Oh No, my snow Blower died

[Paul B]

Oh No, my snow blower croaked and I can't fix it. AAAHHHHHH. The machine is about 38 years old and I used to use it commercially so it has an enormous amount of tough hours on it. I was using it yesterday on our foot of snow, on top of our other foot of snow and I heard this crack. The thing usually breaks at least once a season which is normal for such an old machine but it has always been a belt, gear pin, wheel, chain, bearing or something that I could fix in an hour and get it running again. So after the hearing this crack, I removed the bottom steel plate and a gear fell out. That is not usualy a good sign but not to unusual. Upon further examination I found the problem. Two days ago I was going through very wet slush with it and then I put it away. During the night the temp went to about 12 degrees and the slush built up inside the gear box inside the machine where the drive mechanism is for the wheels are. The slush turned into a big solid block of ice and got between the drive chain and the gear, breaking the steel gear off the shaft right where it comes through the bearing. There isn't enough shaft left to weld and the shaft is a two diameter steel rod with the gear intrically built with the shaft in one piece. To fix it, I would have to demolish the machine which is American made and made extreamly well. Then I would have to have this part machined which would cost more than the entire machine. For a 38+ year old snow blower, it just doesn't make sense to fix it. I was up all night because I hate to buy a new machine. I have been looking but I doubt I can find an American one and what I see out there is junk which will last a few years at best. None of them seem to be built out of good materials that will last for years. Plastic or aluminum gears on a cheap housing is not what I am looking for but I guess I will settle for the best I can find. I see a Troy Built that looks decent (but still a step above garbage) Of course they are all out of stock but I hope to not need it until next year anyway.

 

[dougc]

My blower suffered two breakdowns yesterday. First, the clutch wouldn't disengage. Easy, right? The cable was binding in the housing. Had to remove the bracket that is also the stop for the housing on the handle to shoot some oil into the housing. Good so far, but I broke the bracket putting it back on. Stupid plastic. Jerry rigged that with a small C-clamp. Than one one of the shear pins broke. Couldn't find the spares, of course, so I rigged it with a bolt and prayed that I didn't get anything caught in the auger.

Bad day for blowers, I guess. Fortunately, my broken parts are easily replaced.

 

[lefkonj]

I would just advice against any one that has the electrically controller chute. A few of my neighbors bought these, the mechanics in the broke after one season (and not this rough season). I have the YardMachine that i got a home depot, been solid for the 10 years I have owned it.

 

[dougc]

Mine is a Yard Machines, too. Had it about 10 years. Never had problems till this year. I'm gonna keep fixing it. . Parts are readily available.

 

[JRWOHLER]

I have a Troy Built one but not a monster one like Paul. Works pretty well all considered I have had it for 4 years now.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Toro 421 from 1980 for me. New motor about two years ago (from Harbor Freight.) Last week, new belts and new skids. Still throws snow, so I can't complain.

 

[Paul B]

Harbor freight is just to cheap and to Chinese for me. But it looks like a nice machine. I like the industrial look to it. This time I want really big wheels that I will put chains on.
Mine has wheels much to small and I end up pushing it a lot.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Paul, it originally had a Tecumseh engine, which I believe was made in Wisconson. Well, surprise, surpise, Tecumseh is out of business. Do you wish to speculate why? Deja vu moment....I had a Tecumseh on my minibike in the 60's. Anyway, I had a choice of a Briggs and Stratton, which I believe is still made in the US, at a little over $300, and not known if it would fit, or the Harbor Freight, at less than $100...and it was a direct bolt on. For me it was a no brainer for a 35 year old blower, not knowing how much longer it would last.


And Paul, just for a little history, I was an engine guy on a car racing pit crew and first had visions of rebuilding the Tecumseh. Parts alone were more than the new Harbor Freight engine.

 

[Paul B]

Do you wish to speculate why?

I know why. Because there are very few people any more that are willing to buy American items any more which is the reason they are expensive and those companies go out of business because we can't compete overseas. Of course now all those jobs are now overseas so their economy is booming. When we wake up and make toast on our toaster made in Taiwan, brush our teeth with a Japanese tooth brush, put on out Phillipine clothes, get in our Korean car and wait on line in the unimployment office we can have something to think about.

 

[Mark...]

In the off season coming up I'll be looking for a snow blower, so keep the recommendations coming. My current snow blower is heading off to college.

 

[Paul B]

My snow blower finished college, moved out and got married. I need to wait 16 more years for this one to ripen enough to shovel snow.

 

[PaulM]

My GF at the time, now wife got me an Ariens snow blower 3 years ago. It has a brigs engine and has been great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Paul B]

I checked into it. 3 years ago they used American engines, but no more. I called them. If I can find an older Ariens machine with an American engine, that would be perfect.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Paul, I quickly looked up craigslist.org on Staten Island and put in Ariens Snowblower and saw a crap-load available. Happy hunting.

 

[Paul B]

I called Ariens, they have a distributer walking distance from my house. No rush as I hope to not need it until next winter. I also wrote them a little while ago to see if they had any older ones laying around with an American engine because they just switched to foreign engines a couple of years ago.

 

[Paul B]

OK so I picked up a new Ariens Snow blower made in Wisconsin. It looks like a nice machine but no where near as well built as my old one but I guess nothing would be. The first indication of a problem is they give you 2 sheer pins. If you don't know, a sheer pin is a bolt that is the weakest part of the system so if something is going to break, the sheer pin breaks before something important. My old machine didn't need sheer pins because you couldn't break anything. If I picked up a cinder block, it would either crush it, or stop. But it would not break the machine. I know because in the 39 years I ran the thing I have picked up cinder blocks, bricks and garbage can lids.
I realize they are not going to build a machine that will last that long but as long as it lasts 10 years without a major engine disaster I am good. I may cry when I retire my old one unless anyone wants an engine (or an entire machine) that runs beautifully but is old. It is probably 5hp but I am not sure

 

[Mark...]

Sheer pins must break alot, Amazon sells them in 10s.

http://www.amazon.com/Stens-780-205...1425923388&sr=8-3&keywords=Ariens+Snow+blower

 

[Paul B]

Sheer pins allow the manufacturer to build a much weaker machine because the pin will break before the machine. When I see sheer pins I cringe. Electric start is also silly as the machine should start on the first or second pull. But I think they all have electric start weather you want it or not. I have my new machine next to my old one and the old one is much more beefier and stronger looking. It is what it is.