Snow blower purchase

[TheMan419]

Looking to get a walk behind snow blower. I do not want one that attaches to the tractor. Want the wife to have the capacity to use it. We have a gravel driveway. So I know I need at least a two stage but should strongly consdier a three stage. What else do I need to look at? Do the have some kind of adjustable skid to keep them off the gravel for the first round? Seems like as you get the snow pack the later rounds of snow blowing should clear down to that solid pack no?

Also what would happen with one of those if I snow blow over the lawn? We have a barn out back where the horses are and it would be nice to clear a walking path to it rather than trudge through the snow.

Also not to start a color war, but what are the good brands? I am happy to invest some money in this and get good features. Must have electric start and self propelled.

Thanks!

 

[Captain Dirty]

My experience with walk-behind snowblowers is limited to wheeled models-- Ariens (2-stage), Eska Sno-King and a Goldoni 2-wheeled tractor (both single stage). In my opinion 3-stage is a marketing ploy.

With fresh and fluffy snow no deeper than the height of the auger and sufficient power (no less than 8 hp for 2' width) on hard (frozen or dry) ground the machine will work wonderfully well.

All my machines had or have skid shoes that can be set so the blade or bottom of the auger housing will clear the grass or gravel. (Unless the ground is wet or muddy or you are on loose stone "gravel" so that the shoes sink.) The inherent disadvantage is that the snowblowers pitch (rotate around the axle) especially when making the first cut in heavy, wet, or otherwise consolidated or packed snow. That is, the skid shoes ride up on the snow, the handles drop down, and it is necessary to back up and then go forward again. Setting the skids low to raise the bottom exacerbates the tendency to pitch back. once the initial path is made, you can take less than a full width cut which reduces the tendency to pitch.

There is a certain amount of wrestling involved in maneuvering a walk-behind. I dress much more warmly when I use my tractor as that machine does the work. Your wife might prefer to learn to use the tractor rather than a walk-behind.

 

[oldnslo]

Ariens is a very popular brand in this area and the 2 stage all come with adjustable skids. Some also have electric start option via plug into wall outlet. This is a nice feature for cold starts or someone that is a little smaller and would have difficulty pulling a starter rope brisk enough. If working in area with poor lighting they also have a head light option. I think most Ariens also have the feature here you engage the blower and then travel drive and you can now release the blower drive to use that hand while traveling. Some makes and models may not have this feature.

Ariens in based in northern Wisconsin so they understand snow.

 

[ruffdog]

Most OEM skids are a bit wimpy so you may want to upgrade:

Snow Blower Skids

 

[RjCorazza]

2 stage blowers will have shoes you can adjust to stay out of the gravel, but they always seem to catch some. I don't get snow pack in my climate, but yes, you could adjust the shoes back down once a base is established.

I've never owned a 3 stage blower, but the demos I've seen are not very impressive. I suspect they may be better when going through hard snow banks where the additional stage can chew up hard chunks better. My 2 stage blower goes through hard banks just fine though.

I have always been partial to Ariens blowers. I have a 2 stage 30", and (2) single stage 22" blowers. They have all been very reliable and easy starting. The 120v starter option works well, particularly if the operator is not that strong upper body wise. I run mine dry at the end of the season, so in late fall when I fuel it up I usually use the electric start.

Other blowers that enjoy a good reputation are Toro, Honda, and Yamaha (Europe). I'm sure there are other quality brands.
Finally, if your wife will be the primary operator, blowers wider than 24" start to get more difficult to handle.

 

[Cycledude]

Ariens actually has a nice museum in Brillion Wisconsin

Company History - Ariens

Started in 1933 with four employees in Brillion, Wisconsin, we now employ over 1,500 people across the United States, United Kingdom and Norway. Through it all, the Ariens family has been at the helm.

www.ariens.com

 

[leonz]

Looking to get a walk behind snow blower. I do not want one that attaches to the tractor. Want the wife to have the capacity to use it. We have a gravel driveway. So I know I need at least a two stage but should strongly consdier a three stage. What else do I need to look at? Do the have some kind of adjustable skid to keep them off the gravel for the first round? Seems like as you get the snow pack the later rounds of snow blowing should clear down to that solid pack no?

Also what would happen with one of those if I snow blow over the lawn? We have a barn out back where the horses are and it would be nice to clear a walking path to it rather than trudge through the snow.

Also not to start a color war, but what are the good brands? I am happy to invest some money in this and get good features. Must have electric start and self propelled.

Thanks!

You let the ground freeze and then you can drive over it to pack it down and then
you will be able to clear it with the snow blower.

If you have pea gravel for your driveway you are going to run into problems.

Just go over to the www.snowblower.com forum and become a member
for free and ask questions and you will have all the answers you
need to make a purchase.

 

[RustyA]

Electric start for her, auto turn steering, and add polyethylene skids sloped front to back to avoid digging gravel or dirt. Put a 2x4 flat under blower to adjust the blower for the first few clearings until your base freezes. Later a 1/2 inch plywood scrap. That will help prevent rock throwing. Heated grips, led headlight, and one handed cable drive chute control work great. Mine is a 30 inch Craftsman but a 26 might be better for her. Synthetic oil makes for one pull starts, but she may prefer electric start that plugs into 110 volt.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I’m thinking a tracked Honda unit for next winter on our gravel drive

 

[TractorTYMe]

I bought this Ariens model, it is a Ariens compact 24'' with large wheels and auto turn. It comes with electric start, but I've yet to use it. It starts on 2nd pull every time. My previous one was a 20'' Ariens that I had repowered with a Predator engine, that thing was a flippin beast on the snow with 5.5Hp on a little 20''. But it got flattened when the trees came down.....one of many times.

Anyway, I've used this #920029 for two winters so far, it is pretty decent machine. You can find it for $999 if you look, and it is all steel construction.

 

[airbiscuit]

I had an 8hp MTD for many years. Worked well, but was a workout to horse around (upper body). I would recommend one with Power steering. Here is a video from 2019. BTW Ariens is a good brand.

 

[yooperdave]

Can you get one with tracks that you can stand on? I have had several higher end walk behinds years ago. The amount of effort to turn them around wore me out. Let the machine do as much work as possible especially if the wife will be using it.

Good Luck

Yooper Dave

 

[leonz]

Can you get one with tracks that you can stand on? I have had several higher end walk behinds years ago. The amount of effort to turn them around wore me out. Let the machine do as much work as possible especially if the wife will be using it.

Good Luck

Yooper Dave

Not unless you spend the equivalent of a small compact car.

 

[ruffdog]

The Ariens Mammoth 850.........

Ariens 951001 Mammoth Stand On Snow Removal | the Lawnmower Hospital

 

[yooperdave]

Not unless you spend the equivalent of a small compact car.

Maybe learning to use the tractor is not such a bad idea after all.

 

[ArlyA]

We do get snow here and I've owned two tracked honda blowers over the years. I ran the 1st one for 15+ years and wore it out, sold it and got another. These have a hyrdotatic tranny which gave me zero greif in both and infinite speed control. Previous to those those i had 2 American made ones with friction wheel transmissions and they broke and a maintenance nightmare. I can not recommend any make with a friction wheel transmission.....

 

[PILOON]

Most OEM skids are a bit wimpy so you may want to upgrade:

Snow Blower Skids

If U have a welder, DIY upgrading is a simple task.
Just obtain some flat stock, say 2" X 10/12" and bend the ends a bit ( like ski tips) in your vice and weld them onto the bottom of the factory skids.
I've converted a few for neighbors as well as for my own equipment.

Since I re skidded my PTO blower I no longer have to rake stones every spring!

 

[fishhead]

We have a place in a high snowfall location (250-300?) and have had a series of blowers. Tenants use them so maybe not as controlled a durability experiment.

Best i would put the tracked Honda, i think it was an 1128. Best reliability and easiest to use. Had to rebuild the housing due to gravel wear but that's not the blower's fault.

Second i would put a couple of Ariens. With chains could work, more muscling though. One was stolen, the second traded on the Honda.

Third- (and not my choice to purchase) would be a big box blower- worst to use, did not hold up.

I have to second the earlier poster, if the exact use is feasible the demand on his wife might very well be less to get comfortable with a tractor than to wrestle with a big blower- obviously the exact situation will determine the best.

 

[leonz]

The lawn mower equivalent for 2 stage snowblowers are absolute junk.
YES I OWNED ONE and I hope thier show room burns down.
So, do not waste your money unless you can afford a kubota 1870 with
a kubota snow blower or JD series one sub compact tractor.

 

[TheMan419]

Several folks have commented about the muscle needed to turn these things. Is that true of the ones that have selfpropelled drive and "power steering"? Part of the reason to not use the tractor is walkways and other things where the tractor is just not practical.

Edit: May of the brands advertise "effortles" turning.....