# New Stanley 36" Commerical Two Stage



## Jim (Nov 26, 2013)

Hi Everyone,

This if my first new snowblower.
Putting it together was not fun.
The manual did not include how to install the shift rod.
I called customer service for GXI, they helped me out.
I purchased it thru BJ's Wholesale Club. 
Got a good price on it compared to what i have found on line.

Here she is:

http://www.gxioutdoorpower.com/mage...wers/stanley-commercial-36in-snow-blower.html

She is a beast, and weights a hefty 350 lbs. but after putting her altogether tonight for the snowstorm were expecting overnight; the engine seems to handle the weight pretty well. I took her up and down the drive way on a quick test drive.

I set the skid shoes at 1/2 inch is that good/normal setting for some concrete but mostly stone driveway?

Any advice for a new owner please chime in.
Thank you.
Cheers,
Jim


----------



## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

cograts on your new toy, on gravel that is a good starter point for hight on gravel , if you hear alot of rocks go higher. Blow with the wind.


----------



## Jim (Nov 26, 2013)

Thanks Scott,
We got 3 inches or so in the last 2 hrs. Hear anywhere from 8-12 by the time Thursday comes.. 
Yea ! Cant wait to see if this thing can really throw. The 420CC engine and 16 " Impeller
should perform like a champ.. or at least here's to hoping it does.

Cheers
Jim


----------



## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

Congrats on your new workhorse Jim, she certainly is a beast!
My manual recommends 1/8" for concrete/asphalt and 7/8" for gravel. My driveway is loose crushed rock and I plow gopher trails on the lawn to keep snow away from the house and aid in meltwater drainage, so I go 1/8" for the sidewalks (set with paint stir sticks) and 1" for the overland stuff. Works for my purposes.
Enjoy your new iron.
Larry


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Blue Hill said:


> Congrats on your new workhorse Jim, she certainly is a beast!
> My manual recommends 1/8" for concrete/asphalt and 7/8" for gravel. My driveway is loose crushed rock and I plow gopher trails on the lawn to keep snow away from the house and aid in meltwater drainage, so I go 1/8" for the sidewalks (set with paint stir sticks) and 1" for the overland stuff. Works for my purposes.
> Enjoy your new iron.
> Larry


How does that work for you? Do you actually stop and adjust them every time you use it? I always wondered why snowblowers don't have adjustable skids more like lawnmowers where you can change it on the fly. Seems a lot of people blow on multiple surfaces. I did see someone fit lawnmower wheels to a blower once somewhere.

I know the track drive ones do have an adjustment for that.


----------



## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

Shryp said:


> How does that work for you? Do you actually stop and adjust them every time you use it? I always wondered why snowblowers don't have adjustable skids more like lawnmowers where you can change it on the fly. Seems a lot of people blow on multiple surfaces. I did see someone fit lawnmower wheels to a blower once somewhere.
> 
> I know the track drive ones do have an adjustment for that.


Yes I usually do the sidewalks first and then reset and do the rest. I have a cab on my machine and it has pockets, so I carry a socket wrench in the pocket and the two shim sets (1/8" and 1") are each threaded onto one of those round loose leaf clips that I picked up at Staples. Those hang off of the interior frame of the cab so I've always got everything I need with me. It only takes about 30 seconds to do the reset if I have everything with me.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

If you don't have a lot to do I usually do grass by just pushing the handles down a bit and free handing it. Probably not so good with gravel. Wonder if you could make something that snaps on to the existing ones. Look on the bright side, your bolts shouldn't get rusted in place if you adjust them every use.


----------



## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

Shryp said:


> If you don't have a lot to do I usually do grass by just pushing the handles down a bit and free handing it. Probably not so good with gravel. Wonder if you could make something that snaps on to the existing ones. Look on the bright side, your bolts shouldn't get rusted in place if you adjust them every use.


There's always a bright side 
I hadn't thought of making something that snaps on to the skids. Hmmm. Sort of like snowblower slippers . I'll have to put on the old thinking cap.


----------



## Jim (Nov 26, 2013)

Blue Hill said:


> There's always a bright side
> I hadn't thought of making something that snaps on to the skids. Hmmm. Sort of like snowblower slippers . I'll have to put on the old thinking cap.


Run with this ideal of a very quick easy change height skid.
I would buy them in a minute.
As ideally I want it scraped on the concrete and at least 1/2 inch on the gravel.
Great idea.
Cheers
Jim


----------



## Jim (Nov 26, 2013)

Guys please see this about the Stanley:

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...inch-stanley-already-broken-2.html#post132817

Cheers
Jim


----------



## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

Jim said:


> Guys please see this about the Stanley:
> 
> http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...inch-stanley-already-broken-2.html#post132817
> 
> ...



This really shouldn't come as any surprise. Stanley are one of the brands to stay away from. They are 100% Chinese.


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

BUT, in a year or three it's likely they'll all come from China. The trick is for someone, Sears, Toro, Husqvarna or even Stanley to spec out a heavy duty machine with thicker metal and a more robust transmission and bushings or bearings that can be mistreated and take it and keep going.

The present problem is the same as when it was cheap cheesy "Jap" products. Who today wouldn't trade for a Honda blower or for a Honda engine re-power ?? I'd love to have a Yamaha but I never see a used one around here. I don't have the cash for a Honda or Yamaha new and the fact they get that for them shows they found out you can make more money selling a Cadillac that doesn't cost that much more to make than you can make selling a crappy Chevette.
Right now it seems all we here are getting is the Chinese Chevette. 

It's a matter of making the company that's sending it's specs to China build a robust machine adding a hundred or two in cost and not sending cheesy specs for a crappy machine that barely gets the job done during the warranty period and then falls apart and is no longer supported with parts.

It's just my two cents but it seems to be what's happening. We need to not buy crappy blowers and complain to the companies that allow that crap to be sold in their name.


----------



## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> BUT, in a year or three it's likely they'll all come from China.


I hear ya. I brought this up on Ariens FB page when they asked a question about when everybody thinks the 4 millionth blower will be built. We'll see how truthful their answer was soon enough.


----------



## cdestuck (Jan 20, 2013)

Hi Jim, Saw your post about your blower breaking but glad your getting your loot back. Can I ask ya, what drew you to Stanley brand of a blower? I've never knew they made blowers before I read your post. Just wondering.


----------



## Jim (Nov 26, 2013)

Hi CD,
I was admittedly green when it came to buying a new snowblower. It was all about price and size. I have a big enough drive to justify 36 inch blower and saw the stanley cost north of $2000 at most stores, so when BJ's offered it at $1500 on sale i jumped.
The machine i am told is "junk" made in china, etc. That is why GXI had a tough time getting parts i guess. 
But when you pay a good buck you expect a decent product not junk. and this machine is just that.
They are also sold as Snow Beast by Home depot.
I am just glad to be rid of it, as i know it would be years of headache.
Cheers
Jim


----------



## fronos4 (Jan 29, 2011)

When I was looking around for a new snowblower years back, those "monster" commercial-claimed snowblowers caught my eye for a moment. The price seemed like a good deal - cost to size ratio, I was thinking WOW, look how much machine your getting for the price! Then I came to the realization that if I'm going to spend +$1500 on a snowblower, I'd better stick to something with a proven history and readily available parts. I'm sure those machines are serving their purpose in the population without issue, but as shared by you, not so much... Anyways, glad to hear you got your money back.


----------



## cdestuck (Jan 20, 2013)

Thanks Jim, just wondered. I really try to stay with major brands. and that's after a lot of reading. But do remember my first one. My mom worked at Sears so bought a Craftsman. 5hp, 21'' cut. Had the small wheels with chains. That was back in 1977. I guess all in all it sis well by me caus I ran it a long time and did about 7 drives in my neighborhood. Sold it then for a decent price and bought a Simplicity 824. Thing was tuff as nails and I kept it in top shape later selling it to a friend for a great price. Now have a Toro 826 with the quick stick which I love. Bought me a single stage Toro Powerclear as a backup and for the baby snows. Thanks


----------



## Brucebotti (Feb 10, 2013)

JRHAWK9 said:


> This really shouldn't come as any surprise. Stanley are one of the brands to stay away from. They are 100% Chinese.


It's sad how once proud names like Stanley; McCullough; and several others have been sold to companies that use the name to sell inferior products to the unsuspecting public....!
Bruce


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Brucebotti said:


> It's sad how once proud names like Stanley; McCullough; and several others have been sold to companies that use the name to sell inferior products to the unsuspecting public....!
> Bruce


yep, it's pretty bad..
some names have really been sold out..
Another trick the Chinese (and their American accomplices) do is invent new brand names that *sound* American, such as "Chicago Tools"

Chicago Electric Power Tools | Multifunction tools and Rotary Hammers

Chicago Tools products are the junkiest of Chinese junk..
The brand name is, IMO, clearly a deliberate attempt to deceive..
They have never had the slightest thing to do with Chicago..
(Harbor Freight was founded in Los Angeles..)

Scot


----------



## Surge (Dec 31, 2013)

Boy, do I hate Chinese junk. A little OT, but I replaced a power supply on my desktop that had the rotten "Chinese capacitors" in it. They were swollen to the point of bursting. I go out of my way to avoid Chinese stuff as much as possible. But it is a difficult battle. I find its worth it though. Stuff will last two to ten times as long, and will look (in the case of clothing) and operate (in the case of equipment) much better, as a general rule. The only time Chinese stuff works good is when it is subject to rigorous quality control (Apple products for instance). Ariens and Briggs will have to really keep up the quality control on those engines being produced in China, or I can guarantee you that there will be problems. Too many examples to list, and a bit off topic. Gets my blood boiling just to think about it.


----------



## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

cdestuck said:


> Hi Jim, Saw your post about your blower breaking but glad your getting your loot back. Can I ask ya, what drew you to Stanley brand of a blower? I've never knew they made blowers before I read your post. Just wondering.


Stanley doesn't make these blowers. Just a name is all you're buying. Same as Troy Bilt. Just buying the name. I used to buy a certain brand of wood working/carpentry power tool brand but they went to China and lost a customer. *I DON'T BUY CHINESE.* unless I'm eating it.


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

The reason people buy the "off" brands is because they look good. They are sparkling new and being sold by a big name store or a reputable hardware store and you think you are saving hundreds of dollars with maybe a minor reduction in quality. I's shiny, it's new and you assume if it breaks you can find parts and service.

You take it for granted the machine will be supported with parts and some type of customer service and there in lies the nightmare of cheap price. One guy who posted about a new blower he bought at a hardware store couldn't even find a name on it and in searching, emailing and calling he can't find a part for his three year old blower that presently is just sitting. First thing to look for is the machines manufacturers name. If they aren't willing to claim it it's likely you don't want to either !!

Another gentleman was a bit more abrasive and defended his purchase saying he had a ?? year warranty until he found out no one in his area serviced his offshore unit and that to get warranty service he'd have to ship it to an authorized service provider. Do that and what good is the warranty. The shipping cost and hassle is more than just paying the guy at the local hardware store to fix it for cash out of your pocket. That's IF, IF anyone can find parts for it.

The thing is, how is the average guy going to know ?? Where is the warning ??
If I wasn't a member here and read the horror stories I might be that guy.


----------



## Brucebotti (Feb 10, 2013)

micah68kj said:


> Stanley doesn't make these blowers. Just a name is all you're buying. Same as Troy Bilt. Just buying the name. I used to buy a certain brand of wood working/carpentry power tool brand but they went to China and lost a customer. *I DON'T BUY CHINESE.* unless I'm eating it.


Funny you should mention eating Chinese. We bought some Apple juice for the Grandbabies last week. Before pouring it I noticed that it said "concentrate from China". I immediately poured it down the drain. I guess we are being overrun.
Bruce


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

WAY . . . off the track but same with dog treats. Offshore they don't have the same health regulations and they can make then out of ............. whatever they want. I pay attention to any food product from an offshore supplier/manufacturer. It's scarey enough when you see when happens to our (human) food here and animal food or treats have less protection and overseas it's just up for grabs.

Takes me back to the lead paint scare where so much stuff was coming in with lead paint on toys. How do you or I tell if it's gone ??
Same with the apple juice, what pesticide, what fertilizer, any heavy metals ... ???

And the all China snow blowers .... well you know about that one.


----------



## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Brucebotti said:


> Funny you should mention eating Chinese. We bought some Apple juice for the Grandbabies last week. Before pouring it I noticed that it said "concentrate from China". I immediately poured it down the drain. I guess we are being overrun.
> Bruce


Yeh, Bruce. My wife and I shop together and look at the country of origin on all products. We have almost stopped shopping at chain stores. We live in farm country and buy half a beef from the locals who raise them, feed them grain from their own fields that they planted and harvested, and they are butchered right there. As a matter of fact we were there 2 days ago making our order. Mushrooms, honey and many other items we buy have now gone offshore. We buy local honey and fresh, U.S.mushrooms. 
On a side note, Wallyworld is supposedly investing a few million in domestic products to try and maybe jump start the American economy. I don't care for wal mart but if this is true hopefully it may catch on with more companies.
*There are'lots and lots of U. S. mfd products out there but you need to take the time to look.* I am currently in search of a couple new doo rags for summer and have found them made right here in usa. Those will be the ones I buy even though I can get offshore crap for a few bucks less.


----------

