Tag Archives: Honda snow removal

Which Snowblower is Right for You?

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Which Snowblower is Right for You

It’s that time of year again: the leaves have fallen and the grass has stopped growing, replacing lawn care with snow removal. What Honda snowblower will fit your needs?

Single-Stage vs. Two-Stage

A single-stage snow blower uses one auger to pick up snow and push it through the chute, while a two-stage snowblower adds a second auger to push snow through the chute. This lets two-stage blowers throw snow farther so they can clear larger areas. Honda’s single-stage blowers can throw snow up to 33 feet away, while their two-stage blowers can throw snow between 49 and 56 feet away, depending on the model.

Drive System

Honda’s single-stage snowblowers are “semi-self propelled.” There’s no drive system, but the action of the auger digging through the snow helps pull the machine along the ground, reducing the force needed to push the blower through the snow.

All two-stage snowblowers except the HS1336iAS come with a hydrostatic drive like you’d find on a riding mower. The wheels are driven by a hydraulic system that can be infinitely varied to get the speed you want.

The HS1336iAS uses a hybrid drivetrain. The engine powers the augers, while electric motors power the tracks. While there are efficiency benefits to this system, its biggest advantage is the motors’ ability to deliver maximum torque as soon they start moving. This keeps the blower rolling in situations that would bog down other equipment. It also has a transport mode, allowing the snowblower to be moved around without starting the engine.

The HSS1332AT, HSS1332ATD, and HS1336iAS use a track drive system, which gives them the grip needed to clear snow on inclines.

Starting

The HSS928AWD, HSS1332ATD, and HS1336iAS all have electric starters. Unlike most snowblowers on the market, these starters are powered by the on-board batteries, so there’s no need to plug it into an outlet.

All other models use a standard recoil starter, but since the engine has an automatic decompression system, they’re easy to turn over, even in cold weather.

Height, Width, and Pounds per Minute

A snowblower has a maximum snow height it can handle and a maximum width it can remove with each pass. While it’s technically possible to reach the maximum width and height, the actual amount it can handle without bogging down will depend on snow density, which can vary a lot: a cubic foot of light snow may only weigh 7-8 pounds while the same amount of hard pack snow can weigh well over 20 lbs. To make apples-to-apples comparison easier, Honda includes a pounds-per-minute rating, which is how much snow the machine can move regardless of depth. All things being equal, a snowblower with a higher pounds-per-minute rating will be able to cut through a wider strip of snow with each pass.

Chute Control

Honda’s smallest model, the HS720AM, uses a simple chute control: the height is adjusted using a pair of bolts, while the direction can be changed by turning the chute using the handle.

Most models come with Honda’s Snow Director. This uses two levers mounted on the handle to change the direction of the chute and the angle of the opening to drop snow exactly where you need it with each pass. The largest models use a power tilt system with similar controls.

Parts

No matter which Honda snowblower you end up purchasing, you can get everything you need for it from skid shoes and shear pins to major components from www.hondalawnparts.com. We’re a certified Honda Power Equipment dealer, which lets us offer the full line of OEM parts. Finding what you need is easy thanks to our advanced search engine that has built-in factory diagrams and descriptions. We can ship your order to any address in the U.S. or Canada.

Preparing Your Lawn for Snow

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Preparing Your Lawn for Snow

While your lawn might not be foremost on your mind with winter coming, snow and cold can do serious damage. By making preparations now, you can reduce the effects of moisture, cold and snow mold to help your grass come back full and lush next spring.

Control Your Leaves

Left undisturbed, fall leaves can create a thick mat of rotting material that blocks air and sunlight from the grass, keeping it from absorbing the nutrients it needs to survive the winter. Once it starts snowing, this layer holds in moisture that encourages the growth of snow mold.

Honda’s mulching mowers are designed to handle large amounts of lawn debris, even if it’s wet. If you mow frequently as the leaves fall, you’ll be able to turn those leaves into mulch, feeding the soil and reducing the money you need to spend on yard waste disposal. Expect to mow at least twice a week at the peak of the season. If the number of leaves gets out of hand, you should collect and dispose of them either by creating a mulch pile or by having them collected as yard waste.

Fertilize, but Not Too Much

By now, the time for fall fertilizing has passed in most of the country, but if you’re still a few weeks away from winter, now is a good time to get a soil sample tested so you can use the right mix on your soil. Nitrogen is emphasized in fall fertilizer mixes to encourage chlorophyll production and the resulting sugar stores needed to survive the winter, but too much can promote the growth of snow mold. This makes it critical to get the right balance to supplement your grass without opening it up to infection.

Cut Your Grass Short

The less grass you have, the less moisture it can hold. Ideally, the blades should be around an inch in height, but you may need to go a little higher to keep from cutting into crowns. Remember never to mow more than 1/3 of the grass blades at one time. Warm season grasses should stop growing after the first freeze, while cool-season grasses may grow just enough to need one more mow after the initial freeze.

Be Careful with Hibernating Grass

Both warm and cool season grasses should stop growing once temperatures are regularly below 40°F (4-5°C) and enter hibernation. Photosynthesis shuts down, the blades of grass turn brown and the plant starts using the sugar stores collected through the later summer and fall. In this state, the grass is very sensitive to damage, especially if it’s covered in frost. At this point, the grass shouldn’t be mowed; walking and any other contact with the ground should be kept to a minimum.

Spread Out Snow

When most of us use our snowblowers, we simply aim the chute to get the snow away from the area we’re clearing. This centers the snow on one area, creating a pile that is thermally insulated, slowing down the melting process. In turn, it keeps the ground underneath wetter longer, encouraging the growth of snow mold and the washing away of mud surrounding the grass. To keep this from happening, try to adjust the chute angle to drop the snow in a different spot with each pass, spreading it out over a wider area.

Take Care of Your Equipment, and Your Equipment Will Take Care of Your Lawn

If you have Honda power equipment or a Honda small engine, you can get everything you need for it at www.hondalawnparts.com. We’re a certified dealer for both arms of Honda’s outdoor equipment division, letting us ship OEM parts across the U.S. and Canada.