# Choosing between an Ariens and a Honda



## AriensHydroPro28* (Sep 25, 2017)

Well this is my first post. I been looking here for a while and learned a lot of view points on snowblowers from everyone, thank you. I never owed a snowblower in the past and my wife and I decided not pay for another year of plowing. After reading almost everything I could, here and other places since Spring time. I was ready to make my decision. I really liked Honda's with their build quality and design. But I went with an Ariens 28 Hydro Pro. The reasons for choosing Ariens over Honda's are many, I liked the larger more powerful engine, the Ariens weighs 75 - 100 pounds heavier, which adds traction to the machine, I chose the 28" to have a machine with the highest engine power to smallest housing size ratio. They both are commercial units and very durable but the Ariens just looked beefier throughout, especially the bars, the Honda's look like the lower entry Ariens units, not the beefy square tube on the Ariens. The Honda looks more refined but I looked more for toughness and power, some storms we get over 2 feet of snow here in NH. This is just my opinion and not to offend any other snowblowers out there. I painted and installed Armor Skids and I went old school with wheels and V Chains on my unit. We have a 300 foot unpaved very solid base driveway with sometimes 4 foot end of driveway banking's.


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

Congrats that is a sweet machine that will handle the big storms well, it is powerful with substantial power per inch and a huge fuel tank. Best of luck with it, should serve you well for decades.

:welcome: aboard


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

This post is VERY timely

We've got someone making the same decision as we speak
I'll put a link to your explanation on that thread
If you interested in seeing some data that objectively tries to compare the options you mentioned... come on over... it's a bit long but bear with us ;-)

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/general-snowblower-discussion/119185-ariens-vs-honda-need.html


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

You won't need the tire chains. Using chains (in my use) just bounces the machine up and down making myself travel slower down the walks. With new tires the traction is superb. 

Only 2 things I don't care for on the new design pro machines.

The square frame don't fit the Ariens snow cab like the old round frame does. They will sit lower on the frame and block the recoil starter more.

The 2ND thing is that stupid light. It shines in my eyes and don't shine on the ground. I added two LEDS and painted the original light with black paint.

Otherwise an awesome machine. The end of the driveway snow piles are an non issue. You can blow the snow across the street if you want to. I enjoy running strong blowers. To blow the snow 50+ feet is fun!

Ariens snow cab mounts on pro machine





My Pro 36






I kept my older 30" machine as a spare unit and because it has the cab that fits well. For the most severe winter weather like wind / rain / etc I will use the 30 inch machine.

Here is the 30 and the 28" Ariens that I sold for the Pro machine.


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## Paulie139 (Sep 25, 2017)

Ariens hydro pro said:


> The 2ND thing is that stupid light. It shines in my eyes and don't shine on the ground. I added two LEDS and painted the original light with black paint.


Ariens hasn't fixed that light issue yet? I would think there's been enough complaints about it that they would have by now.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

If you lurk and read all threads you will have seen this... if not it may be news to you
If you want some more warm fuzzies about your choice you may get them on my spreadsheet that tries to compare makes and models
here:http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/general-snowblower-discussion/119473-choosing-snowblower.html


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## AriensHydroPro28* (Sep 25, 2017)

Ariens hydro pro, Thanks for your insight. I did know about these design flaws due to I watched your videos on youtube and they were great by the way. First, I don't ever see myself with a snow cab mounted on my machine, I like it just plain and open. The second, I read that many people don't like the light and your remedy worked well for you. I'll try it out this Winter and if the light bothers me, I might do a mod like you did on yours. All machines have their advantages and disadvantages. I weighed out everything I could before I made my decision and the advantages of a powerful, capable machine outweighs the minimal disadvantages mentioned. Our applications are different. As far as the V chains go, I don't have a paved driveway, so I raised my Armor Skids all the way down, for protection. This will leave about 1 1/2" of snow behind the machine, not a clean scrap like pavement. The 28 Pro has narrower tires than the 32 or 36 Pros and with V chains, enables the machine to dig down to the ground better and have less tire flotation, than wider tires. I have a heavy machine background. My machine needs to bite down through the leftover snow and provide enough traction for the worst case storms especially when ice is involved and I feel (my option only) in my hilly application, the V chains offers superior traction than even the track versions. A heavy, narrow, powerful machine that can bite down into ice and rough stone, will be hard to stop. The V chains give maximum traction compared to conventional chains, which slip and I don't need to worry about damaging pavement and I don't mind a little bumpy ride. I already walked around the yard with it and it's not bad at all, didn't even notice.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

The V bar chains are a godzilla moment for snow removal and you can make it even more effective by filling the tires with windshield washer fluid to add ballast weight.


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## nastorino (Jan 28, 2016)

Nice lights!


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

nastorino said:


> Nice lights!


Thanks.


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

AriensHydroPro28* said:


> The V chains give maximum traction compared to conventional chains, which slip and I don't need to worry about damaging pavement and I don't mind a little bumpy ride. I already walked around the yard with it and it's not bad at all, didn't even notice.


Yes I'm on pavement and cement sidewalks. I hate sidewalks too. So much fun to re clean them when the plow goes by again and again. However the pro machine doesn't mind the sloppy slush the town snow blow gives me. My Ariens machines never once clogged up, or rejected the heavier junk. But the pro has the bigger engine so the ground speed stays faster longer. Which means I finish up quicker too.

I don't like the cab either, but once or twice I put it on and I was happy to use it. When the wind is kicking or raining that is only when I use them. They go on and off easily enough. I store the cab on a nail on the wall in my garage. Most snow clean ups take me an hour depending on the snow amounts. If an inch or two I've done all the walks in 30 minutes, running behind the 36. 
If you got 15"+ of snow the wider bucket don't save you time, because you still pack everything into the impeller and chute. It takes the same time to digest the snow because the 14" impeller are all the same size.

I predict your going to love your new Ariens.


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## 10953 (Sep 4, 2017)

Paulie139 said:


> Ariens hasn't fixed that light issue yet? I would think there's been enough complaints about it that they would have by now.


 toro isn't any better with where they mount the light on the right side handle bar , seems some of the cub cadets have them where it is doing something, a led light bar dead center of the auger housing's top edge
any by the way PAUL
THANK YOU and all the others for 20 plus years of service in law enforcement BLUE,


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## Paulie139 (Sep 25, 2017)

87 powershift said:


> by the way PAUL
> THANK YOU and all the others for 20 plus years of service in law enforcement BLUE,


It's a well-known fact that we don't make a whole lot of money for what we have to do (like getting hit, spit on, cursed at, going into a house where someone died weeks/months ago and deal with the overwhelming aroma [we've had two this week alone where I am] and then having to tell someone that their child was just killed in a car accident is not worth ANY dollar amount) but we know all that when we sign up and we're willing to make the sacrifices. Regardless, it still gets very old very quickly in your career and when we get the little thank-you's like you just did, it makes us realize that it is truly an honor, privilege and pleasure to serve folks such as yourself. So, thank YOU for the nod of appreciation - it means more than you know. :wink2:


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## AriensHydroPro28* (Sep 25, 2017)

Ariens hydro pro, Thanks again for the info. Who knows, I might attach a cab on mine in the future, once I get caught in a rain/sleet/snow storm. I watched yours and other videos on youtube and the end of driveway comment you mentioned and can hardly wait. I'm sure the 36 would be faster than the 28 in the lower snowfalls and that is a good point on the capability of the 14" impeller. One of the reasons I chose the 28 was my wife is going to be doing some of the snowblowing when I'm at work and I wanted it easier for her to handle, at least that's what I read/heard from others. I'll update you again when I get to use it, hoping for a snowy Winter!! 

Paulie139, my dad was a police officer 34 years. Thank you.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

AriensHydroPro28* said:


> ... hoping for a snowy Winter!!


.. but is your wife? ;-)


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## AriensHydroPro28* (Sep 25, 2017)

Here is a cool video of an Ariens vs. Honda. I know it's an older Honda and a newer one might perform better. The Ariens Pro is cutting in much deeper and still walks away from the Honda. Look at the housing height, the Ariens Pro is taller but the Honda's is higher in the video and leaving about 3 -4 more inches of snow in the path compared to the Ariens. Listen at the end, the Honda struggling. Bigger engines and heavier machines can remove snow quicker.


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