RIGHT NOW I AM LOVIN' MY NEW ARIENS SNOW BLOWER!

[chief38]

Well I just finished blowing all the white stuff off the driveway, walkways and on the patio in the back yard. Last Winter I purchased a new Ariens Deluxe Snow Blower and it earned its keep today! We got 29.5" of snow in the 24 hour Blizzard. Drifts of 4 1/2 to 5 feet were a piece of cake with this thing. Here are a few pictures. My Golden Retriever Cody is going to sleep great tonight! he was out playing in the yard for hours while I was snow blowing.

 

[ralph7]

That's one item I can say I have never owned or will own.

Good!

 

[6518John]

My Golden Retriever Cody is going to sleep great tonight! he was out playing in the yard for hours while I was snow blowing.

That looks like a chilly dog!

 

[arjay]

Finally bought one five years ago,should have done it at 50!

 

[ColbyBruce]

Move south, get away from that stuff.

 

[sureshotbob]

I just upgraded to a Ariens 30"deluxe Snow blower with all the neat extra's on Friday .
It is a nice machine but after using it this morning for about 3 hours. I do miss my 1 ton Chevy P/U with a 8' Fisher plow.

 

[chief38]

Oh, one suggestion if anyone here has a somewhat recent Areins model.........

Mine has the heated grips on it and boy do they work great! When I bought the thing I though of them as more of a novelty, but last night was REALLY COLD and when your gloves get wet (which they always do) they really work well to keep your hands warm. I highly recommend them and the Ariens retrofit heated grip kit is under $50 I believe.

My Driveway , yard and walkways are pretty large and when I do the snow blowing I'm out there for hours at a time - the grips just make it so much more comfortable.

 

[Gulfecho]

Save $ on that snow blower and move to Arizona. It's 72 degrees today...sorry for any envy.

 

[WuzzFuzz]

Chief, Congrads on your snow blower..I've got one and in the heavy stuff, it's great.
With that said,,,,

1. Use only premium or non-alky gas. Preferable premium.

2. At the end of the year, when you know it's not going to snow any more, I run mine completely out of gas. I'm just not a believer in that gas stabilizer stuff. It's just old gas with stuff added to.

3. Be sure to grease the auger on those two grease zerks from time to time.


One thing about using a snow blower, it sure is nice afterwards, to just look back over your shoulder and think...Now that wasn't so bad of a job to do after all!!!!!!


WuzzFuzz

 

[bearman49709]

Oh, one suggestion if anyone here has a somewhat recent Areins model.........

Mine has the heated grips on it and boy do they work great! When I bought the thing I though of them as more of a novelty, but last night was REALLY COLD and when your gloves get wet (which they always do) they really work well to keep your hands warm. I highly recommend them and the Ariens retrofit heated grip kit is under $50 I believe.

My Driveway , yard and walkways are pretty large and when I do the snow blowing I'm out there for hours at a time - the grips just make it so much more comfortable.

Iv'e used snowblowers since 1975 and never get my gloves wet, what are you doing to get yours wet?

 

[bearman49709]

Waste $ on that ac and move to Arizona. It's 72 degrees today... you have my pity.

Fixed it for you!

 

[kozmic]

Right now I'm diggin' the fact that we get 100" of snow on average and I haven't even shoveled the walkway yet. Of course mother Nature has a very warped sense-of-humor and Mother's Day might be devoted to moving snow, but for now...life is good and global warming is my friend. Cheers!

 

[chief38]

Chief, Congrads on your snow blower..I've got one and in the heavy stuff, it's great.
With that said,,,,

1. Use only premium or non-alky gas. Preferable premium.

2. At the end of the year, when you know it's not going to snow any more, I run mine completely out of gas. I'm just not a believer in that gas stabilizer stuff. It's just old gas with stuff added to.

3. Be sure to grease the auger on those two grease zerks from time to time.


One thing about using a snow blower, it sure is nice afterwards, to just look back over your shoulder and think...Now that wasn't so bad of a job to do after all!!!!!!


WuzzFuzz

Thanks WuzzFuzz,
I do exactly as you stated! I would also mention to others (you obviously know what you are doing) do NOT forget to remove the Carb. Bowl Screw to drain the bowl. There is an ounce or so of gas in there too. I also remove and replace the spark plug and Fog the engine before storing for the Summer. I also put an extra pound or two of air in the tires because you know they will loose a little air sitting in your garage all spring, summer and fall. And last but certainly not least I remove the Shear Pins and spin the Auger while pumping #2 Grease into the Zirk fittings.

Sounds like we are on the SAME maintenance routine!

 

[chief38]

I was a little confused myself as to weather Premium Gasoline contains Ethanol or not so I looked into it. Here is what I found:


Ethanol In Premium Gas?

There is a difference between states on whether premium gas specifically has ethanol in it or not. Or, more correctly, whether it's required to have it in it. Two states in the Union, Missouri and Montana, have specific exemption to allow ethanol-free premium gasoline. So if you live in one of those two states, you can be thankful.

For the rest of us, we are faced with the unpleasant reality that the refineries are all but tied into putting ethanol in premium gas. This is because they have to use the ethanol to raise the octane level of their gasoline blend in order to satisfy the higher octane requirements of premium. This is one reason why you don't get better gas mileage with premium gas, because an essential part of that blend is a component that has less energy and forces the gas mileage down simply by nature.

So don't get fooled into thinking you can escape ethanol's grasp simply by paying more and getting premium gas.

 

[ladder13]

I have an Ariens 924 great snowblower for it's purpose, hopefully it will belong to my BIL by this fall, where I'm going it won't be needed.

In most of NYistan ethanol free gas is available, except for lower NY.
Here's a list of gas only stations throughout the US.

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

 

[Arik]

Move south, get away from that stuff.

But then you have mosquitos, bugs, heat, humidity, sweat. .... Having all 4 seasons is a nice change up. ....even with 3ft of snow and one shovel

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Yup, best $999.00 I ever spent was on my Ariens 22 Deluxe. I live in town and have cars on both sides of the street and these things earn their money with the plowed in stuff. After a stint in the ICU I figured it was time for a snow blower. It's not the biggest or baddest but I call mine "The Beast", I do think that if it came across a VW Beetle there would be car parts over in the field.

 

[WuzzFuzz]

Chief,,the give away is for folks just to look on the pump...It'll say whether or not it contains Ethanol....

Yes 87 non Ethanol will run fine in these little low compression engines...But with premium, the higher octane without the additives, they will run a little smoother and for me anyway, start easier. I also put a dab of Marvel Mystery oil in the gas at least once for upper cylinder lube.

As you mentioned earlier, draining the gas, letting Ethanol gas sit in it for a long time is not good

Something else I might mention about a Ariens. Since they are pretty much all metal made, not with a lot of plastic like some others, I also spray mine down with W D 40 at the end of the season... There's still a lot of un-painted steel in them....Doesn't hurt a thing. Same goes for my rider, when I'm thru with it for the summer and fall season.

For me, too, I go from the drive all the away across the road...If I'm slow to the drawl, if the road has already been somewhat cleared, (Most of the time they just drive by, with the blade up, and the salt/sand going out the back). there is salt that will get into places, I'd rather not have it get to. So a wash down and then W D it...I'm going on 10 years with mine and it still looks like new.


WuzzFuzz

 

[Gulfecho]

Fixed it for you!

I'm picking up on a little jeal...wait a minute...jealous vibes from you man.

 

[chief38]

Chief,,the give away is for folks just to look on the pump...It'll say whether or not it contains Ethanol....

Yes 87 non Ethanol will run fine in these little low compression engines...But with premium, the higher octane without the additives, they will run a little smoother and for me anyway, start easier. I also put a dab of Marvel Mystery oil in the gas at least once for upper cylinder lube.

As you mentioned earlier, draining the gas, letting Ethanol gas sit in it for a long time is not good

Something else I might mention about a Ariens. Since they are pretty much all metal made, not with a lot of plastic like some others, I also spray mine down with W D 40 at the end of the season... There's still a lot of un-painted steel in them....Doesn't hurt a thing. Same goes for my rider, when I'm thru with it for the summer and fall season.

For me, too, I go from the drive all the away across the road...If I'm slow to the drawl, if the road has already been somewhat cleared, (Most of the time they just drive by, with the blade up, and the salt/sand going out the back). there is salt that will get into places, I'd rather not have it get to. So a wash down and then W D it...I'm going on 10 years with mine and it still looks like new.


WuzzFuzz

WUZZFUZZ:

We must be related!

I don't use WD-40 but I clean it with Diluted Simple Green and when it's totally dry I put a coat of Maquires NTX wax on it. People think I'm crazy to wax a Snow Blower but when I sold my 14 year old Toro the guy who bought it from me did not believe it was that old and I got a premium for it! Back in 2001 I paid $899 and sold it for $500 - after 14 years! That was worth a coat of wax / year!

I also looked up the map of Gas Stations in the USA with Ethanol -free Gasoline (surprised me to no end that it's still being sold at all) and wouldn't you know it, the closest one to me is only 140 miles away!