Eek! Might need a new snowblower

[Doug Shepard]

I just got the 6" of snow on the drive cleared and was getting ready to start clearing a path around the back yard for the mutt when the snowblower conked. I've got an aprox. 35 yr old Ariens 7HP 32" (gotta double check that width - might be 30") electric start machine with 4 Fwd/1 Rev gear. I know diddly-squat about fixing these beasts and my dad who is my mechanic and advisor on such matters is out in AZ for the winter and currently on a 2 day cycle trip. He's mentioned quite a few times that it's probably time for a replacement as it's getting harder and harder to find parts for this old model. Wont go into the symptoms of what wrong and will try to get this one resuscitated. But I've got a nagging hunch it's time to humanely euthanize it.
I started looking around on-line to see what's out there and so far I'm seeing the brands:
Husqvarna, Yard Machine, Toro, Honda, Ariens
Anybody else I should be looking at?
Any of these (or others) I should shy away from?

I probably want to get something just as wide as what I've got now but probably a bit more power. Don't want to spend a fortune, but want to get something pretty decent - maybe in the $800-1500 range.

Any suggestions?

[Fred Voorhees]

Doug, I have been using a Simplicity two stage snowblower for over twenty years now and have had nary a problem with it. I think that I've only had it tuned up once also. The thing was about eight or nine hundred bucks, like I say, about twenty years ago, so I don't know what it would cost right now, but I can vouch for the Simplicity. It hasn't given me a problem in all of that time. One thing I always tell those thinking about buying a snowblower though is buy nothing short of a two stage blower. One auger to pull the snow into the second stage which throws it out the chute. One stage simply is not enough to pull it in and throw it out.

[Bob Johnson2]

Simplicity, and Ariens.

[Doug Shepard]

Doug, I have been using a Simplicity two stage snowblower for over twenty years now and have had nary a problem with it. I think that I've only had it tuned up once also. The thing was about eight or nine hundred bucks, like I say, about twenty years ago, so I don't know what it would cost right now, but I can vouch for the Simplicity. It hasn't given me a problem in all of that time. One thing I always tell those thinking about buying a snowblower though is buy nothing short of a two stage blower. One auger to pull the snow into the second stage which throws it out the chute. One stage simply is not enough to pull it in and throw it out.

Fred - do you happen to know the name of the manufacturer or Simplicity's website URL? I tried googling but all I could come up with was sites for people selling them. I'd like to check out all their models to see what they have.

I'm also taking Bob's Ariens suggestion to heart. It's unfortunate that mine appears to have gone belly-up, but it's lasted 35+ years with no real major problems.

[Gary Herrmann]

www.simplicitymfg.com (http://www.simplicitymfg.com)

I've got one of their Broadmoor lawn tractors and have been very pleased with it. If I ever spring for a snow blower - don't know if I'll need it in STL, I'll get one of theirs.

[Karl Laustrup]

Check the JD snow blowers.

http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/HO/series/ho_snow_blowers_frontier_dual.html


Karl

[Doug Shepard]

www.simplicitymfg.com (http://www.simplicitymfg.com/)

I've got one of their Broadmoor lawn tractors and have been very pleased with it. If I ever spring for a snow blower - don't know if I'll need it in STL, I'll get one of theirs.

Gary - thanks for the link. When I couldn't find their site via Google, I tried just simplicity.com, but ended up at the sewing pattern site.


Check the JD snow blowers.
http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/HO/series/ho_snow_blowers_frontier_dual.html

Karl

Hadn't thought about them and wouldn't have even guessed they made snowblowers, but I'll check them out. Thanks.

[Steve Ash]

Check the JD snow blowers.

http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/HO/series/ho_snow_blowers_frontier_dual.html


Karl

Listen to Karl.....

[Nick Adams]

Cub Cadet (http://www.cubcadet.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10051_14101_36804_27658_-1#) Happens to be the model that I like. JD, Cub, Simp, all make great snow toys. I liked the "power steering" and tracked movement of this one though.

[John D Watson]

You can't beat a Deer, I use a little 5hp Honda that chugged through the 10" of white stuff we got here this morning like a
Harley. Got it for 1250.00 cdn on sale. I really hope it does 35 plus. Other than that theres an awful lot of choices out there. What color do you like.
PS: Its always a sad thing when you have to retire an old girl, but it sounds like she may be lokking forward to it. Good Luck.

[Andy Hoyt]

I've got a 20 year old 30" John Deere. Starts right up just by looking at it.

[Ken Robb]

My FIL bought a Troy-Built several yrs ago. It's 11.5 Hp with a 36in cut. This is a tracked model. The unit has heated handgrips and is steerable in both forward & reverse.

Ken

[Doug Shepard]

Well out of desperation - because it hasn't stopped snowing since the old one expired - I went with one of the ones I had investigated up through last night. Took a few Ariens & Simplicity model numbers and some dealer phone nbrs to work today. Didn't get most of these tips until after I was already at work today. After calling around I finally ended up settling on another Ariens. Couldn't find too much at any of the local independent dealers - they've been picked pretty clean. So I had to end up going to the Borg. To add insult to injury it wasn't even the 2 closest Borgs. It was a bit more $$$ than I'd planned on but I didn't want to compromise going to a narrower width than the one that died. That automatically put me into some machines that had other features that I didn't really need or want, but this was pretty much a gotta-get-something quick purchase. This is what I ended up with
http://www.ariens.com/snow_products/deluxe_sno_thros/1332_le/
No pics yet. I paid for it, but have to rope my brother into using his snowmobile trailer to help me go pick it up - probably Sunday morning.

It seems pretty certain that the engine siezed on the old one. I found a couple of large oil spots in the snow on the drive later yesterday. Haven't really spent any time investigating too heavily bit it looks like something ruptured, losing all the oil. With the spark plug out you still cant pull the starter cord at all & the electric starter doesn't sound like it's actually turning anything over either. It's lasted around 37-38 years so I guess I cant complain too much.

Thanks for all your input.