ATV snow plow?

[BobDaniels]

Anyone have a plow attached to their quad? Any input on their usefullness or lack there-of?

We already have the quad (Kaw Prairie 4x4) and need something to plow the drive. It's a single lane drive from the road to the house, about 110 yards long.

Specifically, does it handle deep snow (6" plus) very well? or will I be cursing as much with this as I am with shovling by hand? Cost doesn't seem too bad, espeically compared to the costs involved of buying a used 4x4 truck and plow.

Any input is much appreciated!

 

[Soundslikejosh]

My father has a 400cc Honda with a plow and it is AMAZING.

He has a "County Plow" which is wider and bigger than the standard lawn mower plows.
Moose Utility Division - Product Catalog

He lives on the southern shore of Lake Michigan where they get lake effect snow measured in feet not inches. The only time he has needed something more than the fourwheeler is when they've had ongoing snow for a long time and he needs something heavier to move the piles. If you push the piles far enough in the first place, you would never need a truck.

The only problem we've experienced with the plow is that because of it's height, the quad's headlights hit the back of the blade instead of shooting over the top of the blade. It wasn't a huge problem, but an annoyance. He got additional lights and in the winter mounts them on the front luggage rack, and the problem is solved.

Let me know if you have any questions but I would unquestionably buy the plow if you already have the quad. A truck and plow would not do a better job, except that you could make some side cash more easily.

 

[x10]

my neighbor uses an ATV plow on his 250yd plus drive and it skins it down to just above the gravel pretty good, He has a 4x4 Kaw in the 350 range forget which one exactly, It doesn't do it in one run it takes a while taking down 2-4 inches at a time depending on fluff factor,

If I get ahead I plan to get a plow for my Polaris but haven't done it yet.

I can't speak to how much extra wear it puts on a quad but I know pulling the kids on the sled in this snow the ATV gets a workout.

If I was going to do it much I would want a heavier duty with plenty of traction on the tires, No razors or dot type racing tires,

One of the new 600-800's would be a great snow plow if you kept your expectations realistic

 

[clt46910]

My brother has a plow on his quad. We don't have any long drives around here but does short work of the driveways and small parking areas around here. Last year it did good with the deep snow. Not sure what he has but it is a bigger heavier quad.

 

[BobDaniels]

Thank you for the input, gentlemen. This makes my decision easier.

I was concerned about the quad getting bogged down after a few feet due to the weight of the pushed snow. Soundslikejosh makes an excellent point about pushing the snow far enough in the first place. One of the first things I learned about driving in the snow is don't stop unless absolutely necessary! (my folks live on the west side of MI, very near the lake, I know what you mean about measuring in feet, not inches. This past x-mas, my Dad had to use his tractor push me down their road to the main road)

It seems x10's neighbor has a similar quad to ours, though ours is a 400cc if I'm not mistaken. Even if I did have to make a few runs to get to gravel, it would still be better than my current method of using the shovel.

I'm not overly concerned with wear and tear as we don't use it very hard to begin with. We use it to haul horse supplies when we use the pasture accross the road and I use it and the dump cart to haul whatever around the property. Nothing too heavy. It has had two decent sized workouts that I am aware of: Yesterday I used it to pull my other half's car out of the yard, didn't do much alone, but once she hit the gas, we were on our way. The other good workout was when we had to have one of the horses put down (RIP, we miss you girl!) The quad was used to drag the horse out of the barn so the rubber-tire hoe could pick her up and place her in her final resting spot.

Since I received the positive feedback I was hoping for, my mind is made up to get a plow rig for the quad. I'll probably wait till spring or summer in hopes of getting a better price. I figure I can also use it like a mini bulldozer for light grading chores and moving various materials around.

Thanks again for the input!

 

[lovemywoods]

I have a Kawasaki 650 Prairie and a Country 4' plow. I have used it to plow a half mile hilly lane (gravel) for 5 years. I also often plow out the neighbors' drives.

It works VERY well! It is best to keep after the snow and not let it get a foot deep before plowing. It can move up to 10-12" of snow. As stated before, if the snow on the sides gets too deep, it is difficult to to throw the new snow up and over the existing berm. I usually take 4 passes to clear the lane, one down and back trip starting near the center of the road and one more down and back to widen out to the edges of the gravel.

I highly recommend having a winch on the ATV so you can raise and lower the blade easily. This is especially important if plowing over gravel or other uneven surfaces. In the summer, the winch is helpful to pull down trees, pull the 4-wheeler out of the mud, and pull items out of the pond!

The ATV is far better than my tractor with front end loader. It opens up the lane quickly!

 

[Cam]

I've got a Honda Rancher 350 4x4 with a Moose plow. As long as you stay up on the plowing and not let the snow get more than 12 inches or so, it does a great job. If the snow gets this deep or deeper, just have to take several swipes with the blade. I debate selling my quad every year until the first big snow in winter and then I remember why I kept it!

 

[Soundslikejosh]

A word about gravel plowing, in case you didn't know: Resist the urge to plow the first snow of the year. Let the driveway freeze as much as possible, otherwise you will be picking gravel out of the yard in the spring. It gives you a better surface to scrap against once you get a deep freeze and an inch of snow on top. Still, you need good feet on the plow. Our are homemade feet which are bigger than factory. Lastly, don't hesitate to get up to speed. Our plow says "Don't use at more than 5 mph". Yeah, right. You wouldn't get far in deep snow at 5 mph.

Good luck

 

[thecanuck]

Have a Polaris plow on my 500 and it is unreal. Plowed a few drives this year and not a problem at all...

 

[anewrnn]

Loved my plow

I had a plow on my 660 grizzly and it did very well. I would DEFINITELY get the plow that mounts onto the trailer hitch ball as it's much easier to get on and off. The mount goes under the quad and you just lift it up and hook it onto the ball like a trailer hitch. With my plow you had to crawl under the quad and put pins in it kinda like a belly mounted lawnmower. Saves alot of time. I also would never own a grizzly again for the sole reason of no tranny cooler. When I would plow alot it would get hot and not want to shift, the same for pulling a heavy trailer. You can also get spacers for your shocks that won't let the front end sag when the plow is up. Just my two cents!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do the Kaw's have a tranny cooler?

 

[Old Syko]

My 5' Eagle plow on a Prairie 650 is hard to beat for home use. More versitile than a tractor so you do less harm. Just angle the plow and go as fast as you dare for best results. The key to a good atv plow is weight. You want the heaviest plow your ride can handle. My ride has aftermarket springs on the front anyway and I run 27" tires. I air up the front tires to 10# or so just for a little extra ground clearance and support when the plow is lifted. I use the winch to lift rather than depend on a manual lever. Makes for an excellent combination. When the snow is 2' or better or frozen over I get the wife to ride on the back of the wheeler just for extra balast and traction. A little bit makes a big difference.

BTW it takes 30 seconds or less to mount or dismount this plow.

 

[public servant]

When the snow is 2' or better or frozen over I get the wife to ride on the back of the wheeler just for extra balast and traction.

:bigballs: Huge.

Seriously... Pictures of your rigs guys.

 

[BobDaniels]

A word about gravel plowing, in case you didn't know: Resist the urge to plow the first snow of the year. Let the driveway freeze as much as possible, otherwise you will be picking gravel out of the yard in the spring. It gives you a better surface to scrap against once you get a deep freeze and an inch of snow on top. Still, you need good feet on the plow. Our are homemade feet which are bigger than factory. Lastly, don't hesitate to get up to speed. Our plow says "Don't use at more than 5 mph". Yeah, right. You wouldn't get far in deep snow at 5 mph.

Good luck

This is good advice as I still have gravel in a few parts of the yard from previous years, can't seem to get it all out of the yard. The only problem I've found with letting it freeze over first, is that when you do get another snow, it's very difficult to get the car going if it's not plowed first, at least with a deep snow. We found that out the hard way Tuesday morning. A few inches shouldn't cause issue. On the other hand, once I get the plow rig setup, I won't have to wait for our plow guy to get around to our driveway.

Not sure if the Kaw Prairie has a tranny cooler, I'll have to take a closer look. I know there is at least one radiator up front.

5 MPH my foot! Maybe for a couple of inches, wouldn't work so well with the snow we have now. I've got no problem picking up the speed a bit.

I've spent some time googling and following a couple links provided in this thread. It seems there are many options out there. As of now, I'm leaning towards the Country plow since a majority of my plowing will be a long straight line. I am also leaning towards the winch as it would be handy to have for other things. Manual angle adustment will suit me fine.

The only thing not so clear is the rig for mounting the plow to the atv. Since I'm a visual kinda guy, a trip to the implement store is in order.

 

[Old Syko]

Not sure if the Kaw Prairie has a tranny cooler, I'll have to take a closer look. I know there is at least one radiator up front.

The only thing not so clear is the rig for mounting the plow to the atv. Since I'm a visual kinda guy, a trip to the implement store is in order.

The Prairie does not have a tranny cooler because it is belt driven through a drive and driven variable clutch to a straight cut gearbox. Nothing to get hot so nothing to cool. The belt and clutches are air cooled with an air intake high under the plastic in front with an exaust tube high under the plastic in back. Both are in a position that will not allow snow to plug them up.

Here is a link to the plow I use and where i bought it. Welcome to Shade Tree Powersports - Your One-Stop Parts, Accessories and Apparel leader for Snowmobiles, ATV, Watersports, Harley-Davidson® and Metric


The country plows are rather awkward when used squared off rather than angled. When angled they can only be used to throw to the right. Believe it or not, you will want to go the other way occasionally. The standard blade therefore makes life easier when doing trim work such as close to buildings and other obstructions.

Sorry! I don't do pictures. I presently have a clean drive surrounded by snow piles about 3' deep down each side and 8' or better at the ends. We only got a bit over 11".

 

[lovemywoods]

I have a Cycle Country plow. It pivots left, middle, and right.

ATV Plows

 

[Old Syko]

I have a Cycle Country plow. It pivots left, middle, and right.

ATV Plows

Just so there's no confusion, Cycle country also offers standard, country, and V plows just like other dealers. Pictured below is a country plow. Yes, they all will pivot both left and right but due to the shape of the country version, being taller with less roll on the right side, they are not as effective when turned to the left or left straight across as is the standard version.

 

[42769vette]

i had a brute force 750 that im sure would have been enough quad to have a plow on. now i have a 4x4 500 quad runner. would that be heavy enough? also do you have to have a winch to control the plow

 

[Old Syko]

i had a brute force 750 that im sure would have been enough quad to have a plow on. now i have a 4x4 500 quad runner. would that be heavy enough? also do you have to have a winch to control the plow

That 500 has more than enough to support a quality plow.

A winch isn't necessary as you can purchase the manual lift assy. to take it's place. The winch just makes it easier. As much as I use mine the manual lift would wear me out quick.

 

[Soundslikejosh]

The 400 cc Honda has more than enough power when it is in 4x4 mode. All this business with 650cc and 800cc is totally unnecessary. You are more than welcome if it pleases you, but it's overkill. Don't feel like you need to buy a huge one to plow. As has been said, the big factor is the weight of the snowplow. That is why I like the big, curved plows rather than the smaller, straight blades.

 

[lovemywoods]

also do you have to have a winch to control the plow

I started out using the manual system on a 48" straight blade. As Old Syko has said, it was very tedious trying to get just the right blade height. With my gravel drive and some hills, the manual lift was not a good fit. I love having the winch on the blade! The only downside is that sometimes, when plowing a tighter area that necessitates lots of ups and downs of the winch, the relays will overheat and require me to let the system cool down before the winch will work again.

Happy plowing!