On Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:22:36 -0800 (PST), ransley
wrote:

On Feb 11, 5:33Â*pm, "Hustlin' Hank" wrote:
On Feb 11, 11:59 am, "Existential Angst"
wrote:





Pete C. wrote:
Existential Angst wrote:

Awl --

Haven't seen CR reviews.... can anyone summarize Best Picks?

The new "style" seems to be the Honda/Toro, which look like old
Hoover cannister vacs.

Don't want the big Sears/Ariens bulldozer types -- bad luck, and too
big to store --, have seen neighbors pretty happy with these Toros.

Experiences? Do's/Don'ts?

Have had the worst luck with gas powered stuff.
Mebbe electric? Wouldn't even mind swapping out a battery every 15
min/half hour, if the reliability was there.

--
EA

Entirely dependent on the size and characteristics of the area you
need to clear.

Well, I got a lot of frontage, but basically I just need a bitty path so
effingYonkers doesn't drown me in tickets.

Those little Hondas/Toros would do me good, if people can vouch for their
reliability.

--

EA-

It doesn't matter which brand. Reliability is only as good as the
preventive maintenence performed. Most people with Snow blowers and
Generators don't use them enough and let them sit around with gas in
them. Gas will evaporate, leaving behind a reidue that may clog or
break free and clog somewhere in the fuel system.

Hank ~~~has cleaned fuel systems on 1 year old Hondas.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thats bs, my 2 stroke JD has a kawasaki engine, good for probably
3-400 hours, your old garden brand Techumpsee which is no loner made
might get you 100 hours, its all in how well the motor is designed,
bearings, piston sleeves are easy ways they save money and dont last
as long. The cheap 4 stroke 2stage blowers might last 2-300 hours, a
commercial grade B&S or honda maybe 2-3000 hours, you get what you pay
for in motors.
The old Tecumseh H5 engine on my old blower was over 30 years old
when the rod started to knock -- and it got an average of 50 hours a
year of fairly heavy blowing for the roughly 20 years I used it -
replaced the engine and got another 10 or 15 years out of it before I
replaced it - still running great and not needing oil added through
the season. I have a 4 car driveway and 150 feet of sidewalk - also
did 2 neighbour's walks and drives on a fairly regular basis for
years. This year we've got next to no snow - so far - but over 8 feet
last year and the year before.