Looking for snow removal options next winter.

[Fatdaddy]

I used to use the quad with blade too but as you said it’s so time consuming and tough pushing. I put a blade on the SXS and it works great. Way better than the quad. It’s still nice to come up to a plowed out driveway from our local in town. I usually just call him the weekend before coming up but the skid steer does abuse the ground a bit.

 

[Couch]

Small lawn tractor / blower is crap esp if you have any grade - not worth the money unless perfectly flat and only pure powder. Bike / blower combo is not much better. Contract it out is likely cheapest and simpliest esp if you do it on an as needed basis only - call day before you get there.
If you want to do it yourself then a cheap truck / blade combo or just a blade left on site is likely best ...we use a short wheelbase single cab 1500 with a snoway 3/4 blade plus a box of sand in the back - generally works great but hits limits with wet / slush snow ....
Cheap tractor + bucket depending on budget.... Picked up a 50 hp cab tractor with bucket and blower for next winter ...not cheap but now covers all our needs.

 

[Couch]

Ohh yeah - if you get a blower be sure to do the impeller mod - add rubber strips on each blade to minimize the clearance ....throws further and less clogs ....well worth the time & effort ...

 

[06 Dragon]

Buy a suzuki samurai or side kick for cheap and mount or build a plow for it. Has a cab, out of the elements stay warm and enjoy your coffee when clearing your snow.

 

[brian h]

advertise free stay at cabin with stocked fridge if you do snow removal, I'm sure alot of people would be willing to do it

 

[hbar218]

advertise free stay at cabin with stocked fridge if you do snow removal, I'm sure alot of people would be willing to do it

Some people might consider it a good thing some would consider it a bad thing, we are talking staying with Maxwell, lol

 

[mathrulz]

Watch for a deal on a walk behind snowblower this summer on Kijji I think they make up to 36" walk behind they come up on occasion get a good one like an Ariens and you will be shocked how much snow you can toss in short order.

Definitely worth the consideration. I can do my 200’ driveway and big area all around the house, garage, and sheds in 30-45 min usually. That’s with a 30” walk behind. Don’t get the little cheap ones though - need some weight and good traction and you can move a lot of snow in decent time.

With blowing the snow you never have to worry about drifting or moving piles or banks that accumulate when you push the snow either.

 

[niner]

My dad has this setup, works really good.

 

[papajake]

thats got to be hard on the neck doing that for 1 or 2 hours

 

[Stompin Tom]

My dad has this setup, works really good.

your dad is really short.

 

[Stompin Tom]

Im a pickup and blade guy. I have a 9'6 V plow on the front of a 1 ton. Works like a hot damn, warm in the cab and moves the snow, but I have a long driveway, almost a half mile. In your case a half ton short box with a 7-6 or 8 footer would work great. Now is the time to buy one.

 

[Beer Slayer]

Heres the scoop, whenever i arrive at my cabin to go snowmobiling there is always a foot or more of snow that has fallen week to week. I get there late, and am there only for a short time so i need to remove this snow fairly quickly and efficiently. I have about 400m of gravel roadway and a large asphalt parking area. Currently i have a quad with a straightblade and it is USELESS. it moves large amounts of snow fairly well but the cleanup takes forever with what falls out the sides.

i am considering a couple options, space is tight so having a blower would be nice to get it up and over the fence. I am trying to do this on a budget so a skid steer and snowblower are out.


1. Modify existing blade and add wings.

2. Pickup a used garden tractor with snowblower. How well do these actually work?

3. Pickup a used blower attachment ( kijiji 300-500$) and modify it for the ATV adding a gas engine on the back. I figure i could do it for around 1000$. They want close to 8K for a new ATV style blower.

View attachment 225153

whats everyone using thats working well and efficient, that doesn't cost 80 grand?

I found the blade by itself was a joke. I added the after market drift cutter/sides/wings to the Moose blade and it works very good. Scoops the snow in a larger pile, way fewer passes. Problem is you need some where to push the snow. If you get creative with the winch switch you can get the plow to ride up over the bank and it creates a hill to plow over.




I got a cheap winch, removed the cable, drilled/taped drum and installed a strap [doesn't tangle]. Made a winch bracket to move winch up high so the strap pulls straight up and down off the drum....lifts the plow higher.
I stop using my Can-Am...[salt was ruining it] and bought a ten year old 450 Yami Kodi to do the job. I remove the front shocks and replaced with struts, front end doesn't sag when you lift the plow

 

[SicLoco]

Why dont you just use Hot Air

 

[Teth-Air]

Sean, I went through the same thing as you except my driveway is all gravel. I bought a used lawn tractor/mower that came with a snow blower attachment. The tractor is great for the lawn but useless as a snowblower except on pavement with chains and rear ballast weight. It just is too nose heavy in the gavel for any traction. I now bring the tractor back to the city for the winters where I clear the whole front side of my block after a snowfall. Works great and happy neighbors. For the Alpine house I bought a old 4x4 truck that I rebuilt and a Snow Bear blade from Canuck tire that plugs into a front hitch receiver. (hitch plus blade $2000). Works great and I have the truck as a second vehicle available.

Now I believe it would be a very doable project to mount a Briggs and Stratton motor directly on the snowblower and make a mount to fit on the front of an ATV. There is an ample flat area that is in the right position to mount the motor inline with the belt. I would have done this if I already had an ATV.

 

[Beer Slayer]

Watch for a deal on a walk behind snowblower this summer on Kijji I think they make up to 36" walk behind they come up on occasion get a good one like an Ariens and you will be shocked how much snow you can toss in short order.

Buddy of mine has a 48" walk behind at his cottage, single axle dually...freakin monster.

 

[Beer Slayer]

Im a pickup and blade guy. I have a 9'6 V plow on the front of a 1 ton. Works like a hot damn, warm in the cab and moves the snow, but I have a long driveway, almost a half mile. In your case a half ton short box with a 7-6 or 8 footer would work great. Now is the time to buy one.

Yes! If I had the space...

A little tracker/side kick with a plow for a smaller area.

 

[Bikeswithtrax]

agreed on the Locals doing the work. I have considered this but they all use skidsteer and im concerned what that would do to the new asphalt.

Especially because they will be on a little snow and ice, it shouldn't hurt it at all. The asphalt will not be hot and soft, also low traction coefficient while turning.
I use a skidsteer on my own driveway, zero damage.

 

[bobsledder]

Just contract it out and have the invoices sent to Roy and Karen. Haha

 

[pano-dude]

Anyone clearing residential with a skidsteer should have something on the edge to protect surfaces. I bolted a 2x6 on the cutting edge of my machine and not a mark on my concrete driveway from it.

Or buy a poly cutting edge

 

[Bogger]

I have an old Case 444 with a front mount 48" blower. I assume the original belt drive sucked so the previous owner converted it to a hydraulic drive. Works like a hot damn, in we heavy snow I have to reduce speed but it will throw the snow 10' over almost a 270 degree swath. But I've looked for an upgrade for a few years now and everyone wants top $$$$ for junk so I've kept my little 444.

A 48" walk behind would work like a hot damn for you, they truly are a beast, they are quick and will throw a long ways but arent cheap. Still likely better than any home built concauction you can come up with.