# snow blower- which do you recommend?



## mdsnowpro (Dec 16, 2011)

I'm looking to buy one or two new walk behind snow blowers to do 36" sidewalks, about 4.5 miles of sidewalk. Any suggestions or "stay away froms" ?


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## pmorrissette (Sep 15, 2008)

4.5 miles with a walk-behind ? That's gonna take a long time to clear.

You would be much better off with a garden tractor & front mounted blower or plow.

Even better would be a used Bombardier J5 or Trackless.


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## mdsnowpro (Dec 16, 2011)

Thanks for the ideas but I dont need alternate ideas on equipment, im looking for opinions on snow blowers.


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## bdlawncare (Oct 1, 2011)

ariens 36" pro, however i prefer the 32" because i believe you can get the same engine on both and i would rather have a 32 with more power than a 36 thats just keeping up... never really used the 36" tho to be honest... once or twice... feel like my 32 has a little more umphhh lol


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

I have 2 craftsmen, I run one behind the other, staggered, the biggest a 8.5hp, I can clear alot quickly and efficiently. I deffinatly would get another 8.5hp. Works fine here for most storms in southern NE. the bigger storms I go out as needed to be able to do it easy.


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## swtiih (Nov 30, 2008)

I used the the ariens 13/36 pro for a couple of hours before and it definetly moves snow. This machine went through solid 3' high snow and threw it 50 feet with no problem. It had heated grips, 12volt electric start and a light. A very nice machine but not cheap.


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## BOSS LAWN (Nov 6, 2011)

Toro 8/26 , I have a few and they are SOLID machines. Throws snow farther than I can say, was powerful enough to launch a 3inch rock clean through my truck window.


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## OC&D (Dec 2, 2009)

4.5 Miles?

Anything with a cab and a heater should do fine.


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## SVDS (Feb 16, 2010)

We use the Honda Track Drive blowers - we have a HS 724 and a HS 1132 they work fantastic.


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## OC&D (Dec 2, 2009)

Let's keep it real here.

You're planning to do 4.5 miles of sidewalk with a snowblower. The average walking speed of an adult human is 4 miles per hour. This isn't blowing snow. Blowing snow you'll be lucky to do half that, which means 2.25 hours, on a smaller snowfall, but, you'll have to make at least 2 passes, so double that, which means about 5 hours total to clear 4.5 mile of sidewalk on a small snowfall.

Do-able? Yes, depending on the time you have to clear it. Advisable? No.


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## oneoldsap (Dec 26, 2011)

My snowblower experience is limited to Ariens and Simplicity , both are good solid machines . My present one is an Ariens 8HP 24" 2 stage , starts and runs every time I need it to .


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## forbidden (Dec 22, 2010)

We also use Ariens for our larger snow blowers, Toro for the smaller single stage. With the task in front of you though, a snowblower like this is definitely not the right tool for the job.


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## edgeair (Sep 26, 2010)

OC&D;1405238 said:


> Let's keep it real here.
> 
> You're planning to do 4.5 miles of sidewalk with a snowblower. The average walking speed of an adult human is 4 miles per hour. This isn't blowing snow. Blowing snow you'll be lucky to do half that, which means 2.25 hours, on a smaller snowfall, but, you'll have to make at least 2 passes, so double that, which means about 5 hours total to clear 4.5 mile of sidewalk on a small snowfall.
> 
> Do-able? Yes, depending on the time you have to clear it. Advisable? No.


+1 Except I think your average speed would be closer to 1-1.5 mph realistically with a walk behind.

We've got a troy built 45" blower that we use for some SMALL sidewalks (maybe 1000'). I would never use it or one a bit smaller for a sidewalk that long.

But I guess it depends on where you are and how long you want to be out during a storm. I think you would be wiser to get a decent used rider tractor and a front mount blower for it.


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## perrysee (Jul 30, 2009)

i use john deere snowblowers ,work fine ,but john deere i heard is going to quit making there small equipement in the next year or so ? waiting to see what happens .


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## MI Green (Jan 7, 2012)

Here is the scoop, MTD makes all the ones at walmart, and what not, but also the toro's, and cub cadet. Arins makes the JD blowers. My cousin uses his as much as you will if not more. He will wear his skids out in a month with a good snow. The issue he has with new arins is that they fall apart, they throw good, but far from commercial. He uses Simplicity, and they seem to be on top. They are awesome machines. Honda I think has the market in blowers. They have a 3 yr commercial warranty and no one else can touch that.


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## TLLandS (Jan 24, 2012)

TORO!!!!! Any model of at least5 hp. look into the toro 631, or used version in 2 cycle is toro 3650, or toro 2450. bulletproof!! 4.5 miles with a walk behind blower = cookoo for cocoa puffs!!


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## TLLandS (Jan 24, 2012)

oops, type-o, toro 621, 4 cycle new model


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