One alternative to buying a new machine can of course be buying a used unit. These purchases fall
into several categories. Dealers will sell used machines, sometimes with a short term warranty. In
some cases you can get a trade in machine in an "as is" transaction. The other option is a private
sale. In this case you may see an advertisment in a classifed section, spot a machine with a sign
at the end of a driveway or even hear of one by word of mouth.
The machines bought from a dealer with a warranty will of course carry a heftier price tag. I
frequently see asking prices that are 50% to 75% of what a machine may have sold for 25 years ago!
Given inflation this may mean paying $300. for a vintage machine that is strudier than most of what
you can get today for 3-4 times that price. If you trust your instincts and are prepared to take
care of such a machine it can be a decent value. The same machine in a private sale will probably
sell for less than half of the above price. The difference being that you assume the risk and
nothing special has been done to prepare it for continued service. Finally if you get a machine
that is essentially OK but needs some element of work before it's fit for service you should expect
to pay well under $100.
During my years in the buisness and now as a collector I have had a chance to spend quality time
with many machines and a vintage machine that's entirely in it's original configuration is rare. Be
on the lookout for home made replacement parts and other home brew modifications. On a newer
machine you should expect it to be entirely factory with normal wear and tear.
Below I will outline some key things to look for when considering a used machine. The bulk of my
experience is with Gilson machines but most of this will be universal. In addition to this section
I strongly recommend reading my FAQ page and my draft of
a Servicing Procedure, it points out many items I
look for when doing triage and when I go through a machine to get it ready for front line service.
If you're not comfortable checking these details then maybe you should see if you can get your
outdoor power equipment technician to look the machine over or maybe buying used isn't your best
choice.
- Open the gas tank and snif, it should smell like gasoline, not turpentine.
- Check the oil fill level, is it full? If the seller can fill it note how much it takes. If it
takes more than say 4-6 ounces I'd say it's a sign of neglect. The oil may not be fresh but should
not be jet black.
- Have the seller start the engine, Does it start in a few pulls? Does it idle" Does it run
stready at full throttle? Bring the speed down to idle when warm and move the trottle to full speed
quickly, does the engine stumble or pick right up? A cloud of bluish smoke that begins to clear in
about 5 seconds after starting is generally not a big deal in a used machine.
- If it passes the above tests the engine is probably OK.
- Check the auger leads for major bends, twists and broken welds.
- Check the impeller for condition. The tips should be in such condition that they cup the snow
and throw it up through the discharge. If they are bent backwards performance will be poor. This is
probably the most critical thing to know. This is an expensive part and replacing it is not a
trivial task.
Impeller Inspection
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A Good Gilson 12" Gear Drive impeller
It Gilson # 10408 and became cross referenced to LawnBoy/Toro # 741218. Check here for replacement information.
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This is a new Gilson OEM 10-1/2 inch impeller
It was Gilson # 14849 and became cross referenced to LawnBoy/Toro # 740011. Check here for replacement information.
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The view to the left of the orange impeller shows major damage. Something caused the blades to get
bent over backwards. They should look like the gold Gear Drive part shown above.
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The impeller pictured above has worked long and hard or seen some debris. The blades have been bent backward. You can also see where the the back plate has begun to buckle inward down near the bottom of the picture.
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- On single stage machines look at the general condition of the auger. If you can rotate it by
hand (ENGINE OFF!) it should be true, the center shaft should not wander up and down with rotation.
- If you can remove the top belt guard inspect the condition of the belts. Check the condition
of any tensioning rollers watching for worn bearings.
- Inspect the skids to see if they have any life left or will require immediate replacement.
- Inspect the scraper bar, is it mounted solidly or peeling away from the bottom of the bucket?
- Inspect the shear pins, do they look authentic?
- Does the machine have any obvious homemade fixes?
- Run the machine does the traction system work well? These vary way too much for me to get to
specific here.
- If the wheels are pinned to the axel do they rock with a little play or are they rusted in
place? Wheels that are rusted or swedged to axels can be one of the most difficult repair
obstacles. See the FAQ page.
- Run the machine in snow, does it meet your expectations.
- I believe there is a law requiring that manufactures maintain parts availability for 7 years,
most exceed this greatly, after all there can be good money made selling parts. There has been a
lot of consolidating and shaking out among manufacturers in the last few years. Some may find it
difficult to sustain all of the legacy machines in the field and part supplies may dry up sooner
than in the past. Remember this when buying a used unit.
So there... do what you can. Not everything above is a cause to black ball a machine. It all
depends what you want, what you're paying and what you are capable of repairing. I've only tried to
give you some guidelines of things to watch for after that use your common sense and take your
chances.