buffalo blower engine replacement Cancel The title field is required!

1. James Gray

   

   1 posts
   
   1/2/2012 10:01 AM

   im looking into purchasing a 2007 buffalo blower. By all accounts it runs great and is in pretty good shape. It is reasonably priced at $2500. The golf course is looking at buying a blower for next year and this is one of the options. The other is a brand new Agrimetal for $5000. The B.O.D. wants to know what the cost of replacing the engine on a buffalo would cost due to the 4 extra years of use. I much prefer the ease of operation of the buffalo compared to the agrimetal, but in my case any blower is better than no blower. Help!

   
   
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   1/2/2012 11:01 AM

   I have an Agrimetal PTO Driven Blower. I have had it for six years and it is very good.

   
   
   
   
3. Keith Lamb

   

   3 posts
   
   1/2/2012 11:01 AM

   My guess would be around $2k for a new Kohler command 23 hp engine. I think that's what the Buffalo has. We have a Agrimetal TB-230 and love it. No problems and easy to use. I'm not sure what you mean about "ease of operation?" If the that Buffalo has the metal cone on the back it will be bent in no time. Most all of the new ones have the plastic one which is a huge improvement.

   
   
   
   
4. Henry Heinz

   

   0 posts
   
   1/2/2012 12:01 PM

   Call, Repower Specialist. Their number is, 800 700-9501 Mention the IGCEMA and our association will get a 5% rebate. They will give you the best deal hands down.
   
   Regards,
   
   Henry

   
   
   
   
5. James Gray

   

   1 posts
   
   1/2/2012 1:01 PM

   Ease of operation was meant that you can always see the buffalo chute where the agrimetal is harder to see allsome of the time

   
   
   
   
6. Henry Heinz

   

   0 posts
   
   1/2/2012 4:01 PM

   Just an FYI, the new agrimetal blowers are setup similar to that of a buffalo. We have four of them with one toro, and one buffalo, and they all work alike as far as seeing the shoot.

   
   
   
   
7. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   1/3/2012 5:01 AM

   Henry Heinz said: Call, Repower Specialist. Their number is, 800 700-9501 Mention the IGCEMA and our association will get a 5% rebate. They will give you the best deal hands down.
   
   Regards,
   
   Henry

   
   
   
   Ditto. We've gotten several engines from them over the years. Great service and their pricing has been way better than all other vendors.

   
   
   
   
8. Stephen Tucker

   

   0 posts
   
   1/4/2012 2:01 PM

   Just rebuilt one the old KB. Had ours for 7 years before it needed an engine replacement. I bought our engine direct from Buffalo because I upgraded it to the 27Hp and the wireless remote. Mainly to get the wireless remote and the new one takes out the $300 actuator. The engine was around $2100 they also recommend replacing the coupler which I did and had to buy the wireless handheld kit. Total rebuild was right at 3k which saved around 3800 I am guessing.

   
   
   
   
9. James Gray

   

   1 posts
   
   1/6/2012 9:01 AM

   Im going to look at the used buffalo on Monday. So Stephen, assuming the 07 runs well at demo, isn't it the best value? Even if in 5 years it needs a 2500 repair? Or would you prefer the brand New machine?

   
   
   
   
10. Henry Heinz

    

    0 posts
    
    1/6/2012 10:01 AM

    That will really depend on the condition of the turbine itself. I have seen them where the rivet's start coming loose and the housing becomes so worn you can not rebuild it. At that point a new unit would be best. Anytime you can spend 2500.00 instead of 6800.00 and have a good piece of equipment, your always going to feel better. There's a saying, if new equipment was the cheaper route, then everybody would have new

    
    
    
    
11. Stephen Tucker

    

    0 posts
    
    1/6/2012 2:01 PM

    James,
    I would look over the demo good and if it runs well and you don't see rivets coming loose on the turbine itself that it is the best value. There are some pieces I would not consider buying used mainly due to the fact that I don't know what level the machine was maintained at and appearances are not everything. However on a Buffalo Turbine if you don't see lose rivets as Skip stated on the turbine itself and it runs good I think it would be a good buy. Worse case scenario you have to install a new engine for $2500 and if the turbine goes out its about $1000 for a remanufactured one you still only have $3500 into it. I don't think you can go wrong on it. Hope that helps.

    
    
    
    
12. Wallace Jeffrey V

    
    1/6/2012 5:01 PM

    Henry Heinz said: Just an FYI, the new agrimetal blowers are setup similar to that of a buffalo. We have four of them with one toro, and one buffalo, and they all work alike as far as seeing the shoot.

    
    
    Henry,
    
    I've done a quick search and can't find an Agrimetal unit similar to the Buffalo. Admittedly, I've never used an Agrimetal. Maybe they don't have a major presence overseas? I love the Buffalo because it can be towed with a golf car. Never used a wireless, but the cable with the function box was brain-dead easy, and allowed me to swivel the chute in any direction, control the blower speed, etc. Are all Agrimetals 3-point PTO driven? I just don't like fixed point blowers. But, I'll try anything new. Make that "new" to me, not new on the market.
    
    Again, any links to something similar to the Buffalo Turbine?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Jeff

    
    
    
    
13. Keith Lamb

    

    3 posts
    
    1/6/2012 6:01 PM

    http://agrimetal.com/en/leaf-and-debris-blower/turbine-blower-tb-230/
    
    You're GOOGLE skills have diminished......Mr. Geoff.

    
    
    
    
14. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    1/6/2012 8:01 PM

    Probably because google searches struggle when typed in proper grammar.
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
15. Wallace Jeffrey V

    
    1/6/2012 9:01 PM

    Keith,
    
    What be Google?
    
    Mel,
    
    My grammer is perfect.

    
    
    
    
16. Wallace Jeffrey V

    
    1/6/2012 9:01 PM

    Keith Lamb said: http://agrimetal.com/en/leaf-and-debris-blower/turbine-blower-tb-230/
    
    You're GOOGLE skills have diminished......Mr. Geoff.

    
    
    Ooops......I done missed yer link.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Geoff

    
    
    
    
17. Alan Frantik

    

    0 posts
    
    1/6/2012 9:01 PM

    Now that the thread has been derailed..
    
    [youtube">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKEw7JNVcnw[/youtube">
    
    
    Al Frantik
    Links at Spring Church
    Apollo, PA

    
    
    
    
18. Tod Blankenship

    

    0 posts
    
    1/6/2012 10:01 PM

    James,
    
    We have (2) 2007 Buffalo Blowers that were purchased new. The engines are still pretty strong. We had to do a valve cover gasket on one of them this year but otherwise the engines still run solid. But they are also easy and relatively cheap enough to replace.
    
    I will also add that we have problems with ours plugging up (with mostly oak leaves) and the air flow is dramatically reduced. With out taking the screen off and getting a long air hose blower in between the impellers it looks otherwise not plugged. I wonder if there is not some wear on the aluminum impeller over the years? Ours do get used quite a bit.
    
    2,500 seems like a good deal. Maybe you can tell the GM that because you are getting such a good deal on the Buffalo Blower you should also be able to buy the AgriMetal. The buffalo's are nice but the AgriMetal will move some leaves!

    
    
    
    
19. Dinger Greg

    
    1/6/2012 10:01 PM

    Tod Blankenship, CGCS said:
    I will also add that we have problems with ours plugging up (with mostly oak leaves) and the air flow is dramatically reduced. With out taking the screen off and getting a long air hose blower in between the impellers it looks otherwise not plugged. I wonder if there is not some wear on the aluminum impeller over the years? Ours do get used quite a bit.

    
    
    Tod this happens to us in the fall as well. Since you have two, you have a built in cure. Turn one off, and mate the outlets up horizontally, max out the running unit and "backflush" the other, then switch until they both are clear. Takes just a few seconds each and they will blow like crazy again...

    
    
    
    
20. Tod Blankenship

    

    0 posts
    
    1/10/2012 7:01 PM

    Greg,
    
    You just put a smile on my face and forced one of those why didn't we think of that thoughts! Thanks for the help, can't wait to try it tomorrow.

    
    
    
    
21. James Gray

    

    1 posts
    
    1/20/2012 12:01 PM

    Stephen, On your $1000 turbine repair, where did you get the turbine and is the $1000 just the cost for the part or does that cover your labor as well?

    
    
    
    
22. Stephen Tucker

    

    0 posts
    
    1/20/2012 2:01 PM

    James,
    I ordered a re manufactured turbine from Buffalo. No labor included but its just a bolt on item so it doesn't really take long to replace. The toughest thing on the project is just to line up the engine and turbine shaft which is not really that bad at all.