# Personal opinion



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

If you had a choice between the Honda hss1332 or the ariens rapid trac 28 which would u choose?


----------



## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

I like them both but would choose the Ariens because I never read about them clogging. Spending $2200+ and dealing with that on the first use would drive me insane.


----------



## 132619 (Nov 20, 2018)

Ariens also for me, why spend more for when you don't need to


----------



## northeast (Dec 29, 2017)

The Honda all the way I have 55 hours on my hss1332s and I have experienced them clog twice. Honda had an issue with the smaller machines clogging and they have a revised chute that fixes it and it’s covered under warranty. If you don’t want the new chute a simple re jetting of the carburetor fixes the clogging issue also and it only takes 10 minuets to change the jet out. Again the bulk of the clogging complaints were with the hss928 and hss728 not the hss1332. A comparable ariens RapidTrack if you consider it comparable is more money and many on this forum have complained about it being difficult to use. Here is my list on why I feel the Honda is much much better snowblower.

1, Electric chute control.
2, auger protection system reduces shear pin breaks.
3, Ease of changing shear pins.
4, hydraulic bucket height control.
5, finger tip turning.
6, battery start.
7, 2x faster at moving snow 10x less effort to use.
8, the articulation of the discharge chute.
9, gx engine.
10, hydrostatic transmission.
11, 3 year transferable warranty for all users including commercial use.
12, easy access to all controls while operating including choke and engine speed lever it’s all on the dashboard.
13, The overall quality and thought put into engineering and building it. The Honda honestly is years ahead of Ariens in this department.
14, resale value
15, it is as easy to move as a wheeled unit.

I have not owned a rapid track but up until last year I owned 2 Ariens Pro 28s one being a hydro 28. I would not consider buying another ariens until they are serious about competing with honda. Right now the ariens is a second rate machine for more money imo.


----------



## Stresst (Nov 15, 2010)

I never used a machine with tracks. What are the differences?


----------



## northeast (Dec 29, 2017)

Stresst said:


> I never used a machine with tracks. What are the differences?


It’s like driving a four wheel drive vs a two wheel drive truck in the snow. The tracks bite and rip through even the toughest eod crud with out any effort from the operator.


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

tdipaul said:


> I like them both but would choose the Ariens because I never read about them clogging. Spending $2200+ and dealing with that on the first use would drive me insane.


 that's what I'm saying I was thinking the same thing


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

northeast said:


> The Honda all the way I have 55 hours on my hss1332s and I have experienced them clog twice. Honda had an issue with the smaller machines clogging and they have a revised chute that fixes it and it’s covered under warranty. If you don’t want the new chute a simple re jetting of the carburetor fixes the clogging issue also and it only takes 10 minuets to change the jet out. Again the bulk of the clogging complaints were with the hss928 and hss728 not the hss1332. A comparable ariens RapidTrack if you consider it comparable is more money and many on this forum have complained about it being difficult to use. Here is my list on why I feel the Honda is much much better snowblower.
> 
> 1, Electric chute control.
> 2, auger protection system reduces shear pin breaks.
> ...


 wow... ok sounds like ur a true honda guy thanks for your vote!!!!


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

33 woodie said:


> Ariens also for me, why spend more for when you don't need to


 there both around the same price


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

I love the look of the ariens


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

tdipaul said:


> I like them both but would choose the Ariens because I never read about them clogging. Spending $2200+ and dealing with that on the first use would drive me insane.


I love the look of the ariens... there around the same price I believe


----------



## northeast (Dec 29, 2017)

Georgie2328 said:


> wow... ok sounds like ur a true honda guy thanks for your vote!!!!


As I said until last year I owned 2 ariens snowblowers, I owned Ariens snowblower for over 20 years. I thought they were amazing until I bought my first Honda 1332 at the beginning of the last snow season. I promptly traded in my ariens hydro 28 after running it side by side next to the hss1332. I now own 3 hss1332s and no ariens machines so yeah I am absolutely without a doubt a Honda guy because the Honda’s are far better at moving snow. I am not brand loyal I am loyal to whatever brand can make me the most money and right now that is the Honda hss1332.


----------



## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

im an ariens guy, but would have to pick the honda..........but .........if i could afford the honda, i would get a yamaha.


----------



## ColdinMontana (Nov 18, 2018)

I just bought an Ariens Pro 32 Hydro Rapidtrak machine. Have not used it yet because naturally, it refuses to snow now that I finally bought one, lol. I can't compare the two from experience, but I like the build quality of the Ariens. It is simply a tank and everything about it exudes quality. Everything appears to be much more heavy-duty than the Honda. It weighs about 50 lbs more than the comparable Honda. I also wanted the more powerful 420cc Briggs engine. My only minor complaint would be the chute control. It seems flimsy and out of place on this caliber of machine. I'm sure I would have been very satisfied with the Honda too. But for my money I went with Ariens.


----------



## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

nwcove said:


> im an ariens guy, but would have to pick the honda..........but .........if i could afford the honda, i would get a yamaha.


lol. The Yamahas are quite a bit more money though, 1028 $3600 US, 1232 $4500 US. The 624 $2100 US, is actually cheaper then the HSS724 

I do love how quiet the 1028 is though, a simple pleasure. 

I’d still take a HSS1332 over a rapid track.


----------



## Miles (Sep 16, 2016)

I have a Honda HSS928AWD and had the revised chute installed under warranty. It worked in a recent wet snow that would have clogged it with the old chute. Honda quality is well-known. Their GX motors are well-built and always start. I like the auger protection system that stops the auger if it hits a rock or stick instead of breaking the shear pin. I'd go with Honda because I am satisfied with the Honda I have. I don't have any experience with the Ariens.


----------



## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

Hydro or disc drive Ariens?

The $2400 Platinum 28 ShO Rapid Trak makes it an even easier decision imo. 

Ps

How does changing a jet size eliminate clogging? By raising the rpm’s?

Either way there is a lot of doubt shadowing the HSS design. 

You might get a lot of the type of snow that seems to make it clog

Why chance it?

.


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

northeast said:


> As I said until last year I owned 2 ariens snowblowers, I owned Ariens snowblower for over 20 years. I thought they were amazing until I bought my first Honda 1332 at the beginning of the last snow season. I promptly traded in my ariens hydro 28 after running it side by side next to the hss1332. I now own 3 hss1332s and no ariens machines so yeah I am absolutely without a doubt a Honda guy because the Honda’s are far better at moving snow. I am not brand loyal I am loyal to whatever brand can make me the most money and right now that is the Honda hss1332.


👍thanks for the input


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

tdipaul said:


> Hydro or disc drive Ariens?
> 
> The $2400 Platinum 28 ShO Rapid Trak makes it an even easier decision imo.
> 
> ...


 Hydro I would go with


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

Miles said:


> I have a Honda HSS928AWD and had the revised chute installed under warranty. It worked in a recent wet snow that would have clogged it with the old chute. Honda quality is well-known. Their GX motors are well-built and always start. I like the auger protection system that stops the auger if it hits a rock or stick instead of breaking the shear pin. I'd go with Honda because I am satisfied with the Honda I have. I don't have any experience with the Ariens.


Thanks for the input


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

ColdinMontana said:


> I just bought an Ariens Pro 32 Hydro Rapidtrak machine. Have not used it yet because naturally, it refuses to snow now that I finally bought one, lol. I can't compare the two from experience, but I like the build quality of the Ariens. It is simply a tank and everything about it exudes quality. Everything appears to be much more heavy-duty than the Honda. It weighs about 50 lbs more than the comparable Honda. I also wanted the more powerful 420cc Briggs engine. My only minor complaint would be the chute control. It seems flimsy and out of place on this caliber of machine. I'm sure I would have been very satisfied with the Honda too. But for my money I went with Ariens.


Wow nice you have any pictures... and please post a review when u use it!!!


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

nwcove said:


> im an ariens guy, but would have to pick the honda..........but .........if i could afford the honda, i would get a yamaha.


I think the Yamaha are more money no?


----------



## northeast (Dec 29, 2017)

tdipaul said:


> Hydro or disc drive Ariens?
> 
> The $2400 Platinum 28 ShO Rapid Trak makes it an even easier decision imo.
> 
> ...


What I noticed was the machines bogging down in the heavy wet snow. This slowed the impeller speed and ultimately the discharge velocity of the snow, allowing snow to build up on the collar and that creates the clogging. If the machine are jetted properly they don’t bog down and this virtually eliminates the clogging. All we are doing is jetting the engines as they were jetted in previous models. Honda is using the same engines as they did in the hs series just with a smaller main jet. It is a 5 dollar part and it fixes the issue.


----------



## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

Georgie2328 said:


> I think the Yamaha are more money no?


yes, and they are worth the extra if you want a long term ,high perfomance machine.


----------



## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

Miles said:


> I have a Honda HSS928AWD and had the revised chute installed under warranty. It worked in a recent wet snow that would have clogged it with the old chute.... I like the auger protection system that stops the auger if it hits a rock or stick instead of breaking the shear pin....



I was under the impression that only the Canadian HSS928 has the APS, and in order to get it in the USA, you have to go with the HSS1332. Am I wrong ?


----------



## Miles (Sep 16, 2016)

RIT333 said:


> I was under the impression that only the Canadian HSS928 has the APS, and in order to get it in the USA, you have to go with the HSS1332. Am I wrong ?


Sorry if that was misleading. I was thinking about the original post, "If you had a choice between the Honda hss1332 or the ariens rapid trac 28 which would u choose?" I meant to say that I like the auger protection of the HSS1332. 
You are right, the HSS928 in the USA does not have the auger protection system.


----------



## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

has anyone asked the obvious?

where do you live
how much annual snowfall
what kind of snow......wet or dry or ......
how much area do you have to clear
flat drive or sloped......how much slope


????????????

around lake tahoe Honda is king. our Honda dealer , I believe, is the largest seller of honda's in the nation ......or used to be.

the 1332 is extremely popular. especially for snow removal companies and residential owners with larger driveways.


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

orangputeh said:


> has anyone asked the obvious?
> 
> where do you live
> how much annual snowfall
> ...


I live in NY long island usually a slushy snow. Annual snowfall im not sure about it fluctuates... it's a 3 car alot that I have to work in. Flat surface and black top no gravel


----------



## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

northeast said:


> The Honda all the way I have 55 hours on my hss1332s and I have experienced them clog twice. Honda had an issue with the smaller machines clogging and they have a revised chute that fixes it and it’s covered under warranty. If you don’t want the new chute a simple re jetting of the carburetor fixes the clogging issue also and it only takes 10 minuets to change the jet out. Again the bulk of the clogging complaints were with the hss928 and hss728 not the hss1332. A comparable ariens RapidTrack if you consider it comparable is more money and many on this forum have complained about it being difficult to use. Here is my list on why I feel the Honda is much much better snowblower.
> 
> 1, Electric chute control.
> 2, auger protection system reduces shear pin breaks.
> ...



I am using my Ipad and cut/paste sucks or I would have copied only what caught my attention in your post.

You stated simply changing the carburetor jet solves the clogging problems. NOW REALLY! Do you really believe that home owners who many times don’t even know what a spark plug is but spent over $2K for a snowblower wants to get into changing jets???

If there is a clogging problem AND if changing the carburetor’s jet solves that problem, THEN WHY THE %&()$# DIDN’T THE MACHINE COME EQUIPPED WITH THE RIGHT JET????


----------



## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

foggysail said:


> I am using my Ipad and cut/paste sucks or I would have copied only what caught my attention in your post.
> 
> You stated simply changing the carburetor jet solves the clogging problems. NOW REALLY! Do you really believe that home owners who many times don’t even know what a spark plug is but spent over $2K for a snowblower wants to get into changing jets???
> 
> If there is a clogging problem AND if changing the carburetor’s jet solves that problem, THEN WHY THE %&()$# DIDN’T THE MACHINE COME EQUIPPED WITH THE RIGHT JET????


blame the epa for the undersized jets in most...if not all, ope nowadays.


----------



## 132619 (Nov 20, 2018)

nwcove said:


> blame the epa for the undersized jets in most...if not all, ope nowadays.


hear that, have a new machine in the garage to repair, yep lean mixture, pcv built into the valve cover, carbon canister, and FI next up will be cat converters thanks to calif carb rules


----------



## northeast (Dec 29, 2017)

foggysail said:


> I am using my Ipad and cut/paste sucks or I would have copied only what caught my attention in your post.
> 
> You stated simply changing the carburetor jet solves the clogging problems. NOW REALLY! Do you really believe that home owners who many times don’t even know what a spark plug is but spent over $2K for a snowblower wants to get into changing jets???
> 
> If there is a clogging problem AND if changing the carburetor’s jet solves that problem, THEN WHY THE %&()$# DIDN’T THE MACHINE COME EQUIPPED WITH THE RIGHT JET????


Clearly comprehending what you read is not your strong point.


----------



## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

northeast said:


> Clearly comprehending what you read is not your strong point.


NO, comprehension is no problem here. All discussions pertaining to carburetor jets (nozzles) imply some types of EPA restrictions. But it appears the total emission from a product's particular engine size is limited by the engine's cc when IMHO it should be by the product itself.

Example, a 28" Ariens Deluxe comes with a 254cc engine while a 28" Pro uses a standard 420cc. So it makes no sense to limit power in a 245cc snowblower when that machine can be offered with an engine almost twice the size.

25HP seems to be a threshold by the EPA for small gasoline spark fired engines. 

So back to your Honda. Maybe Honda should consider increasing their engine's cc rather than tampering the available output power via jet limiting the supplied fuel. But in no case can I envision a home owner or for that matter most others who purchase a snowblower tackle a carburetor's jet substitution.


----------



## northeast (Dec 29, 2017)

foggysail said:


> NO, comprehension is no problem here. All discussions pertaining to carburetor jets (nozzles) imply some types of EPA restrictions. But it appears the total emission from a product's particular engine size is limited by the engine's cc when IMHO it should be by the product itself.
> 
> Example, a 28" Ariens Deluxe comes with a 254cc engine while a 28" Pro uses a standard 420cc. So it makes no sense to limit power in a 245cc snowblower when that machine can be offered with an engine almost twice the size.
> 
> ...


then you can’t read.


----------



## northeast (Dec 29, 2017)

northeast said:


> The Honda all the way I have 55 hours on my hss1332s and I have experienced them clog twice. Honda had an issue with the smaller machines clogging and they have a revised chute that fixes it and it’s covered under warranty. If you don’t want the new chute a simple re jetting of the carburetor fixes the clogging issue also and it only takes 10 minuets to change the jet out. Again the bulk of the clogging complaints were with the hss928 and hss728 not the hss1332. A comparable ariens RapidTrack if you consider it comparable is more money and many on this forum have complained about it being difficult to use. Here is my list on why I feel the Honda is much much better snowblower.
> 
> 1, Electric chute control.
> 2, auger protection system reduces shear pin breaks.
> ...


Try again foggy see if you can figure it out.


----------



## Steve70 (Nov 12, 2018)

Georgie2328 said:


> If you had a choice between the Honda hss1332 or the ariens rapid trac 28 which would u choose?



We live in heavy snow country. We hit 320 inches once in the 90s. I had a tried and true ST1236 Ariens for 28 years...bought new in the fall of 1990. It was a beast, but I figured I deserved one more new machine that was easier to turn around and smaller...didn't need a 36" cut anymore because we're not here for a good chunk of the winter now.

My dad had bought 24" Honda back in the late 80s-90s? He really liked it. He is long gone, but my brother still uses it and I have experience with it too. I did my DD last year and was 95% committed to ordering up a HSS1332. Why not a little variety for my last blower? I didn't really need a 32", but a less than 9HP engine on a 28" with tracks didn't seem enough to me. ...Then there was the clogging issue which was troublesome (it shouldn't have even been) As a final cross check, I decided to better explore what Ariens had in their toolbox these days. As I compared the specs and watched videos on the new Rapid Trak set up, it became clear to me that the Ariens had more to offer. IMHO

The 28" Ariens is a sturdier machine by about 40 pounds than the 32 Honda
The 420cc engine on the 28 Ariens is bigger than the 32 Honda by a couple HP
Ariens has a 14" impeller. ... Honda 12"?
The 28" Ariens is rated for 79 tons per hour...almost the same as the 32 Honda at 82.5. The 32 Ariens is 90 tons per hour..same as the 36 Honda
The Ariens Auto Turn spins on a dime in the wheeled position and turns very easily in either track position eliminating the need for two more levers to operate as on the Honda.
The Ariens comes with hand warmers (all snowblowers should of had these the same time snowmobiles started with them) and drift cutters

So... I flopped on my decision and now have a new 28" Ariens Hydro Pro Rapid Trak and zero regrets to date. We've only had about 45" so far this year, but I like this new machine more each time I use it. The wheeled position works quite well in the conditions we've had so far.

I sold my 1990 ST1236 for $400 bucks (Excellent condition) and paid $2899 for the new one 

As a period on the sentence for me, I recently had a chance to see a HSS928 in person and try it out. I suppose everything is what you're used to, but the Ariens seems a more solid machine to me. One thing that struck me immediately was the old fashioned exposed choke lever set up.. More linkage and potential freezing to deal with. The guy with the machine also told me he loves it, but because the auger extends a tad out from the housing he's had trouble with breaking several of those little auger lock bolts on the shaft. He's buying bolts from the hardware store now. I could run my old 1236 right into a concrete step and the auger housing stopped any damage from happening. The new one is the same

I know Honda is very well regarded by many, and I almost went that way, but I'm happy with the choice I made. Variety will not be my last snowblower


----------



## allenltownsend (Oct 2, 2018)

I just purchased the Ariens rapid track pro 28. I wanted the smaller width for fitting it in my garage. The Honda 28 had the bad wrap of clogging and breaking shear pins. i did not find the steering on the Honda to be as easy as the Ariens in the wheel mode. I got the track model to climb a 16 degree hill to get to the top of my walks. I chose the pro for the hydro-static transmission.

It fits in my garage so that I can get it and my cars in and out with enough clearance that I do not worry about scraping my cars. It can go very slow and it maneuvers easily and precisely in tight spaces. I have a two car garage and keep a full size sedan and Jeep Grand Cherokee in it as well as the snowblower and a bunch of other stuff. 

I have only used it once for about 3" of very wet snow. It was not a real difficult test, but it handled everything easily. It starts on the first pull, and is quieter that I expected. The hydro static transmission is an amazing difference coming from a manual transmission. Not only does it go from forward to reverse much quicker and easier, but you can adjust the speed much quicker for varying conditions such as drifts and the end of the driveway. I found the wheel mode is very easy to turn and the track mode provided lots of traction at the street and climbing the hills. 

I live north of Boston. My driveway is asphalt. My walks have steps to get to upper areas where the snow drifts in. I drive the snowblower up the grass to get to the top of the walkways. The walkways that I do clear vary between 3 and 6 feet wide. I was able to maneuver this big machine and clear them with no difficulty. I think tight maneuvering might be a bit more of a challenge with a wider machine.

I didn't want to go 32 wide because of my garage space. I liked the variable height adjustment on the Honda a bit better, but not enough to put up with slower steering, likely clogging, and shear pin breakage on the 728. The extra power of the Ariens over the Honda helped me make my choice between these two machines easier. On my Ariens ST824, I would have to work back and forth at the street, and would take a lot of 1/2 width cuts when the snow was deep. The Ariens has almost twice the hp of the Honda 728 and my old machine. 

In short the Ariens Rapid-track 28 hydro pro does everything I wanted it to do. I love it and am looking forward to a real snow.

Allen


----------



## mck619 (Nov 13, 2018)

Steve70 said:


> We live in heavy snow country. We hit 320 inches once in the 90s. I had a tried and true ST1236 Ariens for 28 years...bought new in the fall of 1990. It was a beast, but I figured I deserved one more new machine that was easier to turn around and smaller...didn't need a 36" cut anymore because we're not here for a good chunk of the winter now.
> 
> My dad had bought 24" Honda back in the late 80s-90s? He really liked it. He is long gone, but my brother still uses it and I have experience with it too. I did my DD last year and was 95% committed to ordering up a HSS1332. Why not a little variety for my last blower? I didn't really need a 32", but a less than 9HP engine on a 28" with tracks didn't seem enough to me. ...Then there was the clogging issue which was troublesome (it shouldn't have even been) As a final cross check, I decided to better explore what Ariens had in their toolbox these days. As I compared the specs and watched videos on the new Rapid Trak set up, it became clear to me that the Ariens had more to offer. IMHO
> 
> ...


I just purchased the 28" Ariens Hydro Pro Rapid Trak for basically the same reasons you have listed. I was just about to pull the trigger on an HSS1332 until I talked to a co-worker that has one and he said he would not buy one again due to the clogging issues he was having. He said he would buy an Ariens. We haven't had any snow yet, but the machine itself is very well built. I am very impressed and cannot wait to try it out for the first time.


----------



## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

northeast said:


> Try again foggy see if you can figure it out.


I suggest that you try to figure it out 

“If you don’t want the new chute a simple re jetting of the carburetor fixes the clogging issue also and it only takes 10 minuets to change the jet out.”


----------



## bkwudz (Jan 14, 2013)

I ordered a Rapidtrak 28 last week, should have it this weekend. Went back in fourth between it and the Honda. Went with the Ariens simply for my personal safety. The wife will never notice a upgraded orange blower from the old one. She might notice if a big red blower showed up in the garage...and bodily injury would soon follow.

In all seriousness, i think performance is similar, i was not thrilled with the latest issues with the Honda clogging, but it seems to be fixed. i found the Ariens just easier to move around the garage without starting it, which is a big deal to me as it gets moved around a lot in the winter.


----------



## bigredmf (Jan 16, 2018)

The Honda and Ariens leg-humping has gotten out of hand!




Red


----------



## jrom (Jan 10, 2014)

I think it's great you ordered an Ariens RapidTrak, I really do, and good luck with it and please report here how it works for you, but...the Honda HSS (US built since mid-late 2015 versions) have to be the easiest moving machines that I have ever seen. My wife_hates_moving OPE machines around and she thinks these are a delight to move around.

Again, not trying to convince_anyone_that the new Honda's are better, but moving them around while off is one of their key strengths.



bkwudz said:


> I ordered a Rapidtrak 28 last week, should have it this weekend. Went back in fourth between it and the Honda. Went with the Ariens simply for my personal safety. The wife will never notice a upgraded orange blower from the old one. She might notice if a big red blower showed up in the garage...and bodily injury would soon follow.
> 
> In all seriousness, i think performance is similar, i was not thrilled with the latest issues with the Honda clogging, but it seems to be fixed. i found the Ariens just easier to move around the garage without starting it, which is a big deal to me as it gets moved around a lot in the winter.


----------



## northeast (Dec 29, 2017)

bigredmf said:


> The Honda and Ariens leg-humping has gotten out of hand!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Bah humbug!


----------



## 132619 (Nov 20, 2018)

foggysail said:


> 25HP seems to be a threshold by the EPA for small gasoline spark fired engines.


yes 25 hp and under ,hope this helps 

https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe...ackDesc=Results page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1 and https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emi...s/regulations-emissions-small-equipment-tools


----------



## bkwudz (Jan 14, 2013)

jrom said:


> I think it's great you ordered an Ariens RapidTrak, I really do, and good luck with it and please report here how it works for you, but...the Honda HSS (US built since mid-late 2015 versions) have to be the easiest moving machines that I have ever seen. My wife_hates_moving OPE machines around and she thinks these are a delight to move around.
> 
> Again, not trying to convince_anyone_that the new Honda's are better, but moving them around while off is one of their key strengths.


While its NOT running? Like spinning it around to move to other side of the garage. No way it moved as easy as the Ariens


----------



## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

bkwudz said:


> While its NOT running? Like spinning it around to move to other side of the garage. No way it moved as easy as the Ariens


Pretty freaking easy... Squeeze the two steering triggers on the Honda HSS blowers and the tracks completely freewheel.


----------



## northeast (Dec 29, 2017)

tabora said:


> Pretty freaking easy... Squeeze the two steering triggers and the tracks completely freewheel.


That’s my thought. I will have to see what this rapid track is all about. My dealer will let me take one to demo so I will grab on and see.


----------



## LDRider (Jan 24, 2018)

That is probably true but really, the new tracked Hondas really are easy to move and turn with the new trigger clutches. Not as easy as rolling wheels but close enough for me, and most people I think.

The number one consideration I had when buying a new snowblower this fall was ease of use; I am just not a fan of doing a machine's job, or 'serving' machinery of any kind- that is what they should be doing for us. This is of course after the minimum function was met in blowing snow, but I was quite confident most all, and certainly all of the better grade Ariens would perform perfectly well at that, as would most Toros and the pro grade Simpsons. And I was replacing an earlier Honda HS 928 (tracked) snowblower for that exact reason; the 928 was a bear to muscle around. The considerably larger and heavier 1332 Honda is NOT difficult to move or turn, engine running or not, at all. A wheeled machine is even easier (I tried several including the pro- grade Ariens, Toros and wheeled Hondas) but the difference is not enough to worry about- my 5'2", 125 lb. wife (who now has a grandchild BTW) can easily handle the Honda 1332 even when not running; she really could not manage to run the HS 928 when it was running, and could not move it at all without the engine running. Tracks are simply more difficult to move than wheels.

All of that said, I think the better Ariens are wonderful machines also and I believe most people would be very well served with one of them as well. I personally chose the Honda not because it is a better snowblower necessarily but because it has better components, especially the engine, as well as a much better integrated overall package. 

But at the end of the day, there is plenty of snow to move here in the US and lots and lots of people who have to move it; I think there is more than enough room for several brand machines to be excellent and that gives each one of us a wider range of choices which is the best thing possible. So sticking with the better (note: not most expensive!) brands, H.A.T.S. (Honda, Ariens, Toro, Simplicity) and avoiding the economy versions of a couple of them and everyone should be able to choose a top- notch machine that will serve him / her very well for a long time given even modest care.

Brian



bkwudz said:


> While its NOT running? Like spinning it around to move to other side of the garage. No way it moved as easy as the Ariens


----------



## Steve70 (Nov 12, 2018)

One last thing I didn't see mentioned here about the Ariens Hydro Pro RapidTrak is when the engine is off and you want to move it, pull the tranny bypass pin out. Very easily done. The machine becomes completely free wheeling especially in the wheeled position. I don't have any real world experience with a Honda / engine off maneuverability, but it would seem rolling a large wheel with considerably less contact area would be easier than a full track contact area? 

In the wheeled position with the engine running / moving ...you can turn this machine literally with one finger.


----------



## Georgie2328 (Jan 10, 2018)

allenltownsend said:


> I just purchased the Ariens rapid track pro 28. I wanted the smaller width for fitting it in my garage. The Honda 28 had the bad wrap of clogging and breaking shear pins. i did not find the steering on the Honda to be as easy as the Ariens in the wheel mode. I got the track model to climb a 16 degree hill to get to the top of my walks. I chose the pro for the hydro-static transmission.
> 
> It fits in my garage so that I can get it and my cars in and out with enough clearance that I do not worry about scraping my cars. It can go very slow and it maneuvers easily and precisely in tight spaces. I have a two car garage and keep a full size sedan and Jeep Grand Cherokee in it as well as the snowblower and a bunch of other stuff.
> 
> ...


 great review I'm leaning towards the rapidtrak. I heard alot of good things about it.. and it looks bad ass


----------

