I don't try to move it when the engine isn't running, duh. If the engine isn't running, ya got bigger problems. Tell me you're not a Honda owner without telling me you're not a Honda owner. ;-P