ATV Snow Plows vs. Snow Blower

[ndbwhunter]

Since you’ve owned one you know what to look for…stick with a good two-stage well known brand, try to maximize width with HP for your pocket book….lots of cheaper ones have lots of plastic parts that can break over time…keep it high end parts and engine and simple controls…it should last 10+ years

The snow blower that I've got now is an older Toro. It works well for small areas of lighter snow, but any depth or weight to the snow and I'm usually forced to shovel. I'm going to start looking at some used machines online. I don't need anything really wide, but I want to make sure it's got enough HP to throw that heavy, wet, deep snow.

Any recommendations on a minimum HP for a 24-26" cut?

 

[3Roosters]

My yard is not very big, and having alley access to my garage really limits my options for relocating the snow. Although an ATV would be fun, I'm beginning to think that the snow blower would be more useful for my current situation.

Yep. Pretty much my predicament..Too much hassle and more work actually maneuvering the atv and hopping off and on when you want/need to change blade angle than just using the snowblower. Plus the lawn thing....it might seem darn neighborly buzzing down the whole block HELPING the 90 yr old lady down the block...but if you had set the blade too low..you may get more than lawn..ie..maybe a lawn sprinkler that didn't quite seat correctly in the ground. Noooooooooo...I never did that..hahaha Come spring you just may have to be donating a bunch of your Busch Light stash to smooth things over with the neighbors lawns you wrecked.

 

[martinslanding]

SEARS

Dirty Hand Tools 30" Dual Stage Snow Thrower $854.99 (don’t know if I am a fan of the Loncin engine) but this looks like it would move some snow

Tame the toughest conditions with this 30" Dual Stage Gas Snow Thrower from DHT. This snow thrower features a reliable 302cc Loncin Engine, 30 in. clearing width, 20 in. intake height, all-steel augers and a 3-blade impeller for powerful and efficient snow removal. The heated hand grips and LED light come standard on this unit providing features usually found in much more expensive models. Six forward and two reverse speeds let you adjust the speed to match the conditions, and the 190-degree, quick-turn chute lets you throw the snow up to 40 ft right where you want it. Convenient, push-button electric start allows for ease of use, and the rust-resistant exterior helps ensure lasting life.



302 cc Loncin engine delivers powerful and reliable performance

30 in. clearing width and 20 in. intake height for your toughest snow removal jobs

6 forward speeds and 2 reverse speeds let you adjust snow throwing for your conditions



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of course if you wanted the MacDaddy of walk behinds: HONDA 13HP 36In Hybrid Snow Blower:

 

[SDMF]

I have a 9HP 24" cut Husqvarna that will throw a full width/cut up to ~6" of light snow whilst in the gear meant for transport. If the snow gets heavier or deeper than I gotta slow down. Whatever depth Fargo ended up with by 6:30AM this morning I was able to move in the fastest gear the thing's got. IMO, that's not so much a testament to the "H" machine as the relatively high HP vs. cut width ratio.

Dad had a 5HP/22" cut Honda that I gave away to relatives. It needed more "tweeter" gears as low was mind-numbing slow and and faster would bog down the 5HP motor. I hated that thing even though it always started.

 

[Bfishn]

For you guys with ATV plows, do you just leave the plow on if you use them for ice fishing or do you take it on and off? How much work is involved if you take it off for Ice Fishing? I have an old shitty snowblower that i need to replace, but also have been thinking about getting an ATV for ice fishing. Figured i could kill two birds with one stone.

 

[wby257]

I have a snowblower on my 4 wheeler. It get rid of the snow and I don't have big piles and I don't tear up the yard. I live in the country and with a big wind my 4 wheeler would just drive over the snow. It was to hard to push.

I just took a piece of plate steel 54" long and 15" wide and welded it to the bottom of my blade and took two John Deere 8/27 and bolted them together and ratchet strapped them to the plate and use my winch to pick them up.

Works great and it cost a fraction of a factory built snowblower.

 

[SDMF]

For you guys with ATV plows, do you just leave the plow on if you use them for ice fishing or do you take it on and off? How much work is involved if you take it off for Ice Fishing? I have an old shitty snowblower that i need to replace, but also have been thinking about getting an ATV for ice fishing. Figured i could kill two birds with one stone.

Unhook the winch cable, swing the 2 locks outta place, lift plow frame ~1", slide blade/frame ahead ~2" and drive away. Honestly if it takes you more than 90sec to hook/unhook an ATV snowplow you need to invest in a hockey helmet for each day of the week and buy a season pass for the short bus.

 

[dust in the wind]

For you guys with ATV plows, do you just leave the plow on if you use them for ice fishing or do you take it on and off? How much work is involved if you take it off for Ice Fishing? I have an old shitty snowblower that i need to replace, but also have been thinking about getting an ATV for ice fishing. Figured i could kill two birds with one stone.

For mine, I disconnect the winch and pull a lever and it releases from the ATV. Pull it away and put it where you want. To hook up, I let out the winch hook it up to the plow and retract. It slides back towards the atv and mounts itself to the ATV. I do check to make sure things are lined up and positioned correctly. Takes a minute or so to disconnect or reconnect.

 

[SDMF]

I have a snowblower on my 4 wheeler. It get rid of the snow and I don't have big piles and I don't tear up the yard. I live in the country and with a big wind my 4 wheeler would just drive over the snow. It was to hard to push.

I just took a piece of plate steel 54" long and 15" wide and welded it to the bottom of my blade and took two John Deere 8/27 and bolted them together and ratchet strapped them to the plate and use my winch to pick them up.

Works great and it cost a fraction of a factory built snowblower.

Got any pics? This sounds like a kick-ass piece of "necessity is the mother of invention" type stuff.

 

[guywhofishes]

I have a snowblower on my 4 wheeler. It get rid of the snow and I don't have big piles and I don't tear up the yard. I live in the country and with a big wind my 4 wheeler would just drive over the snow. It was to hard to push.

I just took a piece of plate steel 54" long and 15" wide and welded it to the bottom of my blade and took two John Deere 8/27 and bolted them together and ratchet strapped them to the plate and use my winch to pick them up.

Works great and it cost a fraction of a factory built snowblower.

pic would be interesting

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dangit

 

[dust in the wind]

SDMF - would something similar to this. I know someone who has one similar to it. I thought about it myself but a plow was easier for me to store.

There's a bar that goes to the back and hooks on the hitch. The snowblower has it's own wheels and engine. I don't recall if he had to hook up the winch or not. I'm sure there is a hook up somewhere in the front to keep the blower in line with the atv but I don't recall how that was.

 

[gonefshn]

For you guys with ATV plows, do you just leave the plow on if you use them for ice fishing or do you take it on and off? How much work is involved if you take it off for Ice Fishing? I have an old shitty snowblower that i need to replace, but also have been thinking about getting an ATV for ice fishing. Figured i could kill two birds with one stone.

Take it off. Like the others said it only takes a couple minutes.

As for ATV or snowblower it depends on how big the area you have to do is and if you have enough space to push the snow. I use both. When we get a huge amount of snow, the blower seems to work a bit better. Then I'll use the blower to remove the volume and then clean it up with the atv. But 90% of the time I use the atv. Also, you want to make sure you push it as far as you can the first time. Once you move it if it gets warm and then cold again it'll be hard and you could end up with not enough room for later snowfalls.

 

[dust in the wind]

 

[Skeeter]

Buy an atv snowblower. Get the best of both worlds.

 

[lunkerslayer]

 

[Tommyboy]

As much as they want that to be a "3 stage" snowblower, it is not. And why is the idiot in the video blowing all of the snow onto his car?
:;:huh

 

[ndbwhunter]

Thanks for all the information, guys. Sounds like the ATV plow will have to wait. Now I just need to find a decent snow blower.

 

[Whisky]

I researched blowers last year and ended up with a decent Ariens model. Not their commercial ones, but right below them I think. The cheaper blowers are all the same shit, with the exception of the paint color. For me it came down to getting by with the Ariens or dropping the coin on a Honda....Well as it turns out, I've used that blower about twice now so I really cant' comment on it too much yet. Ended up moving to the country and have been using a pickup plow instead.

 

[johnr]

Well my 20 year old, maybe older MTD model works like a champ. I prime it, choke it, pull the cord once or twice, and she starts up. Let it warm up some before putting a load on it, and away I go. Have never had snow it wouldn't blow, cleans right down to the concrete, blows about 15 yards out.
I spent $100 on it from a friend that moved to AZ, so I have had it for maybe 11 years or so, of course living in the banana belt I don't blow as much snow as you east river guys, but we have had some dosies(sp), and she hasn't failed me yet.

I don't think a guy needs to drop $1500 an a snow blower, unless you have that much money to not spend on fishing gear.

 

[DirtyMike]

Bought a snowblower from luv2hunt this fall. Figured it'd sit in the garage all winter since I dropped some cash. It's been out three times so far and has worked extremely well. I got a little overzealous yesterday morning and cleaned the driveway. The little bit that dropped while I was at work didn't necessitate the snowblower so I had to bring the shovel back out.