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ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:04 am
by Bucho
Does anyone use an atv for plowing snow?
My new place has a larger driveway and Im already sick of shoveling. I was perusing craigslist for a cheapish 4x4 atv. I could probably find a few other chores to use it for but I have zero intentions of using it for trail riding.

Is this totally stupid? Should I just buy a snow blower?

Re: ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:45 am
by Laoch
I used a big bear 400 for years with a plow. Worked great. Chains on rear and some added weight. Great for plowing. I sold it when I got the kubota. Before that i had a plow on my lawn mower. That worked well too.
I also have a snowblower for the smaller snows. I gave up shoveling when I hit 40. Too hard on the body.



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Re: ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:45 am
by Rut Row
Bucho wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:04 am Does anyone use an atv for plowing snow?
My new place has a larger driveway and Im already sick of shoveling. I was perusing craigslist for a cheapish 4x4 atv. I could probably find a few other chores to use it for but I have zero intentions of using it for trail riding.

Is this totally stupid? Should I just buy a snow blower?
I'll wager the used snowblower will be cheaper. However, snowblowers and wet snow can be frustrating. Pros/cons for each.

Re: ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:54 am
by Taylor
My Dad had a snowblower and it was 10 years old, it always got the driveway clean wet or dry snow. Driveway was always clean when he got home from work.

Re: ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 7:32 am
by Bucho
Thanks for the responses guys.

Purely for money Ill probably end up with a snowblower...

But who knows, maybe Ill find a deal on a cheap utility quad!

Re: ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 8:53 am
by gots_a_sol
I have an old snow blower you can have free. Obviously needs some help but it will start (carb will need cleaned or replaced).

32" wide with plug in e start.

Image

Re: ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 8:57 am
by Boom Boom
gots_a_sol wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 8:53 am I have an old snow blower you can have free. Obviously needs some help but it will start (carb will need cleaned or replaced).

32" wide with plug in e start.

Image
That is a beast....and the price is right.

Re: ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 10:18 am
by Rut Row
Boom Boom wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 8:57 am
gots_a_sol wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 8:53 am I have an old snow blower you can have free. Obviously needs some help but it will start (carb will need cleaned or replaced).

32" wide with plug in e start.

Image
That is a beast....and the price is right.
Tis a great deal!

Re: ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 10:51 am
by YAMPOL
Remember most ATV's are belt driven, and last along time under normal conditions. Pushing snow is not really normal. Forward, backward, spinning etc. This will wear a belt faster than you would think. And when will it break? When we have a big snow of course. That being said, it may last a long time. As a kid my dad always had a blade on the garden tractor/mower. Always got us out.

Fast forward a few years when I lived near Frederick, I had a 600 foot driveway so I got a blade for my tractor/mower. Worked great in most snows. Then came the blizzard of 96. Blade would not touch it, and I stayed there until a backhoe could get to me late in the day.
All the while I heard snowblowers working around me. Next week I had one, a Honda, and still have it today. Works great except really wet stuff.

Just my 2 cents so give it some thought before you pull the trigger on an ATV. The snowblower for free is the best deal I have seen! :thumbup:

Re: ATV for Plowing Snow?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 10:54 am
by juddspaintballs
I use the bucket on my tractor, but with my hill the tractor can be sketchy if there is ice. I've slid over 100' several times on a 6,000#+ tractor way too fast for comfort. I need to pony up for a set of $400 chains for it. I also wish I had an actual plow on the tractor so I could angle it for clearing the circle easier or widening the driveway more than the 6' the bucket will clear.


In all honesty, a beater pickup with a snow plow already on it will probably be cheaper than an ATV with or without a plow. They can usually be found for about $2k.


I've got a nearby neighbor that offered me to use his 5' PTO snow blower if I ever wanted to. He's close enough to drive the tractor over to. The only problem with that is that my tractor's wheels are just shy of 6' wide.


I've thought about the beater pickup/plow combination. I've thought about the ATV/plow combination, too. While I could certainly use an ATV around the property for lots of things and it would make doing trail work at Tasker's much easier, I haven't decided to go with that just yet. Most of the stuff I could use an ATV for around here I could also do in an electric golf cart and I wouldn't need to maintain another engine if I did that. I have a snow blower that I only use on really big snows for clearing right in front of the garage. I guess I could buy a power angle plow for the tractor, but that's right up there with the cost of a beater truck with a plow already on it...