# What snowblower is this?



## lars11 (Jan 7, 2013)

Hi, I have a 1980-1982 something snowblower branded "Stiga". This is a swedish brand but on the snowblower I found a sticker stating the following:

Model 524
Serial 0100165
Made in USA

Makes me think it is a rebranded machine of some sort. It has a 5 hp Tecumseh engine, no electric starter and no running lights. 

It works great now but Stiga say that parts are not availiable from them anymore and no one seem to remember who made them back then.

Look at the pics. Can anyone recognize this?


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

A few items make it a dead ringer for a bolens I sold. The finger release for the chute reflector...the triangular bushing housings on the sides of the auger...

What does the control panel look like up by the handles?


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

except for the extension, that auger bucket is the same as well

check for older bolens or john deere.


check this manual

http://sonnys_bolens.tripod.com/manuals/images/524.pdf

I pulled up a manual I found awhile back for my 10 hp 32 inch and changed the web address in the middle from 1032 to 524 and the above manual popped up. cross reference the picks with your blower and maybe its a match

I had no luck looking up parts with my model number of 1032 but if I took the part number only from the manual and plugged it into sears parts direct the parts came up.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

perfect example...I looked up the friction disc from that manual and its available (parts tree .com) and it show that disc is for bolens, cub cadet, mtd, troybilt, mtd pro, cub cadet commercial.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

That does look a lot like the Ariens/John Deere ones of that vintage.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Source*

I have to agree that parts of it look like Ariens/Deere: handle bars mounting, chute crank, auger bearings/bushings.
Tractor sheetmetal reminds me of Ariens also.
The auger gearcase looks like one I have on a Craftsman labeled Murray/Roper blower.
Can't say I recognize the auger housing

To me it looks like someone took a shopping list and built a blower based on it.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

I agree..the tractor unit is almost certainly an Ariens..
probably early 924000 series, late 1970's or early 80's..

the whole thing is likely Ariens..they made some for Bolens that had different auger housing than that typical Ariens housings, and this looks a lot like the Bolens..

Ariens perhaps had an "off brand" scoop for use with the machines they made for other names during this era..
or its possible the scoops were sourced from somewhere else, not Ariens.
they might be Bolens scoops. but the tractor is almost certainly Ariens.

interesting find! never heard of this brand name before..

Scot


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## Simplicity Solid 22 (Nov 27, 2012)

Welcome Lars11!!!!

Tried to find you a manual but.....???
Here is a stiga website...they look like snapper/murray copies present day...?

Believe this website is swedish or Italian so make sure your internet security is high!!!

http://www.stiga.com/products/stiga_en/snow-thrower/stiga-original.html

Also Cotech snowblower from clos ohlson looks very similar although present day as well!! COtech pictured below!


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Yeah, those new Stiga's are definitely Murray designs..
(completely unrelated to the machine in the first post, except in name)
They (the current ones) are either:

1. Genuinely made by Briggs & Stratton in the USA and exported to Europe.
2. Made in Europe under license from Briggs.
3. Made in China under license from Briggs.
4. Illegal Chinese clones.

3 or 4 is the most likely, IMO.

Its hard enough tracking the origins of snowblowers that stay in the USA! 
figuring out what is going on in Europe is probably next to impossible..

Scot


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Some nice videos of Stigas in action on a UK site.

Videos - Snow Blowers Direct from Stiga


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## lars11 (Jan 7, 2013)

Thanks, definitely this machine, the IPL is quite exactly right! Although some parts are identical to Ariens too, it is definitely a Bolens composition.

Used it today and it works just fine with dry snow! Thinking of doing the impeller rubber improvement anyways to deal better with the slush, the gap in the drum is quite large.

Thanks again! We'll see if parts are availiable for this Bolens



td5771 said:


> except for the extension, that auger bucket is the same as well
> 
> check for older bolens or john deere.
> 
> ...


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

I did not realize the similarity to ariens until scot pointed it out. They could all be offshoots of the same design.

The impeller gap on that type of machine is not as critical as modern machines. The impeller spins much faster than standard machines (on the ones I have tried anyway) 

I have about a 3/8 inch gap on mine.

But the rubber will always help. planning on doing it on mine just haven't gotten to it yet.


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