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FWIW, I’ve had an Ariens (28 SHO), for seven seasons in Tahoe without any issues at all so far. No broken shear pins, no starting/running issues, nothing.
Mostly Hondas in the neighborhood, but no shortage of Ariens either. When I need to replace it I plan on taking a neighbors tracked Honda for a test drive, but I’d be perfectly happy sticking with what I’ve got.
Yeah I only run ethanol free super gas in my small motors (blowers saws and dirt bikes) and drain the carb and run it dry at the end of the season.
Change the oil, lube everything and cover it under the deck for summer. In the fall I fill it w fresh gas and the 928 starts up without hesitation. The only issue I’ve had w the newer Honda is the hydraulic which operates the tilt is finicky in extremely cold temps, which is to be expected. Unfortunately I’m poor with no garage and the blower sits outside 247 once the snow has piled up. I do take a small makita leaf blower to it after each use to remove residual snow from all areas so that it operates normally the next day. Over 70’ so far this season and it’s humming along nicely.
Neighbor: “ hey buddy, can I borrow your blower? Mine broke down.”
Me: “ sorry no, I can’t loan out the blower. But I’m happy to come down and blow out your driveway for ya.”
Golden rule right there. Cause if that thing breaks down I’m fuct.
I suspect you guys out west have mostly "snow" to snowblow.
In the east, we don't have nearly as much snowfall, but we are dealing with ice. Sometimes lots of it.
The ice breaks sheer pins, freezes solid when you finish, burns out belts, etc. etc. Ice has been the source of all the issues with my snowblowers.
7 years without even breaking a sheer pin is unheard of around here.
If you just deal with cold and snow, moving it should be pretty simple (but will take a while).
As soon as it melts and refreezes, things break.
All of the above here plus San Juan slurpy slop which is pure joy trying to move it multiple times due to high moisture content and weight. Then it freezes.Quote:
Originally Posted by ironhippy
This year has been the exception to our many freeze/thaw cycles and intense sun. Generally, we get up to a 30 degree temp swing every day. This year it stayed mostly below freezing and we did not get a lot of sun.
It tends to ski better too.Quote:
Originally Posted by ironhippy
pretty good ^^ except for snow blowing an area where you don't know what kind of shit they got lying everywhere, run over a chain or a stray piece of firewood and you blow a pin, I have never broken a pin in 12 yars since newQuote:
Originally Posted by jmedslc
I do my neighbor across the street cuz its really fast and I know he doesnt leave stuff lying around cuz I look at his drive way every day
I'll chime into the Honda fan club. When i was up i. Summit park, i had a sloped driveway and the tracked Honda was a life saver. Thing would start every time, and move tons of snow and drive up and down weird slopes launching the snow over to my neighbors driveway. Kick ass.
Now down here in the valley, i still have a Honda, but it's a small single stage one. It starts every time and makes short work of whatever i push it through.
we had hondas on the DH course at whistler and we were issued ice crampons to run them
Has Jeremy Renner posted an update here lately?
I've heard that!Quote:
Originally Posted by Touring_Sedan
I watched American Hustle last night. He was really good in that. Was also wondering if he did the interview yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by SumJongGuy
I’ve broken 3 shear pins so far this season, all very early on.
Update: I appreciate all the comments, I ended up being opportunistic and grabbed this sweet used Ariens Deluxe 30 for $500 a couple days ago. It is in great shape with very little use...the little rubber nobbies were still on the tires. Fires right up on the 1st pull.
It absolutely crushed the foot+ we got overnight. It also helped me get on the goodside of my new neighbors (we moved in this past weekend) by blowing off the sidewalks for my street. Very happy with the purchase and expect this will work great for my needs (especially since everything in my driveway/street is flat).Attachment 454458
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That’s a great deal. My neighbor has that machine. It’s not a tracked Honda but is a good machine. ESP at that price
Great deal. Be sure to download the PDF manuals for this model and engine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dshack89
And while you are at it (and it's summer) get some replacement belts. You'll really, really, really appreciate having them in advance if they break in the middle of a snowstorm.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpinord
If it's in as good of condition as you state you shouldn't need new belts for a few seasons though.
And a friction disk or two, along with shear pins.Quote:
Originally Posted by ironhippy
PSA Snowblower Traction Drive Fix
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...d.php?t=350694
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Apres 10 yrs I figured they were due so i just went one better and just premptively replaced them all in good weather wearing a T-shirt before it gets too hot or the bugs are out all the time thinking about how much this job would suck at -17CQuote:
Originally Posted by ironhippy
you would think those belts would be readily available for a 24" craftsman in a town with a Sears outlet that gets 5 months of winter but such was not the case
so replace them and hang the old ones on a nail somewhere just in case
I don't think Craftsman has made any of their own power equipment for at least the last 15 years. I'd wager that 80% of the blowers out there are made by MTD.Quote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
well those chassis all look the same to me but its a 12yr old craftsman and there is no longer a sears at least up narth
but your takaway was suposed to be its always prefurable to fix something on your schedule with parts and tools you premptively sourced whatever they may be than trying to do it during a snow storm
you buy the belts I hope you got the right ones, hang them on a nail maybe they get lost,
OR fix it now like a good boyscout
I have only replaced belts in a snowstorm! I don't recommend it.
You'd think I'd learn, but I've done it 3 of the last 4 winters (with 2 different snowblowers)
Next year should be different. My wife is talking about buying a brand new sub compact tractor because she doesn't like the idea of having a used one.
We both drive 10+ year old Toyotas and live in the cheapest house on the street :confused:
You know something eventualy will need maintenance so you just need to do pre-emptive maintenance
the first winter I have to jump the battery in my truck usually after about 6-7 yrs I know its time to replace it in the spring
It might go another year but I don't want to work on a truck at -17C assuming the part is even in-stock
on the same lines I was skiing with a buddy in 20yr old scarpa Lazers and we( me) got talking about how MAYBE it would be a good thing to find some new boots before they break but my leaf licker bros are always like thats excessive/ do you know how many polyesters gave their lives for that boot/ excessive consumsion/ waste of resources/ pick any one or 2 reasons
Upper roof ice dam released overnight, broke some shingles on the lower roof on its way down. Big, heavy pieces. I expected worse damage if/when it fell.
That's an 80 pound dog in the pic, for size reference. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d866df61a7.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...cae1268ef9.jpg
Here's a pic from a couple of days ago, showing that slab while it was still attached to the upper roof.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...fdcdeb735c.jpg
I was just trying to say that you don't need to go to a Sears to find service parts. Since that blower was sold under 14 different brands, places like http://www.jackssmallengines.com can usually get you the right part. They have parts diagrams for most models as well as a cross reference between parts and updated part numbers. But yes, obviously preventative maintenance is best.Quote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
Should be easy but finding the replacement belts localy was not a slam dunk, went to a couple places that stock snowblower parts, there were quite a few
so I bought a few and took some back, i wouldn't want to be wanking about with belt selection when i got 2 feet of snow in my driveway
I wouldn't want to be wanking about, as you so eloquently put it, ever. Of course I hang out on TRG, do there's that special d'oh!Quote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
according to the urban dictionary you might like wanking about
Wanking
to grip your hand around your penis and pull up and down ... to cause an ejaculation
suggest you stop before you go blind
maybe when you just need glasses ?
I'm confused. You masterbate when your snowblower is broken? Weird crisis response.
No kink shaming!
You found a Subaru..... gross.Quote:
Originally Posted by tBatt
It's always a battle getting snow removed vs getting freshies, especially when your traction cable breaks. While I wait for a replacement to arrive after the next couple storms, is there a smart 'quick fix' to simply repair the cable on this part?
Attachment 482113
FWIW, A couple customer comments:
"Broken Ariens Traction Cable Eyelet : "Quick" fixAs others have written, I have had the snow blower for a few years. Last year, I hardly needed the Snow Blower due to little snow fall in Central New Jersey. Not the case this year. First time I used it this year the eyelet snapped right in the middle of clearing a neighbor's driveway so he could take his wife to the doctor. I was able to get the traction cable working in about 30 min by rigging plastic cable ties between the bottom of the broken eyelet and the lever "pin". It worked to complete my driveway (my neighbor finished his sufficiently with a shovel to drive to the doc appt) but the next snow fall a couple of days later, the ties broke during clearing. So I made some adjustments with the ties and it worked again. Next time the hair pin clip fell out and was lost, so I used a bent nail...but the ties stayed in place. After that I went to the big box h/w store and bought a new pin clip. All in all, I think I'd rather continue this jury rigging rather than buy a replacement cable from Ariens. And, by the way, why do I see two cables of different lengths listed for my model (921030)? One (25.7in, Part 06900439) is in-stock, one (23.7in, Part 06900502) is out-of-stock? Both indicate they fit my model. Other than measuring my cable -- even if I wanted to order one -- how would I know which length is the right one for my model?"
AND
"Traction cable
I have replaced this cable 3 times and it broke again! Very frustrating, you spend good money on what you think is a good machine and lets you down time after time. Sounds redneck but I used a piece of rebar wire to get me though the storm and worked perfect. I may leave it on and see how long it lasts."
it does give a length in inches but if you can buy them at a real store buy them both and take back whichever doesnt fit
cable ties, paperclips linked togetehr, crazy glue, 5 min epoxy, bits of sting and wire is all fair game
we had guy last name Bosley who was famous for the "Bosley link" which was paperclips strung togetehr
SS aircraft cable and a harbor freight crimp/swaging tool?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpinord
Or a bicycle cable and any sort of cable clamp you can rig up in a loop - even looping it around a bolt with washers clamping the cable should work.Quote:
Originally Posted by I Skied Bandini Mountain
That Ariens lever has a threaded rod for adjusting tension, and the inline spring keeps tension on the drive disc lever arm. So it doesn't need to be precise - eyeballing it will get you working again.
This is all assuming that just the cable snapped, nothing inside the casing.
That's basically what I did. I doubled over the ends and looped them. The Ariens cable is around 20awg & bike cable is around 22awg per my wire strippers:Quote:
Originally Posted by El Chupacabra
Attachment 482146
Attachment 482145
Attachment 482147
There are sure a lot of PO's Ariens customers. Of course the cable breaks when you need it the most.
Thanks guys!
Looks like you're back in business!
So far….[emoji1317]
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We had kids for the "joy" definitely not for the free labor.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e0c18eebae.jpg
Nice. I got the bigger makita 18v blower this fall and it does a very nice job clearing the fluff, particularly at the hot tub, wood pile and cars. However as my homie has been known to say “ you can always use more power”Quote:
Originally Posted by SB