# Ariens Path Pro. Who has one? Do they like it?



## steeve725 (Jan 25, 2014)

Currently looking to purchase a new single stage snow thrower.

I have looked at the Toro qzr721 and also want to look at the ariens path pro SS21EC.

I have not yet seen the Ariens in person as my local Home Depot does not sell them locally, so I have to go to an actual Ariens dealer to see one in person.

Wondering who has one of the new path pros, would they buy it again, do they like them, and what don't they like about them? 

What I have seen online about them that I truly like is; the open engine concept and the top open door, easy to drain, fill & check oil,
Engine guard so the snow blower can be tilted back, fuel shut off, and 3yr warranty.

Owned a Toro QZR621, it was nice however engine main seal blew. Factory default on mine, returned to HD. What I really liked about it was it really blew the snow, pivoting scraper bar that didn't hit grooves in pavement and quick shoot to put snow wherever you wanted it. 

Didn't like about the Toro was the completely enclosed engine, plastic housing (felt cheap) small tires that would clog up with snow, filling / checking oil a major pain due to the location. 

Thanks


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

Steve, I bought the most basic Path Pro two seasons ago. It replaced a couple of tired Toro CCR 2000 throwers. I guess I like the fact that it's 4 stroke. It's got really good power.... that has surprised me a bit.

It weighs more than the Toros and feels slightly less agile. When I started it this year (first pull), it surges perpetually unless under full load. I'm going to do what I can to check the carb, but not get in too deep cuz it's under warranty.

I can't comment on any contemporary similar units, I don't have experience with competitors. I have been very pleased with the Path Pro so far.


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## steeve725 (Jan 25, 2014)

I still have a CCR2000 that just turned 28yrs old, new paddles, scraper bar, and primer. Throws snow really good. Just really loud and smelly engine.

The 2000 has been my trusty snow blower for some time now, just tired of the noise.

My 2000 was surging this year as well, put some seafoam in with the gas, and that fixed the surging.

Thanks


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

Yeah, I've done the Seafoam already and that doesn't appear to have helped at all.

Some suggest the needle on the main jet has a rubber cover on it and it get's buggered if you leave gas in the carb at season-end.


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## steeve725 (Jan 25, 2014)

Yes, leaving gas in the carb can sometimes be an issue with the ethanol gas. 

At the end of the season I always run mine dry, then remove the carb bolt just in case.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

It's not so much the ethanol, it's the fact that the float is causing deformation of the rubber tip on the needle due to constant, upward pressure. 

(I don't know if any of this is true, but there's a video on you-know-where of someone disassembling an LCT carb.)


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## scrappy (Dec 7, 2014)

Lady friend bought the top of the line with electric start and remote chute. She has no complaints. Starts easily even using the pull cord, has plenty of power.

She did have a issue, and I'm to blame. I assembled it, and ran the remote chute cables under the folding part of the handle. Last spring when she put it away and folded the handle the cables pulled out and stretched the sheathing resulting in the chute not rotating fully. Ariens did warranty it. So be sure to route them over the top of center section. The directions make no mention of this.

Compared to the Toro's we looked at the Ariens has bigger wheels and seems like a more robust unit. The lower bumper to protect the engine is useful too.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I have not had luck, personally, with adding Seafoam to clean a carb that is already running poorly. I've tried several times.

But short-term, you could try adding a little choke to richen the mixture, and see if that helps smooth it out. That's helped on 2 engines of mine.

Mine have been fixed by cleaning the carbs in an ultrasonic cleaner.


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## chrisexv6 (Feb 4, 2014)

Ive had some luck using B12 chemtool spray, a few shots into the intake bore of the carb while the engine is running. Obviously works better if it at least runs a little bit, but Ive managed to never even have to remove the EPA-era carb from my 10 year old Tec engine.

The few times its started running rough the B12 spray into the intake has resolved those issues.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

Guys, thanks, I have tried the choke trick and it makes no difference at all....


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

chrisexv6 said:


> Ive had some luck using B12 chemtool spray, a few shots into the intake bore of the carb while the engine is running. Obviously works better if it at least runs a little bit, but Ive managed to never even have to remove the EPA-era carb from my 10 year old Tec engine.
> 
> The few times its started running rough the B12 spray into the intake has resolved those issues.


I have a hard time figuring out how spraying a cleaner into the carb intake would help clean it. Isn't that air going to simply be sucked immediately into the cylinder, without meaningfully passing through the functional areas of the carb? 

If you spray it at the throttle plate area, that air doesn't get sucked through the fuel passages of the carb. Only the gas goes through those. 

Use it as a fuel additive, and yes, I see how that's different. But spraying cleaners into the carb's intake while running seems to me that it would really only briefly touch the outlet of the main jet, then the intake valve, etc. 

I'm not disputing your experience, it just seems counter-intuitive to me. But as I've learned many times, just because I don't understand something doesn't mean it's not true


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## steeve725 (Jan 25, 2014)

Anybody else have any experience with the Ariens path pro, particularly the 938033 / SS21EC (Top model with chute control on handle)?


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## Tony-chicago (Feb 10, 2021)

Sorry to bring up an old thread.

I have been having trouble with my Ariens Path Pro from the beginning.
Some kind of imbalance at the start. 

Developed an uneven way of working. No amount of scraper bar adjustment would help. Then the inner chute piece bubbled out. This would interfere with the auger paddles. So out of commission.
The right side bearing and bearing cap disappear and render machine completely useless.
All outreach to Ariens from day one has been a stiff arm. So I did what I could. I would not recommend Ariens.
Thank you.

I will be happy to answer any questions or post pictures.


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