Snowblower recommendations

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Looking at getting a new snowblower. My very old 2-stage Ariens doesn't do a good job on the wet, heavy snow.

I've heard single stage units do a better job in those conditions, but they also don't throw the snow very far.

Any recommendations?

[delcecchi]

I have an two stage arien that works great except for slush. My old simplicity would throw snow much further, but I suspect the impellers have been slowed down for safety/legal reasons. The old one would really launch a rock. The new one not so much.

I do really like the electric start. And the new one is better balanced on the wheels.

[CJH]

I have a 2 stage Craftsman I bought last year. Nice machine, but as you mentioned, does everything well except slush. Not sure any of the two stagers do.

[highlife4me]

I have a craftsman 2 stage and it usually will blow anything until you can choke it off but the snow we got today is something else. I actually had water running out of the blower. I never had snow like this to blow. Wet snow usually not a problem but 12" of this [PoorWordUsage] is awful.

[Jim Almquist]

Unless you have something running off of a PTO of a good size tractor I think that most brands will have a tough time. I have a 2 stage Ariens with a 13hp and it will bog down when the snow is deep and wet. Just have to take it slow and easy.

[JohnMickish]

Slush sucks. I have an older single stage Simplicity and this [PoorWordUsage] plugs it up if I go to fast, but man does this old girl have power.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

So the thing is, my neighbor has a little Toro single-stage and she got her drive done in about 1/4 the time it took me with my 2-stage.

[Powerstroke]

My 2-stage did just fine for most of the snow, but that last couple inches were very wet and didn't do very well. I can't imagine a single stage being any better with this stuff cause usually you just get a big slushball in the paddle or the chute.

[Palerider77]

I have a troy built, biggest one, worked great today, even in the drift that the city truck left. Also, it only burned about a gallon of gas all of last year.

[RainyEye]

My old Toro single stage did just yesterday with our 11 inches.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

My old Toro single stage did just yesterday with our 11 inches.

"just" what? Fine?

[jentz]

I have a troy built, biggest one, worked great today, even in the drift that the city truck left. Also, it only burned about a gallon of gas all of last year.

My 3ed year with a Troy Built it works just fine I spray some pam nonstick cooking spray on the inside, when the snow is so wet.It helps.

[Tom7227]

So the thing is, my neighbor has a little Toro single-stage and she got her drive done in about 1/4 the time it took me with my 2-stage.

Just wait until we get a bit more 'normal' snow and you'll beat her out.

If you think about it most snowblowers don't get used that hard and there aren't that many hours put on them in a year. If you take care of them - wash the salt off in the spring, change the oil, touch up any rust spots, they should last a long time. Maybe your rig needs a bit of touch up - check the chute and the impeller and see if it's rusty and if so brush it up and give it a shot of paint. You may also have a loose belt or something that's not allowing for the proper speed/transfer of power.

On the one I own there is a metal plate that is driven by the motor and a wheel that has a rubber 'tire' on it that moves up against the metal plate. This is what drives the unit. I had to clean things up cause the metal plate had gotten some grease on it and things were slipping. Sometimes a relatively easy fix can get things going and save a lot of dough. Besides, that Ariens is probably better quality than 2/3rds of the stuff for sale now.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

I have some Teflon dry lube at work that I'm going to try on the auger & shoot. It sprays on then dries to a white film. Next super wet slush fall, I will report back on how it works.

[DTro]

In my 10 years of owning a snowblower, I have never had 2 stage envy. My little Craftsman single stage has seen some pretty thick stuff too.

I have a typical suburban driveway and don't see the need for a big beast of a blower. The ONLY time I grumble a litte bit is if we get about 12" and I don't get it cleared before the plow comes by. That pile at the bottom takes a little work then. Now if I had a large area, or a long driveway, something bigger would be a no-brainer.

I can say with certainty though that I cleared my drivway in at least half the time as the 2 stagers on Sat (and we had a lot of snow).

The best part is that they are about half the price too.

[RainyEye]

Correction: Sorry about the missing word. You're right, I meant just "fine". The Toro has been great for about 15 years. I use Seafoam in the gas and it always starts and runs fine.

[psepuncher]

I use fluid film on the snowblower

it keeps the cables working well below zero, the auger stays free

from sticking snow and it inhibits rust.

got the spray can from JD dealer spendy but I've tried pam, other lithium sprays

Also try T-9 from sears, or cable life from the motorcycle shop

[solbes]

Yeah I don't think there were any snowblowers out there that were throwing the slush/water very far on Saturday. I can hit my neighbors yard with drier snow with my Toro 2 stage, but it was only throwing the stuff 6-10 feet on Saturday. It just takes a little longer because I was on speed of 1 instead of the normal 3.

Got my neighbor dug out too, so I'm still pleased with it.