Snow Blower advice please

[exploreco]

Good morning everyone. New member here and looking for some advice. This forum has been very helpful to me in auto related issues, so thought I would throw this out.

I am looking at purchasing my first snow blower. I live in central Illinois and average snowfalls are 2-5 inches with maybe one or two storms being more. Concrete driveway. Two cars wide, three cars deep. I feel with that a single stage will suit my needs just fine but a couple people have suggested I spend a little more and get a two stage for those situations like last year’s blizzard, but I feel it may just be overkill and take up extra space in the garage.

The single stage I am looking at the Simplicity SS822 single stage. It seemed to have a solid feel and I liked that it had a B&S engine. Local dealer has it for $399, which didn’t seem bad. Any thoughts on this unit or experience with it
http://www.simplicitymfg.com/products/snow-throwers/compact-single-stage/

If I were to step up to the two stage, would the Sno Tek be a better by than the Craftsman because of the larger engine? From what I can tell, the Sno Tek has an LTC motor and the Craftmans has a PowerMore?? The guy from sears kept trying to tell me it is a “Craftsman” engine and when I said, isn’t it a PowerMore, he said, nope, a Craftsman.
http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Outdoo...catalogId=10053
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07188957000P?prdNo=9&blockNo=9&blockType=G9

Just looking for thoughts from folks that have maybe owned or used those units.

Thank you for your time!

 

[kozanoglu]

If I were you, I would get a well maintained used Honda (HS35,HS 621,HS521) or Toro(621) single stage.The ones with 4 stroke engines.

 

[Indydriver]

I live in central Indiana (same weather) and faced the same choice. The single stage gets the surface cleaner and you'll like it for the 3-4" stuff but the first time you get that 8-12" snow you'll be cryin' in your beer for that 2-stage. I have a 5 yo Craftsman 7.75 HP, 26" Intec that has been flawless and I am the envy of the neighborhood when I pull it out. I clear several of my neighbors drives when it gets bad and that makes me the hero of the neighborhood.

I just changed the oil for the first time this fall and that was a real PITA. The drain hole is such that you have no choice but to let it run down the side of the machine.

Also, if you decide to buy from Sears, wait for their after Christmas clearance sale. IIRC, mine listed for $1000 and I paid $700 or so.

 

[user52165]

Originally Posted By: kozanoglu
If I were you, I would get a well maintained used Honda (HS35,HS 621,HS521) or Toro(621) single stage.The ones with 4 stroke engines.


+1. I have a 24 year old Honda mower, never a problem. Good used is well bought and the Hondas are just better.

PS: Be sure to drain the carb or run it occasionally in the summer months to keep the carb clean. Today's gas sucks.

 

[MNgopher]

For the vast majority of snow events, the single stage will work just fine in your application. When you get the big events, you'll need to go out a few times to keep up.

If it were me spending the money, I'd look for a Toro single stage unit for your application. I wouldn't bother with the Sno Tek unit at HD either.

 

[user52165]

Find one like this locally:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-HS621-6HP-...=item19cbb95066

 

[Donald]

I would skip the single stage and any machines made by MTD. I come into snow that is almost too heavy for the 2 stage. Mine is a 1970s Montgomery Wards I got used for $75. Its not skinny, and has no safety features but works pretty well. I have a long drive and they would charge me $75 just to plow it once.

 

[boraticus]

I live in Canada north of Minnesota. We get plenty of snow. Usually it's just enough to be a nuisance on my fairly long and steep driveway.

For years I used a 10 h.p. Craftsman two stage machine which on most occasions was more work to use than a shovel. A few years ago I bought a new 10 h.p. Simplicity two stage machine. A much better and balanced unit than the Craftsman but still far too much machine for the preponderance of snow conditions we normally get.

In January of this year, I bought a dirt cheap used 1997 Craftsman single stage machine with a 139cc Tecumseh 5 h.p. two cycle engine in it. In stock form, it was rather lame. Sure it would move the snow but not very far and wet snow was bad news. I found a way to use the governor as a throttle and spin the engine much higher (6000 rpm) when pushing deep or wet snow. The difference is incredible. When cranked up, that old Craftsman will bomb snow very impressively.

Long story short, I was so pleased with the SS machine that I decided to buy a premium single stage machine. I chose the Toro 221QE with the two cycle engine and bought on on sale at HD for a very good price.

Anyone who says that a single stage is only good for a few inches of snow obviously has no experience with a quality unit such as the Toro. It will move regular snow up to 12" deep. It will put considerably more demand on the machine and operator but it WILL do it. Most snow eight inches deep or less is easy work.

Since buying the Toro, I've used the two stage machine maybe two or three times. I'd say that over 90% of the work is done by the SS machines and I don't work anywhere nearly as hard muscling them around.

For the size of the driveway that the OP has, I'd go with a Toro SS machine. Since the two cycle Toros have been discontinued, my preference would be to shop around for a used two cycle Toro CCR2000, CCR3000, 221 etc. in good shape. Failing that, the new Toros with the four stroke engine are getting good reviews.

I'm in agreement that I wouldn't buy a SS machine made by anyone other than Toro or Honda. I'd avoid anything built under the MTD umbrella including the Simplicity.

 

[barlowc]

We get similar snowfall here in Southeast Mighigan. I have a relatively small, 3 HP, single-stage Toro CCR Powerlite that's probably about 15 years old and performs well. Like MNgopher gopher said, for those couple big dumps each winter, I just keep up with it. I disassembled and cleaned the carb last winter when it stopped working and replaced the priming bulb earlier today. That's about all I've done to the machine other than put gas in it and use it, and a new spark plug or two along the way.

 

[Nick R]

I would never use a single stage. For me, unless snow is rare, a 2-stage is the only option. Home Depot carries decent Ariens ones with Chonda engines for about $500-600 for the 24" I think. They are high quality and should last.

 

[barlowc]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
I would never use a single stage. For me, unless snow is rare, a 2-stage is the only option.

For what reason exactly? You have to factor in the OP's driveway size. It's not that big.

 

[Rand]

A good single stage is like using one of those lightweight alum deck lawn mowers.. very easy to maneuver mine throws upto 10" snow 35ft or so. A cheap 2 stage is going to be problems.

either buy a good single stage or a good 2 stage.. dont get a cheap 2 stage(ie under 550$)

I'd recommend a snapper, toro or any single stage that has the powercurve type rotor.. they never jam or clog.

something like
http://www.toro.com/en-us/Homeowner/Snow...lear-621R-38451

they can be had for much cheaper.

I'd avoid the old cheap style single stage that jams frequently on wet snow(like MTD) and any cheap 2stage.

a really cheap 2 stage is really much worse than a good single stage.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: barlowc
Originally Posted By: Nick R
I would never use a single stage. For me, unless snow is rare, a 2-stage is the only option.

For what reason exactly? You have to factor in the OP's driveway size. It's not that big.


I'd venture to say that NickR has no experience with a good single stage otherwise, he wouldn't make such an unsubstantiated comment.

Being the owner of both types (actually three SS machines and one dual stage) and living in the part of a country known for snow, I feel confident endorsing a quality SS machine for the OPs requirements. They'll get the job done 90% of the time for me and with much less personal fatigue.

 

[Kestas]

When deciding on which machine to buy, think heavily about the 4 to 8 inch (or more) snowfalls you have to deal with. That was my thinking when I bought my first snowthrower three years ago.

Also, after the city plows the side streets, a two-stage can handle the snow at the end of your drive by chewing it up and tossing it aside. I'm not so sure a single stage can do that.

 

[Nick R]

When we lived here last time, we had an electric single stage free from Navy housing to use. It sucked, and took 3 hours to do a 20ftx 14ft driveway when there is 2 feet of snow. Never again.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
When we lived here last time, we had an electric single stage free from Navy housing to use. It sucked, and took 3 hours to do a 20ftx 14ft driveway when there is 2 feet of snow. Never again.


Big difference between a strong running gas powered Toro or Honda and an electric. I know that my Toro 221QE will clear 20'x 14' of 8" deep average type snow in a few minutes.

I used to be a "nothing but two stage guy". I've owned three two stage machines over the last 25 years or so and presently own a 10 h.p. 28" Simplicity. I know what they can do and really appreciate them when the situation is such that a SS machine is overwhelmed. Reality is that type of snow situation is relatively rare. Maybe once or twice a year. My SS machines see 90% of the work.

The ideal situation would be to have one of each or make an arrangement with a neighbour so that one guy has a dual stage and the other has a SS machine. Make both machines available to each other. You'll be surprised to see which machine you choose most often.

I have to agree that there's nothing like a healthy two stage machine for dealing with partially frozen end of driveway snow. If the snow is fairly soft the SS can do it but no where nears as efficiently or easily as a two stage machine.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: Kestas

... a two-stage can handle the snow at the end of your drive by chewing it up and tossing it aside. I'm not so sure a single stage can do that.


They sure can Kestas, you just have to take smaller bites. I know I was a skeptic of single stage units until I owned an older Toro CCR-2000 for a few winters and was impressed with it's capabilities.

My only complaint with the Toro CCR I had was you WREAK of 2-stroke when you're done with a good blow on a cold night.

You pretty much have to designate your old Carhartts for the job.

That's going to be a thing of the past anyway. They're all OHV 4-strokes now. I'm curious to know how the new Toro 4-stroke single-stage machines perform.

Joel

 

[boraticus]

I've read on another forum that the Toro 621 series machines with the Loncin four stroke is as capable as the venerable two stroke 221 machines. People who have owned previous Toro SS machines know what to expect and they like the four stroke machines quite a bit.

If you're coming in smelling of two cycle fumes, something isn't right with your machine. I have three of them and once they're warmed up, the emit very little if any smoke and not that much smell.

If you think a two stroke snow blower is bad for fumes, spend a day bucking wood with a big chainsaw. After a day of cutting wood, I change my clothes in the garage and leave the dirty gear outside to air out. Otherwise, the wife won't wash them.

By the way, I kind of like the smell of two cycle fumes.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: boraticus

By the way, I kind of like the smell of two cycle fumes.


With the 2-stroke fleet you've got, I'm surprised you don't have one of these!

Joel

 

[boraticus]

CTC is selling a tailgate blender with small motorcycle style handle bar on it. Throttle and all.

Gas powered blender is a bit over the top for food/drink preparation.

Despite my appreciation for things two cycle, I'll leave powering kitchen related devices to electricity.