Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Our 10 yo MTD has more problems then it is worth repairing, so we have been looking. We seem to have focused on the Ariens because they seem more rugged and better engineered. Plastic or metal chute doesn't mean much to me; but the metal seems thicker, pieces more rigid, controls more connected.

The 'Professional' models seem out of reach financially. That left the Deluxe and Deluxe Platinum.

The Platinum includes a bigger motor (342 vs 305 cc), a one lever chute direction/deflection control, heated hand grips, and the 'automatic' overruning clutch detroit locker like differential. It is $300 more and probably worth it.

However, last year Ariens build some of the Deluxe models with a 287cc Subaru engine. That engine is overhead cam instead of just overhead valve, has nearly double the gas tank size, and just looks better built. Unlike Briggs and Stratton, Subaru publishes full performance numbers. It looks like an impressive piece. It is basically the same price as the 2010 305cc model with identical features.

Now that is the choice. And it appears to be coming down to 342 B&S vs. 287 Subaru and is the 'automatic differential' any good.

I have my concerns about the differential. the overrunning clutch basically runs power the INSIDE wheel in a turn. On a race car it promotes understeer. On a snow blower it would mean you have to push the outside wheel on its larger radius. The Deluxe has a release on the left side only. In the store it seemed a little erratic; does it work ok in real life? It would mean the outside wheel would be powered on left turns, the inside on right. Is that better than the automatic differential?

The Platinum has hand warmers; are they useful or just a novelty?

And most importantly, how are the Subaru and Briggs and Straton motors? Is the Subaru better as it seems or is the difference very small?

Thanks,

David

The other option is to sign up on the home depot site for a new homeowner package. I did that first and they send a 10% discount coupon for in store purchases via email the same day. You can buy the 30"platinum in the store. The 24" is only available online thus the need to use the code that must have been corrected. Hope that helps. I hate paying what everyone else pays!

I just got an HD coupon code for Bath stuff in a HD email today.  It's slightly different than the one given but it seems to work.  I put an Ariens Platinum 24  ($1299) in my cart along with a bath fixture that was over $1000.  I then applied the code which deducted $100.  Then I removed the bath fixture from my order but the discount stayed.  Perhaps you should try your local coupon code from HD.  I'm sure it is a nation-wide promotion.  I would have bought the thing right there until I discovered that the 249cc motor on these may be aluminum bore units (no cast iron sleeve).  I'm waiting to find out if the "Ariens Polar Force" variants of this Briggs 1150 series engine have it or not.  I've heard that the Snow series are alum bore but the Snow series "Max" are C.I. sleeved.   Waiting for comfirmation.  Some say that it doesn't matter as the machine will wear out before the engine anyway, but I'd like to hear what others have to say about this whole situation.

Ariens doesn't use the 'Max', now called 'Professional' in any of there snowblowers. However, it probably doesn't make a difference.

slinger wrote:
Briggs no longer offers a cast iron cylinder liner on their snow engines, not even the "Professional Series". It's not really necessary.