Has anyone tried

[turfman]

using a quad with the plow attachment for residential snow removal. Using a full size pick-up bed, the quad can be backed up using ramps.

We recieved a few inches of snow coupled with rain last night and the snowblower was not up to the task of "slush blowing" We also know that a few inches of slush and/or HEAVY snow takes its' toll on the back as well as time consumption. I figured a good quad and plow set-up would alleviate the need to stress the front end of a truck and everything under the hood. The purchase of the quad may prove to be beneficial being that it may be used for MANY things versus the plow that sits in storage all spring, summer, and fall.

Any thoughts?

[Scaper-S2k]

Back in the days, we used a Polaris 500 4x4 with a plow. It did okay on very (very small parking lots. But it had a fairly small plow. I know the new bigger quads can handle 60-70" worth of plow which would be better of course. We used ours on commercial sites that had a decent amount of sidewalks. That helped.

But for driveways? They would only speed you up on longer driveways where you could angle one way, go down, then come back up. Other than that, the Toro single stage snowthrower will be faster every time.


Loading the quad in the truck bed will be okay for the first driveway, but good luck after that. The ramps will get slippery and so will your tires. Not easy.




I have always had a quad for the biz. We use ours all the time for mulching jobs. We put down well over 1000 yards a year, so it helps a LOT with a quad/trailer setup.

But I don't think I would ever plow with them again if I had access to a truck/plow combo. Or a small skid steer (Bobcat).


I have a better solution if you also do some landscaping on the side.

[Woody]

60" to 70" of plow on one of those things? What the hell would you push, a light dusting of powder? I would LOVE to see one of those in action up here trying to muscle a nice heavy, wet, lake-effect job. I don't think they weigh enough to give you the traction you will need to push the heavy wet stuff.

Another thing... Do those blades have a trip mechanism, or do you just fly over the handlebars when you find an uneven sidewalk edge, drain grate or manhole cover? I hope you have REAL good dental! And someone to dig your silly azz out of the snowbank too! I've hit some stuff in a truck that I was suprised the airbags didn't blow. No way on earth I want to find something like that on a quad.

If you're going to plow it, PLOW it. Cripes man, if you need something that small, get one of those little S-10's or something and put a smaller Snoway on it. At least you will be able to DRIVE IT from job to job without having to try and outrun the law. Plus it will have a built-in heater, something I have yet to see on a quad.

I would stick it out with my Toro single stage before I would try and use a quad to plow. And if it is too soupy to use the Toro on, just get a spreader. You should be salting that kind of stuff, rolling in, earning your money REAL fast, and rolling out to the next one.

Woody

[Scaper-S2k]

Hey Woody!

Those new bigger units can handle the 60" with no problems. About an hour after posting, I realized that the 72" units were more for Kawaski Mules or the like. But I do know they specifically make 60" (and I think even 65") plows for quads. I was looking into them for my smaller skid steer, but opted for a used truck plow.

The new breed of 4x4 quads are over 700cc these days, and weigh in about 800 pounds or so I think. I believe I had a 50" on my 500 Polaris and it never bogged down. The only problem it had was the amount of snow going up over the top of the plow when the pile got too big up front.

It was heavier than 800 pounds because we would put 3 bags of salt on the back and the blade weighed a bit as well. I do recall adding a weight bar to the plow to keep it down while plowing sidewalks.



The blades do have trip springs, and even shoes. I got tire chains with the purchase, but I never installed them because there was no need.


I sold the whole unit about 6-7 years ago and the guy that bought it still uses it on his 1/4 mile driveway.





But as I mentioned, it's not for parking lots, and won't beat a snow blower on smaller driveways.