Oct

2008 Craftsman 208 cc 26 In. 2 Stage Snow Thrower Model 88970 Review

Craftsman 208 cc 26 In. 2 Stage Snow Thrower Model 88970
Sears item# 07188970000 Mfr. model# 88970

NOTE: This snow thrower has been replaced with the Craftsman 277cc 28″ path Steerable Two Stage Snow Thrower Model 88791. Click on the link to view the new 2009 model.

This model has improved from last year. The new model has two new features and one change from the previous model.

Pros

This is a good snowthrower and is the medium capacity machine of the Craftsman homeowner line. It’s just a little wider, just a little more power and a few more features than the Model 88955. It features a single joystick that controls the chute rotation and pitch. The new chute is longer than previous models and will throw the snow better in windy conditions than the standard chutes. The 88970 has enough capacity to easily handle a 16 inch snowfall and although it is not as powerful as the larger machines the motor is sized well to the width. It also has a clutch lock so you can free up one hand to control the chute and change the speed.

The best new feature this year is the Glide Tech polymer skid shoes. Have you ever looked at your cement driveway and sidewalks and noticed little brown streaks on them. Those streaks are caused by the steel skids shoes on your old snow thrower scraping and leaving little bits of metal. That metals rusts and leaves those brown marks. These new skid shoes protect your driveway from scratches. The Glide Tech shoes are reversible so you can get long life out of them.

It also comes pre-wired so you can add the optional Arnold Snow Thrower Light Kit

Cons

The biggest disappointment this year is the good old Tecumseh Snow King engine has been replaced with a Craftsman Branded Powermore (MTD) Engine. You know how much I like the old Snow King. The Craftsman engine does not have any history so only time will tell how good it is. The new Craftsman is a overhead valve engine so it is quieter, smoother running and more fuel efficient than the old Snow King.

In summary I like this machine. It is a good medium sized snowblower. It has a joystick chute control, Glide Tech Shoes, and a longer chute. For the money it is a very good value. I would strongly suggest buying the optional 5 year protection agreement because of the new engine. For less than $30 dollars a year you get the peace of mind knowing all repairs on the snowblower are covered.

NOTE: This snow thrower has been replaced with the Craftsman 277cc 28″ path Steerable Two Stage Snow Thrower Model 88791. Click on the link to view the new 2009 model.

You can read more about this snow thrower and order it online using this link Craftsman 208 cc 26 In. 2 Stage Snow Thrower Model 88970. If you order it online you can pick it up at your nearest store and not get charged for shipping. Sears has this model on sale a lot for $50 to $150 dollars off the retail price. They also have a 30 day price guarantee so you can buy it, watch the sale ads and come into your local Sears and get the difference refunded to you.

I will also suggest that you purchase an extra package of shear pins with your machine and duct tape the package right to the handles.

Craftsman Shear Pins
The machine is designed to break these pins instead of tearing up the transmission and they WILL break if you try to run chunks of ice through it or the kids toys you forgot to put away.