# Thoughts on the 3 stage blower.



## nycredneck (Dec 29, 2013)

Went to my local store and saw a 3 stage Columbia, are they good or just hype.


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## Hanky (Nov 14, 2014)

I have not seen one in snow but I feel like it is just a sales ploy, if it is so great one of the big 3 would of been on the band wagon years ago. Love my 2 stage.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I kind of think they are a sales tool but there are some threads by owners that say they work well so I'm more inclined to believe the guy who has one.


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

There are a few folks running them. They seem to like them. Now whether that third stage actually adds to the performance, quantifiably, the jury is still out. 

It would be curious to see a head to head comparison of the machine with one of them with the third stage removed. For me that would truly be a head to head comparison to see if the third stage is a real advantage, or hype.


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## nycredneck (Dec 29, 2013)

I hope to see just that, a head to head comparison. The price on a Columbia machine with tracks is around $2,000.00 for the 28 or 30" machine.
How good is Columbia, isn't it just an MTD rebrand?


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

ive heard that they just plow the snow and reduce snow intake into the auger housing. if your going to spend $2000+ on a snowblower spend the extra 500 and buy a honda


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## Dave C (Jan 26, 2015)

I'm sure that we'll be getting hands on reports eventually. My local Home Depot sells the 3 stage Cub Cadet 26" and they sell every one they get in stock.


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## AL- (Oct 27, 2014)

Seems like one more thing to look after unless it somehow makes it easier on the other two?


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I looked at HD's website for one of the 3-stage Cub Cadet's last night and saw there was at least 1 review that touched on the 3-stage aspect. 

It sounds like what 43128 said, so perhaps we read the same review, that it seemed to result in more spillover at the side of the bucket while clearing (vs some other machines the owner had previously, not an apples-apples comparison to a 2-stage version of the same machine). 

The main augers have to get narrower, to fit the big screw (3rd stage) in the middle. It's presumably just attached to the end of the impeller shaft, so likely doesn't doesn't add any more moving parts, but would mainly require the impeller shaft to stick out the front of the gearbox, as well as the back. I'm making assumptions, of course. 

Some of the review comments about the rest of the machines were not super-flattering, which is unfortunate. But I didn't read a bunch of them.


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

I've seen some of them in the stores. I figured the auger gearbox would be the weak point but they actually look well made. They rest of the machine though... I'm not especially impressed. Even if you watch the videos comparing them to Honda, they're comparing them to much smaller Honda machines. They do blow snow reasonably well from what I've seen, but they're no better than a well engineered two stage.


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## jims94vmx (Feb 13, 2014)

I really like my cubby. Cleans well, no snow pushed out to the sides. I was able to even blow some really really heavy wet snow that I found others were not able to. Would be interesting to do a side by side.....the info on the cubby site says it will clear faster.....my 1st full year and very happy. hope this helps.


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## jims94vmx (Feb 13, 2014)

Forgot to mention, has a 5 year warranty.


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## wdb (Dec 15, 2013)

Other 3-stage threads on this forum:

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...discussion/3449-three-stage-trend-coming.html

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...riens-2-stage-cub-cadet-3-stage-thoughts.html

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...vs-ariens-deluxe-28-residential-accounts.html


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