# Ariens ST 1032



## DennisCA (Feb 5, 2019)

Hello from Finland! I am considering buying a snow blower since I am getting tired of manually shoveling snow.









I found this on a 2nd hand site and it looks interesting but I figured I should ask more knowledgeable people about the machine first. From what I have found out and from the sellers description, it's a 1980s blower and it has a replacement B&S 10HP motor. The seller wants 640€ which i feel is expensive, I am thinking 500€ if everything works. 

Maybe prices for these things are a lot more expensive here than in the Us, I am not sure. For 500 I could get a new cheap model from one of the hardware stores, but I don't subscribe to buying cheap junk. Better second hand quality. Anything in particular one needs to consider with these?


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## Homesteader (Jan 12, 2019)

Winter isn't the time to buy used machines. You will always pay a premium for buying in the winter, sometimes double.

That's an older engine than the original Tecumseh 10hp it came with. 

Machines in that condition go for around <200USD in the New England area of the States in the spring/summer.

If you're not familiar with used snowblowers I would check out this video to familiarize yourself.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/wFOVWb_QP5k

Used machines can be a money pit if you're not willing/can work on them yourself. Part of buying a new machine is the comfort of knowing you should get at lease a few problem free seasons out of it. 

I picked up an Ariens ST1032 for 220USD last summer with a broken clutch fork and upgraded the engine to a 12hp Tecumseh for 125USD. Not sure what's available in your area but some machines in the summer are priced so low it can feel like stealing.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

I agree with Homesteader 100%, everything he said.

The machine is nice but old. The engine is very old, metal gas tanks rust, air filters don't come with snow engines, this engine came from something else, from a summer engine, is another give away.

Best advice? Keep looking and post again. I'd take it for free, maybe. It should have a larger engine and newer. Can you use a wrench?


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## Nicholas1963 (Jan 21, 2019)

I bought a somewhat rusty ST1032 three years ago for 300 dollars and I'm basically happy with it. One word to the wise, download an owner's manual and be prepared to service the machine yourself. Parts break with use and rust and can be very expensive to have repaired at a shop.


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## DennisCA (Feb 5, 2019)

JLawrence08648 said:


> I agree with Homesteader 100%, everything he said.
> 
> The machine is nice but old. The engine is very old, metal gas tanks rust, air filters don't come with snow engines, this engine came from something else, from a summer engine, is another give away.
> 
> Best advice? Keep looking and post again. I'd take it for free, maybe. It should have a larger engine and newer. Can you use a wrench?


I will keep looking then, but I doubt the price level will be much cheaper, based on my looking around at various brands (Yamaha, Honda, Gilson and Ariens). Maybe our summer is too short for memories of winter to fade...

I'm not an expert on motors, that's my weak point, more used to wood, metalworking, welding, renovating old machines both woodworking and metalworking, currently working on a milling machine, so I guess I know which way one holds a wrench, lots of bolts in taking apart one of those.


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## Dannoman (Jan 16, 2018)

Good used lawnmowers are expensive in the summer, cheap in the winter. The reverse is true for snowblowers.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Being comfortable with machinery is a great start. But if engines are a somewhat new area for you, I think that machine would an even worse choice. 

It has a non-standard engine, whose history you don't know. So if you're looking for help here, the first problem is going to be that it has a weird, replacement engine, which people here are less familiar with. And the engine being extra-old will not help anything. 

Lots and lots of snowblowers had Tecumseh engines. But that old Briggs is not familiar looking to me, you'd probably find that it's not a common snowblower engine.

That doesn't make this a bad machine. But it does make things a little more difficult for you.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Yamaha and Honda are the best, Ariens next. Gilson? That hasn't been around for 30+ years. What you don't want is an engine with 2 separate pulleys on 2 separate cranks, one for the drive, the other for the auger. That is old technology and difficult to deal with.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

that 10 32 is a great blower if you need a big boy....but get one in better shape for cheaper....my favorite is the little sister, the ST 824...maneuverable, reliable, cheap and easy to maintain....


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## Homesteader (Jan 12, 2019)

JLawrence08648 said:


> Yamaha and Honda are the best, Ariens next. Gilson? That hasn't been around for 30+ years. What you don't want is an engine with 2 separate pulleys on 2 separate cranks, one for the drive, the other for the auger. That is old technology and difficult to deal with.


Personal opinion as to what brand is the best. Yamaha and Honda have smaller engines and can’t move as many tons an hour as Ariens but have other positive benefits. Yamaha isn’t available in a couple countries. It all depends on your needs, availablitly, price and perferance.


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## Nicholas1963 (Jan 21, 2019)

I agree with cranman with the "little sister" concept. I have an older Snapper 8/24 in excellent condition for when I can get by without the 10/32, and need more clearance around objects.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

cranman said:


> that 10 32 is a great blower if you need a big boy....but get one in better shape for cheaper....my favorite is the little sister, the ST 824...maneuverable, reliable, cheap and easy to maintain....


I also had an ST824, and liked it, it was a solid machine. A 32" blower is pretty big, but we don't know how much area you need to clear, or how much snow you get at one time, etc.


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## DennisCA (Feb 5, 2019)

cranman said:


> that 10 32 is a great blower if you need a big boy....but get one in better shape for cheaper....my favorite is the little sister, the ST 824...maneuverable, reliable, cheap and easy to maintain....


I think better shape for less is a lot harder than you think, consider the price level here is in general higher and snow blowers like these are not as common as in the US so overall a much smaller market.

Definitely don't want anything smaller myself.


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## DennisCA (Feb 5, 2019)

JLawrence08648 said:


> Yamaha and Honda are the best, Ariens next. Gilson? That hasn't been around for 30+ years. What you don't want is an engine with 2 separate pulleys on 2 separate cranks, one for the drive, the other for the auger. That is old technology and difficult to deal with.


Gilsons on local forums have a big following despite being old. I don't mind old technology, prefer it in a lot of ways, doesn't sound harder than driving stick.


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## Shaw351 (Nov 15, 2016)

DennisCA said:


> Definitely don't want anything smaller myself.


I'm an Ariens Fan and love the older ones. Wonder what shipping would cost to send one from Massachusetts to Finland??
We can easily find a unit here and ship out. I think it could be broken down to 4 boxes, or strap it to a pallet and crate around it. 
Even better for you to visit Historical Boston area, drop by my place and rebuild a machine yourself with a little guidance from me, then take it home with ya. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it. 
I have built several custom ariens machines and I can show you whatever you're interested in building or just a simple factory rebuild. No charge, just like to help when I can.


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## Shaw351 (Nov 15, 2016)

The price cross references to about $730 American, based on euro = 1.14 dollar. 
Kinda pricey for here, but you know your market over there.


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## DennisCA (Feb 5, 2019)

Shaw351 said:


> I'm an Ariens Fan and love the older ones. Wonder what shipping would cost to send one from Massachusetts to Finland??
> We can easily find a unit here and ship out. I think it could be broken down to 4 boxes, or strap it to a pallet and crate around it.
> Even better for you to visit Historical Boston area, drop by my place and rebuild a machine yourself with a little guidance from me, then take it home with ya. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it.
> I have built several custom ariens machines and I can show you whatever you're interested in building or just a simple factory rebuild. No charge, just like to help when I can.


I don't think either of those suggestions would be economically feasible though I appreciate the offer. I will get by with my manual masi snow plow this winter I think. Maybe see again come summer, if prices really drop (I think people won't put up ads for them myself).


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

DennisCA said:


> Gilsons on local forums have a big following despite being old. I don't mind old technology, prefer it in a lot of ways, doesn't sound harder than driving stick.


Just make sure that parts (at least common wear/failure items) are available. A solid machine can be taken down by one broken part that you can't replace. 

Personally, I've had machines were I had to look for used parts on eBay, since they were no longer available new. That was a pain, and I prefer being able to just buy new parts easily, from a range of suppliers.


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## Homesteader (Jan 12, 2019)

DennisCA said:


> I don't think either of those suggestions would be economically feasible though I appreciate the offer. I will get by with my manual masi snow plow this winter I think. Maybe see again come summer, if prices really drop (I think people won't put up ads for them myself).


You’d be surprised how many are listed in the spring and fall. Summertime is a little slow. I find the best deals from people looking to sell because they’re moving, way it’s in the way and they don’t use it, or their wife has them clean out extra stuff.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

I like Japanese, I like Honda engines, Honda puts a lot of thought in their machines, same for Yamaha. However new parts for the older Hondas are non-existent having to find part machines. Parts for Ariens are more likely to be available and used part machines seem to be more readily available.I

Disclosure - I've never personally owned or have used a Honda or Yamaha snowblower. I have owned a used Ariens ST522 for 20 years and other than a carb and a belt, it's been doing it's job though it does have clogging problems in wet snow and the end of driveway. I just recently acquired a Ariens built John Deere 826D.

Is Simplicity available in your area? There is a good machine that is not given enough credit especially the Pro Commercial models (rectangular tubing).


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## DennisCA (Feb 5, 2019)

Not heard of them. I have seen Toro a lot though, not done a lot of research on that brand. Husqvarna is also common but even the swedes told me they were bottom tier chinese stuff most of the time. Not sure where Stiga comes in the picture, I found one of those cheap by local standards. looks to be a smaller older model though.










But you know... I'd rather get a brand of a good reputation an older solid model preferably.


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## Nicholas1963 (Jan 21, 2019)

I like Honda snowblower engines better than Briggs or Husqvarna, but I had a 7 hp Honda blower from around 1986,that had a quiet, reliable engine, but the blower auger pulley was joined with the drive, making it harder to clean the housing of clogged snow, when you were ready to reverse the machine. The frame was made of heavier steel, however, and it had a four paddle 12" impeller,coupled with a 13" tall, 24" wide auger.


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## DennisCA (Feb 5, 2019)

Sounds like what I am looking for. 

BTW I was wondering about a comment earlier on this blower... someone said the motor was too small, but the motor is 10HP, isn't that the same as the original motor? The 1032 meaning 10HP 32"?


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

DennisCA said:


> I'm not an expert on motors, that's my weak point, more used to wood, metalworking, welding, renovating old machines both woodworking and metalworking, currently working on a milling machine, so I guess I know which way one holds a wrench, lots of bolts in taking apart one of those.



If you can resurrect old ww and mw machines, you will likely be fine with blowers. Big thing will be parts availability for it. Remember though, many manufacturers sell machines under many different brands so when one part is not available under one brand it may be under another. There's a wealth of info here and online (youtube for example) on motors and motor issues if you run into problems. 


If you're into ww and mw machines, if you have not seen it before, check out Old Woodworking Machines - Index page
I've been doing the same for years, it's great to see something returned from the dead to a useful life.


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