Forums Archive Index > Outdoor Power Equipment > Toro 1132 model 38160 help!!
Date: 30 Dec 2005 11:20 am
Hi there:
I'm glad I found your forum and would appreciate your expertise with my hated Toro snowblower. This is a 1979-1980 year model 32" cut, 11 h.p. originaly Briggs equipped blower (now 11 h.p. Honda) with 3 forward speeds and 1 reverse, pull knobs to engage or disengage the drive wheels and it has the spring loaded bottom auger scoop instead of a blade. I bought this thing used a few years ago with a bad motor and have been kicking myself ever since for buying it in the first place. I don't know how some guys just love these units because I'm not overly impressed with the engineering that went into them. On the other hand I also own a 1971 Bolens 7/26 with the drive differential and love using this machine because it's easy to manouever and really throws. It has 4 fwd speeds and 1 rev which is a little too slow, but other than that I'd rather use it than my monster Toro. Here's my list of problems.
1. Poor customer service at Toro. Not interested at all in informing/assisting owners at setting-up their products. (Take it to your local dealer cop-out policy)
2. Seems too light at the front, goes over hard packed or heavy snow. Doesn't "dig in". Probably why Toro came out with the Powershift system on their later machines. Another very expensive to repair Toro engineering marvel !!.
3. Unit has a hard time keeping in a straight line, pulls to left or right. (I know that proper and equal tire pressure helps alot). When turning around, I either have to fight the weight of it or use one or the other pull knobs to disengage the left or right drive wheel. (Thank God my release mechanisms still work and are not seized like some other owners have experienced)
4. No drive disengagement to change gear or to go from fwd. to rev. other than those pull knobs. Can't creep the drive or edge it like most other machines. You have to be quick and go from fwd. to rev.
5. Chute is slow to move around and the control crank is too low. Why wasn't it mounted through the control panel???. Speaking of control panels
why wasn't it mounted at the top of the handle bars and not almost 90 degrees downwards from them???
6. Reverse is slow and produces crunching noises like a chain that's skipping.
Are modifications possible to make this thing more user friendly. Have some of you guys encountered the same problems with their Toro?
How do you set-up the auger scoop at he front to do what it's suppose to do? How can I tell that the springs are worn out and should be replaced for more tension on that scoop?
Is the drive mechanism adjustable for a slower first gear and a non grinding reverse gear. Can levers instead of knobs be fitted to change machine direction?
Can a lever be installed to help creep or jog it ahead?
Have some of you fooled around with the motor and drive pulley sizes to get this thing to through a bit farther?
It would be interesting to hear stories and see pictures as to what mods some of you guys made to your blowers. For me I'll never buy another Toro. It's either Honda or Ariens for me!!!
Buy the way if you guys know where to buy cheap oem quality parts put up your posts.
It would be interesting to see your opinions on what are the best and worse used snowblower buys out there, for some of us who can't afford a new machine or for some of us who can appreciate the superior build quality of older machines.
Thanks to all and Happy New Year!!!
Date: 30 Dec 2005 11:32 am
Dear Canacura,
Welcome to the forum. The people here are very helpful, and I'm sure those who are knowledgeable about your Toro will help you soon.
Frank D.
Date: 30 Dec 2005 11:58 am
Canacura,
Interesting list of problem/issues.
I can say that I have read of some of the members playing with the pulley sizes, so I hope they get a chance to read and post a replies.
I've noticed that over the years, many of your gripes have been addressed by not only Toro, but many others that had similar situations based on your description.
My father's old tracked Craftsman had a very low crank AND gear shift.
What a pain.
Funny part was, I had a versions but with tires, and only one year older, and the crank was low as well, and took many turns, but my gear shift was nicely up on the panel.
All older blowers I've come across had a high amount of turns on the crank to get a 180deg turn of the chute.
Later Ariens went to a quick turn, then this year a slide style lever.
Toro went to a joystick a few years back and now I see a few others with similar joystick configurations.
Snapper seems to be unchanged.
Toro and others a few years ago went to a trigger on the handles for controlling the wheel differential and help turning.
Ariens went to a lock out on the wheel a years back to enable better steering.This year Ariens went to a trigger on the handles, so you no longer need to bend over to the wheel to change the differential mode.
The movable scrapper bar is still available on the Toros. All of the recent Toros I've seen can take a regular scrapper bar. The movable one can be removed and a standard one bolted into place. Some people like the movable scrapper bar, others hate it.
Another member was not happy with the lack of feedback and help from Toro directly. Toro does invest a lot into keep and having dealers and service shops happy and stocked. So with that investment, I would assume they would rely on it and point folks in that direction.
For maneuverability, you seem to be comparing apples and oranges.
There must be decent weight difference between your 11hp 32" blower and a 7hp 26" blower.
I know my 11/28 Toro out weighs my 5/25 Craftsman 2.5:1. Making the trigger steering a necessity on the Toro. I can throw the Craftsman around. I could pretty easily lift the 5/25 in to my truck by myself, I can't lift the Toro into my truck by myself.
Since the old Toro doesn't fill the bill and with soo many gripes, maybe it's time to cut your losses and stick with the Bolens or others sized the same for a restoration project?
As you said, there are others that love the old Toros. Maybe put it on ebay with a reserve and see what happens?
Date: 30 Dec 2005 12:13 pm
Hello and welcome to the forum!
Now..where do I start...
First off, sorry to hear you 've been having so many problems with your blower.
But..that is unusual for a Toro.
And after the laundry lists of complaints you've had with it my very first question is, have you taken it to reputable service center to have it looked at??
If so, what have they told you about the problems you've stated?
If not, I'd start ther first and see what they have to say.
And as far as " ...where to buy cheap OEM quality parts"
Why?...why not stick with the origainal parts intended for that machine?
Date: 30 Dec 2005 12:17 pm
canacura 1 wrote:
Hi there:
I'm glad I found your forum and would appreciate your expertise with my hated Toro snowblower. This is a 1979-1980 year model 32" cut, 11 h.p. originaly Briggs equipped blower (now 11 h.p. Honda) with 3 forward speeds and 1 reverse, pull knobs to engage or disengage the drive wheels and it has the spring loaded bottom auger scoop instead of a blade. I bought this thing used a few years ago with a bad motor and have been kicking myself ever since for buying it in the first place. I don't know how some guys just love these units because I'm not overly impressed with the engineering that went into them. On the other hand I also own a 1971 Bolens 7/26 with the drive differential and love using this machine because it's easy to manouever and really throws. It has 4 fwd speeds and 1 rev which is a little too slow, but other than that I'd rather use it than my monster Toro.
Welcome to the forumn from your opening paragraph I would say right off the bat to get rid of this thing, you will never be happy with.
canacura 1 wrote:
Here's my list of problems.
1. Poor customer service at Toro. Not interested at all in informing/assisting owners at setting-up their products. (Take it to your local dealer cop-out policy)!!!
Everyone here agrees Ariens' customer service is excellent.
canacura 1 wrote:
2. Seems too light at the front, goes over hard packed or heavy snow. Doesn't "dig in". Probably why Toro came out with the Powershift system on their later machines. Another very expensive to repair Toro engineering marvel !!.
Ariens has a weight kit for their machines but yes the powershift was Toro' answer to this problem.
canacura 1 wrote:
3. Unit has a hard time keeping in a straight line, pulls to left or right. (I know that proper and equal tire pressure helps alot). When turning around, I either have to fight the weight of it or use one or the other pull knobs to disengage the left or right drive wheel. (Thank God my release mechanisms still work and are not seized like some other owners have experienced)
Are the tires worn evenly ?
canacura 1 wrote:
4. No drive disengagement to change gear or to go from fwd. to rev. other than those pull knobs. Can't creep the drive or edge it like most other machines. You have to be quick and go from fwd. to rev.
5. Chute is slow to move around and the control crank is too low. Why wasn't it mounted through the control panel???. Speaking of control panels
why wasn't it mounted at the top of the handle bars and not almost 90 degrees downwards from them???
Don't know, That's toro' design/engineering team for you. What you can do is lube everything and look for loose bolts and see if all the gears are meshing correctly.
canacura 1 wrote:
It would be interesting to see your opinions on what are the best and worse used snowblower buys out there, for some of us who can't afford a new machine or for some of us who can appreciate the superior build quality of older machines.
Ariens for parts availability and support or for superior build quality a used Gravely walkbehind tractor with a snowblower attachment. You will get alot of advice soon the gang will be along shortly.
- Kris :D
Date: 30 Dec 2005 12:40 pm
I have to agree with Kris. With the complaints you have about how bad the human interface is and how the machine functions, it would be best to sell it and look for a newer machine.
Nothing wrong with Ariens from any year. Your odds of finding a used Honda are less than those of being struck by lightning in Ottawa at this time of the year.