First, let me review a few of the features/specs of the Troy-Bilt and Ariens and why  – on paper –  one may be best for you.

1. I classify the Troy-Bilt Storm 2860 as a “residential” snow blower and is a good choice for most of us who own suburban driveways and get up to 60-70 inches average snowfall a year. It will handle 2-15 inch snows and will clean the snow plow drift at the end of your driveway.  It has a 12-inch impeller, 12-inch front auger and around a 250 cc engine. The controls are convenient and it handles well for the price. At $799 it’s a good value snow blower. Most brands like Craftsman, Toro, Cub Cadet, Husqvarna, Briggs & Stratton, and Ariens have 24, 26, 28 and 30-inch snow blowers in this price/capacity range so the Storm a good choice to demonstrate the capabilities of these “typical” residential snow blowers. For about $150 more you can get models with power steering.
2. I classify Ariens Deluxe series as a “heavy duty” residential snow blower. On paper, it has a little more capacity with its 14-inch impeller and 14-inch auger so it should be able to handle areas that get up to 100 inches of snow a year. The Deluxe has about the same power-per-inch ratio as the residential models. The Deluxe series cost a few hundred dollars more but if you get deeper drifts or heavy-wet snow it won’t plug as quickly as the residential models. Power/automatic steering is standard. Cub Cadet and Toro also have models that use the 14-inch impeller.

By the way: The Troy-Bilt Storm 2860 in the video has the airless tires. I like them a lot. The Ariens Deluxe 30 has the EFI option – just turn the key and pull the starter rope. It always starts on the first pull.

Enjoy the video and feel free to ask questions and tell me which one you like the best for your driveway.

If you would like me to make more videos like this please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Paul Sikkema – TheToolboxhero

The post Ariens Deluxe 30 EFI or TroyBilt Storm 2860 Hands On Test Which One Is Best For You? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

I’ll also be adding another video soon that compares it to a typical residential snow blower.

Enjoy the video and if you would like me to make more like it please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Paul Sikkema – TheToolboxhero

Feel free to check out the Ariens website for more details and specs on this snow blower: Ariens RapidTrak at Ariens.com

The post Ariens RapidTrak Hydro Pro First Time Use appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

Why review a commercial snow blower?

• Many more people today are looking for snow blowers that will do the job well, be very easy to use and will last and last. That combined with the fact that today’s automotive fuels are simply problematic for lawn & garden engines many people are not afraid to spend well over $1000 to get a machine they can trust will start every time and one that will do the job quickly.
• Even Consumer Reports has realized how the market has changed and they have upped their game this year. CR has started to review the deluxe, high capacity and commercial snow blowers. Of course, this commercial 2-stage Ariens RapidTrak Hydro Pro just blows away everything else they have tested before it.

Who is this snow blower for?

• If you have a huge area to clear.
• If you get a lot of deep, wet snows.
• If you have to clear areas that vehicles drive on.
• If you have to clear sidewalks that get snow piled on them from the city snow plow.
• This is a very easy to use snow blower. Yes, it’s big and heavy but with the tracks in the “wheel” position the weight is balanced and that makes it easier to turn and maneuver than any other model with trigger style power steering. Even moving it around inside your garage is a breeze.
• The hydro is designed so you can vary the speed and shift directly into reverse without stopping the snow blower. If you have a lot of corners to clear and obstacles to go around this is your dream machine.
• If you have a sloped driveway that is too steep for a wheeled snow blower. This snow blower is a good choice for you.
• The Ariens RapidTrak Hydro 28 Pro is built for the commercial user but anyone else who wants the very best in capacity, long life and ease of use will appreciate this snow blower. It’s newest feature is the RapidTrak system that allows you to have the speed and maneuverability of a wheeled snow blower and also the traction and cleaning power of a tracked unit. The RapidTrak is completely different than any other track drive on the market. I go into detail about those differences in the first video below.
• It features a commercial grade Briggs & Stratton Pro engine that combined with the design of the machine gives this snow blower more power and throwing capacity than any other 28 inch snow blower on the market.  It’s an engine that the commercial users trust to last them years and years. In fact, it has 38% more listed capacity than it’s only competitor  – the Honda HSS928ATD. (Listed Specs on the Honda site are 57 tons per hour versus 79 tons for the Ariens)

Enough writing – I made videos!

Below are two videos on the new Ariens RapidTrak Hydro 28 Pro.

• The first video goes into detail on all the components of this new snow blower.
• The second video looks inside the belt area and inside the transmission case.

If you like these videos and would like me to make more please click on the Youtube logo in the bottom right corner of video window. That will take you to YouTube. Then hit the big red subscribe button.

I’ll be posting videos of the snow blower in action soon.

Feel free to check out the Ariens website for more details and specs on this snow blower: Ariens RapidTrak at Ariens.com

The post Ariens RapidTrak Hydro Pro In-Depth Walk Around Review With Videos. Is this the best snow blower on the market? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

Here are three short videos that will help you answer that question.

The snow blower in this video is available at The Home Depot and your local Ariens dealer. Home Depot Link: Ariens Deluxe 30 EFI

Feel free to ask questions in the comment section below.

The post Is the Ariens EFI worth the extra money? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

This article has been updated. Please go here:

2018 Ariens Snow Blower Review – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You?

Ariens has been very busy:

1. New Classic Series: This looks like a model they have had before – but it’s not.  New engine, new metal chute, better capacity and throwing distance. For the price and features this may become my new “best value” 2-stage snow blower.
2. New Engine on Compact Series: New more powerful 223cc Ariens AX engine. This snow blower has always been built well so it can handle the extra horsepower.
3. Deluxe and Platinum Series: The Deluxe and Platinum Series snow blowers were tweaked last year so there are no changes. These are arguably the best 2-stage snow blowers if you need a heavy-duty machine.
4. Professional Model Upgrades: New 420cc Ariens AX EFI: Two Professional Models now with Ariens AX EFI engines
5. RapidTrak: Two new Professional models with RapidTrak adjustable track drive. This exciting new track drive gives you the speed and maneuverability of a wheeled snow blower with the traction and drift digging power of a tracked machine. In addition these new snowblowers have over-the-top power and the largest per hour capacity. If you have large areas that need to be cleared, triple digit average snowfalls or just want the best on the market this is clearly the new snow blower that lives up to Ariens “King of Snow” slogan.
6. Professional 21 inch Single Stage:  This a is a newly designed single stage snow thrower that is purpose-built specifically for the snow contractor but it has many features homeowners may like. Many snow contractors carry a snow thrower in the back of their plow truck for cleaning up corners and sidewalks.  These snow throwers are often just tossed in and out of the truck and don’t last long. Because of that the Professional 21 was constructed with strength, durability and light weight in mind. The new design includes metal reinforced housing sides. Large, high impact wheels and a reinforcing steel rod inside the auger housing to help with the durability. The Smart Lift handle design allows a single person to lift the machine in and out of a truck with ease. One of the features I really like is a heavy-duty spring-loaded scraper bar to adjust to the contours of the ground. In addition the Professional 21 snow thrower also features commercial grade auger paddles. These paddles that are twice as thick as residential single stage snow throwers and you can tilt the machine up so it cleans stuck on snow off the hard surfaces. All this without increasing the weight.

How this article is laid out:

This is a very comprehensive article so it will take you a while to read through it. I’m going to start with the new Classic Series and Compact Series models. After that I’ll review the heavy-duty Deluxe and high performance Platinum models. Then the Professional (Commercial) models including the Professional 21 single stage. I’ll leave the single stage Path Pro for last.

Reading Ariens Snow Blower Reviews:

1. When you read snow blower reviews you are going to find reviews that state “the engine would not start,” “the engine won’t stay running.” and “the engine runs rough.” You will find these reviews for all brands and sizes of snow blowers. 98% of the time engine problems with name brand snow blowers are either fuel or operator related. Snow engines run/operate differently than your lawn mower engine and because of that I suggest educating yourself on how to store fuel, how to keep your fuel clean and how/why your snow blower engine runs the way it does will go a long way to liking your new snow blower. Please read this article to learn more: Buying A New Snow Blower FAQS – Read This For The Truth
2.  Aggregate reviews. Many websites scour the web for reviews and then post them on their website. In other cases one disgruntled owner will write the same or similar review in as many places as they can. So what you end up is many reviews about one specific issue from only one person. I see this quite a bit on The Home Depot and Ariens sites.  Just remember, for every bad review there are thousands of Ariens snow blowers sold and doing well. Please read the date the review was written and the wording to determine if there is an actual problem.
3. Auto-Turn Problems. All Auto-Turn problems were fixed two years ago. There were no issues in last years snow blowers. The Auto-Turn (DI300 differential) is now used in many snow blowers from many different manufactures.  So if you read or hear anyone slamming Ariens because of the Auto-Turn just walk away.
4. Don’t bother to read Ariens reviews that are negative and more than 2 years old.  Just so you know, Ariens is a company that really listens to their dealers, reads reviews and interacts on Social media.  So, when there is an issue they identify it quickly, immediately root cause it and determine if there is a product problem or training issue. Then it gets fixed.

By The Way – All Opinions are Mine.

Keeping up with snow blowers is almost a full time job. The U.S. manufactures currently sell about 140 different models made here in the U.S. alone. In addition, there are always another dozen or so foreign manufactures trying to wedge their way into your pocketbook. By the way – a quality $500 two-stage snow blower no longer exists. The base regular price is now $649-$699.

I normally spend most of July and August talking to the different snow blower manufactures about the new models they have coming for the fall. Usually, in September the manufacturers are shipping the new models to the dealers and I spend the time I need to inspect the new models as local dealers put them out on the sales floor. Sometimes that also involves traveling to the manufactures assembly plants or corporate offices to look at, demo and talk to the snow product managers. For example, last week I traveled over to the Ariens plant in Brillion, WI. I spent the day with Amanda Marsicek, Snow Product Manager. In October, I travel to the GIE-EXPO in Louisville, KY. GIE-EXPO is the largest lawn and garden equipment dealer show. There I get a chance to demo machines plus talk to the engineers and company management about all the features, fixes and new rumors.

Ariens now has a place where you can go and see all the new Ariens products in one location. The Ariens “Concept Store” is located right across the street from the factory in Brillion, WI

In addition, I keep 12-15 of the current snow blowers at my home for testing and answering your questions. I use these snow blowers when it snows and post those videos on YouTube.

Path Pro Single Stage Snow Throwers

Since 95% of you reading this article actually need a 2-stage snow blower I am going to move the single stage Path-Pro models to the end. The Path-Pro’s have not changed for 2017

2017 Ariens Classic/Compact Series

Even though the new Classic and the Compact Series are different I’m throwing them into this one section for easy reading.

At first glance, the Classic looks a lot like the Sno-Tek line sold at The Home Depot but it’s actually a very different snow blower. First, it’s an all-metal snow blower. The 4-way chute, dash, and all other parts are metal.  Other small features like the discharge chute gear cover have been upgraded to the heavy-duty Ariens parts. It has a high-speed impeller and according to my calculations will actually move more snow per hour than the $2399 Honda HSS724AW/HSS724AWD. It’s really a good value at $699.

If you are looking for a good machine that will clear your 2-car, 60-80 foot driveway, sidewalks, patio and also go out on the lawn to clear a section for your dogs. The Classic snow blower can easily be adjusted for gravel driveways. I recommend this size for areas of the country like Chicago, Omaha, Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Long Island that average 40 to 60 inches of snow per year.

I would compare the Ariens Classic to the Craftsman 88173, Toro Powermax 724 OE, Troy-Bilt Storm 2460 , Cub Cadet 524 SW, Husqvarna ST224 and the Honda HSS724AW. All of these snow blowers including the Ariens are solid axle snow blowers and have no power steering.  The Ariens Classic one of the lightest 24 inch 2-stage snow blowers in this group so most people can turn it without an issue.

The Compact series adds a few features including the legendary Ariens cast iron gear case, larger tires, and a new larger engine.

The Ariens Compact (and most likely the Classic) has an image problem.  Why?  When you walk into a typical Ariens Dealer or read a snow blower forum thread most of the time the first thing they say about the Compact Series is, “You don’t want a Compact – get the Deluxe instead.” But the truth be told – they are trying to oversell most of you.  In reality, the Ariens Classic and Compact are very capable and affordable snow blowers for people not living in a snow belt. If you have watched my videos on YouTube you see that the Classic or Compact will work just fine on my property and I’ll bet they’ll work well for you also. 

Model Name	Classic	Compact 20	Compact 24	Compact Track 24
Ariens Model Item #	920025	920026	920027	920028
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Buy Here:	Dealer Only	Buy Here:	Buy Here:
Amount/Type Of Snow	All Types 50 in per year	All Types 60 in per year	All Types 60 in per year	Midwest with steep slope
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX208	Ariens AX223	Ariens AX223	Ariens AX223
ENGINE POWER	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)	223cc (10 ft/lbs)	223cc (10 ft/lbs)	223cc (10 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	24 inch	20 inch	24 inch	24 inch
HOUSING HEIGHT	20 inch	20 inch	20 inch	20 inch
THROWING DISTANCE	3-40 ft	3-40 ft	3-40 ft	3-40 ft
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	205	205.00	205	205
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	13 in x 4 in	15 in x 5 in	15 in x 5 in	15.5 in three point track
TIRE TYPE	Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Track
STEERING	Solid/Pin Lock	Solid/Pin Lock	Solid/Pin Lock	Solid
DRIVE TYPE	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic
SPEEDS	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse
LENGTH	51.9 in	53.9 in	53.9 in	53.9 in
WIDTH	26.4 in	22.4 in	26.4 in	26.4 in
HEIGHT	43.3 in	44 in	44 in	44 in
WEIGHT	180 lbs	183 lbs	187 lbs	220 lbs
GEAR CASE	Top Loaded Aluminum	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	3-blade high speed	Steel 3 blade	Steel 3 blade	Steel 3 blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	12 inch	12 in	12 in	12 in
AUGER DIAMETER	11 in	11 in	11 in	11 in
AUGER TYPE	Serrated Steel Open	Serrated Steel Open	Serrated Steel Open	Serrated Steel Open
SKID SHOES	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	2.5X Quick Turn	2.5X Quick Turn	2.5X Quick Turn	2.5X Quick Turn
TONS PER HOUR	58 Tons/Hour	59 Tons/Hour	59 Tons/Hour	59 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$699	$799	$899	$1399

2017 Ariens Deluxe Series

Most 2 and 3-stage snow blowers use a 12 inch or smaller impeller. Most have relatively small discharge chutes. The Ariens Deluxe Series is different. If you are always complaining about your current snow blower plugging up I strongly suggest looking at the Deluxe Series with a 14 inch impeller. The Ariens Deluxe is an economical heavy-duty 2-stage snow blower that uses the large impeller and other components to give you an all metal, high-capacity, heavy-duty snow blower.  If you are willing to spend a thousand dollars or more for a snow blower the Ariens Deluxe Series gives you a lot of bang for the buck.

These snow blowers work very well in areas that get moderate snowfall but the snow is typically heavier, wet snow and your yearly snow fall is 100 inches or less. Boston, West Virginia, Lake Erie shore, Muskegon, MI, Portage, IN, Alsip, IL, Flagstaff, AZ are areas of the country that get snow like this. This series also works well in places that get lots of drifts like southern Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas and other Plains States. If you average more than 100 inches I suggest moving up to the Ariens Platinum or Professional Series. The Platinum and Pro models have a larger engine and high output impellers to move a lot of snow fast.

Personally, I like the Auto-Turn feature on the Deluxe, Platinum and Professional Series a lot. Auto-Turn is power steering simplified. All you do is steer the snow blower with the handles. There are no triggers to pull, no extra cables to fray and little plastic levers to break.

I have a lot of readers ask, “What’s better – Auto-Turn or the Trigger Style Power Steering?” My answer is always, “It depends ”  If you have a long, crowned driveway or need to clear across a longer sloped area the trigger steering is nice because the snow blower continues in a straight line until you tell it to turn by pulling one of the little steering triggers. The Auto Turn works OK in those situations but you will need to have both hands on the handles when walking along those slopes.

Auto-Turn works really well if you have a lot of maneuvering to do. You don’t have to think about pulling a trigger to steer, the snow blower does it automatically when you move the handles. The Auto Turn is so simple to use you don’t even know it’s there.

You already know with a solid axle (locked or pin lock) snow blower when you turn the snow blower the inside wheel keeps turning at the same speed as the outer wheel. That can be hard to use, especially if you are smaller or not as physically fit as the average user. Power steering releases that inside wheel so it is easier to turn he machine.  With a trigger style power steering you have to pull both triggers to zero-turn. The Auto Turn does it automatically. If you want to turn around in-place the snow blower lets you without any extra input on your part.

There were no changes made to the Deluxe Series this year.

Model Name	Deluxe 24	Deluxe 28	Deluxe 28 SHO	Deluxe 30	Deluxe 30 EFI
Ariens Model Item #	921045	921046	921048	921047	921049
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Buy Here:	Buy Here:	Dealer Only	Buy Here:	Buy Here:
Amount/Type Of Snow	All Types 80 in per year	All Types 80 in per year	All Types 100 in per year	All Types 80 in per year	Snow Belt 120-200 in per yr
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX254	Ariens AX254	Ariens AX306	Ariens AX306	Ariens AX306 EFI
ENGINE POWER	254cc (12.5 ft/lbs)	254cc (12.5 ft/lbs)	306cc Gen 3 (15 ft/lbs)	306cc Gen 3 (15 ft/lbs)	306cc EFI/E-Gov (15 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	24 inch	28 inch	28 inch	30 inch	30 inch
HOUSING HEIGHT	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	200°	200°	200°	200°	200°
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in
TIRE TYPE	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread
STEERING	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn
DRIVE TYPE	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic
SPEEDS	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse
LENGTH	58 in	58 in	58 in	58 in	58 in
WIDTH	26.4 in	29.9 in	29.9 in	32.4 in	32.4 in
HEIGHT	45 in	45 in	45 in	45 in	45 in
WEIGHT	245 lbs	250 lbs	268 lbs	276 lbs	276 lbs
GEAR CASE	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	Steel 3 Blade	Steel 3 Blade	Steel 3 Blade	Steel 3 Blade	Steel 3 Blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER TYPE	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated
SKID SHOES	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	2.5x Ice Drill	2.5x Ice Drill	2.5x Ice Drill	2.5x Ice Drill	2.5x Ice Drill
TONS PER HOUR	62 Tons/Hour	65 Tons/Hour	72 Tons/Hour	71 Tons/Hour	71 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$999.00	$1,099.00	$1,199.00	$1,399.00	$1,699.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK	Model # 921045	Model # 921046	NA	Model # 912047	Model # 921049

Accessories For Ariens 2-Stage Snow Blower Buy Here:

Ariens 2-Stage Snow Cab Enclosure Gas Snow Blowers

Ariens Non-Abrasive Skid Shoes

Ariens Shear Pins

Ariens Sno-Thro Deluxe/Platinum Drift Cutters for Snow Blowers

• 2017 Ariens Platinum Series

The Ariens Platinum Series takes the Deluxe snow blower and adds “creature features, larger engines and high output impellers to give you snow blower that will pretty much take on any type of snow and amount of snow. For example, if you need the larger capacity of the Deluxe because your old machine plugs up all the time but also want heated handgrips, Quick Chute control, etc. the Platinum is the snow blower for you. In addition to more features, these snow blowers have over-the-top power and capacity for their size. If you ever get the chance to use one of these snow blowers on 20 inches of “Nore-easter” snow or Lake Tahoe snow you’ll quickly understand what I mean. I recommend these snow blowers for any “snow belt” area like Buffalo, NY, northern Idaho, Boston, Northern Michigan and so on.

If you see a picture in a newspaper on the Internet of an orange snow blower throwing snow up and over a 15 foot snow blank you can bet it’s one of these Platinum Series snow blowers.

Model Name	Platinum 24 SHO	Platinum 24 SHO EFI	Platinum 30 SHO	Platinum Track 28 SHO
Ariens Model Item #	921050	921053	921051	921052
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Dealer Only	Dealer Only	Dealer Only	Dealer Only
Amount/Type Of Snow	Snow Belt 120-200 in per yr	Snow Belt 120-200 in per yr	Snow Belt 120-200 in per yr	Snow Belt with steep slope
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX369 EFI	Ariens AX369	Ariens AX414	Ariens AX369
ENGINE POWER	369cc (17 ft/lbs)	369cc EFI/E-Gov (17 ft/lbs)	414cc Gen 3 (17 ft/lbs)	369cc EFI/E-Gov (17 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	24 in	24 in	30 in	28 in
HOUSING HEIGHT	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3 ft – 55 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 55 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 55 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 55 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	200°	200°	200°	200°
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	5.5 in 3 point track
TIRE TYPE	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Track
STEERING	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn
DRIVE TYPE	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic
SPEEDS	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse
LENGTH	58 in	58 in	58 in	58 in
WIDTH	27 in	27 in	32.4 in	29 in
HEIGHT	45 in	45 in	45 in	45 in
WEIGHT	286 lbs	286 lbs	294 lbs	307 lbs
GEAR CASE	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER TYPE	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated
SKID SHOES	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	Quick Turn	Quick Turn	Quick Turn	Quick Turn
TONS PER HOUR	73 Tons/Hour	73 Tons/Hour	83 Tons/Hour	77 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$1,499.00	$1,799.00	$1,799.00	$2,099.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK

2017 Ariens Professional Series

Other manufactures have snowblowers that are named Pro. These snow blowers are true Professional/Commercial snow blowers. Square tube, extra strong handlebars. Largest 16 inch serrated front auger. Choice of Hydrostatic or Disk-O-Matic Drive. These snow blowers will clear up to 102 tons of snow per hour and throw snow 60 feet. (That is a higher capacity and throwing distance than the $8000 Honda HS1336iAS.) These are the biggest and baddest walk-behind snow blowers you can get.

Model Name	Professional 28	Professional 28 Hydro EFI	Professional 32	Professional 36 Hydro EFI
Ariens Model Item #	926065	926068	926071	926070
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Dealer Only	Dealer Only	Dealer Only	Dealer Only
Amount/Type Of Snow	Commercial Snow Belt	Commercial Snow Belt	Commercial Snow Belt	Commercial Snow Belt
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens Polar Force B&S	Ariens AX420 EFI/E Gov	Ariens Polar Force B&S	Ariens AX420 EFI/E Gov
ENGINE POWER	420cc (21 ft/lbs)	420cc (21 ft/lbs)	420cc (21 ft/lbs)	420cc (21 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	28 in	28 in	32 in	36 in
HOUSING HEIGHT	23.5 in (59.7 cm)	23.5 in (59.7 cm)	23.5 in (59.7 cm)	23.5 in (59.7 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	200°	200°	200°	200°
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 6.5 in	16 in x 6.5 in
TIRE TYPE	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread
STEERING	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn
DRIVE TYPE	Disc-O-Matic	Hydrostatic	Disc-O-Matic	Hydrostatic
SPEEDS	6 forward 2 reverse	Variable	6 forward 2 reverse	Variable
LENGTH	60 in	60 in	60 in	60 in
WIDTH	30.2 in	30.2 in	34.2 in	38.2 in
HEIGHT	47 in	47 in	47 in	47 in
WEIGHT	339 lbs	352 lbs	333 lbs	353 lbs
GEAR CASE	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER DIAMETER	16 in	16 in	16 in	16 in
AUGER TYPE	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated
SKID SHOES	Commercial Reversable	Commercial Reversable	Commercial Reversable	Commercial Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	Quick Turn	Quick Turn	Quick Turn	Quick Turn
TONS PER HOUR	79 Tons/Hour	79 Tons/Hour	91 Tons/Hour	102 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$2,199.00	$2,799.00	$2,499.00	$3,499.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK

2017 Ariens Professional RapidTrak

Ariens has developed a new track system for 2017 that will change the way track drive snow blowers are used. The new RapidTrak system will not only give you the digging traction and flotation of a tracked snow blower but also the speed and ease of turning of a wheeled machine. Combined with a heavy-duty hydrostatic transmission and Auto Turn you can adjust the speed of this snow blower to whatever you need from a slow crawl to a fast walking pace.

RapidTrak has three positions or modes. 1. In regular mode the track is flat against the ground for  good traction when clearing snow. 2. In wheel mode the rear of the track is raised giving you the same “footprint” as a regular tire. This allows it to be just as easy to turn as a wheeled unit. 3. The third position, called “dig-in mode” puts all the weight of the snow blower on the rear portion of the track. This give you the ultimate in pushing and digging power when working with hard packed drifts and driven on snow.

You can very easily switch between the modes with a metal lever below right handlebar.

Read more about the Ariens RapidTrak here: Ariens RapidTrack Series

Model Name	Professional 28 RapidTrak	Professional 32 RapidTrak
Ariens Model Item #	926060	926069
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Model# 926060	Model 926069
Amount/Type Of Snow	Commercial Snow Belt	Commercial Snow Belt
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens Polar Force B&S	Ariens Polar Force B&S
ENGINE POWER	420cc (21 ft/lbs)	420cc (21 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V Electric	120V Electric
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	28 in	28 in
HOUSING HEIGHT	23.5 in (59.7 cm)	23.5 in (59.7 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	200°	200°
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	5.5 in wide	5.5 in wide
TIRE TYPE	High Speed Adjustable	High Speed Adjustable
STEERING	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn
DRIVE TYPE	Hydrostatic	Hydrostatic
SPEEDS	Variable	Variable
LENGTH	60 in	60 in
WIDTH	30.2 in	34.2 in
HEIGHT	47 in	47 in
WEIGHT	337 lbs	341 lbs
GEAR CASE	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in
AUGER DIAMETER	16 in	16 in
AUGER TYPE	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated
SKID SHOES	Commercial Reversable	Commercial Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	Quick Turn	Quick Turn
TONS PER HOUR	79 Tons/Hour	91 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$3,099.00	$3,399.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK	Model# 926060	Model 926069

2017 Ariens Professional 21 Single Stage.

This is a new single stage snow blower that’s built for the commercial snow plow operator. Why do they need a special snow blower?

When I owned snow plow trucks in the Chicago area we always kept a single stage snow thrower with us in the pickups. We’d clear the driveways and parking lots and then pull the snow thrower out and clean up around the mailboxes, sidewalks and in front of businesses. It was so much faster than using a snow shovel. We were very hard on these snow blowers – throwing them into the truck and dropping them on the pavement. At the time (mid 90’s) there was only one model that would hold up for more than one season.

To make a long story short, a while back Ariens found that many of the snow plow operators in Chicago were still clearing snow the same way. Clear the large areas with the truck and then clean up with the single stage. Because of that, they introduced the single stage Path Pro a few years ago. It has been a good machine at a good price point but the Professional Operators still wanted something more rugged. More metal, longer lasting paddles, easy service and easier to get in and out of the truck. (Today’s 4-cycle snow throwers are about 25 lbs heavier than the old 2-cycle units I used)

Pro 21 Smart Lift

The bottom of the handles are smooth so they won’t catch on your tailgate or trunk lip. It has built in grips to make loading easier. Look at the handles closely. Extra welded plates at the bottom – extra brackets where the handle bolts together. Locking nuts, cable guides for the safety bar. Then there is the additional brace from the wheel axle to the housing….If you are a homeowner this is a great idea so you can pull it up onto your deck or even the step from the back patio to the garage.

Reinforced Steel Housing. Not just stampings in the sides for rigidity but also steel rods to give it extra strength. You will be able to wear down the side of the housing and the rod will keep it from wearing too far.

These auger paddles are much thicker than other brands.

Easy to maintain open engine design. Larger wheels than the only other competing commercial snow thrower.

Model Name	Professional–21	Professional–21
Ariens Model Item #	938024	938025
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Yes	Yes
Amount/Type Of Snow	Any- Commercial 6 in Homeowner	Any- Commercial 6 in Homeowner
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX208	Ariens AX208
ENGINE POWER	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	Recoil	Recoil
STAGE TYPE	Single	Single
CLEARING WIDTH	21 inch	21 inch
HOUSING HEIGHT	12.1 inch	12.1 inch
THROWING DISTANCE	3-35 ft	3-35 ft
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	210	210
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Manual	Manual
TIRE SIZE	7.5 in x 2 in	7.5 in x 2 in
TIRE TYPE	Semi-pneumatic	Semi-pneumatic
STEERING	Free Wheel	Free Wheel
DRIVE TYPE	Auger Propelled	Auger Propelled
SPEEDS	NA	NA
LENGTH	50.8	50.8
WIDTH	21.2	21.2
HEIGHT	41.7	41.7
WEIGHT	87 lbs	89 lbs
GEAR CASE	NA	NA
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	NA	NA
IMPELLER PROFILE	NA	NA
IMPELLER DIAMETER	NA	NA
AUGER DIAMETER	8.375 in (21.3 cm)	8.375 in (21.3 cm)
AUGER TYPE	Thick Rubber Paddle	Thick Rubber Paddle
SKID SHOES	NA	NA
SCRAPER BAR	Spring Loaded Floating	Spring Loaded Floating
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial
CHUTE ROTATION	Manual	Remote
	Smart Lift Handlebar System, Hour Meter	Smart Lift Handlebar System, Hour Meter
TYPICAL PRICE	$599.00	$649.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK	Model # 938024	Model # 938025

2017 Ariens Path Pro Single Stage Snow Throwers

THE SINGLE-STAGE BLOWER THAT PERFORMS LIKE A TWO-STAGE.

In my opinion if the Path Pro had the same intake height as the Toro SnowMaster you would not be able to tell the difference in snow clearing ability.

It’s lightweight and easy to move. But it’s no lightweight. With a beastly Ariens-built engine, a 12.2” housing height and 8.375” paddles, the Path Pro clears up to 9” of snow all the way to the pavement. Available electric start. Blows snow up to 35 feet and features a clearing width of 21”. Starting at an affordable $399.

Model Name	Path-Pro	Path-Pro	Path-Pro	Path-Pro
Ariens Model Item #	938034	938031	938032	938033
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Not Sure	Yes	Yes	Yes
Amount/Type Of Snow	6 in Homeowner	6-9 inches Homeowner	6-9 inches Homeowner	6-9 inches Homeowner
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX136	Ariens AX208	Ariens AX208	Ariens AX208
ENGINE POWER	136cc (7.0 ft/lbs)	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V/Recoil	Recoil	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil
STAGE TYPE	Single	Single	Single	Single
CLEARING WIDTH	21 inch	21 inch	21 inch	21 inch
HOUSING HEIGHT	12.2 in (31 cm)	12.2 in (31 cm)	12.2 in (31 cm)	12.2 in (31 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3-35 ft	3-35 ft	3-35 ft	3-35 ft
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	210	210	210	210
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
TIRE SIZE	7.5 in x 1.75 in	7.5 in x 1.75 in	7.5 in x 1.75 in	7.5 in x 1.75 in
TIRE TYPE	Semi-pneumatic	Semi-pneumatic	Semi-pneumatic	Semi-pneumatic
STEERING	Free Wheel	Free Wheel	Free Wheel	Free Wheel
DRIVE TYPE	Auger Propelled	Auger Propelled	Auger Propelled	Auger Propelled
SPEEDS	NA	NA	NA	NA
LENGTH	35.5 in (90.17 cm)	35.5 in (90.17 cm)	35.5 in (90.17 cm)	35.5 in (90.17 cm)
WIDTH	23.5 in (59.69 cm)	23.5 in (59.69 cm)	23.5 in (59.69 cm)	23.5 in (59.69 cm)
HEIGHT	23 in (58.42 cm)	23 in (58.42 cm)	23 in (58.42 cm)	23 in (58.42 cm)
WEIGHT	91 lbs	91 lbs	95 lbs	97 lbs
GEAR CASE	NA	NA	NA	NA
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	NA	NA	NA	NA
IMPELLER PROFILE	NA	NA	NA	NA
IMPELLER DIAMETER	NA	NA	NA	NA
AUGER DIAMETER	8.375 in (21.3 cm)	8.375 in (21.3 cm)	8.375 in (21.3 cm)	8.375 in (21.3 cm)
AUGER TYPE	Reinforced Rubber	Reinforced Rubber	Reinforced Rubber	Reinforced Rubber
SKID SHOES	NA	NA	NA	NA
SCRAPER BAR	Polymer Adjustable	Polymer Adjustable	Polymer Adjustable	Polymer Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial
CHUTE ROTATION				Remote
TONS PER HOUR
TYPICAL PRICE	$449.00	$469.00	$499.00	$599.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK		Ariens Path-Pro SS21 21 in. 208cc Single-Stage Gas Snow Blower Model# 938031	Ariens Path-Pro SS21E 21 in. 208cc Single-Stage Gas Snow Blower Model# 938032	Ariens Path-Pro SS21E 21 in. 208cc Single-Stage Gas Snow Blower Model# 9380323

The post 2017 Ariens Snow Blower Review – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

Craftsman, Troy-Bilt, Yard Machines, Cub Cadet

Buy Here: Replacement Ignition Keys for Snowblowers with Craftsman Engines Part No. 951-10630

 These versatile Snowblower Replacement Ignition Keys are specially designed to fit in Craftsman snow blowers with OHV engines manufactured in or after 2008. You can also choose these keys to fit in most popular snow thrower models like Bolens, Huskee, MTD, Troy-Bilt, White Outdoor, Yard Machines and Yard Machines GOLD.

Designed for reliability, these Craftsman Replacement Ignition Keys for Craftsman Engines are a must-have accessory for your snow blower
These ignition keys will fit snow blowers manufactured in 2008 and beyond with Craftsman OHV engines
Can also be used with Bolens, Huskee, MTD, Yard Machines, Yard Machines GOLD, Troy-Bilt, White Outdoor and Yard-Man snow throwers with 123cc, 277cc, 357cc, 179cc, 208cc and 420cc displacement engines…

Ariens, Husqvarna, Power Smart with LCT

Buy Here: Ariens 07500111 Ignition Key Snow Blower Accessories Snow Blower

 Snow Blower Replacement Key (LCT)

Ariens AX & Sno-Tek
Replacement Ignition Key

Replace a lost key in your electric start system
Compatability:

Use for 2010 and newer Ariens two-stage snow throwers
Use only for models with an LCT snow series engine
Will NOT WORK for Ariens Polar Force (Briggs) engine powered models

All Briggs Snow Engines After 2005.

Buy Here:  Ariens 07500012 Ignition Key Snow Blower Accessories Snow Blower

 Snow Blower Replacement Key (Briggs)
Replacement Ignition Key

Replace a lost key in your electric start system
Compatability:

Use for 2005 and newer Ariens two-stage snow throwers
Use only for models with an Ariens Polar Force snow series engine
Will NOT WORK for LCT engine powered models

The post Replacement Ignition Keys For Snow Blowers appeared first on MovingSnow.com.