# What light weight snow blower?



## bwilder10h (Oct 18, 2005)

I'm looking for a light weight snow blower that I can lift in and out for some walks and tight spots on residentials and wanted to see what everyone has had good experiences with.

I've seen the 38lb powerlite Toro has and wanted to weigh my options before purchasing something.


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## plowman777 (Dec 15, 2002)

Toro 3650 U Will Not Regret It... 75 Lbs 6,5 Hp


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## Quail Creek LC (May 19, 2001)

Ariens 722EC 7hp single stage. Dont know the weight but it sure can throw the snow.


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## Italiano67 (Feb 16, 2005)

I have two of the Toros you mentioned(38 pounds) and I would not have anything else. They are powerful and so easy to lift.Dont burn much fuel either. You wont be sorry.


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## Hardware 2 (Dec 2, 2002)

We run 8 Toro's. Nothing better.


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## bwilder10h (Oct 18, 2005)

Thanks for all the responses. I'm looking for something to lug in and out (over the side of the bed) so I'm leaning toward the 38 pounder. 

With Toro's 5 year start guarantee, I suppose it's hard to go wrong...


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## flykelley (Dec 29, 2003)

Thats why I bought a Toro, because I have to lift it over the side of the bed. I have a vbox in my truck and have to strap it to the top rail and side of the spreader. That Toro is lightweight yet throws some snow.

Good Luck Mike


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## Bounty Hunter (Oct 1, 2005)

*I like the Honda*

I got a new Torro and it siezed up in 5 minutes. I had the correct amount of oil too. I took it back to Home Depot and got the Honda. the Honda works great, no oil and doesn't use a lot of gas.

Jack


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## flykelley (Dec 29, 2003)

Bounty Hunter said:


> I got a new Torro and it siezed up in 5 minutes. I had the correct amount of oil too. I took it back to Home Depot and got the Honda. the Honda works great, no oil and doesn't use a lot of gas.
> 
> Jack


Jack the Honda is a great snowblower but I can't find a small honda they were all to big to get in the truck along with the salt spreader.

Regards Mike


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## 04superduty (Jan 9, 2004)

bwilder10h said:


> . With Toro's 5 year start guarantee, I suppose it's hard to go wrong...


usually the warranty is only for 1 year if commercially used.


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## Young Pup (Aug 13, 2004)

Hey guys I am toro's website right now. What is the model number of these? I too need one for the back of the truck no room for the two stages and the go out in a regular truck.

JP


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## 04superduty (Jan 9, 2004)

plowman777 said:


> Toro 3650 U Will Not Regret It... 75 Lbs 6,5 Hp


this is one model number and the one that i use at my house, i use to snow blow walks off but this year my work has a sidewalk crew.


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## Young Pup (Aug 13, 2004)

right in front of thanks. Duh. Boy am I blind. 

Thanks,

JP


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## flykelley (Dec 29, 2003)

04superduty said:


> usually the warranty is only for 1 year if commercially used.


My dealer told me 2 years, and he better back it up for two years.

Regards Mike


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## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

flykelley said:


> My dealer told me 2 years, and he better back it up for two years.
> 
> Regards Mike


Nothing will go wrong in two years, I'm on my second year with mine, have not changed or done anything to it and it is just fine. Personally I think for commercial purposes the single stages are better because first of all you plow with the storm so your never really blowing huge amounts, second the rubber blades scrape the concrete BARE, and third, they are fast! I am running behind mine. Since they are rubber, if you hit some lifted up concrete, they just bounce over it.

I went with the in-between model. Not too small, not too big.


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## bobshm (Oct 11, 2004)

I use to use single-stage Simplicity blowers. I could squeeze one in next to the sander. When the engine blew on the first one, I figured that I must have screwed up in some way. When I blew up another one, I began to look a little closer. There is no air cleaner- just open carburetor. Sand from filling the sander spills on to the snowblower and eventually finds it's way in to the engine. Dumb design. Now I just leave older 2-stage blowers on the properties, or shovel.


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## 04superduty (Jan 9, 2004)

my toro 3650 doesnt have a air filter either. seems stupid but a air filter might get iced up and stop running on such a small engine.


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## CrazyCooter (Jan 29, 2005)

04superduty said:


> my toro 3650 doesnt have a air filter either. seems stupid but a air filter might get iced up and stop running on such a small engine.


I've never seen a filter on the carb for a snowblower for that exact reason. But, they generally have some sort of plastic housing that does not allow stuff to fly into it.

That said, we have an old B&S engine that we swap from the snowblower in the winter to the tiller in the summer. Still works -- with no air filter -- after tilling for at least 15 years. So, guess it depends on luck


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## somm (Oct 18, 2004)

16" Toro, single stage 2 cycle 3.5 hp. (Less than 25 pounds)

Steps, Decks, Landings, walks, etc.


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## Young Pup (Aug 13, 2004)

somm said:


> 16" Toro, single stage 2 cycle 3.5 hp. (Less than 25 pounds)
> 
> Steps, Decks, Landings, walks, etc.


But how much snow can it handle? 3,4,5 or 6 inches at one time.

JP


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## Killswitch (Aug 9, 2005)

I just bought the Toro 2450. Ive had the CCR Toros before and Ill own nothing else. They throw snow like no bodys business and start first pull every time.


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## somm (Oct 18, 2004)

8-12 inches ata time Young Pup. its great.

left a helper ata small set of condos while we plowed 2 blocks away on 5 big residential stops, when we get back all 8 condo driveways were done better than we could've backdragged (with condos there's usually no place to go with the snow once you've plow-trucked it) and walks done beautifully, and we see 'em already finishing the 2nd floor landings !!

that lil' 16" Toro we got 3 years ago really honks!


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## BushHogBoy (Nov 30, 2000)

Yeah everyone in my area (commercial guys and homeowners) run Toro single stage blowers, they're great for all the listed reasons, cheaper than 2 stage, we never get storms that need 2 stage or if we do, you blow it more than once anyway... Lighter for old folks, faster for young ones, do a nice job, pretty affordable to buy and cheap maintenance, very simple nothing to go wrong really....

So i got one too! Used a friend's S200 flat paddle type last winter in 10" of snow and was pretty amazed what it was going through and the abuse it was taking was great for such a little machine and did a really nice job. Doesn't throw snow too far with the flat paddle and vanes to direct the snow, but in a light snow its great and on sidewalks. So thats all it'll get used for anyway.... I got an older S-200 also BTW. Just traded for it from a friend. He didn't know if it would start or not, as it hadn't been run since last season. I put gas in it, primed it a few times choked it and it fired right up! Threw some soaked slush with it in my yard a little bit (snowed a week ago, been raining all night last night and now its 40 degrees out so its messy slop). Worked great yeah stalled it a few times but a 2 stage couldn't handle this stuff either. Beats a shovel!!!!! Might use it on a few small drives as it does a nicer cleaner job than the truck like the other guy said, and sometimes theres no good place to put a pile of snow but a thrower spreads it all over. 

Had a 2 stage, 2 cycle Toro snowblower last winter very nice unit, but pain to transport and not maneuverable, can't go up and down steps, slower unless we're talkin 8" plus anyway.. also they're pretty pricey. So my neighbor has it now LOL...


Toros forever


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## ProfessionalTou (Jul 14, 2004)

Local dealer around here couldn't get anymore toro's. He ordered lawn boys who's owned by toro. Except for being green and a different handel their the same as the 3650's still $600 range


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## TerrForms (Dec 9, 2005)

*Is it me or the snow blower?*

I Justed tried out an MTD 5.5hp 21 inch. new blower. A great deal of snow went under the scraper blade and back at me. Is it me doing something wrong or is it the design of the machine? I didn't buy it.  Does the Toro leave any snow behind or throw it out the back?
JS.


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## Italiano67 (Feb 16, 2005)

Dont try to have a child do a mans job! The Toro leaves zero snow on the walks and nothing back. You get what you pay for. Actually the Toro is at 360 this year down from 419 two years ago.Buy one you wont be sorry.


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## Killswitch (Aug 9, 2005)

TerrForms said:


> I Justed tried out an MTD 5.5hp 21 inch. new blower. A great deal of snow went under the scraper blade and back at me. Is it me doing something wrong or is it the design of the machine? I didn't buy it.  Does the Toro leave any snow behind or throw it out the back?
> JS.


Let it ride on the wheels, keeping the paddles working the ground but not at too steep an angle where it wants to "walk" Thats where youll get blowback on any machine.

Dont lift up on the handle too much.

Of course fresh unwalked on snow is best but.....


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## Killswitch (Aug 9, 2005)

What Toro is 360?

You cant touch a Toro here for less than 500.


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## wheaton (Dec 18, 2013)

Im sold on toro, but should i go with the powerlite 3.25 hp 38lbs or 3650 6.5hp 75lbs? Am I going to brake my back lifting the 3650 in and out of the truck or get stuck in 7 inches with the powerlite ?


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## Maine_Train (Dec 16, 2009)

This thread is interesting; glad I stopped to read it. I was thinking of buying a two-stage with a headlight since I sometimes would have to be out before dawn if the wife is working day shift. If the Toro can go up onto the deck, that's a plus.
She told me before she left this morning to back-blade the end of the driveway where she parks her car, "because we won't have any place to put more snow if you plow in toward the end of the drive." I'm hoping a good blower can pitch the snow from that area down over the hill and out of the way.
If the Toro can run over the top of the packed-down stuff from the previous storm, and fling the accumulation from this most recent storm out of the way, that would be fine with me.


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## bredenlawncare (Oct 25, 2013)

Just bought a Honda 520 model used it in 6" wet heavy snow and did and awesome job would highly recommend it.


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## maxwellp (Feb 16, 2013)

I have a small army of the powerlites. They Rock for there size. I have a bigger 3450 Toro and it is 89 lbs. I hardly ever use it, makes my back hurt putting it in and out of the truck all night. The Powerlites are not made anymore, hoard yours today before I do.


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## mnglocker (Dec 24, 2008)

No more two-stroke blowers. Thank the EPA. The lightest single stage Toro sells now is the Powerclear 418ZR @59lbs and $359.00

Then there's the commercial Tor 721 R-C, more than double the engine size and 84lbs. They run about $600-630.


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