# Need your help: Ariens Platinum 30 SHO or Toro Power Max HD 1028



## jktbnelson (Dec 31, 2018)

Hello friends.
I’m new to the site and have done some homework on the forum on trying to educate myself on my snow blower purchase, so I appreciate all the info you all have posted up. Thanks! 

I’ve narrowed it down to a few blowers and the main ones are the Ariens Platinum 30 SHO and the Toro Power Max HD 1028. One main point is to have a 14 inch auger and impeller to get thru lots of snow, removal speed, and also blowing distance. Also, my budget is up to about $1800, so these are at the top end. My old blower was a 20 year old John Deere TRX26 (tracked) beast, so these blowers are a huge upgrade. 

I have a 3 stall garage with a long flat paved driveway and I live in central MN. Speed of removal and throwing distance is important, along with ease of maneuverability and reliability. 

Now I need your expertise / input on some factors and differences between the two…

The Toro has a 302cc engine and the Ariens has a 414cc, so quite a bit of difference here. I’m getting kind of hung up on the engine size difference for the same price. You all have said to go as big as you can afford on engine size. Should I be stuck / concerned on the cc difference between these two or not? 

Maybe a bit on the same line as asked above…will the Toro eat thru the snow at the same pace, even though it is smaller? Quite a bit of difference, or not so much, etc? Toro design seems well engineered and Toro says therefore it needs less HP. Will one throw snow farther than the other? Will one remove snow faster than the other? Thoughts? 

Is one easier to steer / maneuver than the other? My wife will also use it occasionally, so maneuverability ease is important. Is the Ariens Auto-Turn nice? Or, is the Toro Power Steering basically just as good/nice? Thoughts on differences between the two? 

The chute controls are very unique on the Toro and I think I like it, whereas the Ariens has a separate chute lever for left / right and its own elevation lever. Your thoughts on the Toro Quick Stick vs. the Ariens levers? Ease to adjust while moving? 

Difference between their customer service? Goods, bads, etc? 

Please add any of your additional thoughts on anything I may have missed or you deem important; i.e. other blowers to consider? 

They are both about the same price and want to know your thoughts on bang for your buck, features, ease of use, Toro and Ariens’ customer service, etc. I think both are very nice blowers and will be great purchases. Thanks for helping me out!!!
-Jeff


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

Also consider Simplicity. IMO, the best made machine period. And for $1800 you can get the top of the line with electric chute control, heated grips, and the power boost system, which works really well. 



From my personal experience, since this is what I own, it's built like a tank, works well, and maneuvers very easily.



Just another top of the line product in your price range to consider. 



https://www.simplicitymfg.com/na/en...-blowers/signature-pro-professional-duty.html


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

The Toro would be my first and only choice having owned them for 40 years.


Save the JD as a spare and give it a good rebuild as it was built when build quality mattered.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

leonz said:


> Save the JD as a spare and give it a good rebuild as it was built when build quality mattered.


I agree, save the JD as a backup but it's likely a Murray-JD and not a JD-JD. Big thing I would do is take the tracks apart soon and carefully as parts are becoming hard to find but making sure it will come apart and greasing and anti-seizing everything you can going back together will give you the best service life.

Back to the question. I have two '70s Ariens and two '80s Toro so I'm not loyal to any brand. I'd lean towards the Ariens as the bigger engine will still be tossing the maximum amount of snow it max distance at the higher RPM due to more torque. I don't believe the Toro is better engineered that it can compensate for 25% less cc's than the Ariens. If it can't it means when you really get into some deep or heavy snow the Ariens will be better able to maintain it's RPM when the Toro might start to struggle.
Just my 2 cents.
But the Toro is a really nice machine and I don't think you'd go wrong with either choice, just I'd go Ariens. :grin: 

Simplicity wouldn't be bad either :devil:
Simplicity 1728 28" 420 cc $1,700 free ship - - > https://www.snowblowersdirect.com/S...Icxo8ER66aWlmEuV1eM6VrDPXJabCqcwaAp5PEALw_wcB


.


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## 132619 (Nov 20, 2018)

don't underestimate the toros' just because it has a smaller motor doesn't mean it's not a good hard working machine. upside of toro is NO SHEAR pins, it's all in what the buyer wants for features . more motor, more gas used . 

only thing i feel, we all will back up is to check out the dealers rep's, are they all good? do they back up what they sell, do they set the machine up right,from the get go? do they take the time to show you how to use the machine right? do they offer pick up and delivery for after sale issues? dealers can make or break how people feel about the purchase.


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

I think both machines will do just fine. I would favor the Toro because of the Quick Stick. All of my Toro's have thrown snow a country mile. 

The newer Ariens are better at throwing snow than the older Ariens. I'm not sure I like the visible cost cutting that the Ariens have gone through.


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## happycamper (Jan 3, 2015)

I have the Toro Powermax HD 928. I would have considered the 1028 if I bought new. 
However, I stole this one from craigslist as a slightly used one year old machine.

Some background: 
I have a typical suburban home with a three car garage. 
The driveway remains three cars wide all the way to the curb. 
I could probably park nine cars on it, if that helps visualize the size.
The driveway has a 9 degree slope.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with the blower.
The joystick control is very easy to use. 
A close neighbor has an Ariens with the chute control in front of the dashboard. 
He is constantly stopping to adjust his chute, and can't quickly adjust it like I can.

I also really like the trigger steering. These come in handy when you just need to back up a short distance.
Simply squeeze both triggers to disengage both wheels and manually pull the machine backwards. Let go of the triggers and you are going forward again.
Other machines require the operator to stop, disengage drive, shift into reverse, engage reverse drive, disengage drive, shift into forward and reengage forward drive.

Initially, I was concerned that the engine would be under powered. However, this simply isn't the case. The Toro engineers apparently have done their homework with their anticlogging chute system.
I normally blow in forward speed 1 or 2. I have never been able to stall out the machine, and I have tried many times.
I once blew all the snow into the center of the driveway and ran the blower through it, no problem.
I also haven't been able to stall out the blower in massive EOD snow either. Once again, I couldn't stall it.

If your driveway is similar to mine, then the 928 should be sufficient, and the 1028 would be unstoppable.
The only reason I can see for the blowers with the larger engine is for someone with a really large or long driveway, where speed is important.


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## jktbnelson (Dec 31, 2018)

*visible cost cutting...Ariens*



tpenfield said:


> I think both machines will do just fine. I would favor the Toro because of the Quick Stick. All of my Toro's have thrown snow a country mile.
> 
> The newer Ariens are better at throwing snow than the older Ariens. I'm not sure I like the visible cost cutting that the Ariens have gone through.


What are some of the visible cost cutting that the Ariens have gone through? Interested in your thoughts on it. Thanks.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I have to just go by what I've read, so my apologies for a lack of first-hand knowledge. 

People seem to really like the Toro Quick Stick controls. 

The Ariens AutoTurn system has suffered some issues with the machine not tracking straight, and AutoTurn getting confused by catching on stuff, like cracks in the driveway, etc. Personally, AutoTurn sounds like a bit of a dice-roll, some people like it, others have a worse experience. At least with trigger steering, when you let go, the machine goes straight, and it only frees up a wheel when you tell it to. So maybe it's not as seamless, but at least you're telling it when you want to steer, and you have control. 

I'm sure the Toro isn't underpowered, but a bigger engine will bring a bunch more oomph to the table, which can be helpful if you get deep and/or heavy snow. It may allow using a faster ground speed, without bogging the engine down. 

The Simplicity is certainly worth a look. As was mentioned, some of this will be influenced by what dealers are local to you. It looks like the linked $1,900 Simplicity 1696927 has a 420cc engine, with electric chute controls, and 2-trigger steering. The electric chute sounds cool (Honda has gone to that as well on their HSS models). It does make me a bit concerned, as a failure might leave you kinda stuck, but that doesn't mean it's bad. A friend has a Simplicity, maybe 5 years old (?), he did have to replace a chute motor once. PowerBoost sounds nice, it uses a variable pulley to "change gears" for the augers & impeller, slowing them down but giving them more torque, under a heavy snow load, like the pile at the end of the driveway. It won't throw as far when it "gears down", but it'll keep throwing, and will avoid bogging the engine down.


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

jktbnelson said:


> What are some of the visible cost cutting that the Ariens have gone through? Interested in your thoughts on it. Thanks.



I think the control panel area does not look as well done and rugged as previous generations of Ariens. Looks like they thinned out the metal vs. what they used to be. Just my opinion, other's may vary.


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## russ01915 (Dec 18, 2013)

Go big or go home. You'll will never regret your purchase by following this simple advice.


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

.

_"…will the Toro eat thru the snow at the same pace, even though it is smaller?"_

This question cannot be answered with any accuracy until they're compared side-by-side so all you're gona get is biased, armchair quarterback feedback. 

We need to get together and conduct some shootouts!

.


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

From first hand use... The toro is exellent. I like the balance, trigger steering, and chute controls BETTER the the Ariens. 

The advantage that Ariens has in the market is bigger engines. It’s hard to disagree with the more is more argument. 

I’ve never used a platinum 30 but I’ve used a disc drive pro 28. It’s almost apples to apples. 

As already suggested, take a look at the simplicities as well. It’s wise to be armed with as much knowledge as possible before deciding.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

jktbnelson said:


> What are some of the visible cost cutting that the Ariens have gone through? Interested in your thoughts on it. Thanks.



The guy who sells me parts made mention of that. He gave details, but I forget what they were. I'm going there tomorrow I'll see if he'll elaborate. To be fair, he's a Toro delaer. 



I guess when a product is sold in big box stores, they are forced to cut corners to maintain margins.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

drmerdp said:


> From first hand use... The toro is exellent. I like the balance, trigger steering, and chute controls BETTER the the Ariens.
> 
> The advantage that Ariens has in the market is bigger engines. It’s hard to disagree with the more is more argument.
> 
> ...





I also think they have the widest line options in the market. From 6HP to track machines.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

tdipaul said:


> .
> 
> _"…will the Toro eat thru the snow at the same pace, even though it is smaller?"_
> 
> ...





Same day, same snow.


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

jsup said:


> Same day, same snow.


Yes exactly!

there is no proof the larger engine is actually better at doing the work, 

comparing specs on paper does not count


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)




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## 132619 (Nov 20, 2018)

ok this work was done with a 1988 624 p/s toro. it's all in the operator knowing what they are doing


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

tdipaul said:


> Yes exactly!
> 
> there is no proof the larger engine is actually better at doing the work,
> 
> comparing specs on paper does not count



It's like street racing on paper. Some guys will give you 10,000 reasons why their car will beat yours, until you line up at the light, and it doesn't. 



I agree 100.....no 1000%!


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

happycamper said:


> Overall, I couldn't be happier with the blower.
> The joystick control is very easy to use.
> A close neighbor has an Ariens with the chute control in front of the dashboard.
> He is constantly stopping to adjust his chute, and can't quickly adjust it like I can.
> ...


Two points to dispute: First, the chute controls on either the Deluxe or Platinum Ariens don't require a stop to adjust. The Deluxe, simply turn the crank that is right there in front of you, and the Platinum, move the stick left or right. 

Second, on an Ariens, to freewheel as you describe, simply let go of the drive clutch (left hand) and you are instantly freewheeling . . . Nothing more, nothing less (can't speak for a Hydro machine though . . . only ever had the disc drive, but this has been consistent since 1973 . . . ). 

I just got a new Platinum a few days ago, and first with auto steer, and other than the machine seems a little lighter on the front that I am used to, auto steer was a complete and total nothing burger. It works, and I don't notice it at all . . . basically it pulls like a solid axle, and turns like a diff, exactly as intended . . . Maybe if I had an uneven or rough surface I'd feel differently, but with the way this works, I can't imagine anything that triggers could do better. 

- Tim


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

33 woodie said:


> ok this work was done with a 1988 624 p/s toro. it's all in the operator knowing what they are doing


thats a lot of work done there!


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## jktbnelson (Dec 31, 2018)

Well, I decided on the Ariens Platinum 30 SHO. Really liked the Toro's features and design, but when I test drove one, I just didn't like all the triggers and it felt bulky. Tried the SHO and really like the Auto-Turn and was really well balanced. Now I just need some snow to throw!!! Hope this one lasts me another 20 years! Thanks to everyone for your help!!! 
-Jeff


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## russ01915 (Dec 18, 2013)

tdipaul said:


> Yes exactly!
> 
> there is no proof the larger engine is actually better at doing the work,
> 
> comparing specs on paper does not count


 I guess you never seen a motor stall when under load. Snow varies by weight, if it's frozen, depth, water content etc. Size will dictate how fast you can get the job done. In fluffy snow, almost any motor will get the job done. EOD is what separates the men from the boys.


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

.

Ive experienced it plenty

and I agree that with OPE, the general rule is that there is no replacement for displacement 

what I meant is not just the engine, but the entire package's ability to do the work. 

How the engine and chassis work together. 

The Honda 2 stagers with their smaller engines comes to mind

.


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## zandor (Dec 15, 2017)

With a flat driveway I doubt auto-turn will give you any trouble, particularly the revised version. My place is flat too, and I've never had any trouble with it.

I grew up in Minnesota, and I think the Toro's engine would have been fine. It's not wimpy, it's just less than the Ariens has. It's nice to have the extra power, but while MN gets cold it doesn't get big snows that often so I think between those two liking the rest of the machine better is more important. In other words, I think you picked your machine for the right reasons.


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## russ01915 (Dec 18, 2013)

tpenfield said:


> The newer Ariens are better at throwing snow than the older Ariens. I'm not sure I like the visible cost cutting that the Ariens have gone through.


Besides the chinese engine branded Ariens, could you elaborate on the visible cost cutting that is visible. I'm curious.

Who Makes Ariens AX Engine? LCT. (Liquid Combustion Technology)

LCT is one of the best snow blower engines on the market. When Tecumseh quit making engines, they took that technology and gave it the refinements that were sorely needed for snow engines. Today’s LCT engines are arguably the best snow engine for dependability, starting, and power for cc’s.

Ariens AX engines are serviced warrantied through the Ariens dealer network. You do not have to contact the manufacturer or another servicing network for warranty repairs.

By the way, LCT is a U.S. company and has been around for over 25 years. LCT has a proven track record of quality and engineering excellence with hundreds of thousands of engines sold to world-class OEMs and retailers in North America alone. Their extensive service network is supported by the Lauson Power Company who is well known for providing the highest standards of customer satisfaction. LCT engines are engineered in the U.S. Just like the Briggs & Stratton snow engines and Powermore snow engines they are made offshore. LCT makes their own engines and they own their own factories. LCT is engineered as a new generation of power and reliability for all of your power equipment needs. (Lauson is America’s oldest engine company)


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## bisonp (Mar 23, 2018)

russ01915 said:


> Besides the chinese engine branded Ariens, could you elaborate on the visible cost cutting that is visible. I'm curious.
> 
> Who Makes Ariens AX Engine? LCT. (Liquid Combustion Technology)
> 
> ...


On that note, Loncin is a Chinese company and Toro blowers are made in Mexico. 

There's compromises in every snowblower but those two things make me hesitant to consider Toro, despite Toro being based in Minnesota and otherwise being a good machine. So long as Ariens and Simplicity continue to build in the US they will remain at the top of my list, though Toro isn't off it completely.


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## happycamper (Jan 3, 2015)

> On that note, Loncin is a Chinese company and Toro blowers are made in Mexico.


I think you are wrong on this, Toro snowblowers are manufactured in the USA.

Checking the Toro website, they do have manufacturing facilities in Mexico. However, these facilities make products for irrigation systems. 
The snowblowers are made in Windom, Minnesota.

The Toro Company


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