Snow blower choices

So the old snapper stopped working last winter. It was a 1986, so we decided to replace it this year. We are debating on two 24" units. An Ariens, or a Cub Cadet.

Any opinions here, or they both good? Both seem to have good reviews. Really looking for a lasting unit, more than anything else. The old snapper was 27 years old.

Ariens

Cub Cadet

Probably not the answer or feedback you're interested in, but I would look for a used Ariens, the ancient orange and white one, in good to mint shape. I've had good luck with mine.  Stopped running once but I took it somewhere and had it tuned up, needed points.  You can still get all the parts for them, they're a bear.  My neighbor actually has three of them, ranging from early to late 70s, and mine is a '78.
The new Ariens have sort of been "de-strengthened" compared to the older ones I hear, and the ones at Home Depot aren't the same as the ones at like a power equipment dealer.  However you get a warranty and stuff like that...sooo maybe it would be worth it.  Don't really know about the Cub Cadet?

I'd lean towards the Ariens, I have a newer cub and while it works, it feels very cheaply built. One thing to look for above all else is the engine brand. There's a good chance the Ariens has a Briggs, most cubs have Chinese engines on them now. If the engine is only branded as the snow blower manufacturer (or not at all) it's Chinese.

I have a pretty much brand new 22" yard machine you could have for 200 bucks.

95brmw wrote:

I'd lean towards the Ariens, I have a newer cub and while it works, it feels very cheaply built.  One thing to look for above all else is the engine brand.  There's a good chance the Ariens has a Briggs, most cubs have Chinese engines on them now.  If the engine is only branded as the snow blower manufacturer (or not at all) it's Chinese.

That's good to know ^

So I had been leaning toward the Ariens for the above mentioned reasons, but I have not heard anything bad about either one. So today we hit Tractor supply in Ossipee. They were running a sale, so not only did we buy a Cub Cadet snow blower for a good deal, we also got a 5x8 utility trailer too.

Sweet.  

Nice! Perhaps you can tow a grille to the roundup with that setup! 

How the snow blower work, Bill?

Tom

Worked flawlessly.

So now we know Cub Cadet is good.

Has anyone re-engineered a fix for the awful chute control that Craftsman uses?

Turns without resistance & therefore WONT stay put once set....worthless.  

Anyone found a good fix please post up...guess we can make this the snowblower thread?

PS....no re-posting about a snowblower carb that fails EVERY year...  

It's okay Steve. I'm thinking of foregoing that route and digging into the transmission fund for a snowblower. lol. I could probably get 100 for the Ariens not running...  

sdstick wrote:

So now we know Cub Cadet is good.

Has anyone re-engineered a fix for the awful chute control that Craftsman uses?

Turns without resistance & therefore WONT stay put once set....worthless.  

Anyone found a good fix please post up...guess we can make this the snowblower thread?

PS....no re-posting about a snowblower carb that fails EVERY year...  

Steve
Do you have the joy stick chute control?

No its a side crank
but the gearing on the chute is so loose
& the tension on the side crank is no existent
the handle drops to a down position & rotates the chute to that position

I'll take a pic in the daylight

Wrap the piece of the shaft that passes through the eyelet with some black tape or something to make it a tighter fit and to give it some resistance. It really helps to stop it from spinning back. You may have to re-do it a couple times over the winter, but it works.

sdstick wrote:

No its a side crank
but the gearing on the chute is so loose
& the tension on the side crank is no existent
the handle drops to a down position & rotates the chute to that position

I'll take a pic in the daylight

Can't imagine it's worn out from YOU actually using it.

There it is.
Forgot to mention the eyelet but...yup...thats the main reason the handle spins
(well that & the handle is designed like a crank instead of a "T").
Tape would work...
Maybe if I actually did this, I'd be happy but...
The engineer in me needs a better fix.

You can get a rubber grommet to fit in the eyelet also, did that with my old Aries.

No Moa wrote:

sdstick wrote:

No its a side crank
but the gearing on the chute is so loose
& the tension on the side crank is no existent
the handle drops to a down position & rotates the chute to that position

I'll take a pic in the daylight

Can't imagine it's worn out from YOU actually using it.

Uummm....have you MET Matt?

When I was 12 yrs old, I use to pull an old Simplicity snowblower around the neighborhood on a toboggan because it was geared so low I'd never get around to make any $

Matt hasnt had that problem...& it has nothing to do with gearing....  ...  

sdstick wrote:

When I was 12 yrs old, I use to pull an old Simplicity snowblower around the neighborhood on a toboggan because it was geared so low I'd never get around to make any $

Matt hasnt had that problem...& it has nothing to do with gearing....  ...  

I'm calling BS on this one, Simplicity didn't start making snowblowers untill the 50's. And i know you weren't 12 in the 50s, 30 maybe but not 12.
  

A manly, canadian snowblower

phantom 309 wrote:

A manly, canadian snowblower..

Needs a bigger mouth....unlike the guy from Maine above.

Have you seen him work??



It aint pretty...  

Your just upset because your usually taking white stuff in the ass, not shooting it out.   

No Moa wrote:

Your just upset because your usually taking white stuff in the ass, not shooting it out.   

fixt

& no

No Moa wrote:

Your just upset because your usually taking white stuff in the ass, not shooting it out.   

"Waaaooooww...that's a little too far right there..."

[quote="sdstick"]

phantom 309 wrote:

A manly, canadian snowblower..

Needs a bigger mouth....unlike the guy from Maine above.

what do mean,.?

phantom 309 wrote:

A manly, canadian snowblower

  ^With all that power^, youve GOTTA be able to eat thru more snow.   

Whats that?  maybe a 28" cut 12-18" high?..I called it the mouth...the business end of the machine...no?.

As far as the guy from Maine....he got it....probably be a dozen more old man jokes in the next week..  

Another snowblower thread gone bad.. 

Nah I'm bored with that!

Here you go Steve
Big mouth

Now THATS a snowblower..  

big blower? You need this. One and done!