Ariens Snow throwers


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Old 08-13-09, 10:51 AM
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Ariens Snow throwers

I'm wondering if anyone has any info on Ariens " new" Sno-Tek blowers? Not to confused with their Sno-Thro line.

A friend sent me a ad for Sno-Teks that were a couple hundred dollars less than their Sno-Throws. Doesn't make any sense to me.
 
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Old 08-13-09, 07:24 PM
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Found this quote on the web

"Sno tek line comes with the chinese built LCT engines."

Steve
 
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Old 08-14-09, 07:28 PM
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The Sno-Teks are going to be sold thru Big Box stores as a low priced "quality" snowblower (meaning Ariens quality is better than TroyBilts or Poulans). For me, the use of the Chinese engine degrades the quality by leaps & bounds. Look for more LCT engines in Ariens products as Ariens owns Stens, an aftermarket distributor of small engine parts, and Stens has the U.S. distributorship of LCT engines.
 
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Old 08-15-09, 06:40 AM
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My first thoughts were why would Ariens risk sales and reputation on those engines. Their Switch to briggs made more sense to me.
We'll see
 
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Old 08-15-09, 04:01 PM
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Originally Posted by daswede
My first thoughts were why would Ariens risk sales and reputation on those engines. Their Switch to briggs made more sense to me.
We'll see
Because the LCT engines cost less, and their company (Stens) distributes them. Win-Win for Ariens. They buy them form their own (satelite) company cheap and the satelite company makes money and Ariens makes more money. As always, it's only about the money!!
 
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Old 08-16-09, 09:25 AM
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Time will tell. I bought a Ariens two years ago that had a Tecumseh engine.

Tecumseh has gone belly up,and Ariens is using Briggs/stratton engines now.
 
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Old 08-17-09, 09:24 AM
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For what it's worth, the Briggs 205cc and 249cc snow engines are produced in Chongqing, China. They used to be made in MO. The only snow engines that have final assembly in the US are their model 305cc and 342cc snow engines (and they too probably have a significant amount of imported parts).

Ariens has 2 years of testing and developement with these new LCT engines, and the results were good. These engines have dual ball bearings on the forged steel crank and come with a 2 year warrantee. You will also be seeing them on various MTD products. My opinion is that as long as there are folks that won't spend more than $599 for a 2 stage blower, these are gonna sell. And testing is good, but I think it will be interesting to see how these machines are doing once they get some age and use on them, especially the "end of driveway" piles in the northeast US, the frosty winters of Chicago, and Minnesota, and the legendary snowstorms of Buffalo, NY. They may be good machines, I don't know, but I do know there is no magic in manufacturing. It's impossible to get $899 of quality in a $599 machine, but maybe a $599 machine will satisfy some folks needs. I am not 100% sure, but I think these are going to be sold only in box stores.
 
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Old 08-17-09, 10:03 PM
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I was incorrect in saying that these new LCT engines will be on MTD products, MTD will be getting their Chinese engines from another supplier. Ariens spent a lot of time and developement on making sure to their satisfaction that these motors will hold up. They have earned a 1000 hour rating from the EPA. With just a quick look around at what other manufacturers will be offering, these machines will cost less than a lot of the competition, it will be interesting to see how well they do in the market and how well they hold up. I'm looking forward to seeing one "in the flesh".
 
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Old 08-18-09, 08:21 AM
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I went to Toro's web site and was surprised that they dropped their 5 h.p, 2 stage,and prices for their other machines were rather expensive.
 
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Old 08-18-09, 09:01 AM
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Exclamation

What about kohler, still made in the USA??
Briggs from what I see still has quality. China is a MFG super power now a days. The labour is cheap with many to do it. It's to bad so many companies go this route. Then we wonder why our economy has tanked?? Next time I'm in a big box store I'm going to check the engine MFG location just to see.
 
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Old 08-19-09, 06:08 AM
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I refuse to work on any Chinese brand engine in my shop. They are throw away engines and are cloned from other manufacturers. That how the Chinese do it. They just copy everyone's ideas and do not pay the patent royalties. Plus the companies that produce items for American companies do not always comply with the specs given.( remember lead paint in toys a couple years ago?).
 
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Old 11-14-10, 08:35 PM
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LCT Engines

I have been an LCT service Center and have sold more than 24 of the LCT engines.
They are deffinetly not clones of a Briggs & Stratton Nor are they a clone of Honda.
However, they have some similar comparisons to a Honda.
I have not had more than 1 warranty claim in 3 years of being an LCT service center.
They are top quality.
I even had more than one customer say after we replaced an engine for them on a Log Splitter and Water pump that they have never had such a powerful engine for it's size nor have they ever had an engine that started so nice.
I also build Go kart racing engines and have seven engines very pushed to their limits and they are GREAt!!!!!

I have install 2 of the 208cc snow engines and they start awesome and have more power than the Briggs & Stratton engines.
Let me know if you have problems.
Thanks Bob
 
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Old 11-20-10, 08:03 PM
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Glad to see blnguy response. I did extensive research the past month for a new snow blower. I ended up with a Sno-Tek 24 by Ariens from Home Depot. The Troy-built, Toro, MTD, Craftsman (Husqvarna) all seemed the same and of lesser quality. I took the Ariens Compact 24 ($799) and the Sno-Tek 24 ($599) and put them side by side. A friend (who owns a sheet metal fabrication shop - industrial) and I studied them throughly and the ONLY difference was the engine and the Compact had a small light. THAT WAS ALL (and color). So while the engine seems to be the key difference I have heard and read very good reviews on the LCT engine line especially the cold weather ones. I will return and post after I hit what one other chap affectionately referred to as the New England end of drive challenge. In Connecticut - on the immediate coast we get those every year!! Oh one other difference - the discharge chute on the compact was steel vice poly on the Sno-Tek.
 
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Old 12-07-10, 03:41 AM
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I bought a Sno-Tek 24 last year with the 208cc LCT engine. It performed well last year with no hiccups and started up first pull this year. I only use it for personal use, but seems to be holding up well so far and happy with my purchase.
 
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Old 12-12-10, 05:51 PM
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Well if the snow you guys are getting makes it's way east to Connecticut I may finally find out if this was worth it! Mine will be personal use too.
 
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Old 01-12-11, 05:18 AM
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fuel problem

I just took the carb off and cleaned it and put it back on and now its not getting any fuel, gas seems to be flowing but not in the carb , what could I have done wrong , going out of my mind with a foot and a half of snow falling
 
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Old 01-14-11, 05:30 PM
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Report on Sno-Tec

Well the big storm in Connecticut on January 11/12 was the supreme test for the new Sno-Tec! We got a mere 15 inches on the coast. The machine started first pull and chewed its way right through the snow mostly in the third of six forward speed settings! I only had to go to slow speed to chew threw the snow plow created end-of-drive mountain left by the town plows. I ended up doing that three times over two days and it was a breeze. It actually took me more time to clean off the three cars than to plow out 150 feet of 8 foot wide drive and two turn-out parking spots. I am absolutely thrilled and would recommend this unit to anyone as a great home use machine. My neighbor has the smaller Ariens unit from a couple years ago and it gagged badly on the drifts. The 208cc makes a world of difference. It never even really "loaded up" even at the speed I was clearing. More to come this winter I am sure.
 
 

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