I can't speak for the other guys here but lots of us have been running blowers for years. The only time something like that would be needed is if you're going too fast for your machine and the conditions. If you're operating your blower properly there won't be any need to "recycle" any snow. Operating a snowblower is not rocket science but there is a bit of a learning curve.
Short answer to your question... Gimmick. 'JMVHO.

 

This feature, I am on the fence. With regard to the modern version of the "third stage," it's a gimmick, that uses a powerful motor and a large auger width to do a job that could work without the "third stage."

The older third stages, may actually do something with the performance of the intake of snow. Especially in the deeper drifts and accumulations.

 

im with the other guys. what brand of snow blower is it?

 

toro powermax right?

 

Yes, Toro Power Max




"With regard to the modern version of the "third stage," it's a gimmick"

Agreed. Looks like a solution to a problem that never existed (that is moving snow towards the impeller).
ACS seems to improve upon the most important part of the process.
But then again, Honda's throw snow like nobody's business and they don't have an atypical impeller design, do they?







"The older third stages, may actually do something with the performance of the intake of snow. Especially in the deeper drifts and accumulations."

This would be neat to see again!

 

I guess if the snow you're trying to move looked like waves in the ocean it would do a great job of evening it out.
Just moving at the right speed would solve it too.
I've never used one but other than that really wet, really heavy stuff I've never had a problem with clogging a machine, any machine.

 

It looks like a deeper bucket would eliminate the problem that doesn't really exist, anyway. Slow down or speed up or get a bigger machine.

 

The biggest difference with the Honda's, is their impeller speed. The faster the impeller is, the faster it can eject it, thus reducing the chances of it bogging down, at maximum feed rates to the augers.

With the other machines you would need to simply slow the feed rate to compensate for the slower impeller speed.

 

In my experience with chutes clogging, this Toro powermax "bypass" thing would do nothing to fix the problem..

Every time I have had a chute clog, its due to very wet sticky snow..
the snow clogs up in the chute *above* the impeller, the spinning impeller isnt powerful enough to force it up and out, so it just spins, and if the snowblower is still moving forward the snow is simply forced out the sides of the bucket because it cant go out the chute..

In this situation, even if there was a "bypass" it wouldnt do any good, because there is only one possible way to clear the clog: shut down the machine and jam a stick down the chute to loosen it up.

So, I dont see how this Toro bypass thingy is supposed to help..
If the chute is going to clog, its going to clog..whether or not the bypass is there.
and once it is clogged, the bypass does nothing..

I suppose this bypass could slow down the formation of a clog..
but I dont see how it could prevent it.
it cant prevent the snow from building up above the impeller, and eventually closing up and clogging.
maybe it could slow down the snow volume through the chute enough to prevent a clog in the first place..that's possible...maybe.
but wet sticky snow is still wet and sticky either way..I think if the snow conditions are good for clogging,
its still going to clog.

Scot

 

Just having a Toro 1128 OXE for 1 winter I was surprized as to how well it does work on page 2 of my review I have pictures of how it looked after blowing wet snow.
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/snowblower-reviews/30153-toro-1128-power-max.html

But for the wet end of driveway snow that is 50% or more water it did not plug up as long as you had lots of it going through the blower, as soon as I stopped it did plug up so it is not perfect but better than any thing else on the block that my neighbours have hope this helps.

 

Great videos and pics Hanky. Looks like it works great!

I've a nice Toro dealer in town so leaning towards this $1,399 P-M HD 826 OXE model, or possibly a 24" Platinum SHO. Both are very impressive.

 

The Toro's have a lot of "plastic", but they seem to have engineered what ever they use to work well. My only concern with the Toro is the one piece auger/tractor assembly. I understand it makes it more rigid, but it has to affect ease of repair in the future.

 

"My only concern with the Toro is the one piece auger/tractor assembly. I understand it makes it more rigid, but it has to affect ease of repair in the future."

...the manual for the Toro does say to take it to the dealer to replace the belt .

 

...the manual for the Toro does say to take it to the dealer to replace the belt .

I'm sure there is a trick that the owner will learn and by-pass the dealer for future belt changes. The owners manual for GMC Acadia's, Saturn Outlook's and Buick Enclave's all say to HAVE the dealer replace a burned out head light bulb. I found out that it is a 10 minute job once you learn the SECRET. :smiley-confused009:

 

Like Grunt said, manuals may be over the top for dealer repair advice. I was just thinking in the event you needed to pull a rusted auger pulley, replace impeller bushing/bearing. While I don't know the specific design of the Toro, a machine that breaks in half allows much more access. Neighbor has one that throws snow like crazy. Only problem he had was leaving gas in it over the summer. i was able to clean up the carb with it still mounted on the machine and get him back blowing. It ran and started easily all winter after that. The chute stick control is slick.

 

My reason for the Toro is that I have a dealer here in town, and he sells other Toro products as well as Husky. But the Toro seemed to be better built. After 1 season I am very pleased with it, ask me in 5 years from now.

 

Pretty slow here this time of year. Here is a link to one of my topics showing the blower.
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/toro-snowblowers/30169-power-max-hd-1128-a.html

My dealer is still selling Toro but is not stocking them because of the low Canadian $$ most people are interested in cost over Quality

 

Hanky, They do throw the snow like crazy. My neighbors 826 OXE will throw moderate heavy snow across our residential street with no mods to the impeller. It's a nice machine, no doubt.

 

You guys in the USA are lucky, Toro and Ariens are great blowers but the exchange on our $$ makes it so one can not afford. My self have never seen a real Ariens so I can not compare the two and lack of dealers up here does not help.

 

Found something else unique (?) about this system in that the blades are supported with bracing and the impeller itself is pinned to the main shaft with two grade 5 bolts.

I'm assuming this serves as a protection feature and to make maintenance easier?

 

Found something else unique (?) about this system in that the blades are supported with bracing and the impeller itself is pinned to the main shaft with two grade 5 bolts.

I'm assuming this serves as a protection feature and to make maintenance easier?

TORO has never used those BLOODY SHEER PINS. now they are down to two bolts on each side to split it. GO FIGURE:facepalm_zpsdj194qh THE POWERSHIFTS run a total of 6. 3 each side. 5/16 by 3/4 long . cadium plated grade 5 bolts. I run stainless steel. which is the same as grade 5. up here in the frozen tundra.k:k:k:k:k: every well built impeller has cross bracing on it. who knows about the cheap stuff. TORO got away from the set screw and square key set up. when THE POWERSHIFTS were born onto us in 1988.

 

Tdipaul, have you bought a new blower yet or still shopping?? Let us know what you end up with.
Hanky

 

Tdipaul, have you bought a new blower yet or still shopping?? Let us know what you end up with.
Hanky

Still shopping/researching and loving every minute of it!

 

For those of us that know we'll be in there sooner or later I'd drill and add a grease zerk to that impeller. I tend to try and make everything easier on myself.

PS93, thanks for the reminder on the SS auger bolts.

 

I have the 1028 HD and it shoots the snow well. It also shoots slush so overall it's good.

There is however spillage to the side with very deep snow so it takes 2 passes to clean properly. And in very deep or heavy snow the blower will bog down a big so you need to stop and let it clear.

I think the overflow works, but the engine bogs down a bit. It's certainly no Honda/Yamaha that's for sure. But it'll beat any MTD or other Briggs based machines.

 

I have a 724 Toro Power max. It has a 205cc engine and the lever for the shute only controls the shute. The flipper on the top I have to move that by it handle. As far as the anti-clog. It does plug up for me and it is hard to clean. I has a Honda HS-50 for 33 years. Never had the problems as I have had with this Toro. Today it got plugged up 2 times. I finally went and got a bucket of warm water and my WORX power washer wand with hose to clear it out before putting the Toro away. It gets snow packed behind the impeller. I do not know, but that anti-clog not needed. Another thing I have noticed. when engine stalls not from heavy snow, but carb-gas problems. When engine dies the shift for going forward and backwards get jammed. Got to force it back and forth to get the wheels to turn free so I can move it. I do not understand why the lever get jammed

 

A bit like measuring the advantage of variable valve timing.

 

I have a power max 724 and is satisfied so far.
Most clogging is because of too much snow got sent to the chute and jammed the chute shut. The point of anti clog is to meter the amount of snow and send the excess snow that is too much for the chute to handle back to the 1st stage. Their explanation makes sense to me.
Toro have tried something else to achieve that goal, namely the drum auger. But they stopped because manufacturing that drum is expensive.