Can't complain about HF Predator Engines!

[PHPaul]

Some years back, I got REALLY tired of wimpy snowblowers that would bog down in anything other than a few inches of light fluffy stuff. A friend had an 8/24 blower with a blown up Briggs and Scrapiron on it that he just wanted gone.

I have a torch and a welder, so... I sprung for a 13 horse electric start Predator engine from Harbor Freight and commenced shade-tree engineering it onto the blower chassis. Not terribly complex, made a subframe to move the engine up and back so the pulleys lined up and moved the blower chute crank out a ways to clear the engine, whipped up a battery tray and mount.

It's a snowblowing Esso Bee and I've never managed to stop it. In fact, it rarely ever kicked the governor in. Of course once I had it built Glow Bull War Ming kicked in and we haven't had a Winter worth the name in 5 or 6 years.

I know for a fact it hasn't been used in at least two years and probably longer. We got 6 or 8 inches over the last couple of days, enough to put the big blower on the Cabota and clear out the driveway and in front of the garage. Rather than run the tractor across the back lawn for the path to the shop, I decided to dig the Binford 6000 out and see if it would start.

Hooked my pocket-sized jump pack onto it, turned on the (2+ year old) gas, choked it and hit the starter. It took maybe 30 seconds to kick over and another minute on half-choke and high idle to warm up and away we went.

Can't say that for ANY Briggs/Tecumseh I've ever owned, and darn few Hondas. The GX yes, the GC...well, it was a miracle if that POS started at all, much less easily. It got replaced with a Predator too (on my pressure washer).

 

[mcfarmall]

I'm planning on getting the 8hp version to re-power my Huskee log splitter.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I put a Princess Auto version of the Harbour Freight engine on a 48" SSQA snowblower 5 years ago, used it ONCE, then it scared away the snow, finally tore it down, engine sit on shelf, less than 2 hours on it.
One thing the Chinese did was carefully reverse engineer the Honda engines. I KNOW the $20 carb off the 9HP version fits and runs on a Honda that powers a commercial motar mixer. Honda wanted $250+ for the carb, for $20 I got both carb AND gasket. That was 5 years ago,probably 1,000s of 80# bags turned with it.
One thing about every snowblower I've had to work on....they all had 7/8" pulleys ! Kinda forces you into buying their 'snowblower' engine, or c-clamping el-cheepo to the bench and use a medium flat file to turn down to 7/8"

 

[hedgerow]

I several HF Predator engine out here on the farm running from boom lifts ,buzz saws, air compressors to water pumps to fill sprayers and I have yet to have any issues with them. I did up grade the charging system on the 13 HP one that run's the boom lift last year.

 

[BT3101]

I've run the 8hp on my Agri-Fab leaf vac the last two years. I had to find an adapter (Amazon) for the crank to cutter (5/8-1" I believe) and make a new adapter plate for mounting base, but otherwise smooth sailing so far. 50-75 hrs and two oil changes.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

TWO oil changes !
You're supposed to change the oil ?????
In 6 years I've never done that with the walkbehind rotiller..
every time I go to do it...dang. that's why I didn't do it.... the drain SHOULD have a 4" extension.... then I go surfing for one, do other stuff, someone borrows the tiller and ,well, gee a year goes by and it's time to change the oil.....dang.....

maybe, next Spring .. really, well maybe.....

 

[DustyRusty]

Wasn't Binford the brand that Tim the tool man used to promote?

 

[WFM]

Winters here in Maine have really changed Paul.
This year January 2024 I knew someone who lived on the north side of the mountain, January 3rd he tapped 2000 trees. One week later he was making syrup.
The snowmobile trails never opened in Maine the winter of 2024.
So far here this fall/winter I've plowed four times. The biggest storm 6".
Harbor freight predator generator is what i bought on sale in July.
Have not had a chance to power the compound yet with it. No big storms.

 

[bbxlr8]

I replaced the Kohler on my splitter w/ the smaller one and has been great. I recently used the 8 hp one on a Mighty Mac Chipper shredder and hasn't been fully vetted yet but very impressive on the test run. Probably could have gotten by w/ the smaller.

Now that I am typing this thinking that maybe I should switch em but my splitter has never hesitated even on gnarly rounds!

 

[PHPaul]

Wasn't Binford the brand that Tim the tool man used to promote? View attachment 144883

Yup, that's why I ordered the stickers. I have several home-built toys that Tim would be proud of!

 

[skeets]

Yep I replaced the motor on my troy built till with Predator 6 1/2 hp I think,, with a coupon it cost me 89 bucks,, only thing I had to disconnect the low oil switch, cause when it was tiled back wards it would shut off,, putts right along and yes I did change oil like 3 times only cause it was ,, days with nuttin to do

 

[b454rat]

I've used a lot of those engines, and have a couple now. I have the 22 horse on my Wheel Horse 520, and doesn't have the torque the Onan did, but cheaper and easier to get parts for. Wouldn't hesitate to run those engines....,,,