# DR Snow Blowers ?



## chargin (Mar 29, 2015)

https://www.drpower.com/power-equipment/snow-blowers/

Any info on these ?

The 13/30 looks nice.


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Chinese clones I’d say, looks a lot like husqvarna copies but no extras like a light.


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## russ01915 (Dec 18, 2013)

My main concern with any snow blower is, are parts readily available and how fast can you get them?


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Cheap, likely poor quality, 100% Chinese made.
avoid..
No need to risk it, when you can get something of known quality for the same price.


Scot


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Agree.

If you go to one of the Chinese business sites, you can get your choice of many "brands" of snowblowers for cheap, and Chinese engines, but you usually have to order a minimum of 10, really cheap on larger quantities. If I had a retail store, repair shop, I wouldn't consider selling the snowblowers, what a nightmare when a customer comes back for servicing and you can't get parts! With integrity, what do you tell them? I would sell the engines but only names we've heard of and the Big Boys are putting in their machines, LCT, Chondra, Powermore? Others?

If someone wants to be energetic and get pricing for the engines, there may be some here that are interested in buying an engine, but it has to make dollar sense, otherwise Harbor Freight or a online importer discounted makes more sense.


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## Freddy Ford (Jan 30, 2018)

I have owned 2 DR Field and Brush mowers. Currently own 1 which is about 8 years old with the Kawasaki FH engine. Even though the marketing was gimmicky, they were outstanding machines made in the US. Love mine. Today however they have lost their way. Cheap Briggs engines, weaker design to cut costs, and constant price increases to counter their lost market share and failed business plan. Remember all the retail stores they opened up in New England years ago? Probably not because they're all gone. I would not trust this new line of snowblowers to hold a candle to what is currently on the market, or represent their past build quality, but I hope I'm wrong. Their add-on snowblower attachment for their brush mowers was a disaster. Other add-ons like the generator and finish mower were ok. Nothing can beat their original Field and Brush mowers with the Kawasaki engines, they are awesome.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Sounds like Fast Buck Artists.

stick with a proven brand and parts availability is MHO.


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## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

Freddy Ford said:


> I have owned 2 DR Field and Brush mowers. Currently own 1 which is about 8 years old with the Kawasaki FH engine. Even though the marketing was gimmicky, they were outstanding machines made in the US. Love mine. Today however they have lost their way. Cheap Briggs engines, weaker design to cut costs, and constant price increases to counter their lost market share and failed business plan. Remember all the retail stores they opened up in New England years ago? Probably not because they're all gone. I would not trust this new line of snowblowers to hold a candle to what is currently on the market, or represent their past build quality, but I hope I'm wrong. Their add-on snowblower attachment for their brush mowers was a disaster. Other add-ons like the generator and finish mower were ok. Nothing can beat their original Field and Brush mowers with the Kawasaki engines, they are awesome.




Nothing to do with the Dr machines, instead a little history with my once EXCELLENT Bolens 32'' snowblower. Sure, I did a lot of repairs over the years since I first purchased for the winter of 1986. As years past by and my maintenance problems became acute, I found new replacement parts were non-existent. 

I finally got fed up being creative doing repairs especially repairs that required machining replacement parts. The lesson for me was two part, first don't stick with a machine which is no longer manufactured and second, if my new Ariens 28 Pro gives me nightmare maintenance problems, junk it and purchase a new machine to replace it. Just my humble thoughts.

So the DRs are still being manufactured and Freddy Ford above points out his experience with the DR.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I understand fully what you're saying about the DR equipment. That's a lot like Troy and Cub Cadet today. I have the older original Troy Horse tiller that's built like a tank and a newer Storm 2410 snowblower (MTD) that feels like an MTD. Nothing wrong with it but it really shouldn't have the TroyBilt name on it IMHO.

As for the DB blowers, they do seem to have headlights and LEDs at that. I don't think I'd say cheap but likely MTD quality. It's getting parts in the future I'd be concerned about. Personally I'd rather have a slightly used Ariens or Toro or spend a few hundred more for a new Ariens or Toro. For that matter even getting an MTD might be preferable as you'd know what you're getting and they are pretty good at supporting their machines. I have six DR service centers in my area but from the names I'm not sure if they stock DR or just are authorized to service them. If you really wanted a DR blower I'd find a service location in your area, drop in and ask them about the machine you're thinking of and if they stock any repair parts or how long it takes to get them in. Do they see many coming in for service, ... ?

.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

I can't speak to the blowers, but I have a 10 HP pull behind wood chipper I bought used a few years ago. It's been an excellent machine. Pretty sure this was US made though.


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## 132619 (Nov 20, 2018)

troy built and bolens were originally owned by gardenway from troy ny, they built some strong machines,sadly when they went belly up,MTD purchased the names and rights in 2001, https://support.troybilt.com/s/article/218-1?language=en_US


https://support.troybilt.com/s/article/252-1?language=en_US


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Toy used to be top notch back then, I purchased a gardenway tiller real cheap in barely used condition because most people don’t know who they were, says gardenway by Troy bilt on it, Anyway when I put the model number in for a parts and accessory search it comes back as Troy bilt horse tiller, So I got a Troy bilt 20” 8hp horse tiller that uses all the same parts in barely used condition for $150 because it was painted black.

Now this was worth the money, Started right up too.


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## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

HCBPH said:


> I can't speak to the blowers, but I have a 10 HP pull behind wood chipper I bought used a few years ago. It's been an excellent machine. Pretty sure this was US made though.


I cleared a lot for my former landlord and wound up with massive piles of brush.He decided to buy a DR chipper and was under the impression that their equipment was built in Vermont,where their company is based.This was around 2004-2005.


When the delivery truck showed up with the chipper,I was there so I helped unload it.It was a fairly good-sized machine with a 16hp Briggs twin on it.After the truck left,my landlord showed up and we started assembling it.The first thing I noticed was a small sticker on the frame that said,"Made In China".I didn't say anything to him about it,but he wasn't impressed at all when he later found that sticker himself.


It wasn't a particularly well designed machine,but it worked good enough.I did notice that while going through all those brush piles ,the shaft bearings in the chipper unit were getting noticeably louder.They were generic Chinese bearings,so no surprise there.I was going to suggest swapping out the bearings,but landlord died,the machine shoved in the garage and I never saw it again.


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

DR Field and Brush mowers are fairly well known, at least locally in the northeast USA. I'm not sure how they rank in terms of snow blowers, but those machines look a lot like Husqvarna machines. Maybe dig a little deeper to see if that is the case.


As with most US-based companies, the products are sourced from China and elsewhere.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

Mike C. said:


> I cleared a lot for my former landlord and wound up with massive piles of brush.He decided to buy a DR chipper and was under the impression that their equipment was built in Vermont,where their company is based.This was around 2004-2005.
> 
> 
> When the delivery truck showed up with the chipper,I was there so I helped unload it.It was a fairly good-sized machine with a 16hp Briggs twin on it.After the truck left,my landlord showed up and we started assembling it.The first thing I noticed was a small sticker on the frame that said,"Made In China".I didn't say anything to him about it,but he wasn't impressed at all when he later found that sticker himself.
> ...



Bought mine used so not sure of the age. Regardless it's got a 10 HP B&S on it, IIRC there's a Made in the USA sticker on it also. I don't have a lot of wood to clean up but for what I do each year it's worked very well for me. Very solid and as long as the arm can pull the rope on it (no electric starter), seems to fire up fairly easy and chews up to 3" limbs without complaint.


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## jir (Nov 30, 2019)

chargin said:


> https://www.drpower.com/power-equipment/snow-blowers/
> 
> Any info on these ?
> 
> The 13/30 looks nice.


I bought the 14 horse DR, always had the Husqvarna blowers about the same size. The last one(one year old) I noticed a cable wearing through. Some of the linkage on the right handle came apart. The auger began to make strange noises after going through heavy snow. But totally impressed with the DR. This unit is heavier, thicker metal, easier to maneuver, and much, much better built. Less moving parts, really well engineered. You will not be disappointed. This machine is tough.


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## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

looking at the photo's in the new listings ,name are they cheaply made. spot welded housings with gaps, engine?? generac or a china clone? need parts in a snow storm? good luck,


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## TooTall999 (Nov 19, 2015)

I bought the Pro28, 8 hp machine and used it for the first time on 10-11" of wet heavy snow and it never struggled.The engine is a Loncin, same brand Toro uses. The auto steer differential is the same General Transmissions unit used by Ariens and Toro. The belts are commonly available and if past history is any indication the friction wheel (available from Dr.) is probably interchangeable with many others too. They use a dual belt auger drive(on the 28,30,and34") just like Ariens does. I've owned a Dr walk behind trimmer that I bought back in the early 90's and they still have parts for it so I'm not worried. Feature for feature there isn't an American made unit that comes close to the features my Dr has for anywhere near the price point.


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## TooTall999 (Nov 19, 2015)

87powershiftx2 said:


> looking at the photo's in the new listings ,name are they cheaply made. spot welded housings with gaps, engine?? generac or a china clone? need parts in a snow storm? good luck,


Show me one currently produced Ariens or Toro with an American built engine....go ahead, I'll wait.....


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## Howiefinn (Dec 29, 2020)

TooTall999 said:


> I bought the Pro28, 8 hp machine and used it for the first time on 10-11" of wet heavy snow and it never struggled.The engine is a Loncin, same brand Toro uses. The auto steer differential is the same General Transmissions unit used by Ariens and Toro. The belts are commonly available and if past history is any indication the friction wheel (available from Dr.) is probably interchangeable with many others too. They use a dual belt auger drive(on the 28,30,and34") just like Ariens does. I've owned a Dr walk behind trimmer that I bought back in the early 90's and they still have parts for it so I'm not worried. Feature for feature there isn't an American made unit that comes close to the features my Dr has for anywhere near the price point.


I bought the Po 34 inch this November. The first snow we had, not heavy but 15 inches, the 2 auger belts burned up and snapped in the first 75 yards of blowing! Tech support is horrible. They are just looking at the manual, which I had, Nearest dealer is 50 miles away so I had to order the belts and put install them myself.
The one good feature is that they have a 12 month try it and return it, (plus freight), which I will be utilizing.


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

welcome to the SBF Howiefinn


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to SBF Howiefinn









That first experience sure doesn't instill any confidence but hopefully the machine starts giving you some reliable service so you might change your mind and keep it. I only say that because it's easier going with the devil you know and less trouble keeping it than returning it.
Doesn't hurt to keep your eye out for a good deal from a box store, dealer, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Especially come spring when you're more likely to score a good deal.

.


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