Forums Archive Index > Outdoor Power Equipment > Snowblower Decisions

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 11 Dec 2006 10:01 am

Greetings all,
I am new to this website and am very excited to be here. The wealth of knowledge and information is very impressive. I live in Upstate, NY. Right out side of Albany. The snowfall can be pretty good up here and I am just about to purchase a new snowthrowing unit.

Now for the million $$$ question......what should I purchase? I currently am targeting the following units.

1) Husqvarna 1027SBE

or

2) Troy Bilt Storm 10028


I like the Troy Bilt price, but I am so skitish about getting another MTD product. I just had a Yard Machine die on me. Bent intake valve. I just did not want to do the internal engine work after I found the problem. So I handed it off to my father in law.

Because I get a discount at Lowes thanks to a friend, I have limited myself to the above brands. But I would pass on the discount if the product was better. So, Ariens and Toro are still in the running. Honda is just out of my price range.

Thank you so much for you input. Happy holidays and happy blowing!!!

Author: MissSnowshoveler

Date: 11 Dec 2006 10:29 am

I would go with the Husqvarna, but I may a little biased as we sell them here. They are great machines for blowing snow and I haven't seen anything slow them down yet.

That's was a storm from last year and they were using a demo Husqvarna blower. If I remember that was a heavier then normal snow and it was in a blizzard.
I'm always leary of MTD products, but again I work in the OPE world.
Hope this helps in some small way.
Sherri

Author: ramit

Date: 11 Dec 2006 10:39 am

Welcome to the Forum!!

By far the Husky out of the two you've selected.

Once you buy and own the Husky, you have to come back and post pix and a review!!!

The only thing I would weigh into your purchasing choice is support.

If you have a good OPE dealer you trust and can get a Toro, Ariens, Snapper, Simplicity, Husky from them.
You also get direct support for warranty and after warranty.

If your not very much into fixing your own stuff...
This maybe something to strongly consider.
Even if you think you'll get service at a local OPE dealer.
My dealer only services what was purchased from his shop.
Others dealers, if they are packed you may find that the machines from customers that bought their machines there are serviced ahead of yours.
:?:

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 11 Dec 2006 10:56 am

Thanks for the reply. I will be sure to post pictures and a review. It is only fair.

I enjoy getting my hands dirty. I will do all the up keep work with a smile on. The only reason I did not go forward with repairing the Yard Machine is that I had wanted a new unit.....and I kind of used this as an excuse to wash my hands of it.

The funny thing is that when I was shopping around prior to the MTD purchase, I read things like this, "Stay Away" "Great price. Crap product" and "I give it 5 years". Well, it last 4 years.

I am leaning towards the Husky as well. I mean, how could I go wrong as it comes from a country that eats snow for breakfast.

Author: jubol

Date: 11 Dec 2006 11:01 am

NEB,

I would buy the Husky!!

I have the Husky 927STE, love the triggers for turning and also when
moving it around with the engine not running.

The chute controls take some getting used to, but when you are used to them, they work great!!!

I have only used it once with about 3 to 5 inchs of wet heavy snow, blew it about 25 to 30 feet!!

I have great dealer support, which is very important!!!!

Also Husky is great on warrenty work!!

Let me know if you buy the Husky.

I'll email you the site to download the Maintenance manual!!

Fred :lol:

Author: ramit

Date: 11 Dec 2006 11:24 am

I had a sears craftsman for 16 years, 5/24.
I think it was a MTD machine, all the parts came in MTD bags.

I did all my own work on it. I kept a stock of spare parts that would break or fall off. But I got 16 years out of it and now my neighbor who I gave it to is going on his 2nd year with it.

As you I got tired of working on it and said enough is enough, time for something new, bigger, better.

I expect to work on the Toro myself after the warranty is up.
But I have the choice, and the parts are right down the block. As well as some good conversation.

If your going to do your own work, and as Jubol and Mrs SS can attest, it's a good machine, easy to get parts for, and you can get a better than average price for it.

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 11 Dec 2006 11:50 am

Wow, I know this site to be helpful...but this is amazing. I am happy to say that I will be going to purchase the Husq today.
Thusfar, at least in Albany, NY....we have been lucky and have not had any snowfall.
This week is to be mild, so I just know that winter is chomping on its heels.
Will sleep so much better at night know the unit is in my garage.

Ramit, I had read that MTD was better in the past and with their consumption of the compeitions, have had some quality problems. As said, that is just what I read and not from experience. I think Craftsman is made both by MTD and Murray. Is that true? Again, something I read.

I will never pretend to be an authority on this, just a very interested party.

Author: ramit

Date: 11 Dec 2006 12:07 pm

Well we look forward to the pix and review.
There's a whole review section.
Need help posting pix, give me a PM or email.


I haven't been able to keep track of it either.

But there does seem to be 2 or 3 levels of quality of the Sears machines today.

I have to say I got 16 years out of it, it saw some heavy use.

It ate belts. Parts shook off (usually the huge plastic wing nuts, the most common one was the on to loosen-tighten to hold elevation for the chute.. same one used on the handles bars to hold them together). From taking it apart soo many times to replace belts, many of the self threaded holes in the sheetmetal were stripping. The sheetmetal was fairly thick compared to what I see for a 5hp blower in Sears today. I welded and used threaded rivet inserts to keep it together.
I was on my 3rd set of shoes for it.
The plastic chute was in perfect condition on it.

When I gave it to my neighbor, he got a box filled of my stock of replacement parts.
Cables, friction disk and asst parts, more of the big plastic handled wing nuts, belts, springs, sheer pins (which I never broke one).
It needed a auger box rebuild when I gave it away... main reason I didn't sell it , I wasn't sure when it would all just fall to pieces. The poor old machine just seemed like on day.. ploooop.. a pile of parts instead of a blower.

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 11 Dec 2006 12:27 pm

That is great. Some of those older machines just feel right. I had a rear engine Murray ride-on mower from 1983. I was the 3rd owner and I sold it last year for no reason but that I wanted a wider cut.
The Murray only had a 30" deck.

All this machine did was start up every Spring, run every summer day I pulled it out, and winterize nicely. In the 4 years I had it, I replaced one rear belt and a battery.

You just get those machines sometimes that are special. I know the gentleman I sold to still uses it, because I see him riding it sometimes when I take my boy to little league.

Author: MissSnowshoveler

Date: 11 Dec 2006 12:30 pm

I'm more then sure you won't be sorry that you got the Husqvarna. This is the second year that we've been selling them (Eastern Canada wasn't bringing blowers in for many years) and they are a big hit! So I'm sure you'll love it.
Sherri

Author: jubol

Date: 11 Dec 2006 12:36 pm

Miss Snowshoveler,

How are your Husky snow blower sales this year??

Very good I hope for you!!

Fred :lol:

Author: MissSnowshoveler

Date: 11 Dec 2006 12:41 pm

jubol wrote:
Miss Snowshoveler,

How are your Husky snow blower sales this year??

Very good I hope for you!!

Fred :lol:

There has been so little snow that people haven't really started to think that it's December. But we've sold a good number so far considering. We usually sell a good amount from April to May and then again sales start to pick up in August.
Sherri

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 11 Dec 2006 1:04 pm

My father-in-law...a tree feller since the 70's and just as long Husqvarna chain saw user, said this to me when I asked him the Troy-Bilt v. Husky question?

"Do I really need to tell you this?"

Author: MissSnowshoveler

Date: 11 Dec 2006 1:12 pm

:lol: That's a good way for him to put it.
Sherri

Author: Chris S

Date: 11 Dec 2006 2:26 pm

Another big thumbs up for the Husky!... :D
C

Author: slls

Date: 11 Dec 2006 5:04 pm

I am new around here. I bought Yard Machine snow blower 12-04, going on 3 rd winter, nothing has falling off yet, when will this happen.
I also bought a MTD self propelled mower in 2000, this summer I had to replace the pinion bearing, cost about $7. Am I lucky or just easy on equipment.
I buy cheap an pride myself on keeping it running , has paid off for 40 years.
8)

Author: ramit

Date: 11 Dec 2006 7:16 pm

I had my Sears blower for 16 years, a 5/24 two stage.
After the first year it ate belts.

My dad purchased the tracked version a year after I bought mine.
He never replaced his belts till last year.

Both are still running and working, he has his, I gave mine to a neighbor.
Mine required a lot more work after 5 or 7 years to keep it together.
I most defiantly have more of a clean up than he does.

I see a huge difference between my Toro and the 'old Sears.

But I did get 16years out of the 'old sears blower.
I truly didn't know if I would get one or two more seasons out of it with the problems I have with clean up.

My neighbor has a very small driveway, can throw it all off to one side easily. He's done in 10 minutes.
He'll get another 4-5years or more out of it.

I went through a few $99 mowers before I bought a $300 Snapper, which was still running good when the deck became too holey from rust for it to work well anymore and be safe. 16 years on the Snapper mower... but a bunch of cheapies before that. I don't have a bad mowing problem.. it's a easy lawn.

My OPE dealer (small ma and pa shop) that sells Snapper and Toro blowers, had MTD for one year trying to get into a cheaper price point to compete with the big box stores.
He had too many problems with the MTDs and wouldn't sell them or order them the next year.


IMHO,
I guess I'm trying to say, the right size tool for the right job.
But too cheap aint worth it.
There's always room for the stuff in between if it fits your needs.

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 12 Dec 2006 9:47 am

Ok, great post here for sure. My wife is trying to be "cost conscience" on this purchase. Wants to know why we can not get the "pretty red" one for $200 less than the ugly Orange one?

My drive way is 2.5 cars wide and 3.5 cars deep, level as it comes.
Am I looking to purchase too much? Or should I just tell my wife, "Get Back in your Hole!!!" ?? :evil:

Author: ramit

Date: 12 Dec 2006 10:14 am

From my experience, the power will buy you time.
And make things a bit easier.

Dealing with the bigger storms, dealing with the heavier snow, power will help.

Buying a smaller unit will work, but you will need to manage the power more with a bigger clean up or heavier snow.

I have a mess to deal with for a clean up. I have to make piles, then move them again. With a 20 - 24" storm I can get 6ft drifts on the fence between the house and fence for 50ft. Driveway total ~ 150ft and I have a mother of an EOD being at the dead end.

For 16 years I did it with the 5/24 sears. The year before last when we got 24", it took me 4hrs to clean up.
Last year the storm we got avg ~ 20 or 22" on, took me ~1.5hrs to clean up with the 11/28.

I didn't have to fight with the piles. I went from re-throwing the piles only ~15ft to re-throwing the piles of heavy wet packed snow into my neighbors' yard.

With the 10hp, you should be able, even with the heavy wet stuff, be able to start in the middle of the driveway and blow the snow clear off to the driveway. A 5hp might just make it with light snow, heavy snow it might not make it totally off the driveway.

Moving the piles and re-throwing the snow being too much for the 5hp is why I had big "dunes" of snow all around the final outer edges of where I was cleaning up to and putting the snow.

With the 11hp, it's just gone. No stuggling to the edges..

5hp.. I'd get the dunes, it just got too packed and heavy.
I'd blow it onto a pile infront of the camper from the driveway and house, then attempt to get it into the back yard.

And in the front, the little front lawn is the only place to get rid of it in the double wide section.


11hp, no more dunes at the edge of the patio... it's all over the back yard. I don't have pix of the front yard, but it didn't have the Dunes the 5hp would leave me with. But now the neighbot gets a few more inches on their front lawn with the 11hp.

Author: SnowPro

Date: 12 Dec 2006 10:30 am

:welcome:

Hi!
I think that the answer has already been made!
That fake Troy-bilt is not the same as the Husqvarna machine.

The Husqvarna dealer here has no problem selling all of the machines they bring in......and they bring in quite a lot.

I believe the pictures say it all. Those fake Troy-bilts don't throw much farther than the 5hp pictures, from what I have witnessed around here.

Go orange!

Again, welcome to the forum!

Ken
:)

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 12 Dec 2006 11:44 am

Ram-It. Where are you from in LI? I was born and raised in Smithtown. Only been up in Albany for about 4 years. Miss the Ocean.

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 12 Dec 2006 11:49 am

So now that Troy Bilt has the MTD name behind it, it is junk? Was Troy Bilt good in its day?
Were they based out of Troy, Michigan or Troy, NY?

Author: ramit

Date: 12 Dec 2006 11:52 am

NortheastBeast wrote:
Ram-It. Where are you from in LI? I was born and raised in Smithtown. Only been up in Albany for about 4 years. Miss the Ocean.

Ah, lots to talk about,, I PMed you!

Author: SnowPro

Date: 12 Dec 2006 1:15 pm

NortheastBeast wrote:
So now that Troy Bilt has the MTD name behind it, it is junk? Was Troy Bilt good in its day?
Were they based out of Troy, Michigan or Troy, NY?

Troy, NY, I believe. Not Troy, Michigan.

The old Troy machines were very heavy duty and did an amazing job. Parts for those old machines may be difficult to get now. I know that it is hard to get some of the parts for the old Troy chipper/vacs.

Seeing as MTD now owns so many brands, it is just playing on the names to make sales. Just like a new Cub Cadet is not the same as the old Cubs from the past.


.............Just as the new Lawn-boys are really green Toros. To me, when they stopped making the classic Lawn-boy machine.......the legend ended.

Ken
:(

Author: jubol

Date: 12 Dec 2006 2:03 pm

SnowPro,

How are the Husky blowers standing up in your heavy snow area.

A lot of folks "Bad Mouth" them , when they have never even tried or seen the machines in action!!!

I checked on the parts in the Husky blowers, other than engine size 8 HP and up, auger size, they all use about 99% the same parts.

That explained to me why they weigh almost the same!!!

Fred :lol:

Author: SnowPro

Date: 12 Dec 2006 2:18 pm

They seem to be standing up quite well, actually. Like I was saying earlier, the dealer sells out of them. I know one of the mechanics there, and he says that other than abuse, or stuff like that, they only see them in for "tune ups". So he thinks they are very good and that I will take as an endorsement for them. He has no reason to BS me. If they were coming in all the time, then he WOULD have said it. They are a large dealership. Primarily Husqvarna and Stihl, for OPE.

Confuses me too, on the respect issue. :thinking:

Ken
:)

Author: Majorxlr8n

Date: 12 Dec 2006 2:42 pm

Here's me and my "pretty red one" in action 2 years ago:



It throws snow well but DOES have the impeller kit installed. I don't know how well it would hold up in an area where the snow is more frequent & heavier than it is here in NJ. The hardware, construction & overall quality is ok. Toro, Ariens, Simplicity, Honda are LEAPS & BOUNDS better in quality IMHO...

Marty

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 12 Dec 2006 3:27 pm

Marty, from the looks of it...it seems you are blowing snow in Hawaii.
No hat....open shirt. :)

What part of Jersey?

Author: Majorxlr8n

Date: 12 Dec 2006 4:28 pm

NortheastBeast wrote:
Marty, from the looks of it...it seems you are blowing snow in Hawaii.
No hat....open shirt. :)

What part of Jersey?

LOL!! I used to have a VERY high tolerance to the cold. Working as a butcher years ago, playing hockey, and playing football in the cold kind of "seasoned" me to the chill of winter. However, over the last 2 years I have gotten LESS tolerant to the cold. Old age setting in 44...

I'm in Freehold NJ - have been down here since 1989. I saw in another thread that you're in the Albany area - I have family & friends in Scotia, Schenectady & Averill Park so I know the area fairly well...

Marty

Author: NortheastBeast

Date: 12 Dec 2006 5:20 pm

Yeah, I am a Long Island transplant...being here about 5 years. My 2nd winter here was the Christmas Day Blizzard of 2002 and my first winter owning a home.
I had no snowblower and we got 35".....two weeks later, we got a 23" dumping.

I started to scower the want ads for used snowblowers. I found a 1972 2-stage Ariens....4HP, which weighed a TON!!!

I got rid of that for a single stage, 2-cycle 5HP Ariens.....HATED IT!!! Away that went and I purchased the 10HP Yard Machine, used and it died last year. Bent intake valve. Away it went.

So here I am....no machine and just waiting for the worm to turn on the 40 degree weather.....

Author: dave___in___ct

Date: 14 Dec 2006 7:02 pm

Hi...

Troy-Bilt is/was in Troy New York...


Dave...

Author: Kenhomeowner

Date: 14 Dec 2006 11:00 pm

welcome NEbeast. Hows Kings Park doin? Is the big statue of the bull still there?

My Drive can hold about 8 cars max, 2 rows of 3 wide at the top. I opted for the big ugly orange, I also as Jubol says like the triggers for steering and when you wheel the thing around with the engine off you squease these triggers and the machine freewheels around as easy as an empty wheelbarrow.
earlier in the post you asked about Sears. The 2 largest machines they have in our Sears store here are made by Electrolux which was the parent company of Husky. Earlier this year Husky spun off from Electrolux and is now its own again. The only difference between the Husky and the 10HP Sears is the Sears had a flathead Briggs while the Huskys are Techumseh in Lhead or OHV. I bought the OHV 11hp. Hoe I get to use it, I needed it 2 years ago as you can see below.

Get Snow!!! Ken



Author: mml4

Date: 17 Dec 2006 10:06 am

High Guys!
The Bull is still there!
Old pre MTD TroyBilts were made for them by Bolens.
Marc

Author: ramit

Date: 17 Dec 2006 10:24 am

I haven't been past the bull in ages !!

When I was growing up in that area it was a tradition on halloween, kids would paint the bull's "man hood".

And why did who ever decide to do a statue of a bull all read to go for making baby bulls? and a tail up as if he had to go!?