On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:21:25 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:47:50 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Worn Out Retread" wrote in message

My old machine was a 26 inch with an 8 HP Tecumseh engine. It was barely
adequate in heavy snow especially where the snow plough has filled in the
end of the driveway. I don't want to repeat the experience.

More power may not always be the answer though. If you put a 20 HP engine
on that machine, would it blow the packed snow or would it just break the
shear pin, bend the auger and damage other parts? You may be asking the
machine to do more than it is designed to do, no matter the engine size.

I certainly can't say because I did not see or feel the snow you had. My
small machine takes a while with it though, you just have to take small
bites.


I can tell you that putting tire chains on my snow blower was like
doubling the power. What a difference! It's a decent but small
machine. 24 inch Ariens with 7.5 HP Snow King engine. I used to have
to seriously manhandle it to clear the packed berm at the end of the
driveway from the city plows. Now I just put it in low - It digs in
and it GOES. All I do is steer.
7.5HP Snow King on a 24" machine IS adequate power (seeing a 24"
machine could also be purchaced with a 4 HP engine, with 5 and 6 HP
being the most common on 24" machines.

Is your ariens the Pro or the standard? All Ariens Pro machines have a
lockable differnetial on the wheel drive, while the standards have a
solid axle that you can either pin to both wheels or have drive only
one.