2-stage vs single stage

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I would have cleared what the single stage guy moved in half the time with my trusty shovel. No $600 wasted, no gasoline.

The two-stage was compelling in that display...


That's high praise coming from you, J lol.

 

[Vikas]

I consider this video to be an advertisement for Harbor Freight's Chonda engine

 

[Errtt]

Only 2 fella's with blowers... they should of added a fella with a snow shovel and my grandma with her whisk broom so viewers can have a broader perspective for informed purchase.

 

[HerrStig]

Single stage units can be good (I have a Poulan 621) but not on "unimproved" or stone covered drieways. They'll pull themselves along on pavement.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
Sure, exercise is great but there's no oil to change in your shovel. What fun is that?

Yeah, but there are fluids to be changed in the shovel's operator.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I would have cleared what the single stage guy moved in half the time with my trusty shovel. No $600 wasted, no gasoline.


Yup, no snow blower needed for those little inner city driveways. It should be good exercise.

 

[Bror Jace]

I was posting here a couple years ago because, following the heavy 2010-11 winter season, I agreed to snow-blow my mother’s driveway as well as a handful of her neighbors (along with sidewalks). All are city driveways … 40 – 100 feet long.

My dilemma was … get a single or 2-stage machine?

I was leery of getting a single-stage machine because:

1) My lack of experience with them. While I have about 100+ hours using 2-stage machines.

2) My lack of experience with 2-stroke engines, especially tuning and re-jetting them. The guys here that get the best performance in deep snow with a single stage machine seem to know how to tune them for optimal power/performance.

On the 2-stage plus side, I have a lot of experience using and maintaining them ... and an Ariens snowblower is the easiest/neatest oil change on a piece of motorized equipment EVER!

So, I decided on the 2-stage machine (Ariens Deluxe 28”). Yes, the single stage would probably do a cleaner job after most 3-6” storms, but my fear was that we’d get clobbered at least once with a 18” or greater storm and a 1-stage machine wouldn’t be able to get through it. My main goal was to make sure people didn’t get snow’d in. So, I thought the 2-stage was the better choice … keeping in mind the worst-case scenario.

I also think that the 2-stage is better at placing the snow … either 5 feet from the machine or 50 feet.

Storage was not a problem for me.

So far, so good. Machine works fairly well. It IS a handful in tight spots … but I don’t think a single stage would be much better. Also, the positraction lock release is a bit sticky and the posi doesn’t always re-engage instantly, but I’ve figured out how to fiddle with it to get it to work. Lost a shear pin the other day … but that’s just a $2.50 fix.

 

[morris]

in the early 70s i worked for J.I. Case in the experimental shop. building prototype machines. i built some snow blowers, and some snow throwers. cant remember which is which. that was a LONG time ago. hope i didnt bore you.

 

[lars11]

Hmm, have had two two stage blowers, one canadiana 36" 12.5hp that probably did more than 1000hrs over 25 yrs at the farm. Now recently got an old 24" stiga bolens, used it for maybe 3hrs at the town house. Neighbours use single stage stuff so that's about all I know about those. But:

Really, for the actual "snow evacuation" the two stagers are better. They handle hills, harder snow, gravel roads, snow placement, weaker operators etc. better. They can also be much bigger and powerful.

But for hard flat surfaces that do not get packed snow often, a single stage will do just fine and at a lower cost. It will sure beat showelling any day. And for someone who is short of storage they are much more compact.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: morris
in the early 70s i worked for J.I. Case in the experimental shop. building prototype machines. i built some snow blowers, and some snow throwers. cant remember which is which. that was a LONG time ago. hope i didnt bore you.


Traditionally a snowblower is 2 stage and a thrower single.

 

[ATS-V]

My dad has a 70's MTD single stage (around 5 hp) that will throw snow better than my 2003 Craftsman (5.5hp) two-stage unit. I think a single stage is less lossy.