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I've puzzled over this machine with 90% loving it and 10% hating it. I think I know why. I trusted the high reviews and bought it this year. The first snowfall (5-6" of moderately wet snow) I rolled this unit out and in 30 minutes of use, the large belt slipped off the pulley. I dragged it inside and put it back on. Outside again and this time it slipped off in ten minutes. Two more tries and then the plastic rotor started bashing the housing. I called Toro and if you select Option "5" you actually talk to a human. They said if I printed out my Amazon purchase record, they would treat that as a receipt. I asked instead that they send me a new belt as mine had begun to look pretty sad. Although they said the belt was an unwarranted "wear part", they would send me a new one at their expense. When I installed the new belt, I realized the rotor axle was loose. It cannot be tightened without a 5/16" Allen wrench (who owns that?). I bought one, tightened the axle (not easily) and reinstalled the new belt. The other day I faced 3-4" of new snow (very slightly wet) on my 7000 square foot parking area. The Toro 1800 worked beautifully for the 2 1/2 hour job. My conclusion from all of this is that 5-10% of all the Toro 1800's leave the factory with a slightly loose axle. Once the belt is out of the flat plane, it will always slip. Get that Allen wrench. It really ought to be shipped with the unit. I think most owners will ultimately need it. The only reason to ship your 1800 back to the factory is if you burn out the motor or have an electrical failure. The belts, rotor, and axle should be handled at home.Get more detail about Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025.
