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Thread: how do you deal with snow?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    how do you deal with snow?

    Shovel? Ugh.
    Snowblower?
    Plow?

    Just drive and hope it packs down?

    I've had a guy with a blower since I moved here. It was $500/season but I was never left snowed in. Then he retired.
    My neighbor took over, similar rate but not nearly as good.

    I've had a really old Eaton viking blower since moving here but it had a myriad of issues. So it sat. This year I decided NO MAS to $550 service and bought a used 8hp Craftsman like new, cost, $200. It ran like a champ when we got hit last week with 25+ CMs. Buffalo had 7 FEET in areas!

    Being curious and wanting to recou my$200 I tinkered with the old Viking. To my surprise the comp. was good, the starter spun fast, all the belts/chain and pulleys are good. It appears only the carb is shot, the float is likely gummed up never rising to seal the bowl when full. To my surprise Amazon has new 8hp Tecumseh carbs including line, clamps, primer, filter, gasket & control knobs for $26. Monday it arrives and Tuesday I should have a great running 8hp/26" beast of a blower running. Don't know which I'll keep. Both have advantages. The Viking has large tires and nice chains, also, all controls are on the bars. The Sears has engine controls on the engine and the shifter down low.

    Enough of my sperging. Tell me how you deal with the snow part of winter.


    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

    Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

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    Senior Member klroger's Avatar
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    Since I do small engine repair, I haven't used my snowblower (or lawnmower) for ever. I just road test other peoples I don't know how I would deal with 3 or 4 feet of sno... I think I would have to call in a favor from a Heavy Equipment owner...
    I didn't know what to do, so I didn't do anything

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2018 Mirage GT 1.2 automatic: 37.3 mpg (US) ... 15.9 km/L ... 6.3 L/100 km ... 44.8 mpg (Imp)


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  4. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Wallythacker View Post
    Shovel? Ugh.
    Snowblower?
    Plow?

    Just drive and hope it packs down?

    I've had a guy with a blower since I moved here. It was $500/season but I was never left snowed in. Then he retired.
    My neighbor took over, similar rate but not nearly as good.

    I've had a really old Eaton viking blower since moving here but it had a myriad of issues. So it sat. This year I decided NO MAS to $550 service and bought a used 8hp Craftsman like new, cost, $200. It ran like a champ when we got hit last week with 25+ CMs. Buffalo had 7 FEET in areas!

    Being curious and wanting to recou my$200 I tinkered with the old Viking. To my surprise the comp. was good, the starter spun fast, all the belts/chain and pulleys are good. It appears only the carb is shot, the float is likely gummed up never rising to seal the bowl when full. To my surprise Amazon has new 8hp Tecumseh carbs including line, clamps, primer, filter, gasket & control knobs for $26. Monday it arrives and Tuesday I should have a great running 8hp/26" beast of a blower running. Don't know which I'll keep. Both have advantages. The Viking has large tires and nice chains, also, all controls are on the bars. The Sears has engine controls on the engine and the shifter down low.

    Enough of my sperging. Tell me how you deal with the snow part of winter.
    Do you live on an acreage or in town?

    I'm in town and just use a shovel. I leave for work too early in the morning to use a snow blower. If I don't clear the driveway and sidewalk before I leave in the am then it's a pita later in the day.

    I used to live on an acreage and was able to take a bobcat home from work to use anytime. Can't beat a skid steer if you have a big driveway!
    Mirage videos:

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallythacker View Post
    Shovel? Ugh.
    Snowblower?
    Plow?

    Just drive and hope it packs down?

    Tell me how you deal with the snow part of winter.
    Rural gravel driveway -

    48" blade pushed by my 1996 Honda TRX300 4x4.

    I've used the same Cycle Country blade for the past 20 years, but I upgraded my ATV two years ago. I pushed snow with my 1985 Honda TRX250 all the years prior.

    Couple bags of wood pellets on the rear rack (added weight) & chains on the rear tires for both machines. The addition of 4-wheel drive has been nice the past couple years.

    I don't own new stuff, except for my Mirage (but that's 5 years old now). Even my best heavy duty snow shovel is 25+ years old!

    For those who own/use snow blowers in Wisconsin - Ariens is considered the Cadillac of snowblowers (made in Wisconsin). My brother has one, but I have never used it.
    Last edited by Mark; 11-28-2022 at 04:05 AM.

  6. #5
    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by klroger View Post
    Since I do small engine repair, I haven't used my snowblower (or lawnmower) for ever. I just road test other peoples I don't know how I would deal with 3 or 4 feet of sno... I think I would have to call in a favor from a Heavy Equipment owner...
    Don't you get hammered in the valley though? I made frequent trips there in the 80's and did not like the weather.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    Do you live on an acreage or in town?

    I'm in town and just use a shovel. I leave for work too early in the morning to use a snow blower. If I don't clear the driveway and sidewalk before I leave in the am then it's a pita later in the day.

    I used to live on an acreage and was able to take a bobcat home from work to use anytime. Can't beat a skid steer if you have a big driveway!
    Both, in town it's a 9 car drive and country is 100m single wide. It only gets done @Christmas and March break.

    Do you shovel to avoid the noise of a blower? A good neighbor thing? In Ontario a blower can be run 24/7 as bylaws demand your walkway is clear. They can't demand that then strangle when you're allowed to clean it. Having said that, I got rid of horrid nuisance pricks living next to me in Barrie. They had drunken 24 hr. parties every summer weekend, I decide my drive needs cleaning every night about 3AM, snowfall or not, EVEN DURING THE SUMMER.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark View Post
    Rural gravel driveway -

    48" blade pushed by my 1996 Honda TRX300 4x4.

    I've used the same Cycle Country blade for the past 20 years, but I upgraded my ATV two years ago. I pushed snow with my 1985 Honda TRX250 all the years prior.

    Couple bags of wood pellets on the rear rack (added weight) & chains on the rear tires for both machines. The addition of 4-wheel drive has been nice the past couple years.

    I don't own new stuff, except for my Mirage (but that's 5 years old now). Even my best heavy duty snow shovel is 25+ years old!

    For those who own/use snow blowers in Wisconsin - Ariens is considered the Cadillac of snowblowers (made in Wisconsin). My brother has one, but I have never used it.
    Ariens are a popular used brand here, but sell for Sears/MTD prices used. They are very pricey new. I've been tempted to try one. Was your 250 Honda the 3 wheeler?
    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

    Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallythacker View Post

    Ariens are a popular used brand here, but sell for Sears/MTD prices used. They are very pricey new. I've been tempted to try one. Was your 250 Honda the 3 wheeler?
    Yeah, my brother bought his Ariens used. His Ariens has an electric start (where you can just plug it in), but I think he just pull starts it most of the time. He lives in town, and a snow blower works better for his situation. He owns a Honda Foreman & Honda UTV, but he keeps those at my parents' farm. He bought those used, & they both had blades, too.

    My TRX250 is a 4-wheeler. The 1985-87 Honda TRX250 was the forerunner to the Honda 1988-20 TRX300 4-wheel ATVs, but the TRX300 could be bought with RWD or 4WD.

    I bought two (1985 & 1986) Honda TRX250 ATVs when I bought my place with more land 20 years ago. At the time, I could get two used machines for the price of one new, and this model is very well built. I think Honda over-engineered things back then. I still think these older machines are much better made than the 250 Recon. When I bought my Kawasaki Mule 610 4x4 in 2006, I sold the 1986 Honda to my best friend at work. He still has his machine, too.

    Before I bought my first used ATVs, I used a friend's Big Red 3-wheeler at times. They are sort of fun, but I wouldn't want to own one.

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    Senior Member klroger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallythacker View Post
    Don't you get hammered in the valley though? I made frequent trips there in the 80's and did not like the weather.
    It's not too bad. I think the most I've seen is ~16ish inches. And I wasn't even late for work that day!!!
    I didn't know what to do, so I didn't do anything

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2018 Mirage GT 1.2 automatic: 37.3 mpg (US) ... 15.9 km/L ... 6.3 L/100 km ... 44.8 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member BigMW's Avatar
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    My favourite way to deal with snow. The heated cab makes this chore into a fun activity.

    Honda snow blower is my back up. Used to drive a Honda trx420 snow plow, but it will likely be retired now that the mini tractor is here.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2023 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 43.9 mpg (US) ... 18.7 km/L ... 5.4 L/100 km ... 52.8 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    figures, pouring rain here in the Falls. I need to replace a carb on an 8hp Tecumseh and assemble my 135lb. aluminum trailer. My garage is jam packed. No room to work in there. I hope that teaches me to smarten up and put things away when I have the time.


    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

    Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)


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