Ho Paul. Put sheet metal screws a 1/4 inch long in the treads?

Hi Christopher, Yes, you can replace the tires and rims with any other set of MTD rims made in the last 15 years. I suggest checking with your local repair shop to see if you can get a pair off a “dead” snowblower they have laying around.

Hi Ben, You must get heavy/wet snow. The SnowMaster, Toro Power Max HD and Ariens Deluxe/Platinum/Pro models are the best for that type of snow – they don’t clog. Yes, the Honda is expensive and it will clog much sooner than the other models I mentioned.

I think Ariens didn’t have enough EFI engines this year. The European market changed its emissions standards and only EFI engines would meet the new standards. That meant only Ariens, Husqvarna and Cub Cadet were able to sell snow blowers. That said, EFI is becoming the norm so I think/hope almost all snow blowers will have EFI soon. I’ll find out in late March what’s coming for this fall.

Thanks Paul, I was able to solve the surging thanks to a woman’s youtube post recommending an idle valve on top of the carb that’s prone to clog. No mor surging ! Ironically, with our modest snowfall and temperatures, this blower doesn’t do well the pre-commute morning snow clearing. It does great with 4″+ of snow on a cold day, less so with 2″ of wet snow on a warmer one. Our driveway is long and wide and the 2860 seldom gets snow from the center to the edge.

As crazy as it sounds, the local Toro/Honda shop said either the Snowmaster (out of stock of course) or the higher powered blowers would work better for our snow. I’m sure that Ariens EFI would be great. I do wish they made a Rapid-Track with EFI. If those EFI engines are so good, why not use them across the line or at least on higher end units ? Their new Honda units were expensive indeed but also seemed super well balanced. Just one hand to pivot them up and down on their tracks.

Hi Ben, An Ariens EFI sounds like the best choice for you. That unit has the Electronic Fuel Injection and an electronic governor so it won’t surge or at up like a conventional carb will.

Just so you know. Conventional carbs on snow blowers are very basic. The jet is fixed – meaning there is no idle, no fuel mixture adjustments or top-end adjustments. About the only way to adjust the fuel mixture is to move the choke lever. So, the surging at idle, or not being able to open the choke completely is very common. Many times it will vary from one day to the next.

I’m also in Bend, OR and have a large flat driveway (100′ and wide at the garage end). We don’t normally get tons of snow in one day. Took me a while to clear and wondering if I should either try a single stage for speed or even an Ariens 30 EFI.

hey paul,
thanks. just got back from lowes and pulled the trigger on a 2860. ill play with it tomorrow but gonna catch some shut eye. appreciate the guidance.

Hi Otto, I have the 2860 here and I really like it. If you normally get 2-10 inch snows and the snow is “normal” it does a great job. Even without power steering, it is very easy to turn with the airless tires. The tires have plenty of traction. For my area of the country, it’s a perfect choice.

With the Ariens Deluxe 28 you don’t get the heated handgrips but you do get power steering. Poly skid shoes are optional if you don’t want to scratch pavers or a patio. The Deluxe 28 will handle heavy, wet snow without clogging and will throw that heavy-wet stuff 2-3 times farther than the 2860. If you need to get the snow far away from the driveway and/or you need to clear deeper snow left from the city plow it’s a great choice.