I've been buying, refurbishing and reselling 2-stage snowblowers since I retired about four years ago. I thought it might be fun to share and compare tips, lessons learned and processes with others who do the same thing.
I don't make much money doing this but it's been a great way to stay active once the hot summer months wind down. In the past I've completed 10- 14 units each season but I've gone completely overboard and now have 25 units I'll be selling this fall and winter. Here are some of my observations. Tell us about your experiences and I'd love to hear your feedback on my observations.
* I've narrowed my focus almost exclusively to 2-stage snowblowers. I've concentrated mostly on Ariens because parts are easily available and the build quality is typically above average. I can find the Operator's Manual, Parts Manuals and (sometimes) the Service Manual on Arien's web site. Limiting my focus has made my parts inventory more standardized and lowered the learning curve to making repairs. I avoid MTD and the other economy brands. At least in my part of the world, Ariens units are easy to find but Toros are far less common. Besides Ariens, I currently have 1 Snapper and 2 John Deere (Murray/Briggs), 2 old Gilsons and 1 Cub Cadet. Yes, I know Cub violates my "no MTD" rule but I couldn't resist this big old bruiser (1333SWE).
* Most of my units are 5- 25 years old as buyers don't seem to be interested in the much higher quality Ariens units from the "good old days". I love the older 924's but buyers don't. I'll never work on another "932" with the plastic wheel rims (what was Ariens thinking?) or a "926" that requires 4 factory modifications (double drive belts, drive pulley travel limit, sealing plate and chute). Granted, the 926 is a decent machine with the mods but making those mods eliminates almost any margin for profit.
* I've developed a 35 point "checklist" of tasks I do for each unit. Since I usually have 2 - 4 machines in some stage of refurbishment, the checklist helps me remember what I've done and what's remaining.
* I use an old IBM laptop running Windows 10 to store all of the manuals and reference materials. I don't have reliable Internet access in my barn and I was weary of printing everything.
* The vast majority of my machines have carb problems. I now have a "one attempt" policy for cleaning an original carb before a $10 Chinese carb is installed. I disassemble the original carb, use carb cleaner, torch tips for the orifices and compressed air. Then it goes in my Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner for 3 heat cycles. If that doesn't do the trick, I'm not wasting any more time messing around with it.
* Speaking of Harbor Freight, their 1000 pound lift table is an absolute must-have. I've made some modifications to my table and I'll include some photos later if anybody is interested. Getting a machine up to eye level has made this so much easier that I just couldn't live without it now.
* Aside from replacement carbs, I try to buy Ariens / Stens original equipment parts when possible. I buy common things like spark plugs and fuel lines in bulk. I buy a lot of parts from Jacks and eBay. I prefer Jacks when I have a large order and eBay when I need one or two things quickly. I'd like to find other good parts sources aside from Jacks and eBay but haven't taken the time to research the alternatives.
I have much more but I'll stop here since I'm not sure if this thread will be terribly useful to many readers. I'll add more if there's demand.
I don't make much money doing this but it's been a great way to stay active once the hot summer months wind down. In the past I've completed 10- 14 units each season but I've gone completely overboard and now have 25 units I'll be selling this fall and winter. Here are some of my observations. Tell us about your experiences and I'd love to hear your feedback on my observations.
* I've narrowed my focus almost exclusively to 2-stage snowblowers. I've concentrated mostly on Ariens because parts are easily available and the build quality is typically above average. I can find the Operator's Manual, Parts Manuals and (sometimes) the Service Manual on Arien's web site. Limiting my focus has made my parts inventory more standardized and lowered the learning curve to making repairs. I avoid MTD and the other economy brands. At least in my part of the world, Ariens units are easy to find but Toros are far less common. Besides Ariens, I currently have 1 Snapper and 2 John Deere (Murray/Briggs), 2 old Gilsons and 1 Cub Cadet. Yes, I know Cub violates my "no MTD" rule but I couldn't resist this big old bruiser (1333SWE).
* Most of my units are 5- 25 years old as buyers don't seem to be interested in the much higher quality Ariens units from the "good old days". I love the older 924's but buyers don't. I'll never work on another "932" with the plastic wheel rims (what was Ariens thinking?) or a "926" that requires 4 factory modifications (double drive belts, drive pulley travel limit, sealing plate and chute). Granted, the 926 is a decent machine with the mods but making those mods eliminates almost any margin for profit.
* I've developed a 35 point "checklist" of tasks I do for each unit. Since I usually have 2 - 4 machines in some stage of refurbishment, the checklist helps me remember what I've done and what's remaining.
* I use an old IBM laptop running Windows 10 to store all of the manuals and reference materials. I don't have reliable Internet access in my barn and I was weary of printing everything.
* The vast majority of my machines have carb problems. I now have a "one attempt" policy for cleaning an original carb before a $10 Chinese carb is installed. I disassemble the original carb, use carb cleaner, torch tips for the orifices and compressed air. Then it goes in my Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner for 3 heat cycles. If that doesn't do the trick, I'm not wasting any more time messing around with it.
* Speaking of Harbor Freight, their 1000 pound lift table is an absolute must-have. I've made some modifications to my table and I'll include some photos later if anybody is interested. Getting a machine up to eye level has made this so much easier that I just couldn't live without it now.
* Aside from replacement carbs, I try to buy Ariens / Stens original equipment parts when possible. I buy common things like spark plugs and fuel lines in bulk. I buy a lot of parts from Jacks and eBay. I prefer Jacks when I have a large order and eBay when I need one or two things quickly. I'd like to find other good parts sources aside from Jacks and eBay but haven't taken the time to research the alternatives.
I have much more but I'll stop here since I'm not sure if this thread will be terribly useful to many readers. I'll add more if there's demand.