# Toro Power Max 826 problems.



## Jammer

I wanted a snowblower for 8 years before I finally saved the money to buy one. I did MAJOR amounts of research that had me choose the Toro Power Max. I don't think that I read even one negative review. I've had it for 3 years.

I can't even explain how disappointed I have been with this very expensive machine.

Two Main Problems:

I store my machine in an attached garage. In order to get the machine to where I need to use it most, I have to go UP my driveway. It is NOT a real steep driveway. I'd say maybe 25 degree angle at most. If there is any accumulation of snow more than say 3-4 inches, the snow blower wants to ride UP ON TOP OF the snow instead of driving THROUGH the snow. It rides up on the snow and then the tires just spin. I don't mean this happens every once in a while. I mean every SINGLE time I go at it, it rides up ON the snow, leaving me to have to back up and start over and over and over while PULLING UP on the handles in an effort to keep the machine from riding up and over the snow. At the same time I'm using my body weight to try to PUSH the machine forward. The other day is literally took me 40 minutes to make ONE PATH up the 60 foot driveway. I am not exaggerating in the least when i say that using the snowblower is MUCH MORE physically taxing that shoveling would be. Even if the snow is a foot or more, it would still be easier to shovel and I'm 61 years old. As a side note, on a flat surface, I do not have this problem unless the snow is REALLY packed by the city plows.

When reading reviews, I don't remember ever hearing anyone complain about this problem. It literally renders the machine useless. I'm hoping against hope that someone here has experienced this problem and knows what to do to remedy the situation. 

Problem Two:
The last two years in a row, the machine left me sit when I needed it most. Both years, it was a carburetor problem. Last year they said it was dirty. This year, it started leaking gas and although I have not taken it in yet, the dealership is saying that it is probably a stuck float valve. Every year, I run the machine dry as per instructed and I use fuel stabilizer when I fill it back up in the winter to use it. 

With a fresh tank of gas it does start up and run but surges all of the time and never settles into a nice purr. Also, I had to keep the choke on full the entire time to keep it running. I'm not handy enough to take care of these problems myself so on top of the high price I paid for this machine, I'm spending $100.00 per year to keep it running. In my area, most years, I could probably have someone else do the snow removal for $140.00 to $210.00 per year so I'm seriously considering selling the thing,..........BUT, I'm stubborn, I would REALLY like to figure out a solution to my two main problems and besides, in order to sell it, I'm going to have to get it fixed again anyway.

So, if you have had any experience with this machine riding up on top of the snow as opposed to driving through it and have figured out a solution, I would LOVE to hear it. I would be thrilled out of my mind to fix this problem.

Also, if you can figure out why two years in a row, on a machine that is only 3 years old, I keep having carburetor problems, I would appreciate your advice.

Thanks in advance for any help. I'm at my wits end with this thing.

Just a side note to help you understand how frustrated I am. This year with the fuel leak, it leaked an entire tank of gas on the cement of my attached garage. The garage and my ENTIRE house smells like gas now. I've done a LOT of research and tried a lot of experiments that have helped somewhat but if I'm outside for any length of time and come back in, I can still smell the gasoline. I feel like the snowblower has RUINED MY HOUSE !!!!! But, that's an entirely different story. :banghead::banghead::banghead:

HELP ME !!!!!


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## UNDERTAKER

first off at the end of the year. run the whole system dry.* DO NOT LEAVE FUEL IN THERE OVER THE SUMMER. why don't you post some pics of this leak. as for the riding up. have you checked to make sure there is equal air in each tire. do you have a snow cab on it??????????*


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## UNDERTAKER

might want to try another gas station also.


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## Jammer

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> first off at the end of the year. run the whole system dry.* DO NOT LEAVE FUEL IN THERE OVER THE SUMMER. do you have a snow cab on it??????????*


As I mentioned in my post, I DO run the machine dry every year as per the instructions. No, I do not have a snow cab. I have not checked the tire pressure. If I do, what would be the suggested pressure for best traction on an incline?

Thanks


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## UNDERTAKER

Jammer said:


> As I mentioned in my post, I DO run the machine dry every year as per the instructions. No, I do not have a snow cab. I have not checked the tire pressure. If I do, what would be the suggested pressure for best traction on an incline?
> 
> Thanks


 the psi should be written on the tire.


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## UNDERTAKER

What gear are you in when that happens??????????????


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## Jammer

First. Anything faster only makes the problem worse.


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## UNDERTAKER

can you post a vid of this traction problem??????????????


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## Jammer

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> can you post a vid of this traction problem??????????????


THAT would be an excellent idea. Unfortunately, as this time, all of the snow has melted and even if it hadn't, I'm a caveman who still uses a DUMB phone with no camera or video.:icon-embarrassed:


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## detdrbuzzard

how much snow are you blowing when the 826 starts riding up? 
toro's are pretty well balanced you might need a weight kit


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## UNDERTAKER

some thing is not right in the drive system. is there another dealer in town ???????


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## Jammer

Jammer said:


> If there is any accumulation of snow more than say 3-4 inches, the snow blower wants to ride UP ON TOP OF the snow instead of driving THROUGH the snow.


 ...........


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## Jammer

I can't imagine what could be wrong with the drive system. It drives the wheels just fine.

No other Toro dealer. What's a weight kit?


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## skutflut

Jammer said:


> Originally Posted by Jammer View Post
> If there is any accumulation of snow more than say 3-4 inches, the snow blower wants to ride UP ON TOP OF the snow instead of driving THROUGH the snow.


A weight kit is extra weight on the bucket end of the machine. It is usually required when owners add a cab to the back end of the machine, to balance out the weight of the cab. Some owners put one on anyway, to help improve the balance and keep the front end down when they have the kind of problem you are having, climbing up the snow instead of going through it.

Just for a test, get yourself a bag of sand, about 20-25 pounds, and lay it on the bucket. You might need a couple of bungi cords to keep it in the right place. See if that improves things. If it does, you can get a chunk of steel of the appropriate weight, and bolt it onto the front edge of the bucket to make the weight permanent. 

If your machine does not have a fuel shutoff valve, install one, or have one installed. They are about 6 bucks and allow you to shut the fuel off before the carb, so even if there is a leak in the carb, there will be no gas in there. You might also think about sticking a fuel filter in the line along with the shutoff valve, if there is room for everything.

According to the manual, 

"The tires are overinflated at the factory for shipping. Reduce
the pressure equally in both tires to between 17 and 20 psi
(116 and 137 kPa)."

Do not exceed the maximum pressure that is shown on the sidewall of the tire. 

Start with 17 LBs, see how that works on the incline, then increase to the max to see if it improves or gets worse. 

My machine is set about 14LBS but I have larger tires.


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## Jammer

THANKS skutflut. I will try all of those things next time around...........................

What bigger tires do you have and did that help with the traction?


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## skutflut

Jammer said:


> THANKS skutflut. I will try all of those things next time around...........................
> 
> What bigger tires do you have and did that help with the traction?


I have xtrak tires, came standard with my machine They are recommended at 14-17 pounds pressure. They have a slightly larger footprint is all. I don't use chains, the tires are good without them, plus the tread design doesn't really lend itself to using chains as they would fall in between the lugs, unless I were to get cross chains.I don't have the incline problem that you have however. 

Have you tried going downhill to blow show, if it's even possible? Downhill gets the gravity assist. How high are the walls leading down to your garage at the highest point. Since you don's have the problem on level surfaces, I guess the incline you are going up is enough that your are tipping the blower almost to the centre of gravity as the engine is pointing down. With a 22 degree slope you might also be taking a chance with lubrication as the engines don't like to be tipped more than about 15 degrees.

What year is you machine? I noticed 3 different manuals online for different years so if I go searching for tidbits, I want to look in the right one. Also, post your serial number and model number as shown on the nameplate of the machine, as others in the forum seem to have some magic powers to find out stuff about things that you didn't even know you wanted to know.


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## Hanky

I made my own weights here is a link to it.
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/toro-snowblowers/68882-toro-weight-kit-dimensions.html


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## Jammer

Skutflut,

Thanks in your continued effort to help out. I just checked the receipt. It's actually a year older than I had remembered. The date on the receipt is 11-11-11. The serial number is 312000535. It's a B&S engine and if I remember correctly, it was the last year that you could buy the American made version.

I'm not positive as to whether or not they are the exact same size but my tires look identical to yours !

The only way that I could start out on level ground would be to leave my machine outside in the front of my house which would also entail chaining the machine up to railing on my front porch to prevent theft, putting a tarp over the machine and running an extension cord out to the machine in order to use the electric start, none of which I would be really thrilled about doing but it may be better than the alternative.

It's hard to imagine why I have never heard anyone else complain about this. It would have been nice to know before buying a $1300.00 snow blower that it would be worthless on a small grade, (at least in it's present form).

Hanky,
I'm most definitely going to try the sack of salt trick next time. If it works, I'll get one of my handy nephews to make me a homemade weight kit.

Thanks guys !


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## UNDERTAKER

I would not go using a sack of salt.k:k:k:k:k:


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## skutflut

Those x track tires come in different sizes. When I looked up your machine on the web, it looked like it had smaller wheels in proportion to the body than mine does, but I could have looked at the wrong one. 

I did read a couple of reviews that mentioned the toro is a bit light in the front end. Your incline, as I said, tips the machine back and makes the weight of the engine work against you. 

Next storm, try the added weight on the bucket to see if it makes the machine usable. If that doesn't do it, then you're only alternative might be a tracked machine, but I don't supposed you want to hear that. 

As far as your leaky carb, maybe get your handy nephew to learn how to maintain that. Dealer service comes in various levels of quality. The more you can do yourself, the cheaper it is to own the machine. Mine has never seen any dealer service and so far it always starts and runs. 

Like many users, I run the carb dry after each use by turning off the fuel valve, and letting the engine run out of gas. The tank is emptied after the season ends, oil is changed, nuts and bolts checked, unit covered in an old sheet to keep it sort of clean, but not air tight. In fall it gets the preseason check, drive components, lubrication in the transmission area, paint touch ups, inspect belts, plug etc.


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## Taylor

I have a 726 with the x track tires. They are 14 ". I have never had any traction issues.

Several months back I was in Home Depot and was checking out the Toro snow blowers and noticed the tires we're smaller and didn't have the traction knobs. 

Maybe you're tires are smaller and of a lesser quality.


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## Pythons37

Tire chains.


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## Taylor

Yes tire chains and I think sometimes you have to make sure snow blower is set up for dual wheel drive as opposed to having one free wheel.


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## Jammer

Thanks everyone. I'm going to check the size of my tires and see if any larger one's are available, get the carb looked at and try the temporary weight trick for the next storm, if there is one.

Also, although I THOUGHT that I was following all instructions to a T, I have forgotten to use the highest octane when filling my gas can this season so I will make sure to fix that problem also. I don't know how that would cause a float valve to stick but it could be the reason that the engine was surging and why I needed to leave the choke on to keep the engine running.

Thanks again,
Randy


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## skutflut

Higher octane fuel *may* contain a lower level of ethanol. Ethanol in fuel can attract water which settles in the bottom of the fuel tank, and finds its way to the carburetor. When left for some time, it can also form gummy deposits and a sort of varnish when can make moving parts stick, such as floats, prevent needle valves from sealing properly and partially clog fuel passages. Fuel stabilizers are supposed to help prevent those problems for a period of time. There are also fuel system cleaners available, which are mentioned often in this forum. Some people swear by them and have used them with good results to clean out carbs without disassembly. 

Here in Canada, we can still buy premium fuel with no ethanol in it at all from about 3 different brands. I have always run my engine until it runs out of fuel after cleaning up after a storm and so far, I have not been affected by carb problems after 8 years. 

Before going out to buy wheels & tires, try the weight method. Bigger tires might not help your situation except to change the angle of the machine slightly. Sand is cheap, wheels and tires are not, and without a proven benefit you might only wind up with two extra wheels and tires that need to be stored.

Since you need the choke to keep it running that indicates the mixture without choke is too lean. Your engine probably has a fixed carb, with no adjustments, but if it does have adjustable jets, you might be able to back out the main jet a turn or so and richen the mixture to get it to run better without choke. If its not adjustable, it might be possible to get new jets with a larger fuel passage, or buy a carb on Ebay with adjustable jets. If the engine ran well when new, and the surging has started over several years, it may be that some of that gummy varnish deposit has accumulated in the jets, making them smaller, and causing the problem. Your dealer should be able to clean up a dirty carb if that's the problem.


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## Jammer

Thanks my friend !


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## cdestuck

Didn't read through all the posts so I might be repeating some stuff to ya. First off, 25* is a pretty steep incline and WILL certainly shift weight from the front of the machine to the back. I know that adding weigh to the top of the chute at the front of the machine will cure your problem. You can get a sandbag and try adding amounts of sand until you find the right amount for your machine. I have the same blower and use to do a friends drive that was steep enough that you would think a machine wouldn't work on it but it did very well both up and down.

As to your carb, you said you run the machine empty but are you getting the fuel out of the float bowl. Running your machine empty does not empty the bowl. If your bowl has a spring loaded button on the bottom of it, after running your machine dry, press this button and empty the gas in the bowl. Better yet, you should be treating each gas can with stabilizer, summer and winter!!! Just leave treated fuel in the machine for the off season and youll be fine.

And don't blame your surging problem s on Toro. Blame EPA!! Theyre killing our machines with these non adjustable carb jets. Just let it run with the choke set to what makes the engine run best and smile. I don't know what engine year is on your machine but I did some searching and found a Oregon made carb that has the mixture screws and swapped them out. Then was able to dial in my carb just like in the old days.


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## SnoThro

Stop running your machine dry. Its an antiquated and unnecessary step with modern fuel stabilizers and causes more problems than solutions. Running machines dry allows the rubber to shrink and harden and metal to corrode as it contacts air which has become an even bigger concern with the shift toward cheap Chinese carburetors. Fuel stabilizers will allow fuel to be left in the machine for 12-24 *months*. I service the things and never tell anyone to "run it dry" precisely because of the above post, you aren't running it dry you're leaving a tiny bit of fuel in the carburetor which evaporates and leaves a solid residue and when you re-fill the machine the next year the solid particulates start blocking the tiny passages. Likewise the seat and bowl gasket can dry out causing leaking.

Second 25 degrees is a very steep incline. Toro machines have almost no weight bias which makes them very easy to man handle but will cause issues when going up hill. They sell a rather beefy block of steel, as an add-on, to weight the front down that might be worth looking into but its pretty expensive for what it is. 

Third X-Trac tires were developed to specifically mimic the grabbing action of chains so its kind of redundant to add them and makes rolling the machine a huge pain much more so than chains on other styles of tread. If you go forward with it make sure to purchase chains made specifically for X-Trac tread or you'll be wasting your money. Anything else will just sit deep in the lugs and will actually reduce traction.

Hope that helps.


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## 43128

Fuel stabilizers will allow fuel to be left in the machine for 12-24 *months.

thats funny, good luck with that. fuel stabilizers dont do **** for modern fuels. every year i drop the bowl on all my clones, let the tanks drain, and coat the bowl gasket with oil. you arnt going to hurt anything letting it drain. my carbs are all in perfect condition with no rust/corrosion. if you have any varient of a clone engine, your carb will have a 10mm bolt bolt on the carb bowl. loosen that bolt and let it drain
*


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## UNDERTAKER

I will keep on running mine dry. never had a problem on that front.k:k:k:k:k:


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## 69ariens

Past 2yrs i have put tru fuel in my last run. works great I started doing this after two yrs in a row of running the gas out on my leaf sucker ( loader) and having carb trouble .So run the pump gas out and run it w/ tru fuel 15 mins and you will ready go next season


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## unome

Jammer hope you got the machine running to your liking and got some white stuff to test. If not, although it does not feel like it winter will be here.
Although I have to apologize. I just bought my first snowblower which means no snow for a couple years at least. LOL

Anyhow, before you get going this winter you might want to find ethanol free gas. Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada
It's not available everywhere but it may be closer than you think.


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## sony1998

Ethanol free fuel is the way to go with small engines these days. No ethanol, no/little varnish/gumming/gelling. I am doing what 69Ariens above is doing. Just fired up the Earthquake leaf chipper and started on 1st pull. At the end of the season, I run the pump fuel dry from the machine, (tank and all till the machine stalls) add Tru-Fuel (bought at either Lowes or Home Depot), and run the machine for 10 minutes keeping some fuel in the tank , and put it away for the off season. Tru-Fuel, Stihl MotoMix, VP racing fuel, all are ethanol free. I like keeping the Tru-Fuel in the tank and system in the off season because it will keep the seals wet and lubed up.


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