# The new ST300 Series with friction disc drive, how are they?



## Toro-J (Apr 11, 2019)

I have settled for the ST330P snowblower last year, but I wanted to hold off buying one until now. I called up my Husqy dealer to see if he could locate one for me, he said none left around. He did give me a good price on a ST327, but told him I'm pretty set on a hydostatic drive.

He commented to me that they were runaways, the reason why they went back to disc drive. 

Have you guys heard anything similar?

The main reason I'm posting here is I wanted.to know if anyone have purchased the new ST330 disc drive and how is it performing.


----------



## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Can't go wrong with disc drive...easy and cheap to maintain


----------



## Toro-J (Apr 11, 2019)

cranman said:


> Can't go wrong with disc drive...easy and cheap to maintain


Thanks.


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah, disc drive been around for like ever .... with good reason.


----------



## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

Husqy-J said:


> I have settled for the ST330P snowblower last year, but I wanted to hold off buying one until now. I called up my Husqy dealer to see if he could locate one for me, he said none left around. He did give me a good price on a ST327, but told him I'm pretty set on a hydostatic drive.
> 
> He commented to me that they were runaways, the reason why they went back to disc drive.
> 
> ...


Runaways? What does that even mean? Seems like a strange answer since their top of the line 400 series are all hydro.

BTW I agree you should get a disc drive. Look at Ariens.


----------



## Toro-J (Apr 11, 2019)

oneacer said:


> Yeah, disc drive been around for like ever .... with good reason.


True, my John Deere blower friction disc never needed replacing for the last 20 years of ownership, and WI winters are brutal.


----------



## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

All I've ever owned are disc drive blowers. Always work and 99.99% of the time they do *not* slip.


----------



## Toro-J (Apr 11, 2019)

Zavie said:


> Runaways? What does that even mean? Seems like a strange answer since their top of the line 400 series are all hydro.
> 
> BTW I agree you should get a disc drive. Look at Ariens.


Runaways, I just assumed he meant the drive wasn't releasing 

Looks like I'll be staying with disc drive which I feel more comfortable with anyway, repairs would be less expensive if ever needed, and I'm used to a six speed drive.


----------



## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

husqy-j said:


> runaways, i just assumed he meant the drive wasn't releasing
> 
> looks like i'll be staying with disc drive which i feel more comfortable with anyway, repairs would be less expensive if ever needed, and i'm used to a six speed drive.


yeah!!


----------



## Toro-J (Apr 11, 2019)

micah68kj said:


> All I've ever owned are disc drive blowers. Always work and 99.99% of the timethey do *not* slip.


Agreed👍


----------



## 88-tek (Nov 5, 2017)

micah68kj said:


> All I've ever owned are disc drive blowers. Always work and 99.99% of the time they do *not* slip.



Amen, Brother. ccasion14:


----------



## Toro-J (Apr 11, 2019)

Any owners here with the new Husqvarna ST 330 friction disc drive that can enlighten me on their performance & reliability? Performance, I mean the whole machine, I'm already good with the disc drive☺


----------



## all3939 (Dec 21, 2014)

Husqy-J said:


> True, my John Deere blower friction disc never needed replacing for the last 20 years of ownership, and WI winters are brutal.


It's not the brutal winters that take out the friction disc, I'd say more like the brutal owners.....


----------



## Toro-J (Apr 11, 2019)

I went ahead and ordered the ST-330 from my Husqy dealer, it should be in this weekend.❄❄❄


----------



## Toro-J (Apr 11, 2019)

So far I'm not very impressed with my 2019 st330 blower. I was hoping it would have a little more power with additional 3hp over my 8hp 1996 John Deere 826D snowblower. While going through 8" of snow at a continously pace in 1st, it will bog down to the point it will stall the engine if I were to continue up to 8 feet, the snow was somewhere average moisture content. For some reason, my John Deere would have no issue with this depth of snow. The drive seems to slip quite easily compared to the John Deere and of course, as with most blowers, reverse is useless. Pushing down on the handlebars is like pushing down a 70 pound weight. To top it off, one tire leaks air at 10 ponds a week, I noticed this the first time I took the blower out, it kept veering to the flat tire side.

I was hoping with a bigger machine, life with blowing snow would have been a bit easier for me, living in a rural area with flat open fields on three sides of my property. Whenever I get prevailing NW winds, it easily results in 24 to 40"+ snow drifts across my 70' driveway and with a 100' trail in my backyard to keep open to back up my pickup & trailer to my wood pile. These snow drifts always appear whether it snows or not when these winds blow in.

I took my snowblower in today to my small engine repair guy where I purchased the blower, for him to check it out and I'm sure he can correct some issues with the blower, but I doubt where the engine power is cocerned.


----------



## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

slightly interesting read, as I was not aware until recent post and looking online, that they have REMOVED the hydro from their former top of the line series 300, and it is only on the 4XX series now


----------



## Toro-J (Apr 11, 2019)

I sold the Husqvarna ST330 last week and turned around and bought a Toro 1428 OHXO. No snow yet but took it for a dry run, real impressed with it, well balanced and so much easier to manuveur. Great pulling power! Waiting for some 💨❄


----------



## Doofy (Dec 6, 2020)

Husqy-J said:


> True, my John Deere blower friction disc never needed replacing for the last 20 years of ownership, and WI winters are brutal.


The friction disc on my Tru-Test is in perfect condition even after almost 40 years. Still looking for a spare, just in case.


----------



## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

good luck with the big toro,


----------

