Welcome to the club!
I have a collection of Ford/Jacobsen's myself.
I wonder how does the single stage blower compare to the two stage?
How do the Ford/Jacobsen's compare to the John Deere 316?
I haven't found anything I like better than my Ford LGT 165 with the two stage blower.
Thanks!
Joe
The ford 2 stage kicks arse over my JD single stage, but surprisingly the single stage on the jac does just as good as the ford. The gearing they have in the jac blower has that drum spinning so fast that she will throw a 50' rooster tail with ease. The JD throws descent as long as I keep my ground speed up according to the amount of snow im blowing. If only blowing a few inches of snow I have to go fast with the JD to cram that snow into her in order to get any kind of distance on the blow, but the jac is much different. Even with only a few inches you can putt along in low range with the jac and she is like a super vacum, sucking that snow up and throwing it with ease. Never owned a single stage before that you can drive her like a 2 stage and get 2 stage performance. About 5 yrs ago I owned a Cub 582 with a single and just like the JD I had to keep up the ground speed with little snow for her to throw with any distance. Not sure if that is typical with all singles but thats been the case for me with the singles I've had before we got the jac. Plus its nice to have the hydro on your foot instead of a hand lever like the JD, frees up both hands for steering and rotating the chute. The ford and jac have been soo much fun using this winter . But as for any difference between the ford and jac there really isnt much difference between them,the single throws just as good as the 2 stager. Just cant wait to get the ford in the garden this spring with the tiller.