Comments on: Ariens RapidTrak Hydro Pro In-Depth Walk Around Review With Videos. Is this the best snow blower on the market?

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 16:02:15 +0000

In reply to KEVIN. Hi Kevin, it really depends on how much you have to clear. If you have less than a 150 ft, 2 car driveway the Ariens Platinum RapidTrak will last you many, many years. It doesn't have EFI or hydros but it's very reliable and it starts well and is built to last.

By: KEVIN

KEVIN — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:22:44 +0000

Hi Paul

For either rapid trak or wheeled ariens machine, I’m trying to decide if hydrostatic drive or EFI are good features for me to get. Looks like for me to get both I need to step into a really expensive model. I want reliability.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 14:53:26 +0000

In reply to Gordon Shumate. Hi Gordon, Yes, Ariens is replacing the 926060 with the 926078. Yes, they are identical snowblowers and the new engine is a little more fuel-efficient.

By: Gordon Shumate

Gordon Shumate — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 06:17:34 +0000

Paul, Thank you so much for your excellent snow blower reviews and recommendations. I am experiencing difficulty in locating an Ariens Professional 28 Hydro rapid trak model 926060. Some sources indicate that it has been discontinued. Other sources, including Ariens web site, list a model 926078 with the same description except that it has an Ariens AX engine rather than a Briggs & Stratton. Can you tell me if these are equivalent machines?

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 03:18:32 +0000

In reply to cat ann. If you buy it from a dealer it's set up, tested and ready for you to use it. If you buy it online from a company like snowblowersdirect.com it comes in a crate. Assembly will take about an hour if you are mechanically inclined. Then, the actual set-up and adjustments will take another hour. In other words, It worth the extra $75-100 for the dealer to set it up for you.

By: cat ann

cat ann — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 22:10:30 +0000

How difficult is it to put this together after it is delivered?

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 15:43:30 +0000

In reply to Niraj KP. Hi Niraj, Yes, you can run synthetic. I run Mobil One in all my gas and diesel engines and have for years.

By: Niraj KP

Niraj KP — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 14:46:47 +0000

Great review Paul, My Chinese Craftsman/MTD
– tecumseh 9hp engine finally gave out, I sent it to my local repair shop and they wanted a $400 plus tax to repair a snow blower I purchased for $699 10 years ago.. I wanted to get a commercial unit since the old machine It would struggle in deep heavy snow..my driveway is 150 feet long on a 17 degree incline 14 feet wide I saw your through video’s I was contemplating on getting a Honda since everyone just praises about them. I live in Central NJ and we are always getting heavy wet snow compared to the Norther part of the state. I went to my local dealer and put a deposit on the Rapidtrak 32 yesterday.. my question really is, can I use Mobile 1 5w-30 fully synthetic oil in the snowblower vs the current oil 5w-30 regular that it comes with? I prefer to use the fully synthetic oil for better protection on rough starts.. what do you think?

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 23:39:13 +0000

In reply to Josh Weldon.

Hi Josh, The Ariens Pro doesn’t clog only wet, sloppy snow.
The Ariens Pro Rapidtrak will clear 12-14 inches of snow as fast as you can walk.
With the large 14 inch impeller and 420 cc engine it has 79 tons per hour capacity. The Honda 928 is about 57 tons. That’s a huge difference.
They both throw good snow a long ways – 50-60 feet.
The RapidTrak was designed for your type of snow blowing. In the normal position, the tracks give you more traction than a wheeled unit. Push down 2 inches on the handles and the rear of the tracks lock off the ground. Now it turns just as well as a wheeled snow blower. Pull one trigger and the tracks drop back down. No effort on your parts. If you have hard packed/driven on snow lift up on the handles and inch and the rear of the tracks lock into a down position. This puts all the weight of the snow blower on those back boggy wheels and it will push through snow a lot better than the “balanced” tracks on the Honda. With a little practice, you can even go up steps with this snow blower.
Oh… the hydro lever is very easy to move and right by your hand. With a little practice you’ll use the clutch very little and make all your speed and direction changes with the hydro lever.
Add all this up and I’ll bet you can save 30-40% time to clear each driveway. Let me know later this winter how much you like your new Ariens!

By: Josh Weldon

Josh Weldon — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 23:13:20 +0000

Hi Paul. I watched a few of your videos. I currently own a 20 year old Honda 928 track drive. I’m looking to buy a new blower next week. I was set on a new 928 track drive, but after seeing some of your reviews, I’m considering the Ariens 28 rapidtrak pro. Is Ariens the route to take in your opinion? I do 20 to 25 4 car(average, some larger) driveways in eastern PA. The things I don’t like about my Honda are, slow speed and clogging in sloppy wet conditions. You’re advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.