# I picked up my first Toro 2-stage snowblower: a 1987 521



## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

I've never really given them a second look, but it was free and it was only 15 minutes away. 

I usually split the bucket from the frame and remove the chute when I transport a snowblower in my station wagon.

This thing is small enough and light enough that once I removed the chute, I lifted the entire unit by myself and then slid the snowblower on its side into the cargo bay.

The chrome and paint is in very good condition. It will need carb work, but the motor has compression.

I am very impressed by how large the handlebars are as well as the thickness of the bucket.

I've already seen the Predator 212 swap on one of these things. We'll see how it goes.

I ran out of daylight before I could take better pics, I've attached the pics from the ad.


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

Nice looking machine! I've been running my 5/24 pretty hard lately and it seems the more I run the old girl the better she gets. A cheap 5/21 is on my "To find" list for the summer.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

congrats and welcome to the 521 club


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## paulm12 (May 22, 2015)

That is a very good machine, sturdy yet maneuverable. And you got the electric start too. Mine runs great, still has very good compression. About the only negative for me is the hard, flat solid tires, not much traction. I am looking for better tire/wheel combination from a donor machine. 

Looking forward to your impressions after using.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Cool, looks like it's in great shape! I'll bet the 212cc Predator would be a significant power upgrade.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

It had a funky homemade deflector that amused me, i am going to hold on to that deflector for a future project. It started right up after a carb clean and it even idles! I got to test it out in the slush today and it is surprisingly peppy!









Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

db130 said:


> It had a funky homemade deflector that amused me, i am going to hold on to that deflector for a future project. It started right up after a carb clean and it even idles! I got to test it out in the slush today and it is surprisingly peppy!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I find the 521 to be peppy also, so when are you going to add an impeller kit


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

detdrbuzzard said:


> I find the 521 to be peppy also, so when are you going to add an impeller kit


I'll let you know once I get to test it out Monday morning, we are expecting 5-8" of heavy wet snow.

I forgot to mention that the original metal fuel shutoff valve was leaking, and the original fuel lines had seen better days, so I replaced them. One skid shoe was toast so the snowblower is pictured with a non-matching black skid shoe from a Craftsman snowblower. 2 new aftermarket skids are en route via Amazon Prime.


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

Those Toro 521 are nice machines. I have a 1988 model and re-powered it with the HF 212cc. The thing is a beast. . . agile yet powerful.


You won't really need the impeller mod, because the impeller has very little clearance to the housing.


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## KennyW in CT (Feb 24, 2015)

I absolutely love mine, I have (2) 521's, one needs auger gears, just get sweaty when I see the $130 dollar price tag. We had 8 inches with the town plows dropping 2-3 feet at the end of the driveway. She purred like a kitten and devoured snow like a tiger!!! To see these for 50/75 bucks I grab all that I can.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Well, color me impressed! 

I was expecting 5-8" of snow overnight, I ended up with 12-14" instead. 

It had no problems taking in the entire width of the bucket. The engine was working hard but it never bogged or stalled.

I even used it to clear some of the EOD stuff because my other snowblower was clogging up at times.

It needs some better tires and wheels, though.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

glad you like the 521, I had four of them, gave one to a friend and one for a parts machine. the other two I use as often as I can. one has hard rubber tires and an impeller kit, its the first two stage out of the garage when we get snow. for most jobs traction isn't a problem. once I make it to mom's I blow snow for a few of her neighbor's , one usually has the gate to her backyard closed so the snow piles up pretty high on it but it usually isn't packed hard like EOD stuff, either of my 521's cut through it like butter. had a renter on the block last year with a pretty big craftsman snowblower, I don't know if he knew how to use his machine but when I came down my driveway with the 521 he stopped and watched the little toro work, if I find another 521 with electric start going for $75 -$125 its going to find a home in my garage


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