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@@sirmister4411 That little guy has it's hands full with anything but powder over 4 inches especially that pile of already thrown snow. If there's just two or three inches that you only need to move a couple pass widths to either side of the middle it'd work fine.
I'd absolutely love to have that oldest one!!! We use to have one when I was a kid. Unfortunately it was stolen out of our driveway. Back when they were made them snow blowers were beasts. You didn't need any safetys because we all had common sense. Today's generation is something completely different. Awesome snow blowers Taryal
Funny if you look it up there would have been lots of accidents and injuries. Just no internet to advertise them! The thing with humans is we make mistakes.
@@brenwicks No Internet back then and the nightly news wasn't going live to every freak toaster accident on the continent. Fun fact, geezers have been going senile and claiming the kids today aren't as smart, diligent or respectful as they were since at least the ancient Greeks started writing it down at about 3000 years ago.
Those little two stroke paddle blowers are amazing especially for just a few inches barely worth breaking out a two stage for. And the paddle pretty much scrapes your driveway clean too.
I have a Toro 400 or what's left of it. I keep it around for blowing snow off of the deck. My father-in-law had a smaller version of this, same engine and chain drive. That tiny thing was a beast. I've plowed snow with it that was 4 foot deep. Well, the 400 soon has to go, parts are no longer available.
I use to use a Ariens 8hp 28" in the 70's thru the early 80's. It worked very well! It was probably from the early 70's. I now have a Snapper 1428 and it is even better! It will even throw snow so wet that when it hits the ground it splatters! Excellent machine for the eastern Cascades of Washington State. It even out does the neighbors tractor snowblower! Can't recommend more! Keep it maintained, Snowrats! Teryl Will help you!
VERY happy to comment on this subject. A few years ago, I got tired of unblocking slush from my 1960 Aarons 824, which was running and starting perfectly. Gave it to a nephew-in-law, who apparently didn't appreciated it, because he gave it away the next year. 😠 Anyway, I purchased a Toro Power Max 826OXE, Model 37781, in winter of 2021. OMG, what a treat to use VS the ancient Aarons. So maneuverable, and lightweight. Supposedly no clog, but I'll say rarely clog, and easily cleared. No idea how it compares to its competition, but it's night & day from the poor old Aarons beast, which I still have much respect for. Speaking of respect, keep up the good work Taryl, you've helped me out frequently over the years. BTW, my walk behind, 48" mower(s) also operate in "autonomous" mode. 😆
I think your 26 is a good size for a thrower.28 and you need over 12 HP 24 and you dont cover enough ground.26 and 10 or 12 HP and a driveway is a quick work order
The Toro anti-clog system is no joke. I have tried everything to try and clog it for fun. A foot of heavy slushy snow, no problem. I also tried blowing all of the snow in the center of the driveway, and then running the blower through it. The blower made it through without stalling.
I have one of the new Cub, three stage blowers. It throws slush better than any blower I've ever used in my 60 years if living in Wisconsin. Also, every time I use it, I thanks myself for having the good sense to get the cab attachment and the heated hand grips. Never getting hit in the face with snow, and having toasty warn grips to hang onto, makes the job far less of a pain.
Where abouts are You David. Lived in the Wausau / Merrill since 1974... I have a 1976 824 Gilson that I bought new and It'll toss snow out into the Street where Taryl was playing. Siliconed every year. and throw to the right yields the best results... Mike M.
I like The Beast the most. That snow cutter on the top is sweet. The reason why some of them don't throw snow as far is because of the gap between the housing and the impeller. It is too wide. I fixed mine with the rubber paddle trick and it not only throws snow super far it also prevents it from clogging up.
There are TH-cam videos on how to do this .There are even kits to supply the parts! MAYBE TARYL can do a video on installing it or doing this modification!
The rubber swipe trick is the answer. My snowblower clogged all the time and shot the snow not very far. Now works much better but I need to check the belt 🤦♂️. Watching these videos you learn.
I had a little tiny gilson that my grandpa originally had. Once you got it going, it was great, but when it was cold, I used to warm up the cylinder head and the carb with a heat gun before starting it - it'd start with a couple of pulls after warming up the head and the carb, but if it was cold, you'd be pullin and pullin and pullin
They were solid machines, and unique to operate, but their impellers were undersized and weak. You will be hard pressed to find one that isn't bent from use, in my experience. I even knew a guy who had to get their impeller replaced because one of the blades broke off.
I live in the Northeast and we get our share of snow. I have a 1999 Yardman 10.5 HP that is a workhorse, and I have never had (even in wet slush type snow) it clog, it has the power that if it looks like it will clog, I just keep it going and it pushes it out. I have paths all around my house and to my bird feeders, and I also do my son's paths and driveway. I have only replaced the rubber disc driving pad once, and the driving belt. The only negative comment I have is that first gear is too fast when there is a lot of snow, 12" or more, the speed is too much for the amount of snow the auger is trying to blow. All said and done, it has been a great machine for the past 25 years and still going strong.
I have a 521 Troybilt that I bought brand new in the box in 1994. Those old Tecumseh engines are bullet proof. I have never had a problem with it starting on the second pull. The only thing that I have replaced in all that time. Is the cutting edge, runners, and auger belt. It might be small but it's mighty and perfect for going between cars.
Those Tecumseh won't die. Bought an early 90's Craftsman 25" with the 8hp Tecumseh a decade ago. Got it started but needed work. Think a contractor dropped it off their truck. Later installed new belts, scraper, bushings and an axle bearing but it still didn't keep it from tossing snow as high as the second floor roof while clearing that first good snowfall.
great video, love the channel Taryl---had a 1978 Toro 7 HP 2 stage I bought from an elderly neighbour, exc. condition, but stalled repetitively, had to adjust the power valve on the bottom of float bowl when it was working, throwing snow.....worked perfectly after that---here in Canada above Montana border, lots of snow...used a deicer bottle with top cut off to defeat safety handle for the auger , slipped it over the end of the handlebar.. some years later at my railway job we acquired the same vintage, Toro 11 HP version of the same machine, extremely powerful 32 inch ---so heavy a machine it was equipped with controls on each side to disengage the tractor drive for either wheel, just so you could turn the machine. I remember thinking at the time it could eat a small car. Great in a straight line, great if no ice or packed snow underneath,,when it started hopping around, you had to be physically capable, but it was very tiring. Present days have John Deere 1330 and John Deere garden tractors with blades, snow blowers and snow brooms. Taryls video demonstrates the rough ground underneath the drift, and having to pull back,and tipping back with the machine when the conditions dictated
My neighbor has an old Toro snowblower from 1974 that’s been sitting for at least 25 years. He knows I work on mowers and stuff so he asked if I could get it running for him. “It should start right up, it ran when I parked it” he says. It’s got an old Tecumseh with points, a dry rotted drive disc, mummified chains and most of the parts are obsolete plus I’m sure he left gas in it all those years ago. I’m trying to convince him to just keep the plow service since we almost never get snow anymore…plus he’s in his 80s!
I love my John Deere 1130SE. I can blow snow from my driveway to the other side of my yard. It’s great in heavy snow too and doesn’t plug up the shoot like smaller machines. For lighter snow and sidewalks I use my Toro S200 or old Lawn Boy (made by Gilson). On the S200, the best improvement I made it was to replace the original diaphragm carb with a more modern Tecumseh float style from a newer machine. That gave it more power so it doesn’t stall out as easily.
I grew up with my Father having that Craftsman with a windshield! It was a true beast, woke up the neighbors when he fired it up. Unfortunately, in the early 90s the drive system stopped working, which is common with those machines and my dad couldn't repair it. I stored it outside without a spark plug and ruined the engine so I junked it in 04. Someone near Taryl have a MotoMower Snow Shark from the 60s or an old Bob-Cat from the 70s to bring to him. I have both and those machines are great. Both would make great videos. Love the channel and have learned so much from watching it. Snowblower prices have plummeted in the Northeast due to lack of snow over the past 2 years. We need some Snow!
I am just about to watch the video.. but I will preemptively state the Wisconsin Marine "Bobcat's" were the best snow-"throwers" ever made. The older models use a strange belt, which is available, but has led to a lot of frustration among owners (now) as it's obscure. That said, the machine's auger is made of 1/4 inch thick welded and galvanized plate; its thrower stage is just insane, and it uses proper slip clutches with no shear pins. I have an older 60s one and one from the early eighties with a 5 speed transmission and no oddball belt. As far as I'm concerned, this later model is what one would build for a walk behind snow blower if price were no object. I live in New England and this destroys the snow.. plus, it has worked reliably since purchased new in the early eighties.
The monster snow blow reminds me of skiing 30 years ago. These were the top machines. The beast needs to be turned into another killer machine video. I want to see slippers get blown through it 😂
Gravely Snow Cannon...( Dog catcher ). Honda with tracks .. Here on Atlanta coast our snow is wet sticky clogs chute then refreezes into ice chunks jamming chute and auger and breaks shear pins . That old Craftsman kicks azzz Excellent channel Thank you 👍
Currently have a Honda with tracks but unless you blow a lot of hills, I like the wheel models way more. Plus they go faster. I've never heard of gravely, but I've never seen anything beat a Honda and I've always had one.
@@GeorgeJefferson-h7w Rw Dog on TH-cam has a bunch of Gravely blowers mowers and plows. They were an American made two and four wheel tractor with many power heads. Way before BCS and the European two wheel multi machines. Earthtools on TH-cam has all the BCS.
I have a real Gilson (model 55134) purchased new sometime in the 1970's. It has the 8 HP Briggs engine that has never failed to start with just 2 or 3 pulls. Gilson made snowblowers for many chain stores back in the 70's. I still have all the original manuals and paperwork that came with it when I purchased it new.
I have a 1976 824 Gilson that I bought new and It'll toss snow out into the Street where Taryl was playing. Siliconed every year. and throw to the right yields the best results...
I have same 2 stage Toro 521. I decided to swamp out the old engine where the Predator 212 engine just to get a slight horsepower boost. Unfortunately we haven't had much snow since I did that so I'm still itching to see what it do. What I've noticed about the Toro 521 is this not as much of a gap between the impeller blades and the housing as there are on other manufacturers models.
i’m going to buy a Toro snow commander if it’s good enough for Taryl then it’s good enough for me! You need to do the impeller mod where you add a piece of rubber to the inner impeller, and the older two-stage machines will never clog and will throw snow a lot further. If you are impressed with old Toro snowblowers, you should find a Toro Power shift. You can move the wheels further back. It really digs in. Its probably the most impressive snowblower that I have used.
Being from "Down Under", I know about snow blowers, I never seen a home snow blower in action until this video...I was betting on the 60's SB (a Wombat machine...eats roots & leaves)...Despite the lack of safety features, the overall design is just better & built to last...Today, it is about light-weighting, cost & disposable turnover...that is what saddens me in this "so called age of being environmental" My final thoughts, I detest mowing lawns, but snow blowing...even worse...I will gladly mow lawns!!! Bloody brilliant video...thanks Taryl.
I got a nice Craftsman 8hp years ago. It was a deal on sale. I hesitated because of the plastic chute. Thought, they can make plastic way better than I remember as a kid. First day I used it, within 30 feet it picked up a chunk of ice shattering the chute top. Heated a nail with a propane torceh and stiched with zip ties. They sent me another plastic chute saying they aren't meant to throw rocks. I thought, "Oh like the ones in the icy embankment the plow just filled the end of the driveway with. Guess I ought to shovel that." Taking the chute off it was cracked at one of the mounting screws. Before putting the new one on I addded a sheet metal ring at the botton bit by bit with rivets and JB weld, coated all with 6 layers of West marine epoxy and glass cloth, then a JB weld finish coat, painted it with old metal primer and then Kroylon black. It has been bullet proof. I've been shocked to see high end ones from Huskywana with plastic shrouding the high speed impeller and most all with plastic chutes. Looking in the impeller housing of my 20 old? The metal looks scoured. The thing has no fuel shut off so at the end of the season I siphon all the fuel out as I run it out of fuel. Guess the engineers don't get that Eskimos have about 28 adjs. for different types of snow. All the fancy chute directing stuff is stupid. The cranks work, manually adjusting angles not that hard. Should have bought an Ariens Like my dad got in 1967 i thought but my modified machine is fine now. I feel sorry for people who have no tools, ability or place to work who suck for the latest gretest useless money pit disapointment. Broke day one.
That was a very cool video years ago I found a 1966 ariens 6hp 24” which I rebuilt and painted and it’s a very good snow blower I think the quality is way better than the new stuff out today, I still have it if I need it but we haven’t gotten really any snow in Ohio this year too really use it but it’s an awesome machine thanks for the video
I've got a '96 MTD 5hp Tecumseh 24" width. This little monster just amazes me. In the upper mitt of Michigan we get dumped on and this little guy has handled it all. It does have limitations and sometimes I have to take a half swath in real deep or heavy snow (sometimes I wish I had an 8hp) but it gets it done. I've replaced the rubber drive tire once, and the belts once and put on new snow hog tires because the originals just rotted out.
Early Ariens Snowblowers are notoriously great machines also.. I have my grandfather's early 60's Ariens 10ml40 which is early 60's Ariens originally 4hp Tecumich. It's been repowered by a 5hp briggs. It's got alot of use on it worn out bushings and bearings but keeps going. The build quality on the older machines is second to none but the safety oftentimes was an afterthought
My 85 Snow Wolf Yardman[mtd] when they still made heavy units. 10hp Tecumes 33in. It has lawnmower tires but have never had to lock the axle or use chains. It will take snow up to the top of the entrance and blow it 40 or so ft. and slush is no problem. It does have the rubber mods on all 4 points of the impellor. There was one more Snow Wolf that had the drift breaker like Taryls Craftsman, but I don't see the need for it. Don't get the snow in the Bronson/Coldwater MI but when we do-NO problems.
Taryl I think you should get that old Roper working 100% in every way possible and set it aside for when you get a really bad storm. It may have a few issues, but it definitely is a serious workhorse. I think if you put some kind of spring loaded throttle control (like a motorcycle throttle) on it, that would fix the runaway issue. However, it does have potential for being an RC or autonomous machine too. 😁
I am still running my old 1980s Craftsman 5 HP Snow Blower. The only thing I have done to it was replace the belts and rebuilt the carb and replaced the fuel line at the same time a few years ago. Great video Taryl!
In 1988 we moved to the Catskills and inherited a Ariens snowblower. It had a 8 HP engine, make I do not remember. It was a beast and took on any snow. It was a maintenance nightmare. Very heavy. I see in this video that most of the machines seem rear heavy.. The weight should be more towards the front to keep the augers down. Or in the middle. I have a Honda 28" track machine now and it clears even the wettest of snow. As always, Taryl, thanks for making me laugh this morning. You guys are the best !!!!
I have a 2019 Briggs & Stratton branded blower (1024) and I love it because it's all metal, including the chute. The 208c Briggs engine is quiet, has great power, and is very reliable...starts every season on the first pull. I maintain a 375' gravel driveway and a 1/4 acre gravel parking area with it. I go through a lot of shear pins, lol. I used to have a small 2-stroke single stage blower I used for little shit and it was an incredible little machine. I think it was a Toro, but it may have been a Snapper. It was old, lol, probably late 70's.
Got me a used Toro 421 QE off eBay. Tried for first time a few weeks ago. Worked great except the chute was broken at the mounts,but was still able to move snow impressively. I think the heat in my plastic shed along with storing something on top messed up the chute. I have since ordered and replaced the broken part and is ready at a moments notice. No real snow is in our future here on Long Island, NY. Other parts of the country are taking a real beating.😮
When Montgomery Wards was closing out their catalog, I bought a Tall size Motorcycle Jacket with a zip off fur collar for $40. Was imported, but not from Communist Chyna.
Oh sure keeping the best one for yourself. 😂 I had a new snowblower once, used it one day and traded it for a Husqvarna chainsaw. Best trade of my life. My favorite is the "killer tiller's" cousin.
I had a Craftsman, likely a bit newer than the Wards machine. 5/24 with a Tecumseh. I souped up the engine a hair by increasing the jet and opening the mufkin. It ran like a beast. The low drive gear was a little tall and the auger pulley could've been a touch smaller for a bit more RPM, but it rarely clogged. It had WHEELS instead of Skis on the auger head which would cut through hard pack down to concrete. I loved that about this machine. Smoked the auger drive and can't get the thing apart to fix it. Bought a new Yardmax 724 and it clogs up more than it works. POS. Got a 5/24 John Deere, likely from the 80's. Tecumseh power, pulls on the first try every time. The gearing for the auger and wheel drive are perfect and it has big pneumatic tires. I'll pull the skis off the auger head and install steel wheels and have a treat of a snowblower.
Most of these are in the 5hp area other than that Toro S-200. As far as a review, I've reviewed mine every year for nearly 40 years, and I wouldn't trade my 1984 Ariens ST824 for the lot of them. Back when they made them out of real steel. Thick, not thin, and no plastic.
HI TARYL 👋 I HAD A TORO S-210 PADDEL TYPE BLOWER IN 1979. I HAD THAT S210 FOR YEARS. WAS NOT GOOD IN THE HEAVY SNOW BUT WORKED GREAT ON THE POWDER SNOW.
I had a near mint condition. Simplicity snowblower from the early 60's. It was an absolute beast and built like a tank. The downside was the lack of safety features. I also have a new Toro single stage with a curved impeller. It does a great job on light to medium snow.
Like the side by side however wasn’t ideal conditions as the snow was not uniform across the demonstration. Snowblowers i find tend to throw reduced distances when the snow is very low in height, throw further when higher height of snow. Regardless if you wish to throw further easiest solution is to put on an IMPELLER MOD KIT, basically a few rubber inserts to take up the space between the impeller and the housing….allows you to throw further distances and prevents clogging. I have an MTD albeit a slightly younger version (circa 2003, 10HP, 30”) that is a real beast of a machine, throws 25 feet on average. This year i put on an impeller kit to see what extra distance i will get, at 25 feet i do not need more however seeing it is inexpensive figured give it a try. Waiting for a good dusting to test, but this season has been dreadful in that we haven’t gotten any white powder ARGH!. Cheers.
For distance You need to throwing to the right. That is the Rotation of the Impeller and the effect it has on the Snow.. I have a 1976 824 Gilson that I bought new and It'll toss snow out into the Street where Taryl was playing. Siliconed every year. and throw to the right yields the best results...
@@m9ovich785 Would need to think about that as you are correct in that the impeller does rotate to the right, however comes off the impeller blade at an aligned angle to the chute and travels up and disperses the chute. I don’t think it would make much of a difference, or at most a negligible difference. Even Taryl blew the snow quite a bit off the left side of the blower, and manufacturers have designed the machines to blow off both sides as the chutes all rotate both ways. At 20-25 foot throwing distance it wouldn’t make a noticeable difference in my case, and with an impeller kit installed i am likely going to achieve a 30-35 foot throw next time out. I only modded with the impeller kit as it is inexpensive and many people rave about it, in my circumstance i don’t need at all as it will only force me to toggle the discharge chute at a lower angle as it already throws enough distance so any more will require dampening down.
My grandfather had a 1965 Ariens 6hp at the NH cottage. Was still using it to clear the property into the 1990's. Sold it to a family member. He's passed it onto his son. Still runs fine and throws snow like anything. My machine is a 2000 model Ariens 10hp. Snow King engine and 6-blade impeller. Still works great. Doesn't throw as far as the tractor blower, but that 7' wide beast is on a 60hp farm tractor. Throws snow at least 80ft when it's dry. Heavy wet stuff only goes about 15-20 ft. (^_^)
I love watching your channel Taryl. Your knowledge and humor are top notch in my opinion! I'd keep that 'Crapsman' too as it's a very unique piece and made like a tank - I like that chain drive drift buster. Never saw anything like that. I like vintage stuff and still have my Wheel Horse 1054 w/ matching 4 wheel cart. Need to rebuild the HY-1 hydraulic pump so I can use my mower deck again; since it needs hydraulics to raise and lower the deck. Anyway, back to snow blowers ... I've got a Toro '726' Snowblower Model 31763 built in 1973 and believe it was actually a Snow Thrower (no 2nd stage impeller). The engine unfortunately has some bad scores in the cylinder wall so it really smokes - it likes Marlboro. I got it for free so can't complain. It had about 1/2 pint of dinosaur sludge in the crack case I was able to drain out and was surprised it hadn't seized. I'm going to have to get the block machined, but was advised to ensure I could still get parts like the oversize rings, piston, etc. Hopefully I can, as I really would like to rebuild it and make it better than it was; it could become the 'Six Million Dollar Man ... no I mean Snow Thrower' Any advice is greatly appreciated. Keep crank'n out those great videos!
I have a 1878 Toro S200, the predecessor to that Toro S620 you have. Fresh paddles seem to make it throw snow farther, in fact, I just found a new set of paddles and scraper off Amazon that I installed the other day onto it. I actually started off with two of those Toro snow throwers, one had a worn out engine and severely plugged carburetor, but had a electric start, the other had a broken engine mount and cracked fuel tank so I combined the best of both units and now have a nice S200 with a healthier but older engine, functioning electric starter, rebuilt carburetor and now fresh paddles ands scraper! It runs like new but still need to replace the original drive belt as it’s severely cracked but hasn’t broke yet. Lol
The guys who designed the S200 should be in the Toro Hall of Fame. Great for lighter snow, easy to transport. Smaller bites and you can still clear some deep snow. I attached two side by side one time, had a lot of fun clearing sidewalks
Back in about 2004, I purchased an MTD 2 cycle single stage snow thrower (about 12" rotor bar through a single stage chute that got clogged often when the snow was wet). In Minnesota (where I lived at the time), it usually was able to do a good job of moving the huge amounts of light and fluffy snow they get in the middle of winter. However, that first and last snowfall(s) which were composed of wetter snow, it really had issues. When I came back to Iowa to take care of mom, I found out that the wet content of Iowa snow was often too much for this tiny snowblower. After about four years, I replaced it with a new Toro 721 "power clear" single stage snowblower that uses normal gas. It is sooo much better at handling snow and ice, it isn't funny. Yeah, there's huge mounds of ice caked snow that it won't move, but I never had trouble with removing the ice/snow berm left by the snowplow in front of the drive. I think I've had it for almost four winters now, so I will probably need to do some maintenance on it before next season.
I knew a guy who lost some fingers on one of those Gilsons. They have an open circuit electric safety that was added because operator IQ's have been dropping, but the problem is, well, it's an add-on item for one, but it also requires it to make contact to function, so if you have a bad connection, the blower will just keep running. This person plugged the blower, thought he disengaged auger, he released the safety, and because the machine did not shut off, he thought the machine was safe and didn't know the auger belt was slipping. So when he reached in to unclog the machine, he got bit. Later Gilsons added a more fool proof mechanical safety, but because the machine was not designed for it, it resulted in a convoluted set of levers and triggers that made the machine more difficult to understand how to operate. It was safer, but have fun figuring out the levers, lol.
I have the Craftsman 21" , 2 cycle, snow blower. I call it the Grey Ghost. It comes out of the shed in November and goes back in the shed in March. I've only used it once this year and hope that was the last time. I had the Toro like yours that was a start and go. No safety's. It tried to kill me a couple times. I tore it apart and sold the engine. Scrapped the rest of it. Dangerous is not the word for it.
I have a cat crap orange Roto Hoe Bobcat snowblower. I wish I knew its age. It runs great and purrs in the summer, but hisses and scratches in the winter. :-) It is a huge, heavy piece of all steel equipment and when running well, it'll throw deep snow 35 or more feet away. It's electric start and pull start, belt driven auger but chain drive and is every bit as dangerous as your Craftsman. I love it but the carb pukes now when I start it (I need to learn how to fix that). I wish I could send a photo. It is cool.
Saw quite a few clutch and chain back in the day. Also many fingers were lost due to people clearing the chutes while the machine was still running. I had an Ariens 6HP with no safety devices and I would have a stick with me to unclog the chute. The safety features have been a big improvement as long as people don't defeat them.
The Toro S-620, from my point of view, is a special purpose machine for lower amounts of snow and lower levels of moisture contained in the snow. I've had one for 20 years, and it does great in 3 or 4 inches or less. I can clear my driveway and sidewalks with it in less than minutes. I have another snowblower for bigger amounts.
I own a 1992 MTD 26” two stage 8HP Tecumseh Snow King, still going strong through 32 Pennsylvania winters. It throws through feet of wet snow without an issue. Original belts, only ever had to change oil and keep gasoline in it! Great machine.
Taryl, would you mount one of those Horror freight 23 hp predator engines on one of those snowblower Just to see how far it would throw the snow and see how difficult it would be retrofitting the bigger engine ?
Just wrangled with a bull over the weekend. Biggest machine I’ve operated yet. The Toro 1132 with the breaks n scrap ‘‘em commercial unit from the 80s. It worked chucked snow better than a Honda. Then cleaned up with the a toro CCR 1000. Impressed with that one two. Both for sale fully mechanically restored thanks to what I learned herefrom Taryl. My normal machine is a cub.
Taryl I bought 6 Toro Sno-Hound 20 inch circa 1969.I replaced the 3 HP that they came with , with the 6.5 HP Predator engine.They fit perfectly so I gifted them to my friends and neighbors.I only kept the one I have been using since 1969.Even with the 3 HP the machine has eaten over a foot of snow with little fanfare for over 50 years.
Taryl when you sense that the blower is loading up, pick up on the handles so the wheels are off the ground a little, otherwise you're moving too fast. AND, don't let the front climb up; then you're yanking the machine back and forth like an amateur. You can't talk about the best without Simplicity!! Then when you really want to hit the power lines you use a Bob-Cat from the 60's. Speaking from experience.😎
i have a 20 yr old Ariens and it is a beast....works flawlessly and takes on any snow...I also have a 28 inch EGO battery operated one and it is also a beast BUT it doesn't like the deep heavy wet snow like my Ariens....there are some nice extras on the EGO like power chute/joystick controller but overall, the Ariens kicks some major snow butt....I will still keep my Ariens until I die but the newer stuff is slowly taking over
I had an Ariens 824 that I loved. Unfortunately, the engine threw a rod, and I needed a replacement blower asap. I went with a Cub Cadet 3 stage. It has a lot of nice features, but the Ariens had more front-end weight and would clean even packed down snow easily.
I had a Toro S620 for many years. It was not the equal of the BIG machines - but, it wasn’t built with that idea in mind. For its size and engine power, I thought it did a very good job. I had it long enough that the handle broke, and I had to weld it back together. I used to call it “My Tasmanian snow-devil.” If you were patient, and kept its limitations in mind while you were using it, it would do a very good job.
Have a 521 Toro just a bit older then the one shown. Rebuilt the drive mechanism 12 years ago, the auger gear broke. Has run well since,but last year when i was servicing it, the Gas Cap broke, before putting it away. Now I have the red cap. I hope it did not shed any parts that held the bottom part on. I looked did not see anything. 😊
Any snowblower beats a shovel ! Just be careful of coiled up garden hoses and extension cords you left laying , I heard they are a bastard to get out of the auger. 🥴 😂
I had a 5 horse Gilson that I bought in 1978 and used it a lot in Wisconsin. In 2005 we moved to southern Missouri were we didn't get enough snow to bother with. But your right that is a good blower.
I've lived in the Wausau/Merrill area since 1974. I have a 1976 824 Gilson that I bought new and It'll toss snow out into the Street where Taryl was playing. Siliconed every year. and throw to the right yields the best results...
I had one of those old Craftsman snowblowers, but mine had a lever to tension the drive belt, so it wasn’t as dangerous as the clutch type. Man! That thing would plow through 3 feet of snow without any problems. I gave it to a friend, and sorta regretted it. Another friend gave me a Brute by Briggs and Stratton. It looks almost as good as my old Craftsman, but it doesn’t have the auger on top like my old one. But, it’s got an 8hp engine that starts right up, and electric start, if it’s giving me trouble. I just need to find the axle to hub piece that locks the right side wheel, cause it won’t go anywhere if only one wheel is spinning
52 and sunny in Detroit Michigan yesterday & today. I'm a 1990 model too! We work the hardest. I like my 90 snapper 4/22 with a 5hp swap from that 5hp toro you have. Same motor brandy new but the HS50 was date coded for 1988. Was sitting in storage in a crate here in Michigan. Got it for 40$ on marketplace. Which btw in Detroit is amazing. I got a machinist bridgeport brand vice for 10$. Sure it hops but it weighs 30lbs and has a flat surface.
@Taryl … did you ever do the inner auger trick?? Find an old set of heavy duty rock guards ..like the thick square ones on tractor trailers.. cut three pieces that come real close to the inside propeller.. install them with washers and self tapping screws.. it will throw the snow real far!! May break your neighbors window or car glass. Try it !!
Interesting comparison. It would be neat to also test a tracked version. I have a '99 Craftsman 9 hp 28" that has done everything I have asked it to. One advantage in addition to excellent traction, is being able to remove deep snow in layers. Once at my getaway property there was three to four feet of snow packed in drifts. With the flotation of the tracks I could make multiple passes and take off one to two feet at a time until it got down to the ground.
Also, that little Toro S220/620 snow thrower is best used in smaller areas, they’re excellent for using on decks, porches outdoor stairs and lighter snows in general, they’re probably the lightest weight machine out there. I frequently pick mine up by the middle handle and use it in a sweeping motion as shown in the video. Lol
The paddle type works a lot better in virgin snow. I have an older lawn boy snow blower that's similar but not the same type of paddle configuration and it does really well on sidewalks that haven't been walked on and hasn't been shoveled or but if the snow plow comes through and throws snow onto the sidewalk it doesn't like the clumps. It will do it but it struggles the one good thing about it is it's light doesn't take much space in the in the shed and it's like I said it's light you can put it in the back of your car on the back seat and drive where you need it to go you don't even have to have a truck.
In the late 1990s, if I remember correctly, Toro almost went bankrupt making snow blowers one year. They had always made "X" number of snow blowers before that with no problem selling them every year. One year they made the usual "X" number of units and that winter was very low snowfall nationwide. Ooops! They got stuck with thousands of unsold blowers, and it almost sunk the company. Thereafter, they would only make the number of snow blowers that were firm, paid orders from customers. They managed to survive, but only just!
I have a 1969 Ariens 20" with a 5 hp Briggs and it's a beast. Like that old one of yours, you let go of the handle and she goes. I love it. I also have a snow blower attachment for my Simplicity 3310V which were both made in 1970.
We have a Bob-caT snow blower with an inline, forged-steel impeller from the '70s. Simplicity offered a similar design back then. It's great for wet, slushy snow. I'd love to see a comparo between that type and the more conventional design.
I've saftey'd up a few of those old craftsman's in the past. An Atv thumb throttle or motorcycle twist does a good job keeping the driver in control LOL
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
For a second I thought he was going to take the blowers for a 60 mile road trip, went across the yard instead. Fun video ! :)
I don't understand how you don't have a million subscribers, come on folks support this great down to earth mechanic, and family, hit subscribe and theirs your dinner
Yes and buy some of his neat stuff.
He's got those British teeth going on !
We have Scottish/Welsh lineage...we just bunker inn tea times, scones, oat cakes, porridge, and laugh at the Brits!!
The music starting and stopping with the Toro had me rolling! 😂
Ya know if he kept the music going then maybe the machine would have kept running. Lol
@@sirmister4411 That little guy has it's hands full with anything but powder over 4 inches especially that pile of already thrown snow. If there's just two or three inches that you only need to move a couple pass widths to either side of the middle it'd work fine.
" Help, I've fallen and I can't get up ! " Snowblower Alert Bracelet.
I'd absolutely love to have that oldest one!!! We use to have one when I was a kid. Unfortunately it was stolen out of our driveway. Back when they were made them snow blowers were beasts. You didn't need any safetys because we all had common sense. Today's generation is something completely different. Awesome snow blowers Taryal
Funny if you look it up there would have been lots of accidents and injuries. Just no internet to advertise them! The thing with humans is we make mistakes.
@@brenwicks The testing stats prove the younger generations are dumber. The usa used to be in the top five, now we barely break the top 100.
@@brenwicks No Internet back then and the nightly news wasn't going live to every freak toaster accident on the continent. Fun fact, geezers have been going senile and claiming the kids today aren't as smart, diligent or respectful as they were since at least the ancient Greeks started writing it down at about 3000 years ago.
But those are why a few boomers only have one hand. Lol
It’s currently 72 degrees and I’m sipping an iced tea watching Taryl run snowblowers, life is great!
Craftsman dinosaur for the win! The Toro was really impressive but the little snow thrower was nothing more than a powered broom!
Those little two stroke paddle blowers are amazing especially for just a few inches barely worth breaking out a two stage for. And the paddle pretty much scrapes your driveway clean too.
I have a Toro 400 or what's left of it. I keep it around for blowing snow off of the deck. My father-in-law had a smaller version of this, same engine and chain drive. That tiny thing was a beast. I've plowed snow with it that was 4 foot deep. Well, the 400 soon has to go, parts are no longer available.
One of the best snowblowers, sold in Canada, the CANDIANA 1032. Never met a snowdrift, it could not move! Built in the mid to late 70s.
They were made in Canada.
YOUR Doing Good. Two VIDEOS A WEEK. Impressive
I use to use a Ariens 8hp 28" in the 70's thru the early 80's. It worked very well! It was probably from the early 70's. I now have a Snapper 1428 and it is even better! It will even throw snow so wet that when it hits the ground it splatters! Excellent machine for the eastern Cascades of Washington State. It even out does the neighbors tractor snowblower! Can't recommend more! Keep it maintained, Snowrats! Teryl Will help you!
That was a really cool comparison to see with the snow throwing machines…👍👍
VERY happy to comment on this subject. A few years ago, I got tired of unblocking slush from my 1960 Aarons 824, which was running and starting perfectly. Gave it to a nephew-in-law, who apparently didn't appreciated it, because he gave it away the next year. 😠
Anyway, I purchased a Toro Power Max 826OXE, Model 37781, in winter of 2021. OMG, what a treat to use VS the ancient Aarons. So maneuverable, and lightweight. Supposedly no clog, but I'll say rarely clog, and easily cleared. No idea how it compares to its competition, but it's night & day from the poor old Aarons beast, which I still have much respect for.
Speaking of respect, keep up the good work Taryl, you've helped me out frequently over the years. BTW, my walk behind, 48" mower(s) also operate in "autonomous" mode. 😆
I think your 26 is a good size for a thrower.28 and you need over 12 HP 24 and you dont cover enough ground.26 and 10 or 12 HP and a driveway is a quick work order
The Toro anti-clog system is no joke. I have tried everything to try and clog it for fun.
A foot of heavy slushy snow, no problem.
I also tried blowing all of the snow in the center of the driveway, and then running the blower through it. The blower made it through without stalling.
Simple quick answer: The Troy-Bilt Big Boy and Bolens BlowMaster from 20 years ago. Nothing like them before or since.
I have one of the new Cub, three stage blowers. It throws slush better than any blower I've ever used in my 60 years if living in Wisconsin. Also, every time I use it, I thanks myself for having the good sense to get the cab attachment and the heated hand grips. Never getting hit in the face with snow, and having toasty warn grips to hang onto, makes the job far less of a pain.
Where abouts are You David.
Lived in the Wausau / Merrill since 1974...
I have a 1976 824 Gilson that I bought new and It'll toss snow out into the Street where Taryl was playing.
Siliconed every year. and throw to the right yields the best results...
Mike M.
I like The Beast the most. That snow cutter on the top is sweet. The reason why some of them don't throw snow as far is because of the gap between the housing and the impeller. It is too wide. I fixed mine with the rubber paddle trick and it not only throws snow super far it also prevents it from clogging up.
There are TH-cam videos on how to do this .There are even kits to supply the parts! MAYBE TARYL can do a video on installing it or doing this modification!
The rubber swipe trick is the answer. My snowblower clogged all the time and shot the snow not very far. Now works much better but I need to check the belt 🤦♂️. Watching these videos you learn.
Woo hoo! Michigan City made the Taryl show! Shout out to Little Johnny!
I still have an early 1970's Montgomery Wards (Gilson) buried out in the garage.
That thing is a Tank!
I just rebuild one for my neighbor, he put 500 in to it, he said he rather fixed than buy a new one
I had a little tiny gilson that my grandpa originally had. Once you got it going, it was great, but when it was cold, I used to warm up the cylinder head and the carb with a heat gun before starting it - it'd start with a couple of pulls after warming up the head and the carb, but if it was cold, you'd be pullin and pullin and pullin
@@troy3052 I think he's a smart man.
They were solid machines, and unique to operate, but their impellers were undersized and weak. You will be hard pressed to find one that isn't bent from use, in my experience. I even knew a guy who had to get their impeller replaced because one of the blades broke off.
I live in the Northeast and we get our share of snow. I have a 1999 Yardman 10.5 HP that is a workhorse, and I have never had (even in wet slush type snow) it clog, it has the power that if it looks like it will clog, I just keep it going and it pushes it out.
I have paths all around my house and to my bird feeders, and I also do my son's paths and driveway. I have only replaced the rubber disc driving pad once, and the driving belt.
The only negative comment I have is that first gear is too fast when there is a lot of snow, 12" or more, the speed is too much for the amount of snow the auger is trying to blow.
All said and done, it has been a great machine for the past 25 years and still going strong.
I have a 521 Troybilt that I bought brand new in the box in 1994. Those old Tecumseh engines are bullet proof. I have never had a problem with it starting on the second pull. The only thing that I have replaced in all that time. Is the cutting edge, runners, and auger belt. It might be small but it's mighty and perfect for going between cars.
Those Tecumseh won't die. Bought an early 90's Craftsman 25" with the 8hp Tecumseh a decade ago. Got it started but needed work. Think a contractor dropped it off their truck. Later installed new belts, scraper, bushings and an axle bearing but it still didn't keep it from tossing snow as high as the second floor roof while clearing that first good snowfall.
great video, love the channel Taryl---had a 1978 Toro 7 HP 2 stage I bought from an elderly neighbour, exc. condition, but stalled repetitively, had to adjust the power valve on the bottom of float bowl when it was working, throwing snow.....worked perfectly after that---here in Canada above Montana border, lots of snow...used a deicer bottle with top cut off to defeat safety handle for the auger , slipped it over the end of the handlebar.. some years later at my railway job we acquired the same vintage, Toro 11 HP version of the same machine, extremely powerful 32 inch ---so heavy a machine it was equipped with controls on each side to disengage the tractor drive for either wheel, just so you could turn the machine. I remember thinking at the time it could eat a small car. Great in a straight line, great if no ice or packed snow underneath,,when it started hopping around, you had to be physically capable, but it was very tiring. Present days have John Deere 1330 and John Deere garden tractors with blades, snow blowers and snow brooms. Taryls video demonstrates the rough ground underneath the drift, and having to pull back,and tipping back with the machine when the conditions dictated
My neighbor has an old Toro snowblower from 1974 that’s been sitting for at least 25 years. He knows I work on mowers and stuff so he asked if I could get it running for him. “It should start right up, it ran when I parked it” he says. It’s got an old Tecumseh with points, a dry rotted drive disc, mummified chains and most of the parts are obsolete plus I’m sure he left gas in it all those years ago. I’m trying to convince him to just keep the plow service since we almost never get snow anymore…plus he’s in his 80s!
I love my John Deere 1130SE. I can blow snow from my driveway to the other side of my yard. It’s great in heavy snow too and doesn’t plug up the shoot like smaller machines. For lighter snow and sidewalks I use my Toro S200 or old Lawn Boy (made by Gilson). On the S200, the best improvement I made it was to replace the original diaphragm carb with a more modern Tecumseh float style from a newer machine. That gave it more power so it doesn’t stall out as easily.
I grew up with my Father having that Craftsman with a windshield! It was a true beast, woke up the neighbors when he fired it up. Unfortunately, in the early 90s the drive system stopped working, which is common with those machines and my dad couldn't repair it. I stored it outside without a spark plug and ruined the engine so I junked it in 04. Someone near Taryl have a MotoMower Snow Shark from the 60s or an old Bob-Cat from the 70s to bring to him. I have both and those machines are great. Both would make great videos. Love the channel and have learned so much from watching it. Snowblower prices have plummeted in the Northeast due to lack of snow over the past 2 years. We need some Snow!
I am just about to watch the video.. but I will preemptively state the Wisconsin Marine "Bobcat's" were the best snow-"throwers" ever made. The older models use a strange belt, which is available, but has led to a lot of frustration among owners (now) as it's obscure. That said, the machine's auger is made of 1/4 inch thick welded and galvanized plate; its thrower stage is just insane, and it uses proper slip clutches with no shear pins. I have an older 60s one and one from the early eighties with a 5 speed transmission and no oddball belt. As far as I'm concerned, this later model is what one would build for a walk behind snow blower if price were no object. I live in New England and this destroys the snow.. plus, it has worked reliably since purchased new in the early eighties.
Taryl that last snowblower needs wheeley bars to keep it from flipping over and yes it's a beast.
The monster snow blow reminds me of skiing 30 years ago. These were the top machines. The beast needs to be turned into another killer machine video. I want to see slippers get blown through it 😂
Gravely Snow Cannon...( Dog catcher ).
Honda with tracks ..
Here on Atlanta coast our snow is wet sticky clogs chute then refreezes into ice chunks jamming chute and auger and breaks shear pins .
That old Craftsman kicks azzz
Excellent channel Thank you 👍
Currently have a Honda with tracks but unless you blow a lot of hills, I like the wheel models way more. Plus they go faster. I've never heard of gravely, but I've never seen anything beat a Honda and I've always had one.
Dog eater.
@@GeorgeJefferson-h7w Rw Dog on TH-cam has a bunch of Gravely blowers mowers and plows.
They were an American made two and four wheel tractor with many power heads.
Way before BCS and the European two wheel multi machines.
Earthtools on TH-cam has all the BCS.
Snow white. Snow bright, make some snow cones 2 knights😅
I have a real Gilson (model 55134) purchased new sometime in the 1970's. It has the 8 HP Briggs engine that has never failed to start with just 2 or 3 pulls. Gilson made snowblowers for many chain stores back in the 70's. I still have all the original manuals and paperwork that came with it when I purchased it new.
I have a 1976 824 Gilson that I bought new and It'll toss snow out into the Street where Taryl was playing.
Siliconed every year. and throw to the right yields the best results...
@8:14 Taryl chose violence. That MTD is pretty impressive, but the bigger Toro was truly a beast.
I have same 2 stage Toro 521. I decided to swamp out the old engine where the Predator 212 engine just to get a slight horsepower boost. Unfortunately we haven't had much snow since I did that so I'm still itching to see what it do. What I've noticed about the Toro 521 is this not as much of a gap between the impeller blades and the housing as there are on other manufacturers models.
i’m going to buy a Toro snow commander if it’s good enough for Taryl then it’s good enough for me!
You need to do the impeller mod where you add a piece of rubber to the inner impeller, and the older two-stage machines will never clog and will throw snow a lot further. If you are impressed with old Toro snowblowers, you should find a Toro Power shift. You can move the wheels further back. It really digs in. Its probably the most impressive snowblower that I have used.
Just blew the rear end on my 58 Snowbird, maybe if I had added some rearend grease once maybe 20 years ago, it was dry as a bone.
All ya need is an ac/dc song and you got maximum overdrive! Awesome video!! Thanks!
Being from "Down Under", I know about snow blowers, I never seen a home snow blower in action until this video...I was betting on the 60's SB (a Wombat machine...eats roots & leaves)...Despite the lack of safety features, the overall design is just better & built to last...Today, it is about light-weighting, cost & disposable turnover...that is what saddens me in this "so called age of being environmental"
My final thoughts, I detest mowing lawns, but snow blowing...even worse...I will gladly mow lawns!!!
Bloody brilliant video...thanks Taryl.
I got a nice Craftsman 8hp years ago. It was a deal on sale. I hesitated because of the plastic chute. Thought, they can make plastic way better than I remember as a kid. First day I used it, within 30 feet it picked up a chunk of ice shattering the chute top. Heated a nail with a propane torceh and stiched with zip ties. They sent me another plastic chute saying they aren't meant to throw rocks. I thought, "Oh like the ones in the icy embankment the plow just filled the end of the driveway with. Guess I ought to shovel that." Taking the chute off it was cracked at one of the mounting screws. Before putting the new one on I addded a sheet metal ring at the botton bit by bit with rivets and JB weld, coated all with 6 layers of West marine epoxy and glass cloth, then a JB weld finish coat, painted it with old metal primer and then Kroylon black. It has been bullet proof. I've been shocked to see high end ones from Huskywana with plastic shrouding the high speed impeller and most all with plastic chutes. Looking in the impeller housing of my 20 old? The metal looks scoured. The thing has no fuel shut off so at the end of the season I siphon all the fuel out as I run it out of fuel. Guess the engineers don't get that Eskimos have about 28 adjs. for different types of snow. All the fancy chute directing stuff is stupid. The cranks work, manually adjusting angles not that hard. Should have bought an Ariens Like my dad got in 1967 i thought but my modified machine is fine now. I feel sorry for people who have no tools, ability or place to work who suck for the latest gretest useless money pit disapointment. Broke day one.
That was a very cool video years ago I found a 1966 ariens 6hp 24” which I rebuilt and painted and it’s a very good snow blower I think the quality is way better than the new stuff out today, I still have it if I need it but we haven’t gotten really any snow in Ohio this year too really use it but it’s an awesome machine thanks for the video
So cool! Fun to watch Taryl play in the snow! 😂 great work grass rats!
I've got a '96 MTD 5hp Tecumseh 24" width. This little monster just amazes me. In the upper mitt of Michigan we get dumped on and this little guy has handled it all. It does have limitations and sometimes I have to take a half swath in real deep or heavy snow (sometimes I wish I had an 8hp) but it gets it done. I've replaced the rubber drive tire once, and the belts once and put on new snow hog tires because the originals just rotted out.
Early Ariens Snowblowers are notoriously great machines also.. I have my grandfather's early 60's Ariens 10ml40 which is early 60's Ariens originally 4hp Tecumich. It's been repowered by a 5hp briggs. It's got alot of use on it worn out bushings and bearings but keeps going. The build quality on the older machines is second to none but the safety oftentimes was an afterthought
My 85 Snow Wolf Yardman[mtd] when they still made heavy units. 10hp Tecumes 33in. It has lawnmower tires but have never had to lock the axle or use chains. It will take snow up to the top of the entrance and blow it 40 or so ft. and slush is no problem. It does have the rubber mods on all 4 points of the impellor. There was one more Snow Wolf that had the drift breaker like Taryls Craftsman, but I don't see the need for it. Don't get the snow in the Bronson/Coldwater MI but when we do-NO problems.
Taryl I think you should get that old Roper working 100% in every way possible and set it aside for when you get a really bad storm. It may have a few issues, but it definitely is a serious workhorse. I think if you put some kind of spring loaded throttle control (like a motorcycle throttle) on it, that would fix the runaway issue. However, it does have potential for being an RC or autonomous machine too. 😁
I am still running my old 1980s Craftsman 5 HP Snow Blower. The only thing I have done to it was replace the belts and rebuilt the carb and replaced the fuel line at the same time a few years ago. Great video Taryl!
We need more videos on different types of old equipment. You are awesome Taryl 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 and your boys too great job of entertaining and teaching
In 1988 we moved to the Catskills and inherited a Ariens snowblower.
It had a 8 HP engine, make I do not remember. It was a beast and took on any snow.
It was a maintenance nightmare. Very heavy.
I see in this video that most of the machines seem rear heavy..
The weight should be more towards the front to keep the augers down.
Or in the middle.
I have a Honda 28" track machine now and it clears even the wettest of snow.
As always, Taryl, thanks for making me laugh this morning.
You guys are the best !!!!
Nice video good info
Watching that big ol' Craftsman take off by it's self, all I could think about was CHRISTINE...
I have a 2019 Briggs & Stratton branded blower (1024) and I love it because it's all metal, including the chute. The 208c Briggs engine is quiet, has great power, and is very reliable...starts every season on the first pull. I maintain a 375' gravel driveway and a 1/4 acre gravel parking area with it. I go through a lot of shear pins, lol. I used to have a small 2-stroke single stage blower I used for little shit and it was an incredible little machine. I think it was a Toro, but it may have been a Snapper. It was old, lol, probably late 70's.
I don't think the Beast is totally unsafe because at least it does have a headlight LOL😂
Got me a used Toro 421 QE off eBay. Tried for first time a few weeks ago. Worked great except the chute was broken at the mounts,but was still able to move snow impressively. I think the heat in my plastic shed along with storing something on top messed up the chute. I have since ordered and replaced the broken part and is ready at a moments notice. No real snow is in our future here on Long Island, NY. Other parts of the country are taking a real beating.😮
man you made my old ass feel older. i remember monkey wards magazine's
When Montgomery Wards was closing out their catalog, I bought a Tall size Motorcycle Jacket with a zip off fur collar for $40. Was imported, but not from Communist Chyna.
The music stopping everytime the Toro S-620 stops is so hilarious to me 😂😂
I have a Toro power shift have you ever seen or worked on one of those before?
Not sure of the year I believe it’s the 90s.😊
Oh sure keeping the best one for yourself. 😂 I had a new snowblower once, used it one day and traded it for a Husqvarna chainsaw. Best trade of my life. My favorite is the "killer tiller's" cousin.
I had a Craftsman, likely a bit newer than the Wards machine. 5/24 with a Tecumseh. I souped up the engine a hair by increasing the jet and opening the mufkin. It ran like a beast. The low drive gear was a little tall and the auger pulley could've been a touch smaller for a bit more RPM, but it rarely clogged. It had WHEELS instead of Skis on the auger head which would cut through hard pack down to concrete. I loved that about this machine. Smoked the auger drive and can't get the thing apart to fix it. Bought a new Yardmax 724 and it clogs up more than it works. POS. Got a 5/24 John Deere, likely from the 80's. Tecumseh power, pulls on the first try every time. The gearing for the auger and wheel drive are perfect and it has big pneumatic tires. I'll pull the skis off the auger head and install steel wheels and have a treat of a snowblower.
Good to see so many old and new snowblower. The yellow one really want to work right away.
I'm 62. I think snowblowers are awesome. I'd like to have that old Gilson.
No Ariens Snowblowers ?
He had a ariens that was the first one that he used.
@@stevehahn9152 No, that was a troy built by MTD
Most of these are in the 5hp area other than that Toro S-200. As far as a review, I've reviewed mine every year for nearly 40 years, and I wouldn't trade my 1984 Ariens ST824 for the lot of them. Back when they made them out of real steel. Thick, not thin, and no plastic.
HI TARYL 👋
I HAD A TORO S-210 PADDEL
TYPE BLOWER IN 1979.
I HAD THAT S210 FOR YEARS.
WAS NOT GOOD IN THE
HEAVY SNOW BUT WORKED
GREAT ON THE POWDER
SNOW.
I had a near mint condition. Simplicity snowblower from the early 60's. It was an absolute beast and built like a tank. The downside was the lack of safety features. I also have a new Toro single stage with a curved impeller. It does a great job on light to medium snow.
Like the side by side however wasn’t ideal conditions as the snow was not uniform across the demonstration. Snowblowers i find tend to throw reduced distances when the snow is very low in height, throw further when higher height of snow. Regardless if you wish to throw further easiest solution is to put on an IMPELLER MOD KIT, basically a few rubber inserts to take up the space between the impeller and the housing….allows you to throw further distances and prevents clogging. I have an MTD albeit a slightly younger version (circa 2003, 10HP, 30”) that is a real beast of a machine, throws 25 feet on average. This year i put on an impeller kit to see what extra distance i will get, at 25 feet i do not need more however seeing it is inexpensive figured give it a try. Waiting for a good dusting to test, but this season has been dreadful in that we haven’t gotten any white powder ARGH!. Cheers.
For distance You need to throwing to the right. That is the Rotation of the Impeller and the effect it has on the Snow..
I have a 1976 824 Gilson that I bought new and It'll toss snow out into the Street where Taryl was playing.
Siliconed every year. and throw to the right yields the best results...
@@m9ovich785 Would need to think about that as you are correct in that the impeller does rotate to the right, however comes off the impeller blade at an aligned angle to the chute and travels up and disperses the chute. I don’t think it would make much of a difference, or at most a negligible difference. Even Taryl blew the snow quite a bit off the left side of the blower, and manufacturers have designed the machines to blow off both sides as the chutes all rotate both ways. At 20-25 foot throwing distance it wouldn’t make a noticeable difference in my case, and with an impeller kit installed i am likely going to achieve a 30-35 foot throw next time out. I only modded with the impeller kit as it is inexpensive and many people rave about it, in my circumstance i don’t need at all as it will only force me to toggle the discharge chute at a lower angle as it already throws enough distance so any more will require dampening down.
My grandfather had a 1965 Ariens 6hp at the NH cottage. Was still using it to clear the property into the 1990's. Sold it to a family member. He's passed it onto his son. Still runs fine and throws snow like anything.
My machine is a 2000 model Ariens 10hp. Snow King engine and 6-blade impeller. Still works great. Doesn't throw as far as the tractor blower, but that 7' wide beast is on a 60hp farm tractor. Throws snow at least 80ft when it's dry. Heavy wet stuff only goes about 15-20 ft. (^_^)
I love watching your channel Taryl. Your knowledge and humor are top notch in my opinion! I'd keep that 'Crapsman' too as it's a very unique piece and made like a tank - I like that chain drive drift buster. Never saw anything like that. I like vintage stuff and still have my Wheel Horse 1054 w/ matching 4 wheel cart. Need to rebuild the HY-1 hydraulic pump so I can use my mower deck again; since it needs hydraulics to raise and lower the deck. Anyway, back to snow blowers ... I've got a Toro '726' Snowblower Model 31763 built in 1973 and believe it was actually a Snow Thrower (no 2nd stage impeller). The engine unfortunately has some bad scores in the cylinder wall so it really smokes - it likes Marlboro. I got it for free so can't complain. It had about 1/2 pint of dinosaur sludge in the crack case I was able to drain out and was surprised it hadn't seized. I'm going to have to get the block machined, but was advised to ensure I could still get parts like the oversize rings, piston, etc. Hopefully I can, as I really would like to rebuild it and make it better than it was; it could become the 'Six Million Dollar Man ... no I mean Snow Thrower' Any advice is greatly appreciated. Keep crank'n out those great videos!
I have a 1878 Toro S200, the predecessor to that Toro S620 you have.
Fresh paddles seem to make it throw snow farther, in fact, I just found a new set of paddles and scraper off Amazon that I installed the other day onto it.
I actually started off with two of those Toro snow throwers, one had a worn out engine and severely plugged carburetor, but had a electric start, the other had a broken engine mount and cracked fuel tank so I combined the best of both units and now have a nice S200 with a healthier but older engine, functioning electric starter, rebuilt carburetor and now fresh paddles ands scraper!
It runs like new but still need to replace the original drive belt as it’s severely cracked but hasn’t broke yet. Lol
The guys who designed the S200 should be in the Toro Hall of Fame. Great for lighter snow, easy to transport. Smaller bites and you can still clear some deep snow.
I attached two side by side one time, had a lot of fun clearing sidewalks
@@coolflow5050 That is awesome!!
That old Craftsman reminds me of the movie Maximum Overdrive! Turn your back for a second, its going on a murderous rampage!
Pretty impressed with the old Toro really threw the snow 👍
That little Toro S-620 that kept stalling out, if i were you I'd check the air filter!
Hahahahahahaha!!!
I crack me up.
I know what is wrong with it. It ain't got no gas in it. LOL 😂🤣
Back in about 2004, I purchased an MTD 2 cycle single stage snow thrower (about 12" rotor bar through a single stage chute that got clogged often when the snow was wet). In Minnesota (where I lived at the time), it usually was able to do a good job of moving the huge amounts of light and fluffy snow they get in the middle of winter. However, that first and last snowfall(s) which were composed of wetter snow, it really had issues. When I came back to Iowa to take care of mom, I found out that the wet content of Iowa snow was often too much for this tiny snowblower. After about four years, I replaced it with a new Toro 721 "power clear" single stage snowblower that uses normal gas. It is sooo much better at handling snow and ice, it isn't funny. Yeah, there's huge mounds of ice caked snow that it won't move, but I never had trouble with removing the ice/snow berm left by the snowplow in front of the drive. I think I've had it for almost four winters now, so I will probably need to do some maintenance on it before next season.
I knew a guy who lost some fingers on one of those Gilsons. They have an open circuit electric safety that was added because operator IQ's have been dropping, but the problem is, well, it's an add-on item for one, but it also requires it to make contact to function, so if you have a bad connection, the blower will just keep running. This person plugged the blower, thought he disengaged auger, he released the safety, and because the machine did not shut off, he thought the machine was safe and didn't know the auger belt was slipping. So when he reached in to unclog the machine, he got bit.
Later Gilsons added a more fool proof mechanical safety, but because the machine was not designed for it, it resulted in a convoluted set of levers and triggers that made the machine more difficult to understand how to operate. It was safer, but have fun figuring out the levers, lol.
I have the Craftsman 21" , 2 cycle, snow blower. I call it the Grey Ghost. It comes out of the shed in November and goes back in the shed in March. I've only used it once this year and hope that was the last time. I had the Toro like yours that was a start and go. No safety's. It tried to kill me a couple times. I tore it apart and sold the engine. Scrapped the rest of it. Dangerous is not the word for it.
I have a cat crap orange Roto Hoe Bobcat snowblower. I wish I knew its age. It runs great and purrs in the summer, but hisses and scratches in the winter. :-) It is a huge, heavy piece of all steel equipment and when running well, it'll throw deep snow 35 or more feet away. It's electric start and pull start, belt driven auger but chain drive and is every bit as dangerous as your Craftsman. I love it but the carb pukes now when I start it (I need to learn how to fix that). I wish I could send a photo. It is cool.
Saw quite a few clutch and chain back in the day. Also many fingers were lost due to people clearing the chutes while the machine was still running. I had an Ariens 6HP with no safety devices and I would have a stick with me to unclog the chute. The safety features have been a big improvement as long as people don't defeat them.
The Toro S-620, from my point of view, is a special purpose machine for lower amounts of snow and lower levels of moisture contained in the snow. I've had one for 20 years, and it does great in 3 or 4 inches or less. I can clear my driveway and sidewalks with it in less than minutes. I have another snowblower for bigger amounts.
I own a 1992 MTD 26” two stage 8HP Tecumseh Snow King, still going strong through 32 Pennsylvania winters. It throws through feet of wet snow without an issue. Original belts, only ever had to change oil and keep gasoline in it! Great machine.
Taryl, would you mount one of those Horror freight 23 hp predator engines on one of those snowblower
Just to see how far it would throw the snow and see how difficult it would be retrofitting the bigger engine ?
I like the old dangerous one the best. I'm the guy that unhooks every safety feature on every thing I buy.
Just wrangled with a bull over the weekend. Biggest machine I’ve operated yet. The Toro 1132 with the breaks n scrap ‘‘em commercial unit from the 80s. It worked chucked snow better than a Honda. Then cleaned up with the a toro CCR 1000. Impressed with that one two. Both for sale fully mechanically restored thanks to what I learned herefrom Taryl. My normal machine is a cub.
Still using my 1980 Montgomery Wards/ Gilson Hardware 8 hp Briggs snow blower to this day.
Built like a tank. No amount of snow can stop this beast.
You must be a great mechanic to keep that machine in one piece
Taryl I bought 6 Toro Sno-Hound 20 inch circa 1969.I replaced the 3 HP that they came with , with the 6.5 HP Predator engine.They fit perfectly so I gifted them to my friends and neighbors.I only kept the one I have been using since 1969.Even with the 3 HP the machine has eaten over a foot of snow with little fanfare for over 50 years.
Snow crunch sounds good
I have that same Toro 521 and love it. I did a full valve job a couple years ago and a new coil and it runs like new. Love the video!
Lol. Love it! I used to have the same exact same old dinosaur snowblower ! And it was a beast!
Taryl when you sense that the blower is loading up, pick up on the handles so the wheels are off the ground a little, otherwise you're moving too fast. AND, don't let the front climb up; then you're yanking the machine back and forth like an amateur. You can't talk about the best without Simplicity!! Then when you really want to hit the power lines you use a Bob-Cat from the 60's. Speaking from experience.😎
i have a 20 yr old Ariens and it is a beast....works flawlessly and takes on any snow...I also have a 28 inch EGO battery operated one and it is also a beast BUT it doesn't like the deep heavy wet snow like my Ariens....there are some nice extras on the EGO like power chute/joystick controller but overall, the Ariens kicks some major snow butt....I will still keep my Ariens until I die but the newer stuff is slowly taking over
I had an Ariens 824 that I loved. Unfortunately, the engine threw a rod, and I needed a replacement blower asap. I went with a Cub Cadet 3 stage. It has a lot of nice features, but the Ariens had more front-end weight and would clean even packed down snow easily.
That's the most fun i've had all week
I had a Toro S620 for many years. It was not the equal of the BIG machines - but, it wasn’t built with that idea in mind. For its size and engine power, I thought it did a very good job. I had it long enough that the handle broke, and I had to weld it back together. I used to call it “My Tasmanian snow-devil.” If you were patient, and kept its limitations in mind while you were using it, it would do a very good job.
Have a 521 Toro just a bit older then the one shown. Rebuilt the drive mechanism 12 years ago, the auger gear broke. Has run well since,but last year when i was servicing it, the Gas Cap broke, before putting it away.
Now I have the red cap. I hope it did not shed any parts that held the bottom part on. I looked did not see anything. 😊
Any snowblower beats a shovel ! Just be careful of coiled up garden hoses and extension cords you left laying , I heard they are a bastard to get out of the auger. 🥴 😂
Sage advice!
And Chicago Tribunes!
@@rbarr775 Everybody has eaten a newspaper.They probably throw them out on purpose before a snow,at least they did in my hood.
I got a 1985 simplicity 860, it is a beast, my grandfather bought it new, never any problems, replaced auger bearings that's it.
I had a 5 horse Gilson that I bought in 1978 and used it a lot in Wisconsin. In 2005 we moved to southern Missouri were we didn't get enough snow to bother with. But your right that is a good blower.
I've lived in the Wausau/Merrill area since 1974.
I have a 1976 824 Gilson that I bought new and It'll toss snow out into the Street where Taryl was playing.
Siliconed every year. and throw to the right yields the best results...
I had one of those old Craftsman snowblowers, but mine had a lever to tension the drive belt, so it wasn’t as dangerous as the clutch type. Man! That thing would plow through 3 feet of snow without any problems. I gave it to a friend, and sorta regretted it. Another friend gave me a Brute by Briggs and Stratton. It looks almost as good as my old Craftsman, but it doesn’t have the auger on top like my old one. But, it’s got an 8hp engine that starts right up, and electric start, if it’s giving me trouble. I just need to find the axle to hub piece that locks the right side wheel, cause it won’t go anywhere if only one wheel is spinning
52 and sunny in Detroit Michigan yesterday & today. I'm a 1990 model too! We work the hardest. I like my 90 snapper 4/22 with a 5hp swap from that 5hp toro you have. Same motor brandy new but the HS50 was date coded for 1988. Was sitting in storage in a crate here in Michigan. Got it for 40$ on marketplace. Which btw in Detroit is amazing. I got a machinist bridgeport brand vice for 10$. Sure it hops but it weighs 30lbs and has a flat surface.
LOVED the "Fall". Just need a safety pull lanyard on that beast.
@Taryl … did you ever do the inner auger trick?? Find an old set of heavy duty rock guards ..like the thick square ones on tractor trailers.. cut three pieces that come real close to the inside propeller.. install them with washers and self tapping screws.. it will throw the snow real far!! May break your neighbors window or car glass. Try it !!
Interesting comparison. It would be neat to also test a tracked version. I have a '99 Craftsman 9 hp 28" that has done everything I have asked it to. One advantage in addition to excellent traction, is being able to remove deep snow in layers. Once at my getaway property there was three to four feet of snow packed in drifts. With the flotation of the tracks I could make multiple passes and take off one to two feet at a time until it got down to the ground.
Also, that little Toro S220/620 snow thrower is best used in smaller areas, they’re excellent for using on decks, porches outdoor stairs and lighter snows in general, they’re probably the lightest weight machine out there. I frequently pick mine up by the middle handle and use it in a sweeping motion as shown in the video. Lol
My dad used to have a really old Toro Power Shovel. It was corded electric but man it could really throw the snow! I loved that thing! ❤
The paddle type works a lot better in virgin snow. I have an older lawn boy snow blower that's similar but not the same type of paddle configuration and it does really well on sidewalks that haven't been walked on and hasn't been shoveled or but if the snow plow comes through and throws snow onto the sidewalk it doesn't like the clumps. It will do it but it struggles the one good thing about it is it's light doesn't take much space in the in the shed and it's like I said it's light you can put it in the back of your car on the back seat and drive where you need it to go you don't even have to have a truck.
In the late 1990s, if I remember correctly, Toro almost went bankrupt making snow blowers one year. They had always made "X" number of snow blowers before that with no problem selling them every year. One year they made the usual "X" number of units and that winter was very low snowfall nationwide. Ooops! They got stuck with thousands of unsold blowers, and it almost sunk the company. Thereafter, they would only make the number of snow blowers that were firm, paid orders from customers. They managed to survive, but only just!
I have a 1969 Ariens 20" with a 5 hp Briggs and it's a beast. Like that old one of yours, you let go of the handle and she goes. I love it. I also have a snow blower attachment for my Simplicity 3310V which were both made in 1970.
We have a Bob-caT snow blower with an inline, forged-steel impeller from the '70s. Simplicity offered a similar design back then. It's great for wet, slushy snow. I'd love to see a comparo between that type and the more conventional design.
I've saftey'd up a few of those old craftsman's in the past. An Atv thumb throttle or motorcycle twist does a good job keeping the driver in control LOL