# Hs 724



## backfist (Apr 19, 2016)

The owner wants $1300 for this.

He says it is only a few years old.

My previous HS 724 was 12 years old and was perfect in this area.

Blowing gravel?


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## SkunkyLawnmowers (Oct 18, 2018)

I don't understand your post........


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## backfist (Apr 19, 2016)

Does the auger area look like it's from a 3 to 4 year-old machine? To me, it seems older and has more wear than a $1300 machine should have.

Am I off-base?


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## SkunkyLawnmowers (Oct 18, 2018)

Ask them for serial number so you can ascertain exactly which model and year it is and then go from there. 

$1300 would be on the lower side for a 3 or 4 year old Honda, IMHO.


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## SkunkyLawnmowers (Oct 18, 2018)

PS

The newer HSS Hondas (which that is not) came in autumn 2015, so the earliest ones are already 4 years old.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Real hard to assess a machine just from one photo of inside the bucket.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

people always say it's only a few years old. had a guy tell me that on a 35 year old HS50.

ya, a few years old that he had it.

a hs724 around here goes for anywhere from 400-1500.

depends on condition. give me a round trip ticket to Colorado plus a $500 fee and I'll inspect it for you. 

seriously, more pics would help.


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## backfist (Apr 19, 2016)




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## Miles (Sep 16, 2016)

Well, the tires on it look good. I agree about the auger. It must have been spitting out some gravel to get that rusted. My Honda is three years old on concrete and the augers look new. Donyboy73 has some you tube videos about buying used snowblowers. Check out what he has to say about evaluating condition. With the auger looking like that and the rust behind it, I am thinking it had some hard use. It looks like the augers are getting a little bit worn too-their points are not sharp. If you buy it, you have to put skid shoes on it on each side of the auger housing. Use paint sticks under the scraper bar to set the height of the skid shoes. 
I might be wrong, but you might keep looking around for something in better condition. Here is a photo of my auger HSS928awd after 3 years. The points are still sharp on the auger.


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

Those older models had the auger skids mounted behind the auger housing, not on the sides for clearance reasons, which worked out well especially when you drove it through a doorway.
Put the New Honda heavy duty skid shoes on it, they are about a half inch thick and will last a long time and they were wider than the old original equipment ones they originally came with.
You can still drill the housing and put the side shoes on it, but the rear mounted ones work better for clearance so you don't hit anything if you are in some tight spots.
They probably ran the machine a lot without readjusting the skid shoes and scraper blade, normal wear items, and that's how he wore the teeth on the augers, which is normal for the age of it.
They were tough little machines with the better hydro trans made by Honda, the old trans is better and stronger than the new steerable ones made by Hydro-Gear.


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## backfist (Apr 19, 2016)

Thanks for all of your help, folks!


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## scottymac (Dec 18, 2016)

Skunklawn is correct. I ordered one of the last HS724s before they stopped making them and shifted production here. 

I added a set of extra skids to mine and also a drainzit. It is an awesome machine just have not had to use it a lot. Maybe 6 times. Boy does it shoot snow. It’s amazing to me how bad some people beat up these expensive machines. 

Here a few pics of mine with the rear and side skids. I try to keep the auger in nice shape also and avoid the salt and wipe it down.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

scottymac said:


> Skunklawn is correct. I ordered one of the last HS724s before they stopped making them and shifted production here.
> 
> I added a set of extra skids to mine and also a drainzit. It is an awesome machine just have not had to use it a lot. Maybe 6 times. Boy does it shoot snow. It’s amazing to me how bad some people beat up these expensive machines.
> 
> Here a few pics of mine with the rear and side skids. I try to keep the auger in nice shape also and avoid the salt and wipe it down.


I have the same model , only a 624. The thing is a TANK. It blows snow as far as any 928 I have used.


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## bendingo (Mar 19, 2018)

Yep, even the newest HS724 would be "3 or 4 years old", generously.

For what it's worth, I have a HSS724AWD just going into its 4th winter, and despite raking my driveway clear of rocks before every storm I _do_ blow a lot of gravel (despite all four shoes installed and set to max height; just a side effect of mountain livin'), and mine looks a little worse than that ... of course I haven't gussied it up to sell either.

I oil up the impeller housing every spring and bang the dents out of the chute, so far, no issues other than cosmetic damage (and the psychological scarring that comes with banging a bunch of rocks through an expensive machine). Even under such abuse it looks like it will be years before the scraping could cause any meaningful damage. So don't let it put you off the purchase if that is your only concern.

It does seem a bit overpriced though, and I would also be wary of the seller.


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## backfist (Apr 19, 2016)

As I spoke to earlier, my HS724 was around 12 years old or so and it was in next-to-new shape when I sold it. 

I'm 6'4" so I fell for the handgrip height and heated grips of the Ariens...they are not very impressive.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

The wheeled unit handles are higher than the tracked ones. You can install 2 inch risers without having to change any cables.


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## backfist (Apr 19, 2016)

Can you still get the taller handles?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

backfist said:


> Can you still get the taller handles?


The inventor retired . Never patented them. He lives in my town and gave me all the blue prints to share them with everyone.

I posted some of the instructions on my Facebook group for Honda owners. I plan on posting the blue prints for making the mods for the handles and the chute control. here is a picture of my 928 with the chute control mod for taller operators.


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## SkunkyLawnmowers (Oct 18, 2018)

I love that yellow colour. Was that a standard / factory finish option when new?


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## SkunkyLawnmowers (Oct 18, 2018)

@scottymac 

That's a lovely example of an HS724 you have there. Very purposeful, solid and pleasing mechanically on the eye!! A classic I think!


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

SkunkyLawnmowers said:


> I love that yellow colour. Was that a standard / factory finish option when new?


no. had those parts blasted and powder coated safety yellow. here's a 724 i did the same color.

next one is going to be navy blue and silver for my Patriots.


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