# Honda HS928 for $1,000 or a FREE Yard Man 8.5HP 26". Which should I get??



## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

I have a '99 MTD Gold series 26" snowblower, with a Tecumseh 8.5HP, that I bought about a dozen years ago for $200 (on the WantAdvertiser.com). I've only had to replace the throttle and drive cables, added a couple Armor Skids, and recently had to drench the thing in oil to free up the frozen throttle mechanism. I'm thinking this thing has served me well over the years and that it's time for a replacement - it is quite rusted!

I was seriously considering buying a used Honda HS928 (wheeled) for $1,000. However, a friend just offered me a *free* Yard Man 8.5 HP 26" blower, because he doesn't use it. It is a virtual clone of my MTD Gold (same Tecumseh 8.5 HP), probably a decade newer, and it's in pristine condition.

I live on a cul de sac and the end of my driveway gets pummeled by the plow guy. Should I accept the free snowblower, knowing that I'm going to have to "do battle" with the snowbanks for year to come, or would the HS928 make my life that much easier?? 

It is also worth mentioning that there have been several occasions over the years that my MTD Gold couldn't throw the snow high enough to get over the banks (when the cul de sac was buried).

Thanks...Paul


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

:welcome: to SBF pbenham

Personally I'd find a way to get the snow over the banks but if it's a problem for you go for the Honda. IMHO you'll never be sorry. :blowerhug:


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Hands down buy the Honda. Are you interested getting the MTD as a backup? Or a flip? Part out the rusted MTD?

Buy Buy Buy the Honda.


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

I was ready to pull the trigger on the Honda, happened to mention it to my buddy, and he offered it to me. He didn't even know the brand, so I went to his house to check it out. I bet it hasn't been used 5 times - there is absolutely no paint missing from the auger/housing, and it has zero rust. I added some gas and it started on the 2nd pull.

I'm leaning towards telling him to throw it on Craigslist and I'll just get the Honda...but FREE is just so enticing!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Did you store the old machine inside in the summer ? With a new machine you might want to do the EOD stuff first since it's likely to have road salt in it and then do the driveway as that stuff is relatively clean and might help rinse off the machine after each use. That and making sure you brush it off before parking it. :smile2:

.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

pbenham said:


> I was ready to pull the trigger on the Honda, happened to mention it to my buddy, and he offered it to me. He didn't even know the brand, so I went to his house to check it out. I bet it hasn't been used 5 times - there is absolutely no paint missing from the auger/housing, and it has zero rust. I added some gas and it started on the 2nd pull.
> 
> I'm leaning towards telling him to throw it on Craigslist and I'll just get the Honda...but FREE is just so enticing!


If you didn't put impeller seals on your old MTD, and you just barely got by, then put them on the free one, and pocket the $1K. If you've already had seals, then the Honda would be the choice.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

the only thing better in a snowstorm than one snowblower...is two snowblowers ! use the honda as your main machine, and in the unlikely event that the honda has issues when you most need it....the free yardman should finish the job.


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

That makes a lot of sense...End of driveway first, then the clean stuff! Thanks for the advice.


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

RIT333 said:


> If you didn't put impeller seals on your old MTD, and you just barely got by, then put them on the free one, and pocket the $1K. If you've already had seals, then the Honda would be the choice.



I never put impeller seals on the old MTD. What exactly would does that do?


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

nwcove said:


> the only thing better in a snowstorm than one snowblower...is two snowblowers ! use the honda as your main machine, and in the unlikely event that the honda has issues when you most need it....the free yardman should finish the job.


I'd rather my buddy pockets the money than me have the insurance of a second "good" snowblower. Was thinking I could keep the MTD gold as the back-up either way (if my wife approves). :grin:


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> :welcome: to SBF pbenham
> 
> Personally I'd find a way to get the snow over the banks but if it's a problem for you go for the Honda. IMHO you'll never be sorry. :blowerhug:


The town has had to send in a front end loader at least a couple of times when the show was about 8 feet high all around the circle...The little MTD just couldn't do it.


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

I just made the phone call to reserve the Honda. If for some reason it doesn't impress me as much as I think it will, I can always sell it for what I paid for it! 

Thanks for the advice.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

The impeller kit increases the distance your snow mule will throw the snow and ice it encounters it also 
seals the distance between the impeller paddle edges and the inside diameter of the impeller housing and
this also clears the impeller housing of snow and ice in each revolution.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

I would skip the Honda and go for the MTD......an impeller kit and it will last you for decades while doing it's job....keep your old one for parts or a backup. Is the Honda a better machine?///sure......but $1000 is $1000...and the MTD will do the job.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

pbenham said:


> I was ready to pull the trigger on the Honda, happened to mention it to my buddy, and he offered it to me. He didn't even know the brand, so I went to his house to check it out. I bet it hasn't been used 5 times - there is absolutely no paint missing from the auger/housing, and it has zero rust. I added some gas and it started on the 2nd pull.
> 
> I'm leaning towards telling him to throw it on Craigslist and I'll just get the Honda...but FREE is just so enticing!


maybe it will throw well since new. otherwise put in an impeller kit.

i would take the free one. there will be better Honda deals coming up this spring and summer.


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

How much throw distance would I gain? 20%? 50%? 

Will the impeller kit cause any increased wear or increase the likelihood of some sort of damage?

I realize that $1000 versus zero dollars seems like a no-brainer. However, I also feel like I could use the Honda for a couple years and still sell it for thousand dollars based on what I see online. Fortunately, the thousand dollars isn’t going to break the bank either way…


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

*Gonna go with the free one!*

I changed my mind...Gonna get the free one and look at modifying the impellar! Is the link below a good method, or is there an actual kit to purchase? I'd never heard of such an option, but it makes complete sense.

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/mtd-snowblowers/1194-i-am-adding-homemade-impeller-kit-my-1996-mtd.html


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

pbenham said:


> I'd rather my buddy pockets the money than me have the insurance of a second "good" snowblower. Was thinking I could keep the MTD gold as the back-up either way (if my wife approves). :grin:


guess that is dependent on your situation, in my situation i would/could never depend on one machine. even the best of the best can and will let you down at the worst possible time. lol . i like some redundancy just in case. do convince the wife to approve !


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

I keep 2 machines at any time, a main and a backup. The Searsasaurus (my main machine) threw a rod last month I used my backup while looking for a replacement motor. I have another motor on the Searsasaurus now I just need some snow to finish adjusting it.

I vote for 2 working blowers (as if my vote made a difference) to avoid the shovel if at all possible when it's bad out.


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

pbenham said:


> I just made the phone call to reserve the Honda. If for some reason it doesn't impress me as much as I think it will, I can always sell it for what I paid for it!
> 
> Thanks for the advice.


Good move. 

I have the same MTD gold machine you have. You might as well hang on to the MTD. I implore you to install impeller seals. It make a drastic difference.

It’s a good snowblower, but cannot compare to a Honda.


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## thefixer (Nov 19, 2017)

Get the Honda and put in impeller seals. I don't see any drawbacks to doing the impeller seals. Makes an average blower good and a good blower great. my 2 cents.


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## Miles (Sep 16, 2016)

Your neighbor is giving you a practically new, free snowblower. I would take it and use it until it is well-worn. Why pay good money for a used machine, albeit a Honda, when there is a free one?


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

So where do I get theses impeller seals? I see this one link:

https://www.ebay.com/p/Snowblower-Impeller-Vane-Seal-Kit-Throw-Snow-and-Slush-Farther/2060744774


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

pbenham said:


> So where do I get theses impeller seals? I see this one link:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/p/Snowblower-Impeller-Vane-Seal-Kit-Throw-Snow-and-Slush-Farther/2060744774


Search on this forum for "impeller seal". Very few people buy a kit, they merely buy parts from places like Tractor Supply Company, and then they save quite a bit of money. It is not rocket science.


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

I'd rather get kicked in the junk than spend a grand on a snowthrower. Get the old girl!


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

nwcove said:


> the only thing better in a snowstorm than one snowblower...is two snowblowers ! use the honda as your main machine, and in the unlikely event that the honda has issues when you most need it....the free yardman should finish the job.


Yes. Do this.


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

So I picked up the MTD for free (gonna buy my buddy a GC to the local brewery). I was pleasantly surprised to see that it had heated grips, chute controls on the dash and even some left/right turning controls. Definitely an upgrade over mine! 

I added the impeller seals after spending exactly $1 on the nuts/bolts/washers at TSC. I greased the housing pretty heavily since the paddles were quite snug. 

Also gonna get a set of the Armorskids since I have them on my others machine and love em. 

Looking forward to the snow on Wednesday!

Thanks for all the advice!

Paul


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

Get yourself and Owners and Repair manual, plus some spare belts and sheep pins, and you'll be set for the next 30 years.

Congrats


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## russ01915 (Dec 18, 2013)

nwcove said:


> the only thing better in a snowstorm than one snowblower...is two snowblowers ! use the honda as your main machine, and in the unlikely event that the honda has issues when you most need it....the free yardman should finish the job.


I think this is a great game plane! Buy the Honda and take take the freebie. If you are on a budget, then the pristine freebie is the way to go.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Good choice....keep up on the maintenance and it will last for decades.....Rustoleum Dark Hunter Green over Rusty Metal Primer for when that paint starts to peel!


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Looks like the rubber is bent over as it is too long. It should just touch, pushed up against, the smallest, the tightest area. The inside area will not be perfectly round. As it sits now, the rubber will wear down but I'm concerned that the abrasion will also wear the metal making it thinner.


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## sock-feet (Dec 14, 2017)

JLawrence08648 said:


> Looks like the rubber is bent over as it is too long. It should just touch, pushed up against, the smallest, the tightest area. The inside area will not be perfectly round. As it sits now, the rubber will wear down but I'm concerned that the abrasion will also wear the metal making it thinner.


Yes. I did this on my craftsman and the rubber would heat up and create a ton of friction and slip the belt big time. Trim the rubber down and grind an angle to the rubber at the tip. This will make the rubber thinner and get as far out on the housing as possible.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

pbenham said:


> So where do I get theses impeller seals? I see this one link:


What a number of members have used is baler belt from FleetFarm, Tractor Supply Co., ... It's relatively cheap and it's pretty thin and easy to work with.
I've seen some use tire sidewall and I did try that but I like the BB better.

Then grab some stainless steel hardware to mount it. Either bolts and nylock nuts or self tapping. Seems both have their supporters.
.


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## pbenham (Feb 21, 2018)

So I trimmed the rubber back a bit so that the paddles are now barely touching the housing.

Got to test it this morning with at least 18" of pretty wet snow. It was awesome!!! I was able to send the snow from the right side of my driveway all the way to the left side (with plenty of extra distance). I could even send the dirty plowed snow that was up against my curb over to the center circle (rather than on my lawn), without having to move it twice. The best part was that it was almost self-propelled because it really tore through the snow. Also pretty good that I saved myself $1,000!

Now I'm trying to convince two guys at work to do the same mod. They're both frustrated with the performance of their Ariens machines this morning.

Thanks to all for your advice!
:smile2::3tens::bowing::rock:


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