Actually, some Ariens snow throwers also ran Tecumseh Snow King engines. I have one, 2-stage, 10 Hp, and it always starts and runs. I think I bought it in 1992. It never bogs down. I had to adjust the carb once, back in '98.So the older Arien's snow blowers had Subaru engines?
Some new snow blowers are now EFI.
They last and last. But, Tecumseh no longer makes any small engines that I know of. Yet another USA company ruined by cheap orient stuff. Pity.Lol. I have a 9hp Ariens I bought in 1993. Tecumseh Snow King engine. Starts and runs great.
Parts can still be found. Engines no longer made in USA. Someone may have bought out the entire stock and is selling out whatever remains. That happens now and then.I didn't know that.
I grew up with Tecumseh small engines. Lawn mowers and mini bikes.
But, the skids kept scraping up my concrete driveway, leaving almost permanent tracks wherever I went. The rolling wheel idea came from an earlier Ariens I saw that used 4" dia. steel wheels made from 3/16" plate steel. Those were discontinued some 30 years ago. Not sure why. They worked.Cool idea. Those skids are cheap and easy to replace.
You might get a kick out of the skid wheels I made in the shop and put on mine after the sliding scrapers wore out:
View attachment 118976
The rim is made out of 3/4" oak. I then glued on a PVC pipe outer "tire" with epoxy and used a bolt for an axle. They've lasted seven years, but I must admit we only average about four big enough snowfalls a year.