Single Handle Interlock on a Snowblower

[Mike Goetzke]

I got a great deal at the end of last season at Lowe's on a Craftsman 24" 2-stage snowblower. Went to use it the first time last week and was like why does the auger stop when I let loose of the handle to adjust the chute. Thought it was out of adjustment but no it's not a feature on this blower or as I find out many 2-stage blowers. I really want this because I need to adjust the chute a lot while moving. I noticed the 26" model had this feature so I looked up the diagrams and bought the parts for about $50 and now have single handle interlock! But, for an $1100 blower why wouldn't they add this feature? Probably only cost them $10-$15.

 

[nclemmons]

Lots of times, features on models are aligned to a good, better, best idea with a step up in price meaning more features.  So this is likely what Craftsman did with the adjustment being an incremental feature for more money / capacity.

I had a single stage Toro for years that also had the handle that if you let loose it would stop blowing.  I ended up using a spring clamp to keep it engaged when I was changing the chute by hand.

 

[cpw]

The 2 two-stage snowblowers I've had; both work the same way.

If you hold the auger handle down, it starts.  If you then hold the drive handle down, the auger is locked until you let go of the drive handle.  There is no independent locking of the auger.  The first one was a ~2007 28" Craftsman with manual chute control.  The second is a ~2022 Ariens 28" with power chute control.

The Craftsman was $800 or so and the Ariens was just under $3000; so even at a low or a high price the auger lock had the same function.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

The 2 two-stage snowblowers I've had; both work the same way.

If you hold the auger handle down, it starts.  If you then hold the drive handle down, the auger is locked until you let go of the drive handle.  There is no independent locking of the auger.  The first one was a ~2007 28" Craftsman with manual chute control.  The second is a ~2022 Ariens 28" with power chute control.

The Craftsman was $800 or so and the Ariens was just under $3000; so even at a low or a high price the auger lock had the same function.

Mine originally the auger would stop as soon as you took your hand off the auger handle. It would not stay engaged even if the drive handle was. The handles were held in place with a lock nut. With the mod there is a shaft and other components between the drive & auger handles to interlock the auger if the drive handle is still held.

 

[Packard]

My Toro refused to stop when the handles were released. The dealer took it back four times until it worked.

Two years later Toro had a recall for that problem.  It was basically a runaway snow blower dragging the operator.

You have to wonder what field testing was skipped to get it into production.  And Toro (which my spell checker corrects to “Toto”) is a big company.

Sorry to go off topic, but make sure you know what it will do in all situations.