# Ariens is a sad story



## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

We had our first big storm of the season overnight with a foot of heavy snow. Once again I only got part of my work done before my Ariens broke down. ( 11.5 hp/28"/ Pro model) I'm starting my 7th winter with it and it breaks down constantly. Last week my third traction lever cable broke...the spring shaft always breaks in the same place. Today the actual lever broke off...it had broken off previously and had been welded which lasted two or three years. Last year it cost me over $400 parts and labor to fix broken and worn internal components. The throttle lever won't stay up at maximum anymore and I have to use a small bungee cord to hold it in place or the engine tries to slow down to near idle speed. There's no end to it. Even the metal top control panel has cracked in two.
I did a lot of research before buying it and figured it was worth the extra $700-$1000 compared to some Sears or Canadian Tire offerings. Big disappointment. I'll probably keep nursing it along until I can spring for a Honda. From what a couple of non-sales people at the Ariens dealership are saying, a lot of people are talking about moving to another brand ( mostly Honda ) next time. 
I think Ariens must have made better blowers years ago. They seem to have established a great reputation but the quality has gone to seed in the name of profit. Despite being about twice the cost this Ariens isn't worth a dime more than my old MTD which was always broken down too. Their name doesn't mean much anymore. Sad to see.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

hello billy, welcome to *SBF!!* with snow in your location its a bad time to have your blower down hope you get it repaired soon. I don't think any of the makers of snowblowers builds them like they use to


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Welcome to the forum, Billy. Hate to hear the bad stuff going on with your blower. That's gotta be a major bummer. We're here to help if we can.


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## tinter (Apr 20, 2014)

I ran a mtd 10/29 for years. Ended up with 2 Honda snowblowers from an estate sale. I kept the hs928 tcd for myself, sold the hs724 tcd to my buddy. Keep an eye out for sales and kijiji you may end up with a Honda sooner than you think. Never looking back.


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## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

Thanks for the commiseration gentlemen. At least I got enough snow moved to get my car out before I broke down. I've got a new lever on hand that I had ordered as a backup after the first one had to be welded. I'm off out to buy a lotto ticket...I'll buy a big honking Honda if I win.


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## pwm (Jun 12, 2014)

*I feel your pain*

I feel your pain Billy. I too spent $900 more to buy an Ariens Pro 28 over the Craftsman 30" which was my original choice. Both had the 420cc motor which I wanted. I bought the Ariens based on their reputation for quality and decided to spend more money for it. 50% more in fact!

The Ariens was DOA. It leaked oil all over my new garage floor after the first start up, so I took it back to Home Depot and bought the Craftsman. Never did get a chance to use it.


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

Throttle control lever sneaking down is common enough problem on Tecumseh engines (along with a whole host of other problems) The snowblower itself is built heavier and a little more elegantly than say a Craftsman/Husqvarna/Murray but still suffers from the same basic design flaws. I've probably worked on just about everything built in the last 25 years with the exception of those oddball MTD 4wd units Canadian tire sold for about 1 year about 15 years ago. If you truly want something better it's Honda or Yamaha.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

ALOHA to the forms..


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## Ariens28 (Oct 2, 2014)

Must of been a lemon, every brand has them...

My neighbor has 3 ariens he uses during the winter to blow driveways all over town for about 12 people and never had any major problems and 2 of them are over 5 years old... The day I bought mine he came over and looked at it and said, "You bought the best young fella, for the price you can't beat an Ariens"

He loves them and from the looks of it wants to buy another one like my deluxe 28 
Every brand makes a lemon but everyone in this neighborhood owns an Ariens and all love them, just seen 3 new ones pass the house in the last week being delivered 

Sucks to hear about your issues though but besides a Honda and maybe Toro, can't beat an Ariens


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## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

It is a lemon alright, but like I said, even some guys at the dealership are saying off the record that they're hearing a lot of negative feedback about Ariens. They're just as good as most of the other brands out there but you pay a premium price which gives you nothing more. I think they are probably decent as long as they don't have to work too hard. But where I live we get big storms with heavy snow and I've got a big area to clear. But remember, I bought the 'Pro' model with an 11.5 hp engine. For nearly $2500 after taxes this machine should be up to the task and clearly it is not. When you have to keep replacing control cables because the springs break, obviously the part is sub-standard quality. Same story for a traction lever that breaks off and a control panel that splits from the operator pushing against it. Ridiculous! Also, mine has the Tecumseh engine and I've had a few of them on various machines. In my opinion they damage themselves as well as a lot of other components because of excessive vibration.
I was an Ariens fan for about the first season and a half I had mine. It's been all downhill ever since. No testimonial will impress me unless I see with my own eyes what conditions the machine has been working in.


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

You said you were going to get a Honda, they make the best generators but when I was looking to purchase I looked them both over Honda and Yamaha and to me Yamaha had the better design and was $1100 cheaper. Mind you I might have been biased a bit because I previously owned a Yamaha for 30 years. It was pretty much trouble free with regular maintenance. I'm approaching sixty and not as strong as I use to be so I settled for a YS624.


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

In my experience, nothing made in the last 10 years has been built with longevity in mind. There is way too much plastic used for critical parts and things that never should bend do. The paint looks great until he slightest bubble appears, then it peels off in sheets. The only improvements I can see are safety features. MH


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## Ariens28 (Oct 2, 2014)

billywhiskers said:


> It is a lemon alright, but like I said, even some guys at the dealership are saying off the record that they're hearing a lot of negative feedback about Ariens. They're just as good as most of the other brands out there but you pay a premium price which gives you nothing more. I think they are probably decent as long as they don't have to work too hard. But where I live we get big storms with heavy snow and I've got a big area to clear. But remember, I bought the 'Pro' model with an 11.5 hp engine. For nearly $2500 after taxes this machine should be up to the task and clearly it is not. When you have to keep replacing control cables because the springs break, obviously the part is sub-standard quality. Same story for a traction lever that breaks off and a control panel that splits from the operator pushing against it. Ridiculous! Also, mine has the Tecumseh engine and I've had a few of them on various machines. In my opinion they damage themselves as well as a lot of other components because of excessive vibration.
> I was an Ariens fan for about the first season and a half I had mine. It's been all downhill ever since. No testimonial will impress me unless I see with my own eyes what conditions the machine has been working in.


I live in eastern Canada, so we get lots here... Not worried about mine, 5 year warranty and positive after positive feedback from owners is why I bought it...

My dad owns a Husqvarna 27sb ls and has been rock solid as well besides one broken cable


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## dbcooper (Oct 2, 2014)

Well this is not good to hear being I just bought a new Ariens Pro this year, will use it for the first time tonight!

All I can add, ran my MTD for 17 years with out issues, when I compared my new Airens side by side to my old MTD the build quality/parts used was night and day with the Ariens coming out on top. 

Not going to happy if the Ariens does not fair as well as 1/2 the cost MTD unit!


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## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

Well I called and ordered a new control panel this morning. ( $77Cdn + tax...and there will be at least an hour labor but I'll do that myself)Mine broke in two a few years ago in the area between the speed selector lever and the chute angle lever. I repaired it with pop-riveted aluminum strips but that has now broken through also. It isn't just aesthetic, that area supports both lever rods and the interlock mechanism. It needs to be rigid or there are lever rod alignment problems. I originally thought that it cracked as a result of me pushing against the back of the panel with my belly in hard going. On closer analysis that wasn't what caused it. Rather, the sheet metal is not thick enough to properly support the mechanism attached to the underside of that area. The fact that my aluminum repair has also cracked in two is proof of how much that metal span wants to flex. 
I'll say this much: Out of necessity my skills as a mechanic have improved significantly in the six years I've had this snowblower. If I'd paid labor every time it's broken down I'd be in the poor house.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

dbcooper said:


> Well this is not good to hear being I just bought a new Ariens Pro this year, will use it for the first time tonight!
> 
> All I can add, ran my MTD for 17 years with out issues, when I compared my new Airens side by side to my old MTD the build quality/parts used was night and day with the Ariens coming out on top.
> 
> Not going to happy if the Ariens does not fair as well as 1/2 the cost MTD unit!


You have nothing to worry about.
While Billy's experience is unfortunate, and "lemons" certainty do happen, a sample size of one is not statistically significant! 

Scot


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## pwm (Jun 12, 2014)

You are correct but if you happen to be that one, then you have statistically experienced a 100% failure rate for that product. 

You bought one and it was NFG so it's not likely you will buy another.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

pwm said:


> You are correct but if you happen to be that one, then you have statistically experienced a 100% failure rate for that product.
> 
> You bought one and it was NFG so it's not likely you will buy another.


Completely true and reasonable..
but it still doesnt change the fact that Ariens are, overall, higher quality than some other brands, and your odds of getting a higher quality machine are much higher if you buy one of well-respected brands versus one of the brands known to be less reliable..

If you bought an Ariens that proved to be problematic, then "swore off" Ariens for life and went out and got a MTD or a Craftsman instead, that would not be a wise choice IMO..because you shouldn't look at your "sample size of one" and assume it relates to the whole population..because it doesn't..all it means is you were the unfortunate .01%..which can happen..but you should still go with the brands that have the best history, overall, based on thousands, even millions, of samples...

basically, if you were unfortunate to get a "bad ariens", buying *another* Ariens would still be much wiser than buying a MTD or a Craftsman.. not doing so based on only one sample is probably an example of a "logical fallacy" of some kind, but im not sure which one! 

Scot


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## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

[quoteWhile Billy's experience is unfortunate, and "lemons" certainty do happen, a sample size of one is not statistically significant!][/quote]

Scot, with all due respect to your elevated forum status, your logic assumes that we've now heard from all of the dissatisfied Ariens owners and that I'm a party of one. I believe that the people who work at the dealership get an accurate picture of customer satisfaction and they lead me to believe that the " sample size" of angry Ariens buyers is a lot higher than one. It just that not everyone is as ornery as I am. I don't believe in rewarding bad behavior and I'll go out of my way to air my grievances if I feel a company needs to be exposed. You can bet I will not be buying another Ariens snowblower. The leaves are hardly off the trees yet and already this season I'm up to over $150 in parts alone. The repairs over six seasons total enough to have bought a Honda or Yamaha in the first place.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

billywhiskers said:


> Scot, with all due respect to your elevated forum status, your logic assumes that we've now heard from all of the dissatisfied Ariens owners and that I'm a party of one.


actually, it doesn't assume that.
We dont need to know how many people are satisfied or dissatisfied to know that a sample size of one is not statistically significant! 
which is all I said..and its completely true.

The actual amount of satisfied versus dissatisfied customers is a completely different topic.

Scot


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

billywhiskers said:


> Well I called and ordered a new control panel this morning. ( $77Cdn + tax...and there will be at least an hour labor but I'll do that myself)Mine broke in two a few years ago in the area between the speed selector lever and the chute angle lever. I repaired it with pop-riveted aluminum strips but that has now broken through also. It isn't just aesthetic, that area supports both lever rods and the interlock mechanism. It needs to be rigid or there are lever rod alignment problems. I originally thought that it cracked as a result of me pushing against the back of the panel with my belly in hard going. On closer analysis that wasn't what caused it. Rather, the sheet metal is not thick enough to properly support the mechanism attached to the underside of that area. The fact that my aluminum repair has also cracked in two is proof of how much that metal span wants to flex.
> I'll say this much: Out of necessity my skills as a mechanic have improved significantly in the six years I've had this snowblower. If I'd paid labor every time it's broken down I'd be in the poor house.


My only problem with your post is that I don't know which machine you're talking about. I assume a HS928 but don't know for sure.


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

Here's my take, not that anyone asked.

The guys at the dealership deal with customers that are having problems with their machines. Those customers are obviously not happy at that point, so are down on Ariens. So, the techs down at the dealership have a skewed perspective most definitely since they are only hearing the problems day in and day out. (As an aside, it's why my dream is to open an ice cream shop. No one ever complains when they are eating ice cream, with the exception of when it's gone; they want more.)

Also, my experience with Ariens has been great. I originally owned a Craftsman, not by choice but because it was the only machine available in the area at the end of January. For a whole bunch of reasons I wasn't happy. So, I sold it and bought an Ariens 24" Deluxe. Both machines have the same exact B&S 250CC engine, but guess what? The Ariens has been fabulous.


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## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

Cody7 said :


> I assume a HS928 but don't know for sure.


 It's out in the shed and I'm not going there right now...but it's an ST11528DLE according to what I have written here for the purposes of ordering parts. I know it's a ' Pro ' ...but it acts like an amateur. 
I'm not totally against Ariens...just the blower. My Ariens log splitter and my Ariens lawn tractor have been excellent thus far. Snow blowers work extremely hard compared to most other motorized home owner's gear, at least in these latitudes. They need to be able to withstand a lot of stress and mine keeps coming up short. You can bet I won't hide it's shortcomings out of brand loyalty. So far I haven't seen any free replacement parts or labor in return for getting stuck with a lemon.


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

Ariens!?!? I rest my case. Sorry you were lurded to this machine by your loyalty. I'M kinda loyal to Yamaha myself because it served me so well over 30 years but before I bought my second Yamaha I read, tested and challenged the competition. (Honda coming in a close second) Yamaha still came out on top for me price wise and technical superiority.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I remember a post last year of someone who had a newer Ariens with the dash panel cracked.


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## RoyP (Oct 16, 2014)

after reading all these post.....I happy to have my Honda 1132......let it snow


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

After hearing all this I'm glad I have an Ariens... a 37 year old one!!! 

Billy, It's possible there are other factors causing problems. When you get a chance, get that blower out, get some pictures of the busted stuff and post them. This crew here has TONS of experience and advice and is MORE than happy to help. Also, let us know where you are. There may be someone close willing to help.

Welcome to the forum!!!!!


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## cabinfever (Sep 2, 2014)

Bought a new Ariens this year, but didn't feel good about old Tecumseh or newer Chinese engines. Found the 921036, with the Briggs US engine.

It's been great so far, but I don't know if Ariens would be worth it with the Chinese engine. Time will tell.


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

Smolenski7 said:


> The guys at the dealership deal with customers that are having problems with their machines. Those customers are obviously not happy at that point, so are down on Ariens. So, the techs down at the dealership have a skewed perspective most definitely since they are only hearing the problems day in and day out.


Not really, I worked for a repair shop and while we didn't sell new machines we were the authorized repair center for Craftsman and MTD machines, and we worked on everything else as well. As a tech I rarely interacted with customers. After you work on enough machines you can start forming real opinions since you're dealing with a pretty large sample size. Ariens definitely made some of the heavier more well built domestic machines, but they still suffer from all the same basic design flaws every other traditional snowblower does. You see the same problems day in and day out, it's not hard to figure out what works and what doesn't. Also don't forget we talk to other shops, we get technical service bulletins from manufacturers. We know a heck of a lot more about what's going on than the average customer that's dealing with one machine, or even two or three machines.

Honda uses much heavier control cables than anyone else does, they're more like motorcycle grade cables. The steel body is heavier _where it needs to be_. This are reinforced _where they need to be_. Tolerances are tighter. Honda uses more bearings than anyone else for things like axles. Two per axle in most cases. Honda uses a real hydrostatic transmission unlike very few other companies. And for whatever reason you can let a Honda engine sit all summmer, give it one pull and it will start and continue to run. It's rare to get that out of a Tecumseh. The newer Briggs & Stratton engines aren't bad that way, and those chinese clones basically work like a Honda. I didn't comment on Yamaha because they're so rare I never got much of a chance to work on them, but from what I recall they're very similar to Honda in most respects.


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## J_ph (Dec 17, 2013)

> those chinese clones basically work like a Honda.


Hi 94EG8

Does that mean your experience with the Chinese/Honda clones was relatively good?

(I have a 357cc in my CC/MTD, so I'm just curious and hoping that is the case)

thanks.


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

J_ph said:


> Hi 94EG8
> 
> Does that mean your experience with the Chinese/Honda clones was relatively good?
> 
> ...


The only problem with those clones is parts availability, actually even then it's more a problem with the Chinese engines that aren't quite clones but are built similar to a Honda. They all start better, run quieter, smoother, cooler, use less fuel and make more power than a Tecumseh of the same displacement. I've had some apart and so far they've all be of excellent construction, ball bearing supported cranks, steel head gaskets. I can't find fault with the engines at all, only parts distribution and trying to figure exactly who made your engine leaves something to be desired.


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## J_ph (Dec 17, 2013)

Thanks for the feedback.

It looks like the Powermore/MTD engines have been in production for a couple years so the parts issues will likely fix themselves to fill the need of all these machines.

I was trying to see how many years they have been making these engines and I found this very generous review of the Powermore from 2010, so I guess they have been in the field for at least 4 years and seem to be shipping on the new models too.

Who makes POWERMORE, Craftsman, Troy-Bilt, YardMan, Cub Cadet OHV Winterized Engines - MovingSnow.com


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

2009 I think. Tecumseh ceased engine production in December 2008.


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## AriensPro1128 (Nov 9, 2014)

I was so astounded by the very broad bush that Ariens is painted in this thread that I registered for the site after lurking in the background for over 5 years. I have what may be the predecessor to the subject of this thread, a 2002 924508 low serial number version. It is a Pro 1128 with 11hp Tecumseh OHV, 12v electric start, and extra tall (23") auger housing. It weighs a hefty 325 pounds although my only wish is that the auger housing was made of a thicker gauge metal to eliminate some of the flexing down by the skids. I purchased it barely used in May 0f 2009 for $650. I just washed, compounded and waxed it this past weekend. It shines almost like new. Lest you think it has had an easy life, I live in central NH with a very steep uphill driveway at the end of a private gravel road so not only do I have the EOD to contend with, I have the end of road piles that frequently extend in front of my driveway. It has swallowed and spit out the occasional 3 to 6 base rocks that the plow has so nicely left for me. Not only do I blow my driveway but as I leave my vehicles up on the road during storms so I can get out if necessary so I do another 100 feet of the roadway around my cars. I also assist the neighbor with his driveway as well. Maintenance has been the normal greasing and oil changes. The belts are original but it has had a new set of skids and a new scraper bar. I touch up the scrapes inside the housing and on the leading housing edges each year with Rustoleum AC orange. I treat each container of gas when purchased with Seafoam and do not run it dry. I do start it several times over the summer adding a little fresh gas to the tank each time. The engine does not vibrate and always has started on the first couple of cranks. I question the need of the OP to push on the control panel to assist the blower into any amount of snow as mine is virtually unstoppable and actually performs better in deeper snow. The 924XXX line lasted over 30 years and is a well proven product. I see a problem with an individual machine due to abuse, lack of maintenance, prior history or who knows what, not a systemic problem. I have said my piece. Richard


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Thanks for the review Richard! 
Yes, this thread is an example of one or two people having some issues with Ariens snowblowers..which is real, and which happens.

but...

the experiences of one or two people *in no way* represent the entire population of Ariens snowblowers..they happen to be two unlucky owners, and its a fact that on the internet you often hear about "the bad experiences" WAY out of proportion to the good experiences..because the people with bad experiences (with any product, doesnt matter what it is) are far more likely to make an effort to go onto the internet to complain!  most of the time those complaints are justified..but..the 99% of people that had nothing go wrong, are far less likely to go onto the internet to say "everything is fine"!  So when searching for product issues, you are *more likely* to find complaints way out of proportion to the actual rate of problems in the real world..which can give a very skewed perception of reality.
this thread is a perfect example of that phenomenon..

As moderators, we have no desire or need to "shut down" these kinds of discussions..they are, and should be, allowed to run their natural course here..but its also fair to point out that these experiences do not at all reflect the average users experience..pointing that out gives "the full story"..

Scot


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## Ariens28 (Oct 2, 2014)

Well like I may of mentioned earlier, My next door neighbor is about 67-70 years old and has been retired from the old paper mill for about 20 years now... In the summer he cuts grass and winter blows driveways for something to do, make some extra money etc... He does about 12-14 driveways a year and even use to do mine, until I bought my Ariens back in October... he's been doing driveways about 15 years now and has owned and ran nothing but Ariens the whole time, he currently has 3 of them and will buy nothing but... he came over to see mine a few days after I bought it and was happy I bought one, even though he lost my business  He wants to cut back anyway since he's getting older so he didn't mind 

I live in a fairly good size subdivision and have yet to see any other kind of snowblower used around me other then an Ariens, I can ask anyone around here and it's all people will use and and it's the machine they will tell you to buy... It simply works for everyone and at a price you can't beat for the machine you get

A few years back staying with my old girlfriend I wanted a snowblower and got a yardworks mtd special at canadian tire on sale, I had my doubts about it because it looked super cheap but bought it anyway... Long story short I sold it after 2 weeks of owning it because it sucked and bought a high end leftover Husqvarna 14527sbls... Had the heated handwarmers, all cable controlled deflector and chute rotation, power steering, big 305cc 14.5ft lb TQ B&S snow series max etc, A very nice machine and kicked the pants off the yardworks... Sold it to my dad though after me we parted as he needed a new machine because the old craftsman was dying/dead

Now with the wife you may as well say in our new home I bought a new Ariens deluxe 28 with the 254cc LCT. This machine spanks my dad's Husqvarna in quality... Thicker steel cute, thicker steel everything for that matter, steel dash panel not plastic, bigger bearings, bigger gearcase, better cable for the deflector, heavier duty auger I can go on and on, it is just a beast of a machine and should throw snow better then then my dad's but that Husq is no slouch either, the Briggs has some nasty grunt... will have to see how the Ariens does come the first big dump of snow

In the end, Ariens makes a great machine and a high quality machine and come march, in my area you will a have hard time buying a new one because the dealers all sell out come then... They can't keep them around, it's very popular and easily outsells all the competition 

I could of bought a Honda sure, but a Honda is easily a thousand plus more then mine and smaller to boot, and would take me longer to blow my driveway in the end, great machine but way to expensive for the average homeowner

For the price it's hard to beat an Ariens, sure some people have some bad reviews of them like every other machine but no way represents the Ariens brand as whole being a bad machine, not taking away from the OP who had bad luck with his, but as whole are a good machine at a price other companies really can't match... They all make a lemon


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## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

Long story short, I started this thread because I've had ongoing problems with my Ariens blower. I could have called up or emailed the company but that would have been naive. At best they'd have taken polite note of my complaints and then swept it aside without a second thought. By bringing it here a lot of potential Ariens buyers hear about my ongoing problems and they become a little bit harder for the manufacturer to ignore. I'm not making any of this stuff up folks. Of course every company puts out some lemons. But when you get the same parts, such as control cable springs breaking repeatedly then it indicates ( to me at least ) that they are designed to break. That's why the dealer always has the cables in stock. The dealers want to make some money on parts and the companies accommodate them. I've yet to break an actual cable, it's the spring on the cable the breaks. They could very easily retrofit with a more durable spring, or sell the $2 spring separately and it would take five minutes to change. Instead you have to buy the whole cable for $30. If you believe this is an oversight then I have some swampland I'd like to get rid of. You kind of expect to see that kind of marketing in the cheapo brands but it's disappointing and even sad that Ariens is increasingly doing the same thing. They should have more pride.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

I have a ST1130DLE which is very similar to yours and don't seem to mimic your problem with the cable, of course I have to be careful if it freezes then I apply some fluid film and the problem is resolved and my garage is not heated.


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## AriensPro1128 (Nov 9, 2014)

billywhiskers. I wish you would post the model number (924XXX) of your machine as you have my curiosity aroused. The machine I wrote about is 12 years old and still has the original spark plug in it. The only things that have been changed are the skids and scraper bar, both wear items. I consider belts, cables, and other items such as the friction disk wear items also. Your dealer may stock the cable since it is a wear item not for the negative reason you suggested.

My machine is a definite "Pro" model and listed at or above the price you stated upfront.


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## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

> billywhiskers. I wish you would post the model number (924XXX) of your machine as you have my curiosity aroused. The machine I wrote about is 12 years old and still has the original spark plug in it. The only things that have been changed are the skids and scraper bar, both wear items. I consider belts, cables, and other items such as the friction disk wear items also.


Mine is a 926016 and I agree about the friction wheels and belts but there is absolutely no wear on the cable I just changed for the second or third time in six seasons. The lever end spring broke off again on the long straight part of it The cable itself has been kept lubed and looks brand new. This is only one of the myriad problems but the fact they keep using this dirt cheap, self-destructing spring on the cable is, in the words of my long departed father, " plain damned badness!"


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## Ariens Company (Nov 1, 2013)

billywhiskers said:


> Cody7 said : It's out in the shed and I'm not going there right now...but it's an ST11528DLE according to what I have written here for the purposes of ordering parts. I know it's a ' Pro ' ...but it acts like an amateur.
> I'm not totally against Ariens...just the blower. My Ariens log splitter and my Ariens lawn tractor have been excellent thus far. Snow blowers work extremely hard compared to most other motorized home owner's gear, at least in these latitudes. They need to be able to withstand a lot of stress and mine keeps coming up short. You can bet I won't hide it's shortcomings out of brand loyalty. So far I haven't seen any free replacement parts or labor in return for getting stuck with a lemon.


billywhiskers - I sent you a private note as I want to get more information on your snow blower.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks.

Mary Lyn


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## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

> billywhiskers - I sent you a private note as I want to get more information on your snow blower.


Response sent.


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## AriensPro1128 (Nov 9, 2014)

billywiskers. I hope Ariens takes care of you as it should. My opinion is it is the only American company likely to reach out to a customer with an out of warranttee machine. Honda and Yamaha would likely do the same. My first Honda vehicle was recalled for a part in the distributor when it had 120k miles on it. Six days after the visit to the dealer for the repair, the distributor failed completely. I don't believe in coincidences as the Service Manager suggested and I was was very upset over a $500 repair bill in the mid 90s. I contacted Honda USA headquarters at 9:30 in the morning to complain and Honda responded an hour and a half later saying it would cover the repair.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Billy, looking at a parts breakdown and seeing the setup, is it possible the adjustment is too tight, stretching the spring too far every time?


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

billywhiskers said:


> I've yet to break an actual cable, it's the spring on the cable the breaks. They could very easily retrofit with a more durable spring, or sell the $2 spring separately and it would take five minutes to change. Instead you have to buy the whole cable for $30.


It's very common for those springs to break on any snowblower with that style setup (IE just about everything that isn't Honda/Yamaha) The reason you can't buy them separately is due to the way they're attached to the cable. If there's too much tension on them they will break quicker but they are in general a bit of a weak point anyway.


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## wdb (Dec 15, 2013)

Ariens Company said:


> billywhiskers - I sent you a private note as I want to get more information on your snow blower.
> 
> I look forward to hearing from you.
> 
> ...


Okay, I'm impressed. Welcome to the forum, and thank you for standing behind your product in this way. You join Robert from Honda, who monitors this forum for that company. Are there others?


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

billywhiskers said:


> Of course every company puts out some lemons. But when you get the same parts, such as control cable springs breaking repeatedly then it indicates ( to me at least ) that they are designed to break. That's why the dealer always has the cables in stock.


Could it be that something else is going on that is causing you to have the same problem over and over again?

For example, I just had to replace the steering gear for the second time on my Simplicity Regent lawn tractor in addition to the steering shaft. Neither should have been replaced considering the tractor, although used heavily, has about 310 hours on it in 5 years.

I originally chalked it up to heavy use, since I stripe my .66 acres every time I cut, which is about about every 3 days from April through the first week of December. This puts a lot of stress on the steering of the tractor and I just figured that was the cause. However, after further inspection, I found that the left spindle was worn down in half and the bearings on the wheel looked like the inside of a rifle. I'm not exactly sure why that happened, but I think it goes back to when I had both front wheels changed.

So, in the end, I think something as unassuming as changing the tires on my lawn tractor caused the spindle to wear to the point that I'm shocked the wheel didn't fall off, which then caused the steering gear and shaft to wear prematurely, which was only noticed by me because the steering had a little too much play in it this fall.

I guess that's a really long way to say, are you sure there couldn't be ANYTHING else going on that is causing your problems?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I remember last year someone complaining of an Ariens spring in the drive cable breaking over and over again and eventually Ariens sent him a new and redesigned spring. The way the hook was molded on the end of the spring kept wearing and breaking so they changed it to a design that had a center hook.


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## greatwhitebuffalo (Feb 11, 2014)

billywhiskers said:


> We had our first big storm of the season overnight with a foot of heavy snow. Once again I only got part of my work done before my Ariens broke down. ( 11.5 hp/28"/ Pro model) I'm starting my 7th winter with it and it breaks down constantly. Last week my third traction lever cable broke...the spring shaft always breaks in the same place. Today the actual lever broke off...it had broken off previously and had been welded which lasted two or three years. Last year it cost me over $400 parts and labor to fix broken and worn internal components. The throttle lever won't stay up at maximum anymore and I have to use a small bungee cord to hold it in place or the engine tries to slow down to near idle speed. There's no end to it. Even the metal top control panel has cracked in two.
> I did a lot of research before buying it and figured it was worth the extra $700-$1000 compared to some Sears or Canadian Tire offerings. Big disappointment. I'll probably keep nursing it along until I can spring for a Honda. From what a couple of non-sales people at the Ariens dealership are saying, a lot of people are talking about moving to another brand ( mostly Honda ) next time.
> I think Ariens must have made better blowers years ago. They seem to have established a great reputation but the quality has gone to seed in the name of profit. Despite being about twice the cost this Ariens isn't worth a dime more than my old MTD which was always broken down too. Their name doesn't mean much anymore. Sad to see.



now you know why I'd never spend more than 100-150 for a snowblower, and I'd buy an old one. cables always break. the old machines used levers and rods mostly and they didn't break. if they did use a cable it was throttle only and those lasted decades.

one thing that shys me away from those old Craftsman driftbreakers is the cable controls, those stretch, break, seize, snap. When I look at the belt engagement setup it just looks overly complex and that always means it will break easily.

I was buying a carb kit at a dealership yesterday and the TOTL Honda blower there was 3 grand. that is just insane. in a few years that will be a 500 dollar machine on a good day. these new machines are not worth it and the depreciation hit is withering. that much to blow snow, you can hire someone else to plow your driveway for 10 years.


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

greatwhitebuffalo said:


> I was buying a carb kit at a dealership yesterday and the TOTL Honda blower there was 3 grand. that is just insane. in a few years that will be a 500 dollar machine on a good day.


That has yet to be the case. Those things hold their value extremely well. Just sold a 14 year old HS928TA for $1500.


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## billywhiskers (Nov 8, 2014)

In all fairness Ariens has now offered to help find solutions. Unfortunately I'm soured on things to the point of just wanting to put it behind me. There have just been too many issues and both my confidence and pride of ownership are long gone. I'm going to replace the broken dash panel and sell the Ariens while I can still get something for it. I visited the Honda dealership yesterday. They didn't have a single snow blower left but there will be a shipment of over twenty arriving today or tomorrow. We've had two very early storms and apparently their entire inventory fled in the wake of them. There is modest promotion in effect right now and the salesman said they do not discount the prices otherwise. He said their sales are invariably to people who have had a belly full of lesser machines. As for Yamaha, there's no dealership here so that's out.


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

yamaha is sold in canada only


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## Ariens28 (Oct 2, 2014)

greatwhitebuffalo said:


> now you know why I'd never spend more than 100-150 for a snowblower, and I'd buy an old one. cables always break. the old machines used levers and rods mostly and they didn't break. if they did use a cable it was throttle only and those lasted decades.
> 
> one thing that shys me away from those old Craftsman driftbreakers is the cable controls, those stretch, break, seize, snap. When I look at the belt engagement setup it just looks overly complex and that always means it will break easily.
> 
> I was buying a carb kit at a dealership yesterday and the TOTL Honda blower there was 3 grand. that is just insane. in a few years that will be a 500 dollar machine on a good day. these new machines are not worth it and the depreciation hit is withering. that much to blow snow, you can hire someone else to plow your driveway for 10 years.


There was a guy not far from here selling one about 12 years old, needed a carb and some other things and still wanted like 1800, I laughed... Some might pay that much but not this fella


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## Ariens Company (Nov 1, 2013)

wdb said:


> Okay, I'm impressed. Welcome to the forum, and thank you for standing behind your product in this way. You join Robert from Honda, who monitors this forum for that company. Are there others?


Thanks for the welcome wdb  

I am here to help, so reach out if you have any questions. We do stand behind our products and want to help if someone runs into a problem.

I look forward to working with you guys.

Mary Lyn


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

Coby please lighten up at least Ariens is here to help guys that have issues as every company sometimes have issues, and we don't see Yamaha here to help, so we are all here to help each other which why this forum was started for people needing help.


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## Ariens28 (Oct 2, 2014)

And I'd personally never own a Yamaha because guess what my Ariens blows snow, just like your Yamaha does and at a much lower price... I wonder what the sales are for Yamaha every year on snow blowers compared to Ariens???

Also who really cares about their shares, it's the stock market and stocks fluctuate daily, I wouldn't be to worried about Ariens, they will be around for years to come

You seem to like to run down a lot of different machines if it's not a Yamaha, Ariens makes a great snowblower... Sorry you fail to see that


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