SIngle stage vs 2 stage snow thrower

[DTro]

Just though I would share my experience from over the weekend for those in the market.

Up till now I’ve never had an issue with my single stage Craftsman thrower. Always starts, is light and maneuverable and very happy with it……until this weekend.

I actually cleared my drive a couple times in anticipation of keeping ahead of the snow. It was all good when I went to bed on Sat night. So then I peered out my window Sunday morning and seen the snow had drifted completely over my handy work, and not only that, but the plow left a nice 5ft high bank across my entire drive.

Plus, by this time there was a nice crust forming, and let me tell you it was a PITA with a single stage thrower. I basically had to break up each pass with a shovel and inch my way down the drive, pass after pass after pass, then when I was done, blow the pile at the street back into what I just cleared….rinse repeat.

I finally got all that cleared in about 4 hours, but I still had 40ft of sidewalk to clear, and all that snow from my drive had been diverted onto it. I knew I didn’t have a chance with the thrower and would have to shovel it all. As I was in the house resting, a buddy stopped by after reading a Facebook rant of mine. In the back of his truck was a big 2 stage thrower. He fired that thing up and had the sidewalk cleared in about 15 minutes.

The moral of the story is that once you get 12+ inches of snow and don’t keep up with it, a single stage thrower is almost useless and if you are in the market to get a new one and get a lot of snow or drifting, I’d recommend spending a little extra on the 2 stage.

I’m not unhappy with mine, but got to see first hand how much easier my job could have been.

[NoWiser]

Gotta love a good old fashioned snowstorm!! I also tried to keep ahead of it by blowing out my driveway 3 times on Saturday, but woke up to a nice surprise on Sunday after the plow came through. I just bought one of those smaller 4.5hp Toro's with the paddle type blade on it early last week. Picked it up for $100.00 on C-List. Holy cow is that thing an animal! I did have to chip through the plow packed stuff with a shovel a little bit, but I couldn't believe how good it worked! I'd just back up, take a 4 foot run at the drifts with it, and bust through. Obviously for the big storms the big 2 stage is the way to go, but for an average MN snowfall I'd highly recommend one of those Toros. I think mine is a CCR 2000.

Now to fix the mailbox the plow took out.....I guess it will be nice to get out and enjoy the weather tonight anyways

[huntnfish]

I've got a single stage Toro and love it. That is until there is more than 10 inches in a storm. When I know theres going to be a big storm I do like the others and try to stay ahead of it. The best part about the little Toro is that I can fold it up and put it under a shelf in the summer. I picked up a blade for one of my wheelers this year for the driveway so I'm ready for anything now.

[jwhjr]

I was glad I have my 2 stage. I took it over to my mom's on Sunday to get her cleared out because her single stage was out of commission. It was the Toro model mentioned above. Once I was done clearing the driveway with mine, I got hers back up and running. I then used it to clear her small patio and it was no fun. I forgot how nice it is using the 2 stage until using that one again (I grew up using that one).

[Powerstroke]

I think if you're in the market for a snowblower, then get a 2-stage. If you've got a single stage then keep it unless you're got money to spend.

I use my 2-stage if I need it, otherwise I use a shovel. Even then you get the in-between snofalls that add up like a 5-8" snowfall, you can push it okay with the shovel or a single stage, but when you need to widen the driveway, hit the plow "wall", or clear out around the fire hydrant, nothing beats the 2-stage and you don't get beat up trying to ram the pile. Self-propelled is the way for eating into the pile.

[hanson]

I just picked this up used for a song from a family friend. Its an animal!!

I can throw snow all the way across my yard into the neighbors yard if I want to. LOL!

Also cut some paths through the yard for the mailman. As long as I go slow and let the machine work, it'll cut right through snow deeper than the front of the machine. Best money I've spent in a long time.

Now it won't snow anymore this winter.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I bought a 2stage Craftsman last year.. used it once.. was bummed.. until this weekend.. was really happy to have it.

[DTro]

Pretty tough to beat a Honda. Nice!

But you are right.....I'm guessing no more snow now. Thanks

[Ralph Wiggum]

Nice machine, Hanson! That thing is purty!

[Surface Tension]

When its time to move snow this baby will do it 3' at a time.

Plow Bank, Smow Bank this thing will eat little 5hp throwers for lunch. Ya Babbie!

I get up before the plow guy so I can blow the road out too.

[picksbigwagon]

Frank that thing is scary....I have a 2 stage 27" snow munching machine. Well, now that it has the new spark plug in it......gonna have it seriously looked at after this season though. It is probably 16 years old, and I am guessing the spark plug was that old as well. I know I know, small engine maintenance, but I hadn't really had to use it too much the last couple years. Sunday was a 3+ hour work out in the neighborhood and it was running awesome.........

For some reason I can't post the picture, suffice it to say it is the worst spark plug I have ever seen

[delcecchi]

I used to have a simplicity from the 70's. I loved that thing but it got really rusty and the carb leaked and then a mouse ate the plug wire flush with the coil and that was that. It would really throw snow.

Now I have a ariens 824 and it walked right through the 16 inches in the driveway but it doesn't throw like the old one. I think the lawyers made them back off the impeller speed. Now there's a business. hop up kits for snowblowers. All mine needs is to spin the impeller about 2x.

[delmuts]

Gees Frank! What an animal!!

[leech~~]

Frank, you aren't related to that snow plow driver on the movie "Snow Day" are you? His plow and yours look the same!

[gregg52]

Hanson

Like you said its good investment

i bought mine bout 4-5 yrs ago

it has paid for it self..and its kinda fun to do it

mines not a honda but its the same size as your

i see on the news these people in the cities struggling to move snow with the smaller single stage and i want to go move snow for them

plus i use to have a guy plow for me and he tore up the whole yard

had to rake and re seed every spring...lol

[Tom7227]

I think it's tougher to cut your fingers off with a single stage. Something to think about.

[paceman]

Dumb question time but what is the difference between a single and a 2 stage unit?

[McGurk]

I think it's tougher to cut your fingers off with a single stage. Something to think about.

I think that is backwards. A single stage only means that you have one auger that does both the chewing and the throwing, meaning that the auger has to be turning very fast to throw the snow. If you were to shove your hand into the chute (DON'T DO THIS!!!) or have it around the front it will be massacred.

A dual stage means you have the big front auger moving relatively slowly to do the chewing, and a second fast-spinning, rotating paddle that does the throwing. If you shove your hand into the chute, (once again, DON'T DO THIS!!!) it will be dangerous, but up front it's not as bad.

The little single stage, rubber paddled push throwers will do the job in about 80% of snowfalls, but the plow pile will be an issue for them. They work for most people in most situations for city living, rural life is a whiole different animal.

I have an old John Deere 111H lawn tractor w/ weights and chains with a 38" single stage snow thrower that will throw the bejesus out of my buddy's 3.5 hp 24" dual stage. Just saying. It's the machine as much as the single/dual stage system.

I also have a curb-side freebie Mont Ward single stage rubber auger that I resurrected to do the majority of my work, as the tractor is overkill for most jobs. Not this last snow, though!

[Surface Tension]

In a nutshell, a single stage thrower augers/feeds and throws the snow at the same time.

A two stage has an auger the rotates much slower that feeds snow up to an impeller that is spinning a high rate of speed and throws the snow.

Here is where people get there fingers chewed off.

Two stage: they turn the auger off but fail to understand the impeller is still spinning. You can't see the impeller on a two stage thrower. When the chute plugs they stick their hand into it to unplug the it and get a big surprise. It makes me ill to even thing about it but it happens all the time and I new a few people that made that mistake.

If you have a plugged chute turn the engine off and wait for the impeller to stop spinning.

YOU don't want to be sticking that tiny plastic shovel they give you into an impeller either.

A single stage you can disengage the auger and leave the engine running but people stick there hand in the chute before the auger stops. So to be safe shut the engine off and go look to see that the auger stopped.

[Surface Tension]

If your thrower seems gutless when you hit the heavy stuff it is more then likely the governor isn't working.

You set the speed with the throttle. When a load is introduced the governor compensates for that and increases the throttle via linkage from the gov to the carb.

Some manufacturers did a better job when they made shrouds around the carb and gov to keep the snow off of it.

Unless you store the thrower in a heated garage at some point it very possible your linkage has iced of or stuck from snow.

Also come time to put the thrower away in Spring is a good time to clean all the linkage from oil with a spray carb cleaner.

Here is an indicator if your carb is dirty or out of tune. Your engine RPMs are running up and down. Its called searching, your gov is opening the throttle when the engine starts starving for gas.

[311Hemi]

If your thrower seems gutless when you hit the heavy stuff it is more then likely the governor isn't working.

You set the speed with the throttle. When a load is introduced the governor compensates for that and increases the throttle via linkage from the gov to the carb.

Some manufacturers did a better job when they made shrouds around the carb and gov to keep the snow off of it.

Unless you store the thrower in a heated garage at some point it very possible your linkage has iced of or stuck from snow.

Also come time to put the thrower away in Spring is a good time to clean all the linkage from oil with a spray carb cleaner.

Here is an indicator if your carb is dirty or out of tune. Your engine RPMs are running up and down. Its called searching, your gov is opening the throttle when the engine starts starving for gas.

Frank....is there a good procedure for adjusting the carb in this scenario? At full throttle and no engine load I am getting the searching, under load seem just fine. I adjusted the spring to a different opening on the gov linkage (one hole lower which is less tension on the linkage) and that seemed to help a little, just wondering if one should be making other adjustments for this....such as high speed (main) jet adjustment? I didn't pay attention to where the spring was when I rebuilt the carb last year...so it's been a little trial and error but works fine when blowing.

[Surface Tension]

There are so many variables in carbs depending on year, make and models as far as mixture screws and not having any.

I've lost track and need to see the carb.

If under load it does well with no searching then I would think you have the spring in the wrong location.

Coming in cold to find bent linkage, changed springs, or spring tension is hard to get figured back out, for me anyway. Trial and error time. .

[wormdunker]

I have a performance question for you. I have an 8.5 hp 24" Troy Bilt 2 stage. When I bought the machine it threw snow to my neighbors yard......2 doors down. Lately, when it comes under load the machine acts as though it is strained and does not have the throwing power. I hear a moan/squeal as well.

Would this be attributed to needing a new belt?

[311Hemi]

If under load it does well with no searching then I would think you have the spring in the wrong location.

Did you mean correct location?

[delcecchi]

"the impeller is still spinning"

Are you sure about that? It doesn't act like it but it could be. Next time I run the blower I will check that since it is valuable information. I always thought the impeller stopped with the auger but I confess I never looked.

Thanks

[Surface Tension]

del, maybe its just the older ones. I've wondered why from a rope starting POV with the extra drag of pulling the engine and impeller over.

Whatever the case it takes time for the impeller to stop spinning.

"Did you mean correct location?"

I'm must have goofed when I hit submit on a long detailed reply because it isn't here.

In a more abbreviated reply to my original one, if it is running good under load then the carb is fine. The searching at high rpms with no load is probably the throttle butterfly flapping from the incorrect spring tension.