OT-Deathstorm

[CL82]

My only complaint with this one when dealing with wet snow is the bottom of the intake. Most brands have adopted the same approach, leaving it open, with the lower lip moved well back behind the auger. In my old one the lower edge was further forward, which helped scrape and scoop the nasty wet stuff. But since they are all the same now I had no real options, and Ariens are absolute tanks.

My old MTD was the same. It looked like this one without the rust.

Just a bear and could handle anything including frozen snowplow pack with ease. The new one is entirely adequate, but I suspect it could be overwhelmed in the right conditions.

I agree about the scraper edge. I'm still adjusting the new one to get it just right.

 

[Bongo Fury]

I like the Vermont feel of it. Its a little outdoor paradise imo. I probably wouldn't have liked it until I got into my mid 30's.

That’s how we feel.

 

[TRest]

1968!!! Wow. I upgraded a year or so ago from my old 2003 Ariens.

It's has an aggressive lack of safety features, somebody gave it to me about 20 years ago and it keeps chugging along. Steel everything back then.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I have an old Murray (Briggs and Stratton) my father in law got from a neighbor who was bailing to FL a few years ago. Based on graphics on it it looks to be about 30 years old and it’s a beast. Didn’t blink today.

 

[M.S.G.]

Snow plow guy crushed it, well worth the $40. I went out and shoveled around the trash cans and shed, took about 10 minutes - I'm going to lay down now.

 

[Get a Job]

Remember this if you decide to by an electric vehicle for your transportation.

Gotta stand up for EVs. I've been driving one in Connecticut for 4 years. No problems dealing with the cold whatsoever.

 

[Adios]

If they're doing it for a beer or for a drink, I'm okay with it. If they're doing it as a service for those who need it done for them, even better. If they're doing it for cash, piss on 'em.

For cash. I don't know who dreams of shovels.

 

[uconnfan68]

It really is something,@uconnfan68.

It has been that way for years now. What do these kids do now? I have been fortunate to live in a neighborhood where a couple of the kids on the street have shoveled and plowed the neighborhood homes for those who needed this service.

The other ones doing this are the landscapers who cut the lawns for their customers. Sometimes, they will shovel and plow for non-customers. This is an option you can try.

But, there is some good news . There is a website nextdoor.com which is pretty much everywhere now. On this site, neighbors can post what services they need and other neighbors will either recommend someone or a person who renders these services who belongs to nextdoor.com, gives his name and contact information.

If a service provider is not satisfactory, the posters will say that too, but with the caveat that they not use malicious or defamatory language. Sort of like the rules for the Boneyard. And since you have to put your real name to post, it deters vicious postings.

Try nextdoor.com wherever you live. It is free to join. And, you call call local landscapers to see if they will perform what you need.

Let us know how this works out.

We had a plow guy the past few years, but he dropped us this year as his commercial business side was growing. We got through today... just glad it wasn't as wet as other big snows have been. Our kids have been sending lists of snow plow businesses in town (none of them live near by). I'll keep it in mind though... getting too old for manual labor, but feel like I got a decent workout.

 

[Kajik]

Shoveled a path to my suv and drove up and down the driveway 100 times and flattened everything..done

 

[uconnfan68]

I had an 2 stage 27" MTD that was about 20 years old. It leaked a oil a bit and needed a new weld and some cabling. I ended up giving it to a friend of my sons and bought a new two stage 24 inch 212cc Power Max last year. It did the job on this storm but this was close to capacity for it. I'm regretting getting rid of my old blower.

Similar story. 20yo Craftsman, 29"/9.5hp (?) finally wore out 3 years ago, replaced with 24" Craftsman, and the difference is stark. Not only that, but found out the hard way I couldn't treat them the same... let gas in over the summer and ended up replacing the carburetor. Only use TruFuel now, with SeaFoam, and always run it out before putting it away. Took it out 2 weeks ago, and it started, and filled it up yesterday to get ready. Started again to be sure. I hate this new stuff.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I just finished. Took 1.5 hours and I didn’t really clear to my usual standards. It’s cold. It’s windy. Lots of blowing. The cloth Covid mask worked nicely. My jeans were entirely inadequate.

 

[UCSouth]

Fortunately the storm missed me.

 

[husky429]

I just finished. Took 1.5 hours and I didn’t really clear to my usual standards. It’s cold. It’s windy. Lots of blowing. The cloth Covid mask worked nicely. My jeans were entirely inadequate.

You're a man with this much knowledge of snowblowers, and you don't own some coveralls? I'm a snowblower noob and even I can throw on my old ski pants

 

[HuskyHawk]

You're a man with this much knowledge of snowblowers, and you don't own some coveralls? I'm a snowblower noob and even I can throw on my old ski pants

My old snow pants come about 3 inches short of buttoning. I usually get by with long underwear and sweatpants.i underestimated the cold today, and thought I’d get it done more quickly. But you’ve given me a Christmas present idea. Thanks!

 

[Kolumbo]

I only used my Ariens a handful of times in 4 years. Who's kidding who, I need the exercise and I actually enjoy shoveling. Especially this year because I've added the covid 10, at least. But I saw the snow plow wall at the end of the driveway and just didn't feel like it today. At first the wheels kept locking up, it's about 12 years old, so I thought that was the end and that it needed serious work, but then it worked fine, luckily. My old neighbor had a big Simplicity but I don't see many of those.

 

[jibsey]

Has anyone ever had a Yamaha snowblower? Only sold in Canada, supposed to be legendary.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Gotta stand up for EVs. I've been driving one in Connecticut for 4 years. No problems dealing with the cold whatsoever.

Your EV should be fine until about 0. That is where battery start up power for a car can become fun.

Best bet is to keep it plugged in and use whatever battery warming technology is available.

 

[UC313]

I think I broke my old 24" Ariens. Tried to get a small engine guy to come look at it and couldn't before winter came. So I simply upgraded and they took it away. Got this. A couple things I don't like, but power isn't one of them.

Ariens Deluxe 28" SHO 306cc Super High Output Snow Blower SnowBlowersAtJacks

ive got the 24” SHO. Its a beast.

 

[Get a Job]

Your EV should be fine until about 0. That is where battery start up power for a car can become fun.

Best bet is to keep it plugged in and use whatever battery warming technology is available.

Points well taken. I do keep it plugged in while in the garage, and I've never had it in below zero conditions.

 

[huskypantz]

My gd snowblower worked for like 20 feet and now the auger won’t spin.

Arrrrrgggh. I jinxed myself by saying it was a beast. Same here, although my driveway can fit 6+ cars and luckily 2/3 was done when it failed. Shear bolts are in place. I was able to get the auger to spin but it's slow and with any snow resistance it comes to a halt. 2 years old and hardly used. Wish I had my old snowblower back, so pissed right now.

 

[Yardigan]

I only used my Ariens a handful of times in 4 years. Who's kidding who, I need the exercise and I actually enjoy shoveling. Especially this year because I've added the covid 10, at least. But I saw the snow plow wall at the end of the driveway and just didn't feel like it today. At first the wheels kept locking up, it's about 12 years old, so I thought that was the end and that it needed serious work, but then it worked fine, luckily. My old neighbor had a big Simplicity but I don't see many of those.

Fridges were stocked and we didn't lose power, so all good.
I like to shovel, too. I shoveled a path for the grill.
Anyone that wants to leave can feel free to shovel more driveway.

 

[Kathy]

I only used my Ariens a handful of times in 4 years. Who's kidding who, I need the exercise and I actually enjoy shoveling. Especially this year because I've added the covid 10, at least. But I saw the snow plow wall at the end of the driveway and just didn't feel like it today. At first the wheels kept locking up, it's about 12 years old, so I thought that was the end and that it needed serious work, but then it worked fine, luckily. My old neighbor had a big Simplicity but I don't see many of those.

I used to have a Simplicity - it was a monster. And the used to wear my ski pants, esp when windy.

 

[uconnfan68]

I just finished. Took 1.5 hours and I didn’t really clear to my usual standards. It’s cold. It’s windy. Lots of blowing. The cloth Covid mask worked nicely. My jeans were entirely inadequate.

UA Cold Gear, pants and mock neck shirt. Then get dressed.

 

[uconnfan68]

Arrrrrgggh. I jinxed myself by saying it was a beast. Same here, although my driveway can fit 6+ cars and luckily 2/3 was done when it failed. Shear bolts are in place. I was able to get the auger to spin but it's slow and with any snow resistance it comes to a halt. 2 years old and hardly used. Wish I had my old snowblower back, so pissed right now.

My augur used to fall out of its socket. The sides of the snowblower just got bowed over time, and I would need to fix it almost every time I used it. Tried to connect a steel flat piece on the bottom, but the driveway made short work of it.

 

[Conndog]

I'm re-upping my Bellows Falls VT total estimate to 24". One of our tenants usually removes snow by hand (he has a device like a plastic sled with handles that pushes the snow ahead & then he turns it and dumps it). He was busy at work and I'll see tomorrow if he got some done. I shoveled myself and wife helped too and we cleared both our cars which took long time (3 hours for me, 1 for her due to late start). More snow than I can ever remember in one storm.
This is a rental property and we're in it because of remodeling our normal home in NH- tomorrow I'll make it over there, they had 37" supposedly in Claremont which is half hour north of us, so we must have gotten dumped on too. At least there we do have a plow guy (although he doesn't do a good job and I still have to shovel some anyway).