Were thinking of mounting plow on ATV, is it worth the money ? How much snow can we move ? Will it be better than a blower ? Renting farm property with longer drive, don't have truck with plow. Want to keep expense to a minimum. Any info will help.
ATVs
Pro's & Con's of putting plow on ATV
I got my money's worth putting a 60" inch plow on my Kawasaki Mule years ago. It doesn't really matter how wide or how deep if you just adjust your plowing method. I had 3 foot high drifts one year and decided to use the tractor and it quit when the fuel gelled.
It is going to take longer than with a truck with a higher and wider plow but a ATV or UTV is much more maneuverable in tight places
Have to agree with many posts here. I have a Polaris 425 Magnum, with a 60" plow and winch control. Great for snow less than 6". If anything more is predicted I plow halfway through the storm if I'm home at the time.
Pros - Somewhat fun. Less labor/effort than shovelling or blowing.....uh, that's about it.
Cons - Uneven sidewalk/driveway cracks are a pain. Getting off to change the blade angle. Trouble moving more than 6" of snow. Removing the plow when you want to use the ATV for something else.
Suggestions - Install handgrip warmers on the ATV. First time you plow, push the snow as far as you possibly can move it to make room for successive storms.
I do agree whole heartedly. The ATV is fun. Any time i can be away from my wife and drink a beer, it's worth it. I'm just saying for me, the ATV was not the way to go. Single wide drives, sure. Just make sure you plow 3 wide to begin with. if we ever get a snow fall year like 4-5 years ago, you'll have no place for it to go.
At my cabin, i pay the guy down the road $100. he plows my drive better than i can do it. takes him about 10 minutes to plow a single drive, 60 yards long and a 3 car area in front of the garage. I wish he lived down here, I would sell my blower and keep one shovel for the side walk. LOT's of people with plows willing to make a couple extra dollars...and it's NOT expensive.
I even have a kid on my block that comes around and asks to cut my grass. I have 2 acres. he uses my mower, I let him spend the 2 hours...he charges me $20. he comes around when he needs a new video game LOL. he cuts it about 3 times a year. Saves me 2 hours, i go fishing. perfect deal for me. I pay him a $1 a dozen for night crawlers, he's a good kid to have around the block. little entrepreneur
Thats funny, I agree, wide drives and aprons are a pain with the quads.
BUT it all depends on your layout. I have a sizable concrete apron between my garage and pole barn , plus about a 400ft single lane entrance. If you hav the push space and not much in the way in the drivway, atv is fun time. Id spend an 8hr shift if i had to walk it behind a blower. Haha
It's a fun hobby at least from my perspective. Obviously others think differently which is great. My driveway is 4 car wide. Makes it very tough. back n forth and back n forth. For me, I used the ATV about 6 times and said screw it. I sold the plow and everything. They guy that bought it was pumped...
Funny lake...we were typing at the same time. Wide driveways..forget about it.
I can see it maybe being okay for a longer driveway where you can push it to the side as you go and get a good run out of it like the OP is talking about.
I had a 60" moose plow for a shorter wide driveway and it was a huge pain in the ass. Too much shifting back and forth, lifting it up and down with the winch, etc. Could not really push it on an angle because it would bulk up too much, then I couldn't move it. Going straight the snow just falls off the sides within the first 5', just like if you pushed a shovel straight and never picked it up. I ended up getting a large blower with electric shoot controls and I get it done in half the time now, if not better. Can spin the shoot as I'm turning all in one motion and not stop.