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What Do You Non-professional / Homeowners Use For Plowing?

Matt_

By Matt_
in Garage, Shop & Tools

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Matt_ Senior Enthusiast

Matt_

Posted
Posted

So what do you guys who don't have a plow for your full-sized truck use? My entire life i've shoveled.. and this is my second winter in my new house.

 

Long story short I sold my lawn tractor because the thing was evil and planned to get a new "better" one this spring. Then I started looking at prices and realized I could save $700-$800 if I got one now due to the sales. So I picked up a Husqvarna YTH2348 (23HP Briggs). Then I thought, well, I don't want this thing sitting all winter.... So i ordered the 48" wide x 16" high dozer blade for it :rolleyes: (I have some dirt to push around this spring so it will get more use than just snow).

 

The new tractor came on Wednesday and I picked up the dozer blade last night. So a little later this morning I'm going to take the cutting deck off and install the "plow". I can't wait.... this is my first time with a cool toy (i mean tool) like this :lol: (my luck though... we're not going to get snow just because im prepared! :P).

 

I'll snap some pics when its all assembled.

 

 

So how about the rest of ya? Break-back shoveling? Plow on ATV? Snow thrower?

REV353 Enthusiast

REV353

Posted
Posted

Hopefully yours works better than the John Deer one my father bought a few years back. His sucked and didn't move squat, the blade has only been on once and will never be installed again. Make dang sure you get some tire chains, or you will be sitting and spinning. Did you keep your shovel?

Matt_ Senior Enthusiast

Matt_

Posted
  • Author
Posted

did he have the 16" Dozer blade or that flimsy 14" snow blade. the Dozer blade has great reviews all over the place... that snow blade on the other hand is only good for the fluffy white stuff. Not to mention most people are stupid and wait for all the snow to come down before shoveling/plowing. i go out at least 2-3 times during the snow fall so it never gets too deep. now that i have the dozer blade and it'll only take me 10 minutes to do the driveway i'll probably be out there more often so i'll never be pushing more than 3" at a time.

 

And yes, chains + weights... who in their right mind would try pushing snow without those. Using a tractor to plow snow and not putting chains and weights on is like shoveling snow in flip flops, it just aint gonna work!

Luvbelly Enthusiast

Luvbelly

Posted
Posted

X2 on the chains and look for some weights you can add to the rear wheels. The only small machine up my way that can actually move heavy or large amounts of snow is a four wheeler with a plow attachment. There are folks who will use a Deer tractor but most of them have opted for the snow blower attachment. This set up seems to work very well but these attachments can be very pricey.

Bowtie2Sierra Enthusiast

Bowtie2Sierra

Posted
Posted

Younger and growing up, I always used a snow blade on our JD lawn tractor with chains & weights. It worked fine as long as I kept ahead of it and didn't let the snow get too deep. In high school, I worked for a landscaping company and we did snow removal in the winter so I just brought home one of our trucks w/plows at that point. I used an ATV w/snow plow a few times and it was more of a pain than it was worth. Since having my own place, I just use a snow blower. We haven't gotten much snow the last few winters. :rolleyes:

Stevens03 Senior Enthusiast

Stevens03

Posted
Posted

Toro single stage snow blower... I've used a 3.5hp snapper snow blower for 18 years without fail (till last year) and found a 5.5hp out of the paper for $150 bucks. Works like a charm. I think you'll find the snow plow on your tractor is going to be a pain in the rear. I'll give you the fun factor but still a pain. Those tractor style plows only push the snow.. what do you do when you have a foot of heavy snow... you can't pile it up or throw it over the sides of your driveway...

 

Snow blower throws the snow out of the way :rolleyes: and quite frankly a better choice for the average home owner.

Matt_ Senior Enthusiast

Matt_

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I plan on pushing the snow a good distance over to the side of my driveway/yard, giving myself plenty of leeyway if we get a lot of snow this winter. I don't have a place to store a snow thrower, nor have we had enough snow in NJ in 10 years to need a snow thrower for that matter :P . Not to mention this dozer blade is also designed for dirt... and with the landscaping I need to do, I'll have plenty of dirt to move around.

 

Granted a good snow thrower will outperform a dozer blade on a tractor in the big stuff, there's no doubt there. For the normal 2-4" that falls around here, i'll have the driveway cleared in minutes with the dozer blade and be drinking coffee while im doing it :rolleyes:

chakis24 Senior Enthusiast

chakis24

Posted
Posted

my plan is to just park at the bottom of my driveway. its only long enough for two cars and we have only one, so ill only have to shovel the top of the driveway at worst :rolleyes:

 

a plow for the quad or truck just isnt worth it.

Matt_ Senior Enthusiast

Matt_

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I'm ready for snow! (well.... almost, they sent me the wrong wheel weights.. lol so i'll be ready for snow on Wednesday!0

 

YTH2348010.jpg

 

YTH2348009.jpg

 

YTH2348008.jpg

Mattallica Enthusiast

Mattallica

Posted
Posted

I use a 16yr old and a snow shovel!!LOL

 

He hates it just like I did at his age!!

 

actually I have an old moto4 350 4wheeler and a blade...does ok...better than braking my back with a snow shovel...its probably quicker to shovel...but its always fun to play around at the same time with the wheeler..............the kids hate shoveling even more when they see me using the wheeler....so for me its a win/win....I love being a dad :cheers:

502ci Enthusiast

502ci

Posted
Posted
I would love to know how this works!!!!

 

Super Plow

 

Anyone seen or used it?

I just watched their video, I can't imagine it being too practical, you can't see what's going on back there...how many times will someone end up hitting their house trying to "back up" and scoop the snow away from it... :cheers:

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