leonz
Super Member
What ever snow blower unit we get, it's important to us that the snow blower still has the capability to blow snow even when the forward movement of the unit has stopped.
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The first thing you should do is look at Consumer Reports to read about how they test walk behind snow blowers and how they test them.
They soak wood sawdust/shavings in ten cubic foot volumes in an actual ten cubic foot wheel barrow to the point where they are a solid mass creating the next closest thing to a heavy snow pack and dump it on their test area to see how far they throw the simulated snow pack.
I would tell you to also look at the new Yamaha snow blowers at one of the Canadian Yamaha outdoor power equipment dealers across the border as the new track drive Yamaha snow blowers will cost you less money in the purchase cost ONLY based on price as they are very powerful machines even in its smallest model of the three units offered.
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FYI
None of the walk behinds will continue to blow snow when they are stopped with the current yard equipment safety regulations for their operation in Canada or the United States.
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The New Yamaha snowblower owners in Canada are "absolutely rabid in happiness" when it comes to the new models and the track drive systems and how well they operate in all their conditions. The units are heavy just like the Berta 2 stage snow blower attachments and stay on the ground and do not suffer from "climb the snow pile itus" and they cut right through snow piles like the Berta two stage units.
The YT24EJ is $2,699.00 Canadian Loonies+tax and VAT less sales discount if available and the YS1028J is $4,299.00 Canadian Loonies+tax and VAT. The YS1028J has a completely enclosed engine compartment.
Neither of the Yamaha snow blower models offered has separate steering clutches or steering brakes but are easy to steer while the tracks are in motion as the entire weight of the snow thrower is moving while the cross auger is raised upward by the hydraulic lift to improve its turning ability.
The Honda GX gas engines will have a tendency to freeze up the control cables and then become difficult to operate as the cables and linkages become frozen. One of the forum members used scrap aluminum to cover the honda engine on his BCS with the BCS single stage snow thrower to prevent snow and ice building up on the engine linkages and cable connections on the BCS unit he has. He also added weights to the snow throwers cross auger housing to keep it from riding up on the snow piles as the single stage snow caster attachments are lighter in weight than the two stage Berta snow casters.
In my saying this, dollar for dollar the two Yamaha units will have a lower first cost and are dedicated snow removal only" machines.
If you have a secondary use for the two wheel tractor in your plans you should also examine that but as I explained if all your going to do is move snow a walk behind snow caster is the best way to do this and Consumer Reports also says this as well.
The 2 wheel tractor snow casters use all gear drive and the 2 Yamaha models now use an electomagnetic drive system for the impeller and cross auger.
The exchange rate for the american dollar has more buying power compared to the Canadian Loony and you will save money as your US dollar will go farther there.