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Is the Walk behind Snow blower better?


Leroy

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I was wondering if anyone here had to have a walk behind snowblower because of accessability. If so was it a two stage ? Was it better on the tractor or walk around. I was thinking more weight on the tractor will help it to get more snow moved.
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Here in NC I can't say for sure whitch may be best for each situation. However, all I can seem to relate is walk... or RIDE. HUUMMMM Maybe this isn't such a hard decision.lol
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It depends how much you have to do. I had the best suped up blower arrangement, a 728 Broadmoor repowered with a 12 HP engine. It blew snow like you couldn't imagine. The bad part was it took me too long to turn around and do and another swath as I had a short driveway. Around here unless you have a real long driveway, walk behinds get the job done quicker. In the winter starting about 4 AM or so, you can start to hear a plethora of blowers coming to life to clean things up before you have to go to work. Surprisingly we have a less then a 10% work absenteeism on bad snow days.
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I pretty much use the walk behind Ariens I have. It's a two stage that has no problem moving the heavy stuff that is by the roadway. I like the walk behind because I can take it where I won't be afraid to get stuck like across the lawn to get to the oil fill tank. We had a storm here where the ground was still soft and the tractor wanted to sink. I also think backing up is a lot better. Anything over 5 inches while I was backing the tractor would get off the path I just made and I would start to spin. It was frustrating getting the tractor unstuck by hand.
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I use the walk behind for the first 20 feet or so out of the garage so I have a place to turn around the tractor. I'd say it blows the snow about as well as my tractor, but the tractor takes a wider swath and has a much higher fun factor.
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I feel the tractor is as maneurverable as a walk behind. Plus if it's icy, you don't disk falling on your can if you're riding. My brother has a small driveway and he likes his simplicity tractor/blower better than his 2 stage walk behind.
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Where i live we get snow every 8 years or so and its here for two weeksor more. No road equipment to handle it, They are used in the mountain passes. Even the rental outfits don't stock snowblowers. The road in front on my place is on an angle like going into a turn on the indy 500 all the stuff ends up on my side of the road eventually. At 2:am though there is not a soul on the road. So i could get out there and clean a swath so my area will dry faster and those folks trying to turn can get get stopped. As soon as i move a shovel full there another one in the same spot. Needless to say i get nowhere fast. I shoveled for days to keep my drive clear while traffic is trying to stay off my curb. The side walk is an even bigger problem all the stuff that slides down the road ends up on the side walk making it very nearly unnavigatable. So between the mail boxes and fences I dont think a tractor would fit but a tractor would fit up to the mail boxes. If the walk behinds do as well as a tractor attachment but a smaller swath = more time. Maybe a tractor attachment is the way to go for time. I won't be traveling over grass and the local 7_11 store would probably pay me a good chunk of change to clear their parking lot. That would probably require a sweepster also to get it down to pavement.
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Call me lazy. I like being able to sit in the cab with the heat coming off the engine, drinking a hot chocolate, and using the elec. lift and rotator. No blowing snow getting in your face, no wind chilling you down.
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_B
I feel the tractor is as maneurverable as a walk behind. Plus if it's icy, you don't disk falling on your can if you're riding. My brother has a small driveway and he likes his simplicity tractor/blower better than his 2 stage walk behind.
Well if he has both he is unlimited in moving the stuff. Yep i wasn't thinking of the falling risk i was thinking about navigational. If ya fall and hurt yourself, the navigational part is less important. Thanks.
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quote:
Originally posted by BLT
It depends how much you have to do. I had the best suped up blower arrangement, a 728 Broadmoor repowered with a 12 HP engine. It blew snow like you couldn't imagine. The bad part was it took me too long to turn around and do and another swath as I had a short driveway. Around here unless you have a real long driveway, walk behinds get the job done quicker. In the winter starting about 4 AM or so, you can start to hear a plethora of blowers coming to life to clean things up before you have to go to work. Surprisingly we have a less then a 10% work absenteeism on bad snow days.
Bob i wonder if at least some of those folks arn't working for a company who helps to support these tractors. My driveway is short but there is a drop off to the road and if i'm not in a hurry to get going i may get stuck at the base of my drive, in those snow packed days. It's a 5 laner in front of my place so it can get exciting when one of us get stuck, heart attack city, even. So i aim to do something more than shovel it because that took one day to clear the driveway and my whole weekend to clear the 125 ' side walk. The next morn it was all back on there, from the road traffic. When it ices up the traffic is less but we have to slide in and out. So im thinking i should clear a 200 foot path on the road before and after my place to keep my drive off area clear. A walk behind and golf shoes may not be the best idea.
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quote:
Originally posted by Nick
I pretty much use the walk behind Ariens I have. It's a two stage that has no problem moving the heavy stuff that is by the roadway. I like the walk behind because I can take it where I won't be afraid to get stuck like across the lawn to get to the oil fill tank. We had a storm here where the ground was still soft and the tractor wanted to sink. I also think backing up is a lot better. Anything over 5 inches while I was backing the tractor would get off the path I just made and I would start to spin. It was frustrating getting the tractor unstuck by hand.
Been there, done that. And the old walk behind 8hp simplicity snowblower works dam good for the heavy stuff that the new equipment out there has problems kicking it that far. The single stage(stone throwers) on the tractor even has problems with the heavy wet stuff, clogs up the chute.
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quote:
Originally posted by a7117puller
quote:
Originally posted by Nick
I pretty much use the walk behind Ariens I have. It's a two stage that has no problem moving the heavy stuff that is by the roadway. I like the walk behind because I can take it where I won't be afraid to get stuck like across the lawn to get to the oil fill tank. We had a storm here where the ground was still soft and the tractor wanted to sink. I also think backing up is a lot better. Anything over 5 inches while I was backing the tractor would get off the path I just made and I would start to spin. It was frustrating getting the tractor unstuck by hand.
Been there, done that. And the old walk behind 8hp simplicity snowblower works dam good for the heavy stuff that the new equipment out there has problems kicking it that far. The single stage(stone throwers) on the tractor even has problems with the heavy wet stuff, clogs up the chute.
Do those Walk behinds leave the ground so slick you want to have golf shoes on?
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Leroy: I've never yet had the pleasure of using my 725 with the 3 belt blower. Having said that, I have given this some thought, and I will always keep at least one walk behind blower, because of the access issues. We have a sidewalk to clear, near the house, and I end up blowing paths, across the grass, to the shed, the other shed, the container and the driveway. Some of those areas are too tight to get around in on a tractor. I hadn't considered the possibility of getting stuck, on the grass, with a tractor, but it doesn't sound like fun, and poses perhaps more risk than simply walking behind the blower, I'd venture, depending upon the type of tractor, transmission, etc.... Until I butchered my 1967, 6 hp. (7 hp?) Ariens walkbehind's fan drive shaft, with homemade shearpins, it worked great! It's a two stage--always get a two-stage in a walk behind, if you're moving significant amounts. Some other things to consider: Chains or studs help, though this Ariens is so heavy, it does get by without them, but with studs, there's almost zero pushing, ever. Without, you push to get into what the plow piles up. The Ariens has 4 forward speeds--that's a BIG DEAL, as I used a single speed for 15 years. Having the ability to go 4 (?) mph, when blowing the light stuff, is definitely a plus--much less tiring than shuffling along like a zombie behind a single speed. A hand-clutch that you can work without taking a hand off of the handlebars also feels like a luxury to me. The Airens has a "neutral hold" button, which locks the clutch into release, for a quick step away. I don't trust it so much that I'd lie down in front of the machine, but it's never malfunctioned, and is a definite convenience when you need to stop a moment, to move an item, etc..., that's in your way. The Airens also has a diff lock on it, so you can power around with an open diff, just by pulling a knob on the wheel--this makes maneuvering on wet or dry pavement much easier. Make sure shifting into neutral on the wheels doesn't stop the auger and fan drives, as well, on the models you check out. Unlike the Yardman I used for years, the Airens' auger and fan keep running, no matter whether you're going forward, backward or in neutral (unless you disengage the second blower clutch). This prevents clogs--the Yardman would clog, in wet snow, often when you changed from FWD to Reverse, because the auger and fan would stop. That is perhaps the worst thing about that Yardman, other than the lack of multiple speeds. The Airens has all these features (not to mention two blower clutches, allowing power to the wheels without the auger/fan running, for traversing longer distances, say to the neighbor's clogged driveway) because it is actually a two-wheeled tractor with a blower attachment. I love that machine! And I still need the fan drive shaft, if anyone's got a parts machine laying around. I paid $25. for this machine, Leroy, with a 26" mower deck attachment with it, which I've since found a clutch for, but haven't mowed with yet. I highly recommend the Airens units from the late '60's (or newer, I'm sure?) in the 6-8hp. range. It jammed only once, when I was pumping slush with it. Good luck in your quest! Peter
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If i were able to find a used snow blower at all in this area it would have been because some one moved from the east and brought it with them. The Willamette Valley doesnt get much snow and when we do get it we are not prepared as citys or countys. The moutain regions have all that equipment and it is massive. So i was picking the minds of those who know them best adding that with the Consumer reports. And I will probaly get one this year. I may be making some cash with it because few people have one here. But it snows ever 8 years maybe i have 6 years to go but with this strange winter, this nation had i think the time is good. Consumer reports likes the Toro . But i think some of their data coms from users. Simplicty is in the very good catigory but below craftsman. Something wrong with that data eh? Ariens is kinna low on that chart to. I know older is better.
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Like Dave in NC. we here in SC don't get enough snow to even think about weather we want to walk or ride when blowing snow, couse we don't get any to have to make that disicion. Aren't that nice. Ken
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quote:
Been there, done that. And the old walk behind 8hp simplicity snowblower works dam good for the heavy stuff that the new equipment out there has problems kicking it that far. The single stage(stone throwers) on the tractor even has problems with the heavy wet stuff, clogs up the chute.
I only plugged my single stage blower once or twice over the winter and I blew lots of the heavy wet stuff. The rate my single stage will move snow is amazing compared to the small walk behinds.
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I haven't hooked up the blower to my B10 in 3 years, I have been moving snow forever and I have used tractors, blowers both single and double stage, scoops, shovels, but the best way to move any amount of snow is with a truck. I can have my driveway, parking area, and 1400' of private road cleared in about 20 minutes with the truck and plow, and that includes a little shovel time cleaning out the doorways. When I used the B10 I would spend 20 minutes making multiple runs up the icey hill with the tire chains slipping on the ice. And depending on the type of snow I would have to blow some of it several times to clear it. If I lived in town with a short driveway (under 50') and sidewalk to clear I would probably just shovel the snow.
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_B
I only plugged my single stage blower once or twice over the winter and I blew lots of the heavy wet stuff. The rate my single stage will move snow is amazing compared to the small walk behinds.
Were you using a walk behind? or tractor mounted? Consumer reports said that some single stage walk behind units were capeable of moving snow just 5 foot under the best second stage units. But those were priced accordingly.
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quote:
Originally posted by Deazman
I haven't hooked up the blower to my B10 in 3 years, I have been moving snow forever and I have used tractors, blowers both single and double stage, scoops, shovels, but the best way to move any amount of snow is with a truck. I can have my driveway, parking area, and 1400' of private road cleared in about 20 minutes with the truck and plow, and that includes a little shovel time cleaning out the doorways. When I used the B10 I would spend 20 minutes making multiple runs up the icey hill with the tire chains slipping on the ice. And depending on the type of snow I would have to blow some of it several times to clear it. If I lived in town with a short driveway (under 50') and sidewalk to clear I would probably just shovel the snow.
Tom No doubt about the truck being the way to go. An Oshkosh P1 or an Oshkosh H2 to be sure. However trucks may be cool but those snow blades and appropreate hardware to hook em up to the truck are no doubt, more costly than a walk behind. I have 125 feet of sidewalk and i live on a sloped part of an interstate In Oregon where we don't normally get snow. When we do get snow the city is unprepared to handle it and my family has a dificult time to say the least getting on the road and getting out of the rut once we hit the road. At 2am on those snowy days there is not a soul on the road and it would behoove me to get something that could handle the occaisonal dumpin front of our place to make it more practicle to get into and out of our driveway. Also because of the slope, if i dont do something about whats on the up side of the road it will creep back to my driveway. Also I live by a dangerous corner due to the angle of the road and the requirement to slow down to turn onto the street If i was able to also chuck that snow to the side of the road not inhabited i may be able to reduce a wreck and maybe reduce the possibilty of serious personal injury for those useing this area. I have tried shoveling the stuff, but it is a no win situation regardless how much spinachk i eat. So based upon your vast experience which walk behind or which tractor/ snowblower unit worked best for you?
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The Simplicity "W" is much more maneuverable then a tractor. With the single stage 36" blower you can really move some snow. A 100 ft drive is not a problum.The main thing with the single stage blower is the RPM of the auger. The plow mite be what you need to clean up the street in front of your drive. Check my profile.
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From my experience a walk behind simplicity blower has work the best. The one I use was electic start and was pulled along by rubber edges on the auger. I can't remember the model but I think it was only a 5 horse. That little blower could shoot the snow. It did a good job cleaning up the stuff my plow truck couldn't reach.
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