shallowwatersailor 3,213 #26 Posted January 31, 2015 Here is something better than a Honda Track Snowblower! It's 48" wide but I'm not sure if I would classify it as a ride-on or walk-behind. Maybe a Stand-Behind? It has the appearance of the Wheel Horse Two-Stage snowblower only larger. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ericj 1,576 #27 Posted January 31, 2015 i bought a mtd 10.5/28 blower back in 07 or 08 just before i bought my 44" 2 stage blower for my horse. i got the mtd from home depot when they put them on sale for 50% off. it needed a new rubber drive right out of the box. took to get repaired in the middle of a snow storm and never got it back till sept. but it has done an okay job i would probably sell it but it would be easier for the wife or kids to use if they had to clear the snow. needless to say it don't get used a whole lot because the 520 with the 3 stage see the most snow blowing duties. i do have a wheel horse trail blazer 7 blower also. it does as good of a job as the mtd but it's pita to use you have to hold the handle and it gets tiresome after awhile the way it's designed. my son ran the mtd into the plastic drain extension on the down spout and that bent the auger. that's how cheap they are made. i've been thinking about trying to upgrade to a toro but don't have the cash for that now eric j Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 19,540 #28 Posted January 31, 2015 I bought a brand new TORO 8/24 back in 1998 and it was a junker in my opinion. It never ran smooth (Tecumseh) and I found all the hardware (nuts bolts clips..etc..) to be cheap quality and always in need or tightening. After about 5 years of fighting with it I sold it. Ran a WH with a blower for awhile but really would prefer a walk-behind so I started searching for non-Tecumseh powered blowers when I stumbled across this beauty! Its a 1978 Gilson with a Briggs 8hp and a 26" throat. It runs perfect without any of that Tecumseh surging...starts easy....and tosses snow great! Its also heavy as heck so the tires bite right in and pulls it along nicely. If I was to buy a newer machine it would be an Ariens for sure, my neighbor has one with a Briggs that's about 3 years old and it seems like a good machine. Meanwhile I'll just keep maintaining this one!! Mike............. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,917 #29 Posted February 1, 2015 (edited) Kind of a funny story about Toro snowblowers. When I moved here 27 yrs. ago there was a Toro dealer in the next town over. There was an old retired couple out back and he had a self propelled Toro bagger and a Toro blower. Both were old but he had them serviced all the time. After the storm of 93 I asked him If I could borrow the blower to clear a tight spot at my house. He says sure. This blower smoked and had bald tires with no chains. A real handful to operate, reverse didn't work good ect. but the machine was solid. I bring it back and tell him, You really need a new machine. He had lots of money and could afford it. He got so used to the thing he never really noticed it's short comings.Next day as I'm coming home from work I see a truck in his driveway and a new blower is being delivered. He just waves at me and smiles. A couple of years later he died. I took care of the driveway for his widow for a couple of years after that and that new blower was a toilet compared to the old one except it got traction and reverse worked! Edited February 1, 2015 by squonk 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorseHead1089 99 #30 Posted February 1, 2015 how bout this 45 incher... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ericj 1,576 #31 Posted February 1, 2015 how bout this 45 incher... product_7155_225.jpg i would take my 44" 2 stage blower on my 520 ANY DAY over that walk behind. i would imagine a walk behind that size would be a hand full to operate and while i could do it now who know what i will be able to handle in years to come. i think my 520 would out do it any day of the week except maybe in tight spots eric j Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
