# PowerShift 8-28 an upgrade?



## amuller (Jan 3, 2016)

For several years I've used a 7-26 blower. It has the 6" wheels. It's been a good blower except for wanting to shear the pin that holds the final drive sprocket on the axle. (I'm in SE Minnesota but honestly it doesn't snow that much.) It is a heavy machine to horse around and being into my 70s I'm feeling that. The chute rotation is slow and inconveniently low.

This morning I was given a PowerShift 8-28. (The Serial number is 1000147. What year is that?) I can see that it's a more lightly built machine with some cracks, rust, and hasn't really been maintained. It has no differential and no wheel clutches. The drive chain is rusty and broken. But unless there are non-obvious defects is should be a weekend project to get running. I think low hours. It has traction tires in good shape.

Anyway, with that background my real question is: Is this machine an upgrade for me? Worth a couple days tinkering to get in shape. I've seen PowerShifts in use but not run one myself.

Thanks for any advice


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

I like them, there are those that say they are some of the best blowers ever made. However some trans parts are getting hard to find and I believe the early ones had some housing cracking issues. Finding a machine or 2 for parts is not a bad idea.


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

yours should be a 38574 built the third year of production with it having a 01 as the first 2 of the serial number or a 1991 'yes you missed the 0" the numbers are 8 digits
sadly toro no longer helps by listing the years a vin # was used, Parts – 828 Power Shift Snowthrower | Toro helps a bit but others like do PartsTree - Home of OEM Parts for Outdoor Power Equipment
they are solid machines that chew up the eod piles as a snack but as gibbs stated parts are getting hard to find


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## amuller (Jan 3, 2016)

Thanks for the info. I double checked the tag and it's Model 38570 Ser 1000147. Definitely 7 digits. The tag is undamaged and in an easy-to-read location so I probably haven't missed any characters. Does this make any sense?

The skids are little things at the back corners of the bucket, which I think I read somewhere is an indication of an early model. Be that so?

Alan


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

The Powershift is a pretty heavy machine . . . a full transmission and the axle 'shifts' backward to put more weight on the bucket if needed.

It might be an upgrade, but it all depends on conditon


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

amuller said:


> Thanks for the info. I double checked the tag and it's Model 38570 Ser 1000147. Definitely 7 digits. The tag is undamaged and in an easy-to-read location so I probably haven't missed any characters. Does this make any sense?
> 
> The skids are little things at the back corners of the bucket, which I think I read somewhere is an indication of an early model. Be that so?
> 
> Alan


THANK YOU

38570 is the odd one with numbering, yours is still a 1991 PartsTree - Home of OEM Parts for Outdoor Power Equipment
these skids? those are the ones i had on my 1997


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