# Talk Me into choosing Red over Orange



## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

I've had a 928.
Currently have 2 621.

For all intents and purposes, I will most likely use the 621 as the main workhorse even with a 2 stager in the mix.

I'm looking for a 2 stage primarily for EOD.
I live on the right side of the street, plows only plow to the right.
Slightly irritating would be a good word.

I LOVE the Hydro Tranny and the new Auto Turn looks like real winners...
I would prefer a 24" bucket.

Horses for courses, or apples-2-oranges, or whoever the saying goes, if I'm strictly looking for a EOD monster, I think the 724 may not be as big of a beast in power if I'm looking at this years 24' SHO, which comes in at 370cc on the Ariens. I do think the Hydro tranny robs some power from the HS724 as well.

Let me hear it...


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## Freezn (Mar 1, 2014)

HS621 and HS928 are a fantastic one-two punch. The new Honda 2 stage machines look very promising


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## scrappy (Dec 7, 2014)

The 24 SHO with 369cc has to be an animal.


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Both companies manufacture great machines. Best advise I can give is to visit the dealerships of both and see if you can get your hands on a test drive of them to see which one feels right to you.


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

[email protected] or anybody who knows ....

What happens if the joystick control goes south.
Granted I know this has been available in CA and overseas forever, so you have the design/kinks worked out.

I was looking at the new models and don't see a manual option as a ~backup alternative~


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

It's hard to choose one over the other as they have similar features. I'd go for price, warranty and dealer. When I say dealer I'm talking about going in and checking them out and try to get a feel for them. How close they are and if you have a neighbor with a red or orange what their thoughts are on their machine and their experience with the local dealer if they've been in.


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

Called 2 of the ~better reviewed Yelp~ Honda dealers...

Both said they don't carry/sell Honda SB's anymore as $ for $, they hardly sold them compared to the Ariens...

Another dealer told me he'll have one on the floor maybe in a month to a month in a half...


Getting itch-ni-tis as any snowblower I purchase, I prefer to do some mods/tinker when it's warm. Once Halloween, it's crazy town in my household till After New Years, between T-Day and X Mas


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## [email protected] (Nov 21, 2011)

mobiledynamics said:


> [email protected] or anybody who knows ....
> 
> What happens if the joystick control goes south.
> Granted I know this has been available in CA and overseas forever, so you have the design/kinks worked out.
> ...


The chute control on the new models is motor-drive only. No alternative if the stick / controls / motor(s) fail, but as you said, this option has been available for some time now, and not an untested design.


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

Assuming/Presuming the Majority on SBF are in the lower divide lines of North America, by chance any fellow Canucks have any experience long term/short term, feedback from fellow TCD owners who have had the joystick and it's reliability ?


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

I might add, that if you searched through the honda section, and see if(if any) joystick failures that have been reported or asked about. 

If my memory serves me correctly, the vast majority of the honda issues have been due to frozen augers onto the shaft and hydro transmission issues, both due to lack of maintenance/neglect.


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## tinter (Apr 20, 2014)

I personally have a hs928 tcd, no issues with the joystick control whatsoever. My boss has a hs828 tcd that is over 25 years old that he replaced 1 control motor on, more neglect than anything else. The motors are basically a Honda civic window regulator motor and very easy to change out.


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

DB9938 -

I don't recall ever reading any blurbs on the Hydro - aside from just disengage it when moving it....

That is one of the top 3 things I really like about the red buckets, EVEN though the comparative Ariens SHO has 150CC MORE than the comparable Honda I'm looking at.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Ok, maybe it's the drugs I'm on but it seems you keep leaning towards the Ariens. I think the best thing to do is buy the Ariens and paint it red so you have the best of both worlds. :blush:


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> Ok, maybe it's the drugs I'm on but it seems you keep leaning towards the Ariens. I think the best thing to do is buy the Ariens and paint it red so you have the best of both worlds. :blush:



Well, you know what they say about moar power

Find me a Hydro Drive, 24, with a big beast engine.

I keep on hemming and hawing.
Love the engine on Orange.
Joystick, Hydro, Infinite Bucket Adjustment , Turn Levers - all are interesting points on Big Red.



--
My situation is as follows
Plows only plow right
I live on the Right Side of the Street
Across the street, half the neighbors chuck their snow out on the street
All that is just constant EOD fighting to keep the driveway entrance clear to pull in/out

Combine that with let's say a overnight plow once or twice at night + freeze temps. EOD is always the issue for me.

Everything else, I'm all gravy with the 621


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## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

For an EOD only monster machine I'd go with the Ariens. As a "for everything snowblower" I think the Honda is a great choice. If you went with the Ariens, after the warranty is up, you could put an even larger engine on it with the money difference between the two.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Honda's have problems with a pin in the drive gear shaft. It's likely from people believing they can switch back and forth like a video game on the hydro lever, IMO. They are still stopping and starting all the weight of the machine and the snow it's in, common sense:facepalm_zpsdj194qh
honda snowblower problem
Honda Snowblower Hydrostatic Transmission problem - DoItYourself.com Community Forums


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

I had to deal with it on one of my HS928s but it was clearly a result of neglected maintenance, the whole side gearbox was full of dirt, water, mud, sand internally. 
The seal let go, they kept using it; the bearing let go, they kept using it. If I remember right all what was left on the bearing was the inner and outer races, no ballbearings left on it.......!!!.
I ended up getting a used side gearbox/axle assy ($90 shipped to my door) and replacing it.


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

JTClays -

Thank for the 411 on the drive pin......that was not even on my radar of known/common issues on the HS series.

[email protected], if you are reading, care to chime in on design differences on the HSS if any


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## [email protected] (Nov 21, 2011)

mobiledynamics said:


> JTClays -
> 
> Thank for the 411 on the drive pin......that was not even on my radar of known/common issues on the HS series.
> 
> [email protected], if you are reading, care to chime in on design differences on the HSS if any


First I've heard of the breaking pin on the shaft (older HS models). Usually, the only data point we have is parts demand / warranty claims...

Waiting on final copies of the HSS shop manual and parts catalog, so no comment on how the engineers might have changed the design...but stand by.


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

mobiledynamics said:


> DB9938 -
> 
> I don't recall ever reading any blurbs on the Hydro - aside from just disengage it when moving it....
> 
> That is one of the top 3 things I really like about the red buckets, EVEN though the comparative Ariens SHO has 150CC MORE than the comparable Honda I'm looking at.


The ones that are about the hydros, are usually ones that are second hand, and it's someone that is trying to give it a new life. 

Truth of the matter, both brands make fine machines. And if there is an incident of someone coming on here to find out "how to," then it's generally an after thought. 

Not to say that's what you are doing, actually quite the opposite. And that's quite insightful, in that you want to know what problems may present themselves over the life of ownership. Let us also consider, that these are not cheap machines, so you should expect a reliable long life. 

With both brands, you will have:
1. oil changes
2. greasing of the auger inner shaft
3. auger transmission maintenance(this may differ in interval, but is probably pretty close)
4. Belt(s)
5. shear pins

The big difference, will come down to which Ariens model. If you go hydro, then it's something that will most likely need dealer servicing, similar to the Honda. But if you go with the non-hydro, traditional friction plate model, then it's something that you could maintain. But this also means selecting the lower grade models....


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

[email protected] said:


> First I've heard of the breaking pin on the shaft (older HS models). Usually, the only data point we have is parts demand / warranty claims...
> 
> Waiting on final copies of the HSS shop manual and parts catalog, so no comment on how the engineers might have changed the design...but stand by.


This pin is not listed in the parts diagrams. Albeit, you can detect that there is something there in the diagram, it is not labeled or listed in the parts lists...?


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

db9938 said:


> With both brands, you will have:
> 1. oil changes
> 2. greasing of the auger inner shaft
> 3. auger transmission maintenance(this may differ in interval, but is probably pretty close)
> ...


I think anyone who's a member of a SBF/OPE forum is either a enthusiast, hobbyiest or just someone seeking information.

Let's say DIY aside, do you think a Honda Dealer does greasing of the auger shaft (note, no grease fittings so it does require some effort) and just making sure the gear oil is level.

Anything extra, like the more proactive preventative maintenance, I see either a DIY or a REALLY good independant OPE repair person .


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

Thats a million dollar question. Some might, but unless it's part of the dealer prep check list, chances are probably not. And I have no idea if they are greased at the factory either. 

I would certainly ask the dealer what all is done as a part of the "prep" part.


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

DB. They are greased from the factory. Just a very light coating..
When I did mine, I applied a good coat of anti sieze 

I highly doubt any dealer will do it. It's been quite some years when I did it, but as easy as it is to unbotton the assembly, the tolerance to the inner side of the bucket is tight, and if you are OCD and not super slow and careful, one can easily mar/scratch a small area of it by taking the auger in/out. Too much risk factor for any serviceman unless the customer specifically asked for it IMO


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

db, I think the "pin" in question is part of the shaft and exists in Honda's part system as one part, the DIY fix is to fit a similar pin. Kinda like buying a whole flag pole because the broken top pulley is tack welded from the factory

mobiled, I don't think that's a common problem for Honda hydro's. Just a reported problem. I still gotta believe the issue comes from improper use more than a design flaw. I think one of the most common complaints about Honda snowblowers is rusted augers, or parts hard to find for the old ones.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

If you were to pull them maybe masking tape would help protect the paint without taking up too much room.


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## yarcraftman (Jan 30, 2014)

It sounds to me like that pin issue can be caused by someone being just plain out stupid and beating the machine.

I think everyone needs to remember these are pieces of machinery and can only be built so well.

I like Honda stuff for sure but as I remind people nothing is bullet proof when it comes to machinery. If you abuse it enough something is bound to happen regardless of brand of snowblower, truck, boat, or anything.


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

I'm still 50 / 50 on the fence.....
Like alot of what's on Big Red. Only thing missing is HP compared to other competing makes/models.

Interestingly enough (I looked at Honda's engines on their overseas lineup). Not sure if Japan get's only fluffy stuff or the deep dense snow we get....but their engine lineup is similar to what we get in NA, so it's not as if it's dewatered down. They have quite a bit of machines out there for the JP market so I would presume they feel the engine is matched appropiately to the bucket size, etc


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Well, it is looking like somebody could have (purchase) *JnC*'s custom made "HS924" in a near future, a restored HS624 with an upgraded GX270(9HP).

This is copied from another thread.


"_Wish you were local as I'll be selling my custom HS924TA this winter_."





 

With this one you will have the extra power you are wishing for..... :icon_whistling::icon_whistling::icon_whistling:

__________________


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## AesonVirus (Aug 24, 2015)

I went in looking for an Ariens SHO 30. I've given a lot of thought to the auto-turn and I became a little concerned. My driveway gets little sun so if we have warmer days and very cold nights, I end up with a choppy mess, since I'm not home mid-day to clean things up when it softens up.
My concern is that if the driveway has a little crunch on it and then it snows overnight, I'll be fighting the auto-turn while trying to keep it going straight.

Maybe I'm overthinking things but my bare bones Craftsman got me 14 yrs and I intend my next machine lasting just as long, so I want to be happy with it. My bigger mistake was bringing my wife with me...
She wants to be able to use the machine, in case I'm not home, so she wants something easy to use. 

After looking at all options, I decided on the 2015 Honda HSS928ATD. I just wish Honda could put heated grips on the machines. I don't understand why a 3K machine can't come with heated grips! :icon-shrug:


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I'm with ya on that one. A headlight and heated grips should be standard on any machine over $800-$1000. For what little $$ it would add to a machine if they did it on all of them it'd be a welcome package.


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

mobiledynamics said:


> I'm still 50 / 50 on the fence.....
> Like alot of what's on Big Red. Only thing missing is HP compared to other competing makes/models.


It's not missing per say. I can almost guarantee you the Honda will out throw the Ariens.


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