KUDOS Snowblowers vs Chainsaws

[Philbert]

Yeah, I get that. Liked my 2-stroke snow thrower better than the 4-cycle I replaced it with.

Similar performance. Lighter weight. Simpler.

But both started easier than any gas chainsaw I’ve used.

The comments about different carburetors, larger flywheels, and lower compression make sense.

Philbert

 

[Al Smith]

I've got two snow blowers which like most things I own,old .They both run or at least did when I last used them .One is a Toro "snow pup " which is a two cycle .That thing has electric start from 120 volts from a cord .It always starts .However with the decreased amont of snow over the last few years most times I just use a Stihl BR 400 leaf blower which also always starts .If in the rare occasion we get a lot of snow with a 600 foot drive way it's a Jeep CJ5,a Ferguson tractor or an Oliver OC 6 bull dozer . That little crawler will push a wall of wet snow 7-8 feet high but that was 30 plus years ago when we had nasty winters that would freeze the balls off a brass monkey .

 

[blades]

other than than the that stretch in Jan of sub zero this winter has been more of late fall expeience.

 

[Philbert]

I used my battery-0powered Oregon leaf blower this year. Once.

Philbert

 

[Al Smith]

Blowers are another item I've managed to collect a lot of .I fix things and at least three of the hand helds were freebies one was a Stihl that lost a battle with a 7,000 pound tree chipper .I've got 50 bucks in it finding another with a blown engine from flea bay .The back pack an older Stihl BR 400 cost me $200 and it was like new .During the covid lock down I lost tract of how many machines I resurrected from the dead .Now weather or not they all start remains a mystery for the time being .

 

[Spike60]

@Philbert. "Starting anxieties" are much more pronounced when a snow blower doesn't want to fire up. Not suggesting more likely, but far more disappointing.

The fuel in the bowl is "right there" as some have pointed out, but the other side of the coin is that fuel in the bowl will go bad way faster than in the fuel tank. Always suggested that my customers shut off the valve and let the carb run dry for medium length storage.

The Tecumseh Snow King engines owned the market vs Briggs in large part because those carbs were a straight shot into the engine, as opposed to the updraft carbs used on the Briggs engines. The primer/choke combo ensured that as long as you had good fuel, you were generally good to go.

I preferred the HSK70 over the 80. Quiet muffler part of the reason. The 8 and 10 HP HSK80's were LOUD. But plenty of power. My favorite was the OHSK overhead valve that came out near the end. Great motor until it was time to work on them. The amount of things you have to take off to change the fuel line.......the words necessary are not allowed.

My expertise is on Ariens, as we sold them for 30 years. In the time flies category, the last year there were any Tecumseh engines in the Ariens catalog was 2008. That 16 years flew by pretty quick, eh?

Blower collection (3) is thankfully smaller than the out of control saw collection. Oldest one goes back to 1972. My baby.

 

[Philbert]

My snow throwers have all been Toro brand: multiple units, due to opportunity, as opposed to obsolescence.

3-4 HP models. But I still ‘ran the block’ with them!

Each one has/had an electric (plug in) start, in addition to the recoil / pull cord. Just the way they came.

The only time I used the electric start was when the pull cord broke!

Something like 7 screws or bolts needed to be removed (and replaced!) to replace the starter rope. Only real complaint I had with them.

Philbert

 

[Spike60]

Describe that run the block deal if you would please. Sounds like fun.

 

[Philbert]

Friendly, neighborhood ‘competition’. First one out with a snowblower clears the sidewalk down our side of the block.

About 8 houses / 400’?

Later snowfalls, somebody else makes a pass, or two.

With big snowfalls, the guys with th 8 -12HP, 2-stage units get the heavy stuff, and the plow-packed ridges, and the rubber paddle guys clean up the edges.

Guy around the block has a blade on a 4-wheel ATV, and sometimes will do a few blocks.

Philbert

 

[Spike60]

Love it! Do you guys get into good natured brand "discussions" like happens with the saws? Mine throws farther type of stuff.

 

[Spike60]

Nice thing with a group like that is if somebody snaps a belt or something, there's someone there to jump in and finish cleaning up.

 

[AnthemBassMan]

I have a 1998 Ariens s522 single stage snowblower with the good ol’ Tecumseh HSK850 2 stroke engine. If it doesn’t fire up on the first pull, it’s up and running on the second. My driveway is only about 40’ long and paved so the Ariens is perfect for me. Would I like a big 2 stage snowblower? Yep, but it would be overkill unless I actually start clearing the road in front of me.

L8R,
Matt

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Snow blowers vs chainsaws:
I tend to spend a disproportionate amount of money on chainsaws rather than snow removal equipment. Therefore I bludgeon an Ariens 24 Deluxe through too much snow.

Got my fingers crossed that it will last another coupla years. This little fker punches way above its weight class. Echo CS 620p of the snowblower world:

 

[Philbert]

I have a 1998 Ariens s522 single stage snowblower with the good ol’ Tecumseh HSK850 2 stroke engine. If it doesn’t fire up on the first pull, it’s up and running on the second. My driveway is only about 40’ long and paved so the Ariens is perfect for me. Would I like a big 2 stage snowblower? Yep, but it would be overkill unless I actually start clearing the road in front of me.

L8R,
Matt

In hindsight, I liked my Toro, 3HP, Tecumseh engine snow thrower better than my 4HP, 4-stroke Toro.

Lighter. Worked as well.

Philbert

 

[johnnyducati]

Interesting thread, Guys. Just this week bought a second Snapper 2cycle snow blower. Has carb trouble, but will run on prime, so a good cleaning should do the trick. Took down the float bowl and cleaned a bunch of varnish out, but still no joy. Trying to clean it out using seafoam in the gas, but looks as if carb will require a better cleaning through disassembly. Bought same model for my Sweetie and checked it out yesterday. Runs like a top and also has the 120v electric start, since she finds the recoil start problematic. I'm still teasing her about her first use of it. She complained that it only dribbled the snow out. Checked and found about 20 feet of Christmas lights wrapped around the impeller.

 

[blades]

15 -20 $ gets brand new carb- I do not bother trying to fix these plastic carbs anymore on the snowblowers.