# Platinum SHO RapidTrak 28



## Kingwood43 (Jun 20, 2018)

I am replacing my 23 year old snow blower this year and looked at the Husqvarna ST324P and Honda models but am leaning heavily on an Ariens. The 3 models I am considering are the Platinum 24 SHO, Platinum 24 SHO EFI and the new for this year Platinum SHO Rapid Trak 28. I would be interested in comments/experience with the Ariens Rapid Trak system. All 3 machines are more than adequate for my needs but at 75 I was looking for my last snow blower and something easier to steer. I thought I wanted trigger steer but from what I am reading the Ariens Auto-Turn should work just as well. Any thoughts and comments would be appreciated before I take the plunge. Thanks


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

*snow blower help*



Kingwood43 said:


> I am replacing my 23 year old snow blower this year and looked at the Husqvarna ST324P and Honda models but am leaning heavily on an Ariens. The 3 models I am considering are the Platinum 24 SHO, Platinum 24 SHO EFI and the new for this year Platinum SHO Rapid Trak 28. I would be interested in comments/experience with the Ariens Rapid Trak system. All 3 machines are more than adequate for my needs but at 75 I was looking for my last snow blower and something easier to steer. I thought I wanted trigger steer but from what I am reading the Ariens Auto-Turn should work just as well. Any thoughts and comments would be appreciated before I take the plunge. Thanks


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Hello and welcome to the forum kingwood,

Are you in Canada or the United States? 

When you are browsing keep in mind the units with steering brakes have much better control and are easy to adjust when it is required.

Have you looked at the self propelled toro snow blowers?

A tracked machine with the standard rubber caterpillar tracks with steering brakes is heavier and it will provide more traction for you. Most of these have electric start and also a manual recoil starter. 

A snow mule that has an enclosed cross auger housing will ride up on snow that has gone through a freeze thaw cycle. The wheeled snow mules that have an open base with the cross auger exposed will chew into the END OF DRIVEWAY MONSTER more easily.

The track drive units can make use of the manual lift or hydraulic lift assist from a shock absorber mounted on the rear of the snow mule. The tractive effort created by the heavier weight of these snow mules aids in disposing of the END OF DRIVEWAY MONSTER.

The bad thing about the current bunch of snow mules offered on this side of the Canadian border is that they have no slick sheet material to aid in preventing snow and ice from clogging the chutes. All the Yamahas have slick sheet material and the largest being the 1332 has cast teflon slick parts to aid in preventing clogged chutes and slick sheet in the impeller housing 

The high horsepower units of course have more torque to aid in spinning the impeller faster to clear the snow. 

The Toro power clear models have steering brakes and the patented clog free impeller housing that pushes out excess snow to avoid having to deal with unclogging the chute.


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

Welcome

This is a newer model so I suggest contacting this man Paul Sikkema at his website called Moving Snow. He is good at responding to questions there

Rapid Trak here:

https://movingsnow.com/2018/ariens-...around-review-videos-best-snow-blower-market/


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## Kingwood43 (Jun 20, 2018)

I'm in the United States, Maryland.
Have not looked at the Toro snowblowers other than on the internet, closest Dealer is some distance so only looked at Ariens, Honda and Husqvarna so far.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

The toros are very good machines, they got in to the snow removal business years ago when they started making the first snow pups one of which we owned.
I would have all four of them but the first two died in snow storms of side frame failure in the middle of snow storms.

I end up using the Toros when the JDLA115's snwo blower breaks down 3 minutes after I start using it.


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

Kingwood43 said:


> I am replacing my 23 year old snow blower this year and looked at the Husqvarna ST324P and Honda models but am leaning heavily on an Ariens. The 3 models I am considering are the Platinum 24 SHO, Platinum 24 SHO EFI and the new for this year Platinum SHO Rapid Trak 28. I would be interested in comments/experience with the Ariens Rapid Trak system. All 3 machines are more than adequate for my needs but at 75 I was looking for my last snow blower and something easier to steer. I thought I wanted trigger steer but from what I am reading the Ariens Auto-Turn should work just as well. Any thoughts and comments would be appreciated before I take the plunge. Thanks



24 Sho carb would seem smart at 75


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

Kingwood43 said:


> I'm in the United States, Maryland.
> Have not looked at the Toro snowblowers other than on the internet, closest Dealer is some distance so only looked at Ariens, Honda and Husqvarna so far.


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I would like you to wander over to a Toro dealer and have a chat with them before you open your wallet.


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