# Yamaha 1332



## stepher79

Hello,

Very interested in buying this machine but I can't seem to find any real world reviews. Does anybody have any actual experience with it? I can get it ordered in but I'd have to drive a few hours to see it in person, which I haven't done yet.

Is it too big/heavy? How's the handling? Is it too heavy to take on the grass? I realize the ground will be frozen, but 500lbs...

It's way more machine than I actually need but it looks like a lot of fun.


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## snoopy152

stepher79 said:


> Hello,
> 
> Very interested in buying this machine but I can't seem to find any real world reviews. Does anybody have any actual experience with it? I can get it ordered in but I'd have to drive a few hours to see it in person, which I haven't done yet.
> 
> Is it too big/heavy? How's the handling? Is it too heavy to take on the grass? I realize the ground will be frozen, but 500 lbs...
> 
> It's way more machine than I actually need but it looks like a lot of fun.


I doubt you'll find many reviews on it, given it's price and size.... Generally not a snowblower that the average home-owner would have but many would love to have it. Having said that, I can assure you, you can rest easy knowing it will be a great machine. I believe these machines turn very easily, as you can toggle to stop the left/right tracks, so it will turn on a dime. It is a big machine... I'm guessing you got a bit of real estate to clear? 

As for it's weight on grass, it will probably tear up the turf a bit. I have a YS928J (375 lbs) and occasionally I hit my lawn with it and the tracks tend to tear it up a bit. Assuming the ground is frozen solid, you should be fine. If I could have afforded one, I would have gotten it, but that's the testosterone getting the better of me :wink2:

Good luck and let us know how it works out when/if you buy it.


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## Coby7

It is a bit overkill but still it is a very good machine.


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## stepher79

10 car driveway (if people park properly), 50' x 20' run up to the front door and I'd like to drive it to the backyard to clear for a future ice rink next year. About 100' to get to the back and a 50' x 40' area to actually skate. It can be done with a lot less machine, might even be easier with something lighter, but this one is calling to me. It's definitely too big but the steering option seems like a pretty big deal so I've kind of ruled out the other yamahas.

Next option is probably one of the the Honda HSS blowers, much more practical in price and weight I guess.


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## penna stogey

Throwing out the welcome mat for your first post...Welcome to the SBF from Penciltucky!


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## stepher79

penna stogey said:


> Throwing out the welcome mat for your first post...Welcome to the SBF from Penciltucky!


Thank-you! I hope my next post is about how happy I am with whatever I end up actually getting.


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## Coby7

I'm going to weigh in, since I clear my neighbors rink. You definitely want to get the Yamaha 624. He has a Honda 928 and he struggles to clear the rink. Then he calls me over to help and I do circles around him. My lower driveway is 120' X 16' and my upper driveway is 80' X 40' and my 624 Yammy is just right for the job. It may take me an extra couple of passes but it does the job well. A plus is that all my sidewalks are 2 feet wide so no damage to the lawn.


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## leonz

stepher79 said:


> Hello,
> 
> Very interested in buying this machine but I can't seem to find any real world reviews. Does anybody have any actual experience with it? I can get it ordered in but I'd have to drive a few hours to see it in person, which I haven't done yet.
> 
> Is it too big/heavy? How's the handling? Is it too heavy to take on the grass? I realize the ground will be frozen, but 500lbs...
> 
> It's way more machine than I actually need but it looks like a lot of fun.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Steering brakes 

2. heavy weight traction

3. time savings when clearing driveways and killing off THE END OF DRIVEWAY MONSTER and feeding the moat monsters with its remains.

4. night time driveway cleaning ability with lights


5. think ten years down the road when you are older and you know have machine that will have all the power you need with OEM fuel jets. 

You could purchase the 1028 or the 624 and it will take you longer to clear and the high quality of manufacture will not let you down.


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## stepher79

First off, that ice looks fantasic. I hope I'll be able to get my rink like that. (How come the Honda struggles with it?)

How's the steering on the 624 and the 1028? My current wheeled blower has power steering though I tend to just push into the turns instead. I didn't think that would be so easy with a tracked model but maybe I'm wrong. I was originally considering the 1028 but the lack of power steering scared me off it a bit. The goofy white top they just added isn't helping things either.

I also want my wife to be able to operate it just in case I'm not around when a storm hits.


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## NWRider

It appears to be a little on the long side, but by looking at the video, it blows snow like a beast!


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## stepher79

It definitely moves a lot of snow, I feel like he's aiming for the power line. A little on the long side is right, didn't think it was quite that big.


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## stepher79

For anybody who is interested there is a guy on youtube 'Blind Man Handy Man' who goes pretty in depth on this machine. Gives a nice overview of the controls.


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## RC20

Welcome: Add in your profile you location, helps with assessment. 

I have run a 24 inch blower (owned) for the whole time I have been doing it. I have run other larger blower sizes.
Nothing is perfect and you have to assess your narrowest and maneuvering need vs the quantity.


In my case I clear a 150 foot 1.5 car width driveway, 300 feet of 1.5 blower width paths out back and with some regularity two neighbors driveways both about 4 cars wide and 50 feet long.


The paths and the gate construction areas pushed it to 24 inch and I just make a few more passes on the driveways. No big deal at a few more minutes. 

It seems to me that the big machine is a lot more than you need. 24 or 28 be it Honda or the Yamaha. I haven't run either one lately, we won't see Yamaha in Anchorage again. Modem machine gets you the trigger control which sounds nice. Mine turns ok, I have some back issues to I adjust and push the bar with my belly so not twisting. I am fine with the manual chute but the trigger control would be a nice plus, can't justify it as I can work around and nearest Yamaha dealer is 700 miles away.


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## leonz

stepher79 said:


> First off, that ice looks fantasic. I hope I'll be able to get my rink like that. (How come the Honda struggles with it?)
> 
> How's the steering on the 624 and the 1028? My current wheeled blower has power steering though I tend to just push into the turns instead. I didn't think that would be so easy with a tracked model but maybe I'm wrong. I was originally considering the 1028 but the lack of power steering scared me off it a bit. The goofy white top they just added isn't helping things either.
> 
> I also want my wife to be able to operate it just in case I'm not around when a storm hits.


==============================================================

The reason the honda struggles with the snow is that does not use a slick lining material.
your unit may have the old chute with the collar that concentrates the flow of snow out of the chute.


The Yamaha 1332 has: 

A lined impeller housing with a sheet of Teflon or other white slick material and a cast chute liner that reduces the friction created from the discharge of snow through the impeller housing and the chute.

The serrated cross augers shred the snow pack into very small pieces that aid in discharging the snow pack much more effectively as well


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## stepher79

RC20 said:


> Welcome: Add in your profile you location, helps with assessment.
> 
> I have run a 24 inch blower (owned) for the whole time I have been doing it. I have run other larger blower sizes.
> Nothing is perfect and you have to assess your narrowest and maneuvering need vs the quantity.
> 
> 
> In my case I clear a 150 foot 1.5 car width driveway, 300 feet of 1.5 blower width paths out back and with some regularity two neighbors driveways both about 4 cars wide and 50 feet long.
> 
> 
> The paths and the gate construction areas pushed it to 24 inch and I just make a few more passes on the driveways. No big deal at a few more minutes.
> 
> It seems to me that the big machine is a lot more than you need. 24 or 28 be it Honda or the Yamaha. I haven't run either one lately, we won't see Yamaha in Anchorage again. Modem machine gets you the trigger control which sounds nice. Mine turns ok, I have some back issues to I adjust and push the bar with my belly so not twisting. I am fine with the manual chute but the trigger control would be a nice plus, can't justify it as I can work around and nearest Yamaha dealer is 700 miles away.


I am in Luskville, Quebec - just outside Ottawa. Most years we definitely get our share of snow, though I will say the winters aren't what they used to be. We have dealers near by that can order in / service the machine but nobody close that actually stocks any of the models. Eventually I'll make the 2hr drive to Montreal to check them out in person, still in the research stage for now.

This Yamaha is definitely more than I need, but in general I do like to go a little 'more' with everything, my (very possibly incorrect) theory being if the machine isn't pushed to its limits constatly it will last longer. I wonder if this one might be so big that it becomes difficult to use, that's why I was hoping to find some real world reviews.

I got to this model only because of the steering, honestly if the 1028 had steering I would stop right there. The steering is important for me, I already have regular chiro appointments for my back, whatever I buy next will hopefully take me well into my 60s so it will be more important then. 

After that it will be ime for a snow removal contract.


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## Nanook12

The newer tracked Honda’s have steering and all the power you need. You squeeze what looks like a bike brake handle and the track stops on that side, the moving track then turns the machine on a dime. I have the HSS928 tracked, 2020 model. There is no blower restriction the snow blows for 15 - 20 meters. My machine has never plugged up or gotten stuck. The thing is a beast. You can run it all day and not be worn out. I put the front skids on mine and doing that will keep it from damaging your lawn.


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## stepher79

Nanook12 said:


> The newer tracked Honda’s have steering and all the power you need. You squeeze what looks like a bike brake handle and the track stops on that side, the moving track then turns the machine on a dime. I have the HSS928 tracked, 2020 model. There is no blower restriction the snow blows for 15 - 20 meters. My machine has never plugged up or gotten stuck. The thing is a beast. You can run it all day and not be worn out. I put the front skids on mine and doing that will keep it from damaging your lawn.


That's actually the exact model that I started out looking at, the small price difference between that and the HSS1332 got me tinking of moving up a size, more for the engine size than clearing width. We have a lot dealers in the area so I've been able to check them out first hand, very nice and refined looking machines. My wife, who hasen't looked at any snow blower at all, pushed towards Yamaha. 

Years ago I bought a craftsman lawnmower with a Honda engine, wasn't cheap but not near as much as the full badge Honda's, thing was a lemon and never worked right after the first season. Spent more money in tune-ups than what it was worth - it was not commercial grade. On the Yamaha side I bought a used pressure washer that looks like it's been to h*** and back, it works perfectly and I never put a dime into it. For the full retail price of that thing though, I'm sure it's a commercial model so not apples to apples but, that's why she prefers Yamaha.

I think they both make great stuff so I'm happy with either. We only ever ran Honda generators on jobsites, they were never maintained properly and they always just worked.

Because of the price differences to get the steering I feel I may end up with a Honda at the end of the day. I think it'll be decided when I finally go see the big Yamaha in person. It'll either be love at first site or 'what was I thinking'. I'm not stuck right now so no rush. 

Also hoping there may be a big sale later in the year; Honda's current $200 discounts don't really seem like that big a deal given the price of the machines.


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## stepher79

Two more questions I was hoping somebody could help me with.

1. What's the min transport height? Manual gives it a height of 53.5" but I assume that's with the chute pointing up.
2. Does Yamaha make their own transmissions? Noticed in the manual you have to check and top up fluid levels. Reading other posts I get the impression most new machines are using a sealed design from one common manufacturer.


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## RC20

I don't have data on the first.


The second is one of those, Maint Free Battery things. Really is no such thing. I have a maint free no have to change and fluid auto trany for the Passat. You need to change it every 60k or it starts workign badly. 



What they claim and the reality are different. Any unit can loose fluid, you are better off with one you can check and fill back up. Ergo, Yahmaha is honest and gives you the ability to deal with it. The others hope you don't keep the machine long enough to loose enough fluid to have it fail. It ooozes a bit out the seals, if it oozes enough then its a short term issue. Some may last forever. I wish mine had a drain plug and fill plug in right locations (you can do it but its requires a tip up and that means oil and gas spill issues)


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## leonz

Hello and good morning stepher79,

You may want to even consider the Yamaha 824 as an option as it is lighter in weight.
If you look up Yamaha snow blowers on youtube you will eventually see videos from Luc Gallant. 
He has either the 624 or 824 and he deals with heavy snows where he lives and monster snow boulders left by the plow.
Lucs wife was filming him clear snow boulders from the end of his driveway in
that video and their rug rat was out there cheering him on as he killed off the end of driveway monsters boulders.


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## Coby7

You must mean 828


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## stepher79

I actually found a place with a 624 on the floor this weekend, has a very well built and solid feel to it and the dealer is willing to move on price a little. It does look small enough to manhandle around a bit though I would still have a preference for steering. For the right price though I think I can live without that feature.

Videos are pretty impressive especially given the engine size.

I've never been a fan of 'maintenance free', mostly because I equate that with throw away. Everything does seem to be moving that way though, pretty good endorsement if Honda is now on board with it for their transmissions.


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## squid3083

leonz said:


> If you look up Yamaha snow blowers on youtube you will eventually see videos from Luc Gallant.
> He has either the 624 or 824 and he deals with heavy snows where he lives and monster snow boulders left by the plow.
> Lucs wife was filming him clear snow boulders from the end of his driveway in
> that video and their rug rat was out there cheering him on as he killed off the end of driveway monsters boulders.


The video you may be referring to ??
2017 624 it says


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## RC20

Looks like he does not know how to adjust the strut to get front down-force.


He seems somewhat inept on blowing snow but maybe its the show biz thing.


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## RC20

leonz said:


> Hello and good morning stepher79,
> 
> You may want to even consider the Yamaha 824 as an option as it is lighter in weight.
> If you look up Yamaha snow blowers on youtube you will eventually see videos from Luc Gallant.
> He has either the 624 or 824 and he deals with heavy snows where he lives and monster snow boulders left by the plow.
> Lucs wife was filming him clear snow boulders from the end of his driveway in
> that video and their rug rat was out there cheering him on as he killed off the end of driveway monsters boulders.



Said rug rt was color coordinated with the Yamaha, I love it.


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## leonz

RC20 said:


> Looks like he does not know how to adjust the strut to get front down-force.
> 
> 
> He seems somewhat inept on blowing snow but maybe its the show biz thing.


===================================================================


Hello RC20,

I think Luc was more worried about eating the snow boulders first as he was clearing the sidewalk near the end before his lovely wife said it was to cold to stay out more and keep filming.


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## astro

IF you are still looking at the 1332, I bought one last year. hit me up with any questions.


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## stepher79

astro said:


> IF you are still looking at the 1332, I bought one last year. hit me up with any questions.


Great, if it happens it'll be this upcoming fall.

1. How's the construction / build quality?
2. How's the handling?Is it so big that it's cumbersome?
3. If you had a do-over woud you buy it again?

Thanks.


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## astro

Good build quality. The paint on the auger doesn't last very long. It feels solid when using. The handling is pretty good. I drive it through a narrow doorway for storage. You can go supper slow if you want to. 

I haven't found it cumbersome. There are still some times where I'll push it around with the handles. Did a bunch of hard end of driveway stuff that had set up for about a week and it cut through it well. Hardly jumped around at all.
I had a light weight Ariens before and I felt like I was always fighting to keep it going where I wanted it to go. This is pretty much walk behind and steer. Even with the weight and long tracks it still gets stopped by ice frozen to the ground. 

Would definitely buy again.


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## Buy it Right

Well, I am purchasing one this week. Seems expensive but my back can't handle a regular push blower any more. Hoping for the best.


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## leonz

Hello Buy it Right,

Buy Ethanol free 91 octane fuel, seafoam fuel treatment, Fluid Film in the aerosol can to coat the cross auger housing and the augers and it will cut down on ice build up on the shredding augers and you will probably double your casting distance too.


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## Yamaha Dude

leonz said:


> Hello Buy it Right,
> 
> Buy Ethanol free 91 octane fuel, seafoam fuel treatment, Fluid Film in the aerosol can to coat the cross auger housing and the augers and it will cut down on ice build up on the shredding augers and you will probably double your casting distance too.


Yamaha makes a fuel stabilizer and conditioner as well as Ring Free. These are non-alcohol and are very effective in my experience.


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## 140278

Buy it Right said:


> Well, I am purchasing one this week. Seems expensive but my back can't handle a regular push blower any more. Hoping for the best.


welcome to the SBF
bad backs your not alone


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## 140278

Yamaha Dude said:


> Yamaha makes a fuel stabilizer and conditioner as well as Ring Free. These are non-alcohol and are very effective in my experience.


welcome to the SBF


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## benson_craig

Any updates on the 1332?
How’s the steering ?


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