My old man bought a new snowblower when he was 90 years old. He gave me his old machine and it must be 30 years old and still going strong. Take care of your equipment and they will last decades. Btw, my Father snowmobiled until he was 92. Hope I am able to do the same. Have fun in the snow. Cheers from Canada.
I can't believe these guys just leave this expensive equipment outdoors to get rained on and frozen. Take care of your bicycles or I'm going to give them to some kids who will appreciate them. Did anybody ever hear that before?
As the owner of a 1975 gravely 2 wheel tractor I can wholeheartedly attest to the fact that they will overpower you real quick, the trick is to let the machine do what it wants instead of trying to manhandle it. That really looks like a good successor to the old units man, I love your equipment videos keep up the good work.
I do that for my dogs. Started with my my lab who hated being outside, and later in life had the hip issues. Put non slip runners on the stairs, always salted the patio, pet safe salt, to aviid slipping till she got to the yard. Sadly she is gone, but made it 16 years with us. Now we have ankle biters that don't even like wet grass.
I had a used Viking snowblower back in the early 70s and that thing was a monster in deep snow and would never let me down and it lasted for 5 years till I had to move and sold it.
Gravely and BCS tractors are my main machines for sidewalk snow removal. Honda makes a great single stage machine, and Yamaha makes a great snowblower as well. Love using equipment, love watching others enjoy it as well!
Gravely's are almost indistructable, My father bought a 5HP model L in 1950. I started using it mowing lawn when I was 10 in 1966. My dad finally bought a new one, with electric start in 1978, along with the rotary plow, snow blower and 40 inch mower to go along with the sulky , wagon and dozer blade he already had. Fast forward to 2023, I still own the 78 Gravely and several of the attachments. It is currently set up with the blade to push snow into the path of a 64' snowblower mounted on my compact tractor. What a great tractor those Gravelys are.
Gravely makes great equipment. Long ago I owned a twin cylinder Gravely tractor. I used it to plow deep snow from my long driveway, mow my 5 acre propert, and roto-till my 1/2 acre vegetable garden. It never failed and ran perfectly for years.
Just a FYI. Antisieze is ground up metal. Was never ment to be a lubricant for moving parts. A good high pressure grease would do you better and extend the life of the shift and coupler
I installed a 10-pound weight under the front of the bucket so that it stays down and I put chains on the drive wheels. Those improvements made it a new, more powerful show blower. It's the difference between night and day!
I bought a Troy built 28” with tracks works great never had any issues with power loss maybe doesn’t throw as far as the gravely but has been great this year with more than 2 feet of snow and still snowing
Back in the late 80s, I had a monster of a snowblower. It would trow snow 50 ft away. It was made by Hahn and was 25+ yrs old when I got it. Had a 8 hp Tecumseh engine, 6 speeds, and a 36 inch cut. I broke the driveshaft or I'd still have it. Learned why you don't use bolts instead of a shear pin the hard way.
In the early ‘70s I saved the paper money I made from my paper route to buy a 24” Hahn. I used it for the hockey rink I cleared on the lake in front of our house. The rink was at least 60 by 160 ft and after a decent snow took about two hours to clear. Blowing snow off almost 10,000 sq ft of frozen lake, at night, with only ambient light was one of the most peaceful and satisfying experiences of my life. That Hahn did a hell of a job, never had a problem with it.
I used to do snow removal for my small landscaping business in northern Utah. I used shovels, 1-stage Toro, and a 2-stage Ariens and a backpack blower. Some customers let me use their blowers to get them used and most are about the same. My friend did a 1/3 mile driveway for me with a nice Kabota 4x4 mower unit with a broom which did a fantastic job even in 12 plus inches of wet snow. 1-stage blowers are nice and fast on sidewalks with powder snow but absolutely SUCK for wet snow and especially icy driveway approach crud from city plows. You can run behind a 1-stage, until you hit an uneven seam or something and then superman over the blower but, it''s super fun to watch! The 1-stage rubber paddles and plastic scraper wear out too fast, yesrly at around 300 uses and about $100 in parts and was a major pain in the ass! It soon cost more in maintenance than the price of the blower itself. My pull cord broke requiring complete disassembly and pretty much removing the engine. Overall, I preferred a shovel and a 2-stage which saved time and money in maintenance. Also, the Ariens Compact 24 is actually a great value comparedvto others and it throws snow plenty far.
I can't figure out why people leave there equipment outside, I mean do you have so much money that you just don't care or what?. I never leave anything out, that's crazy.
The first thing I build after our house is a 16x 20 shed. Everything is put away out of the weather and secured. I also put a solar panel and a terminal strip with diodes to cables for all those little batteries. The diodes keep a bad battery from sucking down the good batteries.
Living in Eastern NC i really miss the cold and snow i have lived with for 40 plus years. Loved the video of two really sweet snow blowers. Keep it up.
I know just how you feel! I moved from NH to western VA last October. And except for a freak 18” snowfall in here early December- nothing. Figuring out how to get back to the frozen north. People think I’m nuts, including my wife.
I go over mine every summer, AND it spends the summer and winter in the shed, under cover, as does the tractor and the hand lawnmower. All are available and start on the first try. The tractor battery stays in the house basement warm over the winter.
Ariens shocked me last year purchasing a ‘residential’ unit that I now use for business. Built rock solid and throws snow like a Honda. Very impressed so far, as for longevity, only time will tell. One concern I had though was the time starting and running with a little bad fuel left over, I have never had anything struggle so bad to run until the good fuel went through. After the good fuel worked into the carb it was top notch, first pull again. Weird...
I bought an Ariens lawnmower some years ago. It was a hefty price to pay to mow lawn, but I did love the quality and ability to mulch, throw or bag grass and it worked well. Until it hit the 5 year month. Then the engine threw a rod through the engine wall. I was told I could not just purchase a new engine, but had to buy one and use the old crank in it. WHAT? It was crazy. I wound up tossing it in the trash. Never again will I purchase an Ariens product. I hit a snag with the dealer every way I turned. :(
I've been running the old L models since I was a kid and over the years have put 1000s of hours on them and they will work you to death if you dont know now to dance with them between me and my dad I think we have 11 walk behind and 4 riders the oldest walk behind is a 1939 and man I love them things the new ones dont have the weight or are as near as nicely built as the old one they where all cast and weight a ton
Best walk behind snowblower I have owned is my Toro I have now. 4 foot+ snow drifts and it walks right through it. Bogs down just a bit but never dies and keeps blowing snow.
@@Smittyschannel old school mindset. I appreciate it, cause there was a time this was important. Now modern oils in modern engines you don't need to do this.
The new gravely's are awesome. I don't own any of the snowblowers but I own 5 of their commercial mowers and I love them all. Dependable, tough, and after the research and years of use they really are one of the best bang for your buck companies
We have an old Gravely lawn tractor that is still in use today and it's years older than me as I'm 51 and you're not kidding that thing is a beast as it never dies and can still tackle anything you throw at it. I believe it's a seven horse engine single cylinder, but you would never guess with the torque that thing throws out and chews through anything you throw at it even today.
I bought a 3 stage 30 inch Troy Bilt w/ 420cc Engine, w/Steering, Heated grips, Electric Shoot, full bore about 7 years ago when 3 stages first came out. Abt 5 years ago we had over 2.5 ft. of snow.. unusual depth for DC area, what a test! I live on a flag lot with a 800' driveway, kinda steep, plus did the two neighbors driveways which themselves are fairly big. This puppy was CHUGGIN all she got, near max speed throwing 30' or more. Could easily do deeper at slower speed. I think Cub Cadet took this 3 stage model over now. I sheared 3 pins on the impeller hitting big sticks, maybe rocks. No issue, Replace and continue. I did have to tighten the drive belt due to some wierd smells. Looking inside, the wheel drive and how it steers is wierd, wheels on moving wheels, but hasn't slipped or gave any issue. I think I paid $1500 for it. This sucker needs a Sulky or a seat. Darn good, Powerful blower. Probably Not Biggest/Baddest, but one HELLUVA Blowa!
One more.. bought chains for it, but never needed them.. the tires are pretty big/wide and deep tread. The "Tracked" machines and add on kits might be considered if do doing more than 2 ft.
I have blown 3/8 mile of a farm driveway with a JD 524 walk behind snowblower. It was 2 feet deep in several places and it took me two evenings to do while I had my Ranger headlights shining the way.
I have a 1990's 12hp Professional Gravely. I have snowblowed and plowed with it since the late 1990's. The thing is a beast! This fall I bought a BX1870 and put a Blizzard 48 on the three point hitch. I will use the Gravely for mowing only now. Great video, but a agreefor what these Gravely attachments cost they should be under cover, but hey it's not my money.
The Gravely with a push blade is worthless unless you have 1" of snow on level ground. Track drive blowers are the only way to go. Nice video! thanks guys. 👍🙂
I have literally pushed 6-8” of wet, heavy, crusted snow, straight blade, looked like an ice breaker 15’ out front, pushed 40’ into road to let the truck plow it away. This was with a 70 Super Convertible, no chains, guys at work were dumbfounded. This new style machine is too light on the front, needs weights, then it’ll need chains too. Later style Pro 12 w/ chevron tires could push like the 70 but I hated the safety controls, too hard to push the handles down backing up! Doesn’t help that guy in vid doesn’t seem familiar w/ machine.
They didnt have it configured correctly for snow, nor was it on pavement. They needed wheel weights and chains on the tires, and even dufferent tires. Those were low-grip high flotation lawn tires meant not to damage turf from the weight of the machine. Like putting summer tires on a sports car then driving it in snow.
I've owned many snowblowers over the years and this one is the best bang for your buck......Troy-Bilt Storm 3090 357cc Electric Start 30-Inch Two-Stage Gas Snow Thrower
I would imagine they'd make chains or maybe some spiked tires to grab on the ice, but throwing that snow with either of those would be the bomb, I could do that all day, horse power, it's just American and in out blood, love some horse power
Now that I'm an adult on the west coast, I am sad that I was forced to use a shovel all of those childhood years in the Midwest. It looks like so much fun, and that thing is a snow-moving beast!
Not sure about this brand (this is a commercial unit) but the BCS brand does make a ton of garden implements (but it is less horsepower and more aimed at residential/farm).
@@arbiter1 Agreed. I'm sure the Gravely drive system is much different, but with a standard snowblower friction plate drive system, the chains put a lot of extra strain on the drive.
That Gravely is a beast! I live in upstate NY at 1300' of elevation and get storms of several feet of snow at a time. That would be have been the ticket for our dog paths on the lawn for our white black spotted Rat Terrier. We could barely see her in the deep snow.
I have a modified 24" Sears with the tracks, and it's easy to work. It has more than enough power to throw my dog's frozen turds over the fence to my Brother in laws yard....
Had to laugh. As video started my first thought was “they should see a Gravely.” Next scene, what do my wondering eyes see? GRAVELY. Modern style but keeping the tradition alive. Amazing that Frankie got it through that swampy stuff!
I have always found 2 stage blowers to be a cumbersome pain in the back. Literally. Yeah, they'll power through heavy stuff that a single stage won't clear, but they're bulky and ornery and just annoying and tiring to deal with.
Let a little air out of the tires and install steel wheels instead of skids on the auger’s side panels. Adjust so the plow on the bucket almost touches down when on a flat surface and it should leave itself plenty of traction on it’s way.
Remember back in the day, 30 plus years ago, a family fiend had a Gravely finish mower and the sulky seat, it was a blast just to ride around the yard, her dad said as long as we were using the gas, might as well turn on the mower....mowed the whole yard for him, he said I could come back any time I wanted to “ride around the yard” feel free...never got the chance to use the snowblower....powerful machine though....
If you put the chains on those tires that thing would be unstoppable.. the difference that chains make is incredible and once you use them, you will never go without them again.. they save you so much labor and time it’s unbelievable.. well worth the money and the only way to go 👍👍
LOL nice video. Delivered a Toro Commercial HD 1432 today. No tracks but what a BEAST! You should always buy equipment according to a dealer that's close to your location for support but IMO the only 2 blowers to buy are Honda or Toro. Ive worked on them all and those two stand out as the best built with the fewest problems and best parts support. By best parts support I mean quickest delivery and stock of inventory. Just waited 2 and a half MONTHS for an axle shakft for an ariens blower. When we got it it was the wrong part. The part had been superseded by an update kit that cost half what the machine was worth. In the dumpster it went and that pretty much soured my mouth on ariens
Thats probably all dealer dependent. My toro 518 has been at shop for about a month waiting on parts. Bought my ariens pro 28 and pro 21 because my toro hd and 518 has been in shop for to many things and customers dont wait, including the auger gear box replacement. And they have a qc issue with the auger housings and a couple other known issues like the auger handle popping up. That little ariens has had a couple hiccups itself to.
@@spstoopst4363We mostly see 9-10-11 28s here. I am surprised to see a gearbox failure. As far as I know Toro is about the only manufacturer that offers a steel on steel gearbox. All the rest are brass on steel and you can imagine how those end up after years of abuse. Ive never seen an auger housing fail unless the customer was blowing lots of gravel wearing holes in them. Not sure what auger handle issue you are talking about. The common failures ive seen are cables breaking and choke levers on the new loncin engines breaking. As for the 518s. There are a few That have come in but only for paddle changes and belts.Most guys are still running the old CCRS
Had a flat 2" landscape rock take out a shear bolt at Christmas....only thing hit all winter minus some plow scrapings so it was either weakend by the rock or taken out by cleaning up after the plows. Got atleast 100 driveways out of it before the gearbox went. My auger housing also blows snow out the side welds under the shoot...dealer says toro knows about some and the auger handle. Handle will stay down but then pop up...apparently a fix in the works and get a new housing after winter....either true? Idk but what dealer says. If they allowed pics/videos i could show my craziness of the monster i got. Didnt make for a good experience with toro for first time. I like it breaking drifts better though over my 28 hydro ariens.
@@spstoopst4363Okay so you have the "new" edition. The HD 1028 with the metal chute. We have only just begun to see the new models coming through our shop and area. Mostly still seeing the 28 OXE which is the plastic chute and anticlog housing. I was just talking to my boss about this today. We are still trying to figure out the new parts they are putting in the new models. I swear they have shear bolts but he thinks they still have a grade 5/ 1/4 inch bolt. All I do know is that those things are tough. So much so atleast with the old models that we see bent augers and haven't seen a broken bolt or gearbox yet.
wannabe to wasabe it doesn’t are 40 hp tractor can barely handle cascade concrete. We have 5 feet of cascade concrete in 2 days and we had to bring in a front end loader to do our driveway.
You need, I believe it's called a jitney on the back. Hooks up like a trailer, 2 wheels with a seat in the middle. You can use from mowing to snow blowing.
@@kellybelanger5836 I would,I've seen way too many heated garage"queens"that had rotted seals,screwed up carbs,dry rotted tires and hoses.Just because it sits outside doesn't mean anything.
I really do appreciate the durability of Gravely. For myself I would prefer a used JD X749 with attachments for around the same money... I've lost my endurance for the cold and walking. Also a building to keep equipment dosen't have to be big to house equipment, and it sure is nice to work on... I don't care for digging anything out of the snow to work with it.
No kidding. Covering the equipment with a tarp is even better than just letting the rain, snow and sun pound away on it year round. That’s just silly. Take care of your equipment and it’ll last a long time.
I'm sure you could get chains for the QXT if you needed them for certain situations. My old school Ariens are the same, they have old school turf saver tires, so I put a good pair of chains on and it bites hard, I'm never without traction. Thats how they did it back in the day, no fancy tires, chains!
weld a small hitch to the back and put a wheeled platform behind the blower to stand/sit on so you add some body weight to the wheels of the blower. Can even toss some old tractor weights on near the front to get extra weight onto the wheels.
Those paddles are typically a layer of cork sandwiched between two rubber sheets They are also a pain in the ass to replace I've done it on my snowblower and mine uses torx screws to hold the paddles in place
You can adjust the skids on the sides of the unit to up make it "bite" better. Or you can lower them so if you are in gravel or on uneven surface it won't ruin your blades. Just like a snow plow.
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My old man bought a new snowblower when he was 90 years old. He gave me his old machine and it must be 30 years old and still going strong. Take care of your equipment and they will last decades. Btw, my Father snowmobiled until he was 92. Hope I am able to do the same. Have fun in the snow. Cheers from Canada.
I can't believe these guys just leave this expensive equipment outdoors to get rained on and frozen. Take care of your bicycles or I'm going to give them to some kids who will appreciate them. Did anybody ever hear that before?
They don't make equipment to last like that anymore
Reece wanna hear something funny?
Take care of it or not, they don't make anything like they used to.
Will it go up a hill
As the owner of a 1975 gravely 2 wheel tractor I can wholeheartedly attest to the fact that they will overpower you real quick, the trick is to let the machine do what it wants instead of trying to manhandle it. That really looks like a good successor to the old units man, I love your equipment videos keep up the good work.
Will do Andrew and thanks for viewing !
My father had one of those POS. Junk. I talked him into buying a JD garden tractor and he never looked back.
Haven’t heard gravelly for ever, nothing beat those heavy beats
When snow was deep I used to plow paths in the backyard with my snowblower for my dog to use the bathroom (he had hip issues).
Aw that's sweet 😊
I still do so they can poop
I do that for my dogs. Started with my my lab who hated being outside, and later in life had the hip issues. Put non slip runners on the stairs, always salted the patio, pet safe salt, to aviid slipping till she got to the yard. Sadly she is gone, but made it 16 years with us. Now we have ankle biters that don't even like wet grass.
I do that for my puppy... with my old snow blower it blows through 38 inches no problem.. throws it up 40 feet sticks it to trees 🤣
I used to do the same thing
I had a used Viking snowblower back in the early 70s and that thing was a monster in deep snow and would never let me down and it lasted for 5 years till I had to move and sold it.
Gravely and BCS tractors are my main machines for sidewalk snow removal. Honda makes a great single stage machine, and Yamaha makes a great snowblower as well. Love using equipment, love watching others enjoy it as well!
Gravely's are almost indistructable, My father bought a 5HP model L in 1950. I started using it mowing lawn when I was 10 in 1966. My dad finally bought a new one, with electric start in 1978, along with the rotary plow, snow blower and 40 inch mower to go along with the sulky , wagon and dozer blade he already had. Fast forward to 2023, I still own the 78 Gravely and several of the attachments. It is currently set up with the blade to push snow into the path of a 64' snowblower mounted on my compact tractor. What a great tractor those Gravelys are.
Gravely makes great equipment. Long ago I owned a twin cylinder Gravely tractor. I used it to plow deep snow from my long driveway, mow my 5 acre propert, and roto-till my 1/2 acre vegetable garden. It never failed and ran perfectly for years.
Cool you got so much out of it! Thanks for sharing
I put Anti-Seize on all my PTO couplers & sliding shafts. It keeps out water & things come apart & go together smooth & easy.
Just a FYI. Antisieze is ground up metal. Was never ment to be a lubricant for moving parts. A good high pressure grease would do you better and extend the life of the shift and coupler
Legend has it Frankie is still snow blowing to this day.
I installed a 10-pound weight under the front of the bucket so that it stays down and I put chains on the drive wheels. Those improvements made it a new, more powerful show blower. It's the difference between night and day!
I've seen canadian snow blowers with v8 car engines. Now that's power!
Chains
I bought a Troy built 28” with tracks works great never had any issues with power loss maybe doesn’t throw as far as the gravely but has been great this year with more than 2 feet of snow and still snowing
Back in the late 80s, I had a monster of a snowblower. It would trow snow 50 ft away. It was made by Hahn and was 25+ yrs old when I got it. Had a 8 hp Tecumseh engine, 6 speeds, and a 36 inch cut. I broke the driveshaft or I'd still have it. Learned why you don't use bolts instead of a shear pin the hard way.
In the early ‘70s I saved the paper money I made from my paper route to buy a 24” Hahn. I used it for the hockey rink I cleared on the lake in front of our house. The rink was at least 60 by 160 ft and after a decent snow took about two hours to clear. Blowing snow off almost 10,000 sq ft of frozen lake, at night, with only ambient light was one of the most peaceful and satisfying experiences of my life. That Hahn did a hell of a job, never had a problem with it.
I used to do snow removal for my small landscaping business in northern Utah. I used shovels, 1-stage Toro, and a 2-stage Ariens and a backpack blower. Some customers let me use their blowers to get them used and most are about the same. My friend did a 1/3 mile driveway for me with a nice Kabota 4x4 mower unit with a broom which did a fantastic job even in 12 plus inches of wet snow. 1-stage blowers are nice and fast on sidewalks with powder snow but absolutely SUCK for wet snow and especially icy driveway approach crud from city plows. You can run behind a 1-stage, until you hit an uneven seam or something and then superman over the blower but, it''s super fun to watch! The 1-stage rubber paddles and plastic scraper wear out too fast, yesrly at around 300 uses and about $100 in parts and was a major pain in the ass! It soon cost more in maintenance than the price of the blower itself. My pull cord broke requiring complete disassembly and pretty much removing the engine. Overall, I preferred a shovel and a 2-stage which saved time and money in maintenance. Also, the Ariens Compact 24 is actually a great value comparedvto others and it throws snow plenty far.
I can't figure out why people leave there equipment outside, I mean do you have so much money that you just don't care or what?. I never leave anything out, that's crazy.
Rob Bishop I think these were given to them. That would be my assumption. When people are given something of value, they tend not to appreciate it.
Costs a lot of money to have shop space to keep everything. Inside is best and nicest but not always an option when you run a company.
Even a covering would be better then getting the seasons all over it
@@Ashtongonchar I cover everything mechanical.
The first thing I build after our house is a 16x 20 shed. Everything is put away out of the weather and secured. I also put a solar panel and a terminal strip with diodes to cables for all those little batteries. The diodes keep a bad battery from sucking down the good batteries.
Living in Eastern NC i really miss the cold and snow i have lived with for 40 plus years. Loved the video of two really sweet snow blowers. Keep it up.
Will do Rich, thanks for the comments !
I know just how you feel! I moved from NH to western VA last October. And except for a freak 18” snowfall in here early December- nothing. Figuring out how to get back to the frozen north. People think I’m nuts, including my wife.
Snowblowers must be ready before the first SNOWFALL
I go over mine every summer, AND it spends the summer and winter in the shed, under cover, as does the tractor and the hand lawnmower. All are available and start on the first try. The tractor battery stays in the house basement warm over the winter.
Ariens shocked me last year purchasing a ‘residential’ unit that I now use for business. Built rock solid and throws snow like a Honda. Very impressed so far, as for longevity, only time will tell. One concern I had though was the time starting and running with a little bad fuel left over, I have never had anything struggle so bad to run until the good fuel went through. After the good fuel worked into the carb it was top notch, first pull again. Weird...
ARIENS RAPID TRACK IS THE BEST SNOWBLOWER TO DAY, HONDA IS NOW SECOND
I bought an Ariens lawnmower some years ago. It was a hefty price to pay to mow lawn, but I did love the quality and ability to mulch, throw or bag grass and it worked well. Until it hit the 5 year month. Then the engine threw a rod through the engine wall. I was told I could not just purchase a new engine, but had to buy one and use the old crank in it. WHAT? It was crazy. I wound up tossing it in the trash. Never again will I purchase an Ariens product. I hit a snag with the dealer every way I turned. :(
I bought an ariens this year, great blower for what it is.
Awesome, happy that you like it !
Gravely, an absolute American beast. I love the old old antique two wheel tractors.
Lance Sheppard “L” models rule.
@@localcrew ive had the opportunity to operate a 1953 L model! great machine for small farms!
I've been running the old L models since I was a kid and over the years have put 1000s of hours on them and they will work you to death if you dont know now to dance with them between me and my dad I think we have 11 walk behind and 4 riders the oldest walk behind is a 1939 and man I love them things the new ones dont have the weight or are as near as nicely built as the old one they where all cast and weight a ton
i didnt like the price of the gravely 2 wheel tractor with attachments for $13,589 wich weird there that pricey for a walk behind machine
@@michaelmactavish1728 dang you can buy a sub compact tractor for that
Yup, had to watch ole Frankie work these beasts a second time ...... that Gravely sure does sling the snow ..... nice work Stanley!!
All that Gravely needs is chains and lookout !!
Serious blower and great video, Thanks.
Thank you , glad you liked it !
Best walk behind snowblower I have owned is my Toro I have now. 4 foot+ snow drifts and it walks right through it. Bogs down just a bit but never dies and keeps blowing snow.
I always start my equipment at LOW rpm's & let the unit warm up, instead of full throttle right off the bat, esp. in cold temps
Most modern small engines just won't start unless throttle is open full....also states in manual to open throttle full for 'cold' start.
@@CuriousKL I start my stuff at the minimum rpms to keep it running until it warms up. Gives the oil time to get into the cylinders & upper areas
@Jake Blakeman you run the rpms up just enough to keep it from stalling, & let it warm up for a few min
@@Smittyschannel old school mindset. I appreciate it, cause there was a time this was important. Now modern oils in modern engines you don't need to do this.
@@SniperX611 possibly not, but it's still good insurance & the safest way to preserve engine longevity
Not sure about the new gravely's but the old ones built in 70s were animals!!! Beast of a machince
The new gravely's are awesome. I don't own any of the snowblowers but I own 5 of their commercial mowers and I love them all. Dependable, tough, and after the research and years of use they really are one of the best bang for your buck companies
Back then, they were nicknamed "dog eaters."
We have an old Gravely lawn tractor that is still in use today and it's years older than me as I'm 51 and you're not kidding that thing is a beast as it never dies and can still tackle anything you throw at it. I believe it's a seven horse engine single cylinder, but you would never guess with the torque that thing throws out and chews through anything you throw at it even today.
I bought a 3 stage 30 inch Troy Bilt w/ 420cc Engine, w/Steering, Heated grips, Electric Shoot, full bore about 7 years ago when 3 stages first came out. Abt 5 years ago we had over 2.5 ft. of snow.. unusual depth for DC area, what a test! I live on a flag lot with a 800' driveway, kinda steep, plus did the two neighbors driveways which themselves are fairly big. This puppy was CHUGGIN all she got, near max speed throwing 30' or more. Could easily do deeper at slower speed. I think Cub Cadet took this 3 stage model over now. I sheared 3 pins on the impeller hitting big sticks, maybe rocks. No issue, Replace and continue. I did have to tighten the drive belt due to some wierd smells. Looking inside, the wheel drive and how it steers is wierd, wheels on moving wheels, but hasn't slipped or gave any issue. I think I paid $1500 for it. This sucker needs a Sulky or a seat. Darn good, Powerful blower. Probably Not Biggest/Baddest, but one HELLUVA Blowa!
One more.. bought chains for it, but never needed them.. the tires are pretty big/wide and deep tread. The "Tracked" machines and add on kits might be considered if do doing more than 2 ft.
I have blown 3/8 mile of a farm driveway with a JD 524 walk behind snowblower. It was 2 feet deep in several places and it took me two evenings to do while I had my Ranger headlights shining the way.
ariens also built john deere snow blowers for a time as well
@@73buickman nope.... They both used Tecumseh motors though.
@@JustinK0RPL i built the john deere snow blowers at ariens when we did
Need to do a video telling Frankie’s story. His history, how you found him, what he does. He’s the man, the myth, the legend!
The Gravely moves snow over your neighbors house and on to the next one!
😂
belarus is better
Gravely made one that was alot bigger then this one.It had a 20 hp.V-twin Briggs/Vanguard engine on it.
Dude I love the him and Frankie shenanigan videos
Thanks Dylan !
i love working for the company that builds these great machines
I had chains on my Husqvarna and it did well with a 28” blower. Adding the rubber to the 2nd stage made it a beast for throwing snow further.
Chains are definitely needed for the Gravely walk behind tractor.
You need moving parts to move snow. Simple engineering. Not chains. Gravely's are junk.
@@johnsmithson8020 the gravely snow cannon is junk? Ok idiot
@@richfarfugnuven6308 Sorry. I meant using their plow. Whooops!!
I have a 1990's 12hp Professional Gravely. I have snowblowed and plowed with it since the late 1990's. The thing is a beast! This fall I bought a BX1870 and put a Blizzard 48 on the three point hitch. I will use the Gravely for mowing only now. Great video, but a agreefor what these Gravely attachments cost they should be under cover, but hey it's not my money.
I use to help a guy clean apartment sidewalks with a Gravely plow when I was 10 years old back in the late 1950's.
Thanks for sharing Rick!
The Gravely with a push blade is worthless unless you have 1" of snow on level ground. Track drive blowers are the only way to go. Nice video! thanks guys. 👍🙂
I have literally pushed 6-8” of wet, heavy, crusted snow, straight blade, looked like an ice breaker 15’ out front, pushed 40’ into road to let the truck plow it away. This was with a 70 Super Convertible, no chains, guys at work were dumbfounded. This new style machine is too light on the front, needs weights, then it’ll need chains too. Later style Pro 12 w/ chevron tires could push like the 70 but I hated the safety controls, too hard to push the handles down backing up!
Doesn’t help that guy in vid doesn’t seem familiar w/ machine.
That snow plow looks like it’s more work than it should be...
This was a painful video to watch.
Yes very painful. I was longing for a shovel
NEEDS CHAINS OR DON'T BOTHER!.
They didnt have it configured correctly for snow, nor was it on pavement. They needed wheel weights and chains on the tires, and even dufferent tires. Those were low-grip high flotation lawn tires meant not to damage turf from the weight of the machine. Like putting summer tires on a sports car then driving it in snow.
@@R.U.1.2. that's what I was thinking
I've owned many snowblowers over the years and this one is the best bang for your buck......Troy-Bilt Storm 3090 357cc Electric Start 30-Inch Two-Stage Gas Snow Thrower
I would imagine they'd make chains or maybe some spiked tires to grab on the ice, but throwing that snow with either of those would be the bomb, I could do that all day, horse power, it's just American and in out blood, love some horse power
Now that I'm an adult on the west coast, I am sad that I was forced to use a shovel all of those childhood years in the Midwest. It looks like so much fun, and that thing is a snow-moving beast!
Chains on them tires would make a big difference. Too, do they still make garden implements for them two wheel tractors?
Ya it'd be a night and day difference
They would have to make a tiller, right?
@@fuddrucker74 id hope so!
Not sure about this brand (this is a commercial unit) but the BCS brand does make a ton of garden implements (but it is less horsepower and more aimed at residential/farm).
@@sunshaker01 thanks bud ill check them out
You have to try. A 45 inch 15hp dual wheel Snow Beast. I just got one and can't wait till next year to try it out.
Put AG lug garden tractor tires on it and ⛓ chains,plus wheel weights.
Tip - put the finger remover in the shed as emergency back-up and use the Bobcat. Better yet - winter in Clearwater, Florida.
You should have snow chains on the snow blower with wheels.
Kinda seems like those tires need it cause once they get caked with snow they lose most of their grip if the tires were knobby then would work better.
@@arbiter1 Agreed. I'm sure the Gravely drive system is much different, but with a standard snowblower friction plate drive system, the chains put a lot of extra strain on the drive.
The chains will also break up the ice as whell
@Chris Evans yes but as you drive on ice the focused pressure breaks it so it is beneficial on your snow rig
@Kenneth Silvers is it necessary to trash me for a difference of opinion? You're the one with the problem.
That Gravely is a beast! I live in upstate NY at 1300' of elevation and get storms of several feet of snow at a time. That would be have been the ticket for our dog paths on the lawn for our white black spotted Rat Terrier. We could barely see her in the deep snow.
Already watched those two videos.
But that snowblower is a beast on wheels.
Your pet fox earned you a super like
Thanks Nick !
I have a modified 24" Sears with the tracks, and it's easy to work. It has more than enough power to throw my dog's frozen turds over the fence to my Brother in laws yard....
Hahahahahahaha
That's awesome, can you get em on the roof 😁
Had to laugh. As video started my first thought was “they should see a Gravely.” Next scene, what do my wondering eyes see? GRAVELY. Modern style but keeping the tradition alive. Amazing that Frankie got it through that swampy stuff!
"i'd been out walking the fox..." 🤣🤣🤣 i love it.
Exactly why you get all of your winter equipment ready in the Fall BEFORE the cold and snow. Haha.
I have always found regardless the size is that all units require chains‼️
Not a Honda Snowblower with Track Drive, and the superior power of a Hydrostatic Transmission.
I have always found 2 stage blowers to be a cumbersome pain in the back. Literally. Yeah, they'll power through heavy stuff that a single stage won't clear, but they're bulky and ornery and just annoying and tiring to deal with.
Let a little air out of the tires and install steel wheels instead of skids on the auger’s side panels. Adjust so the plow on the bucket almost touches down when on a flat surface and it should leave itself plenty of traction on it’s way.
@@jackmehoff8026 Thats what I have, Poulan Pro 30" cut and not a problem.
Dang my Man ....... great video review ..... very impressive Gravely ..... Q.) how much “stuff” DJ you have??
Remember back in the day, 30 plus years ago, a family fiend had a Gravely finish mower and the sulky seat, it was a blast just to ride around the yard, her dad said as long as we were using the gas, might as well turn on the mower....mowed the whole yard for him, he said I could come back any time I wanted to “ride around the yard” feel free...never got the chance to use the snowblower....powerful machine though....
Great video. Frankie was in his environment!
😁👍
Stan I think that Frankie is certifiably nuts 🥜
Nathan Brodeur stan aint far off imo
My favorite channel to see gimmicky lawn and snow equipment.
Ariens is great only blower I used my dad just bought a brand new one and that gravely is cool I miss the old gravely
I just bought the commercial track blower and it is a monster. Love it
Chains, need chains on the plow. Nice plow. Oh, put everything inside, leave no equipment out.
Chains? Lol. Even if you have chains plowing is inefficient. You need moving parts to move snow. Simple engineering.
Leave everything outside to rust and freeze, and then use a sledge hammer on it, and film the whole thing for the delight of others. Sheesh.
If you put the chains on those tires that thing would be unstoppable.. the difference that chains make is incredible and once you use them, you will never go without them again.. they save you so much labor and time it’s unbelievable.. well worth the money and the only way to go 👍👍
Think I'll get 2 and mount them to the front of my truck.
LOL nice video. Delivered a Toro Commercial HD 1432 today. No tracks but what a BEAST! You should always buy equipment according to a dealer that's close to your location for support but IMO the only 2 blowers to buy are Honda or Toro. Ive worked on them all and those two stand out as the best built with the fewest problems and best parts support. By best parts support I mean quickest delivery and stock of inventory. Just waited 2 and a half MONTHS for an axle shakft for an ariens blower. When we got it it was the wrong part. The part had been superseded by an update kit that cost half what the machine was worth. In the dumpster it went and that pretty much soured my mouth on ariens
Thats probably all dealer dependent. My toro 518 has been at shop for about a month waiting on parts. Bought my ariens pro 28 and pro 21 because my toro hd and 518 has been in shop for to many things and customers dont wait, including the auger gear box replacement. And they have a qc issue with the auger housings and a couple other known issues like the auger handle popping up. That little ariens has had a couple hiccups itself to.
Commercial 1432 wouldve been a bit nicer than th hd 1028 though.
@@spstoopst4363We mostly see 9-10-11 28s here. I am surprised to see a gearbox failure. As far as I know Toro is about the only manufacturer that offers a steel on steel gearbox. All the rest are brass on steel and you can imagine how those end up after years of abuse. Ive never seen an auger housing fail unless the customer was blowing lots of gravel wearing holes in them. Not sure what auger handle issue you are talking about. The common failures ive seen are cables breaking and choke levers on the new loncin engines breaking. As for the 518s. There are a few That have come in but only for paddle changes and belts.Most guys are still running the old CCRS
Had a flat 2" landscape rock take out a shear bolt at Christmas....only thing hit all winter minus some plow scrapings so it was either weakend by the rock or taken out by cleaning up after the plows. Got atleast 100 driveways out of it before the gearbox went. My auger housing also blows snow out the side welds under the shoot...dealer says toro knows about some and the auger handle. Handle will stay down but then pop up...apparently a fix in the works and get a new housing after winter....either true? Idk but what dealer says. If they allowed pics/videos i could show my craziness of the monster i got. Didnt make for a good experience with toro for first time. I like it breaking drifts better though over my 28 hydro ariens.
@@spstoopst4363Okay so you have the "new" edition. The HD 1028 with the metal chute. We have only just begun to see the new models coming through our shop and area. Mostly still seeing the 28 OXE which is the plastic chute and anticlog housing. I was just talking to my boss about this today. We are still trying to figure out the new parts they are putting in the new models. I swear they have shear bolts but he thinks they still have a grade 5/ 1/4 inch bolt. All I do know is that those things are tough. So much so atleast with the old models that we see bent augers and haven't seen a broken bolt or gearbox yet.
Baddest snow blower ? My cousin Sid who leaned into an uncovered sneeze across the the top of my mirrored coffee table .
After watching a number of videos, I am entirely convinced you don’t have enough equipment. Uo your game.
Neighbors: what’s that noise? Just Frankie again.
Lol, thanks for watching !
i was the 300000the subscriber...... kick ass go stan!!!
Awesome !! Thanks so much !
Just like when I watch andrew Camarata play with heavy equipment I wanna go play with heavy equipment
@Kenneth Silvers I know what your saying.
Andrew would have a 50 year old version of this equipment 😆
Couldn't agree more 🤣👏🏼
to quote regular car reviews, "If it ain't broke, BREAK IT!"
Ariens purchased Gravely in 1982.
Dam that thing throws snow like the ones they use to clear the run ways at the airport
that gravely is awesome it almost makes me wish I lived up north so I could buy one.(I live in sunny florida)
You could still buy one but it wouldn't do you much good! Thanks for watching !!
I run 721 RC Toro commercial single stage. Residential customers they are plenty good and reliable.
Why is moving snow sooooo damb satisfying! Haha
It is ! Thanks for watching !
If anyone is going to make a GoPro look good on their head, it’s you big guy!! Lol
Love your videos and all the pro tips!
Appreciate that J.E. , thanks !
I'd like to see how that blower handles "Sierra Cement" and "Cascades Concrete."
wannabe to wasabe it doesn’t are 40 hp tractor can barely handle cascade concrete. We have 5 feet of cascade concrete in 2 days and we had to bring in a front end loader to do our driveway.
You need, I believe it's called a jitney on the back. Hooks up like a trailer, 2 wheels with a seat in the middle.
You can use from mowing to snow blowing.
It’s a - silkie - but I might have spelled it wrong. Thanks
Sulky/Velke
For professionals it’s a shame that you keep you keep your equipment outside what a shame
Pat I wouldn't buy anything from him
Stan how do you like the two stage smow blowr i have one and i love it whatare your thoughts
@@kellybelanger5836 I would,I've seen way too many heated garage"queens"that had rotted seals,screwed up carbs,dry rotted tires and hoses.Just because it sits outside doesn't mean anything.
Almost like he gets tons of that equipment for free and has enough money to not need to care lol
@@4gauge10 none of that was from being stored away in a heated garage.. storing outdoor is shitty.
that has to be the most quiet and most beautiful fox i have ever seen.... i want one
I really do appreciate the durability of Gravely. For myself I would prefer a used JD X749 with attachments for around the same money... I've lost my endurance for the cold and walking.
Also a building to keep equipment dosen't have to be big to house equipment, and it sure is nice to work on... I don't care for digging anything out of the snow to work with it.
No kidding. Covering the equipment with a tarp is even better than just letting the rain, snow and sun pound away on it year round. That’s just silly. Take care of your equipment and it’ll last a long time.
I'm sure you could get chains for the QXT if you needed them for certain situations. My old school Ariens are the same, they have old school turf saver tires, so I put a good pair of chains on and it bites hard, I'm never without traction. Thats how they did it back in the day, no fancy tires, chains!
still doin chains
I have a Bercomac, it will throw the snow over my house into the back yard. LOL!
Lol, thanks for viewing !
What it didn't come with a garden tiller attachment, or a front mount box blade?
I have 2 gravely mowers, well made machines
I legitimately nod my head and answer when you ask questions. My family thinks I'm nuts.
Lol, thank you for answering and for watching !!
I think franky wants to take that gravely off your hands Stanley! Ha!
Add set of chains and nothing will stop that. Ran a 48" on Gravely riding tractor for years I miss that machine.
Gravely has been doing this for decades. The old tractors pre-osha will put that new one to shame!
weld a small hitch to the back and put a wheeled platform behind the blower to stand/sit on so you add some body weight to the wheels of the blower. Can even toss some old tractor weights on near the front to get extra weight onto the wheels.
Note to self,NEVER BEAT ON NICE, FAIRLY NEW EQUIPMENT WITH A SLEDGE!
Why do uoi wait for the snow to arrive to start hitching up your equipment ??? Is it more fun that way ???
I just can't imagine fighting with that thing for hours on end. I have had push blowers and they are a constant fight.
You are absolutely right. I The one I have makes you feel as if you went a few rounds in the ring depending on the type of snow.
@@spiderman0863 you must be a big puss
Those paddles are typically a layer of cork sandwiched between two rubber sheets
They are also a pain in the ass to replace
I've done it on my snowblower and mine uses torx screws to hold the paddles in place
franky really takes care of his machine hmmm comes with a crow bar and a slege hammer I guess
That’s not a sledge hammer or crow bar. That’s a log splitting mail and a bent pipe.
@@glennodge7647 That's not a log splitting mail, it's a log splitting maul
i have an old bobcat that just uses a couple big bolts to hold the snowblower on. i think it to is a walk behind tractor.
Don't hear that every day, "out walking my fox"
The man’s wife has the moose.
You can adjust the skids on the sides of the unit to up make it "bite" better. Or you can lower them so if you are in gravel or on uneven surface it won't ruin your blades. Just like a snow plow.
Why don't you buy Franky some winter pants like yours?
He did but i think Frankie sold them for a pint of pimple top gin !!
And a coat