Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 Review

(Rated: 4.1 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
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Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
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When a serious winter storms comes roaring down on your area, you do not want to be caught unprepared. You want to make sure you have the kind of serious snow blower in your garage that is going to be able to clear a heavy accumulation from a big area as quickly as possible. You definitely do not want to be trying to shovel your driveway out in subzero weather, but if you do not have the right snow blower for the job, you are not going to be much better off.

With a big, powerful snow blower like the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701, you will be well prepared for just about anything. This is a snow blower that can be used on paved or unpaved surfaces. It can clear more snow in less time than most other snow blowers, and it can throw that snow farther.

Review Summary

The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is a solidly built snow blower that is made to handle the toughest jobs out there. With a powerful engine under the hood, it can support an auger that has a wider clearance than most snow blowers available today. Because it is a two stage snow blower, you can use it on a concrete sidewalk just as well as on a gravel driveway with no trouble. And it has the kind of extra high snow cut depth that will have you tackling the deepest of snow drifts like they were nothing.

With the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 in your driveway, you are going to be prepared for just about anything. This snow blower is built from solid, durable parts that are not going to break down in the face of difficult conditions. The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is easy to use: it has an electric push button start with a recoil backup. It runs on gas, so you will have no problems taking it anywhere you want to go. And it won’t get bogged down by densely packed, icy snow or wet, slushy snow: it drives right through them like they were powder. The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is one outstanding snow blower.

Specifications

The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is a gas powered single stage snow blower that weighs 214 pounds and has overall dimensions of 52 x 27.5 x 42 inches. It has a powerful four-cycle, overhead valve engine with a displacement of more than 200 cubic centimeters, which allows it to move more snow per minute.

Because of its powerful engine, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 can support an auger that is over two feet wide, and it has a snow cut depth that is nearly as high. It can throw snow up to 35 feet away – well clear of your driveway. It has eight speeds and big, sturdy wheels. It comes with a two year warranty.

Description

When you take one look at the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701, the first thing that will be very obvious is the fact that this is a snow blower that is built to handle big, tough jobs. The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has one of the widest clearances you can find on any residential grade snow blower today, and you could even use it to tackle bigger jobs, like clearing university campuses, large apartment courtyards, and municipal properties. The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 can also be used just as well on unpaved roads as it can on paved ones, so rural consumers who have gravel or dirt roads on their properties can use it to get them clear as well.

The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has one of the higher snow cut depths you can find on a snow blower, too. That makes it ready to tackle the deepest accumulations that the most serious winter storms can bring your way. At nearly two feet in height, the snow cut depth gives the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 everything it needs to power right through deep, windblown snow drifts like they were only a few inches tall. And it has enough power to throw that snow up to 35 feet away, well clear of your property.

The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has a great design and is durably constructed as well. It is made of solid steel parts, and has an auger that can slice through densely packed, icy snow easily. With its powerful impeller fan, it can throw wet, slushy snow as if it were powder. It has six forward speeds so you can choose the pace that is just right for you. And it is guaranteed to last for hundreds of hours of operation without experiencing any problems. This is a great snow blower, and the one you want in your garage when winter hits.

Pros

The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is a well designed and solidly built snow blower with everything you need to get big jobs done fast. It has one of the wider clearances you can find anywhere on a snow blower today, and it is prepared to tackle deep snow drifts quickly and efficiently. This is a snow blower that is going to be able to take care of tough jobs without getting slowed down. Let’s take a look at some of its best features.

1. Extra wide 26 inch clearance : The clearance width on the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is one of the biggest you can find on any snow blower, and it means that you will be able to finish jobs in fewer passes and spend less time out in the cold clearing your driveway. At 26 inches, you can clear a sidewalk in just a single pass, and digging out your driveway should only take a few more passes to get the job done.
2. Can handle deeper snow : The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has the kind of extra high snow cut depth that makes it well prepared to deal with even the heaviest accumulations of snow. At 21 inches high, the housing for the auger will allow you to take care of blizzard-like conditions, and in the event that snow gets much deeper than that, you can use the drift cutters on the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 to knock snow down so that you can clear it.
3. Powerful 208 cc engine : The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 would not be able to boast the kind of extra wide clearance and high snow cut depth that it does without the support of a very powerful engine. It has an engine made by Yard-Man that has a displacement of a full 208 cubic centimeters with overhead valve design. That allows the engine to deliver more power to the auger and drive train without taking up nearly as much room as other engines might.
4. Eight speed options : The average two stage snow bower comes with only four forward speeds and one reverse speed. On the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701, you get six forward and two reverse speeds. Those extra few options can make a lot of difference. You never know exactly what conditions on the ground are going to be, and you want to have as many choices as possible so that you can pick the optimal speed to get through deep, densely packed snow.
5. Durable design and build : When you are getting a big, two stage snow blower, it is because you expect to use it to take care of tough conditions: deep, densely packed snow in freezing temperatures. So you want to be sure that it is made from the kind of durable materials that are going to last for a long time. With a solid steel auger and body, as well as big, tough wheels, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has everything it needs to hold up to tough conditions for many years of use.

I think you will probably agree that the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has some very impressive features. When a serious winter storm blankets your area in deep, heavy snow, you want a snow blower like this one in your garage. It has everything you need to handle jobs on paved or unpaved surfaces. It can clear a high volume of snow quickly, and dig you out faster than most other snow blowers can.

Cons

You might be surprised, after seeing all of the great features the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has, to find that there are a few areas in which it could probably use a bit of improvement. Of course, for the most part there is nothing lacking on the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701: it is well designed to deal with heavy snow fall and to clear big areas fast. Still, there are a few minor drawbacks on the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 that I do think it is important to cover. Let’s take a look.

1. Big and heavy : When you are looking for a snow blower that has the kind of extra wide clearance and high snow cut depth that the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 can offer, it will be almost impossible to find one that is not pretty large and rather heavy. Of course, the propulsion system solves the weight problem for the most part, since you won’t have to push the snow blower yourself. But the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is going to need a big parking space in your garage.
2. Not CARB compliant : Gas powered snow blowers like the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 have the kind of powerful engines that allow them to clear the high volume of snow that it can, but those engines necessarily produce a lot of emissions. As a result, most gas powered snow blowers – the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 included – are not compliant with the California Air Resources Board emissions standards for small engines. As a result, if you live in any one of the states that enforce these rules, you can’t buy one.
3. May have some traction problems : In spite of the fact that the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has very large (15 x 5 inch) wheels with deep treads, every once in a while you may experience some problems with traction. This will be the case if you are operating the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 on an incline or trying to clear snow from icy surfaces. While it does not occur often, when the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 does have traction problems, you will have to give it a push to help it out.
4. Controls might stick occasionally : The trigger controls on the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 are very easy to use – but every once in a while you may find that they stick when you let go of them. This can happen especially when you are using the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 in very cold weather; when you let go, the propulsion control may stick, and the snow blower will keep moving forward. You can prevent this by keeping it well lubricated with WD-40, which should do the trick.
5. May have fuel flow issues : This is another issue that may occasionally crop up when you are using the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 in very cold weather. Every once in a while, the engine has difficulty with fuel flow. It occasionally stalls even when the tank is more than half full. When this happens, all you have to do is prime it a few times and give the recoil starter cord a good pull, and it should start right back up again.

The first two Cons are really quite normal for a big, powerful two stage snow blower like the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701, so I wouldn’t consider them serious problems. As for the rest, if they do present any problems, it will only happen on days when the temperature is well below zero, and then there are fairly simple ways to troubleshoot them. All in all, I still think the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is a high quality snow blower that can get the job done.

Product Comparison

Of course, the best way to determine whether a particular snow blower is the best one for you is to not only look at Pros and Cons lists, but also to do some thoughtful comparison shopping. There are a lot of different snow blowers out there, so once you have figured out what class and price range you are looking in, it can be helpful to compare a few models to see which one is really the best.

	Yard-Man 31AM63LF701	Power Smart DB7659A-22	Husqvarna 924HV
Type	Two-Stage	Two-Stage	Two-Stage
Dimensions	52 x 27.5 x 42 inches	38 x 26 x 30 inches	52 x 24 x 42 inches
Start	Button push	Button push	Button push
Engine Manufacturer	Yard-Man	Power Smart	Husqvarna
Engine	208 cc – OHV	208 cc – OHV	208 cc – OHV
2-cycle / 4-cycle	4-cycle	4-cycle	4-cycle
Drive	Self-propelled	Self-propelled	Self-propelled
Speed Control	6 forward / 2 reverse	4 forward / 2 reverse	4 forward / 2 reverse
Clearing Width	26 inches	22 inches	24 inches
Snow Cut Depth	21 inches	16 inches	23 inches
Throw Distance	Up to 35 feet	Up to 35 feet	Up to 35 feet
Handle	Ergonomic	Ergonomic	Ergonomic
Light	n/a	n/a	LED Headlight
Chute Control	Manual 200°	Manual 180°	Manual 180°
Wheels	15-Inch x 5-inch	13-Inch x 4-inch	16-Inch x 5-inch
Weight	214 pounds	154 pounds	202 pounds
Warranty	2 years	1 year	2 years

As you can see from the table, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has the widest clearance than either of the other two snow blowers as well as one of the highest snow cut depths. It is the biggest and heaviest of the three, but it is also able to clear a driveway in fewer passes than either of the other two, which is important. It’s also the only one with eight speeds. Of the three snow blowers, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is definitely one of the best options.

Conclusion

The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is a very impressive snow blower, and when it’s compared to similar models, it pretty much blows the competition away. But before you decide to buy it, I think you should take one more look at the Pros and Cons lists, just to be sure it’s the right one for you.

Conclusion Pros

1. Extra wide 26 inch clearance.
2. Can handle deeper snow.
3. Powerful 208 cc engine.
4. Eight speed options.
5. Durable design and build.

With its extremely wide clearance and high snow cut depth, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is ready to handle any job you could find for it. It is supported by a very powerful, well-built engine that drives the auger and gives the drive train eight speed options. It’s easy to use and quite durable as well.

Conclusion Cons

1. Big and heavy.
2. Not CARB compliant.
3. May have some traction problems.
4. Controls might stick occasionally.
5. May have fuel flow issues.

While there are a few minor issues that the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 occasionally has, they are easy to take care of, and for most users they will not occur at all. While the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is big, heavy, and produces a lot of emissions, that is normal for this kind of snow blower. Overall the Cons do not take away much from the Pros.

Final Word

The Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is the kind of big, powerful snow blower that you need to have in your garage when a serious snow storm hits. Whether you live in a rural area and have a long gravel drive, or have a property in the average suburb with a paved driveway, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is the best snow blower for clearing large amounts of snow quickly. When a blizzard drops more than a foot of snow in your area, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is the snow blower you want to use to clear it.

Because it has a bigger clearance width than pretty much any other snow blower out there, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 will allow you to clear your driveway and sidewalks in fewer passes and spend less time in the cold. And it can easily clear more than a foot and a half of snow before you even need to think about attaching drift cutters. This is a solid, high performance snow blower.

Best Price

For everything it has to offer, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 is actually one of the least expensive two stage snow blowers you can find on the market today. Its price is well below average for snow blowers in its class, which will be good news to any household that is on a budget. But in spite of the fact that it is so affordable, the Yard-Man 31AM63LF701 has everything you need to tackle big snow removal jobs. Not only that, but it is solidly built and has a great engine under the hood. This is an exceptional snow blower at a really great price.