Hoping for a blizzard.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Tue Nov 17, 2020 11:29 pm

Because I really want put this new two stage snow blower to the test. I might invest in a single stage snow blower down the road. Maybe a battery powered one by Ego.

The old Deutz Allis has seen its share of winters from Minnesota to Illinois since 1987, but it's time to retire it. Keeping it running year after year gets costly with the constant maintenance. Plus parts are also harder to come by since Tecumseh went under in 2008.

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Wed Nov 18, 2020 6:00 am

My neighbor has a Toro battery electric single stage and its amazing, although the battery life is a little limiting in a bigger snow. It is plenty for his sidewalk and driveway, but he likes it so much he gets ambitious and tries to do ours too. If it is 3-4 inches of snow it does it all, but 6+ and he runs out eventually.

I think when our gas 2 stage starts to go out, I'll probably think about buying the whole Toro battery electric ecosystem. Mower, trimmer, snow blower, leaf blower. Get the whole kit and the batteries will get the regular exercise they need to stay healthy all year round instead of sitting for months at a time during the down seasons. (Lithium-ion batteries aren't as temperamental as other types, but they do degrade more rapidly at either high or low states of charge so managing them for storage is a pain.)

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Wed Nov 18, 2020 1:36 pm

Come to Canada where we measure snow in feet.

TheWhat · Post by **TheWhat** » Wed Nov 18, 2020 9:22 pm

keyboard check online
Bigger (steeper) than it looks, plus a carport, and a sidewalk to the door, and a deck. With a shovel. It’s tiresome sometimes but it’s a good workout. During the summer it’s a push reel mower. Ladies, it’s all muscle.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Thu Nov 19, 2020 11:09 pm

Just did its first oil change to after breaking the engine in, gotta love those metallic particles. Replaced the stock oil with Amsoil to help extend the life of this machine. Not sure of if this motor will last as long since the engine of the old days were built like tanks.

Krom wrote: ↑Wed Nov 18, 2020 6:00 am I think when our gas 2 stage starts to go out, I'll probably think about buying the whole Toro battery electric ecosystem. Mower, trimmer, snow blower, leaf blower. Get the whole kit and the batteries will get the regular exercise they need to stay healthy all year round instead of sitting for months at a time during the down seasons. (Lithium-ion batteries aren't as temperamental as other types, but they do degrade more rapidly at either high or low states of charge so managing them for storage is a pain.)

When it comes to a lawn mower and snow blower (2 stage), gas is still my preferred choice, everything else is going battery. I bought a Stihl battery string trimmer earlier this year and I love how light it is. Beats caring a 2 cycle around. My only complaint with this unit, it doesn't come with a hi or low motor setting. But that's my fault for not looking to other options at the time. Speaking of options. When I bought this snow blower, I wanted something very basic, no LED lights, heated hand grips, dual-trigger steering.

CDN_Merlin wrote: ↑Wed Nov 18, 2020 1:36 pm Come to Canada where we measure snow in feet.

I'm one of the few people that actually likes the snow. Sometime during the winter months I'll purposely drive down the unplowed back roads just for the fun of it.

TheWhat wrote: ↑Wed Nov 18, 2020 9:22 pm Bigger (steeper) than it looks, plus a carport, and a sidewalk to the door, and a deck. With a shovel. It’s tiresome sometimes but it’s a good workout. During the summer it’s a push reel mower. Ladies, it’s all muscle.

Shoveling the snow at the end of the driveway after the snow plow comes around can be a real pain. The heavy wet snow will indeed give you a work out.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Fri Nov 20, 2020 9:39 am

Tiger, we get average 7-8ft of snow per season. Since I bought my 2017 Taurus SHO I'm loving driving in winter. This thing is a beast with it's AWD and 365HP.

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:17 am

Hmmm... I'm waiting to see how well these OEM all-season tires handle on the Tesla once we get a big snow, I'll definitely be cautious because its quite a bit heavier than any previous sedan I have driven and can lay down 480+ HP. I'm not so much concerned about getting stuck because it is AWD, I'm mostly concerned about making sure it stops in time. If I feel it slipping while accelerating or decelerating I might start budgeting up for a set of dedicated winter tires+wheels to get the most grip I can for the increased mass.

I've logged plenty of winters in a RWD pickup truck with open differentials, all season tires, and only the most basic anti-lock brakes for traction control so I'm sure I'll be fine. Bigger problem will be how about half the people on the road forget how to drive in winter conditions over the summer leading to a ton of accidents the first time it snows every fall.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Fri Nov 20, 2020 3:53 pm

Yeah, I still lots with no winter tires here. It's a must for me in my city. We gets enough snow that All Seasons just don't cut it.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:08 pm

The ability to stop in time is one of the main reasons why I have winter tires. Even thought my vehicle is 4WD, just having them makes driving so much better. The set I have now are Bridgestone Blizzaks and they are a little more costly over my old Firestone Winterforce. But well worth it, they outperform the Winterforce in all areas.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Sat Nov 21, 2020 10:20 am

I had to get BF Goodrich due to the size and rating of my car. They are great though.

Top Gun · Post by **Top Gun** » Tue Dec 01, 2020 9:07 pm

You realize that because you bought it you won't see a flake of snow this winter, right?

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:15 pm

Shh... Don't say that. Just had my winter tires put back on today.

Alter-Fox · Post by **Alter-Fox** » Mon Dec 07, 2020 7:22 pm

Yeeeeeeaaaaaah snow-free December is kinda an alien thing.
Just as much as a snow-free February, March or April.

Just not something that happens where I'm from, ya know? XD

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Tue Dec 08, 2020 7:34 am

We had snow, but it's all melted now. It's cold but anytime there is precipitation, it warms up.

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:42 am

Not quite a blizzard, but its something:

TheWhat · Post by **TheWhat** » Wed Dec 23, 2020 3:01 pm

Merry Frickin' Christmas.

free picture upload

The BlowUpDolls are being battered by 25 mph winds - the snow is sideways. People coming by tomorrow so I'll have to go out again a few more times - it should be about 5 degrees F in the morning.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:49 pm

The Chicago land did get 4 inches which is better than nothing. While people were out there shoveling their driveway by hand. I come out with this black behemoth, and I'm like all done. I felt kind of silly, but I wanted to give this machine a go.

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:59 pm

Should have brought it up to my town in Southern Wisconsin, we got about 10 inches.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 3:17 pm

We still have nothing here.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:03 pm

Krom wrote: ↑Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:59 pm Should have brought it up to my town in Southern Wisconsin, we got about 10 inches.

Sure! If you're paying for the trip.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Sun Jan 31, 2021 12:01 am

The Chicago land area is expected to get around 6 to 10 inches. Starting to feel like winter.

Nosferatu · Post by **Nosferatu** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 10:12 am

The same storm is about to hit me here in upstate NY.
They are predicting 8 to 16 inches.
Fortunately with COVID I have been working from home.
And I have a fairly well stocked pantry so I don't have to go out.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 11:53 am

I guess this is the storm I'll get this week but only 1-3cm. Sadly my job doesn't allow working from home due to physical limitations and security.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:16 pm

After looking a Ego, Husqvarna, Toro, and Honda. I might be going with the Ariens single stage snow blower for next season. Now I need to buy a new snow shovel. All the old ★■◆● is just breaking one after another.

https://www.ariens.com/en-us/power-equi ... ssional-21

Tunnelcat · Post by **Tunnelcat** » Fri Feb 19, 2021 1:04 pm

Don't get a Toro.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/19/us/toro- ... index.html

Sedwick · Post by **Sedwick** » Wed Feb 24, 2021 9:50 am

"The firm has received five reports of incidents related to auger failing to disengage when the control lever is release," Toro wrote. "No injuries have been reported."
...
You want to look for the model number 37802. Affected serial numbers can be found on the Toro website.
On its website, Toro says you should immediately stop using the device and contact an authorized dealer for a free repair.

dissent · Post by **dissent** » Wed Feb 24, 2021 9:21 pm

Yeah, I'm in the market for a snowblower; looking to end of season sales. The drifts we got with one of the February storms were a lot of work with a shovel. I ain't gettin' any younger.
I wanna be prepared for next year.

Isaac · Post by **Isaac** » Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:54 pm

As someone who hasn't seen snow in 20 years, I don't know how you guys manage. I'd die.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Thu May 20, 2021 7:42 pm

Krom wrote: ↑Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:17 am Hmmm... I'm waiting to see how well these OEM all-season tires handle on the Tesla once we get a big snow, I'll definitely be cautious because its quite a bit heavier than any previous sedan I have driven and can lay down 480+ HP. I'm not so much concerned about getting stuck because it is AWD, I'm mostly concerned about making sure it stops in time. If I feel it slipping while accelerating or decelerating I might start budgeting up for a set of dedicated winter tires+wheels to get the most grip I can for the increased mass.

I've logged plenty of winters in a RWD pickup truck with open differentials, all season tires, and only the most basic anti-lock brakes for traction control so I'm sure I'll be fine. Bigger problem will be how about half the people on the road forget how to drive in winter conditions over the summer leading to a ton of accidents the first time it snows every fall.

I'm hearing a lot of positive reviews about the Michelin CrossClimate 2 All Weather tire. This might interest you.

https://www.michelinman.com/auto/tires/ ... ssclimate2

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Fri May 21, 2021 3:23 pm

Well now that winter is done I can report that the stock all season tires were...adequate. I didn't have any real trouble with the all seasons unless I deliberately went looking for it, the AWD system was able to send torque to the wheels that would move the car in basically everything I tried. But there were a few times I could feel the mass of the vehicle winning out over the traction on slopes and some intersections where an actual snow tire would have grabbed better. I am tentatively planning to buy a dedicated set of full blown winter/snow tires and wheels sometime in late summer or early fall (Probably a Michelin X-Ice variant on Fast Wheels EV01+).

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Fri May 21, 2021 10:08 pm

Almost went with the X-Ice five years ago, but Firestone at the had a great promotion on the Blizzak at the time. This coming winter I'm going with Nokian Hakkapeliitta.

Tunnelcat · Post by **Tunnelcat** » Tue Jun 29, 2021 4:10 pm

Holy Crap! I'd settle for even a partial blizzard right about now. We had 110 here in Corvallis, OR on Saturday and we only got down to 90 degrees by Sunday morning. I mean I looked out at the thermometer at 9:30 Saturday night and it was still 100. Temps shot up to 104 on Sunday before the Wind Gods took pity on us and brought up the west winds from the coast. It went from 104 to 81 in less than an hour. Portland, OR had 110 and 116 this weekend respectively. They didn't get the west winds either and roasted all of Sunday. All these high temps are all time records too! Summer ain't looking to pleasant this year in the PNW.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Fri Aug 06, 2021 9:14 pm

Kind of ready for fall now.

Tunnelcat · Post by **Tunnelcat** » Wed Aug 11, 2021 11:02 am

No kidding. We're going through 3 consecutive days of over 100F for the next 3 days. The mountain forests are burning from one end of the state to the other and it won't be long before the Willamette Valley starts to burn.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 10:36 am

The deal breaker is the damn humidity. We had one week the humidity was so bad most people stayed inside.

Alter-Fox · Post by **Alter-Fox** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:03 pm

With the endless heat and smoke this summer, I want snow sooooo badly...

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 5:08 pm

I still hate winter, but a summer/fall without all the fires would sure be extra nice.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:21 pm

While I absolutely love the winter season. I like having all 4 seasons to balance out the year.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:50 am

Well, when this thread was started, I owned a Taurus SHO. I've since (2 weeks ago) ordered a 2022 Santa Fe Luxury Hybrid. Time to start saving money as the SHO is costing way to much in gas. I will miss her. It's such a nice car.

Tunnelcat · Post by **Tunnelcat** » Thu Aug 19, 2021 1:59 pm

FINALLY! Temps below 90F. Last year, we got smothered in smoke. This year, the whole country east of the West is smothering in our smoke while we're mostly smoke free. We're getting most of our fires contained at the moment, but in Northern Cal, it's horrible. Whole towns are vanishing in the flames. I sincerely hope September this year isn't like the one we had last year, hot with high gusty winds. That's when the worst fires started up in OR. My sister in AZ is getting so much rain from the monsoons that the desert is a crazy wet mud hole with tons of bugs all coming out at once. I told her to send of that up water here to Oregon, but she can keep the bugs.

Alter-Fox wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:03 pm With the endless heat and smoke this summer, I want snow sooooo badly...

If climate change has any say about it, the blizzards will be worse and come next winter, you'll be cursing the snow all over again.