# New Pro 28'' Not sure if I like it!



## Madmax442 (Jan 13, 2011)

Bought a holdover Ariens 28'' 420cc pro model this year to replace my 74'' model Ariens with a 7Hp Tecumsuh. During this latest big dump I brought it out and I wasn't overly impressed. I felt like the machine kinda had to many features lol. One thing I'm not big on is the safety auger engage/disengage lever. I'm used to the old machine which was always turning once you enaged the lever. I feel like I could have been done faster with the old machine! The other thing I was kinda not impressed with was that I figured the 15hp motor would absolutely power through the snowbank the plows left for me. When I started in, I put it in a low gear and began but to my suprise it bogged a bit. Now granted the snow banks are dense from the plows but I would have thought it would obliterated it with no bogging in the lowest gear! My old machine would bogged some but it was half the power! I don't know but I'm wondering if I should have kept my 38 year old beast!


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## fronos4 (Jan 29, 2011)

I bought a Platinum 30 three years ago and I like it a lot but swear I could clear my driveway quicker with the old MTD 1028 it replaced, granted it didn't throw 20' up and 50' over. This last storm it went through the EOD (about 3') pretty well as it usually does, but when I did my parents driveway with their Troy-bilt 524 it almost seemed easier to moved through the EOD stuff. Could it be that the size cut makes a difference? I figured with the added hp, it should make up for it. I think because I had high expectation upon purchasing I was a bit bummed it only met 90% and did not exceed my expectations. Although, none of this seems to matter when I'm the only one on the block that can throw the highest and farthest - then I can't help but grin...Until someone buys a Honda 

What are your thought on the ATC?


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

after thinking about different machines I own and the power ratings I can say the old machines definitely did more with less horsepower. 

The few things I have come up with for engine strain or bogging down are:

on the engine --- the use of cast iron. all my old stuff has big cast iron flywheels -- once they are spinning it takes more of a load to slow them down.

on the machine -- same theory, the rotating parts on a machine are much lighter now than they were. 

add up all that spinning stored energy and you essentially have extra horsepower.

in a recent post I put a pic of an old mower I use. It weighs close to 400 lbs, is self propelled, mulches with a 28 inch blade and only uses 6 hp. I have a 1950s west point areator, 32 inches or so wide has to be 200 lbs and uses a 3 hp briggs gear reduction motor and if you try to hold it back you will just get dragged.

I think its this thread

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...tek-single-stage-blowers-grass-king-mower-jpg

just some thoughts


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## Madmax442 (Jan 13, 2011)

Yeah Don't get me wrong, the machine I bought is top of the line but it's little things you notice. The gearcase is the new cast Iron box but like you said TD the older machine still had thicker steel and heavier cast pieces than the new stuff. My old 7HP tecumsuh would just power through most anything and at the end of the driveway I knew to use the lowest gear and hit it a little at a time. I was always the one that was saving the neighborhood with that 24'' 7 horse Ariens! When I got my new machine this year my neighbor across the street wanted it badly but I sold it to a good friend who used it once so far. My friend described it his first experience with it as the machine being hooked on cocaine! He loves it!


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Thats why lots of people are finding a sturdy old blower like an Ariens and repowering it. Top of the line Briggs are still made in America and often the quality of the older snowblower is better so putting a modern efficient OHV engine on old sturdy blower can really work well and it costs a whole lot less than buying a brand new machine. I used a honda Clone Predator 212cc and it really throws the snow well. A few people here on the forum really hate this but unfortunately most small engines today are made in China anyway so your not going to do better generally if you buy a new blower. Here is my re-power its a 1996 MTD 22 inch that used to have a poor running Tecumseh 5hp on it.
http://www.google.com/url?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DONdFik8kges&rct=j&sa=X&ei=syLjUNy4NI2eqQH79IHIDg&ved=0CEwQuAIwBA&q=mrgustoguy+youtube&usg=AFQjCNFkyzxR4fIeYcwpoETK1qkOO933iA


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## Madmax442 (Jan 13, 2011)

Well I'm sure overall I need to just use my new Machine more to get used to it and be more efficient with it! Plus I'm sure it hasn't reached its full power potential being that it hasn't had much of a break in period( 2 hrs so far) on it yet. We shall see.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Madmax442 said:


> Well I'm sure overall I need to just use my new Machine more to get used to it and be more efficient with it! Plus I'm sure it hasn't reached its full power potential being that it hasn't had much of a break in period( 2 hrs so far) on it yet. We shall see.


Do you still have your old machine you could re-power it and see what it does? The 212cc Predator OHV cuts through the snow like its not even there while the Tecumseh would bog big time when hitting the snowplow piled up snow at the end of the driveway. Take a look at what this engine did for my old MTD 5/22. Harbor Freight raised the price to $179.99 now on this engine. I got mine for $99.99


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## Madmax442 (Jan 13, 2011)

nah I sold it to a friend as I didn't have room for it. otherwise i would have kept it as a backup!


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Madmax442 said:


> nah I sold it to a friend as I didn't have room for it. otherwise i would have kept it as a backup!


I figured for less than $200 dollars I could have a nice running decent quality machine and I painted mine too so it not only runs well it looks good too. I bought it in fall of 1995 and it looks pretty nice now with the new paint and that new engine starts in 1 to 2 pulls and works so much better than the Tecumseh ever did even when it was brand new. Some times newer is not always better. *Some of the new professional commercial built Snowblowers are awesome but be prepared to spend over $2000 or so for them. I find that lots of $599 to $800 machines are rather flimsily built even compared to my trusty Yeah I know it not a good reputation company MTD. *But does it make sense to spend thousands of dollars on a whole new machine when only a new engine is needed?


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