Honda snowblowers

[williamemack]

As you all may know, we in New England have been getting a bit of snow recently. I'd like to put in a good word for the Honda snowblower. I have a model 928 with tracks (as opposed to wheels). First of all, we all know about the reliability of the Honda engine. Mine has plug in 120volt electric start, but I have never needed it as I don't think I have ever pulled on the rope more than three times....unless I forgot to turn on the starter switch or gas! This has been true even after seasonal storage. (Yep, I use Seafoam in the gas.). The design of the auger/impeller system, coupled with the 9 hp engine will throw snow better than any homeowner machine I have ever seen. Lastly, and this is unique, the tracked blower has a foot pedal at the back where you can adjust the down pressure on the auger from raised (for gravel drives/cobble stones etc.) to noirmal down pressure and finally firm down pressure for packed snow. When the adjustment is in this position, it is practically impossible to lift the front of the blower off the ground and it will very aggressively dig into tough snow conditions without riding up.

Yes, this is a pretty expensive machine and it's true that it tough to move around in the garage without the engine running and even a bit of a handful to maneuver during normal operation, but BOY DOES IT DO THE JOB ! No, I don't work for Honda.

PS The wheeled models will throw snow as well and are much easier to move around in or out of the garage, but lack the traction and down pressure capability.

Have fun !

[jb882]

Honda makes a nice product. I have one of their lawnmowers and i love it. I honestly think it will last forever.

I own an old Troy bilt 26" blower with a 10hp motor that was built back before they were bought out by MTD and were still built in Troy NY. Mine is nothing like anything you can buy today, its heavy (over 300#), tough as nails and will go thru anything.

[Werloc]

Yep, I agree 100%. Can't kill a Honda, that's for sure. Even the little ones are great. 11 years ago, my wife and I bought a used, 1984 Single Stage Honda HS35 Snowblower from craigslist. I think we paid $80 bucks for it. This thing has never been inside, not even in a garage or shed. It sits outside, all year around behind my shed under a blue plastic tarp. Never changed the oil, plug, or have even run Seafoam through it. I have only used Sta-Bil in the gas for Summer storage. This thing starts with no more than 3 pulls first time of the year, and first pull everytime after that. The "Only" thing I have ever done to this thing, was replace the worn rubber auger tips 2 years ago for like $20 bucks. Since we have a driveway that fits 7 vehicals, it's been a very dependable life saver. Even my wife loves to use it. Hey, it gets the jod done every time......

[Point37]

nice!...once i get my shed put in i will be in the market for a blower but i won't be spending honda money nor will i opt for a tracked unit just due to convenience...probably going with one of the following ariens platinum 30, platinum 30 sho or professional 32...as far as down pressure if anyone has issues i have seen people drill a hole in the top of the bucket and leave a long bolt sticking out of the top so you can throw on plastic coated gym weights if needed

Snow Blowers, snowthrowers, Sno-Thro, Gas Powered, Two Stage, Single Stage

here is a review from a member on another motorcycle site i belong to between a honda tracked unit vs an ariens wheeled unit...

Here's an update on the Ariens (1124 & 926 Pro) versus Honda (HS928TA - 28" bucket, 9hp engine, hydrostatic track drive).

I used the Ariens most of yesterday and the Honda today. Boston got 24.9" of snow officially, with some neighborhoods reporting as much as 31" and with higher drifts and some plowed up piles.

- The Honda engine is quieter but the Ariens have OHV Tecumsehs, not sure how quiet the new engines on Ariens are. It has good power, I haven't slowed it down much.
- I like the hydrostatic drive. You can change speed rapidly and go really slow in heavy snow. If you have the $$ it works better than the friction drive.
- The Honda is much lighter than the Ariens and this is a negative. More weight would help with traction.
- Mixed bag on the track drive. If the snow is over the top of the bucket, you can't really tilt the bucket up to clear it. Clearing big EOD piles isn't easy. The tracks don't seem to have much lateral traction so if you are any sort of side slope the machine slides sideways. But overall the Honda requires less physical effort.
- The big snow tires on the Ariens have pretty good traction, but with the friction drive you can't slow down enough: you have to use the clutch in the heaviest snow.
- I did climb some stairs with the Honda, no problem.
- The chute of the Honda is smaller and the volume of snow seems less. But Honda output is quite concentrated and you can aim it quite precisely.
- The chute crank on the Ariens and Honda turn in opposite directions. The Ariens turns clockwise to rotate the chute clockwise: Honda is opposite.
- The Honda has the choke and throttle on the handlebars. The Ariens has them on the engine. I don't really see the benefit of having them on the bars: you usually run flaht out. Not a positive or negative. The Honda has a key switch, on and off, on the bars.
- The fuel shutoff on the Honda is slightly more convenient.
- The Honda bucket is too low for big snow. I had snow going over the top of the bucket a lot and I was only using the Honda for cleanup. The chute and light are much closer to the front on the Honda and block a lot of the snow so it falls right behind the bucket. Then when you try and back up it jams under the bucket and you have to release the mechanism and let the bucket up to float position.
- My wife and kids find the Honda controls more intuitive, but struggled a bit learning how to maneuver it. With the differential unlocked the Ariens is much easier to manuever.

Even in Boston this snow was pretty light powder snow. Another important test remains: performance in heavy, wet, and slushy snow.

The Honda is a good machine and quite convenient. But if I had unlimited budget or wanted the most productive tool, I'd buy an Ariens Hydro Pro: taller, more rugged bucket, more weight, bigger motor, and hydrostatic trans. Ariens makes both wheel and track hydro pro models.

[Smitty Blackstone]

Been using a 1962 Toro 22 inch snowblower since 1991, when I got it from a guy who was throwing it away because he sold his house and was retiring to Florida.
Did a mechanical restoration on it, and have used it ever since. Starts on the first pull even after sitting all summer in the garage.

I would love to buy a huge Honda 1332, but have limited space, and we are installing a snowmelt system this summer (I'm a Heating Guy). I will NOT, however, sell or get rid of this fine Toro Machine, even if I retire to an area where it never snows.
Someone gave me an old Johnson Snowblower that is behind the garage here... I just haven't had time with all the bikes and running a business to get it running.

[elime]

I saw my brother yesterday who was just returning from Eureka Calif. He told me he saw a brand new snow blower for sale there that was marked down from just under $1,000 to about $450. Funny, such a good deal and no takers.

[Ebbanflood]

Last year one of my deckhands called me and said "The work boat will not start". I said "It's a Honda, (outboard) it is either out of gas or the kill switch lanyard is not in. He said.... "It was the lanyard, thanks".

[GaryL]

Hoot and me were just discussing snow blowers in another thread. I have had a few and I have a need for a big one here. I sold my big Toro with a 30 inch cut because it was such a bear to turn at the end of every line down the driveway. Big blowers equal big weight and I had to horse it around to go back and forth. Hoot has one that apparently turns itself with electric switches. Good option for us older guys with big driveways. My driveway is 25 feet wide and 130 feet long. A single stage will not throw the snow far enough so I don't have to re throw already blown piles so a dual stage is an absolute necessity and must blow the snow a good 20 feet away.

For those who live in snow country and don't own a plow truck picking the right blower for your property is worth a lot of thought. Honda makes great engines but I have owned a Troy Bilt Horse rototiller since 1969 that has a Tecumseh engine that just won't quit. Seafoam has been my go to additive for a long time and has never failed me yet. I treat the full tank before storage but I also drain it when the time to use it arrives and fill it with fresh fuel. I just don't trust ethanol fuel but keeping the tank full and treated is the best option I have found.

GaryL

[williamemack]

Hoot, do myou have one of the Honda mega snowblowers that is a hybrid. I looked at one of those, but was blown away at the price and mechanical complexity.

Will

[Padilen]

My first Honda engine experience was on a wood splitter. I was impressed at how quiet it was. That was all. I then was given a "lawnmower"- it was missing a lot of parts. I took it for the muffler- then found out it wouldn't fit anything other than a Honda. I tinkered with it an got it working. Since I don't push mow often it is now my push mower. But Honda and other's make more than one class of engines. They use the best on there own branded equipment. Then often sell a cheaper version for equipment that's box store/other brand. Buying from a dealer you'll pay more but get the best of the manufactures equipment.
I was Kohler engine equipment fan. But like all the old engines they aren't the same anymore.