# Keep old John Deere or buy new Power Smart?



## Baumhmaa (Feb 18, 2019)

I'm looking at buying a Power Smart 27" snow blower. I have an old John deere 726 from the 70s and it's starting to get expensive to own. It runs great when there isn't a small problem with it and I'm tired of fixing it. Currently it needs a new condenser and points. It also has an air leak in the carb. These can be fixed pretty cheaply but I usually have between 1-3 problems with it every winter. Where does one draw the line on something so old? 

So my question is, how reliable is the Power Smart brand? Are they about equal to MTD or worse? What other cheap brand for 2-stage snow blowers around $600 do you recommend? Or should I continue fixing my John deere as things keep popping up?


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## Baumhmaa (Feb 18, 2019)

I'm also looking at a briggs and stratton 24" or the sno-tek but they are more than I want to spend.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

What's your location? IMHO you can get a *really nice* used blower for. $500 or less. I'd go that route. I'm selling a 724 Sno Tek in excellent condition for way less than that and it is in almost new condition. I just bought a Toro 724 for a song and it too is in excellent condition. It was nowhere close to $500. Donyboy73 has a vid for you to watch.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Fix the carb is easy, air leaks there are very rare.

Buy a Mega Fire replacement electronic ignition module for $15 to replace your points.

You have a very strong machine. If you want to make it better, extend the chute 12" if you have a short chute and add a rubber impeller kit.

Use the John Deere as your main machine or keep it as a backup. Nothing wrong with having two snowblowers. 

As Micah suggested, buy a good used machine, save a lot of money. For less than $500 you will get a better machine than $700 will buy you new.


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## SayItAintSnow (Dec 15, 2017)

Baumhmaa,


*Gotta go along with Micah' and JL' on this one.*


I'm not sure, but I think those Powersmart machines are built in Vietnam.
Although I would never rule out the possibility that in the future we can expect to get quality machines built totally in Asia, I don't think we're there yet.


Often times too you hear about the problems of obtaining parts for some of these machines. Even if you choose not to service a machine yourself, the inability to get parts quickly or at all, is a factor worth considering.


If the engine still runs strong on the ol' J/D I know I would keep it going. Yes, there are going to be problems that crop up, but the problems you describe don't sound so bad. Do you do the service yourself, or are you paying a shop to do them? I know J/D parts tend to be pricey, as I have a lawn tractor and am constantly amazed at how much they charge for parts. I can usually track down other manufacturers of replacement parts though that are much more reasonable.


As for the ignition, I'm pretty sure you could ditch that points set up and go solid state, and never have to deal with that headache again. There are videos on YouTube showing how....


So, to sum up, I'd either keep that old beast going, or pick up a used Ariens or Toro to replace and jump a couple of decades anyway......:wink2:


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

A new Power Smart will likely be far worse quality than your old John Deere, and a major step down.
I agree with the advice here: fix up the Deere, or look for a used Ariens or Toro.

Scot


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Power smart is not a good choice, For a cheap blower I usually recommend the Ariens Sno-Tek and MTD may not be top quality but if well taken care of can also be a good blower and parts availability are good on these also if any need comes up, But for $600 you can get a really nice used Ariens in great shape.


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## Baumhmaa (Feb 18, 2019)

SayItAintSnow said:


> Baumhmaa,
> 
> 
> *Gotta go along with Micah' and JL' on this one.*
> ...



I repair what I can... Usually easy stuff like adjusting/cleaning the carb and normal maintenance. But anything beyond that I normally have the shop do. Maybe I'm over thinking it, but the points system looks way too difficult. I'm sure I could figure it out but when it comes to electrical and the likes, I usually stay away from. As for blowers on Craigslist, there really aren't any good ones for sale right now. Just kinda want something new. Don't even care about the warranty because I can usually fix the things that break on new machines.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

My vote would be a 924 series Ariens, preferably an ST 824.....can get a good one in the $300-$400 range in Massachusetts. If most of the problems with the JD are engine related...a Predator swap would give you a new electronic ignition, overhead valve engine that has a good track record and is ultra reliable. I'd get a newer used blower either Ariens or Toro, and fix the JD and keep it. The 2nd amendment gives you the right to keep and bear a 2nd snowblower.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

SayItAintSnow said:


> So, to sum up, I'd either keep that old beast going, or pick up a used Ariens or Toro to replace and jump a couple of decades anyway......:wink2:


That would be my preference too. Fix it, or get a solid used machine for less money. I've had better experiences with Ariens and Toro than with MTD. 

A new low-end machine may work fine for the first few years, but won't be built as well. It may start having trouble, and it may be difficult to get parts, support, or documentation on it.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Buy a good used snowblower then learn to fix the John Deere. As suggested by Cranman, replace the engine with a Harbor Freight Predator engine. It will be much stronger than you have.

My first choice is all Simplicity models, second are most Ariens and Toro models, and John Deere "D" models, then many MTD models which include MTD, Yardman, many Craftsman models, also Poulan snowblowers.


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## Baumhmaa (Feb 18, 2019)

Like I said before, there are 0 snowblowers on Craigslist in my area. Closed one that looks nice is over 100 miles away. Don't care to drive that far.

I understand sno-tek is made by ariens. Would that be a good option or is it made to cheaply?


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Baumhmaa said:


> Like I said before, there are 0 snowblowers on Craigslist in my area. Closed one that looks nice is over 100 miles away. Don't care to drive that far.
> 
> I understand sno-tek is made by ariens. Would that be a good option or is it made to cheaply?


Maybe I missed it but where is your area?... And I have a very nice Sno Tek for sale.


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## Baumhmaa (Feb 18, 2019)

micah68kj said:


> Maybe I missed it but where is your area?... And I have a very nice Sno Tek for sale.


Tri-state are between Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. It's been a harsh winter here, so everyone in town is out of stock. Have to buy online for delivery in order to get a new one.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Good reason to have a backup blower....and a back up for the backup!


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## Baumhmaa (Feb 18, 2019)

Does anyone know how reliable briggs and stratton blowers are? I really like this one:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Briggs-Str...age-Gas-Snow-Blower-Self-propelled/1000224671 

But I know a sno-tek will be reliable. Does this briggs have about the same build quality as the sno-tek 24?


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## Baumhmaa (Feb 18, 2019)

JLawrence08648 said:


> Buy a good used snowblower then learn to fix the John Deere. As suggested by Cranman, replace the engine with a Harbor Freight Predator engine. It will be much stronger than you have.
> 
> My first choice is all Simplicity models, second are most Ariens and Toro models, and John Deere "D" models, then many MTD models which include MTD, Yardman, many Craftsman models, also Poulan snowblowers.



Can I just hookup the predator engine without doing any other adjustments to the engine/carb?


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

Just say NO to Power Smart


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## rminnehan (Nov 21, 2013)

A solid state ignition is a piece of cake to install, easier than messing with points. And you won't have to worry about maintenance down the road. Anything for $600-$700, whether Powersmart, Troy-bilt, Sno-tek are all cheap machines that will not hold up and if you run into any substantial snow will not be able to handle it. I have worked on all 3 and they are all junk. By the way, I would NEVER buy a Troy-Bilt anything. ANYTHING. And I would steer away from a Husqvarna snowblower; poor engineering and belt/pulley problems galore. If you are going to get a new machine spend $1000+ and get something decent (with EZ-Steer, or whatever you want to call it). Ariens would be my choice and if you had a lot of dough I would go Simplicity or, even better, Honda. Who fixes your Deere? It shouldn't break down that much. Hang onto the Deere and have someone who knows what they are doing give it a good going over.


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Baumhmaa said:


> Does anyone know how reliable briggs and stratton blowers are? I really like this one:
> https://www.lowes.com/pd/Briggs-Str...age-Gas-Snow-Blower-Self-propelled/1000224671
> 
> But I know a sno-tek will be reliable. Does this briggs have about the same build quality as the sno-tek 24?


As far as the lower priced blowers IMHO Sno-Tek is the best, almost the same as the Ariens compact with a few differences to make up for the price difference like smaller tires and the plastic chute but still a good machine, use one myself and it does pretty well but do have a larger blower for the big storms but finding I use the Sno-Tek 90% of the time.


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## Baumhmaa (Feb 18, 2019)

Usually if it's a repair I can't do, I have my local JD dealer fix it. At the moment they are installing a new points and condenser for around $70 after tax. I think that's a good price considering parts are about $25 and I don't have to mess with it. Maybe over the summer when it isn't freezing out I'll tear into the machine and do some overhauling. It would be a good learning experience.

My neighbor has a Troy Bilt snowblower from 2003 that still runs good. The tecumseh on his is far louder and shakes more than my tec from the 70's. Though mine can shoot the snow further, his works every time without a single problem. Wish I could say that. But hopefully this will be the last problem for a while.


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## THE Wolfman (Feb 15, 2017)

When I look at the warnings against a 'low-end' machine, such as:

It may start having trouble.
It may be difficult to get parts or documentation for it.
It may be difficult to get local support.

I have to point out that the same can be said for a used machine, and even some new 'premium' ones. :wink2:


Nothing lasts forever. If your yearly repair expenses (including transport for service/repair) over a five year period comes close to the cost of a 'low-end' replacement, then it is probably time to get a 'new' machine. You can buy a 'low-end' machine and save on initial cost, or purchase a more 'premium' machine and hope that it lasts long enough to justify the additional expense, or you can pick up a used machine and hope that there is enough life left in it to justify its price.

If you are considering the option of a used machine, I would advise you keep one thing in mind. Every used machine is being sold for a reason. That having been said, it is possible to find a good used machine at a good price... but you will need to know what to look for... and wait until a good machine is available.

Considering how much you want to spend, I would recommend keeping your current machine (as it will have little resale value now) until it has another breakdown that you cannot fix yourself, and then consider letting it go for parts/repair.

As for the PowerSmart 27"... don't. I'm not taking a crap on 'low-end' machines, or the PowerSmart brand name (I'm very happy with my PowerSmart DB7651-24). The problem for you would be that the 212cc engine produces roughly 6-6.5hp, and that means you would probably have similar or less power available to run a bigger auger than you already have with your old 726. If you want comparable performance, I would recommend you look for a smaller 24" 212cc model (like the PowerSmart DB7624E, DB72024PA, or DB7124) with as few options as possible. If you want a larger auger size then you will need the additional power to drive it (like the 254cc engine on the Ariens Deluxe 28). One thing is certain, you do not want an under-powered machine.

As for PowerSmart reliability, the machine I have is in its third season. It starts on the first pull, runs strong, and aside from one shear pin (machine came with 4 spares) that let go when I picked up a brick mistakenly left by my neighbor in her driveway (I clear 5 driveways including my own) it is 100% original. The only warning I have to offer is to check all the nuts and bolts installed during a retail assembly for proper tightness (if machine is purchased fully assembled).


In the end, what works for me or anyone else for that matter, may not work for you. Worst case, you get something that doesn't quite work for you. If that happens, sell it. Any 'loss' will probably be less than what you are currently paying each year for repairs.


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

Give the "POwersmart" about 20 more years from now and their quality will possibly improve. Like the Hundai cars, when they were first brought here, they were junk, but 20 years later they became a better can.

If you are not going to use the snowblower at all and just want an engine to put on it while it sits in the garage, then put a Powersmart or other China made Honda knockoff engine on it, but otherwise I would repair the engine thats on it now and have much less problems with it than you would with a Cheap China Clone Knockoff motor.


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