I have had a lot of luck with Toro snowblowers, and am currently looking at a 2450GTS. However, I am wondering if anyone has compared it to the Honda 520. The Honda seems to be a little more balanced of a machine as far as "feel" and weight distribution. From the specs, The Toro seems to have slightly more power, as its a 2 cycle versus the Honda 4 cycle. I'm guessing that perhaps there isn't much difference between the two machines. Anyone?
I too am very satisified with my toro snowblowers. We will be getting another snowblower here shortly. It most certainly will be a toro.
This is my first year out and am having the same dilema as to which blower to get. I'm a few key strokes away from ordering one but it's a toss up between the Honda520A or the Toro CCR3650. Both machines have got good feedback out here. They both weigh in about the same,& both are about the same price. The Toro is a 6.5 hp 2 stroke, the Honda 5 hp 4 stroke. From reading past post and talking to guys in my area, they both are good reliable machines. I guess what's hanging me up here is "MORE POWER" (ARH..ARH..ARH). I have to make a decision here soon so any feed back on this theory would be appreciated
Rememeber two strokes make all their power up in the rpm range, as soon as it bogs down, all your power is gone. With the four stroke, as the rpms drop the torgue goes up, and you have just as much power as at high rpms. I have had both four and two stroke single stage blowers, and the honda is way for us. Dino
Thanks Dino, Other than compressors, powerwashers & my lawnmower (all 4 stroke) I don't have that much experience with a 2 stroke engine. So what your telling me is that the 4 stroke will out power the 2 stroke under a load. If thats the case, it's a no brainer which unit will be on my truck.
We have gone with Toros and our happy. But this year we have 2 Toro's left and going to try 1 Crapsman oh Craftsman for a try. We will keep one of our Toros as a back up. Hey it might be worth the $300.00 difference! If not we still got the Goodones.
We have had both types of blowers, and in light snows it wont make a dif what kind you have. But in deeper snow, the rpms drop on the 2 strokes and the distance they throw the snow is greatly reduced. In the same conditions, the honda even tho bogging down a bit, will still throw the snow farther, and wont lose rpms anywhere near as fast. I also had alot of problems with moisture getting in the 2 stroke fuel systems from being on the truck all day or night with snow falling. With the honda, one pull and you are up and running. Dino
Two stroke vs. four stroke Dino- My local dealer sells Toro and Honda and said the Honda was much better because of the fuel/moisture problem you spoke of with the two stroke. He said the Honda starts on pull #1 no matter what. Is Honda the only maker that manufactures single stage 4 stroke snowblowers? Seems Honda is really onto something with their 4 cycle products. John
Another advantage of Hondas single-stage snowthrowers is the speed at which the discharge chute may be turned. The Toros I've had have used a crank which is a lot slower than the handle used by Hondas.
I havent seen any other 4 stroke single stage blowers. I did a monster 7 hp toro yesterday, but it weighed way more than I want to pick up. I hope the new 5.5 hp hondas are as good as the 6hp they replaced. I have the 621-6 hp and it is great. Dino
What's with the puney snowblowers. 5, 6hp! wow you guys must get so frustrated. Why buy a bigger blower?
If you do a search you will see alot of threadds about 2 satge vs single stage. the main reason I like single stage is that they are light, I can lift on and off by myself easily, and the honda has very good power to blow through the deepest snow even if it is wet. Also they are much faster than 2 stage blowers. I know you can bring ramps and the like, but I dont have room for a large blower on my truck once we load the v box spreader on, the 5 gal pails of salt, and the shovels. The single stage fits perfect right along the side of my v box. thank goodness for drop down sides. And in case we get a big strom, or heavy drofts, we have a 11hp two stage to deal with that. we have owned for 3 years and yet to use it, the small do fine by us. Dino
We sold our Noma 10hp two-stage, and bought two Honda 621's for the same reasons Dino has them. We've had Honda mowers for years, and can attest to the quality of their engines.
The best snow blower there is is the one I don't have to use!! But, seriously folks I am fabricating a snow blower to fit our 17hp kaws-scags for townhomes and condos. You can find these snowblowers all day long in the classifieds, its up to you kno how to fabricate them to your mowers, not to hard.
I went blower pricing this morning, I can get the Honda 520 for $599 locally. Is that a decent price? I've got two sidewalk blowers right now, one is an old Snapper, it's getting creaky, seen 6 years of hard use, the other is an MTD which is junk and not dependable at all. I'm leaning real heavy towards swallowing hard and getting the Honda so I can have at least one that I know will run every time I need it.
The Honda 520 is $599 at Home Depot. I'm guessing its probably priced like the Toro's, in that there is no, or very little pricing difference since the factory sets prices to keep the independent shops alive. I don't think you can go too wrong buying it. Also remember that its pretty common for the whole snowblower inventory to be sold out after the first snow storm. As far as the Toro's getting water in the fuel, how does this happen? I've got a Toro, and never had a problem.
As to whetehr or the honda is dependable. I took our two 621 blowers out of storage yesterday. Filled them up with clean fuel, put the choke on and 1 pull it started. Dino
I use to clean air ducts and ran an 8hp. Honda on my compressor. The only time it let me down, I was doing an emergency job in a house where the heater 'puffed back" and sooted up the place. It was about 5 degrees out with a wind chill of about -15. I broke the pull cord on the first pull. I loaded back into my van, (with the heater on) fixed the cord and was back in business in about 30 minutes. Gotta love those Hondas
