Hi -
I am happy to have found this web forum.
I have been tinkering with portable power equipment for many years. When I was a teenager, I used to modify my Mercury outboards for more power to put on my racing boats.
3 years ago - I bought an old snowthrower for $50 from a local garden shop. It was a rusty old 1968 Areins ST724. I finished the complete restoration over the summer including several upgrades:
1. Replaced the solid axle with the differential Drive
2. Replaced the original 7hp TEC with a rebuild 8hp TEC
3. Replaced all of the hardware to SS
4. Completely refinished back to original spec (including all paint and decals)
I learned that Ariens are very well built and innovative pieces of equipment that are meant to last. Restoring anything from Ariens is a worthwhile investment. They are not the stamped steel stuff that you get from Sears Craftsman.
I am embarking on restoring a LM21 lawnmower. As with the snow blower, this is a very well build product but the 5HP TEC is on its last legs. I've conscripted my 11 year old son so that he will learn about all of the mechanical systems included in this product. As with the snow thrower, I'm sure that once it's done, it will be better than new.
I hope that I will be able to use the experience of this forum to ask questions so that I can learn from your experience instead of learning it the hard way once the lawnmower is in pieces on the work bench.
I hope that I will be welcomed on this forum.
Cheers
Fiveholepete
I am happy to have found this web forum.
I have been tinkering with portable power equipment for many years. When I was a teenager, I used to modify my Mercury outboards for more power to put on my racing boats.
3 years ago - I bought an old snowthrower for $50 from a local garden shop. It was a rusty old 1968 Areins ST724. I finished the complete restoration over the summer including several upgrades:
1. Replaced the solid axle with the differential Drive
2. Replaced the original 7hp TEC with a rebuild 8hp TEC
3. Replaced all of the hardware to SS
4. Completely refinished back to original spec (including all paint and decals)
I learned that Ariens are very well built and innovative pieces of equipment that are meant to last. Restoring anything from Ariens is a worthwhile investment. They are not the stamped steel stuff that you get from Sears Craftsman.
I am embarking on restoring a LM21 lawnmower. As with the snow blower, this is a very well build product but the 5HP TEC is on its last legs. I've conscripted my 11 year old son so that he will learn about all of the mechanical systems included in this product. As with the snow thrower, I'm sure that once it's done, it will be better than new.
I hope that I will be able to use the experience of this forum to ask questions so that I can learn from your experience instead of learning it the hard way once the lawnmower is in pieces on the work bench.
I hope that I will be welcomed on this forum.
Cheers
Fiveholepete
