snowblower
Dec. 22nd, 2003 08:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solipsistnationThe snowblower works again.
Were I to be in the market for a new snowblower, I would definitely not even consider another Toro.
Consider, for a moment, the single most likely piece of a pull-start snowblower to break, leaving one stranded.
What's that you say? The pullcord?
Well, then, wouldn't one think it a good idea to put the pullcord in someplace easily reachable, so it could easily be replaced?
Why, of course one would!
Except that Toro did not consider this a good plan, and instead put it in such a place that one must remove more than half the bits of the motor, including the gas tank, in order to reach and replace the pullcord.
This took several hours, was very messy, and was an incredible pain in the ass.
It's nice that it works again, but, boy. What a PAIN. Plus the cord is run through the cowling and out through the control panel of the snowblower in such a way that it can't help but be rubbed against a couple of edges, making it more likely that it will wear out more rapidly.
I have seldom been so annoyed by a piece of equipment. I have a great sense of accomplishment at having replaced this myself (and without a manual or any diagrams-- it's actually a very simple machine), but I'd rather it have been much much easier. Actually applying one's brain to design would have made it less of a pain overall.
Were I to be in the market for a new snowblower, I would definitely not even consider another Toro.
Consider, for a moment, the single most likely piece of a pull-start snowblower to break, leaving one stranded.
What's that you say? The pullcord?
Well, then, wouldn't one think it a good idea to put the pullcord in someplace easily reachable, so it could easily be replaced?
Why, of course one would!
Except that Toro did not consider this a good plan, and instead put it in such a place that one must remove more than half the bits of the motor, including the gas tank, in order to reach and replace the pullcord.
This took several hours, was very messy, and was an incredible pain in the ass.
It's nice that it works again, but, boy. What a PAIN. Plus the cord is run through the cowling and out through the control panel of the snowblower in such a way that it can't help but be rubbed against a couple of edges, making it more likely that it will wear out more rapidly.
I have seldom been so annoyed by a piece of equipment. I have a great sense of accomplishment at having replaced this myself (and without a manual or any diagrams-- it's actually a very simple machine), but I'd rather it have been much much easier. Actually applying one's brain to design would have made it less of a pain overall.
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(no subject)
Date: 2003-12-22 05:48 pm (UTC)Buy something with a briggs&stratton or a JD powerplant in it, and you will most likely be able to keep it running for a long time.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-12-22 05:55 pm (UTC)Ya, I'm not sure I would have bought this if I'd had the option. It pretty much came with the house. It's even the lowest-end Toro. Single-stage, pull-start, 2-stroke... Feh, overall. But, since I can't afford to replace something that works, I'll keep running it until it's too annoying or too broken to fix... At least it's really simple to get to the carburator, which has been the problem 2 out of 3 times.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-12-22 06:20 pm (UTC)I'm very lucky. I found an older B&S engine in some off brand box (that part is worn off) sitting in somebody's front yard with a 'take me, I'm free' sign on it. I've used it for years, and whenever it breaks, it is easily fixed.
Completely OT
Date: 2003-12-22 07:24 pm (UTC)Re: Completely OT
Date: 2003-12-22 07:42 pm (UTC)Good. 8)