# Worth looking for?



## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

My neighbor loaned me this great little snowblower and it really opened my eyes as to how effortless it was to get rid of snow, I'm hooked and I liked the machine so much I want one just like it, it's a Craftsman model 71-52110-1 with a 10 HP Tecumseh. serial # 101651. he only paid $ 300 for this thing and it's in excellent shape, no rust, everything intact and working properly. electric start it starts great and plows right through compacted stuff left by the snowplow. I found this picture online it looks like the same machine. I'm wondering about parts availability, is it worth trying to find one of these?


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Welcome to SBF. Where's your location? How big an area do you need to clean? Just my humble opinion but you can do better for less, depending on your location.


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## BeatsShoveling (Feb 14, 2020)

That's not a great quality machine (for the time--around 25+ years old) that stands out slightly because it has a large engine for its size. I'd really be looking at a better brand for that money. Around here $300 would buy a newer Ariens if you shopped around.


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## toofastforyou (Jan 29, 2019)

~smokey~ said:


> My neighbor loaned me this great little snowblower and it really opened my eyes as to how effortless it was to get rid of snow, I'm hooked and I liked the machine so much I want one just like it, it's a Craftsman model 71-52110-1 with a 10 HP Tecumseh. serial # 101651. he only paid $ 300 for this thing and it's in excellent shape, no rust, everything intact and working properly. electric start it starts great and plows right through compacted stuff left by the snowplow. I found this picture online it looks like the same machine. I'm wondering about parts availability, is it worth trying to find one of these?


I don't see nothing wrong in buying a used machine like that one. I bought mine used (similar to the one pictures, decided to restore it but that was my choice to do so) and even if it's not a new 2020 model it gets the job done. I didn't feel like spending 2K or more for a new one and restoring my used one still ended up costing me less than buying a new one. There are some purists who only swear by Ariens, Honda, etc… :bs: but new or used, as long as it moves snow is what counts! :smile:
As for parts, I wouldn't worry too much as Craftsman sold thousands of them so finding used parts shouldn't be a problem and also some replacement parts are still available new.

Good luck, :thumbsup:

Claude.


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## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

Just my opinion pertaining to buying quality when buying anything. Yes, a humble snowblower designed for cost will clear snow!!! No if’s or but’s.......they work. So you may ask, why then follow recommendations that advise paying more than that ‘’designed for cost’’ requires???

The simple answer in my humble opinion is reliability!!!! Even a brand name such as Ariens can cut product cost and for that reason when purchase time arrived for me, I went with their Pro 28 model. Why? Because I was fed up having to make repairs to my old ‘’designed for cost’’ snowblower in my freezing garage before I could clear my yard after a storm. Sure, if you intend to change out your machine every few years or so, the reliability of a better machine is of no consequence. What can fail? Every moving part! It reminds me of the old Fram filter advertisement: Pay me now, or pay me later.


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## toofastforyou (Jan 29, 2019)

I think that reliability is closely linked to good maintenance. I've had a 1975 8hp. Lawn-Boy snowblower for 44 years ( ! ) and eventually gave it to my daughter when I bought my 2004 Brute and it still runs fine today. I always cared for it and when I saw something that needed attention, I immediately fixed it.. I think that's the key to make any brand last longer. As for my Brute, I completely restored it last fall and now it's as good as new so if it lasts another 44 years, I won't complain!… :biggrin:

Claude.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Before pulling the trigger on *any blower* do a little homework. You never used one before and you don't have to run out now and grab the first one you see. Watch the video before buying anything. Donyboy73 knows what he's talking about.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Parts no problem.

Craftsman? not sure about reliability. all I know that people around here can NOT give them away. see them free all the time or very very cheap. I won't take them in for repairs because the cost is more than it's worth.

If you can get one free and/or cheap go ahead. but try to learn to maintain and repair yourself and people here will more than happy to help. 

I think you may be able to do better with $300-500 for a good used Ariens/Honda/Toro. It also depends on amount of snowfall you receive. A good single stage Toro or Honda will do an excellent job in smaller snowfalls and they can be had cheap in the summer. Whatever you decide , wait until spring/summer to pick up the best deals.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

I'd think pretty much any 26" snowblower with a 12" impeller and a 10 hp engine would be a good performer, would I specifically seek out that model? Probably not. Definitely not at $300.

I've rehabbed and flipped several newer Murray-made Craftsman snowblowers over the years, but only if they were dirt cheap to begin with ($0-$40) needing only a carb and skid shoes.


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## penna stogey (Nov 25, 2019)

Throwing out the welcome mat for your first post..
Greetings from Gettysburg!


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## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

toofastforyou said:


> I think that reliability is closely linked to good maintenance. I've had a 1975 8hp. Lawn-Boy snowblower for 44 years ( ! ) and eventually gave it to my daughter when I bought my 2004 Brute and it still runs fine today. I always cared for it and when I saw something that needed attention, I immediately fixed it.. I think that's the key to make any brand last longer. As for my Brute, I completely restored it last fall and now it's as good as new so if it lasts another 44 years, I won't complain!… :biggrin:
> 
> Claude.



Sometimes ‘’good maintenance’’ requires CONSTANT maintenance. And there are many who enjoy doing constant maintenance and repairs. To each his own.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

~smokey~ said:


> My neighbor loaned me this great little snowblower and it really opened my eyes as to how effortless it was to get rid of snow, I'm hooked and I liked the machine so much I want one just like it, it's a Craftsman model 71-52110-1 with a 10 HP Tecumseh. serial # 101651. he only paid $ 300 for this thing and it's in excellent shape, no rust, everything intact and working properly. electric start it starts great and plows right through compacted stuff left by the snowplow. I found this picture online it looks like the same machine. I'm wondering about parts availability, is it worth trying to find one of these?


You are narrowing your choices dramatically while being so specific with an older machine.
After that..when you locate one...will it in good shape?
I think you will be happy with just about any machine compared to using a shovel.
There are many machines to choose both from new and used/ I would widen my search way beyond that machine in specific.




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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

micah68kj said:


> Welcome to SBF. Where's your location? How big an area do you need to clean? Just my humble opinion but you can do better for less, depending on your location.


Thanks for the welcome and advice, I'm in the southern Okanagan of British Columbia, the snow we get here is what I would call high maintenance in that it needs shoveling before you even walk on it cause everywhere you step turns to ice, in the 20 years we've lived here I've shoveled 16" of snow off the roof at least half a dozen times. below 0°C it's light powder and you need to get on it before it warms up and gets heavy, this last week it snowed for 4 days I couldn't keep up even after shoveling for 18 hours straight. such a PITA ! my driveway I want the snowblower for is 80' x 16'


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

BeatsShoveling said:


> That's not a great quality machine (for the time--around 25+ years old) that stands out slightly because it has a large engine for its size. I'd really be looking at a better brand for that money. Around here $300 would buy a newer Ariens if you shopped around.


Thanks for your advice, I do love those old Tecumseh engines, I have one in my lawnmower it's been running like a top for 35+ years !


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

toofastforyou said:


> I don't see nothing wrong in buying a used machine like that one. I bought mine used (similar to the one pictures, decided to restore it but that was my choice to do so) and even if it's not a new 2020 model it gets the job done. I didn't feel like spending 2K or more for a new one and restoring my used one still ended up costing me less than buying a new one. There are some purists who only swear by Ariens, Honda, etc… :bs: but new or used, as long as it moves snow is what counts! :smile:
> As for parts, I wouldn't worry too much as Craftsman sold thousands of them so finding used parts shouldn't be a problem and also some replacement parts are still available new.
> 
> Good luck, :thumbsup:
> ...


Thanks for your advice, I think we're on the same page, If I can find a machine in good condition for a decent price and score a few more for parts I'll be happy with that.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

foggysail said:


> Just my opinion pertaining to buying quality when buying anything. Yes, a humble snowblower designed for cost will clear snow!!! No if’s or but’s.......they work. So you may ask, why then follow recommendations that advise paying more than that ‘’designed for cost’’ requires???
> 
> The simple answer in my humble opinion is reliability!!!! Even a brand name such as Ariens can cut product cost and for that reason when purchase time arrived for me, I went with their Pro 28 model. Why? Because I was fed up having to make repairs to my old ‘’designed for cost’’ snowblower in my freezing garage before I could clear my yard after a storm. Sure, if you intend to change out your machine every few years or so, the reliability of a better machine is of no consequence. What can fail? Every moving part! It reminds me of the old Fram filter advertisement: Pay me now, or pay me later.


Can't say I blame you for being fed up with machines needing repair, I'm looking for a well designed reliable beast with a good parts supply, I remember those old Fram filter ads from years ago, turns out Fram filters are probably the worst one's on the market.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

toofastforyou said:


> I think that reliability is closely linked to good maintenance. I've had a 1975 8hp. Lawn-Boy snowblower for 44 years ( ! ) and eventually gave it to my daughter when I bought my 2004 Brute and it still runs fine today. I always cared for it and when I saw something that needed attention, I immediately fixed it.. I think that's the key to make any brand last longer. As for my Brute, I completely restored it last fall and now it's as good as new so if it lasts another 44 years, I won't complain!… :biggrin:
> 
> Claude.


I would agree, if you take care of a well designed reliable machine it will stay reliable for a very long time, staying on top of small problems before they become big problems.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

micah68kj said:


> Before pulling the trigger on *any blower* do a little homework. You never used one before and you don't have to run out now and grab the first one you see. Watch the video before buying anything. Donyboy73 knows what he's talking about.
> https://youtu.be/wFOVWb_QP5k


Funnily enough I just watched that video last week he's a good mechanic, he has some great stuff on chainsaws too.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

orangputeh said:


> Parts no problem.
> 
> Craftsman? not sure about reliability. all I know that people around here can NOT give them away. see them free all the time or very very cheap. I won't take them in for repairs because the cost is more than it's worth.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your advice, I'm open to any brand that's known to be reliable and has a good parts supply, the $ 300 my neighbor paid I thought was a good price but only compared to what others are asking, locally I've seen nothing for less than $ 600 and a machine similar to the Craftsman was $ 800 I'll be waiting for spring/summer no doubt.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

db130 said:


> I'd think pretty much any 26" snowblower with a 12" impeller and a 10 hp engine would be a good performer, would I specifically seek out that model? Probably not. Definitely not at $300.
> 
> I've rehabbed and flipped several newer Murray-made Craftsman snowblowers over the years, but only if they were dirt cheap to begin with ($0-$40) needing only a carb and skid shoes.


Thanks for your advice, you guys down south have an amazing supply of dirt cheap snow blowers I wish we had that here ! hopefully I'll find something if I keep digging around.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

penna stogey said:


> Throwing out the welcome mat for your first post..
> Greetings from Gettysburg!


Thanks I appreciate it, greetings from the great white north :thumbsup:


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

Shovel said:


> You are narrowing your choices dramatically while being so specific with an older machine.
> After that..when you locate one...will it in good shape?
> I think you will be happy with just about any machine compared to using a shovel.
> There are many machines to choose both from new and used/ I would widen my search way beyond that machine in specific.
> ...


Thanks for your advice, I know what you mean, I've only used that machine once and was very impressed with how well it worked, especially the lack of effort it takes and the time saved, and I have to admit I just love those old Tecumseh engines, but I'm open to considering all the other good machines as well, with exception of another Garant snow shovel I've used this one for over 30 years ! we both need a rest.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

~smokey~ said:


> Thanks for your advice, I know what you mean, I've only used that machine once and was very impressed with how well it worked, especially the lack of effort it takes and the time saved, and I have to admit I just love those old Tecumseh engines, but I'm open to considering all the other good machines as well, with exception of another Garant snow shovel I've used this one for over 30 years ! we both need a rest.


The engines on these newer (after Tecumseh sold) machines start effortlessly and run great...The norm is one pull.
Fancy chute controls...better tires..lights.. heated grips.. quieter.. Cadillacs compared to the older machines.




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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Welcome ~smokey~! Now understanding that you're in Canada, that "shifts" the pricing a bit. I assumed you were in the US, as many of us are. So $300 CAD is about $225 USD. 

Just echoing what others said. *Any* functioning snowblower sure beats the heck out of a shovel!! But I suspect there's nothing particularly unique about the Craftsman you got to try. If shopping around, I *am* biased towards Ariens, Toro, and Honda. 

I had a '94 26" 8hp MTD, and a '94 24" 8hp Ariens. I'm pretty sure the Ariens was used commercially before I bought it in 2011. At the same age. the MTD's frame had a crack. Its sheetmetal was thinner, it had smaller augers and impellers, and it wasn't designed or built as solidly as the Ariens. Mind you, it was cheaper, I'm sure, when they were both new. 

But even with machines built the same year (eliminating "they don't make 'em like they used to"), the Ariens was a better machine. The Ariens also had a differential, to make turning easier. The MTD cleared snow for me for years, with mainly just replacing wear items. But the Ariens had some nice ease-of-use features, and should hold up better in the long run. 

I've never owned a Honda. But my single-stage Toro machines have all been good, and their 2-stages have a good reputation. So if looking for a machine, those are the brands I'd prefer to go with. It doesn't make Craftsman, MTD, Cub Cadet, etc, bad, but they wouldn't be my first choice. 

Good luck in your search! Anything that's reliable will be much better than shoveling, regardless of brand, or how shiny it is.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

~smokey~ said:


> Thanks for the welcome and advice, I'm in the southern Okanagan of British Columbia, the snow we get here is what I would call high maintenance in that it needs shoveling before you even walk on it cause everywhere you step turns to ice, in the 20 years we've lived here I've shoveled 16" of snow off the roof at least half a dozen times. below 0°C it's light powder and you need to get on it before it warms up and gets heavy, this last week it snowed for 4 days I couldn't keep up even after shoveling for 18 hours straight. such a PITA ! my driveway I want the snowblower for is 80' x 16'


now armed with info. heavy duty Ariens or Honda. Craftsman will be more trouble than it's worth.

just my 2 cents


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

I looked at some prices in Canada while ago... Both new and used.. Outrageous compared to the USA.
I wasn't finding many used in your area on Craigslist either.
I may be missing a conversion .. maybe it's giving Canadian dollars which are way different.

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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

Shovel said:


> The engines on these newer (after Tecumseh sold) machines start effortlessly and run great...The norm is one pull.
> Fancy chute controls...better tires..lights.. heated grips.. quieter.. Cadillacs compared to the older machines.
> 
> 
> ...


Personally I think I'll avoid trying anything new for fear of being spoiled beyond any common sense :blowerhug:


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

RedOctobyr said:


> Welcome ~smokey~! Now understanding that you're in Canada, that "shifts" the pricing a bit. I assumed you were in the US, as many of us are. So $300 CAD is about $225 USD.
> 
> Just echoing what others said. *Any* functioning snowblower sure beats the heck out of a shovel!! But I suspect there's nothing particularly unique about the Craftsman you got to try. If shopping around, I *am* biased towards Ariens, Toro, and Honda.
> 
> ...


Thanks Red, it's great to be armed with so much good information early in the hunt, I'll admit I have a soft spot for that Craftsman for various reasons, I really liked the controls the way they wrapped around the handlebar so you can hold them both down leaving your left hand free to turn the chute, but that's a simple mod you could make to any machine, it's been mentioned the Craftsman could be more trouble than it's worth and I'd rather not regret diving into those issues, also I'm pretty sure the Craftsman didn't have a differential so that would be great on the Ariens.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

never hurts to shop around. check kijiji or even facebook. we have been having a pretty mild winter around here so a lot of snowblowers have been just sitting on the market. heck i scored a pretty good condition mtd blower a month or so ago for $20. had to spend $2 on new muffler bolts and spend a couple minutes cleaning the 1 tire to re-seat the bead but seems like a good machine. other than that i don't see why it shouldn't have been a $150+ machine with how clean it was. heck could have probably go $100 for it as it was but the guy only posted a pic of the model number and said it needed work lol. if he posted pic of the machine he would have likely had it sold in a heart beat and would have had people offering him more than his $25 asking price


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

~smokey~ said:


> I'll admit I have a soft spot for that Craftsman for various reasons, I really liked the controls the way they wrapped around the handlebar so you can hold them both down leaving your left hand free to turn the chute, but that's a simple mod you could make to any machine.


Just as an FYI, that handle interlock is a pretty standard feature, I think. My MTD had it, as have both of my Ariens. I think you'll find it on most machines, if not all.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

Shovel said:


> I looked at some prices in Canada while ago... Both new and used.. Outrageous compared to the USA.
> I wasn't finding many used in your area on Craigslist either.
> I may be missing a conversion .. maybe it's giving Canadian dollars which are way different.
> 
> Sent from my LM-Q710.FG using Tapatalk


We Canadians pay through the nose for everything, as far as used stuff goes the 
particular area I live in seems to be the worst, people looking to buy are super cheap and yet want a fortune for the same stuff when they sell it, up north it's common to pay $ 500 for an old winter beater, it was ugly and rusty but mechanically sound, here in the Okanagan you'd be lucky to get $ 100 for that car and if they sold it would want a grand ! "Outrageous" is right.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

crazzywolfie said:


> never hurts to shop around. check kijiji or even facebook. we have been having a pretty mild winter around here so a lot of snowblowers have been just sitting on the market. heck i scored a pretty good condition mtd blower a month or so ago for $20. had to spend $2 on new muffler bolts and spend a couple minutes cleaning the 1 tire to re-seat the bead but seems like a good machine. other than that i don't see why it shouldn't have been a $150+ machine with how clean it was. heck could have probably go $100 for it as it was but the guy only posted a pic of the model number and said it needed work lol. if he posted pic of the machine he would have likely had it sold in a heart beat and would have had people offering him more than his $25 asking price


Good score, pretty hard to beat $ 20 bucks for something that works, I've noticed that Facebook marketplace has loads of cool junk for sale looks like it's catching up to CL and kijiji.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

the machines i pick up for free from the curb are usually even better deals lol. had a 30" machine with trigger steering. i found it too big and bulky but i got it for free and sold it off for $300 a couple years ago. i pick up a couple free or nearly free machines each year. most times they are easy money. there are definitely a lot of machines sitting for sale on facebook around me. i bet some people would let a few of them go cheap since season is practically over. i have though about making offers on a few of them but i really don't want to be sitting on snowblowers with the way the weather has been this year. likely won't be able to sell it next year if we get another winter like this.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

~smokey~ said:


> We Canadians pay through the nose for everything, as far as used stuff goes the
> particular area I live in seems to be the worst, people looking to buy are super cheap and yet want a fortune for the same stuff when they sell it, up north it's common to pay $ 500 for an old winter beater, it was ugly and rusty but mechanically sound, here in the Okanagan you'd be lucky to get $ 100 for that car and if they sold it would want a grand ! "Outrageous" is right.


Outrageous for..Even Home Depot gouges you.



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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

~smokey~ said:


> Personally I think I'll avoid trying anything new for fear of being spoiled beyond any common sense :blowerhug:


Being able to adjust the chute quickly and the deflector is very nice for areas that you will be maneuvering in..If your environment requires a frequent change of direction it's nice to have.
Sometimes you lower the deflector as the wind will blow snow on you in one direction for example..so now you are cranking the chute then reaching over to adjust the deflector..with nice controls you can avoid having to stop as you can change the chute and deflector pretty fast.
The nicer controls are becoming common rather than upper end features...making them much more affordable.
I have to reach over and change my deflector... if they were six inches closer it would be so much easier..I can barely do it on the move.



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## Cutter (Mar 29, 2017)

~smokey~ said:


> My neighbor loaned me this great little snowblower and it really opened my eyes as to how effortless it was to get rid of snow, I'm hooked and I liked the machine so much I want one just like it, it's a Craftsman model 71-52110-1 with a 10 HP Tecumseh. serial # 101651. he only paid $ 300 for this thing and it's in excellent shape, no rust, everything intact and working properly. electric start it starts great and plows right through compacted stuff left by the snowplow. I found this picture online it looks like the same machine. I'm wondering about parts availability, is it worth trying to find one of these?



The absolute best thing about these old Craftsman snowblowers is the handlebar that you grip to use it. The "D Handle" as I call it is the most comfortable positioning for your hands....they do not get sore or tired, whereas the regular grips on most snowblowers are hard on the hands/palms.
I had one of these blowers for over 20 years, and loved it to death, but unfortunately it came to a screeching halt in the park by my house, and I didn't want to put the money in to fix it, so I bought my Ariens.:wink2::surprise::grin:


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I'm in Home Depot at the moment, got to play with the Toro Quick Stick controls, on one of their HD machines. That's pretty slick. It was nicer to use than the Ariens Deluxe controls next to it. 

Hopefully they keep working nicely with age, and as things get icy, etc. 

I have a crank for left/right on my chute, but up/down is manual. So I tend to not adjust the up/down very often. 

Shovel, I wonder if you could attach a handle to the chute for up/down, to make it easier to reach? Kind of like on a Honda HS621 single stage.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

RedOctobyr said:


> I'm in Home Depot at the moment, got to play with the Toro Quick Stick controls, on one of their HD machines. That's pretty slick. It was nicer to use than the Ariens Deluxe controls next to it.
> 
> Hopefully they keep working nicely with age, and as things get icy, etc.
> 
> ...


Thank you
I never thought of that...a very good idea ..it won't take much to make a huge difference .I will keep my eye out for a piece to fashion on there



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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Thank *you*. You got me thinking about it, I never really gave my chute up/down control much thought, in terms of whether it could be improved. 

Mine has a metal handle on the chute deflector, for up/down (pic attached). It would probably be fairly straightforward to clamp something onto the metal handle, to extend it closer to the operator. I always stop, and walk around to the side of the machine, to adjust up/down. But maybe something could be fashioned to let it be adjusted while still at the controls. 

A simple handle would just point straight back from the deflector. And of course, as you aimed the chute left or right, that handle wouldn't be facing towards the operator. But rather than extending the handle itself left and right, perhaps you could temporarily aim the chute forward, so that the handle was back towards the operator, bringing it closer. Adjust the up/down, then rotate the chute left or right again as needed. 

Ariens made a cable-actuated version of my chute deflector, but even if the upgrade kit was still available, it would probably cost more than it would be worth. And I've never been motivated enough to try and rig up some sort of cable-driven version myself. But a simple handle extension might improve usability, without much complexity. 

A picture of an HS621, with their deflector handle, is also attached.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

RedOctobyr said:


> Thank *you*. You got me thinking about it, I never really gave my chute up/down control much thought, in terms of whether it could be improved.
> 
> Mine has a metal handle on the chute deflector, for up/down (pic attached). It would probably be fairly straightforward to clamp something onto the metal handle, to extend it closer to the operator. I always stop, and walk around to the side of the machine, to adjust up/down. But maybe something could be fashioned to let it be adjusted while still at the controls.
> 
> ...


I think I will try to go with a hoop shape so it will reduce the reach even while the chute it turned..I wont be able make the radius on a piece of aluminum without it looking consistent .I am going to keep my eye out for a piece of plastic with a radius already molded in..The plastic will flex enough to make the radius look decent..I will just have to use some heat to bend the areas which will go flat to the deflector...Summer time project.



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## Cutter (Mar 29, 2017)

Cutter said:


> The absolute best thing about these old Craftsman snowblowers is the handlebar that you grip to use it. The "D Handle" as I call it is the most comfortable positioning for your hands....they do not get sore or tired, whereas the regular grips on most snowblowers are hard on the hands/palms.
> I had one of these blowers for over 20 years, and loved it to death, but unfortunately it came to a screeching halt in the park by my house, and I didn't want to put the money in to fix it, so I bought my Ariens.:wink2::surprise::grin:



Thanks for the Like Smokey, but I was also going to add that I had absolutely no problems getting parts here in Saskatchewan for that blower. Many of the parts for those units are generic " to a point", and they go by Murray, or Murray Noma. On you Tube, Donny-boy 73 has alot of great videos on repairs. Great machines, dependable, and they do a very neat job of cleaning snow. I wish I still had my old one.:smile2:


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

Cutter said:


> Thanks for the Like Smokey, but I was also going to add that I had absolutely no problems getting parts here in Saskatchewan for that blower. Many of the parts for those units are generic " to a point", and they go by Murray, or Murray Noma. On you Tube, Donny-boy 73 has alot of great videos on repairs. Great machines, dependable, and they do a very neat job of cleaning snow. I wish I still had my old one.:smile2:


I've been watching lots of Donny boys videos he has some great stuff, and links to online parts, I messaged him on his FB page it'll be interesting to see what he says about the old Craftsmans. now I'm checking out the Ariens since he owns one, I'm impressed with how some of those old machines have held up over the years.


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## biggen5963 (Feb 3, 2015)

I bought an Ariens 34” 10 years ago and love it. I paid $2700 for it then and have only had to do routine maintenance to it. Just treat your gas with ethanol treatment and shut the gas line off when you’re done using it and the thing runs like dream. Plus it eats my 275’ long driveway for breakfast.


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## ember1205 (Jan 9, 2020)

Welcome to the forums.

I bought an Ariens 1028 in 2001 brand new. 10HP Tecumseh motor, 28" cut, locking differential, headlight, hand warmers, remote chute control for side-to-side and height. Moved and didn't need it any more in mid-2007 and sold the machine to my parents who were coming off of a mid-70's Ariens 8HP machine that owed no one anything. 

They used the machine until this winter when it sort of "crashed". Actually, for the past 5 years or so, they had been paying a neighbor to clear snow using their machine. And, while he did clear the snow, he also used the machine very hard (to the point of mildly abusing it). This winter, it just kind of "locked up" and the augers wouldn't operate. They bought a brand new Ariens machine and I took this back.

I brought it to a local small engine repair person. He went through it and assessed that the wheel bearings (axle bearings), the auger drive shaft bearing, the friction disc, and the belts were all shot and needed replacement. I also bought a new scraper bar for the bottom. Total parts cost was about $150. He rebuilt the machine for $175 in labor, including adjusting the skids and actually re-shaping the auger body as it was distorted from hard use.

That machine will EASILY get another 10-15 years of use now, especially being used by someone that takes care of it.

Okay, now that the story is over, here's what I would suggest...

The machine that I have is prior to the move to the Briggs engines (which I personally do not believe run anywhere near as well as the Tecumseh ones), prior to the shift to their "Slap Stik" chute control (what a joke / gimmick), and does not have their Automatic Differential. When I first bought the house I am in now, I actually bought a 2010 Ariens with the Slap Stik control and the Auto Diff and couldn't get rid of that machine fast enough. What a nightmare it was to use! In other words, newer is not necessarily better - be sure you understand the machine that you're looking at and what its various controls mean for your use. 

Whether you're looking at a machine that's one season old, thirty seasons old, or somewhere in between - look for signs of maintenance and care and be wary of needing stronger repairs "soon". If I had to BUY my machine back from my parents, it wouldn't have been worth more than about $100 because of the repair costs to get it back up and running. Factor in age and expect repairs to be necessary when buying a used machine. Be willing to walk from EVERY deal you find, and be sure you know your facts about what else is out on the market when you're attempting to negotiate a good deal on a used machine.

Parts availability for machines is generally good, at least here in the US, for anything going back even 30 years or more. Many of the base component pieces are the same year after year and machines are mostly only made in one of a few factories. Ariens and MTD are two common manufacturers now for many machines on the market, regardless of the brand they are sold under.

While the Tecumseh motors were really good, it's important to know that they have been out of business for something like 15 years. And, while all of the parts that were available when they went under were bought up to be able to be sold going forward, there's only so much repair you can do to one of those motors. I don't believe there is any way to repair a cracked block or burnt piston and you'll be looking for another machine with a salvageable motor on it or something.

Talk to your neighbor and see if you can work out an arrangement to be able to use that machine through the rest of this winter. Then look for a machine of your own in the spring when demand drops. If you find someone that is moving and has no use for a machine, they may be looking to sell it cheap to get it out of their garage - talk to Real Estate Agents in your area and tell them what you're looking for as they may have clients looking for a quick, easy sale as they're packing up house.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

biggen5963 said:


> I bought an Ariens 34” 10 years ago and love it. I paid $2700 for it then and have only had to do routine maintenance to it. Just treat your gas with ethanol treatment and shut the gas line off when you’re done using it and the thing runs like dream. Plus it eats my 275’ long driveway for breakfast.


I've done some research and watched a bunch of videos I'm convinced Ariens are an awesome machine, I would love to own one.


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## ~smokey~ (Feb 14, 2020)

ember1205 said:


> Welcome to the forums.
> 
> I bought an Ariens 1028 in 2001 brand new. 10HP Tecumseh motor, 28" cut, locking differential, headlight, hand warmers, remote chute control for side-to-side and height. Moved and didn't need it any more in mid-2007 and sold the machine to my parents who were coming off of a mid-70's Ariens 8HP machine that owed no one anything.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your advice ember ! The real estate angle is a new one I'll have to try that. :thumbsup:


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## squid3083 (Jan 20, 2020)

RedOctobyr said:


> I'm in Home Depot at the moment, got to play with the Toro Quick Stick controls, on one of their HD machines. That's pretty slick. It was nicer to use than the Ariens Deluxe controls next to it.
> 
> Hopefully they keep working nicely with age, and as things get icy, etc.
> 
> ...


That's something I appreciate on my Yard Man, chute up and down fast with a lever. But turning with the small handle round and round 20 times to go from one side to the next could be better with new control if it doesn't freeze lol


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## squid3083 (Jan 20, 2020)

~smokey~ said:


> I've been watching lots of Donny boys videos he has some great stuff, and links to online parts, I messaged him on his FB page it'll be interesting to see what he says about the old Craftsmans. now I'm checking out the Ariens since he owns one, I'm impressed with how some of those old machines have held up over the years.


Unless I'm mistaken , he said to stay clear of Craftsmans.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

Edit


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

squid3083 said:


> Unless I'm mistaken , he's said to stay clear of Craftsmans.


The one with the plastic transmission.



Sent from my LM-Q710.FG using Tapatalk


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## squid3083 (Jan 20, 2020)

Shovel said:


> The one with the plastic transmission.


Yes he did. So the one with plastic transmission.

And mixed Mastercraft with Crafstman


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

squid3083 said:


> Yes he did. So the one with plastic transmission.
> 
> And mixed Mastercraft with Crafstman


Most of the Craftsman snowblower are MTD and are the same as Cubs Yardmans Troy and others..
Craftsman is free who to choose for a supplier.. MTDs own the other brands listed above
They aren't bad..just not an upper end machine.. beats a shovel anyway. 

Sent from my LM-Q710.FG using Tapatalk


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## squid3083 (Jan 20, 2020)

Shovel said:


> Most of the Craftsman snowblower are MTD and are the same as Cubs Yardmans Troy and others..
> Craftsman is free who to choose for a supplier.. MTDs own the other brands listed above
> They aren't bad..just not an upper end machine.. beats a shovel anyway.


It does beat a shovel yes lol

My friend owned a Yards machine, and said the body was junk, so thin the top of the bucket would bend just by taking it with a finger or two and moving it sideways.

And when it would hit a bit the small portion of his sidewalk, the bottom would bend badly, and would have to straighten the metal with pliers.
Otherwise motor ran ok.

I bought my Yard man and did a lot of maintenance work on it, but already planning on eventually getting a Toro Powershift 1028 in good condition.
I just hope that choosing a powershift with a transmission won't come back to byte me afterwards.


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## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

Shovel said:


> Most of the Craftsman snowblower are MTD and are the same as Cubs Yardmans Troy and others..
> Craftsman is free who to choose for a supplier.. MTDs own the other brands listed above
> They aren't bad..just not an upper end machine.. beats a shovel anyway.
> 
> Sent from my LM-Q710.FG using Tapatalk


real world!!
craftsman mowers,snow blowers, tractor's are a mix of both rebrand'ed mtd and husqvarna 
one will find the cheaper models to be mtd,while the more pricier ones are husqvarna


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