Troy-Bilt 277 cc 28-in OHV Snowthrower
3.8
5
20
20
Very Satisfied
My first try after buying this snow blower in October was that it was a bit light on the front end. After using it in this winter of winters I have found it be be ideal. It is able to handle every snow fall we've had and makes quick work of the snow bank the plows pack at the end of the driveway. It has been very easy to start every time. On a review of one snow blower I read a review that shot down a snow blower based on one snow fall when the blower would not do the job. They said it was the first time they went to use it after returning from a vacation. Just a note in that regard, where I worked I blew the snow out of parking areas for 6 years and always it did fine. One day there was a 1/2 meter of very wet snow. It kept plugging and so would any snow blower. All the rest of the winters and snow falls it did great. As far as this Troy built 277 CC machine I have not ruin into any snow this winter it could not handle. The chute handles with ease and I thought the quick turn feature of the chute was flimsy. I love this snow blower. We have had a lot of snow.
February 7, 2013
save your money for a real blower
if you like shovelling this snowblower is for you . Buy a blower THAT CAN BE SERVICED , because this ones so fancied up ,youll never get at the engine or carb if there is ever a problem . poor design ,expensive servicing ,gas leaks , broken electric start . Thanks troy-built for a headache indeed. Truth is for the price theres way better blowers out there . Ones that can be easily serviced and kept running unlike this model
January 12, 2013
BEST SNOWBLOWER FOR THE PRICE!!
I've owned this snowblower for 3 years now and it has never failed me yet. I live in the maritimes so I get tonnes of snow. My driveway is 450 feet long and winter hasn't thrown anything at me yet that this blower will not go through! excellent machine
January 3, 2013
In the shop more than using it
I have tried to return this machine several times because it breaks down so much, with no luck I might add. I bought this machine so I would not have to repair every other time I use it, but that is not the case. Three times it went back for chute pin breaking, and now the first time I use it in the 2012-2013 season and the auger locks up.
The main problem with this machine is the joystick. The worst idea ever. Tried to talk to Troy -Built but they don't care, "not their problem". Would not recommend Troy-Built with the joystick to anyone. Too much money for something you have to take to where ever to have repaired.
December 27, 2012
Great buy for the price
I bought this snowblower yesterday and used it once so far, compared to my old yardworks snowblower it's awesome. Hand warmers are a great feature. I paid $1099.99 and it's a great price for what you get. It comes with a 4 year warranty which is great aswell.
January 30, 2012
Best Purchase Ever
This was my first snow blower and i am amazed how easy it is to use .
The unit starts first pull at -12 i have not tried the electric start yet as it pull starts so easy .
December 4, 2011
Good Snow Thrower for the Sale Price
I was very hesitant buying another (< $2000) snow thrower from CT after purchasing a 33" lemon made by MTB years ago. (gear box broke before shear-pin, impeller shaft bent etc, limited warranty trouble)
I hope this one will last much longer. We have 200 m packed, smooth dirt driveway with some fine, loose gravel in a few spots and around the house. Even with the skid shoes all the way down some gravel, sticks may get picked up.
I'm actually amazed what this machine offers for the money and that it still is produced/assembled in the USA.
Pros:
Could have assembled without instructions.
Engine started on first pull, after moving it outside from room temperature.
Engine noise is moderate. Like a generator running. I did not need ear protection.
28" wide is just perfect and allows moving it through doors. If you don't have a garage, you can get it into the kitchen/living room if need be.
Carlisle tires, made in USA.
Very good/hot handle bar heaters.
Good Manual including Service section and Parts list.
Cons:
Nothing serious so far, but see Neutral comments.
Couple very sharp edges on handle bar frame lower end I had to file off.
Steering trigger control levers are plastic, bend slightly when pressed, get in the way with heavy gloves and require learning. Don't really need them on this machine.
Chute control stick not smooth enough, loose, hesitant when turning, sometimes does not lock into position and angle screw tricky to set at the right friction.
Would have preferred steel gliders.
Engine tank has a max. fill cage, which could have been a dirt screen like on most generators.
Reverse gears are useless - too slow.
Tires have good, deep profile but without chains they slip a lot, at -25° against packed snow.
Neutral:
Gear Box could be larger/stronger
Impeller Shaft undersized, wobbles a little already.
Front push box could be thicker gauge, flexes too much. Not designed to ram into packed snow!
Chute control stick needs getting used to.
Turn levers need getting used to.
Refastened wiring to hide it better behind armature/frame.
Wheels fastened with single small bolt.
Handle bar should probably be locked with two bolts on each side.
Operation:
Governor on engine works fine and throws snow a good distance when the box is full. This engine has a manual speed control, but shuts off if turned too far to the right. Engine starts sputtering when speed is reduced for temporary parking.
Breaking up packed snow is difficult. The 12" augers are not designed aggressive enough. One needs to ram it into packed snow, but then the box may not hold up to the stress very long. So, fresh snow should be removed before anyone walks or drives over it or wind packs it down.
I won't sell my ATV with plow for sure. Ideally this ST works best in combination with a plow by blowing the windrows over the edges away from the road and for clearing walking trails and around the house. You still will need a shovel or wide snow pusher for around the house detailing, especially if you have raised the box by an inch to clear any gravel. I suppose if you have smooth concrete or pavement it will do a much cleaner job, as you can scrape with the shave plate in contact.
I made a slight modification to the cable mount screwed into the muffler shield by turning it almost 180° towards the rear and rounding the sharp edges on the eye. Now the cables don't touch the hot shield and are better routed with less movement restriction. I'll also replace the plastic wingnuts on the drift cutters with locknuts inside the box. Helps not getting hooked or moving through doors.
Got a good muscle ache after operating it for three/four hours, probably because I did yank it back and around manually instead of using the steering controls. My son found that when scraping along a bank it helps to push the trigger frequently on that side to keep it from trailing off into the bank.
At $1207.49 on sale, this is a bargain snow blower that should do the job for most people. I may review this again when the season is over.
November 20, 2011
Good value producet
Just bought this snowblower to replace my 12 yr old Mastercraft model that finally packed it in.
Impressed with the overall quality, power, and relative quiet, especially considering the price. Throws the snow about 3 times farther than my old machine.
As others have indicated, the Joystick control is a bit loose and finicky, especially considering that you need to operate this with your left hand. A larger trigger to release the lock would make this easier to use. In any case, this is much better than the older system of a crank and hand adjusted elevation.
I wouldn't have looked for heated handles, but admittedly this is actually a very good feature as your hands do get cold manipulating the machine.
The new steering assist levers are a great idea and really help maneuver the machine.
A word to the wise: While it is tempting to buy a bigger machine, keep in mind that 28" moves a lot of snow and is a lot more maneuverable. I clear 150' of driveway and turn around areas in Quebec winter conditions and this is the right size.
Nice big tires for traction. A little disappointed with the power of the low forward speed, but this may just be an adjustment issue. Other reviewers seem to be raising a similar issue.
While there is a better quality machine on the market, it is 3 times more expensive and so I would recommend this machine for those who need a strong and reliable snow blower.
March 6, 2011
Great Machine for a great price
After looking at many other machines I decided on this one. The price was a huge con.
I love many things about this machine. It can cut through some deep snow, has many different speeds, easy to start and easy to maintain.
The onlt negative I can see is the chute control. I'm not to fussy about the joystick design. Heck sometimes it seems to have a mind of its own. But other then that this thing is a beast and does its job quite well. I'll be keeping an eye out on the chute control to see how long it will last. But so far so good...
January 30, 2011
Has it's Pros and Cons
I bought this unit in Nov , 2008 and on first snowfall , the shute deflector cables froze and I was unable to change deflection up or down. This went away in warmer weather but so far it's been unresolved with deicer or WD40.
The engine runs smooth and is easy to start but with no throttle control it seems a bit weird to an older operator, used to throttle levers as well as choke. Fortunately the Briggs engine governor works well so far.
My biggest complaint is lack of chute direction control. The joystick looks like a cool idea but the shute does not stay in an exact setting, even though the joystick locks into a dedent, the shute wobbles up to 20 degrees and could be a problem if you want to avoid blasting a car or window. I have called Troybuilt on this issue and was told it was designed that way...didn't know why and didn't offer a fix. The joystick looks less cool next to a hand crank now.
My previous blower lasted 25 years, We'll see if this one can match it.
January 24, 2011
- More Troy-Bilt 277 cc 28-in OHV Snowthrower Reviews
- Troy-Bilt 277 cc 28-in OHV Snowthrower reviews (page 2)
