Buying a snow blower... help!

Bondo

Ayuh,.... You can thank a bunch of Thieves,... er, Lawyers...

A class action lawsuit a couple of years ago, muddied up this mess...

tcleve4911

my 2 car driveway takes 10-12 passes
That's why you want it to throw well away from where you are.

Those buggys and small push plows suck when the snow's wet.
It just compacts into a pile that freezes and then when the next storm comes....well.....you know....

BlueBSH

I'm not too concerned about how long it takes to do it, I'm more concerned about my back and arms it can take 50 passes, still better then a shovel and wet snow... 26" seems like the perfect width considering the garage space it will take up, and my budget $800 is the max, and I looked at some husqvarna models also, $800 barely bought me a single stage... looked at craftsman wasn't that impressed, cost a good bit more for similar features... not sure who else sells them around where I am at... have a tractor supply company store, not sure what they sell

what about the skid shoes? Troybilts all come with metal ones, is it worth it to put a polycarbinate shoe on? do they scratch concrete when they are metal?

creeper

Plus with a snowthrower vs a plow on your tractor, you can take it on the lawn if you want a clear path to back doors or the backyard skating rink

DrHicks

Skating rink? Whaa???

Oh never mind, I see you live in Canada.

DrHicks

Have you tried Craigslist? I bought my JD 826 - used - about 5 years ago, for $300. Granted, it was off-season, but it has been one heckuva machine! Unfortunately, there are no "smokin' deals" on snowblowers at this time of the year.

TSC will carry MTD, or Husky, blowers. Maybe Cub Cadet or Poulan. They're all pretty much the same thing - like almost all of your "lesser brand" blowers. A Tecumseh "Snow King" engine, and similar (if not interchangeable) features and parts.

24", 26", or 28" really won't matter a lot. You're usually not taking a full swath anyway. What matters more is getting the bigger engine.

creeper

Outdoor skating at night can't be beat. It helps pass the dreaded winter.

Good luck with the snowblower choice. I strongly advise to get one with that easy turn feature and your 50 passes won't be so much like work

DrHicks

Oh yeah. My sons, and their wives, living in Minneapolis love it. There's a whole group of guys that's always out on the neighborhood rink playing their own version of hockey.

BlueBSH

coming soon to a DIY forum near you, the question everyone is asking, "How do I make a backyard ice rink?"

creeper

You can do the tarp and board version or the old fashion pack down the snow version Of course when you get the january thaw for a couple of days the non tarped version is done.
I'm in the car on my way to the mall for Christmas shoppping ( I loathe shopping) and since we have very strict text and drive rules I'm saying
Roger out

Bondo

Ayuh,... Skating rink,..??

That sounds like my driveway most of the winter...

BlueBSH

anyone have any info on this question I asked?


what about the skid shoes? Troybilts all come with metal ones, is it worth it to put a polycarbinate shoe on? do they scratch concrete when they are metal?

DrHicks

It all depends on how picky you are about your concrete. The skid shoes on my blower are metal, and I've never noticed scratches on my driveway. Of course, my driveway is pretty old and I wouldn't care anyway.

BlueBSH

ah, thanks!

Msradell

Polycarbinate shoes will mark the concrete less but because of the abrasiveness of the concrete they will wear out very quickly. They're much better for asphalt driveways that mark even easier but are less abrasive.