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Single-stage self-propulsion

4K views 48 replies 12 participants last post by  HillnGullyRider 
#1 ·
I know that single-stage snowblowers aren't self-propelled. I previously owned a Toro 721 single-stage (gas) that actually had a bit of self-propulsion. I mean, as the auger bit into the snow it would pull the machine forward a bit. That made it less difficult to go uphill.

I tried my new EGO 2110 single-stage (battery) for the first time today and I was surprised at how difficult it was to move it forward. Going uphill I had to put my full weight into it. Even going downhill I had to push it, whereas the Toro would pretty much go downhill on its own. Granted, there was about 8" of heavy wet snow. However, the Toro 721 performed much better in the same conditions in terms of effort.

The EGO's power seemed adequate for the task---it threw the heavy, wet snow about 20'. The Toro was definitely a stronger machine, even under a heavy load.

Any EGO single-stage owners here who can comment on the effort needed to move it forward?
 
#3 ·
Had the same no pull issue with the TroyBilt 21 inch Squall..... was always a battle using for the 2 years I had it. (bought new from Lowe's) Sold it (happily) and bought a Toro 721QZE before last year snow fall. There is a huge difference between the 2. I believe the difference was the angle of attack / placement of the scraper bar to the wheels distance. The Toro scraper was spring loaded allowing the auger to dig in to propel..
 
#10 ·
When the Toro was sold and the EGO was purchased, were you expecting a better machine?
The Toro had 50+ years worth of refinement engineered into it.
This falls in to the "You Should Have Known" category :)
I gave away the Toro due to constant engine and other mechanical problems and the horrific noise it made. I bought the EGO because I wanted to switch from gas to electric. I definitely have no regrets about that switch. Should have known what? There are hundreds of reviews of the EGO. Upon rechecking, I see only a few that mention it needed effort to push, and the videos don't show that either. That makes me think maybe mine is set up wrong, or the problem was the heavy wet snow, or I need to wax the chute and auger. I'm thinking that snow sticking to the auger could made the machine hard to push, and just the weight of the snow sticking to the auger, the chute, and the whole machine could make it feel like I'm having to push it hard. Also, when the auger is full and the snow isn't exiting the chute fast enough, it builds up in front of the scraper, which could increase the effort. Still, the Toro definitely had a forward creep that the EGO doesn't have. The Toro had good creep going uphill in heavy wet snow. It was a powerful thrower too. But its faults weren't tolerable (to me).
 
#5 ·
I believe part of the problem could be the design of the paddles. My neighbors EGO has significantly smaller paddles both in overall diameter and height of the blade (help maintain RPM's?) compared to my Toro single stage. It also didn't look like the Ego had much of it's paddles actually touching the pavement (barely scrapes it). With the Toro if you lift on the handle a little it greatly helps with forward motion and bite. The EGO didn't seem to respond to that and required a constant push by the operator as mentioned. I'm wondering if that's an intentional design issue to possibly keep the machine from bogging and to maintain maximum RPM.
 
#6 ·
I'm wondering if that's an intentional design issue to possibly keep the machine from bogging and to maintain maximum RPM.
Now why do you suppose they'd do something like that? It would never be because they want to keep the motor wattage and battery platform amp hours low to achieve maximum run time on a single charge for an affordable price point, would it?
 
#7 ·
So it sounds like this problem isn't my imagination. The strange thing is that I don't recall any reviews that mentioned that the EGO required too much effort, and I read a large number of reviews. I will have to wait for some less wet and heavy snow to see if that makes a difference.
 
#12 ·
  • "I was surprised at how difficult it was to move it forward",
  • "The problem could be the design"
  • "They want to keep the motor wattage and battery platform amp hours low to achieve maximum run time on a single charge for an affordable price point"
  • "It should be fine in cold snow. Try and clear early morning if possible, or after it sets up at dusk. These electrics don't like mid-day clearing" (LOL)
  • "Snow isn't exiting the chute fast enough, it builds up in front of the scraper. "
  • "The problem was the heavy wet snow" (which = a big problem if you live on the eastern seaboard)
All these issues and restrictions dont make it seem worthwhile switching. And a lot of extra work put on the operator.
  • "There are hundreds of reviews of the EGO. Upon rechecking, I see only a few that mention it needed effort to push"
Who knows how many Green Weenies are submitting bogus rave reviews for this machine! :)
 
#14 ·
I don't know why you're LOLing ""It should be fine in cold snow. Try and clear early morning if possible, or after it sets up at dusk. These electrics don't like mid-day clearing." I noticed exactly that on the first day. Early morning went OK but by the time the sun hit the snow in the afternoon it got heavier and was harder to throw it very far. HillnGullyRider actually made a valid point about this. Your response is going to be: "Get a powerful gas machine and you won't have this problem." At some point there will be no more gas snowblowers, lawnmowers, etc. In the meantime, it's expected that battery machines will go through a long development phase. I waited until last year to get a battery snowblower because before that they weren't good enough. Same with single-stage---they've come a long way. And battery lawnmowers, specifically EGO, have really come very far. I never had so much fun taking care of my yard as last summer with a new EGO mower. First time ever that I finished all yardwork by the fall---more work, less effort. I can't wait to add an EGO string trimmer and blower. I can live with the imperfections of battery machines because the advantages vastly outweigh the disadvantages.

I. AM. DONE. WITH. GAS. Fumes, noise, temperamental engines, heavy, expensive gas, broken pull cords, dirty carburetors, air filters, oil. All done. Fini. Finito. Fertig. законченный.
 
#16 ·
My ion18sb has self propel (paddle assist to be more accurate). It works only to an extent that the accumulation you are clearing is not saturated with water and it's not above the axis of the paddle (about 5 inches) beyond this any self propulsion becomes far less effective. It's a hybrid machine so when conditions like that stall it, you can plug in the cord and it will have more power than a fully charged 40v battery.
I paid $99 for it on a black Friday deal and extra batteries are $55. Is it worth having even though it's not a one blower cures all ills solution? You bet...It's 35 lbs and clears nuisance snows incredibly fast. Super easy to store, and move around when not under power. Is it made for sloped driveways? Nope. gravel? Nope, compacted tire tracks? Nope...It is what it is.
I've tried a lot of blowers over the years, from big pro models to these battery lightweights and the best one size fits all, at least for me and the local conditions encountered, Is the Ariens 932500, which drives much like a single stage but has accuracy and tunneling ability of a 2S, It's still happy whether you are clearing less than an inch of snow or tunneling through a 4ft frozen plow pile. It will do both if need be. If they made one with a powerful electric motor would I consider a new one? Yes...but I wouldn't ditch the gas version.

Too many people let perfect get in the way of pretty good.
 
#17 ·
I think general snow blower reviews are like tire reviews, virtually worthless. I have read many tire reviews on how treacherous partcular tires were and it was, really? I have those.

Here you get a highly refined type of snow blower user so you get more accurate report (grin).
 
#18 · (Edited)
I am 100% supportive of battery powered products IF they work as good as or better. Still got a ways to go.

The Marketing Manager of EGO is sitting on a beach in Aruba smoking cigars telling his buddies the secret to such a great sales performance, and it goes something like this...

"There are many consumers that have loathed internal combustion engine power equipment their entire lives. And the goverment is pushing hard to go electric for everything. So all we had to do was put some cool looking products on the market and they will buy them. Even if they don't work very good, it's like stealing candy from a baby right now."
 
#19 ·
I've now used my EGO for the third time, and I'm less enthusiastic about it than initially. Snow in my area is very often wet and heavy, and I don't think the EGO excels in that. I do like that the steel auger works on the crud at the end of the driveway, although the throw with that is very short, like 5 feet. I rate it a zero going up a sloped driveway. I also noticed that because the power is only moderate, it loses the battle against the wind. My driveway is about 15 feet wide. The EGO does not have the ability to throw the snow all the way across 15 feet without dropping a lot of the snow into the driveway. Result: gradual buildup up of snow on the far side in the driveway, which the EGO can't handle well. To avoid that I first blow a path down the center and then blow to each sides from the center. That means blowing against the wind. Full admission: this afternoon I used the shovel in the end and to be honest, it was more effective. However, I can't say strongly enough how much I disliked the gas Toro single stage. I will keep the EGO and see if there are times when it's more useful, like with dry snow. Maybe I'll learn to work with its foibles.

Now comparing the snowblower with the EGO non-self-propelled lawn mower, I'm glad I didn't get a self-propelled mower. The standard mower work just fine, great in fact, and it's a lighter, simpler machine. I guess it's obvious that a snowblower needs some way of moving through the snow---either self-propulsion, or the auger pulls it forward a bit, or you push it.
 
#25 ·
I just spent an hour reading the reviews for the EGO steel auger snowblower, and I do clearly see quite a few comments about how difficult it is to push this machine, especially uphill. My bad! I thought I had researched this snowblower very carefully and compared it to all of the competition, but I missed that one important complaint. I'm enlightened. Thanks to all for your explanations---very helpful.
 
#28 ·
OK, you have the EGO SNT2110 correct? Finding the right model helps. The bad news is it looks like you purchased the wrong blower for your local conditions. This model looks as if there is zero ground contact save for the scrapper bar. I can see why you might be having a less than pleasant experience with this machine on your local conditions. The bottom line is that if there is no rubber on the pavement, then all forward locomotion is supplied by YOU, the operator. The steeper it gets, the more elbow grease required (note: unit supplied without special cold temp elbow grease).
I didn't even know they made this model, and for the life of me, can't understand what niche it may fill other than clearing level wood decking without destroying it.
The possible good news is: you may be able to retrofit the rubber auger from the sister model if you can find the replacement parts.
However, I don't know if this will completely solve the problem because it looks like even the rubber auger model lacks good ground contact.
If you wish to supply less elbow grease, the rubber needs to contact the pavement enough to provide traction.
 
#34 ·
Not necessarily, you'd be surprised how tough rubber actually is....there are even outfits that produce polyurethane paddles for even more durability. I've found the best way to deal with ice is to clear early and often. Not having to cut through any, is the best way to deal with ice...unfortunately that's not always possible so I understand. Having a slope and ice, makes things miserable, so I understand your concern.
 
#37 ·
I know that single-stage snowblowers aren't self-propelled. I previously owned a Toro 721 single-stage (gas) that actually had a bit of self-propulsion. I mean, as the auger bit into the snow it would pull the machine forward a bit. That made it less difficult to go uphill. I tried my new EGO 2110 single-stage (battery) for the first time today and I was surprised at how difficult it was to move it forward. Going uphill I had to put my full weight into it. Even going downhill I had to push it, whereas the Toro would pretty much go downhill on its own. Granted, there was about 8" of heavy wet snow. However, the Toro 721 performed much better in the same conditions in terms of effort. The EGO's power seemed adequate for the task---it threw the heavy, wet snow about 20'. The Toro was definitely a stronger machine, even under a heavy load. Any EGO single-stage owners here who can comment on the effort needed to move it forward?
I've been watching videos and have ordered a Toro Snow Master 824. This is an 8hp with 24” width path. It is self propelled. It is with Toro’s personal pace system.look like a two stage, but just a single stage. It kicks butt going through the snow. Check it out.
 
#38 ·
I spent an hour and a half today dealing with a few inches of very heavy, wet snow. I didn't even try to use the EGO due to a two-foot bank of very hard snow and ice at the bottom of the driveway. It was brutal doing this by hand. I think the error that people in the Northeast make is thinking that heavy wet snow is an exception here. It's not. It's the norm. I can well imagine that the EGO would do well in light, dry snow, but I can't remember the last time I saw such snow. Live and learn!
 
#40 ·
When I moved into my neighborhood most of my neighbors had single stage machines. Our driveways aren't that big, 2-3 cars wide and 30-50 feet long. For most snowfalls they worked well but the problem is when you need something more it can make for a very miserable time. Today they all have 2 stage machines. EGO and Toro both make electric two stage blowers, but they really only compare to entry level gas machines. As much as I would love to be able to blow snow at 6:00 in the morning without waking up the neighborhood, they just aren't where I need them to be yet. They will be at some point.

If I need a new mower it will almost certainly be electric. Trouble is that there has never been anything wrong with my 15 year old Toro Super Recycler and electrics, while good enough, still can't beat its performance. So I just keep waiting.
 
#43 · (Edited)
I think I found the right forum that I was looking for. I am near edmonton Alberta Canada and trying to see which one is better Ego or Greenworks for better value of money.I wanted to get best out of the two (Ego and Green works). So I bought One from Lowes(Ego) and one from Costco.ca (Greenworks), and now trying to decide which one to return. May be return both this year because of how less snow Edmonton Alberta received in end of 2022 and early of 2023. Any suggestions ?

Ego -$899.40(SNT2125AP)
Pro's-Built Quality, Self Propelled
Con's-Once used can't be returned, higher price ,3 years battery warranty only, Battery will last max-5-6 years life

Greenworks- $670.00(22inch Model SNB404)
pro's- Costco Warranty(Return if Greenworks gives hassle to fix within 4 years), 8 year battery Warranty(Called Greenworks to confirm), Cheaper price
Con's- flimsy quality compare to Ego
 
#44 ·
After all the fuss about my snowblowers (Toro and EGO), I've only been able to use the EGO twice so far this year. That's $325 per storm! There was a third storm but the EGO wasn't able to handle the heavy wet snow and I shoveled by hand. Hmm . . . The more you need a snowblower, the less a battery-operated machine is going to be able to perform.
 
#45 ·
Definitely need a machine that can handle heavy wet snow, EOD piles and big storm snowfalls of 1 or 2 feet or more. That is not the time you want to have to resort to shoveling.
There is a reason that heavy wet snow is called heart attack snow.
 
#47 ·
Finally got just the right storm for the Ego 2112 (steel auger): 6 inches of relatively dry snow. It worked pretty well. Maximum throwing distance is about 15 feet. It throws a good quantity of snow. Going up the driveway was a bit easier with this type of snow than the wet stuff, but I still had to push pretty hard and put my weight into the machine going uphill. I like it better than the Toro single-stage gas machine I got rid of. But I don't recommend this particular Ego if your driveway is on a slope.
 
#48 ·
I keep waffling back and forth about the EGO 2112 with steel auger. I've now used it about 7 times. We got four snowstorms in the last 7 days, with 6 to 12 inches coming tomorrow. I'm starting to make peace with this machine. Today I blew a few inches of heavy wet snow, with about 8" at the bottom of the driveway. BUT: This time I used Blaster Dry Lube Teflon spray on the chute, auger, and all around the auger area first. (Do NOT use that stuff indoors, even in the garage. "Highly inflammatory." I had to open doors and windows to get it out of the furnace room. ) The teflon spray improved the performance A LOT. I didn't have to clean out the chute or auger at all, even after going through the crud in the road. Throwing distance was improved quite a bit, but still no 40 feet. When I think of how much labor I've saved in the past week, I'm glad I got this machine. It has its foibles, but you can work around them. I'm upgrading my rating to 3.5-4. Better than shoveling, better than gas, incredibly simple.

Regarding the battery charger, you have two choices: charge one battery in 40 minutes with the rapid charger that uses twice the electricity, or charge two batteries in 80 minutes with the slow charger that uses half the kWh. For two batteries, the result is exactly the same in terms of time and electricity consumed.
 
#49 ·
The teflon spray improved the performance A LOT. I didn't have to clean out the chute or auger at all, even after going through the crud in the road. Throwing distance was improved quite a bit, but still no 40 feet. When I think of how much labor I've saved in the past week, I'm glad I got this machine. It has its foibles, but you can work around them. I'm upgrading my rating to 3.5-4. Better than shoveling, better than gas, incredibly simple.
Glad it's somewhat working out for you. It's like anything, the more you get acquainted with the quirks the better it may work. I hope you saw the new Toro e21SP video ....that is a SS E-blower designed to self propel.
 
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