# Dare I ask: Toro vs Ariens?



## scrimshaw

Hello all. New member and I'm starting off with a bang! I am replacing a 30+ year old Simplicity 760 (8 hp; 24″ wide bucket) that is old and tired (like me!) and would cost $$$ to repair. I have a 90′ long, flat, hard-packed gravel driveway (9′ wide most of length with 30′ wide car park) and would also like to blow a path to the woodpile, etc. I live near the coast of Maine and we got hit hard last year and seem to have more than our share of heavy, wet snow every year. Don't want a used machine; no time or patience to keep it going. Cost is a factor on a new machine, but learned long ago that going cheap doesn't save you in the long run...I am looking at either an Ariens or Toro as a replacement (have both dealers nearby). When in it’s prime, my Simplicity (and I) could plow through anything and make quick work of EOD piles. I don’t think I can step down in torque/power. Specifically, I am looking at the Ariens Platinum 24 or the Toro Power Max HD 826 OXE. Really like the build quality, power and features of the Ariens. Although the Toro has a smaller engine, I believe that Toro’s snow recirculating system makes up for the difference. Prefer the metal vs plastic components on the Ariens, but the gravel did a job on my metal Simplicity chute. Seems to be a lot of plastic and features to go wrong on the Toro. Yes, some parts do have a lifetime warranty, but that doesn’t help in the middle of a snowstorm. Both are priced roughly the same, which leads to my next question….maybe I’d be OK with the Ariens Deluxe 24 priced $500 less.(I also looked at the Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO which has more cc, but for the slight additional $, might as well go Platinum and save space in the shed)
I would appreciate your thoughts on these three machines. Thanks!


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## UNDERTAKER

The TORO has the rasins in it to get the job done.k: I live up here in the REAL frozen tundra never had any plastic on my TORO'S ever break. and that is the only brand I have ever had or will ever have.k:k:k:k:k:


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## detdrbuzzard

like PS93 I like toro's but like you space is at a premium and two inches is a lot of space savings. if I were to get a new snowblower the SHO24 would be at the top of my list


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## Zavie

I like the Ariens SHO a lot also. However if you are looking into that price range consider the Toro Power Max HD928. That machine will give you more power over the 826. Some other considerations are the Ariens Auto Turn steering VS the trigger steering on the Toro. Some guys say the Ariens needs some tweeking on non smooth surfaces like your gravel. I'd see how your Ariens dealer feels about gravel and the Auto Turn steering.


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## Cardo111

scrimshaw said:


> Hello all. New member and I'm starting off with a bang! I am replacing a 30+ year old Simplicity 760 (8 hp; 24″ wide bucket) that is old and tired (like me!) and would cost $$$ to repair. I have a 90′ long, flat, hard-packed gravel driveway (9′ wide most of length with 30′ wide car park) and would also like to blow a path to the woodpile, etc. I live near the coast of Maine and we got hit hard last year and seem to have more than our share of heavy, wet snow every year. Don't want a used machine; no time or patience to keep it going. Cost is a factor on a new machine, but learned long ago that going cheap doesn't save you in the long run...I am looking at either an Ariens or Toro as a replacement (have both dealers nearby). When in it’s prime, my Simplicity (and I) could plow through anything and make quick work of EOD piles. I don’t think I can step down in torque/power. Specifically, I am looking at the Ariens Platinum 24 or the Toro Power Max HD 826 OXE. Really like the build quality, power and features of the Ariens. Although the Toro has a smaller engine, I believe that Toro’s snow recirculating system makes up for the difference. Prefer the metal vs plastic components on the Ariens, but the gravel did a job on my metal Simplicity chute. Seems to be a lot of plastic and features to go wrong on the Toro. Yes, some parts do have a lifetime warranty, but that doesn’t help in the middle of a snowstorm. Both are priced roughly the same, which leads to my next question….maybe I’d be OK with the Ariens Deluxe 24 priced $500 less.(I also looked at the Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO which has more cc, but for the slight additional $, might as well go Platinum and save space in the shed)
> I would appreciate your thoughts on these three machines. Thanks!


Scrimshaw,

Wouldn't be the first time this classic Ford or Chevy debate has been brought up on this forum. Unfortunately Simplicity seems to have faded away quite a bit, you don't hear much about them on this forum. 

I am an Ariens fan and have put in my $.02 why in many of my posts if you care to look through them, to me IMHO it comes down to the best bang for my buck in terms of overall build quality, price and customer support that is second to none in the industry. Machine preference is very subjective like you I was not impressed by the build quality on Toro's new offerings especially at their price point. I believe there is likely a high mark-up on Toro products and accessories and that is why many dealers at least in my area will bad mouth Ariens and over talk how great Toro is. 

The Loncin engines used on newer Toros have oil drain tubes that terminate on the side right next to the tire which unnecessarily complicates routine maintenance. Additionally the steel used on the bucket seems thinner than MTD products with a really sharp top auger housing edge. However they do have a loyal following and are said to be very well engineered. The heavy use of polymers turns me off in terms of visual build quality though the Quick Stick chute control is very intuitive even more so than the Ariens Quick Turn control.

I think you narrowed it down to 3 choices that you will not go wrong with anyone of them. I would make a decision fast as the Ariens warranty and finance promos expire after tomorrow. The Deluxe 24 will perform well with the 254cc engine, though on the 28" Deluxe model it is underpowered. The Platinum 24 SHO will give you more power and bells and whistles, you will have to decide if those extras are worth the extra $500. to you.

Best of luck with whichever machine you choose!

Being that the Platinum 24 SHO was mentioned I couldn't resist attaching my walkaround vid on it....lol


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## happycamper

I don't think you would go wrong with either choice. I have a Toro Powermax HD 928 and am waiting for some snow to try it out.


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## sscotsman

In my opinion, there is no meaningful quality difference between the two.
both are well respected brands and seem to be excellent quality. So brand-name doesnt need to be a factor, instead focus on desired/needed features, size, price, dealer support, etc.

This might not have any impact on quality, but it could be a deciding factor for some, others might not care: New Toro 2-stage snowblowers are now made in Mexico, Ariens are still made in the USA. (Engines on both are made in China.)

Scot


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## Kiss4aFrog

Between the two, either will be a good machine that if taken care of will give you good service for a long time to come.


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## nwcove

Cant get the utube link to work


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## db130

nwcove said:


> cant get the utube link to work


Click on where it says "Watch this video on youtube"


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## Cardo111

nwcove said:


> Cant get the utube link to work


 Sorry about that you can do a YouTube search under: New Platinum 24 SHO and the vid should come up under channel: Cardo1111. I have 2 Ariens walkaround videos posted, one on the Platinum 24 SHO and the other on the Ariens Deluxe 28+ with the 414cc motor.

All the best.


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## kwk11

Hey Cardo, did you ditch the 28+ for the 24 SHO?


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## HCBPH

I think either Toro or Ariens would do you proud.

You mentioned the gravel beating up the chute on your existing blower, that's something I was thinking on a while back. I have not had a chance to really go into it in detail but I had a thought of getting some phenolic (spelling?) plastic or comparable and using something like the body glue they hold some vehicle panels together with, try bending and gluing it to the inside of the chute. Permanent, slick surface that might help with slushy snow.


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## Snowhawg

Both are a quality machine, but I would pick the Ariens solely for the "metal vs. plastic" concern. I have seen plastic chutes with chunks removed from gravel over time. Plastic tends to get more brittle with age and temp extremes remember, metal doesn't.


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## db9938

Everything that has been said to this point, is true, but surprisingly nobody has asked about which dealer you have a better relationship with?


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## scrimshaw

Thank you all for your sage advice. It was a tough decision, but I decided to purchase the Ariens Platinum 24 SHO. In part, because I prefer the Ariens dealer (good point db9938). I also purchased the machine yesterday and was able to take advantage of the special offer of an extra 2 years on the warranty (for what it's worth).


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## detdrbuzzard

congrats scrimshaw


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## Deault

@scrimshaw I know this is a 5 year old tread, but how has the Ariens Platinum 24 SHO aged? I'm really curious because I'm having the same reflection, 5 years later and both brands have not updated their offering! Let us know if you still own it, if it worked well, what maintenance you had to put in, other than the regular oil/spark plug changes.


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## 140278

welcome to the SBF Deault
sorry i doubt scrimshaw will read your post as he was Last seen Dec 28, 2015 2 weeks after making this thread, 

toro has upgraded their, they did away with the plastic did away with the trigger steering for the autosteer, came out with a few very costly commercial models,


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## Deault

Too bad, anyone has experience with the platinum 24 SHO or the somewhat equivalent Toro? I'm also considering Husqvarna since they have the same engine as the Ariens.


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## chargin

Deault said:


> Too bad, anyone has experience with the platinum 24 SHO or the somewhat equivalent Toro? I'm also considering Husqvarna since they have the same engine as the Ariens.


My neighbor has a Platinum 24 SHO 

It does live up to it's name when it comes to throwing snow.

It has been in the shop several times for various issues though.

He has to refill gas tank to complete his driveway which is kind of big, but he did not have to do that with his previous blower.
I don't know if they are still putting the same size tank on there or if they now put a larger tank on it.


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## Huntergreen

I was in the same situation. My toro 824 XL , 20 years old, has preformed and still works well. It always struggled with the end of drivewa monster, so I recently bought the platinum 24 sho hoping the larger engine will go through faster. So far, no snow so I can't give a review.


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## Shovel

Either machine should be fine..I would consider dealer location in my choice.
If both have dealers close then its whichever one you like the best...do you need additional throwing distance due to alot of snowfall and run out of room to put it?..then I would lean towards the ariens SHO..that extra throwing distance takes alot of extra power..something to consider. ..If not lean toward the toros..people really like either machine.
The newer toros seem to handle slush rather well...for some reason they seem less apt to clog with slush as a side bonus...the engines run a slower rpm that the ariens which contributes to a longer engine life


Sent from my SM-A115U1 using Tapatalk


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## 140278

when my late partners and i ran the ope shop we sold both toro and husky, i'm sorry to say we did more work on the huskys than the toro's


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## GoBlowSnow

I truly believe the 24SHO will be the best bang for the buck and provide the best long term reliability. Toro is a fine machine, but I feel like I am supporting a genuine family owned business and great people there in Wisconsin when I buy Ariens, and they've been building snowblowers longer than anyone else. Great customer service when I need to order parts from them, and what not. I've not had a 24 SHO but I have had a 28 SHO and loved it.


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## Kiss4aFrog

Welcome to SBF Deault











Deault said:


> Too bad, anyone has experience with the platinum 24 SHO or the somewhat equivalent Toro? I'm also considering Husqvarna since they have the same engine as the Ariens.


Since it is a 5 year old thread and you are changing the question from the topic of generic "Toro vs Ariens" to now a specific Ariens and toss in a Husky you would be better served by starting your own thread instead of trying to revive this one.
Well more like hijacking. 😕 

.


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## Deault

My apologies, but I didn't toss in the Husky, those are not in Canada. Nonetheless you're right, all I wanted was feedback after many years from the original poster, see if the machine held up after years of use, bbut I've already moved on to other threads on the topic.


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## don7

I can give an update here, I have an Sho Platinum 24 EFI purchased Dec 2016 -- one more year on $99 5yr extended warranty. No issues so far, it started on first pull tonight actually. I do start it a couple times in the off season though. But no battery issues or engine problems. Looks and runs like new so far (as it should since I use it < 10 times a season and take care of it lol).

The power vs chute width ratio is welcome and the reason so bought it. My parents have a long drive with houses on either side -- so I can throw snow straight ahead and re-throw it no problem to work the snow down the driveway. My old ariens was not as responsive to load changes whereas this one doesn't skip a beat when it hits the heavy stuff. No rust (that I've seen at least...). I do touch up rock damage in in chute/bucket with ariens touch up paint at end of season when I change the oil and give it a once over. I've also pulled bottom cover and all looked good. 

No auto-turn issues for me. I have the polymer skids (I never tried metal actually, they may be fine) and concrete drives. I blow the grass for our small dog and it actually handles the grass just fine -- granted nothing like on concrete, but very manageable

Complaints:

speed control dial was too easy to turn for my liking, I added a rubber gasket under knob to add some friction.
wish it had led light instead of halogen (switch would be nice too). Doesn't bother me enough to I monkey with it though
I'd take a bigger gas tank. I can do two houses. Guessing 1.5hrs run time? Usually takes me an hour total to do two houses. I guess it's fine, but I just need to fill every time I use it.
I had rust coming from rear axle early on. I cleaned up and added anti-seize and it's been fine for two seasons now.
rubber sleeves on clutch levers can slide off -- I've been meaning to add a bit of polyurethane glue or pull them off.

That's about it, so far so good


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## don7

Actually on the topic of longevity -- I had an Ariens 20" 5hp auger propelled 2 stage from ~2000 (big spoked skinny wheels). That one still runs great (I gave it to family). I also had a single stage ariens 7hp I believe...last I heard if ran fine as well. I never really liked that one though. It never went straight, didn't throw great. The Toros seem to have mastered the single stages. Or so it seem watching neighbors.

In general I think snow blowers are going to last quite a while just because they get so little use -- at least in the Midwest.


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## foggysail

don7 said:


> I can give an update here, I have an Sho Platinum 24 EFI purchased Dec 2016 -- one more year on $99 5yr extended warranty. No issues so far, it started on first pull tonight actually. I do start it a couple times in the off season though. But no battery issues or engine problems. Looks and runs like new so far (as it should since I use it < 10 times a season and take care of it lol).
> 
> The power vs chute width ratio is welcome and the reason so bought it. My parents have a long drive with houses on either side -- so I can throw snow straight ahead and re-throw it no problem to work the snow down the driveway. My old ariens was not as responsive to load changes whereas this one doesn't skip a beat when it hits the heavy stuff. No rust (that I've seen at least...). I do touch up rock damage in in chute/bucket with ariens touch up paint at end of season when I change the oil and give it a once over. I've also pulled bottom cover and all looked good.
> 
> No auto-turn issues for me. I have the polymer skids (I never tried metal actually, they may be fine) and concrete drives. I blow the grass for our small dog and it actually handles the grass just fine -- granted nothing like on concrete, but very manageable
> 
> Complaints:
> 
> speed control dial was too easy to turn for my liking, I added a rubber gasket under knob to add some friction.
> wish it had led light instead of halogen (switch would be nice too). Doesn't bother me enough to I monkey with it though
> *I'd take a bigger gas tank. I can do two houses. Guessing 1.5hrs run time? Usually takes me an hour total to do two houses. I guess it's fine, but I just need to fill every time I use it.*
> I had rust coming from rear axle early on. I cleaned up and added anti-seize and it's been fine for two seasons now.
> rubber sleeves on clutch levers can slide off -- I've been meaning to add a bit of polyurethane glue or pull them off.
> 
> That's about it, so far so good


If I searched for bitches about my Ariens 28 Pro.....................it would be the puny fuel tank!!! The 420cc engine does every thing required including swallowing fuel.


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