# Need to choose between Ariens and Yanmar



## ACorner (Dec 10, 2015)

Hi all,
this seems to be the world-wide only snowblower forum :wavetowel2and I hope, that this is the right forum for my question).

My spinals disks christmas wish for this year is to discard the shovel and by a snowblower. I'd really like to fulfill this desire but I'm having a very hard time finding the proper machine.
The problem is that I have to clean (at least) two extremely different areas. One is a flat parking lot with partial highly compressed (by snowplow) snow. Second is a narrow and serpentine path climbing a small hill up to a house. 
My first choice was a Ariens Compact 24 LET. But according to my local dealer I would need more power to clear the compressed snow. It should be at least a Ariens 28 model. Or - as he said - the Yanmar YSR765C, that would be able to handle compressed snow, although it has e.g. less power and a smaller impeller diameter.
So I have to choose between a more or less leight Compact 24 LET which is said not to handle heavy snow, a 125 kg ST 28 LET Deluxe (which is listed only in a catalog of my dealer), that very likely will end up as a snow bowl rolling down the hill (certainly together with me) and a Yanmar model, that is leight weighted (88 kg), but has a smaller engine and a kind of baroque design (many stand-away parts and cables) and - not to forget - a 1k-plus price.
To come (finally  ) to my question: is anybody able to evaluate the performances (and maybe differences in quality) of the Ariens Compact 24 LET, a Ariens 28 (whatever) compared to the Yanmar YSR765C. 

With greetings from my spinal
Alex
(sorry for my bad english)


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Alex :white^_^arial^_^0^_


I don't know enough about the Yanmar to offer a good discussion on the advantages in one over the other, sorry.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I don't know if the specs for the models here would be the same as the models there.

I would think the 28 Deluxe and the Yanmar would be the two choices and I'm not sure why you think the Ariens would rool down the hill any easier than the Yanmar.

Can you post some info on what engines, impeller size ....


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Is Honda HSS928 or Yamaha YT(J)1028 an option there?


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

We welcome you and your spinal cord to SBF Alex.

Looking over what your post said, and comparing the specs on those snowblowers, I really can't see why the Ariens would be any less likely to handle the snow conditions than the Yanmar. It may just be the two things you pointed out...the Ariens is only listed in his catalog, and the Yanmar is 1K more...

I think plenty of our members here will be able to tell you how well the Ariens works in packed snow from first hand experience.

As was suggested, consider looking at other brands like Honda and Yamaha as well as the Ariens and Yanmar, and consider visiting other dealerships if you can.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

hello alex, welcome to *SBF*


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Yep, I agree with everyone..
those two particular snowblower have basically equal performance..
I found the Yanmar listed as "7hp"..
which is probably about the same as the Ariens..

given that your location says "European Alps" I would say both are a bit under-powered!
can you give us more detail about your annual snow fall amounts?
and is it generally "dry" cold fluffy slow? or "wet" heavy slushy snow?

With these two models, one isnt any better than the other when it comes to chewing through "EOD" snow. (EOD means "End of Driveway", and it means the heavy hills left behind by snowplows)

One advantage the Yanmar has is this case is the tracks..
But..Ariens also has models with tracks.

Tracks are good for hills..although if the hill isnt too steep, a regular wheeled snowblower is fine too. can you post a photo of your serpentine path?

You really need to compare the Yanmar with a tracked Ariens of similar specs to make a meaningful comparison. 

Scot


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## AndyW (Mar 10, 2015)

Welcome aboard Alex!



> (sorry for my bad english)


Your english is fine.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

Alex, nice to have you join us! Welcome.


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

Any toro dealers? 928oxe, How about yammaha or can your dealer get you an ariens platinm 24 SHO


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

I have always been impressed with the quality of Yanmar products. However, here in the States they are only supported through dealers and that makes parts hard to get. That might not be the case for you though? I would let service and parts availability be my guide. You don't want to sit around for a week or more waiting on parts I am sure....... I would certainly consider a Honda as well. I don't think you would be disaapointed with either of them. Let us know when you pull the trigger.....


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## jermar (Dec 10, 2014)

I agree with badcat. Dealer support is a major consideration. If you are a handy fellow, availability of parts in your area is most important. If you are not able to perform the maintenance, having a dealer near you is vital.


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## ACorner (Dec 10, 2015)

Huu, so many posts :smiley-confused009:
Thank you all for these answers and suggestions. Now it's on me to answer your questions 



Kiss4aFrog said:


> I would think the 28 Deluxe and the Yanmar would be the two choices and I'm not sure why you think the Ariens would rool down the hill any easier than the Yanmar.


The Yanmar is 88kg, the Ariens 24 LET 102kg, the 28 LET Deluxe 125kg (don't know if it's dry weight or ..). So it's simply a matter of earth's gravitational pull against muscle power. The less weight the easier it should be to get the beast round the corners and up the hill. You have to imagine a kind of single trail, not a highway (this is europe ...  )



Kiss4aFrog said:


> Can you post some info on what engines, impeller size ....


Engines: 24 LET: 208cc, 28 LET: 254cc, Yanmar 203cc.
I have no informations about the Ariens HP, Yanmar is 7.0 (that's why they are hard to compare). Yanmar's impeller size is less, but I don't have any data.



hsblowersfan said:


> Is Honda HSS928 or Yamaha YT(J)1028 an option there?


Honda has different models here. Actually a Honda was my first choice, but finally the price-performance relationship wasn't camparable to the mentioned brands.



bwdbrn1 said:


> We welcome you and your spinal cord to SBF


My spinal cord says hi too 



bwdbrn1 said:


> ... It may just be the two things you pointed out...the Ariens is only listed in his catalog, and the Yanmar is 1K more...


Yep, this was my first thought too ... (but what if he was right?? :icon_whistling



sscotsman said:


> I found the Yanmar listed as "7hp"..
> which is probably about the same as the Ariens..


Probably. As I said/wrote, I didnt find any data. Are you talking/writing about the 24 LET or the 28 LET?



sscotsman said:


> can you give us more detail about your annual snow fall amounts?
> and is it generally "dry" cold fluffy slow? or "wet" heavy slushy snow?


oh, you're a real snow-connoisseur 
Well, we had nearly 3m some years ago. But 1.5m should be normal (depending on what comes with climate change). With all kinds of snow you mentioned (and many more).



sscotsman said:


> But..Ariens also has models with tracks.


Yes, the 24 LET and the 28 LET I mentioned are both with tracks. A wheeled snowblower wouldn't manage the hill.



69ariens said:


> Any toro dealers? 928oxe, How about yammaha or can your dealer get you an ariens platinm 24 SHO


No I haven't found any Toro nor Yamaha dealers yet



bad69cat said:


> I have always been impressed with the quality of Yanmar products.


Good to hear.



bad69cat said:


> However, here in the States they are only supported through dealers and that makes parts hard to get. That might not be the case for you though? I would let service and parts availability be my guide.


Yes, that's a good argument. In fact the dealer lives (not sells) in the same village. So in case he picks the machine up and brings it (hopefully repaired) back right on my doorstep. But he sells Ariens and Yanmar. :blush:

Phew! This was far more exhausting than shoveling snow for 2 hours 
Thanks again. I will consider all your suggestions.
Alex


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## PixMan (Feb 14, 2015)

All things considered, the larger Ariens 28 is the way I'd go. It's closer to 9HP and you'll need it as the tracks can use up more of the available HP than tires. The support for the product is there too.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

Welcome Alex
I found some more pics of the Yanmar. These pics aren't for you, they're for other members like me that didn't know their was such a thing.


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## ACorner (Dec 10, 2015)

Hi again,

I added some pictures , just to give you a brief glimse of a little bit of snow and to understand why weight matters (and where in case the snowball is rolling down the hill :wink: ).

pic02.jpg
pic03.jpg
pic04.jpg


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## PixMan (Feb 14, 2015)

From what I can see in the photos, you need a snowblower that can toss it far and high. Those snow banks are usually the result of a tired snow shoveler or a weak snowblower.

The bigger Ariens, for sure.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

sscotsman said:


> can you give us more detail about your annual snow fall amounts?
> and is it generally "dry" cold fluffy slow? or "wet" heavy slushy snow?





ACorner said:


> oh, you're a real snow-connoisseur
> Well, we had nearly 3m some years ago. But 1.5m should be normal (depending on what comes with climate change). With all kinds of snow you mentioned (and many more).


No, I wouldnt say im a snow-connoisseur!  I asked about your snow amounts and normal consistency because are important factors when choosing a snowblower..

but now im confused..because we seemed to talking about serious snow, but then you said 1.5M annual snowfall, which is only 5 feet..which IMO is quite low. (thats about half the annual snowfall for most areas around the Great Lakes)..although the two machines you were originally considering do fit that amount of snow, so your dealer was right to suggest the size machines that he did. (which seemed small to me at first, but now seem reasonable.)

I dont think you need anything on the "large" end of the scale..an average 24" bucket should do fine. You dont need anything on a "Pro" level.. (you dont want a "compact" model, but also not a monster 36" Pro-level machine.)But based on your photos, yes, a tracked model would probably be a good idea.

You seem to be on the right track..smaller tracked models.
you pretty much know what you need..now its just down to models, specs, and dealer support.

Whats the smallest tracked Yanmar?

Scot


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

The width is something that's determined but how much you need to move and how much room you have to store it in and if you need to get it through a doorway or between cars.
IMHO, with those photos of the snowbanks I'd try to get a machine known for good throwing distance and a big engine.

Have you looked around at what your neighbors have and had an opportunity to ask them what they think of their choices ??


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Yamaha and Honda are the best that I know (US and Canada) for best throwing distance performance.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

just from looking at those pics, a 24" machine with tires and chains would be my choice.


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## jmb3675 (Dec 31, 2013)

I would see if you can test both of them. They may handle a lot different based on weight and balance. Control location an type can make a big difference too. For example I really dislike the sideways drive control on the newer Ariens. I got to use one and I couldn't get used to it. I like the older model control a lot better. My Gilson is really heavy, but I think it handles well. and is balanced better than most machines I have used. It takes more effort to turn, but it does all the work going forward or backwards. I also like that it has a fast reverse. For my driveway, a fast reverse helps a lot.


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## ACorner (Dec 10, 2015)

PixMan said:


> Those snow banks are usually the result of a tired snow shoveler or a weak snowblower.


Thanks for not writing 'weak snow shoveler' 
But this is not a snow bank, it's - at 90% - the result of normal snowfall. The tired snow shoveler dug that hallway through the snow.



sscotsman said:


> ..because we seemed to talking about serious snow, but then you said 1.5M annual snowfall, which is only 5 feet..which IMO is quite low. (thats about half the annual snowfall for most areas around the Great Lakes)


 I have to admit, that we don't have 5 to 7m of snow like it's reported for the Great Lakes (lake-effect snow on wikipedia), but hey 1,5 m are surely enough. My brother lives in South Carolina, where schools get closed as soon as a single snowflake is detected. 
OTOH the annual amount of snowfall doesn't describe how much the snow settles, gets blown away, melts and accumulates again within this period. Have a look at the attached picture which in the foreground shows the snow amount of one night. It's definitely not serious, but I wouldn't call it funny neither.  (just to tease the connoisseur: it was heavy, settled snow and on the lower left corner you can divine the hard blocks of ice that the snow plow throws on our parking lot).

Actually my problem isn't the amount of snow but the difference in terrain between the parking lot and the path. I wouldn't hesitate to get a 28 Deluxe with tires to clear the lot, but I couldn't heave that monster around the U-turns (where two of them are rather V-turns).



sscotsman said:


> Whats the smallest tracked Yanmar?


Yanmar sells only tracked models, the smallest is the mentioned YSR765C. 

Okay, I used the weekend to have a closer look at all three models in real. I guess I'll get the Yanmar, but I have to sleep on it for a night. I will give you an detailed explanation of my decision.



Kiss4aFrog said:


> Have you looked around at what your neighbors have and had an opportunity to ask them what they think of their choices ??


 At least one neighbor has the Yanmar, others bought second hand machines (don't know the brands, I'm new to this business  ) But my 'path' surely is an exception and not comparable to their experience. 



jmb3675 said:


> I would see if you can test both of them.


That would surely be the best. At least the dealer gave me the guarantee to give the machine back (don't know if he stands by his words, when he has to search for his snow blower in the mentioned snow ball).

Again thanks to all. 
Alex 



pic05.jpg


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## ACorner (Dec 10, 2015)

Yesterday I finally ordered the Yanmar YSR 765 C.
As 'promised' I give you a short explanation of my decision. I don't want to bore the many experts in this forum, but it could be helpful for someone, who has to make a similar decision.

Due to local circumstances the major decision was to get a tracked model. 
Brands like Toro and Husquarna have been ruled out, because the former offers no tracked model and the smallest Huski starts at 4000 Euro. 
At the end this was a decision between Ariens and Yanmar only.
I preferred the Ariens, because they seemed to be stable and functional, all buttons and switches are large enough to be operated with gloves, you can find a lot of informations on their own website (except for the HP  ) and last but not least you can hardly find any really negative reviews about this machines.
In contrast Yanmar's information consist of a single 200x200 picture and after all 6 specs. The design is what I called kind of baroque, with a lot of off-standing parts that can snap or get caught on something. However Yanmar's snowblowers are well-reputed​ OTAH Ariens track models are said to be very slow, because they are simply converted wheeled machines (same axis rpm combined with a far smaller wheel → slower speed). They weigh up to 50kg more than the Yanmar and the are plain larger.
The weight and the dimensions together with the serpentine path the machine has to climb tipped the scales to give Yanmar the preference. 

Hope this will be helpful.
Thanks again to all and let the snow come (it's raining at the moment)
Alex


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

A belated welcome, and your machine resembles a previous model Yamaha 624. Which are serious machines. If it is as well built as the Yamaha, then you will have to include your Yanmar in your will. They will last, serve you very well, as long as you do the maintenance. 

Another consideration, one that I do not know the answer to, does your gasoline have ethanol mixed into it?

Here in North America, it's in nearly all of the gas that you purchase. And with every piece of outdoor power equipment, ethanol is an enemy to the soft rubber pieces and parts. 

The simple solution, if your machine has a fuel shutoff, use it. You do not have to shut the fuel off, if you going to reuse the machine within the day, but certainly at the end of the season.


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## ACorner (Dec 10, 2015)

Hi db9938,



db9938 said:


> ... and your machine resembles a previous model Yamaha 624.


Ehm, yes, same but different. I hope mine will arrive at least a little bit less rusty 



db9938 said:


> Another consideration, one that I do not know the answer to, does your gasoline have ethanol mixed into it?


Yes it has. I guess nowadays you will hardly find a part of the world where ethanol is not added to gasoline (except for those parts you don't want to be alone on the streets at night).
So manufacturers should have react in the meantime. Otherwise it would be pretty criminal to sell those kind of machines. 



db9938 said:


> The simple solution, if your machine has a fuel shutoff, use it. You do not have to shut the fuel off, if you going to reuse the machine within the day, but certainly at the end of the season.


I will take your advice into account. I've had several bikes, so I'm used to shut the fuel off. 

Thanks
Alex

pic06.jpg


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

ACorner said:


> Hi db9938,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


With regards to the ethanol issue, I agree, but over here it appears that the manufactures are not taking steps to counter the government mandatory additives. There are some conspiracy discussions, that think that not doing so implies that they designed to be obsolete. Many here think differently, and take measures to prove them wrong. 

And rust, eh, it can add character to a machine. 

By the way, thanks for sharing your machine. It's a fine looking machine, that most of us over here, will never get a chance to see in first person. Yanmar Ronin, is located over in Japan, and also has an amazing machine that most of us will never get a chance to see in the flesh. If you get a chance, it is kind of neat to see what others use to accomplish a similar task that we all deal with, around the world.


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