# Snow Blower run time?



## sunlight99 (Sep 2, 2017)

Greetings, I've used a snow blower before but I am thinking about getting one this winter since I recently bought a shed. I have two basic questions for all of you experts =)

1. What's the average run time for a ~200cc engine 2-stage? I recently discovered a product called Trufuel and wonder how long each can (32 oz) can last. 

2. Is there a recommended buying guide? I've read CR reviews but don't trust them. My budget is $500-700, I live in upstate NY, driveway is about 120 feet long.


----------



## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

I work on snow blowers a LOT and I honestly think Trufuel is a complete waste of money, Yes it's alcohol free but these engines will run on some pretty bad fuel, I'm not saying they should be run on it but they WAY over charge for Trufuel and these engines run just fine on pump gas. A little gas stabilizer will also keep it in good shape if fuel is stored. I have a 5 gallon and stabilise it before winter and add a little when I refill the container and the blowers start right up in the fall. 

For a buying guide, Dang if I seen this post a few hours ago LOL I just sold a real nice machine I was asking $700 for that would have lasted you a LONG time LOL But in that price range I would look at any of the Ariens at the lower end of there price range and also the Toro line. Husqvarna has some decent models also but are not quite as popular, My brother picked one as a floor model on sale when Lowes was clearing them out and it is a nice machine but IMHO here would be the best place to get opinions on what should be purchased and avoided as none of us are sponsored and many of us work on them for side work and see a lot of issues that these things have.


----------



## sunlight99 (Sep 2, 2017)

I saw this model the other day on SD (https://slickdeals.net/f/10514768-t...e-electric-start-gas-snow-blower-509-in-lowes)
Wonder if it's a good buy or can I get one with better features for $100-200 more.


----------



## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

I actually prefer the Troy Bilt out of the cheaper brands, Ariens also has this one with a few options for that little bit more, It has 200° quick-turn chute with remote deflector whereas the Troy has 180° and no remote deflector. And it's Ariens with a higher quality standard. IMHO
Ariens Classic 24 in. 2-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower-920025 - The Home Depot
Also Lowes has the Troy Bilt you found for the same price so you could save on the shipping if you go with the Troy.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Troy-Bilt-...age-Electric-Start-Gas-Snow-Blower/1000079649


----------



## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

*snow throwers blowers*



sunlight99 said:


> Greetings, I've used a snow blower before but I am thinking about getting one this winter since I recently bought a shed. I have two basic questions for all of you experts =)
> 
> 1. What's the average run time for a ~200cc engine 2-stage? I recently discovered a product called Trufuel and wonder how long each can (32 oz) can last.
> 
> 2. Is there a recommended buying guide? I've read CR reviews but don't trust them. My budget is $500-700, I live in upstate NY, driveway is about 120 feet long.


=======================================================================

A couple of things,

There is no real average run time, it depends completely on the fuel, the snow depth, the snow density,wind speed with and without snow falling and if there is any ice buildup PLUS any snow berms left by the plows 

Some folks love the premixed canned gasoline some just use high test and mix it a gallon at a time(me) and save money that way by just pouring in some seafoam and not worrying about it as long as the old fuel is either run out and the choke closed to consume any fuel left in it or simply pouring it back into a can or a waste oil can,

If you examined CR you would know that CR is a non profit company and uses a very substantial method of testing snow blowers by using water soaked wood sawdust in in two 10 cubic foot wheel barrows one behind the other on a tarp laid on a concrete surface to run the snow blower through which provides adequate resistance in my opinion to proof a snow thrower or snow blower. 


Its better to have a heavier snow thrower and a bit more horsepower so that you will not be short on power and torque.


----------



## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

This is always a risky topic to discuss because different brands have their own groups of loyal groupies.
I will do my best and I'm sure people will correct any errors or difference of opinion.

Coincidentally, I was looking at the Consumer Reports website earlier tonight and was worried by a couple of the brands and models that I saw listed there. Their analysis does not (and cannot) measure the longevity of a machine.

USED:
Firstly I would ask if you have any interest at all in buying a used machine and potentially doing some fairly simple maintenance such as carburetor cleaning or replacement.
The reason I ask is because there's a fairly wide consensus on this forum that machines from 30 years ago were manufactured to last and many people would choose to buy a used machine, do a little maintenance and end up with a machine that is high quality for minimal cost.
In my case, given your budget, I would buy a machine from almost any brand and aim for something 30 years old. I would then pocket the savings. That may not be an option for you if you have no interest in buying a used machine and doing minor maintenance or repairs.

NEW:
For new machines, to a first approximation, you can break the market into four segments
a) machines to avoid
b) lower-end brands
c) middle brands
d) high-end brands

As a new member you may or may not know that the country of manufacture is significant. This is not based on pure jingoism although it sometimes may sound that way.
The following thread discusses country of manufacture and I recently collected the textual data from Scot (one of our members and moderator) and turned it into a spreadsheet format so that you can see at a glance what is made where. 

Here is the posting that includes that spreadsheet, look at the very bottom of the post to see the image representing the spreadsheet:
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/1269082-post261.html

Look at that spreadsheet and AVOID any machine where the engine and snowblower frame are both made entirely in China. As the years go by, that situation may change but, for now at least, that rule holds true. 

The brands that survive (after eliminating the 100% Chinese machines) are at the top of that spreadsheet. They are the ones worth considering.

Different people have their own preferences but I think it's fair to say that the quality stratification approximately matches the "family" order in that spreadsheet.

Honda and Ariens at the higher end (plus Yamaha if you are close to Canada)
Toro and Husquvarna in the middle 
MTD and Briggs being at the lower end

Don't pay attention to the sub-ordering within a family. The list was never intended to be in quality-order. There is considerable quality overlap.

From my perspective, I would want (first and foremost) a machine that clears the snow, can handle all types and depths of snow and lasts for many years. Everything else is of secondary importance to me. 

This isn't a buyers guide because it gives no opinion on the value or irrelevance of things like headlamps, hand warmers and the specific way that a chute is moved to the left or to the right (and whether it stays where you thought you'd put it) or all the other bells and whistles that you may encounter. I consider all of these things to be of secondary importance.

*The most important message is to avoid the 100% Chinese brands.*
I will leave it to others to nominate their favorite models and to debate the details based on your budget and needs.
I hope this is somewhat helpful and not too controversial.

DRIVEWAY 120':
As far as your driveway is concerned, you probably need a machine that is wider (not narrower) and has a larger engine (not smaller).  
Horsepower ratings are no longer quoted but I would probably choose a 10HP 32" machine in your case or the modern day equivalent.

FUEL & ETHANOL:
As far as fuel is concerned, I think it is a non-issue because you should empty all fuel out of the machine at the end of the season or add a stabilizer, shut off the fuel and run the machine until the carburetor is dry. Ethanol-free fuel is a much more important issue for small hand-held tools like leaf blowers because those tiny carburetors can and do get blocked very easily. Even in that case, using a stabilizing additive usually helps to solve the problem and (as always) remove all fuel and run it dry at the end of season.
If you are keen to use ethanol-free gas, check out this website that lists gas stations selling it in bulk at regular pump prices:
https://www.pure-gas.org/


----------



## sunlight99 (Sep 2, 2017)

Glad I found this great place. I have an EGO mower and leaf blower so I was leaning towards an electric snow blower last year (I have no prior experience working with any gas engine tool), but I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger because of the price. And being in upstate NY we get at least one major snowstorm each winter. It was no fun clearing out 2' of snow with a shovel (or 4' of snow at the end of the driveway) I have done that for quite some years now and finally this year I said to myself this is it, I ain't doing it anymore. LOL


----------



## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

sunlight99 said:


> Glad I found this great place. I have an EGO mower and leaf blower so I was leaning towards an electric snow blower last year (I have no prior experience working with any gas engine tool), but I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger because of the price. And being in upstate NY we get at least one major snowstorm each winter. It was no fun clearing out 2' of snow with a shovel (or 4' of snow at the end of the driveway) I have done that for quite some years now and finally this year I said to myself this is it, I ain't doing it anymore. LOL


I don't think a cable-powered electric blower would work well on 120' of driveway. They might be OK for people whose house is right up against the street with hardly any sidewalk. Even if they DID work, dragging the cable around in snow would drive you crazy. 

Machines with on-board batteries might not cut it either . I wonder if the battery life would be long enough. I didn't do the math but the number of kilowatt-hours to clear your drive would be big (even if they had the power and strength to work at all). Having said that.. some of the reviews seem to be saying that total power is not as big an issue as I expected to see. Maybe battery technology is improving faster than I thought. People like Elon Musk are driving that research hard. I would also wonder if the batteries decrease their ability to hold charge after a while. I honestly can't say. Those reviewers should know better than I do if they've actually tried it for several seasons. Check to see how often they need to buy new batteries (or replace damaged cells in an existing battery if you are handy with a soldering iron). *Batteries are expensive. The total cost of ownership may be much higher than the initial purchase price. *Also check to see what your neighbors are using and why.

The storage capacity (amp-hours) drives the price.
Here is a battery chosen at random... *$400* buys you 7.5 Ah




Here is another one *$200 *buys you 4 Ah


----------



## sunlight99 (Sep 2, 2017)

EGO Battery powered blower is getting closer to the average performance of a single stage. But I understand a single stage would struggle in the type of snow we get in NY. 

Is steering feature like the auto turn something that's highly recommended to have?


----------



## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

On the larger machines steering is a nice option well, Because the bigger machines can get heavy and be a bear to maneuver. Lighter machines not so much because they are easier to lift and move around. A machine that big will be a bit above the budget you posted unless buying used.


----------



## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

sunlight99 said:


> ...
> Is steering feature like the auto turn something that's highly recommended to have?...


I always lean towards "keep it simple..stupid!"  fewer things to go wrong. If the area you have to cover is basically a long straight driveway then you'll need to do a 180 turn at each end and that's about it. A few shuffles back and forth and you'll soon be turned around. The bigger the machine, the heavier and less maneuverable they tend to be (especially if you have gradients and need a track-driven blower). Try it out and physically man-handle (person-handle?) the machine in the store to see how it feels. However, remember you'll have reverse gear in the real world. People have managed for decades without. I've never felt that I need any fancy differentials or independently powered wheels but I can see how some people might love them. I would put that into my secondary importance category. Let's see what others have to say.


----------



## Hanky (Nov 14, 2014)

One thing to keep in mind is storage, a 32 in blower that does not fit in the garage is to big. if a 28 in one fits in a corner it is a better buy the difference may only be 1 pass on the driveway. I went from a 24 in to a 28 and mameuverable is a hug difference. how wide is your side walk in the smallest area in my case shrubs make it smaller as they overhang on one area.


----------



## sunlight99 (Sep 2, 2017)

I did more research and it seems Toro SnowMaster is a good choice. I like that it's half the weight of a traditional 2-stage so it's easier to move around.


----------



## Hanky (Nov 14, 2014)

Several members here have them and were very pleased with them last winter.

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...5161-2015-toro-snowmaster-724-qxe-review.html


----------



## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

sunlight99 said:


> I did more research and it seems Toro SnowMaster is a good choice. I like that it's half the weight of a traditional 2-stage so it's easier to move around.


That might be a good choice if the snow conditions work in your favor. If the snowfall is predicted to be deep or wet you may need to go out mid-storm to keep the height of the accumulated snow under control. It's a compromise. (see second video below at the timestamp mentioned)

I love marketing! 

First of all.. with those snow depths on the drive (in the first marketing video) I'd just wait for the Denver sun to come out and evaporate it away within hours.
OK..I'll go find other Youtube videos to see what's really going on with that machine. 

Here's some arithmetic 101 nit-picking for you..

I don't get what it is that is claimed to be giving you 15% more snow removal per minute.
But..OK...I'll go with the flow...I'm in a good mood. 

Next, check out the bit about 15% more snow per minute and all of this (all of WHAT?) can save you up to 30% more time (small print: Capacity will vary with conditions....compared to a similarly equipped Toro 2-stage... whatever that means....how can a two-stage machine ever be "similarly equipped")
https://youtu.be/bL208zDiYjE?t=42

I thought I was OK at math...
15% more snow removal per minute should work out at a total time of (100 divided by 115) that gives a total time spent of 86.95% which is a saving of 13.05% not 30%
Maybe the script was dictated to him and he mistook thirtEEN for thirtEE?
Maybe he factored in the time taken to turn 180 degrees being slightly faster than a "similarly equipped" two-stage??
Or maybe he is just from the marketing department.... OK ... now I get it. ;-)


You might like this though: * Check out time 5:56 to see deeper snow.. that's when blowers can bog down!
You can see why I said you may need to go out in mid-storm to prevent too much accumulation.
*Don't let the height of the auger bucket fool you into thinking it can handle that depth of non-powder snow.
Watch him bail out at 6:40 and turn left.At the end of the day.. it's just a single stage with a tall bucket. (Please correct me if I'm wrong)


----------



## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

The Toro is a nice machine, Easy to maneuver also. Keep us posted on what you get and we want pics LOL.


----------



## sunlight99 (Sep 2, 2017)

Sure. Last question for now, what are the pros and cons for buying from an authorized dealer vs. HD? I am guessing sometimes you can negotiate a better price from the dealer, and it's more convenient for warranty repair right?


----------



## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Sometimes you can get a better price from one or the other but I like the dealer because who they have put them together but regardless I would go over every bolt and make sure it's all tight but HD has kids making low wages bolting these together and many times it's not done too well., I would go dealer to help support them also as HD won't miss much but the dealer may miss having the extra sale.


----------



## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

sunlight99 said:


> Sure. Last question for now, what are the pros and cons for buying from an authorized dealer vs. HD? I am guessing sometimes you can negotiate a better price from the dealer, and it's more convenient for warranty repair right?


I've heard some people with some brands say that their local dealer won't work on machines they didn't sell or maybe push them to the back of the queue.
I'm a bit suspicious because business is always good to have (unless you are super busy).
It might be true. I don't know. That's only worth what you paid for it. $0.00


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

sunlight99 said:


> Sure. Last question for now, what are the pros and cons for buying from an authorized dealer vs. HD? I am guessing sometimes you can negotiate a better price from the dealer, and it's more convenient for warranty repair right?


Yes, better warranty service from a dealer, but there is another important reason why buying from a dealer is better than buying from a big-box: proper assembly and adjustment from experienced people who know what they are doing.

In this forum over the years there have been many instances where people join to ask about a brand-new machine with problems on its very first use. Even with the good brands like Ariens and Toro. We ask where it was bought..always a big-box. Usually there was actually nothing wrong with the machine, it was just assembled and set up, poorly, by big-box employees who didnt know what they are doing. Fortunately the machine can be made to run properly with proper adjustment, but the frustrated new owner is forced to learn what needs to be done himself, and meanwhile the snowblower isnt working properly when its actually needed in that first snow storm.

Yes, dealers can also (rarely) do poor setup, and big-boxes can do good setup..but your odds of having initial setup frustrations are much higher with a big-box, and much lower with a dealer. The money saved by cheaper big-box prices is often not worth it..its cheaper for a reason..you might have to become the skilled technician the big-box doesnt pay to have on staff.

If you really want it to work right, the first time: dealer.

Scot


----------



## sunlight99 (Sep 2, 2017)

For the same price, does a true 2-stage from Ariens or Troy Bilt offer better snow removal than SnowMaster?


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

sunlight99 said:


> For the same price, does a true 2-stage from Ariens or Troy Bilt offer better snow removal than SnowMaster?


For you personally, and your snow: probably.

Everyones ideal snowblower is different, depending on where one lives.
In Virginia, a small single-stage is ideal and a monster Pro-series 2-stage would be useless. In Buffalo, the opposite is true.

You havent said where in upstate NY you are, but pretty much anywhere in NY state outside of NY city and Long Island, a true 2-stage is likely the better choice over the Snowmaster. 

Scot


----------



## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

sunlight99 said:


> For the same price, does a true 2-stage from Ariens or Troy Bilt offer better snow removal than SnowMaster?


*
Bottom line: whatever you choose will be easier than shoveling. 
However, if you go with the single-stage, it may not be the panacea you were probably hoping for in tougher conditions. 
If you go with the two-stage, it will do better in tougher conditions but may feel like overkill at times.*

I don't own a Snowmaster but from everything I've seen today I conclude that it's just a single-stage blower with a bigger bucket and variable-speed powered wheels. 

When I compare the auger paddle with an auger paddle from (say) a 20 year old craftsman model it looks pretty much the same but they "forgot" to put rubber on the helix section on the Toro.
Actually there is supposedly a bend in the center section that acts as a "cup" to help lift and fling the snow.. you'll see how that is 50 year old technology down in EDIT3. The older craftsman auger arguably also has a cup shape in the center. See the photos and try to guess which auger is which. (It's not too difficult because of the filenames!!)

You hopefully saw what happened in my second video at time 5:56. What would have happened if he tried to continue forward into that deeper compacted snow in the middle of the turning circle?
Unfortunately for us, he bailed out and turned left at time 6:40 so we'll never know... I think I know why he did that though. What could you do if that was in the middle of your driveway instead of a turning circle? It's because of this issue that I originally mentioned a used two-stage 10HP 32". Perhaps your snow is much easier to deal with.

By definition, the auger in a single stage has to travel at high speed because it is the ONLY thing that can possibly eject snow. It is also smaller in diameter than a two-stage auger.
With a two stage, the front augers are bigger and go more slowly and therefore can "chew" into the snow in front of them breaking it down into particles small enough for the high speed impeller to eject.
If the snow is non-powder and is quite solid (due to a freeze-thaw-freeze cycle) then we need to ask which type of machine has the best chance of success? 
I would expect the slow chewing action of a large two-stage auger to at least have a chance of breaking down that ice-snow mix that defeats the single-stage Toro.
It's hard for me to imagine how a fast-spinning smaller single-stage auger can stand a chance.

In less difficult circumstances (such as shallow powder snow) then I'd imagine they will both be just fine. In those cases, the two-stage will feel like overkill.
It's the tougher snow conditions where the two-stage has a better chance to shine.

I own both single-stage and two-stage snowblowers. My go-to machine for the easy snow is the single-stage. It's more nimble, it's maneuverable and (in my case) the 5HP two-cycle engine powers along quite nicely. However, when the snow is deeper or is more hardened or more wet and sticky, I go for the two-stage machines. There is no "one size fits all" solution.

Choosing a single stage because your typical snow conditions are "easy" makes a lot of sense. However, when the bigger storms arrive, that's when the single stage may let you down.
Like I said in the earlier post, I think it will be important (especially with a single-stage) to make sure you get into the snow while it is still falling to prevent too much snow accumulating. You may have to go over the same driveway multiple times in a single storm if the prediction is for deep heavy tricky snow.

Occasionally you see videos that do side-by-side comparisons of two machines on the same driveway. However I've not been able to find any for the machines you are interested in.

I didn't answer your question as you asked it... you wanted a comparison dollar for dollar. However I hope you get a feel for the differences between single-stage and two-stage.
*What kind of snow do you typically get and how often does the tricky stuff arrive?*

EDIT: With a "normal" smaller-bucket single-stage blower, you can play tricks like riding on top of deeper compacted snow and make multiple passes to shave down a few inches at a time.
Alternatively, you can ride up the face of the glacier at a 45 degree angle and shave off the snow that way.
Because the Toro is a wanna-be two-stage, it may not be possible (or as easy) to lift it on top and play the same game. That may mean that a "normal" smaller single stage can succeed in circumstances where this Toro cannot.
It would be great if someone who owns one of these machines can tell us what happened when they bumped into a two-foot pile of hardened snow and had to solve the problem instead of bailing out.
I'm guessing they needed a combination of shovels and blower switching back and forth as they progress forward. The shovel becomes the "drift breaker" and the blower throws away the pieces. That's a lot of work. Maybe they were able to somehow undercut the snow and take slices from underneath then let the roof collapse and try again (instead of shaving slices from on top)??

EDIT2: If the "Personal Pace" is anything like the feature with the same name on Toro lawnmowers (looking at the handlebars, I think it is) then there is a strange thing going to happen. As you confront the deepest snow, you need to go slower and push harder on the handlebars. However, pushing harder on the handlebars is the way that a personal pace machine is told to go faster. So what happens there? (You can see a similar issue at 8:15 in the video where the machine "hops" forward). Presumably the wheels will be skidding and not actually doing much as the blower bumps up against the immovable deep semi-solid snow. (??) These wheels are driven unlike a "normal" single-stage that just uses the propulsion of the auger to help drag the machine along. With a two-stage blower, you would slide into the slowest possible forward gear and crawl into the snow at a snail's pace as the large front auger slowly chews its way into the semi-hardened snow.

EDIT3: This is just a comment on the marketing claims that the auger has a special center section that cups and throws the snow. It's always amusing to me when I hear claims of "new and improved" that are basically a rehash of a 50 year old idea. The older Simplicity in the photos had a more definitive "cup" in the center and also had a "beak" at the top of the bucket to stop snow being thrown forwards out of the bucket.
If you went with used equipment.. you could get one of each with your maximum budget of $700 and store them both in your new shed.. but how do you get to the shed?


----------



## Tom Burns (Apr 26, 2017)

There is no law or rule which demands the full width of the bucket must be employed. The same applies to speed. 

I was sick and could not muscle the 10HP 29" two stage blower that I had. Also, the starter motor was inoperative. 

Walmart had this 18" 13.5 AMP electric blower on sale for $106.00 in last year. So, I bought it. I got rid of the big blower. I found some 10 gauge extension cords on Craigslist and I was in business. My driveway is 100 feet and pretty flat. The Snow Joe weighs 30 pounds. The 100' cord is heavier, but it slides easily on the snowy driveway. This is slow going, but I'm in no hurry. I have had this thing in so deep that only the top of the discharge chute was visible and still spitting snow. Oxygen deprivation didn't bother it and it just kept on blowing. It did well in all conditions, if the load was proper in the bucket. It can handle a half full bucket of wet slop as well as anything out there. Just have to be patient. It can and will get the job done. It seldom plugged. I'm glad I have it and will continue to use it.

Since I'm feeling better, I got a TORO 524. It looks to be about 100 years old. I have a Predator motor to install in it. This will be in a couple of months. I hope the TORO will be the new workhorse, but the Snow Joe will be right there if I need it.


----------



## ultimatejimmy (Jan 24, 2016)

stuart80112 said:


> I don't own a Snowmaster but from everything I've seen today I conclude that it's just a single-stage blower with a bigger bucket and variable-speed powered wheels.


The bucket and chute are designed to minimize snow friction/time in the machine and throw it farther. It really is more comparable to a 2 stage than a SS.



stuart80112 said:


> It would be great if someone who owns one of these machines can tell us what happened when they bumped into a two-foot pile of hardened snow and had to solve the problem instead of bailing out.



Depending on how hard. It doesn't work at all if the snow is basically rock hard ice, but nothing will. You'd need an ice pick. For more "standard" EOD heavy/hard snow, the Snowmaster can do it if you take it slow. I have the 724, so I'm guessing the 824 would be a little quicker, but it really works like a 2 stage here, eating up what it can and knocking down the rest for the second pass. Obviously, with less snow in the bucket it goes faster.

In the video, it looks like that snow is rock hard stuff from a previous snowfall that was plowed into the center of the cul-de-sac. I used to live on a similar street. No snowblower that size (unless you have a serrated auger, possibly) would have much luck on that stuff.


----------



## sunlight99 (Sep 2, 2017)

Any thoughts on Toro 826 OXE vs. Ariens Deluxe 24? They have the same price at HD


----------



## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Both are fine machines, but my biggest gripe is the piddly plastic controls and what not on the Toro.


----------



## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

Just catching up on this thread. I'm partial to Toro as they seem to throw snow well. Lots of folks like the Ariens . . . either brand would be fine. 

With your budget of $500-700, I'd try to get a 24-26" Toro, as you might be able to get one for the $700 range.

I am more traditional about the 2-stage machines versus the Snowmaster single stage, but I suppose the lower weight of a single stage is an advantage.

A little story . . .

I have a 30 year-old Toro 521 (21") and a few years ago I hit something under the snow and thought that I had destroyed the machine. So I went out looking for a new machine at the big box stores. I was willing to go to about $700 to get a 24" Toro, but none of the stores seem to have them in stock at the time.

So, I bought a Troy-bilt 2410 (24") machine for $499. It was fine . . . a bit under powered . . . and it did not throw wet/slushy snow very well. 

After I got the Troy-bilt and had been using it for a while, I took another look at the old Toro and realized that I had just gobbled up a scarf under the snow and it was bound up so tight in the auger that it had locked up the machine. I was able to get the remains of the scarf out and the machine actually was undamaged from the event. So then I had 2 snowblowers  At that point, the old Toro would run circles around the new Troy-bilt, which seemed odd being smaller and older engine technology, etc.

So, I took a closer look at the impeller design of the 2 machines . . . the Troy-bilt vs. the Toro . . . to see why the Toro was so much better. It turns out that the Troy-bilt impeller has a fairly large 'gap' between the edge of the impeller blade and the housing in which it spins (about 5/8"). The Toro has almost no gap (maybe 1/8"). The large gap between the impeller blade and the housing of the Troy-bilt results in less efficiency and poor throwing distance, particularly in wet/slushy conditions. (I have since done an 'impeller modification' to the Troy-bilt, making it more like the Toro, and also put a new engine on it, now it is a snow throwing monster).

So, as you look at machines, take a moment to look at the impeller and see how big a gap there is . . . less is better.

Whether you get a 2-stage or single stage machine, the the amount of 'gap' should hold true as a predictor of machine performance. . . less will be better.


----------



## 10953 (Sep 4, 2017)

also a toro guy here but one who like the ariens dual drive belt system over my toro's single 
both are great machines so your facing a hard choice


----------



## 10953 (Sep 4, 2017)

https://www.torodealer.com/en-us/Pa...pc&utm_source=google&utm_term=+toro +826 +oxe

ver

https://www.ariens.com/en-us/snow-p...MI8cax49CB1wIVwh-GCh3a8AxMEAAYASAAEgIfR_D_BwE
holly smokes i should have looked more and better


----------

