Question on Ariens Engine

[typ901]

Originally Posted By: Kory

Did I say any weren't ok? I was just stating for the record that they're all made in China so I could extinguish any ignorance that someone might be duped into thinking they were buying an American made product. I try to buy USA made anything when it's the best and available but unfortunately America didn't make a blower that met my standards when I was shopping. PS Honda makes more 100% USA made pieces of OPE and snowblowers then Ariens and Toro combined!

Not waving the flag..just trying to figure out why one Asian nation is acceptable in your view and not the other.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: BISCUT

Maybe I should be asking for advice on the best quality 2 stage snow thrower between $900-1100.

In that price range, I'd look into Ariens, Toro or Simplicity. Honda and Yamaha make excellent machines, but you're looking at 2-3x your price range.

 

[Kory]

Originally Posted By: typ901

Originally Posted By: Kory

Did I say any weren't ok? I was just stating for the record that they're all made in China so I could extinguish any ignorance that someone might be duped into thinking they were buying an American made product. I try to buy USA made anything when it's the best and available but unfortunately America didn't make a blower that met my standards when I was shopping. PS Honda makes more 100% USA made pieces of OPE and snowblowers then Ariens and Toro combined!

Not waving the flag..just trying to figure out why one Asian nation is acceptable in your view and not the other.

Did you not read my last post?

 

[tdpark]

Honda small engines rock- why else do you think the Chinese clone them and people see so many chondas. I do not understand why your giving the guy grief cause he prefers Japanese over Chinese made stuff. I will take a Japanese motor over a Chinese motor every day of the week.

 

[Bror Jace]

" ... just trying to figure out why one Asian nation is acceptable in your view and not the other." The Japanese motorcycle/car/power equipment companies got their start trying to out build their American counterparts in terms of quality (with some-to-great success). The Chinese companies have been building products of low-to-fair quality and selling almost exclusively on price. Just because they're both Asian doesn't mean anything.

 

[spk2000]

I just bought an Ariens 28 Deluxe with this motor. I have started it but not used it yet. I really wanted American made and the rest of it is USA made. Engine is Chinese LCT which is supposed to be simialr to the old Tecumseh engine. I almost was going to buy the Snapper as it had the US built Briggs engine and is made n USA. However I opted for what appeared to be overall better quality and auto steering vs Snappers trigger steering. Can't say I made the right choice for certain but I am sure both would work great here near Indianapolis.

 

[Bluestream]

You get what you pay for. I have a 30 year old Honda blower that runs amazing and will out live its owner. I'm glad I spent a few extra dollars back in the 80's when I bought it. I will leave it to my kids some day. Buying cheap always costs more in the long run.

 

[typ901]

Originally Posted By: tdpark

Honda small engines rock- why else do you think the Chinese clone them and people see so many chondas. I do not understand why your giving the guy grief cause he prefers Japanese over Chinese made stuff. I will take a Japanese motor over a Chinese motor every day of the week.

I merely asked a question. Just don't understand as this is the same argument we had decades ago with the Japanese and then the Koreans about quality. If you research some of the Chinese technology it's actually impressive. I've had similar luck with both Honda and Chondas for small engines.

 

[abycat]

I have a lct 420cc for a pressure washer. It has been a great motor. Only oil changes and it hasnt skipped a beat. runs wide open all the time.

 

[BISCUT]

[quote=Bluestream]You get what you pay for. I have a 30 year old Honda blower that runs amazing and will out live its owner. I'm glad I spent a few extra dollars back in the 80's when I bought it. I will leave it to my kids some day. Buying cheap always costs more in the long run. Then I would expect my John Deere 828 to be still rollin! It died. I take extremely good care of my small engines. Oil and plugs yearly, good quality gas, and carbs adjusted well. My Echo SRM3200 is about 17yrs old and many more hours than my 828 with Tecumseth 8HP. That 828 was like 1k or so that long ago. It was a gr8 machine but died in an all of a sudden way. No warning.

 

[BISCUT]

Originally Posted By: spk2000

I just bought an Ariens 28 Deluxe with this motor. I have started it but not used it yet. I really wanted American made and the rest of it is USA made. Engine is Chinese LCT which is supposed to be simialr to the old Tecumseh engine. I almost was going to buy the Snapper as it had the US built Briggs engine and is made n USA. However I opted for what appeared to be overall better quality and auto steering vs Snappers trigger steering. Can't say I made the right choice for certain but I am sure both would work great here near Indianapolis.

Overall you feel the quality is good?

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: BISCUT

[quote=Bluestream]You get what you pay for. I have a 30 year old Honda blower that runs amazing and will out live its owner. I'm glad I spent a few extra dollars back in the 80's when I bought it. I will leave it to my kids some day. Buying cheap always costs more in the long run. Then I would expect my John Deere 828 to be still rollin! It died. I take extremely good care of my small engines. Oil and plugs yearly, good quality gas, and carbs adjusted well. My Echo SRM3200 is about 17yrs old and many more hours than my 828 with Tecumseth 8HP. That 828 was like 1k or so that long ago. It was a gr8 machine but died in an all of a sudden way. No warning.

The 828 was made by MTD for John Deere

 

[Bror Jace]

"That [Deere] 828 was like $1K or so that long ago. It was a great machine but died in an all-of-a-sudden way. No warning." Dad bought a John Deere 1032 in 1983. The machine finally gave up the ghost (for real this time) at the start this season. How did it last all these years? It was rebuilt several times. Bearings, friction discs, belts drive chains, hand controls, etc ... About 10 years ago the case began to crack where the engine was bolted to it and had to be re-welded. I think more than half of the parts had been replaced at least once in the machine's life. In my opinion, the machine was only 'fair' quality. You paid top dollar for the brand, but the blower did not live up to JD's image for robust machines. I'd never buy another.

 

[JetStar]

I'm sure those Honda snow blowers are nice, but the cheapest 2-stage they make (24")is $2300.00 MSRP. Perhaps if I lived in Buffalo. For me in Indiana, I think my Ariens 28 Deluxe will be fine.

 

[spk2000]

Yes the Ariens are quite well built. The steel gears are hardened that turn the impellers. Many other brands use aluminum, plastic or plain un-hardened steel. My local Ariens dealer also sells Honda snowblowers and says they are overkill for our area. They are very well built and you pay for that. The cost vs quality it is hard to beat the Ariens. If you want better then you will pay for it. I mostly want dependability and durability. Also, I see used Ariens models selling for 75-90% of the new comparable model. That tells me they hold their resale well for if I move to Florida and no longer need it or if I decide to upgrade. The Ariens dealer told me he thinks in the next few years Ariens will build one with the Subaru engine on it. That engine is awesome as I have one on my Snapper Mower and my power washer.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: JetStar

I'm sure those Honda snow blowers are nice, but the cheapest 2-stage they make (24")is $2300.00 MSRP. Perhaps if I lived in Buffalo. For me in Indiana, I think my Ariens 28 Deluxe will be fine.

I've never owned a Ariens, but a friend of mine was a dealer for their snow blowers. He claimed they were of very high quality. When I bought my Honda back in the 80's it was at the end of the season. Dealer offered a free Honda mower if you bought a blower (at list price) I thought it was a good deal at the time. I still have them both, and they are still running like new.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream

You get what you pay for. I have a 30 year old Honda blower that runs amazing and will out live its owner. I'm glad I spent a few extra dollars back in the 80's when I bought it. I will leave it to my kids some day. Buying cheap always costs more in the long run.

Very true about buying cheap costing more in the long run. I bet the Honda blowers made in the 1980s were a lot more robust than the ones today though. I've fixed a few of the newer Hondas and wasn't impressed for the price. Were they nice? Sure, but not $1000 more than the price of a top of the line Ariens nice. Your machine was made when things were designed to last, not just to be sold as a brand name. Hang on to that one!

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: typ901

Originally Posted By: Kory

Here is the link the 420CC Briggs engine on the Ariens is made overseas....It's in the question and answers section of the engine, a briggs employee answers the question...It changed within the past year...If it's on an Ariens or toro 2014 or later it's not made in USA. http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/engines/snow-blower-engines/2100-series-pf

And you have a Honda snow thrower. So Japanese is okay, but not a Chinese sourced engine?

I have around 20 Honda engines running daily. 10 years ago they were made in Japan. The latest ones say Thailand. They haven't been made in Japan in quite some time.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071

......... I bet the Honda blowers made in the 1980s were a lot more robust than the ones today though. I've fixed a few of the newer Hondas and wasn't impressed for the price. Were they nice? Sure, but not $1000 more than the price of a top of the line Ariens nice. Your machine was made when things were designed to last, not just to be sold as a brand name. Hang on to that one!

Agreed. We've got two newer Honda snowblowers at work. One wheeled and one tracked. They certainly remove snow more effectively, and throw it further than any machine I've ever used. Would I call them over-built? No. The steel and most components on them are thin and flimsy. Things flex and shake on them. I don't care for the hydrostatic drive on them either, but it's got more oomph than a friction-disk drive. You can't argue the fact they're engineered extremely well given how well they chuck snow, but I'd rather put my money in two ~$1200 machines than one $2500 Honda.

 

[JetStar]

Back to the Ariens LCT engine. How long would you guys suggest running it before it's first oil change. The manual states 5 hrs IIRC. I'm thinking an hour. I expect a lot of metallic debris. Thoughts?