# Trying to decide which one to get…



## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

I am hoping my current Craftsman will last me through the winter but need to really have my back-up plan in place. I can get upwards of 400+ inches on any given year with regular 12” dumps. It is dry powder except for late spring storms. I need to deal with hard packed snow when the county plow clears the gravel road.

Had asked about a new Troy-Bilt and some good advice indicating (paraphrasing) that I might be able to get a better-quality machine to which I agree. I have decided to up my budget from that original intention and started looking at other brands. My driveway is gravel and has a slight incline at the street apron such that my current and past snow blowers needed drive chains. I am gearing towards a track drive on my new one.

Been reading a lot about Honda models and it was brought to my attention about the slow drive problem and clogging. I would hope that the concerns have been resolved by now, but in further reading about the different types of drives that the simpler disc drives might be a better option if any repairs down the road might be needed. I have replaced these types on previous clearing machines- a Honda would ‘prolly be out of my league for DIY repairs.

It is coming down to two choices:
Honda HSS1332ATD (or HSS928ATD) or Ariens 28SHO Track.

I like that the Honda auger protection system. I did major damage to my Craftsman when a rock from the county plow tossed one back into my driveway. I inherited a Husq model that is exactly like the Crafts and it had same damage to it when it took in an object and did not shear (was hoping to combine the two to make a red and orange Frankenstein, but that’s another story.)

Both track models listed above seem to have a lift/ height system for the auger/ impeller housing which for gravel driveways seems a plus. I like that the Ariens is a lot less cost. Does anyone know of clogging issues on it like the Honda has? 

I like the Honda but the 2 reported problems concern me. I like the cost of the Ariens and hear that they have a decent quality reputation.

Would like more input rather than relying on a coin toss- thank!


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

cost consideration........Ariens.

or get a lightly used Honda HS928 with tracks. 

just my 2 cents.

p.s. i'm a honda guy.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

I'd go with an HSS1332ATD, the HSS928ATD does not have the auger protection system. Later if the 32" width is 'to wide' you can turn it into a 28" making it an 'HSS1328ATD' (I'm doing 2 HSS1328ATD' so that I can have the auger protection system on a 28" blower with the GX390 engine).


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

I have decided on (and ordered) my plan "B" snowblower.

...will be getting the Ariens Platinum Track 28 SHO (28") 369cc Two-Stage Snow Blower.

I started out budgeting and focusing on a Troy-Bilt and appreciate everyone's input and advice in helping me decide to step up the quality factor. Sure it doubled my cost, but it is less than a Honda which I also considered.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Congratulations....! 
You can't go wrong with an Ariens unit.
Keep us posted on how you like it throughout the season...

:snow48:


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

Thanks! ...looking forward to getting it. I got rid of my parts Husq over the weekend to member Stuart and when he picked it up we were looking closer at my existing Craftsman. I buttoned it up last season as best I could, but I do not have a good feeling about it and felt I better get my plan B sooner rather than waiting until I needed to get it.

I policed my driveway more thoroughly than I ever had before in clearing any potential obstructions and hope that the auger raising system on the Ariens will greatly reduce any possible rocks from entering.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

is that a tracked unit? do you have any pictures?

I thought we were high up at 6000 feet. do you need oxygen at 9500 feet? ha ha


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

It is the track model- it has the single drive wheel with the 2 idles, not the single large drive wheel with the single adjustable idler. Will post photos when it arrives.

Tourist when they visit cannot handle the low oxygen. High altitude sickness is common. I have been up here for about 20 years now and it took a good 6-8 months to get used to it. I must confess,,, I am not really at 9500 feet- it is actually around 9,400 but I rounded up. I do have co-workers that live at 10,500 feet and you would be surprised at how much more winter they have with that added 1,000 feet. Last May we had a 36" dump in 3 days... have already had about 20" this fall but it has all melted at my place, but the peaks are winter covered and the local ski areas are blowing snow.

There is so little oxygen up in the High Country that I cannot have a fire in my fireplace (J/K... LOL)


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## CO Snow (Dec 8, 2011)

d3500ram said:


> There is so little oxygen up in the High Country that I cannot have a fire in my fireplace (J/K... LOL)


So I guess you don’t need a fire department.


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

I wish! The Peak 2 fire this summer was about 1/2 mile from me... and while I was not evacuated nor on standby it was very close... the smoke and flames were amazing to experience it that close. I was contained to only 80 acres and under control in a few days. I cannot image what folks in the Bolder Canyon or Hayman fires a few years ago were going through,,, or the current Napa Valley fires going on now!


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

Here it is https://www.snowblowersdirect.com/Ariens-921052-Snow-Thrower/p67271.html

Thanks again for the Husqvarna.. let me know when the Craftsman is ready for the graveyard ;-)
How did that snow work out for you last night? Just a slushy wet coating down here in Centennial.


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

The Crafts will be the first one out of the garage in any given snowstorm.... I will be using it until it gives out but if last year is any indication I do not envision it lasting halfway through the winter, but we'll see. I knew I said I was going to wait until I buy a new one, but I would rather be prepared. I will definitely be in touch when it gives out- you have first right of refusal. 

Not too much snow last night despite the winter storm warning that was in effect.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

d3500ram said:


> The Crafts will be the first one out of the garage in any given snowstorm.... I will be using it until it gives out but if last year is any indication I do not envision it lasting halfway through the winter, but we'll see. I knew I said I was going to wait until I buy a new one, but I would rather be prepared. I will definitely be in touch when it gives out- you have first right of refusal.
> 
> Not too much snow last night despite the winter storm warning that was in effect.


I just read a post and forgot where I saw the darn thing.
It was talking about the buckled fins on the impeller like you showed me on your Craftsman.
It might be worth one more shot at trying to straighten them a little to get them closer to being balanced. Doesn't need to be perfect.
Otherwise it will shake itself to death like the front wheels on a car when they are a bit out of balance.
Did you see my helicopter post on your shear pin thread? 
Check out the first video here to see what that looks like when scaled up to a twin rotor helicopter.
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/1293017-post18.html


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Ahhh life in Leadville, Colorado.


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## 10953 (Sep 4, 2017)

d3500ram

that 1.000 feet can be night and day as you and i well know, here in NW NJ my house sits at 1420 feet near the top of the upper ski area lift, the valley floor is 440. 1/2 way up the 25% grade hill road it starts snowing wet/rain mix reach the top and it's wet or powder snow.

being able to clear snow from early oct to late april is a most have .western people don't think we can get what we do, many think of NJ as sea shore not the Appalachian mountains Appalachian Trail Conservancy which is only 1/2 mile away


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

87 powershift said:


> d3500ram
> 
> that 1.000 feet can be night and day as you and i well know, here in NW NJ my house sits at 1420 feet near the top of the upper ski area lift, the valley floor is 440. 1/2 way up the 25% grade hill road it starts snowing wet/rain mix reach the top and it's wet or powder snow.
> 
> being able to clear snow from early oct to late april is a most have .western people don't think we can get what we do, many think of NJ as sea shore not the Appalachian mountains Appalachian Trail Conservancy which is only 1/2 mile away


3 degrees centigrade per 1000 feet plus or minus. (5.38 F) You pilots know this stuff ;-)


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## Paulie139 (Sep 25, 2017)

d3500ram said:


> I have decided on (and ordered) my plan "B" snowblower.
> 
> ...will be getting the Ariens Platinum Track 28 SHO (28") 369cc Two-Stage Snow Blower.
> 
> I started out budgeting and focusing on a Troy-Bilt and appreciate everyone's input and advice in helping me decide to step up the quality factor. Sure it doubled my cost, but it is less than a Honda which I also considered.


I am also going to be purchasing the same exact model as you when I get my bonus check from work on November 17th. Where did you get yours from, might I ask? I'm leaning very heavily towards Snowblowersdirect.com for mine.


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

GoBlowSnow said:


> Ahhh life in Leadville, Colorado.


Not quite Leadville, but close, it is still BF High Country! ...LOL




87 powershift said:


> d3500ram
> that 1.000 feet can be night and day as you and i well know, here in NW NJ my house sits at 1420 feet near the top of the upper ski area lift, the valley floor is 440. 1/2 way up the 25% grade hill road it starts snowing wet/rain mix reach the top and it's wet or powder snow.
> 
> being able to clear snow from early oct to late april is a most have .western people don't think we can get what we do, many think of NJ as sea shore not the Appalachian mountains Appalachian Trail Conservancy which is only 1/2 mile away


Interesting that you say that about the altitude difference and its affects!... what you say is so true! I have noticed a decent number of folks here from New Jersey... I did not think that NJ got all that much snow, at least not from what I remember and from where I was born & raised down near the Shore (exit 114.) Sure we would get decent snows and dad had a couple of snowblowers. I would always help him with shoveling as he worked the machine. 

We had a Toro (at least I think it was, it was red.) It had a motor chassis that could interchange between reel mower in the summer and snow blower in the winter. We also had some sort of green metallic colored blower with steel wheels that had alternating "crimped" treads if that makes sense. Dad (who was a child of the Depression) always kept small engines running and in addition to the inherited snowblowers we always had a few lawn mowers that he repaired and kept running.

What ski area are you near? Back in the day I used to ski at Vernon Valley... is it still called that nowadays? 





stuart80112 said:


> 3 degrees centigrade per 1000 feet plus or minus. (5.38 F) You pilots know this stuff ;-)


Yep, that's about right... we are some 20-25 degrees cooler (winter or summer) than the Front Rangers. Not uncommon to have real COLD temperatures... this reading from my truck a couple of years ago one morning going to work ..Actual temp, not wind chill:












Paulie139 said:


> I am also going to be purchasing the same exact model as you when I get my bonus check from work on November 17th. Where did you get yours from, might I ask? I'm leaning very heavily towards Snowblowersdirect.com for mine.


I purchased from snowblowersdirect. I do not have a local dealer that carries Areins... only Troy, Honda or Toro. Through process of elimination I crossed off the Honda (price being a big factor), good advice from this forum made me choose against Troy and Toro does not make a track model... so internet sellers were my next resource.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

d3500ram said:


> ... We also had some sort of green metallic colored blower with steel wheels that had alternating "crimped" treads if that makes sense...


Sounds like one of these... Homco https://www.gilsonsnowblowers.com/snowvintage.html#homco


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

Not quite. The one we had incorporated green metallic steel case with some white coloured steel side covers of sorts and kinda' looked sorta' aerodynamic if that makes sense. The steel wheels IIRC were also green and were not as aggressive as the image to which you refer. If I remember, I think the wheels were not really all that exposed and were hidden undercover with all the slanted sheet metal. The green that I remember was more of an aqua-green metallic. I can still sort of envision it, but this was some 40+ years ago.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

d3500ram said:


> Not quite. The one we had incorporated green metallic steel case with some white coloured steel side covers of sorts and kinda' looked sorta' aerodynamic if that makes sense. The steel wheels IIRC were also green and were not as aggressive as the image to which you refer. If I remember, I think the wheels were not really all that exposed and were hidden undercover with all the slanted sheet metal. The green that I remember was more of an aqua-green metallic. I can still sort of envision it, but this was some 40+ years ago.


Sounds like my kind of machine. 

EDIT: Scroll up and down on that Gilson webpage ... it might be the Jari just two brandnames down on that page.... it has the concealed wheels etc.


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## Paulie139 (Sep 25, 2017)

d3500ram said:


> I purchased from snowblowersdirect. I do not have a local dealer that carries Areins... only Troy, Honda or Toro. Through process of elimination I crossed off the Honda (price being a big factor), good advice from this forum made me choose against Troy and Toro does not make a track model... so internet sellers were my next resource.


If you would, please keep me updated to let me know your experience with SBD along with the setup & use of the machine. Any tips, tricks and/or advice would be greatly appreciated!


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

stuart80112 said:


> ... Scroll up and down on that Gilson webpage ... it might be the Jari just two brandnames down on that page.... it has the concealed wheels etc.


No... wasn't that one. Below is a sketch of what I best remember it sorta' looking like. It was definitely a single stage snow blower:


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

d3500ram said:


> No... wasn't that one. Below is a sketch of what I best remember it sorta' looking like. It was definitely a single stage snow blower:


Quit messing with me... you KNOW I won't sleep tonight until I find it!! ;-)
So now I'll mess with you... that front end doesn't touch the snow... no candy for you until you get that fixed!! ;-)
Better stop here huh? LOL


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

Heck, I can't remember how the front exactly looked. I do remember the steel wheels were really just round plate steel whose treads were sorta' slits cut around the perimeter and had alternating crimped sides for the traction factor.

The chute IIRC was sorta' round and the center impellers were half-round, kinda' like a pipe cut in half lengthwise. It was a little similar to the one below as far as just the augers, impeller and chute only, the rest of the image in no where near what the rest of the blower was like:


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

was it something along these lines of snow blower


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

Dauntae said:


> was it something along these lines of snow blower ....


No... the side profile was sorta' like the image in my sketch above. The wheels were steel but essentially flat in that there was not really any width. The alternating crimps that I recall did not stick out much... think alternating teeth on a hand saw in theory but a more pronounces. The wheel literally was a round flat steel plate about 1/4", about 12-14" diameter.


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## Paulie139 (Sep 25, 2017)

d3500ram, have you received your new toy yet? If so, did everything go nice and smooth?


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

Because of work schedule and other commitments I scheduled the delivery for late next week. But in a coordination call with SnowBlowersDirect (SBD) and Old Dominion Trucking (ODT) we were able to get it delivered this coming Friday. SBD and ODT have great customer service and we were able to make things work out... I will be able to provide more info as to packaging, crating etc, and final delivery over the weekend when I unpack it. Stay tuned.


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

Paulie139 said:


> d3500ram, have you received your new toy yet? If so, did everything go nice and smooth?





Paulie139 said:


> If you would, please keep me updated to let me know your experience with SBD along with the setup & use of the machine. Any tips, tricks and/or advice would be greatly appreciated!


Tip: Make sure you look under the control dashboard as you raise the folded handle bars into the upright position!
You can read more in depth on the new machine in a thread that I posted in the Ariens sub-forum:
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...atinum-track-28-sho-recieved.html#post1305937


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