# Shopping for a new blower!!!



## Ingersoll444 (Nov 20, 2010)

OK... so 20 years ago I picked up a small 5hp 22" MTD blower for the drive. Ive beat the tar out of it and totaly abused it over the years, but sence then we have sold that house, and moved to a house with a HUGE drive!! Also its getting tired... Im sick of rebuilding/replacing carbs on the old snowking engine, and frankly the things just too small...

So now we are shopping for somehting in the 30" range. So far I have looked at a few box store ones. A troybuilt 357cc 30" and one like it at HD but forget the brand right now. Anyways... most are in the $1000 range... What other models are worth checking out? I dont want to spend a ton... but I want something that will hold up also. What about this joystick chute control? Seems kinda strange using it. how does it work in the real world? 

So lets hear all your advice!!!


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Blowers*

Though you may want new, you mentioned not wanting to spend a ton of $$, alot depends on what you have for a budget and what you're calling a ton.

I see alot of used machines for less than 1/2 new price in the 30" or better size. If you can do some work and are willing to get a little dirty, if you want to build one they can be had for a good price. They may not have all the bells and whistles some of the new ones do but then again they should last a lifetime with proper care and are considerably easier to keep going than some of the new stuff. Things like cast iron blocks, points and condensor vs electronic ignition, metal vs plastic chutes, etc.

If you want new, machines that seem to have good followings include Toro, Ariens, Honda, John Deere and a number of others. Some have improved over the year while others haven't. 

This will be my first year with my Hybrid Craftsman/Murray 10 HP. If it throws as well as the 7 HP I used once last winter did and it lasts as long into the future as it had in the past, it should outlive me. It's been rebuilt and enhanced (there's a thread on it) so that's what I'm going with. Even with the costs of the repairs and mods, it cost considerably less than new.

One thing to consider, I ended up having to modify the auger on that one from 32" to 26" because it wouldn't fit through the garage door. Make sure you check all those little things like that in making your selection. 

Good luck.

Paul


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## Ingersoll444 (Nov 20, 2010)

I got one!!!!!!

Well I was leaning toward the Aerins.... but the wife realy liked this one, and we got a good deal on it, and had a little bigger engine to boot... We will see how it holds up.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

thats a nice looking machine, good luck with it.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Snowblower*

Details, details! Eye's aren't that good any more, so what's the Model, size, engine etc? You or the wife planning on running it?

Definitely keep us posted once you've had a chance to use it. If you're like us, they're predicting snow here today so I'll hopefully get the first chance to try out the Searsasaurus.


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## Ingersoll444 (Nov 20, 2010)

Sure thing HC!!

its a troy bilt Storm 3090XP it has a 30" clearing path, with a 357cc engine. Looks a lot like a Honda engine, and no name on it, so I assume its china built clone. She runs sweet though, and not sure on the HP, but its a pretty good size!! Ive never been a fan of the old Tecu engines... so to me the clones are a upgrade!!!


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## Snowmann2011 (Apr 5, 2011)

Ingersoll444 said:


> Sure thing HC!!
> 
> its a troy bilt Storm 3090XP it has a 30" clearing path, with a 357cc engine. Looks a lot like a Honda engine, and no name on it, so I assume its china built clone. She runs sweet though, and not sure on the HP, but its a pretty good size!! Ive never been a fan of the old Tecu engines... so to me the clones are a upgrade!!!


Sounds like its going to be a good machine. All the people Ive talked to with a Troy Built have loved them, so hope you have the same feelings. As for the HP in it, from what I just read, 357cc is equal to 13HP. MONSTER!! LOL. Good lick with it and let us know how it runs.

Cody


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## Ingersoll444 (Nov 20, 2010)

Wow... never expected it to be 13... I expected about 11 ish... But it is a big lump for sure!!! I havent put it under a load yet, but she starts right up, and runs nice and smooth.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

GX340 = 11HP
GX390 = 13HP

So yours is maybe like 11.5?


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## Wayne195 (Nov 16, 2010)

Awesome snowblower Paul, have fun blowing with it! 

Sofar we haven't had any snowfall since the 7" scare we had in the end of October; it sounds like you're really getting it! We're finally getting colder wether so hopefully the ground will freeze and we won't have to deal with the underlying ice the next time we get snow.


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## Ingersoll444 (Nov 20, 2010)

Well no snow yet... but at least Im ready!! As I said.. i would be mORE then happy not to have to use it!!!!


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Snow*



Ingersoll444 said:


> Well no snow yet... but at least Im ready!! As I said.. i would be mORE then happy not to have to use it!!!!


 
Oh come on now! You know you're like a kid waiting for Santa Claus, you're doing your little snow dance when you think noone is looking 
Unfortunately the dance won't help, but I for one would love to see you do it


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## theoldwizard1 (Nov 23, 2011)

HCBPH said:


> This will be my first year with my Hybrid Craftsman/Murray 10 HP.


Okay. What is a "hybrid" snowblower ?


P.S. I don't think any small engine has used "points and condenser" in 15 or 20 years ! Anyone who owns and old B&S 5HP horizontal shaft can upgrade to their Magnetron electronic ignition for under $20.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Hybrid Snowblower*



theoldwizard1 said:


> Okay. What is a "hybrid" snowblower ?
> 
> 
> P.S. I don't think any small engine has used "points and condenser" in 15 or 20 years ! Anyone who owns and old B&S 5HP horizontal shaft can upgrade to their Magnetron electronic ignition for under $20.


Take a look here: http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/snowblower-repairs-maintenance-forum/571-modified-10-hp.html
I took a perfectly good snowblower that wouldn't fit through a garage door, combined the tractor unit with the auger unit from another one that would fit. Then made some modifications to it like greasable roller bearings on the axel and auger shafts. Rolled in a few more mods and came up with a blower that hopefully will last my lifetime and do what I need. I call it the Searsasaurus.

Ironically I picked up another snowblower last weekend exactly like it's original configuration, except the color. It's a 10 HP 32" 3 stage and right now it's stuck in the garage for now until I either take down the fence again or remove the auger assembly so I can get it through the garage door. I'm planning on rebuilding that one to resell if I can get it done soon enough this year.

Do they have those replacement kits for Tecumseh engines too? All the motors I have are Tecumseh (4 HP through 10 HP) and it would be good to know. Don't know if I'd do it or not but if I had an engine with a points issue, might be worth considering then. I don't go through points that often so may or may not be economical for me.


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## Talon1189 (Nov 30, 2011)

Only if you are very rich Honda Power Equipment - HS1336IAS


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Honda*



Talon1189 said:


> Only if you are very rich Honda Power Equipment - HS1336IAS


There has to be at least a pound of gold or platinum in there somewhere but I sure don't see it


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Talon1189 said:


> Only if you are very rich Honda Power Equipment - HS1336IAS


What I find bizarre about a $8,000 snowblower is: If you are rich enough to afford such a machine, dont you just hire a service to plow the mile-long paved driveway that leads to your multi-million dollar mansion deep in the woods? 

I see someone who can afford that snowblower as not being much of a "do it yourself" homeowner!  but those people must exist, somewhere, or Honda wouldn't make them..

Scot


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## Talon1189 (Nov 30, 2011)

sscotsman said:


> What I find bizarre about a $8,000 snowblower is: If you are rich enough to afford such a machine, dont you just hire a service to plow the mile-long paved driveway that leads to your multi-million dollar mansion deep in the woods?
> 
> I see someone who can afford that snowblower as not being much of a "do it yourself" homeowner!  but those people must exist, somewhere, or Honda wouldn't make them..
> 
> Scot


Albert Pujols will be able to afford one soon I am sure. I think someone would spent that much money to make their neighbors jealous. I agree.......for $8,000 bucks........that has to be at least 8-10 years of paying someone else to shovel the walk for them  You would think for that price......The Honda would at least have stainless steel augers


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## italiano62 (Dec 7, 2011)

I live in barrington hills illinois 

There is tons of those trac-honda's around here 

Funny thing is their so slow, a old workhorse wheeled
one can get the job done in half the time ...............

Just don't see the sense in trac-blowers ??????

A'm i missing something here = Stupido italian lol 

Yours P


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## Talon1189 (Nov 30, 2011)

italiano62 said:


> I live in barrington hills illinois
> 
> There is tons of those trac-honda's around here
> 
> ...


Are they "hybrid" Honda's with a battery? I personally have never seen one around where I live in SE lower Michigan. The dry weight on the hybrid Honda is an astounding 540 pounds........ WOW


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## italiano62 (Dec 7, 2011)

Yes Talon they are hybrids ,the guy that lives just down 
the road from me has one ,it's huge lol and yes, is over 500 lbs 

It's i think if right, has both engine and batteries ..wierd ........

Have any of you guys seen the new toro all electric for over 
1500.00 ...................................................................

Go check it out at blowersdirect theres a video 

Yours P


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## italiano62 (Dec 7, 2011)

I personally feel that electric's will never be any good in the two stage configuration 
just too short a battery life and , what if it snow another 8 inches in a hour 
as we get here in chicago , you just gonna wait for the recharge lol


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