# Toro auto-turn vs trigger?



## rfra (Jan 17, 2018)

I've read a lot of complaints about how the Ariens hang up and the auto-turn causes them to push in the direction of whatever hung up, making them a real fight at times on uneven ground.

My understanding is that the Toro auto-turn uses the same licensed axle system but I've not heard anybody complain about bad auto-steer issues on the Toro. I'm suspecting this is because the Toro is much better balanced with less weight pushing on the skids and less likely to hang up causing this (just a theory).

Its more than just a passing curiosity for me. As I mentioned in a general thread, I'm in the market for a blower and I'm really torn right now between the 826OXE with auto-steer and the HD826OXE with trigger steer. The only real reason I'm thinking of paying 40% more for the HD is to avoid auto-steer issues... but maybe my fear is unfounded.


I'm hoping someone here has first hand experience with the Toro auto-steer on rough uneven gravel and can comment on its performance?


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## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

Besides the steering you get larger tires and auger on the HD series. Along with the larger auger you get the HD commercial grade gearbox. Toro's MSRP shows a $350 difference between the 2 models, of course dealer pricing can vary. Spread that difference over 10-15 years and you're talking less than it costs for a nice dinner out. Of course just a few dollars more and you can get one of my very favorite models the Power Max® HD 928 OHXE (38801) At $550 more you get a larger engine and hand warmers.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*TORO Does NOT use an auto turn set up like ERIN'S does they run the trigger set up.*


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## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> *TORO Does NOT use an auto turn set up like ERIN'S does they run the trigger set up.*


The Toro Power Max 826 OXE uses the General Transmissions DI 300. The Ariens, (ERIN'S) uses the General Transmissions DI 500. Toro calls it _Automatic Steering_.


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## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

The Toro HD series are soooo sweet that the OP is probably going to run out this morning and get a HD 926 OHXE anyway.:wink:


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Zavie said:


> The Toro Power Max 826 OXE uses the General Transmissions DI 300. The Ariens, (ERIN'S) uses the General Transmissions DI 500. Toro calls it _Automatic Steering_.


*OOPS Well just slap me silly with a rubber duck then because I don't really know much aboot those machines.*


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I own neither machine (I have an older Ariens with a "normal" differential, not Autoturn), but I'd lean towards the triggers setup. 

As you alluded to, the Ariens system appears to be sensitive to balance, and people have also often swapped to other skids, which ride more smoothly. For recent machines, Ariens shifted the axle position forward, to take weight off the bucket, which has apparently made Autoturn smoother and more cooperative. 

But balancing the machine is still a trade-off, even if Toro avoids a lot of weight on the bucket. With the bucket too light, the machine will be more likely to ride up on top of the snow, especially for snowbanks. I've added extra weight to my bucket, to help hold the nose down while going up my driveway's incline, as an example. Using that approach might cause trouble with an auto-steering machine. 

Based on the Autoturn issues, it seems to me that maybe the automatic systems are a bit *too* clever, and can be fooled by catching a skid on something in the snow, etc. Some people have good results with Autoturn, mind you, but it's the inconsistency that concerns me (it has more trouble with uneven/gravel driveways, etc). 

Personally, I'd rather have triggers. The machine will definitely track straight, in 2-wheel drive mode, until I tell it otherwise, so fewer surprises. Honda went to triggers on their latest HSS machines. I got to play with a Honda and an Autoturn Ariens in a showroom, the triggers seemed pretty nice to me. I haven't gotten to use them in the real world, sadly.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

Steering brakes provide the user with finer control so keep that in mind.


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## Brianwc (Oct 10, 2018)

why did Toro put the weaker Nylon cases Di300 in the new 928 OAE HD I think Im going to get the next model up with the triggers 2 models of the 1028 now one with plastic and one with the metal. Also they changed the impeller gear box


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## RusselBlueyes (2 mo ago)

Toro uses trigger steer in there bigger HD models. That should tell you something right there. In their testing, the power steering is not the best option for the bigger and heavier HD models. If it was, they would use that steering system instead of the trigger system. Ariens on the other hand, have placed all their eggs in the auto steer basket. Even their biggest pro models use auto steer. That is one of the reasons why I opted to go with a Toro 1232 HD. Not to mention the quick stick and patented 14 in no clog auger system. The Toro power steering may work well enough in the lighter machines. I haven't heard as much complaining about the Toro power steering compared to many disgruntled Airens auto steer users. Toro is a huge company with lots of resources worldwide. I think their engineers have found a way to make the Toro power steering work more consistently in adverse conditions. A Toro snow blower may not be a Honda or Yamaha, but as far as the best bang for the buck, Toro is hard to beat.


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

RusselBlueyes said:


> Toro uses trigger steer in there bigger HD models. That should tell you something right there. In their testing, the power steering is not the best option for the bigger and heavier HD models. If it was, they would use that steering system instead of the trigger system. Ariens on the other hand, have placed all their eggs in the auto steer basket. Even their biggest pro models use auto steer. That is one of the reasons why I opted to go with a Toro 1232 HD. Not to mention the quick stick and patented 14 in no clog auger system. The Toro power steering may work well enough in the lighter machines. I haven't heard as much complaining about the Toro power steering compared to many disgruntled Airens auto steer users. Toro is a huge company with lots of resources worldwide. I think their engineers have found a way to make the Toro power steering work more consistently in adverse conditions. A Toro snow blower may not be a Honda or Yamaha, but as far as the best bang for the buck, Toro is hard to beat.


The problem with the Ariens AutoTurn was the wheel Axel was set too far back in the tractor housing putting additional weight over the bucket. Anytime the scraper bar or skid shoes hit an uneven patch the autoturn would release thinking you were trying to physically turn the machine. Just switching to polyskids makes a drastic improvement. In 2017 Ariens moved the axle forward 2" to improve the balance of the machine and the autoturn has had zero issues ever since. The pro line machines always had the axle in the appropriate location so they were never affected. Since using the autoturn on Ariens Pro machine since 2015, I would never want any other set-up.


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