# Updated with a brief video. Kraken run time plus a couple pics



## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

Today while my brother and I were doing our thing, he was running the Kraken and broke a shear bolt. So he says I'll go replace the bolt and refuel while I'm at it. Well he's back and continues blowing. A little bit later going into a large snowbank the engine stalls. Yup, he completely forgot to refuel. Before we started I made sure our machines where all topped off. As he went to get the gas I checked the hour meter. So the Kraken with it's 420cc EFI motor and 1.84 gallon fuel capacity ran for 3.5 hours on
a single tank. Our official snow total in the city was listed as 26". This included a lot of EOD work as well. Absolutely love the large fuel capacity. I think it's one of the best features of this machine.

Here are a couple pics from today.


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## Smokie1 (Sep 17, 2019)

JJG723 said:


> Today while my brother and I were doing our thing, he was running the Kraken and broke a shear bolt. So he says I'll go replace the bolt and refuel while I'm at it. Well he's back and continues blowing. A little bit later going into a large snowbank the engine stalls. Yup, he completely forgot to refuel. Before we started I made sure our machines where all topped off. As he went to get the gas I checked the hour meter. So the Kraken with it's 420cc EFI motor and 1.84 gallon fuel capacity ran for 3.5 hours on
> a single tank. Our official snow total in the city was listed as 26". This included a lot of EOD work as well. Absolutely love the large fuel capacity. I think it's one of the best features of this machine.
> 
> Here are a couple pics from today.
> ...


Thanks for the pics! Looks like your donating a little snow to the church next door.


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

not much could make want to get a new machine
but that is crazy nice
ariens got that right


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

I believe that run time is going to vary a lot depending on the load.

Off the top of my head a 13hp engine at full output should use about a gallon per hour. I suspect the Kraken can really suck it down when dealing with wet heavy snow.


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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

Ariens should use your second pic for advertising. Awesome.


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## aa335 (Jan 21, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> Ariens should use your second pic for advertising. Awesome.


Agreed, the church always welcome donations, especially to renovate the school playground.


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## STEPNOUT (12 mo ago)

Darkwoods said:


> Ariens should use your second pic for advertising. Awesome.


True, a great picture and the machine is working it big time!


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## CTHuskyinMA (Jan 14, 2019)

You have to admit, the snow from this blizzard is absolutely perfect for blowing. I achieved personal record distances, even yesterday after it had been on the ground for 12+ hours. Man, that Kraken sures looks nice...


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## bkwudz (Jan 14, 2013)

how do you find the power trac adjustment working? After using my manual adj rapid trac a couple years now, i find the rapid trac in dig in mode is useless, there is not enough of a contact patch with the ground, i was thinking on the Kraken being able to electrically adjust it just a slight bit more than flat would be optimal when you need to really dig in, but 90% flat mode work great, so its like a useless mode on mine


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

Smokie1 said:


> Thanks for the pics! Looks like your donating a little snow to the church next door.


Lol. That church is actually one of our accounts. The snow is actually going on a grass/play area behind the building. The area is unused in the winter months. I promise 😁


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

Darkwoods said:


> Ariens should use your second pic for advertising. Awesome.


I tweeted them the pic, they already contacted me and asked for permission! 😂🤣


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

bkwudz said:


> how do you find the power trac adjustment working? After using my manual adj rapid trac a couple years now, i find the rapid trac in dig in mode is useless, there is not enough of a contact patch with the ground, i was thinking on the Kraken being able to electrically adjust it just a slight bit more than flat would be optimal when you need to really dig in, but 90% flat mode work great, so its like a useless mode on mine


Yes that is another great benefit of the Kraken. The ability to fine tune the position of the rear bogey wheels for optimal traction. Funny enough, some of the EOD was so high yesterday that I found wheel mode worked best. I would let the bucket ride up, becoming a track version with the bucket up in the air to knock down the high point of the EOD. Then going into reverse while lowering the bogey wheels into normal track and then finishing the low point.


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

ChrisJ said:


> I believe that run time is going to vary a lot depending on the load.
> 
> Off the top of my head a 13hp engine at full output should use about a gallon per hour. I suspect the Kraken can really suck it down when dealing with wet heavy snow.


Absolutely. I feel as though yesterday would be a typical run time though. Powder or not 26" is a lot of snow. The EOD was far from powder. Borderline concrete. Some of it as high as 4 ft. We clear several hundred feet of EOD every storm. I'd say 3 to 4 hours would be the runtime on any particular snow event.


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

The hour meter showed an additional 8hrs. was put on the machine yesterday.


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## Hogan773 (May 14, 2021)

I love that church picture too....snowblower pron if there is such a thing. Maybe Sikkema would know about that 

General question though - would one notch lower setting on the chute throw farther or no? I don't know what the chute angles are but it seems like top chute is more than 45 degrees. Certainly a lower chute angle would reduce the blowback snow (but I admit would not have such a nice picture!)


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

Hogan773 said:


> I love that church picture too....snowblower pron if there is such a thing. Maybe Sikkema would know about that
> 
> General question though - would one notch lower setting on the chute throw farther or no? I don't know what the chute angles are but it seems like top chute is more than 45 degrees. Certainly a lower chute angle would reduce the blowback snow (but I admit would not have such a nice picture!)


So the Kraken has the electric chute controls, no notches. Something else that is infinitely variable from all the way down to all the way up. I do know what you mean about the notches. I have two other machines that have them. In my experience I'd say distance wise is fairly close. Tough to say for sure. The highest setting certainly helps when trying to throw over something that you're next to.


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## Auger1 (Dec 4, 2020)

JJG723 said:


> Today while my brother and I were doing our thing, he was running the Kraken and broke a shear bolt. So he says I'll go replace the bolt and refuel while I'm at it. Well he's back and continues blowing. A little bit later going into a large snowbank the engine stalls. Yup, he completely forgot to refuel. Before we started I made sure our machines where all topped off. As he went to get the gas I checked the hour meter. So the Kraken with it's 420cc EFI motor and 1.84 gallon fuel capacity ran for 3.5 hours on
> a single tank. Our official snow total in the city was listed as 26". This included a lot of EOD work as well. Absolutely love the large fuel capacity. I think it's one of the best features of this machine.
> 
> Here are a couple pics from today.
> ...


The Lord givith the snow, you givith it right back to him. That machine is pretty impressive.


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

Auger1 said:


> The Lord givith the snow, you givith it right back to him. That machine is pretty impressive.


That's high comedy! 🤣


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## dagjohnsen56 (Dec 7, 2021)

JJG723 said:


> So the Kraken has the electric chute controls, no notches. Something else that is infinitely variable from all the way down to all the way up. I do know what you mean about the notches. I have two other machines that have them. In my experience I'd say distance wise is fairly close. Tough to say for sure. The highest setting certainly helps when trying to throw over something that you're next to.


That is an improvement, I have that problem with my new machine (Rapidtrak PRO 28) it cannot throw snow more straight up like my Yamaha could.


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## Toolboxhero (Dec 24, 2010)

Hogan773 said:


> I love that church picture too....snowblower pron if there is such a thing. Maybe Sikkema would know about that
> 
> General question though - would one notch lower setting on the chute throw farther or no? I don't know what the chute angles are but it seems like top chute is more than 45 degrees. Certainly a lower chute angle would reduce the blowback snow (but I admit would not have such a nice picture!)


Yes, I'm jealous! I've had less than 6 inches of snow so far this season and that picture is AWESOME! 
If there is no wind - having the deflector wide open will throw the farthest. If there is wind, your idea of moving it down a notch or two will help to keep the snow in a tighter pattern so it also goes farther.


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## Toolboxhero (Dec 24, 2010)

dagjohnsen56 said:


> That is an improvement, I have that problem with my new machine (Rapidtrak PRO 28) it cannot throw snow more straight up like my Yamaha could.
> View attachment 188365


In the picture, it looks like the chute is shorter and not as arced on the Yamaha. That would allow it to throw snow higher - but most likely not as far.


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## dagjohnsen56 (Dec 7, 2021)

Toolboxhero said:


> In the picture, it looks like the chute is shorter and not as arced on the Yamaha. That would allow it to throw snow higher - but most likely not as far.


It is actually a long double linked chute that allows you to throw both straight up and also down close to the blower. It throws very far indeed. But the Ariens has a far more powerful engine.


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## sledman8002002 (Jan 20, 2021)

I always enjoy that background view in your pics


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## dagjohnsen56 (Dec 7, 2021)

sledman8002002 said:


> I always enjoy that background view in your pics


Thanks, it was one of the reasons I bought that cabin!


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

I like the Yamaha color more.


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

Forgot I shot a brief video during this blizzard. 🍻


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