# Who else loves older snowblowers?



## ou2mame

Who loves the old ones! I got this one from the original owner. It just needed to be put back together. I'm probably gonna hang onto it considering the condition it's in. I did put newer tires on it because the old ones were dry rotted pretty badly.


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## badbmwbrad

I like the Ariens 10,000 series machines from 1965 to 1974. Link


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## aldfam4

ou2mame said:


> Who loves the old ones! I got this one from the original owner. It just needed to be put back together. I'm probably gonna hang onto it considering the condition it's in. I did put newer tires on it because the old ones were dry rotted pretty badly.


You'll be glad you put those X-Trac tires on!!!


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## classiccat

>> This Guy <<


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## Oneacer

I do … 

And I second the fact that you certainly are going to love those X-Trac ..

I also have been converting mine over to these Poly Roller Skids as well, just check your bolt spacing first.

https://www.amazon.com/Arnold-Universal-Roller-Thrower-Shoes/dp/B00PBGM7RM/ref=asc_df_B00PBGM7RM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198101961508&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9410968852679135698&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003238&hvtargid=aud-801381245258la-353895226979&psc=1


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## JLawrence08648

oneacer - I like that Yardman. How does the extension of the auger beyond the housing sides work on a HARD left overnight EOD? I'm wondering if this is the key to make it easier.


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## crazzywolfie

i gave my aunt a snowblower similar to that. same 12" impeller and rectangle shoot output. i found while it beat shoveling it really seemed like the rectangle shoot was holding it back. i definitely like the craftsman style machines and the way the handles are. 

most of the stuff i run is on the newer side other than the 5/23 craftsman that i use over at my sisters place. definitely not as thick and heavy as some of the machines i have dealt with over the years. i do like the quality of old machine but do kind of like how the new stuff maneuvers and how much lighter they are. my yardworks and ariens are the 2 i think i will likely keep around for a bit. haven't really found a machine i like enough to replace them yet.


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## Oneacer

@JL,

Yes, that Yardman 7100 was purchased by my father new way back around 69-70 … 26" bucket.

That is my go to machine for the heavy snow. I have never, ever had an issue with EOD, and yes, it chews through the hard pack without skipping a beat. And because of the chain driven drum, along with the cable driven chute rotation, as you crank the chute, it rotates the chute drum base from side to side, as well as spinning the chute around. That, along with the chute design, allows it to throw the farthest of any machine I have. You also have a spring loaded lever to manually rotate the chute in any direction as well.

The only thing with this machine, because of its force and the lack of safety features, you have to be very diligent in its operation. I have operated it all my life, and its operation is as natural to me as breathing.

Just a footnote. .. Another thing I love about that machine, is that it is a chain driven auger, as you can see from the side … The impeller shaft is a stub shaft, and no auger gear box to deal with. Just this past summer, I replaced the SnowHog tires, as I wore them out, and put on new X-Trac. I also pulled off the side auger chain cover for inspection and lube, and it looks like it did when it was new, including the chain idler.


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## johnwick

oneacer said:


> I do …
> 
> 
> 
> And I second the fact that you certainly are going to love those X-Trac ..
> 
> 
> 
> I also have been converting mine over to these Poly Roller Skids as well, just check your bolt spacing first.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Arnold-Unive...argid=aud-801381245258:pla-353895226979&psc=1




Remarkable! I’m sure it’s very rewarding to restore these and take good care of them while they treat you well in return.


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## orangputeh

not too old.
1984 -5 I think.


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## Seaweed

ou2mame said:


> Who loves the old ones! I got this one from the original owner. It just needed to be put back together. I'm probably gonna hang onto it considering the condition it's in. I did put newer tires on it because the old ones were dry rotted pretty badly.


Looks alot like my NOMA but I'm a 1028 circa '95.


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## tpenfield

How old is 'older' ? I like the ones from about 1984 (when a fair amount of the safety features where added) to about 2000 . . . before too many plastics were added.


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## Xilbus

I like my old craftsman. The only thing I dont like Is that my clothes smells more gas with this one then the newer ariens that I have. Gave it a bit of tlc over the summer. Some new bearings and friction disk and a few coats of paint o the bucket. Should be good for another few years. Havent used it yet. All the snow is melting right now up here in Quebec.


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## marspatt

Running a 1978 Bob-Cat 5 HP-20", built by the now long-gone Wisconsin Marine Co., Lake Mills, WI, not the current Bobcat. Will be picking her up 1/9 from the local trade school where they rebuilt the B & S engine, etc.

Question: What guidelines do you suggest for adjusting the skids for a concrete driveway?


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## HCBPH

I have to admit I like the older (mid 70's) Murray built Craftsman blowers. The Tecumseh transmission is a beast and 'almost' impossible to break in normal usage. In fact I built the machine I wanted from multiple Craftsman's, affectionately known as the Searsasaurus.


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## Oneacer

@marspatt,

Myself, … On a level surface, I place the bottom edge of the cutting edge bar, which is attached to the bottom of the bucket, onto a wooden yardstick, or you could use a paint stirrer, or something similar.

Then, loosen the side skids, drop them flush, resting on the ground, and tighten them. Personally , I have switched all mine over to the Poly Roller Skids.

Never let the cutting edge, or the augers lay directly rubbing on the ground, unless you want to be prematurely wearing them out and replacing them.


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## Oneacer

@Xilbus,

Nice refurbish, and good looking machines. 

Nice to see people maintaining there machines for many future years of operation.


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## notabiker

marspatt said:


> Running a 1978 Bob-Cat 5 HP-20", built by the now long-gone Wisconsin Marine Co., Lake Mills, WI, not the current Bobcat. Will be picking her up 1/9 from the local trade school where they rebuilt the B & S engine, etc.
> 
> Question: What guidelines do you suggest for adjusting the skids for a concrete driveway?





oneacer said:


> @*marspatt*,
> 
> Myself, … On a level surface, I place the bottom edge of the cutting edge bar, which is attached to the bottom of the bucket, onto a wooden yardstick, or you could use a paint stirrer, or something similar.
> 
> Then, loosen the side skids, drop them flush, resting on the ground, and tighten them. Personally , I have switched all mine over to the Poly Roller Skids.
> 
> Never let the cutting edge, or the augers lay directly rubbing on the ground, unless you want to be prematurely wearing them out and replacing them.



I do that but with a washer or maybe a quarter under the scraper bar. All depends on how clean you want it and how flat/level the concrete is, more gap for a more imperfect surface.


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## marspatt

notabiker said:


> I do that but with a washer or maybe a quarter under the scraper bar. All depends on how clean you want it and how flat/level the concrete is, more gap for a more imperfect surface.


Thanks to both you and oneacer. Will be trying out both ideas after I get her back on 1/9.


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## foggysail

Pushing against the grain, I have zero desire to own an old snowblower. I find them pretty much in the same category as and old car vs a new car. And sure, I understand the basics are very much the same but beyond basics new for me anyway means reliability.

I nursed my old Bolens 1030 for decades! Enough is enough. Nothing like trying to repair an old POS only to find parts are just not available.


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## Snowbelt_subie

foggysail said:


> Pushing against the grain, I have zero desire to own an old snowblower. I find them pretty much in the same category as and old car vs a new car. And sure, I understand the basics are very much the same but beyond basics new for me anyway means reliability.
> 
> I nursed my old Bolens 1030 for decades! Enough is enough. Nothing like trying to repair an old POS only to find parts are just not available.


Yea up to a certain point I feel like 1980 to 2000 was the heyday of good quality snowblowers. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## vinnycom

do i luv them? if they work, or sort of work but if i can get them going for little money, then yes if i can get them cheap.
biggest pro is the heavier gauge metal used , theyre great for eod, harder to beat it up and takes longer to rust thru but with little maintenance that would not happen 

hard to maneuver? yes. i dont have trigger steering just a solid axle. with the white stuff on the ground u learn how to turn the beasts by pushing down on the handle bars and lifting the bucket slightly and u can turn 180 degrees by pivoting them to the direction u want to turn while in "gear".
in the off season i remove the clip on the axle to get the one tire free wheeling


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## toofastforyou

I don't know if a *2004* snowblower is considered being *"old"*… (??)... but last year (2019)… I chose to keep and restore my 2004 Brute and to sell my only few months acquired Husqvarna. Here are the main reasons for taking that decision:
1° I didn't need nor have enough room for two snowblowers since my storage space isn't that big. (I know… lame reason but still…)
2° The Husqvarna brought in more money than the Brute would've ever done. (I was able to use that money to restore the Brute)
3° Surprisingly, the Brute is way easier to maneuver than the Husky and is lot lighter by a big margin, and also "simpler" mechanically. 

In the end, I got good money for the Husky and I must admit that I'm kinda "proud" to have given my "old" 2004 Brute a second life! :eusa_clap::biggrin:

Claude. :snowing:


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## orangputeh

I agree that the 80's and 90's were very good years for Honda's. I have enough parts machines to keep my 55's , 80's , 828's and 928's going forever. Actually in my living trust there is a stipulation that they can NEVER be sold . Even have bought engine rebuild kits for them on the shelf when they are needed. 

If and when they eventually die they may be parted out . By that time the parts will be worth beaucoup bucks.


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## HCBPH

foggysail said:


> Pushing against the grain, I have zero desire to own an old snowblower. I find them pretty much in the same category as and old car vs a new car. And sure, I understand the basics are very much the same but beyond basics new for me anyway means reliability.
> 
> I nursed my old Bolens 1030 for decades! Enough is enough. Nothing like trying to repair an old POS only to find parts are just not available.


You definitely want to stay out of my garage. The T-bird is 25 years old and the Vette is 34 and the Searsasaurus is older than both of them. Thing is I can work on all 3 of them but I can do very little on my truck or daily driver (both are newer machines). I like working on my machines and couldn't for a long time thanks to a juvenile out of control driver that messed my back up bad by broadsiding my car a number of years back. I can now do some stuff again and I'll do what I can, when I can, however I can and enjoy it. It's a whole lot better than laying flat on your back unable to do anything.


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## TiminOhio

Yeah, I like 'em.

I like them cause you can get them cheap and if your your into reading manuals and tinkering.. it's perfect.

Get more than one, on many occasions I would tear one apart and forget how it went back together.. simply look at your 'spare'. Lol.

Pretty gratifying spending a half hour clearing your driveway and your neighbors with a older $40.00 ariens.

When they're tuned right and working, all is well on that 20 degree morning.


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## foggysail

HCBPH said:


> You definitely want to stay out of my garage. The T-bird is 25 years old and the Vette is 34 and the Searsasaurus is older than both of them. Thing is I can work on all 3 of them but I can do very little on my truck or daily driver (both are newer machines). I like working on my machines and couldn't for a long time thanks to a juvenile out of control driver that messed my back up bad by broadsiding my car a number of years back. I can now do some stuff again and I'll do what I can, when I can, however I can and enjoy it. It's a whole lot better than laying flat on your back unable to do anything.



That may be. I watch numerous TV shows where guys have rebuilt older cars. Typical costs for rebuilding between $40-60K! Hey that is a lot of bucks but the shows are interesting even though my ''work on cars'' days are long gone.

But consider the POS someone for whatever reason decided to make it like new ($60K) compared to my 2015 Kia Credenza that I purchased from a dealer two years ago for $21K with 15,000 miles on it. My Kia has AC, Satilite radio, heated & cooled seats, heated steering wheel with adjustable settings, electric seats and mirrors with memories for 2 drivers, cruise control with automatic stopping and restarting making driving in traffic a pleasure, overhead sliding top so we can see the stars at night, lane warnings, passing alerts when another car is on either side, really accelerates using a v6 engine that consistently gets over 25MPG, air bags and the list goes on.

Try getting those features in a rebuilt 55 Chevy. I do admire those who rebuilt the old stuff although I have zero interest in owning a car with ancient design features.

I DO AGREE with you about laying on your back. And I do applaud your desire to work on old cars even if my desire is limited to watching tv shows. I keep myself very busy as I grow older by managing and maintaing our 19 rental apartments. So we both keep busy even if we have different interests!!!


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## crazzywolfie

foggysail said:


> But consider the POS someone for whatever reason decided to make it like new ($60K) compared to my 2015 Kia Credenza that I purchased from a dealer two years ago for $21K with 15,000 miles on it. My Kia has AC, Satilite radio, heated & cooled seats, heated steering wheel with adjustable settings, electric seats and mirrors with memories for 2 drivers, cruise control with automatic stopping and restarting making driving in traffic a pleasure, overhead sliding top so we can see the stars at night, lane warnings, passing alerts when another car is on either side, really accelerates using a v6 engine that consistently gets over 25MPG, air bags and the list goes on.


doesn't sound like you are a car person. it is about smiles per mile in old stuff. i doubt you get many strangers in parking lots saying nice kia. my 42 year old elcamino is far from perfect but i could hop in it and drive it cross county easily. she brings in tons of compliments and thumbs up from random people. heck even my 39 year old truck pulls in its fair share of compliments from its rat rod looking paint job.


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## rod330

I like both old and newer machines of all kinds. Back in the mid-1980's I purchased an old Homko just like the one shown for $20 at a church rummage sale. One of the ladies running the sale told me I paid $19 too much. I loved that old beast and it was a nice compliment to my Toro Snow Hound. I wish I still had them but now my only real antique is the Parmi Lazy Boy with chrome handles.

My favorite newer snow blower is from John Deere.


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## HCBPH

crazzywolfie said:


> doesn't sound like you are a car person. it is about smiles per mile in old stuff. i doubt you get many strangers in parking lots saying nice kia. my 42 year old elcamino is far from perfect but i could hop in it and drive it cross county easily. she brings in tons of compliments and thumbs up from random people. heck even my 39 year old truck pulls in its fair share of compliments from its rat rod looking paint job.


I have to agree on getting complements on your cars (or even blowers on occasion) is nice but it's a drop in the bucket. My cars many wouldn't call special, but they are to me. I show them several times a year, I don't have a lot of $$ in them but they are mine and they are fun and I've never gotten a trophy for showing them. Before you get the wrong idea, the shows I enter them in are shows benefitting charity. We raise money for Spina Bifida throughout the year and for that it's worth it. Even more so is we provide cars and drivers to take kids affected by Spina Bifida along with their family members out for a ride (or in some cases multiple rides) at their annual picnic. To see the smiles and thanks you get when you put down the top and take them for a ride is more than payment for all the work getting a car in shape. The thanks you get from the kids and family members will give you warm feelings and the cost is a drop in the bucket for the return you get. This isn't the only charity I support, but I firmly believe in 'pay it forward'. I am lucky, my kids and grandkids are healthy and for that I'm thankful but not every child is so lucky. The little things I can do to help the next generation is well worth the cost and time IMO. Trust me, show a kid a Focus or Kia and they will likely give you a ho-hum. Show them a 86 Corvette convertible and give them a chance for a ride and you'll have friends for life (and I have many), if fact I've had several that have sought me and my car out every year to take a ride in when we do the Spina Bifida picnic and I'm just one of many providing cars and drivers for their event.


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## sscotsman

Snowbelt_subie said:


> Yea up to a certain point I feel like 1980 to 2000 was the heyday of good quality snowblowers.



Interesting, and you are probably right..
personally I would go a decade earlier and say 1970 to 1990 was the heyday, and the decline began in the 90's.. but either way, we are both in the ballpark. 


Scot


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## jgp1955

I think most of the members on this site like the older snow blowers better because they definitely have a more solid feel.No plastic no cables.Not sure if they are easier to work on or not but quite a few members do their own work Plenty of used toros and ariens on C/L or facebook market place. Very wide range of years, condition and price all depends.Picked up a 922002 ariens for 60 bucks 2 summers ago early 70s.Bought a mid 80s snapper delivery included for 200 hundred Only bought them on price. I do think i over paid a bit on snapper but both machines are clean ,no rust no issues.Yes they are small machines but they are solid even for their size


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## toofastforyou

foggysail said:


> But consider the POS someone for whatever reason decided to make it like new ($60K) compared to my 2015 Kia Credenza that I purchased from a dealer two years ago for $21K with 15,000 miles on it. My Kia has AC, Satilite radio, heated & cooled seats, heated steering wheel with adjustable settings, electric seats and mirrors with memories for 2 drivers, cruise control with automatic stopping and restarting making driving in traffic a pleasure, overhead sliding top so we can see the stars at night, lane warnings, passing alerts when another car is on either side, really accelerates using a v6 engine that consistently gets over 25MPG, air bags and the list goes on.
> 
> Try getting those features in a rebuilt 55 Chevy. I do admire those who rebuilt the old stuff although I have zero interest in owning a car with ancient design features.
> 
> I DO AGREE with you about laying on your back. And I do applaud your desire to work on old cars even if my desire is limited to watching tv shows. I keep myself very busy as I grow older by managing and maintaing our 19 rental apartments. So we both keep busy even if we have different interests!!!


What you don't take into account is the fact that almost every new car now has the features your Kia has. Even if it's a good car, it's doesn't bring the same interest (or passion if any) as a restored classic car. I have a brand new Ford Edge Titanium with all the comfort gadgets you enumerated earlier and aside from me, no one really notices it when driving around. It's my everyday car. But when I take out my restored '71 Chevelle SS, you should see how many heads turn, how many "thumbs up" I get…and that after I only drove it a few blocks from home! :icon_wow2::thumbsup: That's part of the fun of owning a classic muscle car.
So please, don't be so narrow-minded and say that an older car (in which you're obviously not interested) is a POS 'cause I know some people who would say the same thing about your Kia! :icon-thumbsdown:

Claude. :roll3yes:


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## foggysail

toofastforyou said:


> So please, don't be so narrow-minded and say that an older car (in which you're obviously not interested) is a POS 'cause I know some people who would say the same thing about your Kia! :icon-thumbsdown:
> 
> Claude. :roll3yes:


Try re-reading my post! I did not denigrate old cars.... I referred to the condition of the many cars that were rebuilt to new condition at great expense. I want reliability along with functionality at reasonable cost for snowblowers, cars, washing machines and so forth. I have zero interest parading anything........I don't care that others don't turn their heads as I drive by saying '' _OOOHHH.......look at that car_'' OR the same for my snowblower. If that is what excites you, go for it!


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## badbmwbrad

I love that "save your heart" advertisement sign on the Parmi snowblower and the Homko snowblower reminds me of a meat slicer at the local deli :grin: Scaled up, the Homko would be like a railroad rotary snowblower.








rod330 said:


> I like both old and newer machines of all kinds. Back in the mid-1980's I purchased an old Homko just like the one shown for $20 at a church rummage sale. One of the ladies running the sale told me I paid $19 too much. I loved that old beast and it was a nice compliment to my Toro Snow Hound. I wish I still had them but now my only real antique is the Parmi Lazy Boy with chrome handles.


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## vinnycom

id rather drive a newish car than the old ones.......theyre safer, built better and more reliable, looks are not everything.
not every newish car is great, they still build lemons.

as for older snowblowers, theyre not collectibles, in "general" the older ones are built sturdier,relatively easy to fix, parts are findable(depending on make) but i wouldnt pay a premium for the older ones just because theyre older.....they are just tools that we need to accomplish a task, u cant compare a car to a sb, eg. apples to oranges


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## tadawson

foggysail said:


> Try re-reading my post! I did not denigrate old cars.... I referred to the condition of the many cars that were rebuilt to new condition at great expense. I want reliability along with functionality at reasonable cost for snowblowers, cars, washing machines and so forth. I have zero interest parading anything........I don't care that others don't turn their heads as I drive by saying '' _OOOHHH.......look at that car_'' OR the same for my snowblower. If that is what excites you, go for it!


Myself, I find the myth/misperception that older is unreliable both somewhat hysterical and depressing at the same time. Reliability in *any* machine is directly related to how well it is maintained, and little else. We see it here all the time - some folks coule break an anvil and destroy new stuff in months, and others who take the minimal time to do the annual PM have stuff 50+ years old with perfect reliability. Just because something is new does not reduct or eliminate the need for annual PM . . . or make it inherently more reliable . . .


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## crazzywolfie

vinnycom said:


> *as for older snowblowers, theyre not collectibles, in "general" the older ones are built sturdier,relatively easy to fix, parts are findable(depending on make) but i wouldnt pay a premium for the older ones just because theyre older*.....they are just tools that we need to accomplish a task, *u cant compare a car to a sb*, eg. apples to oranges


sounds like you just did a pretty good job comparing them. they are a lot more alike than you think. old vehicles are very easy to fix or find parts for and as long as it is not an oddball parts are usually pretty cheap compared to newer vehicles. whether it is new or old they usually always requires maintenance. a lot of the new stuff almost seems like it is designed to fail like those sealed transmissions on some of the newer snowblowers that cost anywhere from $250-600 to replace instead of the older style setup which you can buy parts and pieces for and repair as needed. older stuff seems more likely to last longer.


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## toofastforyou

foggysail said:


> Try re-reading my post! I did not denigrate old cars.... I referred to the condition of the many cars that were rebuilt to new condition at great expense. I want reliability along with functionality at reasonable cost for snowblowers, cars, washing machines and so forth. I have zero interest parading anything........I don't care that others don't turn their heads as I drive by saying '' _OOOHHH.......look at that car_'' OR the same for my snowblower. If that is what excites you, go for it!


"foggy", I do understand that you're not an old car or old snowblower enthusiast but… if that's the case then... why did you bother to reply in this thread in the first place??:smiley-confused013: This specific thread was meant for people who love old snowblowers! 

Claude. :icon_scratch:


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## foggysail

tadawson said:


> Myself, I find the myth/misperception that older is unreliable both somewhat hysterical and depressing at the same time. Reliability in *any* machine is directly related to how well it is maintained, and little else. We see it here all the time - some folks coule break an anvil and destroy new stuff in months, and others who take the minimal time to do the annual PM have stuff 50+ years old with perfect reliability. Just because something is new does not reduct or eliminate the need for annual PM . . . or make it inherently more reliable . . .


Yes, how well it is maintained. A new condition old machine should perform with fine reliability in most cases but there are uncontrollable ‘’buts’’ such as when replacement parts are no longer available. I was diligent in performing maintenance on an old Bolens which in new condition was a work horse. As the years past, the needed repairs became overwhelming but I did them anyway. Finally I had equipment failures for which there were NO replacement parts available other than to manufacture them myself which I did for awhile. Even resorting to Ebay failed to even find used parts.

So I ended up putting the Bolens to rest, gave it away and purchased a new Ariens 28 Pro, the one that uses a disk drive. Here I made my decision. Anything greater than routine maintenance will see that machine replaced with another new one. I stressed reliability in an earlier post here. Life is too short to concern my self with doing major repairs again. And make no mistake about it, there are many older machines out there for which replacement parts are just not available.

I posted in this thread to share my opinion that not every old machine should be worshiped with love and attention just because its old especially when replacement parts are not available.


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## toofastforyou

foggysail said:


> Yes, how well it is maintained. A new condition old machine should perform with fine reliability in most cases but there are uncontrollable ‘’buts’’ such as when replacement parts are no longer available. I was diligent in performing maintenance on an old Bolens which in new condition was a work horse. As the years past, the needed repairs became overwhelming but I did them anyway. Finally I had equipment failures for which there were NO replacement parts available other than to manufacture them myself which I did for awhile. Even resorting to Ebay failed to even find used parts.
> 
> So I ended up putting the Bolens to rest, gave it away and purchased a new Ariens 28 Pro, the one that uses a disk drive. Here I made my decision. Anything greater than routine maintenance will see that machine replaced with another new one. I stressed reliability in an earlier post here. Life is too short to concern my self with doing major repairs again. And make no mistake about it, there are many older machines out there for which replacement parts are just not available.
> 
> I posted in this thread to share my opinion that not every old machine should be worshiped with love and attention just because its old especially when replacement parts are not available.


I read your last post and I can only come to one conclusion: Old machines, be it cars or snowblowers are simply NOT your passion… well, that's ok I guess… Some like golf, some others like hunting, fishing, traveling, etc… and many of us here are "passionate" and take pride in tinkering with our "old" machines. This is a perfect example of "different strokes for different folks"!

Claude.


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## ou2mame

I think the issue with that bolens and the parts availability was that bolens never actually made a snowblower. They were made by ariens, troy bilt, mtd... I'm sure finding parts for them is tough unless you can find a cross referenced part from one of their manufacturers if you can tell who made it. I can buy almost any part for any craftsman or ariens from the 70s-80s with no issues. So if you're going to use an old snowblower, you should probably stick to a company that has good parts availability. Like my 1999 jeep, I have no reason to get rid of it. I'll always be able to order a crate engine or an ebrake cable, shipped to my door in about the same amount of time. Personally I just like the way older snowblowers feel, how they operate, the simplicity.. And I don't mind repairing them.


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## notabiker

I like older blowers and older vehicles without ALL those nanny trinkets like blind spot monitoring like all the new crap has! People can't backup now by using mirrors as they rely on the backup camera, don't get me wrong, it's nice, but if you need to use mirrors like when backing a trailer then you're screwed. 



It gets so no one even knows how to look over their shoulder before changing lanes now, just rely on the car to warn you as you drift over to the other lane (probably without using your turn signal..)


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## foggysail

ou2mame said:


> I think the issue with that bolens and the parts availability was that bolens never actually made a snowblower. They were made by ariens, troy bilt, mtd... I'm sure finding parts for them is tough unless you can find a cross referenced part from one of their manufacturers if you can tell who made it. I can buy almost any part for any craftsman or ariens from the 70s-80s with no issues. So if you're going to use an old snowblower, you should probably stick to a company that has good parts availability. Like my 1999 jeep, I have no reason to get rid of it. I'll always be able to order a crate engine or an ebrake cable, shipped to my door in about the same amount of time. Personally I just like the way older snowblowers feel, how they operate, the simplicity.. And I don't mind repairing them.



GREAT ADVISE!!! I now have the Ariens 28 Pro.


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## RedOctobyr

oneacer said:


> @JL,
> 
> Yes, that Yardman 7100 was purchased by my father new way back around 69-70 … 26" bucket.
> 
> That is my go to machine for the heavy snow. I have never, ever had an issue with EOD, and yes, it chews through the hard pack without skipping a beat. And because of the chain driven drum, along with the cable driven chute rotation, *as you crank the chute, it rotates the chute drum base from side to side, as well as spinning the chute around*. That, along with the chute design, allows it to throw the farthest of any machine I have. You also have a spring loaded lever to manually rotate the chute in any direction as well.



I'm trying to figure out what this is doing, but having a tough time visualizing what you're describing. Can you explain what you mean by rotating the chute drum base from side to side?


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## RedOctobyr

notabiker said:


> I like older blowers and older vehicles without ALL those nanny trinkets like blind spot monitoring like all the new crap has! People can't backup now by using mirrors as they rely on the backup camera, don't get me wrong, it's nice, but if you need to use mirrors like when backing a trailer then you're screwed.
> 
> It gets so no one even knows how to look over their shoulder before changing lanes now, just rely on the car to warn you as you drift over to the other lane (probably without using your turn signal..)


I would prefer that people look before changing lanes, etc. But I was very happy to add a backup camera to my RAV4. It has the spare tire on the back door. So visibility out the back, when trying to back up close to something (parallel parking), is pretty poor. You cannot see anything of the hood of the car that's behind you, so I find it very difficult to gauge how close I am. 

The backup camera that I added was a very welcome feature. The system also has a front-facing camera, and constantly records both, so I have front- and rear-facing "dashcams", if they were ever needed for insurance purposes. Hopefully it's never needed, but could be helpful in a sudden case of your word against the other driver's. 

It's nice that these can be added to vehicles that don't have them, if you want it. Mine uses a new mirror which slips over the normal rearview mirror, and has the LCD screen hidden within the mirror, it only appears while backing up.


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## toromike

RedOctobyr said:


> I'm trying to figure out what this is doing, but having a tough time visualizing what you're describing. Can you explain what you mean by rotating the chute drum base from side to side?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=f8c6CAu1L9w


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## ou2mame

RedOctobyr said:


> I would prefer that people look before changing lanes, etc. But I was very happy to add a backup camera to my RAV4. It has the spare tire on the back door. So visibility out the back, when trying to back up close to something (parallel parking), is pretty poor. You cannot see anything of the hood of the car that's behind you, so I find it very difficult to gauge how close I am.
> 
> The backup camera that I added was a very welcome feature. The system also has a front-facing camera, and constantly records both, so I have front- and rear-facing "dashcams", if they were ever needed for insurance purposes. Hopefully it's never needed, but could be helpful in a sudden case of your word against the other driver's.
> 
> It's nice that these can be added to vehicles that don't have them, if you want it. Mine uses a new mirror which slips over the normal rearview mirror, and has the LCD screen hidden within the mirror, it only appears while backing up.


I have dashcams in both my vehicles because I just don't trust other drivers. Not only is it a good insurance policy for other drivers, but it's also good for red light camera tickets if you actually did make it through the light.

Also, the lane change sensors are very dangerous.. They might tell you that there's no vehicle next to you for x distance, but most accidents are caused by difference in speed. If somebody is going faster than you, and you change lanes into their lane because your car told you it was safe, and then they hit you... It wasn't safe. You still have to look. You always have to look. There's no reason to trust a sensor when you have to use your eyes anyways. I see so many people texting while driving that I have to assume they're relying too heavily on their lane change sensors, drift sensors, auto braking, etc. It's like they think they are driving autonomous vehicles but they really aren't. These cars aren't smart enough to keep you alive.


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## Oneacer

@Red,

Basically like that in the above video, but the 7100 also has an additional manual spring lever to rotate the chute itself, in any direction you choose, as well as the automatic when cranking the chute handle up at the controls. This is such a great design by being able to rotate the chute drum platform.


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## RedOctobyr

toromike, oneacer, thanks! That is a pretty cool system! I wonder if it was mechanically too-complex, or prone to freezing up, or something, and that's why it's no longer used. I'm sure cost considerations didn't help, if nothing else.


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## db130

ou2mame said:


> I think the issue with that bolens and the parts availability was that bolens never actually made a snowblower. They were made by ariens, troy bilt, mtd...


Ariens did build some snowblowers for Bolens, and the cheap Bolens snowblowers you see today at Lowes are rebadged MTD units, yes. 

But the Troybilt branded snowblowers from the 90s that look like Bolens/FMC snowblowers from the 70s & 80s, that's all Bolens. Troybilt borrowed Bolens' design, not the other way around. They even exported snowblowers under the Stiga brand.

Bolens definitely did build their own snowblowers for a time. Source: https://www.pashnit.com/bolens-history


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## Oneacer

@Red,

The chute system on my Yardman we are talking about is great and does not freeze up.

I am sure it was not reproduced due to patents, then ultimately it is much more cost effective to eliminate it and put a fixed impeller drum with a fixed chute and chute exit point.

With the rotating drum as well as chute, you can blow it right next to you, or 50 ft. out ….


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## tadawson

I seem to recall Gravely having a moving impeller housing like that in it's chute design back in the 70's as well . . .


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## cranman

I've got a couple of the old Gravelys with that design chute


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## ou2mame

db130 said:


> Ariens did build some snowblowers for Bolens, and the cheap Bolens snowblowers you see today at Lowes are rebadged MTD units, yes.
> 
> But the Troybilt branded snowblowers from the 90s that look like Bolens/FMC snowblowers from the 70s & 80s, that's all Bolens. Troybilt borrowed Bolens' design, not the other way around. They even exported snowblowers under the Stiga brand.
> 
> Bolens definitely did build their own snowblowers for a time. Source: https://www.pashnit.com/bolens-history


That's interesting. Learn something new everyday! :smile2: All of the bolens that I've come across in my area were ariens built bolens. It's rare that I see one used probably because we didn't have many, if any dealers locally.


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## Howard Nauss

Somebody has to teach them some of the better aspects of life! Well done, these younger generations are in for a terrible future - Keep doing what we can!


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## Sid

I will hang on to my signature blower/ s probably for the rest of my life. It has all new or modern bearings three spare rubber drive discs, newer chains, and a couple new small sprockets [ they wear out first] , and I am working on a spare engine. Don't get to use it much, but it is ready If I need it.
Sid


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## GustoGuy

Sid said:


> I will hang on to my signature blower/ s probably for the rest of my life. It has all new or modern bearings three spare rubber drive discs, newer chains, and a couple new small sprockets [ they wear out first] , and I am working on a spare engine. Don't get to use it much, but it is ready If I need it.
> Sid


I have a 1973 Gilson made Montgomery Ward 8/26 which is re-powered with a Predator 212cc and while it works well the lack of safety features concerns me when I use it. It is my son's blower right now and he has a poorly running 28 inch Simplicity which was built in 1990's. I need to clean or replace the carburetor on it since it doesn't work too well. This will be a summer project. If I could easily add hand levers to operate the auger and drive on the Gilson made blower I would. Meat grinders concern me since the blower will continue move on it's own when the Unitrol drive is engaged and the auger if engaged will continue to run so you must be more careful when using it.


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## tadawson

You already have the best safety and interlock system ever invented - a brain! Don't be stupid, and don't worry about it . . .


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## Sid

Hi; GustoGuy mentioned about the older machines having virtually no safety features. I replaced [converted] my suicide clutch to a deadman's clutch, ether way i'm dead. I turned the clutch spring around, so I have to squeeze [push] the clutch lever down. I used a larger John Deere clutch handle to make it easier to squeeze it down. Much better.
Sid


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## orangputeh

in the process of refurbing this old Honda HS 50. Tubeless tires are pretty good except cracks because sitting for years. Should I get new tires or can I install tubes? They only rate for 8 pounds of pressure.


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## Oneacer

Just put in tubes.

Life will be much easier if you have one of the mini tire changers.

You can get one cheap at Harbor Freight with a coupon for 20-25 % off.

Note: You can get new XTrac starting at under 20.00 with usually free shipping.

Even using the mini tire changer, make sure you have a good tire lube, as well as tire sealer if needed. You may also want to pick up some short stems or 90 degree ones, as many times its a good idea to replace them on the tubeless. Be carful not to pinch any tubes if using one.


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## RedOctobyr

Once leaks have started, anyways, I've had good luck with tubes. But if you can get better tires for around $20, that's probably not an awful lot more than tubes, plus you'd get better traction. I'd consider X-Tracs if I was keeping the machine.


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## orangputeh

RedOctobyr said:


> Once leaks have started, anyways, I've had good luck with tubes. But if you can get better tires for around $20, that's probably not an awful lot more than tubes, plus you'd get better traction. I'd consider X-Tracs if I was keeping the machine.


Thanks both of you. ended up getting tubesfrom ebay that are specific to this honda snowblower tire. nice thing is this is a 2 part inner wheel. should be easy to install tubes, ( hope )


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## orangputeh

oneacer said:


> Just put in tubes.
> 
> Life will be much easier if you have one of the mini tire changers.
> 
> You can get one cheap at Harbor Freight with a coupon for 20-25 % off.
> 
> Note: You can get new XTrac starting at under 20.00 with usually free shipping.
> 
> Even using the mini tire changer, make sure you have a good tire lube, as well as tire sealer if needed. You may also want to pick up some short stems or 90 degree ones, as many times its a good idea to replace them on the tubeless. Be carful not to pinch any tubes if using one.


Thanks. bought tubes .


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## toofastforyou

I have this clean Gilson-built Lawn Boy 826 8HP Dual Stage up for sale. It's a really nice, 100% functional machine for vintage snowblower lovers. For more information, see my ad in the "Lawn Boy snowblowers" section.
Not too many left in this condition! 👍

thanks,
Claude.


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