To slow the Toro down is very simple. Under the dash you will find an adjustment clevis. Simply take the pin out and turn the clevis and reattach. It may take a few times to get it dialed in, but it is that simple. I slowed my Toro Power Max HD 1232 down to a crawl in first gear. This adjustment affects all the forward gears. So, all your forward gears will be slower. Now I have that creeper gear when I need it. One advantage to making this adjustment, the reverse speeds are a tad quicker. One has to understand, these machines are shipped in a box and need to be assembled by you or someone else. Another thing I did to make my machine better, was to remove the tension spring on the drive lever. Many complain the tension is too strong and after running the machine for prolonged periods of time, ones left hand becomes fatigued. Toro's fix for this is to simply slip the spring out of the grove on the drive lever. The lower spring near the gear box is all that is needed to return the lever to the up position. I went even further and removed the spring all together. That takes a bit of disassembly to do so, but it was not that time consuming. If you look under your dash and observe the rod that goes from one lever to the other one, you'll see what must be done to remove the lever tension spring. This is not necessary, but I am one of those who likes to tinker with things. Overall, I'm really impressed with these Toro HD models ability to throw heavy wet snow without clogging. Last year we got 9 inches of extremely wet snow and my 1232 was able to blow that heavy wet stuff 50 plus feet. Needless to say, I was very impressed. My neighbor's machines were struggling to blow the stuff fifteen feet. The trigger steering makes maneuvering the machine a breeze and the quick stick is a blast to use. That is, after you get the hang of using it. It does take a bit of practice sense it moves the shoot so quickly. Another thing that is quite evident after using one of Toro's Power Max HD machines, the traction is excellent, the tires really dig in. Unless you're on ice, chains are not necessary. The balance is also very good for such a big heavy machine. I almost bought an Ariens Pro machine, but I decided against the auto steer that Ariens uses exclusively on all their bigger models. Most who have auto steer differential snow blowers realize the poly shoes are a must to help keep the machine going straight on uneven ground. All machines with auto steer should come from the factory with poly shoes. Well, I've shared my two cents. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable winter. Let's see if we get enough snow to break out the big machines this winter. Hopefully, we do. Blowing snow is fun when you have the right equipment.
I totally agree ... the best snowblower is the one you never need to use! -- Many thank for the video. There are plenty of weekend reviewers out there who get their hands on a machine, pop the box open, dissect the hardware by the numbers, and munch a few inches of snow -- but 2 years of use reliably answers the most important questions.
Really that's the way you think.. I love when I get a new snowblower. LET IT SNOW IT'S FUN.. man and his machine a special connection.. And we had a couple of storms this year I wish I had more I love using my snowblower..
In case no one mentioned it. I just watched a video about being able to reduce the first gear speed by unfastened the linkage under the dash and twisting it 3 times. Search for more details but I plan on doing it if I pick one up. Thanks!
Great video. I like my Toro 1028 also and it's my second one. I want to reply to your dislikes of the snow blower. As far as the washers just grab a few extras and keep them in the garage. I downloaded my manual and printed it. ( Two pages per sheet of paper also I copy an electric manual on my computer so it's easy to get to). In the past I would call Toro and they would send me a manual free. As far as the over spill of snow there are a few ways to fix that. After the first bite only take half bites. The way I like best is after the first bit take a second bite leaving about a foot of snow between the first and second bite. Then on the past back do that foot that's in between the first and second bite. I never have over spill that way. I hope this was helpful to you
You can slow down the gears. I had to on mine it was out of adjustment. Just take the pin out on the shift linkage to the arm on the machine and turn it one turn to the right and re attach. If that's not enough do it again. I had to turn mine 2 turns to the right to slow it down enough. Works fantastic.
@@HilltownCT if you are looking from the back of the machine it would be to the left. Or if you take the rod off the shift arm looking from the bucket to the controls it would be right hand turns. Sorry to be so confusing.
Toro 10/28 snowblower review Snow blowers owned. All with Tecumseh engines not the cheap Chinese engines.. 1. Toro 10/28 2. Ariens 8/24 3. Yardman 8/24 built from various parts. I live in upper Michigan, last year we had a huge mid march snowstorm. It was about 30 inches of the heavy wet stuff, you know the kind. I got up around 5:00am and had my coffee as usual and then donned my Carhartts for the usual 90 minutes of clearing snow. My driveway is gravel and about 300 ft long with a few smaller sections and dog runs. I got out to my garage at the far end of my property and turned on the lights. At the time I had fluorescent lights that took a bit of time to warm up to full brightness. The snowblowers are arranged in various areas in the garage waiting to be called to duty. First I looked at the Ariens, It refused to make eye contact and I’m pretty sure it pointed in the direction of the back corner. This snow was a bit more than the 8/24 could handle anyways. Next, I walked by the Yardman and I could see a small oil leak begin to form on the floor. Pass. As the lights started to warm up I could just make out the Toro in the back corner of the garage. This blower was tough, scarred, battle hardened and had never failed me. It was dusty and worn with some small areas of rust on the augur and the red touch up paint was obvious. He was just sitting there with its hat tipped down smoking a cigarette in the dark waiting for action. We made direct eye contact for a second or two and I said , “you ready”? Then somehow through no action by my own, that Tecumseh 10HP roared to life… that had never happened before but we shared a mutual respect so I didn’t think much of it. On went my gloves and out the door we went. For the next 90 minutes together we chopped, tore, hacked, sliced, shredded and basically devastated that snow in such horrible ways that it makes me cringe even to this day. That Toro raged through that heavy snow with a hatred and vengeance never witnessed before. It was truly inspirational and every second was a true pleasure. Never a sputter, never a hiccup, never a complaint. When the job was done I throttled it down for a minute before shutting down and returning it to the garage. After brushing off of some accumulated snow around the augur assembly I returned it to the corner where it likes to be kept. I turned to the Toro and said “thanks”. As I walked away toward the door I glanced back at the Toro as he put his leather hat back on, tilted it down and lit up a smoke. Till next time……….
Good story telling. I have an old Murray Uitra 8hp 27" . She has never let me down either but i am thinking about getting a new one . It always starts on one pull. This sounds like a great one to get.
Great video, but you missed the main reason why I chose this brand and model. The levers under the handles enable a very tight left or right turn to be made with no pushing or pulling the machine around! The wheel on the inside of the turning radius disengages completely when the lever is pulled! That feature, alone, is really handy and makes the job much quicker. I have not seen this on any other brand, and that's why Toro is my favorite! You've made a great video here, with this one major omission. And the fact that it's not sponsored impresses the hell out of me! Great job!
I have a 530 foot driveway, it sounds like this is the right blower to get. It is now the Toro Power Max HD 1030 OHAE. It seems like a really good blower to get so I bought it yesterday (it was the only large blower available). Not sure how long it is going to take to get the driveway done but I guess I will find out soon. Used to have it plowed and the rates more than doubled this year - 7 inches meant $220 plowing which took 20 minutes. I figure I will get my money back after one to two seasons. I can download the manual and the washers I can buy - I just want it to work and your video shows it will. Thank you for this, very helpful. I was told these can go 5 to 10 years without any repair, so your two shows a start to that.
@@HilltownCT Thanks, can you tell me how long it takes you to get your driveway done with 6-7 inches of wet snow? I think you said yours is 250 feet? Thank you!
@@Buc_Stops_Here Mine is 150’ and takes 45 minutes or so depending on how picky I get. I’m guessing you’re gonna be 3.5 hours-ish. If I let the machine do the work and don’t try to muscle it, it’s a walk in the park.
@@HilltownCT Well, we had our first snowfall - 8 inches. Surprisingly, all powder. Time to snowblow the whole driveway - a much better 1 hour 15 minutes. That was it! Thanks for your advice, really appreciate it. Much better than I ever thought it would be (and I could see the asphalt when done!)
The front gear can be slowed down by disconnecting the top or bottom where lever it is a clip connect of the shifter rod and turning the top piece to the right one or two turns then reconnecting it , that moves your friction disc slightly to the right of the friction plate which will slow it down but it also will speed up reverse so you may have to adjust the turning once or twice to get it where you want it.
Nice machine and vid, Toro builds a quality snowblower. I am also old school and prefer a proper hard copy owner's manual over a digital one. Honda does a nice job with well written, large enough to include proper illustrations owner's manuals. My only peeve with the Toro snowblowers are the Loncin built engines have a side terminating oil drain, complicates oil changes. Best of luck with that beast 👍🏽
YOU CAN SLOW DOWN FIRST GEAR IN ANY SNOWBLOWER I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS!! All you have to do is take the transmission rod in the back. It has a threaded piece on top.. You unhook it from the gear shift and then you turn it clockwise a couple of turns This will slow down first gear IT WILL SLOW DOWN ALL THE GEARS AND MAKE THE REVERSE QUICKER.. This is what I love because I like it when reverse goes faster because I'm not snowblowing and I want to back up quickly.. Really is as simple as that. What it does is it puts the friction wheel on a different spot on the friction disk It takes a little experimenting but it works perfectly.. Made my first gear on my Toro snowblower that was too fast very slow!!
just bought the same machine this year it is beast love it I adjusted the rod from the gear selector 2 or 3 turns right slowed the machine in first gear tremendously toro makes quality no doubt better than ariens I think
I have the same horsepower 1028 but the model before this one with the plastic shute and love it lots.. I don't have that oil washer issue but do agree they need to put a slower speed on it. This machine will outperform the others.. The tires have such great grip, you don't need chains either.. This is my second Toro in 20 years, my first is still running and gave to a friend of mine and still running..
You don't need to put a slower speed in it All you need to do is turn the top of the transmission rod threaded piece I think it's clockwise a few turns it'll slow down all the speeds and make their reverse quicker. Surprise a lot of people don't know this It works awesome.. Turned my first speed down really slow..
I'll be going to my local Toro dealer this weekend to check out the 1428 OHXE, I'm fairly certain I'll be taking one home with me, hoping it can handle 2-3' snow drifts that is created from wind driven snow from the farm fields that surround my property. Good video☺
I hear you with the metal crash washer.. most manufacturers insist you change it.. if u have new ones sure but if not it's perfect fine to reuse the old one, even on larger equipment and automotive stuff
Good review. You mentioned the machine needing a lower gear to keep from leaving a trail. I think the real reason the Toro leaves a trail is that the augur is set too far forward compared too some other machines and the augur throws it out of the shoot before it can be sucked in. A simple test would be to clamp on an added piece of material, 3 to 6 inches, on the sides of the machine extending the shoot forward length, and see if there is any difference.
Toro just redesigned the front of these so the bottom of the auger sticks out further from the top so it digs into snow better with less resistance on the metal sides. This new design works great especially on and of Dway snow piles. The anti clog housing recycles excess snow directly in front of the auger just making it look like its pilling up. Check the RPMs and boot it up a bit and it will make a huge difference. Auger will spin faster and prevent alot of this. Watch the video in slow motion and you can see just where the exess snow goes. Just my opinion and actual use of both auger designs. Like the new one just fine.
Great Video. You slow down your forward gears by moving the rubber wheel closer to the center of the disk. If you take the inspection bottom cover off, you can see exactly how far from the center first gear is. I am buying the same machine later this summer, and if first gear is too fast, I plan on slowing mine down as well. Just remember, the other forward gears will be slower as well and reverse will speed up some. First gear needs to crawl to deal with deep or heavy wet snow. Too bad Toro doesn't offer the Hydro Drive on the tire verson of the commercial snow throwers. Maybe they will this model year? I have researched every machine out there, and the Toro power max HD commercial wheeled versions are hard to beat. Less to go wrong on the Toro models. Toro kept the shoot control simple, and yet it is by far the best shoot control on any of the machines. Looking forward to the winter of 2022-23. I will be ready this coming winter, for anything mother nature wants to throw at me. Good luck with your gear change.
Loved you video, it helped me decide on the Toro HD 1232. This is the first winter trying it out. Very powerful machine. One issue I have with it is this: The left drive handle tension spring is way too strong. Over time my hand becomes fatigued trying to keep the lever held down. I ordered a replacement spring to see if I heated it with my betaine torch, it would lose some of its tension. Just bending the spring may be the easiest way to elevate some of the tension. I am going to look into doing that before taking the handle assembly apart to get at the spring. I also adjusted the drive rod and slowed down the forward speed to a crawl. Much better when in deep snow. Overall, I am very impressed with the performance of the machine. Just wondering how you feel about the strong tension spring on the left drive lever. The right lever is held down while the left one is down, so that side is not an issue. The quick stick it fantastic once you get the hang of it. After some research, I found Toro makes a full synthetic 0w30 snow blower engine oil. When the five-hour brake in time on the engine has been reached, I plan on using the Toro 0w30 oil. My local Toro Dealer didn't have it in stock, so I ordered it online. Hope you have a safe and blessed winter.
Thanks for the great comment. The tension hasn’t been an issue with mine. Maybe if my driveway were smaller and I had to apply the lever on/off more frequently, it would be. So far, so good. Have fun with that beast! Maybe a Toro engineer will see your comment and tweak a future design. Be well!
Me personally I love PDF stuff.. I don't think I've read an actual paper manual in about 6 years. Everything is on PDF on my computer or mostly on my phone. Download the PDF parts manual or the manual itself You can zoom in zoom out see everything perfectly right in the palm of your hand. Paper is going away fast..
Great video I have a toro two stage 724 That I bought 2 years ago. That’ does OK job for my Square footage. But when I get your amount of snow or a little more or even Windrift that’s when I realize I need more power and more throw. Your video helped a lot. You may have a creeper gear on the first gear of the reverse that’s where it is on mine.
Thanks, I appreciate it. My old snow blower was also undersized and it took a beating as a result. The only time I’d like the lower gear is when I’m in real deep snow or I’m cutting through the plow berm at the base of my driveway. Otherwise, It’s a fantastic machine overall. Good luck!
I believe the oil drain washer can be flipped over and reused several times. I have a Pontiac Vibe that uses that type of washer on the oil and transmission drain plugs. I've been flipping the washers over and reusing them for years with no leakage. Hope this helps.
I have the same snowboard I purchased about 3 years. The only complaint I have is that the triggers for the auger and speed control are hard to hold down .. It's almost crippling on my hands... But it has no problem going through snow in its throwing distances amazing..
I have the 1428 assume same handle configuration. The left handle, drive, has a spring seated in the handle from the cross member to the right handle. You can use needle nose pliers to release spring, and leave in place. This will relieve pressure on left handle and since right locks down there is no pressure while running. This helped me. I hope the 1028 has the same setup.
@@jira1889 When you release the spring does it catch on the backplate or really unwind? Have the 928 and have used needle nose pliers to try and bend it but only helped a little.Theres no real reason to have so much tension as it already has the spring below to pop it back up. Thanks for the suggestion! Have got strong hands the past few weeks!
@@PFred-ew4zd I can't say for the 928 but on 1428 spring is a coil spring with one end sitting a form fitting indentation in the base of the traction handle. When I remove from groove spring just goes limp does not unwind. I also loosened the traction a little bit, traction still good not as hard to hold. Also there is a plastic cam shaped piece on the cross member that runs between the handles under the dash. That plastic piece is what releases auger handle when running one handed. I filed some of that plastic off so it won't release so quickly. But you can shave off too much which I did, and I have to lift the traction handle to release auger. I actually like it this way, the weight of my hand holds the traction down when auger is engaged, and both springs are relaxed. I filed off quite a bit but if you do less you can get rid of the hair trigger and will still release. If I put the two springs back in normal position works normally.
It does have the hand warmers, and I leave them on all the time. Admittedly, they’re not as warm as some of the other machines I’ve owned, but they do the job. I wouldn’t buy a machine without ‘em. Thanks for the kind words.
How do you like the snow that falls out of the front and lands on the cleaned\cleared side of the driveway. This problem is worse in other snow conditions. What is funny is I was typing this comment as you mention it in the video. Also the speed issue is a problem as you noted. I had the dealer make speed and other adjustments but it did help. The problem I have with this is that the dealer thinks this is normal. I’ve had 3 blowers before this one and ‘no’ this is not typically. The dealer will not communicate this known issue to toro for some reason. Instead they expect me to. Each dealer has a toro rep and you would think toro would want the honest feedback to make their products better. I believe Honda resolve the issue with a little lip outside the opening of the 2nd stage thrower. These issues will make me think twice about toro in the future, even though it might be to late as all I own is toro😅
I agree on the creeper gear. I have an ariens 28"pro, and the gear ratio sucks. 1st is way to fast. You could cut the first couple gears by half or more. Its geared for 6" snow falls or less. Nothing for those 18" plus snows. The 2 reverse gears are next to worthless. Its creeper and super creepier. I don't have much choice, because the thing is over 300lbs. That's a lot to keep dragging back manually. Your Toro is faster in reverse then my ariens. Thanks for the honest assessment.
@@HilltownCT according to the dealer the other day, I just need to adjust the linkage. It makes perfect sense after he explained it. I know what it looks like inside, so by moving that wheel to the left ( or vice versa ) inside, it will also make it faster in reverse.
Thanks for the review and video eating snow!Regarding the metal crush washer you mentioned saying it would be hard to change the oil. You know the Oil drain is located at the bottom of the block right. I have the 928 version and wish they had a screw on/off cap where they use a fixed cap now also but changing oil is no problem. How do you like the trigger steering? It took me a bit to get used to auto steer on the 928, It works good now after 2 years but I initially wished I went I went with the 1028 for trigger steer as they drive straight unless you want it to turn. Happy with the 928's power though. Would like to see a video of you turning with this you don't see many vids using the levers to turn they cut that part out for some reason?
I’ve changed the oil once so far and it’s due again soon. I should have included a clip of the steering operation! It works fine and makes the big machine easy to maneuver. If you depress both steering triggers simultaneously, it puts the machine in free wheel mode (almost like a neutral) and makes it easy to move around in the garage. Thanks for watching.
Hi. I am looking at this model specifically for the trigger steering. My old craftsman has it and it's always worked perfectly. I have been afraid to look at machines with autoturn fearing that they won't track straight. What has been your experience?
@@stevehoch9528 Get the 1028 if you can they replaced that model with the 1030 with auto steer this year I don't believe they make the 1028 anymore. Really disappointing news to me. Should have kept the 1028 lineup!
After hours of research and finding some honest reviews of those who use the auto steer system, I decided to avoid any machine with it. I found out Toro uses trigger steer in their bigger HD units. So, I opted for the 1232 HD with trigger steer. Works really well. Toro HD engines have plenty of power and torque to get the job done. Like most, I found first gear to fast, so I made the simple rod adjustment to slow it down. Sense your post was a year ago, what machine did you end up buying? Have a blessed and safe wither.
They did away with the creeper gear because mine is 5 yrs old,same model as yours, and has one.Mine also has a manual it came with.Im wondering if you got a briggs and stratton motor,they started using knockoff chinese motors about 2 yrs sgo.
I don't know about the.. The best snow blower is the one you don't need.. I love my new snowblower had a couple of storms It was a lot of fun to use. I wish there was more snow right now.. There's a special connection with man and machine 🤣 ;)
I HAVE THE SAME BEAST OF S MACHINE.WHERE I AM IT WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO HAVE CHAINS ON THE TIRES,THEY ARENT EVEN CLOSE TO MY OLD JOHN DEER UNIT.WICH IS ACTUALLY AN ARIENS.
FUNNY i JUST CALLED UP STORE COMPLAINED didn t get manual or cord for starting it,,They said doesn t come with it ? cord no big deal just other brands use to come with them.I thought I was missing..
Я буду первым , кто оставит комментарий на русском . Что заметил , что американцы не ставят цепи на колеса , я на свой champion st762e поставил цепи и убирать стало проще , колеса уже не так буксуют , а если и буксуют то разбивают под собой лед
Google translate to the rescue! Surprisingly, I've never had a need for chains despite the bottom of my driveway being quite steep. I wouldn't mind trying them to compare though.
@@HilltownCT I'm here in New Haven, Connecticut with the 828 OXE. I gotta tell you it's one the best snowblowers I've owned. With the city coming by cutting back you need something for the apron. My 828 OXE makes easy work of it. I also have the Toro 2 stroke single stage 3650 for 2"-7" if snow and it too is a little snow throwing menace.
That plastic handle for the chute controls is a drawback. When that plastic gets super frozen it can crack very easily when trying to move the chute around quickly. Should be metal...
To slow the Toro down is very simple. Under the dash you will find an adjustment clevis. Simply take the pin out and turn the clevis and reattach. It may take a few times to get it dialed in, but it is that simple. I slowed my Toro Power Max HD 1232 down to a crawl in first gear. This adjustment affects all the forward gears. So, all your forward gears will be slower. Now I have that creeper gear when I need it. One advantage to making this adjustment, the reverse speeds are a tad quicker. One has to understand, these machines are shipped in a box and need to be assembled by you or someone else. Another thing I did to make my machine better, was to remove the tension spring on the drive lever. Many complain the tension is too strong and after running the machine for prolonged periods of time, ones left hand becomes fatigued. Toro's fix for this is to simply slip the spring out of the grove on the drive lever. The lower spring near the gear box is all that is needed to return the lever to the up position. I went even further and removed the spring all together. That takes a bit of disassembly to do so, but it was not that time consuming. If you look under your dash and observe the rod that goes from one lever to the other one, you'll see what must be done to remove the lever tension spring. This is not necessary, but I am one of those who likes to tinker with things. Overall, I'm really impressed with these Toro HD models ability to throw heavy wet snow without clogging. Last year we got 9 inches of extremely wet snow and my 1232 was able to blow that heavy wet stuff 50 plus feet. Needless to say, I was very impressed. My neighbor's machines were struggling to blow the stuff fifteen feet. The trigger steering makes maneuvering the machine a breeze and the quick stick is a blast to use. That is, after you get the hang of using it. It does take a bit of practice sense it moves the shoot so quickly. Another thing that is quite evident after using one of Toro's Power Max HD machines, the traction is excellent, the tires really dig in. Unless you're on ice, chains are not necessary. The balance is also very good for such a big heavy machine. I almost bought an Ariens Pro machine, but I decided against the auto steer that Ariens uses exclusively on all their bigger models. Most who have auto steer differential snow blowers realize the poly shoes are a must to help keep the machine going straight on uneven ground. All machines with auto steer should come from the factory with poly shoes. Well, I've shared my two cents. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable winter. Let's see if we get enough snow to break out the big machines this winter. Hopefully, we do. Blowing snow is fun when you have the right equipment.
I totally agree ... the best snowblower is the one you never need to use! -- Many thank for the video. There are plenty of weekend reviewers out there who get their hands on a machine, pop the box open, dissect the hardware by the numbers, and munch a few inches of snow -- but 2 years of use reliably answers the most important questions.
Thanks so much for the kind words.
Really that's the way you think..
I love when I get a new snowblower. LET IT SNOW IT'S FUN.. man and his machine a special connection..
And we had a couple of storms this year I wish I had more I love using my snowblower..
In case no one mentioned it. I just watched a video about being able to reduce the first gear speed by unfastened the linkage under the dash and twisting it 3 times. Search for more details but I plan on doing it if I pick one up. Thanks!
Great video. I like my Toro 1028 also and it's my second one. I want to reply to your dislikes of the snow blower. As far as the washers just grab a few extras and keep them in the garage. I downloaded my manual and printed it. ( Two pages per sheet of paper also I copy an electric manual on my computer so it's easy to get to). In the past I would call Toro and they would send me a manual free. As far as the over spill of snow there are a few ways to fix that. After the first bite only take half bites. The way I like best is after the first bit take a second bite leaving about a foot of snow between the first and second bite. Then on the past back do that foot that's in between the first and second bite. I never have over spill that way. I hope this was helpful to you
Thank you!
You can slow down the gears. I had to on mine it was out of adjustment. Just take the pin out on the shift linkage to the arm on the machine and turn it one turn to the right and re attach. If that's not enough do it again. I had to turn mine 2 turns to the right to slow it down enough. Works fantastic.
Thanks Nathan. I'm definitely going to look into that.
@@HilltownCT if you are looking from the back of the machine it would be to the left. Or if you take the rod off the shift arm looking from the bucket to the controls it would be right hand turns. Sorry to be so confusing.
Did this adjustment on mine and work great. Two turns too. With three turns, the first gear was on neutral.
It seems that toro adjusted it too far out and made there machine too fast. Glad some people can use this info. Very easy to do.
If you adjust the 1st gear to go slower it speeds up your reverse gears.
Great review 👌. More than 20 hrs on my 1232 and very happy with my purchase. Toro did a good job as usual.
Thanks!
Toro 10/28 snowblower review
Snow blowers owned. All with Tecumseh engines not the cheap Chinese engines..
1. Toro 10/28
2. Ariens 8/24
3. Yardman 8/24 built from various parts.
I live in upper Michigan, last year we had a huge mid march snowstorm. It was about 30 inches of the heavy wet stuff, you know the kind. I got up around 5:00am and had my coffee as usual and then donned my Carhartts for the usual 90 minutes of clearing snow. My driveway is gravel and about 300 ft long with a few smaller sections and dog runs. I got out to my garage at the far end of my property and turned on the lights. At the time I had fluorescent lights that took a bit of time to warm up to full brightness. The snowblowers are arranged in various areas in the garage waiting to be called to duty. First I looked at the Ariens, It refused to make eye contact and I’m pretty sure it pointed in the direction of the back corner. This snow was a bit more than the 8/24 could handle anyways. Next, I walked by the Yardman and I could see a small oil leak begin to form on the floor. Pass. As the lights started to warm up I could just make out the Toro in the back corner of the garage. This blower was tough, scarred, battle hardened and had never failed me. It was dusty and worn with some small areas of rust on the augur and the red touch up paint was obvious. He was just sitting there with its hat tipped down smoking a cigarette in the dark waiting for action. We made direct eye contact for a second or two and I said , “you ready”? Then somehow through no action by my own, that Tecumseh 10HP roared to life… that had never happened before but we shared a mutual respect so I didn’t think much of it. On went my gloves and out the door we went. For the next 90 minutes together we chopped, tore, hacked, sliced, shredded and basically devastated that snow in such horrible ways that it makes me cringe even to this day. That Toro raged through that heavy snow with a hatred and vengeance never witnessed before. It was truly inspirational and every second was a true pleasure. Never a sputter, never a hiccup, never a complaint. When the job was done I throttled it down for a minute before shutting down and returning it to the garage. After brushing off of some accumulated snow around the augur assembly I returned it to the corner where it likes to be kept. I turned to the Toro and said “thanks”. As I walked away toward the door I glanced back at the Toro as he put his leather hat back on, tilted it down and lit up a smoke. Till next time……….
Good story telling. I have an old Murray Uitra 8hp 27" . She has never let me down either but i am thinking about getting a new one . It always starts on one pull. This sounds like a great one to get.
Great video, but you missed the main reason why I chose this brand and model. The levers under the handles enable a very tight left or right turn to be made with no pushing or pulling the machine around! The wheel on the inside of the turning radius disengages completely when the lever is pulled! That feature, alone, is really handy and makes the job much quicker. I have not seen this on any other brand, and that's why Toro is my favorite! You've made a great video here, with this one major omission. And the fact that it's not sponsored impresses the hell out of me! Great job!
Yeah, hindsight is 2020! It is a pretty slick system. Thanks.
That is a very common feature on snowblowers.
I have a 530 foot driveway, it sounds like this is the right blower to get. It is now the Toro Power Max HD 1030 OHAE. It seems like a really good blower to get so I bought it yesterday (it was the only large blower available). Not sure how long it is going to take to get the driveway done but I guess I will find out soon. Used to have it plowed and the rates more than doubled this year - 7 inches meant $220 plowing which took 20 minutes. I figure I will get my money back after one to two seasons. I can download the manual and the washers I can buy - I just want it to work and your video shows it will. Thank you for this, very helpful. I was told these can go 5 to 10 years without any repair, so your two shows a start to that.
You’ll definitely get your steps in with a 530’ driveway, but i think it’ll serve you well. Good luck!
@@HilltownCT Thanks, can you tell me how long it takes you to get your driveway done with 6-7 inches of wet snow? I think you said yours is 250 feet? Thank you!
@@Buc_Stops_Here Mine is 150’ and takes 45 minutes or so depending on how picky I get. I’m guessing you’re gonna be 3.5 hours-ish. If I let the machine do the work and don’t try to muscle it, it’s a walk in the park.
@@HilltownCT Great, thank you. I was estimating four so if it is faster so much the better.
@@HilltownCT Well, we had our first snowfall - 8 inches. Surprisingly, all powder. Time to snowblow the whole driveway - a much better 1 hour 15 minutes. That was it! Thanks for your advice, really appreciate it. Much better than I ever thought it would be (and I could see the asphalt when done!)
Great video! We love our Power Max 828!
My neighbor has an 828 and loves it. Actually, seeing the build quality of his is what led me to purchase a Toro.
The front gear can be slowed down by disconnecting the top or bottom where lever it is a clip connect of the shifter rod and turning the top piece to the right one or two turns then reconnecting it , that moves your friction disc slightly to the right of the friction plate which will slow it down but it also will speed up reverse so you may have to adjust the turning once or twice to get it where you want it.
Nice machine and vid, Toro builds a quality snowblower. I am also old school and prefer a proper hard copy owner's manual over a digital one. Honda does a nice job with well written, large enough to include proper illustrations owner's manuals. My only peeve with the Toro snowblowers are the Loncin built engines have a side terminating oil drain, complicates oil changes. Best of luck with that beast 👍🏽
Sure do! Thanks.
Thanks for the review. Looking at one of these used
YOU CAN SLOW DOWN FIRST GEAR IN ANY SNOWBLOWER I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS!!
All you have to do is take the transmission rod in the back. It has a threaded piece on top.. You unhook it from the gear shift and then you turn it clockwise a couple of turns This will slow down first gear IT WILL SLOW DOWN ALL THE GEARS AND MAKE THE REVERSE QUICKER..
This is what I love because I like it when reverse goes faster because I'm not snowblowing and I want to back up quickly..
Really is as simple as that.
What it does is it puts the friction wheel on a different spot on the friction disk It takes a little experimenting but it works perfectly..
Made my first gear on my Toro snowblower that was too fast very slow!!
just bought the same machine this year it is beast love it I adjusted the rod from the gear selector 2 or 3 turns right slowed the machine in first gear tremendously toro makes quality no doubt better than ariens I think
Do you know off hand who makes the engine for toro snowblowers
I have the same horsepower 1028 but the model before this one with the plastic shute and love it lots.. I don't have that oil washer issue but do agree they need to put a slower speed on it. This machine will outperform the others.. The tires have such great grip, you don't need chains either.. This is my second Toro in 20 years, my first is still running and gave to a friend of mine and still running..
You don't need to put a slower speed in it All you need to do is turn the top of the transmission rod threaded piece I think it's clockwise a few turns it'll slow down all the speeds and make their reverse quicker.
Surprise a lot of people don't know this It works awesome..
Turned my first speed down really slow..
I'll be going to my local Toro dealer this weekend to check out the 1428 OHXE, I'm fairly certain I'll be taking one home with me, hoping it can handle 2-3' snow drifts that is created from wind driven snow from the farm fields that surround my property. Good video☺
Good luck and thank you!
I hear you with the metal crash washer.. most manufacturers insist you change it.. if u have new ones sure but if not it's perfect fine to reuse the old one, even on larger equipment and automotive stuff
Good review. You mentioned the machine needing a lower gear to keep from leaving a trail. I think the real reason the Toro leaves a trail is that the augur is set too far forward compared too some other machines and the augur throws it out of the shoot before it can be sucked in. A simple test would be to clamp on an added piece of material, 3 to 6 inches, on the sides of the machine extending the shoot forward length, and see if there is any difference.
Hmmm....that’s an interesting thought.
Toro just redesigned the front of these so the bottom of the auger sticks out further from the top so it digs into snow better with less resistance on the metal sides. This new design works great especially on and of Dway snow piles. The anti clog housing recycles excess snow directly in front of the auger just making it look like its pilling up. Check the RPMs and boot it up a bit and it will make a huge difference. Auger will spin faster and prevent alot of this.
Watch the video in slow motion and you can see just where the exess snow goes. Just my opinion and actual use of both auger designs.
Like the new one just fine.
Great Video. You slow down your forward gears by moving the rubber wheel closer to the center of the disk. If you take the inspection bottom cover off, you can see exactly how far from the center first gear is. I am buying the same machine later this summer, and if first gear is too fast, I plan on slowing mine down as well. Just remember, the other forward gears will be slower as well and reverse will speed up some. First gear needs to crawl to deal with deep or heavy wet snow. Too bad Toro doesn't offer the Hydro Drive on the tire verson of the commercial snow throwers. Maybe they will this model year? I have researched every machine out there, and the Toro power max HD commercial wheeled versions are hard to beat. Less to go wrong on the Toro models. Toro kept the shoot control simple, and yet it is by far the best shoot control on any of the machines. Looking forward to the winter of 2022-23. I will be ready this coming winter, for anything mother nature wants to throw at me. Good luck with your gear change.
Thanks for the advice and good luck with your new toy!
Loved you video, it helped me decide on the Toro HD 1232. This is the first winter trying it out. Very powerful machine. One issue I have with it is this: The left drive handle tension spring is way too strong. Over time my hand becomes fatigued trying to keep the lever held down. I ordered a replacement spring to see if I heated it with my betaine torch, it would lose some of its tension. Just bending the spring may be the easiest way to elevate some of the tension. I am going to look into doing that before taking the handle assembly apart to get at the spring. I also adjusted the drive rod and slowed down the forward speed to a crawl. Much better when in deep snow. Overall, I am very impressed with the performance of the machine. Just wondering how you feel about the strong tension spring on the left drive lever. The right lever is held down while the left one is down, so that side is not an issue. The quick stick it fantastic once you get the hang of it. After some research, I found Toro makes a full synthetic 0w30 snow blower engine oil. When the five-hour brake in time on the engine has been reached, I plan on using the Toro 0w30 oil. My local Toro Dealer didn't have it in stock, so I ordered it online. Hope you have a safe and blessed winter.
Thanks for the great comment. The tension hasn’t been an issue with mine. Maybe if my driveway were smaller and I had to apply the lever on/off more frequently, it would be. So far, so good. Have fun with that beast! Maybe a Toro engineer will see your comment and tweak a future design. Be well!
Me personally I love PDF stuff.. I don't think I've read an actual paper manual in about 6 years.
Everything is on PDF on my computer or mostly on my phone. Download the PDF parts manual or the manual itself You can zoom in zoom out see everything perfectly right in the palm of your hand.
Paper is going away fast..
Great video I have a toro two stage 724 That I bought 2 years ago. That’ does OK job for my Square footage. But when I get your amount of snow or a little more or even Windrift that’s when I realize I need more power and more throw. Your video helped a lot. You may have a creeper gear on the first gear of the reverse that’s where it is on mine.
Thanks, I appreciate it. My old snow blower was also undersized and it took a beating as a result. The only time I’d like the lower gear is when I’m in real deep snow or I’m cutting through the plow berm at the base of my driveway. Otherwise, It’s a fantastic machine overall. Good luck!
@@HilltownCT I agree with you those are the same times use the creeper gear. I will definitely be upgrading to the 1030.
I believe the oil drain washer can be flipped over and reused several times. I have a Pontiac Vibe that uses that type of washer on the oil and transmission drain plugs. I've been flipping the washers over and reusing them for years with no leakage. Hope this helps.
Thanks. I reused it the last time and no leaks!
Kick ass machine.
I have the same snowboard I purchased about 3 years. The only complaint I have is that the triggers for the auger and speed control are hard to hold down .. It's almost crippling on my hands... But it has no problem going through snow in its throwing distances amazing..
I have the 1428 assume same handle configuration. The left handle, drive, has a spring seated in the handle from the cross member to the right handle. You can use needle nose pliers to release spring, and leave in place. This will relieve pressure on left handle and since right locks down there is no pressure while running. This helped me. I hope the 1028 has the same setup.
@@jira1889 I will have to give it a try...thanks 😊
@@jira1889 When you release the spring does it catch on the backplate or really unwind? Have the 928 and have used needle nose pliers to try and bend it but only helped a little.Theres no real reason to have so much tension as it already has the spring below to pop it back up. Thanks for the suggestion! Have got strong hands the past few weeks!
@@PFred-ew4zd I can't say for the 928 but on 1428 spring is a coil spring with one end sitting a form fitting indentation in the base of the traction handle. When I remove from groove spring just goes limp does not unwind. I also loosened the traction a little bit, traction still good not as hard to hold. Also there is a plastic cam shaped piece on the cross member that runs between the handles under the dash. That plastic piece is what releases auger handle when running one handed. I filed some of that plastic off so it won't release so quickly. But you can shave off too much which I did, and I have to lift the traction handle to release auger. I actually like it this way, the weight of my hand holds the traction down when auger is engaged, and both springs are relaxed. I filed off quite a bit but if you do less you can get rid of the hair trigger and will still release. If I put the two springs back in normal position works normally.
@@PFred-ew4zd You might want to leave plastic piece alone for safety reasons but I am comfortable with it.
Looking at this machine, Did you get the hand warmers with it? And if you did , How do they work, and are they worth it? Love your Video
It does have the hand warmers, and I leave them on all the time. Admittedly, they’re not as warm as some of the other machines I’ve owned, but they do the job. I wouldn’t buy a machine without ‘em. Thanks for the kind words.
@@HilltownCT The hand warmers being not as warm might be a good thing. My TB Storm warmers will damn near cook my hands. Lol
@@paulmysliborski4832 🤣🤣🤣.
How do you like the snow that falls out of the front and lands on the cleaned\cleared side of the driveway. This problem is worse in other snow conditions. What is funny is I was typing this comment as you mention it in the video. Also the speed issue is a problem as you noted. I had the dealer make speed and other adjustments but it did help. The problem I have with this is that the dealer thinks this is normal. I’ve had 3 blowers before this one and ‘no’ this is not typically. The dealer will not communicate this known issue to toro for some reason. Instead they expect me to. Each dealer has a toro rep and you would think toro would want the honest feedback to make their products better. I believe Honda resolve the issue with a little lip outside the opening of the 2nd stage thrower. These issues will make me think twice about toro in the future, even though it might be to late as all I own is toro😅
Thanks for sharing your experience to help others.
I agree on the creeper gear. I have an ariens 28"pro, and the gear ratio sucks. 1st is way to fast. You could cut the first couple gears by half or more. Its geared for 6" snow falls or less. Nothing for those 18" plus snows. The 2 reverse gears are next to worthless. Its creeper and super creepier. I don't have much choice, because the thing is over 300lbs. That's a lot to keep dragging back manually. Your Toro is faster in reverse then my ariens. Thanks for the honest assessment.
Thanks for the comment! Both great machines IMO.
@@HilltownCT according to the dealer the other day, I just need to adjust the linkage. It makes perfect sense after he explained it. I know what it looks like inside, so by moving that wheel to the left ( or vice versa ) inside, it will also make it faster in reverse.
That thing is a beast
Thanks for the review and video eating snow!Regarding the metal crush washer you mentioned saying it would be hard to change the oil. You know the Oil drain is located at the bottom of the block right. I have the 928 version and wish they had a screw on/off cap where they use a fixed cap now also but changing oil is no problem.
How do you like the trigger steering? It took me a bit to get used to auto steer on the 928, It works good now after 2 years but I initially wished I went I went with the 1028 for trigger steer as they drive straight unless you want it to turn. Happy with the 928's power though.
Would like to see a video of you turning with this you don't see many vids using the levers to turn they cut that part out for some reason?
I’ve changed the oil once so far and it’s due again soon. I should have included a clip of the steering operation! It works fine and makes the big machine easy to maneuver. If you depress both steering triggers simultaneously, it puts the machine in free wheel mode (almost like a neutral) and makes it easy to move around in the garage. Thanks for watching.
Hi. I am looking at this model specifically for the trigger steering. My old craftsman has it and it's always worked perfectly. I have been afraid to look at machines with autoturn fearing that they won't track straight. What has been your experience?
@@stevehoch9528 Get the 1028 if you can they replaced that model with the 1030 with auto steer this year I don't believe they make the 1028 anymore. Really disappointing news to me. Should have kept the 1028 lineup!
After hours of research and finding some honest reviews of those who use the auto steer system, I decided to avoid any machine with it. I found out Toro uses trigger steer in their bigger HD units. So, I opted for the 1232 HD with trigger steer. Works really well. Toro HD engines have plenty of power and torque to get the job done. Like most, I found first gear to fast, so I made the simple rod adjustment to slow it down. Sense your post was a year ago, what machine did you end up buying? Have a blessed and safe wither.
can never go wrong with a 10 hp....... i live in New England and i tell ya 11.5 hp is not an issue
Very good vdeo, i agree a owners manual be handedto the customer, it is better to Have the manual in hand
I hate the online Manual. First thing I asked for as well.
Thanks for the video. Have you used this thing on any steep inclines?
My bottom of my driveway is a 12% grade and it works fine.
I have the 928 and it works great on my slope. I am so glad I didn’t go crazy on a tracked unit for 2.5X the price!
Have you considered using an oil extractor so you don't have to worry about the drain plug crush washers? I know not everyone likes them.
I haven’t, but that’s a thought.
They did away with the creeper gear because mine is 5 yrs old,same model as yours, and has one.Mine also has a manual it came with.Im wondering if you got a briggs and stratton motor,they started using knockoff chinese motors about 2 yrs sgo.
started during the day. "we finished driveway short time ago" - totally dark :)
good machine！
I don't know about the.. The best snow blower is the one you don't need..
I love my new snowblower had a couple of storms It was a lot of fun to use.
I wish there was more snow right now..
There's a special connection with man and machine 🤣
;)
How far is that thing throwing?
With the shoot all the way up
@@connormichalek13 About 45-50’ I would say.
@@HilltownCT that’s far
I HAVE THE SAME BEAST OF S MACHINE.WHERE I AM IT WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO HAVE CHAINS ON THE TIRES,THEY ARENT EVEN CLOSE TO MY OLD JOHN DEER UNIT.WICH IS ACTUALLY AN ARIENS.
Yep, my single-stage rubber auger Honda could have thrown that fluffy white snow 30 ft. in the air that you were clearing.
FUNNY i JUST CALLED UP STORE COMPLAINED didn t get manual or cord for starting it,,They said doesn t come with it ? cord no big deal just other brands use to come with them.I thought I was missing..
Я буду первым , кто оставит комментарий на русском . Что заметил , что американцы не ставят цепи на колеса , я на свой champion st762e поставил цепи и убирать стало проще , колеса уже не так буксуют , а если и буксуют то разбивают под собой лед
Google translate to the rescue! Surprisingly, I've never had a need for chains despite the bottom of my driveway being quite steep. I wouldn't mind trying them to compare though.
Where do you live? That is a lot of snow.
Central New England. It's not a blockbuster storm for us, but it's a decent snowfall.
@@HilltownCT that seems decent. I live in canada and i have a honda snowblower. We tend to get more snow days than the united states.
@@HilltownCT when you say new england? Do you mean Vermont or New Hampshire?
@@johnleeyingzhang3504 doesn't really matter, same snow totals.
@@HilltownCT I'm here in New Haven, Connecticut with the 828 OXE. I gotta tell you it's one the best snowblowers I've owned. With the city coming by cutting back you need something for the apron. My 828 OXE makes easy work of it. I also have the Toro 2 stroke single stage 3650 for 2"-7" if snow and it too is a little snow throwing menace.
That plastic handle for the chute controls is a drawback. When that plastic gets super frozen it can crack very easily when trying to move the chute around quickly. Should be metal...
That fast first gear is an issue.
Worst brand ever, stay away.