on todays episode of "they dont make them like that anymore"...

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diymirage

diymirage

HP@idle > hondaHP@redline
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my MTD snowthrower

(little background story)

a few years ago a coworker of mine gave me an old snowthrower
it had been sitting out in the weather for years, and had not ran since he owned it

it took me about 30 minutes with a can of carbcleaner and a fresh plug to get that puppy going again

I used it for a season and then it broke a valve retainer
(at that time it was 28 years old)
so I slapped in a new one and ran it for another few seasons
last year if finally gave in, snapped a connection rod and that was all she wrote


so I went on the local C/L and bought a 5 year old crapsman some metric measurement dual stage snow thrower
worst
piece
of junk
ever
...
ever

(little side note, if your out looking for a snowthrower and you see one with a pike to clear out the chute, know this: some engineer figured out it was a whole lot cheaper to include a pike to clean out the chute, then it was to build a snowthrower that has the testicular fortitude to throw snow OUT of the chute)

I was so unimpressed that I gave it away, for free

so back on the list I went and I found another MTD 8-26, just like my old one, but slightly newer, this one came with an electric start
not that I ever needed it


enter today
I finally had to fire the old girl up again
so I topped of the tank with fresh fuel (and if you think that means I added half a gallon of whatever I could find that smelled like to gas to the 2 quarts of something that didn't quite smell like gas anymore that was already in the tank...you would be correct)

turned to choke all the way up
opened the throttle
pressed the primer bulb until I felt pressure
and pulled the cord

at about 2/3rds length of my FIRST pull there is a roar and she is up and running
so I get started, and consider this
it snowed yesterday, 2 maybe 3 inches
today, it thawed
that means were not talking fluffy bunny like stuff here
this is the kind of snow that reminds you of 7/11 slushies

and it cut through there like an M-code dart through a field of imports

they just don't make them like that anymore


1451425179_zpsvzvw74rs.jpg



(nevermind the duster, as soon as the weather clears I'm driving it over to my buddies polebarn to put her away for the winter)
 
snowblower - blah - snowblower - blah - snowblower - blah - snowblower - blah - whoa... NICE DUSTER!!!! :D .. did you say something about a snowblower...?
 
Seeing your Duster covered in snow brings a tear to my eye.
 
I,ve got an old like 83 mtd snowblower that starts and runs like a champ. Best buy next to mopars.☺
 
Ariens used to be THE blower, but I've heard even they are diminished, as in, chineseoated.

I just sold "my mistake", also a Searias Crapsman. I now have a bout a 28" old beater Ariens I bought used, 8hp. "On paper" the two machines should have been equals, in fact the Crapsman had 1 more hp.

The Ariens LITERALLY runs circles around the Crapsman. It's main problem is blower and chute design, something that cannot be fixed. The chute on the Ariens is HUGE compared to the POS

This is the crapman, it's finally gone. I took a bath on it, paid about 600, used it little, sold it for 350
 

Attachments

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One thing I have over a lot of people out there is my neighbor, Big Al!! That guys knows about everything there is to know, and one of his specialties is small engine machinery!! His lawn is impeccable, and his lawn care equipment average age is probably 25 years old! His method is simple.....take care of regular maintenance, no matter the item! His machines don't look brand new, but they look darn good, and it's whats under the hood that matters!!

The beauty of those old machines is they are cheap to buy used, our local pick/pull has a huge tractor section, and the damn things run forever!! Why buy new just to get the cup holder, when you can buy good old iron horses and a beer hat!!!
 
scooby67 said:
Seeing your Duster covered in snow brings a tear to my eye.
Click to expand...

no kidding
last year it spend the winter outside, under a tarp
this year it will go in my buddies pole barn
the weather just has been so nice, ive actually been driving it :D
 
did it come with the pike to clean out the chute? :poke:


i do think a lot of them are made by MTD and sold as different brands
if i remember correctly, the bagger on my Huskee (TSC brand) lawnmower is the same part number as a craftsman, and a few others

my main grieve wasn't even with the brand, it was with the thing itself
the MTD was made in the USA back when that still meant something, the craftsman...who knows
it was no longer rated in HP, but in METRIC displacement
I'm starting to think that was a dead giveaway :banghead:
 
lets face it.... in general, our old machinery was built to last... there was pride in the co. to build a good product...
we now live in a throw away world of crap much of which comes from China because we were SOLD OUT!!! rant over.??????

why d o we love restoring out old cars/ why do people love restoring 75 yr old farm tractors?? built in quality that's why!
 
My sister gave me a MTD snow blower when she moved from Boston to AL 15 years ago.
That old girl has always started.
Have not used it for the last 2 years because of limited snow here, but I keep it running.
It sure beats shoveling when the snow gets accumulation.
 
Whats a snowblower? Just kidding, moved to San diego and will never leave! Keep your snow!!
 
just in case anyone is wondering (i know, you guys dont care)
she did the same thing today

hasnt run for 8 months, didnt even add fresh gas today, and fired up halfway through the first pull
 
diymirage said:
just in case anyone is wondering (i know, you guys dont care)
she did the same thing today

hasnt run for 8 months, didnt even add fresh gas today, and fired up halfway through the first pull
Click to expand...
snowblower - blah... did you get the wheel studs/brakes/wheels thing on the Duster figured out?
 
i dont even think i shut the gas of last year

:)

the really cool part is that i was loading up the trailer with my dirtbike and my 6 year olds 4 wheeler since were going riding this weekend
i had to move the snowthrower to get at the 4 wheeler so i figured, why not
 
ScampMike said:
snowblower - blah... did you get the wheel studs/brakes/wheels thing on the Duster figured out?
Click to expand...


lol, just about
i stopped by the shop on monday, and verified what everyone here was saying, the weights on the drum interfere with the back of the wheels
(it was doing it on both sides, but worse on the driver side)

they ordered 2 new drums and they came in last might
provided the new drums dont have weights on them, it should be done tonite
(then its just a matter of dividing up the bill)
 
Next year I want to see you sitting in the house looking out the front window and running that snow blower remotely. :D
We have a few houses in this area that have heated driveways if you can imagine that.
It snows and they just walk over and turn the heater on and a couple of hours later the snow is gone and the driveway is dry.
 
saw one with a blown hemi in it , it was a rider style unit . looked like it would make quick work out of your yard . might just have to do the whole block . it look like you'd have such a great time on it you would want to stop at just your yard , it looked like it would use a bit more fuel , lol .
 
TrailBeast said:
Next year I want to see you sitting in the house looking out the front window and running that snow blower remotely. :D
We have a few houses in this area that have heated driveways if you can imagine that.
It snows and they just walk over and turn the heater on and a couple of hours later the snow is gone and the driveway is dry.
Click to expand...

your not far off
my boy turns 7 on valentines day, so next year he'll be almost 8
plenty old enough to run a snowblower, while i keep a supevising out on from inside the house while sipping cocoa

and i hear you on the heated driveways
ive never seen it on private property BUT our entire downtown has that same system build into the sidewalks

Snowmelt || Downtown Holland Michigan

(slightly more info)
Snowmelt | City of Holland Michigan Official Website
 
diymirage said:
your not far off
my boy turns 7 on valentines day, so next year he'll be almost 8
plenty old enough to run a snowblower, while i keep a supevising out on from inside the house while sipping cocoa

and i hear you on the heated driveways
ive never seen it on private property BUT our entire downtown has that same system build into the sidewalks

Snowmelt || Downtown Holland Michigan

(slightly more info)
Snowmelt | City of Holland Michigan Official Website
Click to expand...

Shees, we don't even have sidewalks in most of our town. :D
 
I wish I had a reason to have one. Snowmobile would be awesome as well
 
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