Plowing snow with an ATV

[Finoks]

Just hoping to get some opinions on how many cc's is best to have in order to plow snow.
I realize different makes are better than others and so some may need more cc's than others, so as much information as you can share would be greatly appreciated! I'm looking to buy a used ATV, but only have about $4000 to spend but want to get the best I can for that price so I'm able to plow snow.
Thanks!

 

[catzuki]

Well i would say get as big as you can. I plowed snow with my old 500cc arctic cat when i had it, it worked good and my buddy plowed with his 400 and 450 honda's. I ended up buying a 750 Kawi and plowed with it. It worked way better, only problem was all of that power it was kind of hard to stop pushing when you hit something. I would just give it more throttle.But i will say one thing, get a plow that he ATV will handle, i had a 48" on my Quads, but i know that 750 kawi would handle at least 60" or 66".

 

[vinson4ever]

I've been plowing snow with quads for many years. They do a great job. I've used a 300 kawi, a 400 honda, and now a 500 Suzuki. I don't think power is a big issue, but good tires are. A friend of mine has a old 250 quadrunner and it works just fine. I'm on a acreage with a long driveway, and the quad does a nice job.

 

[Bogger]

I've been plowing snow with quads for many years. They do a great job. I've used a 300 kawi, a 400 honda, and now a 500 Suzuki. I don't think power is a big issue, but good tires are. A friend of mine has a old 250 quadrunner and it works just fine. I'm on a acreage with a long driveway, and the quad does a nice job.

I agree that cc's don't make a difference for pushing snow... difference maker is having 4x4 and good tires...I use my honda foreman 400 with a 48" blade. I put bearclaw tires on it and it works awesome. I also have a plow for my moto-4 225, it is useless because the quad is only 2wd and just spins.
you can probably pick up a 2002-2004 foreman 400 or 450 in nice shape for around 4K, awesome acreage machine I use mine for plowing, moving trailers, pushing round bales around ect.... It's your call but if your looking for a utility machine I'd stick with the mid size honda/suzuki, low maintinance and reliable. My foreman fires up at -30 everytime.

Ian

 

[Finoks]

Thanks for all your responses - gives me some good idea of what I should look for.

I found an '04 Suzuki Eiger 400 with plow for $4000. I have been looking at Honda's and am not familiar with the Eiger. With 4x4 and good tires, is the Eiger a good ATV?

 

[Brute Force Boy]

I disagree with the 500 thing. Got a 48" warn blade on my 700 griz,with 27" outlaw tires. Lots a traction. That being said, there are many times, it's grunting as hard as it can in low range 4 wheel & dif lock. Get as much power as you can afford.

I agree, there's no replacement for displacement.....:d

 

[Bogger]

Thanks for all your responses - gives me some good idea of what I should look for.

I found an '04 Suzuki Eiger 400 with plow for $4000. I have been looking at Honda's and am not familiar with the Eiger. With 4x4 and good tires, is the Eiger a good ATV?

Some will say yes some will say no.... Personally I like the suzuki's...I had an 02 suzuki LT300....LOVED it, had diff lock was as reliable as they come and even as a 300 in buldog low it could climb anything..... the Eiger will push snow just fine...probably be a nice machine for you IMO.

 

[rigrat]

Tire chains will make a huge difference in the deep stuff.

 

[medler]

I plowed snow for years with a 97 Kodiak, 4X4,5 speed ,400cc.If you have a low range and low enough gears it will push alot.You don't need a 700 cc fuelinj.with P.S. to push snow.

 

[Bullseye]

I personally plow snow with '08 Honda 420 ES. Works awesome !!!! I just upgrade my tires in Oct. and it has made a world of difference from last winter. I can push a mountain of snow, it is incredable what this thing pushes !! Traction was my weakess link in plowin, but not no more !!
I owned a '03 Honda 350 ES (my dad now owns) before I bought my new one. It too pushes snow like nobody's business. It has full-time 4X4 and stock tires and has no problem plowin snow. My Dad lives on a acreage and does his driveway and paths everywhere. He even does his neighbours driveway now after they saw how much snow it could push !!!

 

[KVF 700]

i agree. u dont need tons of power. especially with a manual like the hondas. the first year is ULTRA LOW and i swear will push anything.... i might go as far as saying that in a real bind, i bet a 450 or larger honda with the ultra low first gear will spin the same tires as a 750 belt drive, under very low speeds. just my opinion. hondas are very reliable, may not be the most powerful though.

 

[vinson4ever]

In response to Finoks, the Suzuki Eiger would be a very good choice. I know a few people that have them, and they are a very good reliable machine. Air cooled and indistructable. I've owned a few different machines over the years, kawi, honda, yamaha, suzuki, in my opinion you can't beat a Suzuki. Very good quad.

 

[TheLonelyIsland]

me and my dad just built a plow for our yamaha bruin 350 4x4 , the tires are so bald that you could drag race with them!!! the system works great! and the little bruin plows at low rpm , you dont need a big 500!! or even a 400! a 350 works fine!!!!! all you ever need.

 

[honda680manitoba]

the suzuki eiger is a great quad. thers guy near my place that sells them

 

[atver]

I have 3 Suzuki 700 King Quads and love them. Little or NO problems with them. And yes they are used LOTS 6200 klm, 4900 klm on the 2007s and 3400 on the 05. They all have had the 60" blade on them and do a great job. I think for plowing the automatic is a must !

 

[Bogger]

I have 3 Suzuki 700 King Quads and love them. Little or NO problems with them. And yes they are used LOTS 6200 klm, 4900 klm on the 2007s and 3400 on the 05. They all have had the 60" blade on them and do a great job. I think for plowing the automatic is a must !

Depends how fast you want to plow, rarely do I get out of first gear pushing snow, sometimes hit second if I fly down the driveway and throw the snow but not necessary.

 

[Brute Force Boy]

I've used cvt and manual for plowing, I to prefer the cvt as the shifting to reverse is quicker.

 

[ezrider]

I have had my 48" blade on three quads so far; Honda 350, Honda 500 and now Polaris 800 and I can tell you for certain that they all plowed the snow without any issues. Never been stuck with any of them or felt I needed more power to puch that snow. 350 was manual shift - which was possibly the only negative to it all because of the shifting to reverse.

 

[summit1000man]

i have been pushing with a Honda 450, i have standard tires and i built my own blade (6 foot) it is heavy but i can do anything with it (because of all the weight) i was losing lots of snow over the top of the blade so i built a sluff guard for the top and as it stands i can move more snow with the quad than the tractor can

 

[Clinebo]

I used to plow with my '90 Polaris 250 Trail Boss 4X4. It had a 48" blade and manual lift. Did the job,but my arm got sore from the lift and the 2-stroke motor had to be in the power band. My '02 500 has a 60" blade and I put on a Warn winch.Much better for plowing now.
I haven't had to use it once this winter! NO SNOW!