***Official 2023 Weather Thread***

snowcraig2.0

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If you have both a single stage and a 2 stage I could see having not busted out the 2 stage for most snows this winter.

But that heavy, slushy one a couple weeks back was one you needed that 2 stage.
That's like saying if you have a big penis and a small penis you could see using the small penis most of the time. Why would you ever use the small penis?
 

cycloner29

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Dec 17, 2008
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Neighbor has a single stage Toro and never uses it. He is like 75 and shovels all the time. I’ve used my single stage so much over the last couple of years I wonder if he would sell me his?
 

stateofmind

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Jul 16, 2007
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Speaking of snow blowers, I shoveled every snow this year except for the heavy wet snow. But my 10 year old snow blower hadn't ever had a servicing. I went all out, new spark plug, new oil, new scraper, etc. I ran the gas out like every year. But I don't think I ran seafoam through it for the first time last winter. Damned if I couldn't get it started without a little carb cleaner sprayed in the spark plug hole. Now I can get it running but can't fully take the choke off now.

Anyone else a slacker on maintenance like me and had an issue like this? I'm thinking I should go get a can of seafoam and run some through it before the next snow. So mad I didn't take care of it. It's a really nice Craftsman 26" and I now have that canopy that goes over me when I'm using it. If you don't have one of those I couldn't recommend it more.
 

alarson

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That's like saying if you have a big penis and a small penis you could see using the small penis most of the time. Why would you ever use the small penis?

Depending on what you have/how you have it set, sometimes a single stage does a better job at clearing all the way to bare concrete.
 

JP4CY

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Speaking of snow blowers, I shoveled every snow this year except for the heavy wet snow. But my 10 year old snow blower hadn't ever had a servicing. I went all out, new spark plug, new oil, new scraper, etc. I ran the gas out like every year. But I don't think I ran seafoam through it for the first time last winter. Damned if I couldn't get it started without a little carb cleaner sprayed in the spark plug hole. Now I can get it running but can't fully take the choke off now.

Anyone else a slacker on maintenance like me and had an issue like this? I'm thinking I should go get a can of seafoam and run some through it before the next snow. So mad I didn't take care of it. It's a really nice Craftsman 26" and I now have that canopy that goes over me when I'm using it. If you don't have one of those I couldn't recommend it more.
You using premium?
 

NoCreativity

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Nov 12, 2015
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Depending on what you have/how you have it set, sometimes a single stage does a better job at clearing all the way to bare concrete.
Neighbor has a single stage so I can atest to this. Mine is more muscle, his single stage is seems more finesse.
 

BanjoCy

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Speaking of snow blowers, I shoveled every snow this year except for the heavy wet snow. But my 10 year old snow blower hadn't ever had a servicing. I went all out, new spark plug, new oil, new scraper, etc. I ran the gas out like every year. But I don't think I ran seafoam through it for the first time last winter. Damned if I couldn't get it started without a little carb cleaner sprayed in the spark plug hole. Now I can get it running but can't fully take the choke off now.

Anyone else a slacker on maintenance like me and had an issue like this? I'm thinking I should go get a can of seafoam and run some through it before the next snow. So mad I didn't take care of it. It's a really nice Craftsman 26" and I now have that canopy that goes over me when I'm using it. If you don't have one of those I couldn't recommend it more.
As mentioned above, premium will help.

Worst case, I just replaced the whole carb assembly last year and now runs like a champ. Before I was in the same boat and couldn't run without a little choke. Mine's a troy-bilt that's 13 years old, and the carb assembly was cheap on Amazon.
 

Al_4_State

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Does central Iowa even get enough snow to necessitate a 2 stage?

I had a single stage for awhile in far north Iowa and it was completely fine. My mom gave me her 2 stage because her husband decided it wasn't fancy enough, and we get maybe 2 snows a year where it cleans faster than my old single stage did, and as someone else pointed out, the single stage always got it cleaner.
 

stateofmind

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Jul 16, 2007
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As mentioned above, premium will help.

Worst case, I just replaced the whole carb assembly last year and now runs like a champ. Before I was in the same boat and couldn't run without a little choke. Mine's a troy-bilt that's 13 years old, and the carb assembly was cheap on Amazon.
Looks like we basically have the same machine. I think mine is actually 14 years now that I think about it. My last snow blower you had to rebuild the carb, I like that they basically just send you the assembly now for $18. Think I might just do that. I love to tinker.carb
 

CycloneDaddy

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Sep 24, 2006
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Johnston
If you have both a single stage and a 2 stage I could see having not busted out the 2 stage for most snows this winter.

But that heavy, slushy one a couple weeks back was one you needed that 2 stage.
Teenager likes to shovel and my neighbor has a JD rider with a blower attachment that got the end of driveway.
 

Agclone91

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Feb 5, 2011
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I'm almost 53 and love the workout of the shovel. Plus the wide white plastic shovels do it so quickly and clean.
These things are fantastic. I have the 36" one that I use on pretty much anything under 3". If it's too heavy for me to push with that, then I break out the snow blower. Depending on the forecast, sometimes I'll actually run the pusher across my driveway after the blower to get what is left behind by the scraper bar. Takes almost no time at all.

Single stages almost always clean to bare concrete better because the paddles are designed to essentially sweep the ground. Two stages are meant to ride up on the skids and leave 1/8" or so of snow behind.
 

Agclone91

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Does central Iowa even get enough snow to necessitate a 2 stage?

I had a single stage for awhile in far north Iowa and it was completely fine. My mom gave me her 2 stage because her husband decided it wasn't fancy enough, and we get maybe 2 snows a year where it cleans faster than my old single stage did, and as someone else pointed out, the single stage always got it cleaner.
Depends on what you define as necessary. We get a few 4-6" snows a year in Ames, and usually at least one big one. I guess I've never gotten my 2 stage out and thought "this is too much". If I need a machine, I'd rather have one that can do it all. Takes up essentially the same space in the garage either way.
 

Gunnerclone

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Jul 16, 2010
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These things are fantastic. I have the 36" one that I use on pretty much anything under 3". If it's too heavy for me to push with that, then I break out the snow blower. Depending on the forecast, sometimes I'll actually run the pusher across my driveway after the blower to get what is left behind by the scraper bar. Takes almost no time at all.

Single stages almost always clean to bare concrete better because the paddles are designed to essentially sweep the ground. Two stages are meant to ride up on the skids and leave 1/8" or so of snow behind.

Any of you “white shovel” people have a link to this thing?
 
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JP4CY

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Does central Iowa even get enough snow to necessitate a 2 stage?

I had a single stage for awhile in far north Iowa and it was completely fine. My mom gave me her 2 stage because her husband decided it wasn't fancy enough, and we get maybe 2 snows a year where it cleans faster than my old single stage did, and as someone else pointed out, the single stage always got it cleaner.
For the me the two stage is needed frequently after the plow goes by.
 

Three4Cy

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Any of you “white shovel” people have a link to this thing?

 
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