# Pro 28 model 926038 vs 926065



## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

Ok, so I'm shopping for a snow blower. Ariens is on the list and I notice that the model number for the Pro 28 switched from 926038 over to 926065. 

Does anybody know if they just got tired of the old number or if they actually changed something in the design? 

I have not seen anybody with the new model yet. I do still see places listing the old model in stock. If there is an improvement in the beast, I'd rather not get the "bad old one". If it's just a change in tire width from 5" to 4.8", I can live with that. 

Indeed, like everybody else who ever buys another snowblower, I'm going in circles about which one. The bad part is I can clearly remember my dad going around in the same circles 50 years ago ... several dozen snowblowers later, there still is no clear and simple answer other than "go large". 

Bob


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

uncle_bob said:


> Hi
> 
> Ok, so I'm shopping for a snow blower. Ariens is on the list and I notice that the model number for the Pro 28 switched from 926038 over to 926065.
> 
> ...


:white^_^arial^_^0^_ Uncle Bob

Hate to admit it but I probably spent more time researching my new snowblower than my car. I was close to buying a Pro 28 last year but it was overkill for the winters we usually get here but certainly a fine machine. I went with a Platinum 24 SHO.

Ariens has made some significant changes this year for winter 2016/2017:

Probably the most significant change is the axle has been moved closer to the auger housing. This is said to have been done to improve the machine's balance and prevent any issues with their Auto Turn system.

On the Professional series the handle bars are now much more substantial than years past as well, more Simplicity Signature Pro-like now. The Ariens logo has also changed and the wheels are now painted black instead of gray (I know not biggies)

Good luck on your search, you won't go wrong with an Ariens Pro series machine and Ariens customer support is top notch.


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## stromr (Jul 20, 2016)

If you liked last years Ariens you'll like this years better I'll bet. The new placement of the axle should make the auto turn feature work even better. Some say buying a new snowblower is like buying a new car. Some people like Fords, some Chevys, some Dodges. Some people swear by Ariens, Toro, Honda or Husqvarna. Some people swear at them! We won't know for 20 years. I like my new Husky but you can't go wrong with an Ariens.


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

Ok, I had seen mention of the axle move on the Deluxe and Platinum models. It was abundantly unclear if that applied to the Pro as well. My entire issue is the 3' wide / 3' high EOD that the township drops at the end of the three car wide drive. I very much understand *why* they do it. (The mayor works the same place I do). 

From the prices I have seen so far, the cost difference between the Pro at HD and the Platinum at a dealer an hour drive (half hour out / half hour back) away isn't all that big. Yes, I'd rather go with the dealer. At least around here, they aren't exactly local. From past experience on this sort of stuff, they are going to charge more than just a little to drop by here. Welcome to living in a small town ....

I think that over the years, I've bought / sold / broke just about every snowblower brand known. I am pretty sure that the ideal snowblower has yet to be invented. There are none of them that will go out and do the drive while I sit and finish my coffee 

Bob


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Dealer anyway


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

GoBlowSnow said:


> Dealer anyway


Hi

That's a fair comment. 

The last three I have bought from have gone out of business. The local guy who Ariens still lists as a dealer has been gone for a couple years. It is getting harder to find dealers..... They *ARE* something we do need to keep around.

Bob


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## stromr (Jul 20, 2016)

uncle_bob said:


> Hi
> 
> Ok, I had seen mention of the axle move on the Deluxe and Platinum models. It was abundantly unclear if that applied to the Pro as well. My entire issue is the 3' wide / 3' high EOD that the township drops at the end of the three car wide drive. I very much understand *why* they do it. (The mayor works the same place I do).
> 
> ...


Wasn't the axle already moved on the dealer only models? 

Wouldn't doubt if we see remote control snowblowers soon, after all there are vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers already.


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

stromr said:


> Wasn't the axle already moved on the dealer only models?
> 
> Wouldn't doubt if we see remote control snowblowers soon, after all there are vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers already.


Hi

That's what I thought, but I certainly am no expert on the ins and outs of each model. I finally found some promo stuff that would load properly. The handle bar assembly definitely is new. I also suspect they changed tire vendors since the size changed just a bit. 

I'm not quite sure I'm ready for an autonomous snowblower. They seem to get in *plenty* of trouble even with adult supervision .....

Bob


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

uncle_bob said:


> I am pretty sure that the ideal snowblower has yet to be invented. There are none of them that will go out and do the drive while I sit and finish my coffee
> 
> Bob


It will be hard to make the "ideal" general snowblower as there are so many factor involved, but an "ideal" snowblower could be made to suit your needs though :blush:

Now, on the snowblower that can clean your driveway as you finish your coffee, yes there is one (you just need to be behind the R/C). It is an automated Ariens blower. It costs about $10k though :blush:










4WD Snow Blower RC Robot - RobotShop






There are a few other automated blowers an plows.... browse on google or youtube... :blush::blush::blush:


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

I have yet to own a snowblower that does not require a shove or a yank to keep it out of trouble. Setting one up to run in a field .... Sure, can be done. Running it around a tight packed suburban lot with lots of obstacles (like the neighbor kids), that is a very different thing. 

Bob


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

In the future, they will have transporters and tractor beams to move the snow! "Beam the snow away, Scotty."


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

The tech to heat the drive and make the snow "vanish" has been around for a while. My guess is that transporter beams will be even more expensive.....

I tried to do some research via friends on the local dealers. I had one dealer back a few years who had a $300 "pick up fee". Not the repair cost, just the charge for the truck. So far all I have found are a lot of guys who buy MTD's and throw them away....It seems like a real machine is about as popular as the tractor beam approach...

Bob


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

Well, here's how it all turned out .... 

A dealer moved his store to be closer to where I live (seems like a nice touch  ). They opened up as I was posting this thread. Everybody at the location is fairly new. I spent a lot of time educating them on the snowblowers they sell. In their defense, it is 90+ out and they are still selling lawn mowers like crazy. 

Over the weekend they finally got their inventory sorted out well enough to figure out that they don't have a 926065 in stock (yup,..) and they don't have one on order ( a bit bigger surprise). I put one on order and it should be in before mid October. If we get snow before then, I'll just ignore it and wait 10 minutes for it to melt.

Lots of fun ...

Bob


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## Eafoxjr (Feb 24, 2016)

I live in a small town also but we do not have a shortage of snowblower dealers. Five in fact. Tractor Supply sells Cub Cadet. A John Deere farm implement dealer sells Honda, a New Holland - Ariens, and a Kabota dealer also sells Honda and Husqvarna. There is a stand alone Toro dealer. All of these within a mile of my house. Oh, I almost forgot about a furniture store that has Troy Bilt. Plus there are five Lowes and two Home Depots within thirty miles.
I was in a dilemma when I had to choose my new blower.


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

Based on earlier input on this thread "Big Box Stores" don't count as snowblower dealers. The last blower was an MTD. Not going that way again. There's to much snow here for a cheap blower. 

More or less the short list came down to:

Honda
Ariens 
Toro 

Honda came up outside my price range, once I figured out which one was which. Once the cost went past $3K it was out of my range. Toro was next if I could not find an Ariens that made sense. I suspect that they all are a bit of overkill. I'm willing to risk that rather than have the hassle. 

Bob


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## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

uncle_bob said:


> Hi
> 
> Based on earlier input on this thread "Big Box Stores" don't count as snowblower dealers. The last blower was an MTD. Not going that way again. There's to much snow here for a cheap blower.
> 
> ...


I have a local big box store (Farm + Flight style store) named running's whose headquarters is out of MN. They sell Ariens and others, when I asked about maintenance and/or warranty the associate said they actually have a spot in the back of there store for that. Now I am not sure about the credentials of the person that might be working on it but so far they are the best bet for me on a warranty support stand point as any other local dealers are a good 20min away. They of course only have the basic deluxe models, no high output ones.


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

The whole issue of maintenance was a key part of my search. If I buy another "throw away" machine, that does not matter a whole lot. If I'm going to buy something a bit higher end, it does matter. Yes indeed that attitude is a bit of a self fulfilling sort of thing 

Bob


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

Congrats on ordering the beast Bob, you will be very happy with it. As you said (worst case wait 10 minutes for it to melt..lol) I don't think you will have any problem waiting until mid October if necessary always worth waiting for the one you want. The dealer even moved closer to you the time to buy was ripe. Enjoy it remember to post some pics when she arrives.


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

Thanks

The biggest issue was convincing the guy that I did not want either of the new 2015's he had sitting there. My guess is that they might sell them at "full price" ( = same discount as the 2016 's ). A better guess is that they will further discount them next March....

Bob


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

Sort of answering my original question with a few more details:

The traction belt and friction wheel on the 065 are different part numbers than on the 038. No idea if they are bigger / smaller / strange color. Something must have changed a bit in the drivetrain if anything significant was done to those parts. 

The engine key has a new part number. I suspect that is more related to the logo change than anything else. 

I was mainly digging to make sure that things like sheer bolts were not going to be a unique item on this version. They appear to be the same 52100100 ones that have been on the Pro series for a while. If they were unique to this model year, it would have been time to get some on order ....

Bob


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