Ariens offers new snow removal innovations for the coming winter

Updated Aug 28, 2017
Ariens-RapidTrak-32-crop
Hydro Pro 32 RapidTrak Photo: AriensHydro Pro 32 RapidTrak
Photo: Ariens

The King of Snow is at it again and has several new products designed to make snow removal easier for professional landscapers this winter, including RapidTrak Sno-Thro technology.

Ariens is known for its two-stage snow blowers, but now offers the Professional 21 single-stage snow thrower after seeing the need for a single-stage thrower that is made with professionals in mind.

After meeting with six different landscape contractors in Chicago, Ariens found that most snow removal companies would clear the bigger areas with a plow truck, but then would pull a single-stage snow thrower out to clear smaller surfaces like sidewalks. These snow throwers were often tossed in and out of the truck and in response the Professional 21 was constructed with durability in mind.

Professional 21 SSRProfessional 21 SSR

Reinforced housing sides, high impact wheels and a reinforced rod beneath the housing help with the durability, and the handle design uses Smart Lift, which allows a single person to lift the machine in and out of a truck with ease.

Using a spring-loaded scraper bar to adjust to the contours of the ground, the Professional 21 snow thrower also features commercial grade auger paddles that are twice as thick as residential variations.

“With the Professional 21, we’ve come up with the ultimate machine for commercial users,” said Matt Medden, vice president of marketing for Ariens. “Professionals are looking for something that’s easy to use and can stand up to the work they’re completing every day. The Professional 21 has thoughtful features incorporated, specifically designed to impact the machine’s durability and performance, which we think will go a long way in helping pros get the job done.”

Easy maintenance access was also kept in mind as the carburetor, recoil and spark plug can all be accessed quickly with the open engine design. The Professional 21 is available in two models, with one featuring remote chute rotation.

The Professional 21 SSR will have a manufacturer’s advertised price (MAP) of $599 and the SSRC model that comes with the remote chute will have a MAP of $649.

An innovation that is sure to turn heads this winter season is the RapidTrak Sno-Thro technology, which provides landscape contractors with the traction of tracked snow blower model and the mobility and speed of a wheeled Sno-Thro model.

You can see a video at the end of the story that shows the speed of the new RapidTrak system.

Hydro Pro 32 RapidTrak Photo: AriensHydro Pro 32 RapidTrak
Photo: Ariens

Users can switch between a full track system for more contact with the ground and the wheeled setting, for better maneuverability and turning. With the hydrostatic transmission, users can adjust the lever to whatever speed they want without gear shifts.

The RapidTrak system also has a “dig-in mode” which allows the user to tilt the housing toward the ground in track mode. Landscape contractors can switch between the modes with ease by using a trigger on the right handlebar.

“This will revolutionize tracks in the industry,” Medden said.

The RapidTrak technology is currently available on the Hydro Pro 28 RapidTrak and the Hydro Pro 32 RapidTrack. The 28-inch model will have a MAP price of $3,099 and the 32-inch model will have a MAP of $3,399. Both snow blowers will come with a one-year commercial warranty.

Both the Professional 21 and the RapidTrak models will be available in Oct. 2017 at authorized Ariens dealers.

Ariens is also expanding its EFI-technology to the Professional Sno-Thro lineup, which it debuted last fall for its Deluxe 30 and Platinum 24 products.

The EZ-Launch EFI engine is now available on the Professional Hydro 28 or 36 model. The main benefits of EFI technology are the ease of starting, ease of maintenance and power.

Users can save time by being able to start the engine in two steps compared to the traditional six needed for a carbureted engine. The EZ-Launch models also feature an electric governor that eliminates speed loss for consistent snow throwing.

With an electronic system, it can start in extreme weather and will not lose power when encountering drifts or wet, heavy snow. Users can choose to run the engine in different modes, from full throttle to efficiency mode and idling. The efficiency mode runs quieter and uses less fuel at a lower speed.

“At Ariens, we’re always striving to come up with new and innovative solutions for our customers,” Medden said. “We were proud to be the first to launch EFI technology on snow products last fall, and today we’re excited to be able to expand our EFI offering to include some of our Professional models.”

The Professional models currently have a promotional price of $2,799 and are currently available at Ariens dealers.

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