W always shoveled our driveway, but now we just bought a house in the country with 100 ft. of driveway and shoveling it is too overwhelming. New snow is the problem, once it gets packed down it is driveable. New snow is so light that it blows across the empty fields and lands in our driveway. We get home from work to find 6-12" of snow filling in the length of the driveway. Getting a different car is not an option right now. So what kind of snow throwers would you suggest? What should I be looking for? Thanks Henny
If I had it to do over again, I would of bought me one of these Troybilt machines: 13hp, 45" wide cut, four tires ("dooleys") A company in town was selling these for $1899.
After many, many years of shoveling also we bought ourselves a Troy Built Snowthrower...It is WONDERFUL !!! I think the sale might still be on but ours cost $799 with FREE shipping and no tax either. ( they have lesser priced models and ones that cost more ) It was delivered within 2 weeks in a crate and left in our driveway for us !! No muss, no fuss in trying to haul it home from a store. It does have an electric start which is really nice. Please go to their site and check into them...I'm sure you won't be disappointed in their product or the company. (we also have a troy uilt tiller for the garden also) Good Luck !!!
I think that Ariens makes some of the most heavy duty snow blowers around. Whatever you do, don't mess around with any single stage snow thrower. You want a two stage for a driveway that long. Although a cheaper option in the long run might just be to hire someone to plow the drive if you live where its only snows that much once or twice a year. No maintainance, no gas, no storage. Here it would cost about $25 to have a drive that long plowed assuming it has no big parking areas, ect. Kirk
Ariens makes very good snow blowers. You can sometimes pick up the older units for little money. I have a small 7 hp model that I picked up at a tag sale for $75 bucks. Works excellent but lacks anything that resembles safety equipment. If you are planning to buy new, I think the Honda track models are the top rated but they are very expensive. For a 100 foot driveway, you might be better off looking for a small tractor (Ford 8n, International 240 etc) that has a front end loader or a used plow truck. Even with a big snow blower, 100 ft of driveway will take some time to clear and that is the last thing you want to do when you get home from work.
Last night I got home and shoveled the driveway for 2 hours by moonlight. It was very pretty, but at 4*. I don't really expect to get something that will immediately clear the drive, I just can't shovel that much without my joints hurting for a couple of days. I want to make sure I won't buy too small of a snow thrower, but I really can't afford a small tractor right or a plow truck tight now. Thanks for your help henny
Henny As far as a snow blower goes, get a good quality 2 stage machine like others have mentioned. I would also make sure to get one big enough. You won't regret going larger rather than smaller. All that aside, it sounds like your problem is blowing and drifting. It might be to late for this year, but you might consider a snow fence. Set it up in the fall about 20' or so off the driveway, on the side where the prevailing wind blows from. My neighbor does this with great results. Good Luck DaveP
We use a 24" w/ 5hp motor that was a yard sale special. That is the smallest you should consider and really I would look at the next size up motor for that size unit. Ours is a very used MTD (Walmart?) brand and I spend as much time wrenching on it as I do using it. It's just getting worn out. We had an old Ariens that was much better made. We also have a huge machine that needs motor work. 36"or more I think. Maybe 12 or 16 hp. It was really too big for our place, though if you had a 100yard drive that was always drifting it might be good. On the little 5hp you don't really need an electric start, but if you get a big one you will want it. One of the guys at work switched from a plow truck to a honda blower and he loves it, but $$. Eric
The more expensive units listed are great. If you are on a stiffer budget, I would consider the low-end to be an MTD (or other name - they will all be made by MTD anyhow...) 2 stage with 8 hp. I would go with 24-28" width. I would want a plug-in electric start - little engines don't start well in super cold weather with lots of moisture around, that electric start (plugs into the wall) is a very good, recommended, accessory. This would be my low-cost system, wouldn't want less than that, should be under $800, even less real soon.... Bigger than that (hp and/or width) will clear more snow, but become a real bear to lug around. You sound like a hearty person, you have to know your limits on that. A snow fence next year, and using the blower which moves the snow away instead of piling it up higher & higher on the drive edges, will help keep the drifting problem down. --->Paul
Honestly I wouldn't suggest a snow thrower. You may rather install a snow fence which will cause snow to drift in a location other than your driveway. also there are snowplows available that can be installed on front wheel drive vehicles, they are light and easy to install. also they are cheaper than a new snow thrower. this way you can notonly save yourself some money but also some time, plus moving snow while inside a heated vehicle is always better I have seen them at Sam's club.
