# How About Too Short handles And A Sore Back



## driz (Dec 19, 2013)

Hi, first time on here and haven't used a snow blower in 20 years due to having a back blade with tractor. I got a 2003 Airens 824 from a guy who kept it like new and it acts like it. It is perfect but for the handles being too short. I'm 6'1" and bending over plus holding those safety handles depressed is far worse than looking over my shoulder on the tractor while I handle 950' of driveway. Looking at it I can't see any obvious way to make it longer without cutting and welding a piece in. If it was ancient I would but hate to butcher something this new and then have to change / extend all the linkages and relocate the cables ( which surely creates other issues. 
I am sure that I am not the only semi tall guy who has noticed so what's the answer besides buying a midget.


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## Piedmont (Nov 13, 2013)

Tell me about it, I'm 6' 4". Every snow blower I've seen are all the same height... I think it's 3' off the ground. I've also never seen any with adjustments to height. 

I was just in the purchase of a newer blower this year, since it matters a lot to me I did my shopping around for old and new and found NONE with adjustable height handles they're all a fixed 3'. I ended up with a Honda that has... you guessed it... 3' handles but the new Honda (same model as mine HS928) advertises higher handles as one of the better new features and are the only ones I know of that's broken the 3' barrier but I couldn't afford a new one (they're about $2,999 new). I too then looked at extending them, and you're right it's a whole lot of pain with the linkages and what not. 

Typically, I'm not a fan of MTD who makes cub cadets. One thing troubling to me is the fact they use wires to control everything however it didn't go unnoticed to me that if I wanted to raise the handles the cub cadet would probably be the easiest since it uses just wires, would likely only need longer wires. I'm referring to the new ones. Otherwise, everyone else I felt would be a whole lot of work and pain trying to get the linkages working and what not by extending the handles. Looking forward to what others say or seen... curious as well what's the new height of the Honda HS928 handles.


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

I'm 6'5" and I don't have any issues with my '13 Pro 32, although I did reposition the bar in the holes which gave me a little extra height.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

I am lucky enough that my handles are high enough but at 6'4" most are torture, mowers as well.

does it have steel rod linkages or cables. Maybe loosen all the adjustments as much as possible and add a new set of holes on the bars?

Or leave the top bolt, remove the lower and pivot the handles up/forward and drill new holes in the side of the tractor body?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Honda Snowblower Handlebar Extensions and High Chute Crank Kits


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## driz (Dec 19, 2013)

OK well it didn't take me long to see that this is a MP(my problem) rather than a TP and so it's my problem. For the record while this thing kills my back I'm 58 and do T-25 daily so it's sure not my back that's the issue. I'm surprised that more taller guys aren't raging about this sort of thing. Too bad they didn't make the lower stem of the handle set longer and let it telescope inside the upper. Then you could slide it up or down and get a fit on the thing. 
I guess the main problem is that you have to hold the foolish paddles down. The old ones I used to run had none of that stuff and it made things a whole lot simpler but that was before lawyer engineering ruled the day. At the end of the day I'll figure out something to make it more "user friendly". 
Man, you guys over 6'3 must have arms like Magilla Gorilla. I'm glad I mow my grass with a mower deck on a farm tractor. None of those "kiddie mowers" for me.


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## Snowcone (Jul 17, 2013)

Piedmont said:


> Tell me about it, I'm 6' 4". Every snow blower I've seen are all the same height... I think it's 3' off the ground. I've also never seen any with adjustments to height.
> 
> I was just in the purchase of a newer blower this year, since it matters a lot to me I did my shopping around for old and new and found NONE with adjustable height handles they're all a fixed 3'. I ended up with a Honda that has... you guessed it... 3' handles but the new Honda (same model as mine HS928) advertises higher handles as one of the better new features and are the only ones I know of that's broken the 3' barrier but I couldn't afford a new one (they're about $2,999 new). I too then looked at extending them, and you're right it's a whole lot of pain with the linkages and what not.
> 
> Typically, I'm not a fan of MTD who makes cub cadets. One thing troubling to me is the fact they use wires to control everything however it didn't go unnoticed to me that if I wanted to raise the handles the cub cadet would probably be the easiest since it uses just wires, would likely only need longer wires. I'm referring to the new ones. Otherwise, everyone else I felt would be a whole lot of work and pain trying to get the linkages working and what not by extending the handles. Looking forward to what others say or seen... curious as well what's the new height of the Honda HS928 handles.


Order new handles from honda. They claim you don't need new cables as the old cables still fit.


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## Shawn (Jan 26, 2021)

Snowcone said:


> Order new handles from honda. They
> claim you don't need new cables as the old cables still fit.


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## Shawn (Jan 26, 2021)

Piedmont said:


> Tell me about it, I'm 6' 4". Every snow blower I've seen are all the same height... I think it's 3' off the ground. I've also never seen any with adjustments to height.
> 
> I was just in the purchase of a newer blower this year, since it matters a lot to me I did my shopping around for old and new and found NONE with adjustable height handles they're all a fixed 3'. I ended up with a Honda that has... you guessed it... 3' handles but the new Honda (same model as mine HS928) advertises higher handles as one of the better new features and are the only ones I know of that's broken the 3' barrier but I couldn't afford a new one (they're about $2,999 new). I too then looked at extending them, and you're right it's a whole lot of pain with the linkages and what not.
> 
> Typically, I'm not a fan of MTD who makes cub cadets. One thing troubling to me is the fact they use wires to control everything however it didn't go unnoticed to me that if I wanted to raise the handles the cub cadet would probably be the easiest since it uses just wires, would likely only need longer wires. I'm referring to the new ones. Otherwise, everyone else I felt would be a whole lot of work and pain trying to get the linkages working and what not by extending the handles. Looking forward to what others say or seen... curious as well what's the new height of the Honda HS928 handles.


I'm 6 4 and I got a cub. I am thinking that I could put some blocks on the levers of both handles and get the height up, maybe 4 to 6 inches. But then I can't use the steering triggers. Thinking maybe that would be OK though, because I'll just loft the from end and put my hip into the handle bars a little to steer it. I gotta look at it some more, but I going to ry something.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

Welcome to the forum Shawn.........you may have set a forum record when you revived an 8 year old thread!


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## Shawn (Jan 26, 2021)

well, this problem has been bothering me for about 50 years. that is when I got past the height of 6 ft. And I'm in pretty good shape. you'd think all these companies would have come up with something by now for us normal size people. Maybe there is some money to be made here. If I can figure out an off the shelf solution with some hardware to fix mine I can go in business .... wait a minute. I'm retired!


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## Auger1 (Dec 4, 2020)

I know this is an old thread but my old Murray 24" is really heavy and when you go backwards with the the housing off the ground it's all Hel* on my back and the next day I feel it in my breast bone area also, but dang that thing throws snow. The big 27" Spirit and my Ariens compact 24 are much more balanced and better to plow with.


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

shawn welcome to the SBF
as to the handles contact cub directly maybe they can help . off the shelf i don't know of anything.


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