[Home Depot] Toro Power Max 824 OE Snowblower ($1098)

Can't go wrong at this price. I have a 5 year old Toro 26 that I'm satisfied with.

Make sure you use premium gas, synthetic oil, and spray it all down once a year with a good metal protector.

Keep the auger and drive cables tightened up, and adjust your speed for the height of snow.

The 826 OXE was 1498.00 in 2019-10

I price matched it to get it down to 1169$, which was a great deal at the time.

It's a great machine, and so far no issues using it on the snow at the end of the driveway when it's a few feet tall and icy

I have this snowblower and it's a beast. I paid $1,200 for it last year. This is a STEAL.

I have a Toro 624 Powershift which dates back to 1984, and it still works like a charm.

2 stage Toro snowblowers, work like a charm, and will last for ages.

Emporium wrote: ↑ I have a Toro 624 Powershift which dates back to 1984, and it still works like a charm.

2 stage Toro snowblowers, work like a charm, and will last for ages.

I ended up getting this for $600 bucks 2 months ago: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/toro-p ... 1001485418

Any tips on how to maintain your snowblower? Should I be only using premium gas in it?

Have a 724 smaller model 2 stage toro. Going on 6 Quebec winters, never let me down. I got lucky and bought a floor model was 900$ tax in at home depot. Love it. Premium fuel, syn oil change every year and rust check every year. Looks new.

heat?? wrote: ↑ I ended up getting this for $600 bucks 2 months ago: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/toro-p ... 1001485418

Any tips on how to maintain your snowblower? Should I be only using premium gas in it?

I use premium gas, simply to avoid the ethanol which kills the seals in the carb. In my neck of the woods, only some of the "super" gas make the statement that they do NOT contain ethanol (not all of them). Mainly Shell and the Ultramar in my area. Most others even on premium still claim that they may contain up to 5% or 10% ethanol.

End of season, I typically add some fuel stabiliser (when it goes on sale, just buy a bottle). a bottle will last you ages with the small tanks on these devices. Then start the unit for about 2 minutes to allow it to circulate in the machine. I try not to store it with more than half a tank (I know some people prefer full tank to avoid any possible corrosion in the tank, but many tanks are plastic today, and in my case, I store it indoors, so condensation is not an issue.
Oil change, I'd like to say I do it every year, but I am often too lazy, and it gets done every 3 or 4 years (sometimes 5). I use Synthetic oil, so I don't feel so bad But it uses so little oil, that synthetic oil is not much more than regular oil, and probably more stable and forgiving if you miss a year or 2.
And in the beginning of the season, I will top up the tank with fresh gas. Then after I burn off my first tank, I will add a little bit of "Sea Foam" to the tank, in order to clean the carb as it run. Once again, it goes on sale at CT and Napa every so often for about $8/bottle, and it will last you long time.
Spark plug in my case, I have changed maybe 3 or 4 times in 30+ years.. And it was more of a "guilt" change, than the fact that it needed it. But they are not too expensive so every 5 or 6 years, it is not a bad idea.

Now anything specific to single stage, I can't comment on (paddles, or any height adjustments), but for motor, it is nothing fancy or time consuming. I keep it relatively simple, and it is pretty much the same thing as what I do on my lawn mower.

kcirtap78 wrote: ↑ Have a 724 smaller model 2 stage toro. Going on 6 Quebec winters, never let me down. I got lucky and bought a floor model was 900$ tax in at home depot. Love it. Premium fuel, syn oil change every year and rust check every year. Looks new.

Got the exact same one sitting at my in-laws place, and about the same generation (6 or 7 years old - replaced an old craftsman). These have amazing power. Ever since my father-in-law passed away (3 years ago), my mother-in-law does not use it (she doesn't drive), so she has told me to go get it if I ever want it. She has no use for it. It is there in case of any crazy emergency only, and it would be me using it anyhow. I think maybe next year, I'll just swap and take my old one there for emergencies, and bring the newer one to my place. I'll miss the "powershift" feature that mine has, but the extra power of the newer unit should make up for it.

My 1984 unit looks like new also. About 6 years ago, I broke a gear in the transmission (my fault - forcing in ice), so I took the transmission in for repair. Since I had taken it apart, I took the opportunity and replaced the shaft bearing and thrust washer going to the auger case, clean it all up, media blast a few small areas with surface rust, and gave it a nice new coat of "Toro Red", and gloss black. It looks like it came off the showroom floor. Neighbour thought I had bought a new unit, and was shocked when he realized it was still my 30+ yrs old unit.

kaka55 wrote: ↑ Looking for feedback on the cost, HD is not advertising any sale but it does seem to be lower then what I have seen lately.
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/toro-p ... 1001127839

This is a great deal.....on an excellent machine.

Yeah I don't regret it at all. I have put it through alot. Some really bad stuff at the end of the driveway, and never been a problem. Small but powerful. Think toro stoped making the 724. They have also gone back to there metal chutes. I like the plastic chute, never any snow that gets stuck to it. Always starts on first pull. Sure you would enjoy it. The joystick for the chute is nice compared to the older ones with crank.

Emporium wrote: ↑ Got the exact same one sitting at my in-laws place, and about the same generation (6 or 7 years old - replaced an old craftsman). These have amazing power. Ever since my father-in-law passed away (3 years ago), my mother-in-law does not use it (she doesn't drive), so she has told me to go get it if I ever want it. She has no use for it. It is there in case of any crazy emergency only, and it would be me using it anyhow. I think maybe next year, I'll just swap and take my old one there for emergencies, and bring the newer one to my place. I'll miss the "powershift" feature that mine has, but the extra power of the newer unit should make up for it.

My 1984 unit looks like new also. About 6 years ago, I broke a gear in the transmission (my fault - forcing in ice), so I took the transmission in for repair. Since I had taken it apart, I took the opportunity and replaced the shaft bearing and thrust washer going to the auger case, clean it all up, media blast a few small areas with surface rust, and gave it a nice new coat of "Toro Red", and gloss black. It looks like it came off the showroom floor. Neighbour thought I had bought a new unit, and was shocked when he realized it was still my 30+ yrs old unit.

Very impressed with the Toro machines. I bought a single stage due to space limitations, zero complaints

not easy to turn around, too heavy,

I have a similar 724 model with the plastic chute (same as someone above posted). Have had it for 3 yrs, lots of power. Recommended switching it to synthetic oil right away, and using rust spray on all metal parts as others have suggested.

kcirtap78 wrote: ↑Yeah I don't regret it at all. I have put it through alot. Some really bad stuff at the end of the driveway, and never been a problem. Small but powerful. Think toro stoped making the 724. They have also gone back to there metal chutes. I like the plastic chute, never any snow that gets stuck to it. Always starts on first pull. Sure you would enjoy it. The joystick for the chute is nice compared to the older ones with crank.

Ya, the old crank only can be a pain in the but for the chute. To avoid snow sticking, whenever it is quite wet, I spray the inside of my metal chute with either WD40 or Jig-A-Loo, and it helps quite a bit from having it stick. But After using it for so long, I've also gotten to know what to go through and at what speed to avoid it blocking/sticking. The Joystick does get some getting used to, but I'm sure I will like it after a few passes.

googlebot wrote: ↑ not easy to turn around, too heavy,

The 724 is not that heavy. Like I mentioned, it was my father-in-law's machine, he was 79, and still had no complaints moving it around. A lot easier than the old Craftsman he had. Obviously it is not designed to pivot on the spot or while not moving. You use your reverse gear to backup while turning a bit, and then forward again turning the rest of the way to go the other direction. It's like a car in many ways.. Turning is a lot easier when you are moving, if you are not moving forward or backward, it is a lot more difficult (and those who are old enough to have driven a car with no power-steering can easily attest to that)

My old machine (the 624 from 1984), is even easier. It has the PowerShift feature which allows you to move the wheels back and forth to change the CG (center of gravity). In the back, it makes the machine front heavy. so it can easily go through a heavy pile of snow. Move wheels forward, and the CG is directly above the wheels, making it super easy to maneuver since it is practically balancing on the wheels.

Actually that's one of my only complaints is that it is light in the front , they sell a weight kit but way to pricey and I have gotten use to it.

Emporium wrote: ↑ Got the exact same one sitting at my in-laws place, and about the same generation (6 or 7 years old - replaced an old craftsman). These have amazing power. Ever since my father-in-law passed away (3 years ago), my mother-in-law does not use it (she doesn't drive), so she has told me to go get it if I ever want it. She has no use for it. It is there in case of any crazy emergency only, and it would be me using it anyhow. I think maybe next year, I'll just swap and take my old one there for emergencies, and bring the newer one to my place. I'll miss the "powershift" feature that mine has, but the extra power of the newer unit should make up for it.

My 1984 unit looks like new also. About 6 years ago, I broke a gear in the transmission (my fault - forcing in ice), so I took the transmission in for repair. Since I had taken it apart, I took the opportunity and replaced the shaft bearing and thrust washer going to the auger case, clean it all up, media blast a few small areas with surface rust, and gave it a nice new coat of "Toro Red", and gloss black. It looks like it came off the showroom floor. Neighbour thought I had bought a new unit, and was shocked when he realized it was still my 30+ yrs old unit.

Emporium wrote: ↑ Ya, the old crank only can be a pain in the but for the chute. To avoid snow sticking, whenever it is quite wet, I spray the inside of my metal chute with either WD40 or Jig-A-Loo, and it helps quite a bit from having it stick. But After using it for so long, I've also gotten to know what to go through and at what speed to avoid it blocking/sticking. The Joystick does get some getting used to, but I'm sure I will like it after a few passes.




The 724 is not that heavy. Like I mentioned, it was my father-in-law's machine, he was 79, and still had no complaints moving it around. A lot easier than the old Craftsman he had. Obviously it is not designed to pivot on the spot or while not moving. You use your reverse gear to backup while turning a bit, and then forward again turning the rest of the way to go the other direction. It's like a car in many ways.. Turning is a lot easier when you are moving, if you are not moving forward or backward, it is a lot more difficult (and those who are old enough to have driven a car with no power-steering can easily attest to that)

My old machine (the 624 from 1984), is even easier. It has the PowerShift feature which allows you to move the wheels back and forth to change the CG (center of gravity). In the back, it makes the machine front heavy. so it can easily go through a heavy pile of snow. Move wheels forward, and the CG is directly above the wheels, making it super easy to maneuver since it is practically balancing on the wheels.

So want to ask

Which station and what grade is truly ethanol free?

tomtomtom wrote: ↑ So want to ask

Which station and what grade is truly ethanol free?

Pretty much all Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gas at every station in Canada is Ethanol free. I go to the Shell station in Montreal, on CoteVertu near Muir street, and their "super" gas is ethanol free.

I also noticed that the Ultramar that is on the 40, near Monte-de-Liesse on their Super, they also have removed the tag that says "it may contain ethanol" on all thier pumps. Since they are mandated by law to post a notice that it may contain up to 10% ethanol (when it does), I am assuming they have decided to offer ethanol free gas for their super grade.

There is a site (not sure how often it is updated), it is used by many to keep track of stations that offer ethanol free gas. It's no holy grail of any sort, but it is a good reference.

Petro Canada is one that I have never seen any ethanol free gas in any of their stations (at least not here in Montreal). And from their web page, I can see why.
At the bottom of the page, they have an FAQ with some questions and one states:

Do we put ethanol in out Petro-Canada Gas ?
Yes, all of our grades of gas, including our Ultra 94 high octane fuel , contain up to 10% ethanol content. This is required by federal and provincial regulations.

In reality, you'd figure there was more ethanol in the higher octane gas (since ethanol is really high) and would make it easier to increase the octane of a particular blend just by adding ethanol. But I think since due to federal regulations here in Canada, they need to have on average 5% ethanol in all the gas they sell, it is easier to hit those averages by putting 10% on your regular gas, which is the most popular and highest volume sold. So offering 0% ethanol in the higher blends does not affect the average sol much.

Emporium wrote: ↑ Pretty much all Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gas at every station in Canada is Ethanol free. I go to the Shell station in Montreal, on CoteVertu near Muir street, and their "super" gas is ethanol free.

Thanks for sharing the link.

I usually fill up at Esso (and Mobil). In GTA, they now offer 94 in addition to 91. Maybe I will stick with 91 to guarantee ethanol free.

I own a 2nd car which my family only drive occasionally, I do find the car have better acceleration with premium gas. It’s only a Corolla, but I am guessing the ethanol do play some part with it

For the same price I would buy this ariens classic 24 . Better resale value and ariens dealer are everywhere for parts and service.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/ariens ... 1001057170