Pushing Snow

[TurboT]

Hi Guys,

Anyone have experience with a quad with a snow plow on the front?

Do you think a 2wd quad would push snow properly, or just spin once the snow weight got too heavy? Even with chains?

Would a 110cc, fabricated with a makeshift snow plow do it?

Going to have this to plow this year. There is a four wheel drive tractor there with a 'bucket' on the front, but it doesn't work that well for snow.

I enjoy the thoughts!

http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss108/GioBikePhoto/jpg037.jpg (http://s566.photobucket.com/albums/ss108/GioBikePhoto/?action=view&current=jpg037.jpg)

...about as far down as you can see, the 'driveway' turns to the left, which is about a good 90 degree turn, and heads up to the road for probably twice the length you see here. There is a good deal of snow to move. More than I'd like to shovel thank you. :)

[Weldangrind]

If you fabricated wheel weights, used chains, and geared the quad to a crazy low ratio, a 110 might do it. You're far better off to pick up a mid-sized garden tractor with a blade now. The same wheel weights and chains would apply, but the gearing is already ideal.

[yozalo]

I never knew that it snowed that much in BC. In ON it does not snow that much but we have bought a snow blower for about $500 from the USA. It's made by craftsman. :P

[TurboT]

I never knew that it snowed that much in BC. In ON it does not snow that much but we have bought a snow blower for about $500 from the USA. It's made by craftsman. :P

It doesn't snow that much in Vancouver proper, but head north, away from the ocean and it snows mate.

That was taken 30 minutes North of Whistler, in the mountains. That was early in the season and that driveway had been plowed with the tractor already.. then it snowed again, and dropped to about -25 for a week and the snow turned into concrete. The tracks you see were made by the 3500 lbs LandRover it hardly sank at all, although it would probably be pretty deep if it was soft.

[yozalo]

I've been to whistler and was it beautiful. I have only been there in the summer. Heh, I never want to go there in the winder, I'd be an igloo by now.

[TurboT]

I've been to whistler and was it beautiful. I have only been there in the summer. Heh, I never want to go there in the winder, I'd be an igloo by now.

I almost like it better up there in the winter myself. Air is so cool and clean, spark up the fire inside so it's nice and toasty with the beef roasting in the oven.. it's great.

...plus, there are no bears for my dog to get into trouble with! :)

[LynnEdwards]

We don't have snow where I live, but I'm still very interested in any experiences adding plows, dump buckets, rototillers, etc, to small displacement chinese atv's.

Yesterday I placed an order for the swisher brand mounting kit for a dump bucket which I intend to add to my chinese quad. They recommend an engine 300cc or higher (mine is 150cc), 9 inches minimum ground clearance (mine is 4.5 inches), and a trailer hitch in the back (I have a place where I can tie a rope). I expect this is going to be a challenge. I do have a machine shop in my garage and some welding experience. So far I've not seen anyone on the internet who has done this with such a small quad (or if they have they are too embarrassed to admit it).

My intent is to eventually add a dump bucket, and attach a rototiller to the back to move compost to the back yard, and just do basic vegetable gardening.

This is a long term project. We'll see how it goes between now and next spring.

[TurboT]

We don't have snow where I live, but I'm still very interested in any experiences adding plows, dump buckets, rototillers, etc, to small displacement chinese atv's.

Yesterday I placed an order for the swisher brand mounting kit for a dump bucket which I intend to add to my chinese quad. They recommend an engine 300cc or higher (mine is 150cc), 9 inches minimum ground clearance (mine is 4.5 inches), and a trailer hitch in the back (I have a place where I can tie a rope). I expect this is going to be a challenge. I do have a machine shop in my garage and some welding experience. So far I've not seen anyone on the internet who has done this with such a small quad (or if they have they are too embarrassed to admit it).

My intent is to eventually add a dump bucket, and attach a rototiller to the back to move compost to the back yard, and just do basic vegetable gardening.

This is a long term project. We'll see how it goes between now and next spring.

That sounds like a fun project. As mentioned, there is a reasonably sized mid sized tractor on this property with a hydralic bucket on the front, it is a fun unit to drive around but it's very cumbersome moving snow, as the bucket fills up quick. A blade would be easier.

If I still had some machining tools at my disposal, I thought it might be fun to outfit a little Gio Mini Hummer with a blade on the front. We will see.

[katoranger]

I think you would be okay in light fluffy snow, but wet heavy stuff it will have a hard time.

I think a better investment would be a blade for the tractor or a snowblower.

Allen

[Weldangrind]

Another option is a snowblower that is pushed by the quad. They typically use a 6.5hp engine, and it's a lot easier than a walk-behind. Check out http://www.giobikes.com/Power-Snowblowers-in-Canada/13hp-ATV-Snowblower-Attachment-Universal/

[TurboT]

Another option is a snowblower that is pushed by the quad. They typically use a 6.5hp engine, and it's a lot easier than a walk-behind. Check out http://www.giobikes.com/Power-Snowblowers-in-Canada/13hp-ATV-Snowblower-Attachment-Universal/

That's quite the contraption!

Looks like it'd be fun, expensive though.

[Turnburn99]

I agree with the other's that you should look either into a blower, or get a blade for the tractor. Not sure if these pic's will work on not, but here is a pic of my lane and my dually after going through!

http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/VGitcm-D7k-aiWoxrcwYGA?authkey=Gv1sRgCOON8bLG57TG7QE&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/UjIhJ9-B8hjBHPk9-PAmuA?authkey=Gv1sRgCLKCleGCt_DuVw&feat=directlink

[Reveeen]

My son-in-law lives in Canada's tropics (southern Ontario) and there I have tried both a blade, and a snow blower, mounted to a 4 wheel drive Honda ATV there. Maybe I was doing something wrong, but neither didn't do much of a job, or maybe the better thing to say is: it was more work than I thought it was worth. The conclusion I have drawn is: if you NEED an excuse to buy an ATV, (and you know what I'm talking about) then this is a valid excuse (OH! but I can use it in the winter to clear snow), otherwise save your money.

[VinceDrake]

Hey all!

I have a plow mounted to the front of my ZMC250 Utility atv (extremely similar to the GIO 250 "bad Boy." It's about a 48" plow, purchased from Giobikes, with the chinese winch for lifting and lowering. Also made up some home-made chains for the back wheels.

All in all, it works very, very well-- As long as the snow is halfways fresh. If it's been sitting for a couple of days, and freezes together, the blade itself isn't really heavy enough to "Cut" if you know what I mean.

A couple of caveats:

a:) It works best as a grader-- I.e. with the blade at an angle, curling the snow off the edge-- Pushing the snow ahead of you in a straight line only goes until the snow comes over the top of the blade.

b:) Momentum-- Not torque. Usually, I just run in first, revved up good, about 10km/h, and let the snow "curl" off the end of the blade. Trying to push the snow with torque and you kinda lose your steering, and it's a good way to wreck clutches.

c:) A hot-box for the carby really helps. At -20 you can pretty much leave the choke 3/4 on all the time.

Overall though, I'm really really happy with the setup. It truly amazes me how much abuse this machine will take without blowing up!

With regard to 110's and 50's I don't think power would be too much of a problem if they were re-geared a little bit. The main problem would be the blade has to be pretty far out in front of the machine, in order to pivot-- and there is a *lot* of weight on the front suspension with the blade raised.

Also, not having reverse would really, really suck. Getting a run at things could be more work than using a snowblower, dragging it back by hand.

I'm kinda considering ordering another one, and hooking it to the front if the wife's 150 "Monster", after cutting it down a little bit, say maybe 38" or so... Just for the heck of it...

--Vince

[Weldangrind]

Vince! How are you?

What's a hot box?

[VinceDrake]

Not too worse! How are things with you, Mr. Grind? :D

I did end up selling the Beast, and getting a Monster, and after a summer's hard riding, I'm convinced the monster is the superior machine... Maybe a little slower at the top end but that's about it.

Hotbox-- A heat riser, myself, I just made a sheet-metal scoop behind the head, I could hook an air intake onto-- Just to get some warm air into the carby. Even after the engine had run for an hour, pushing snow in winter, I find the carb is so far away, that it is icy, ice cold.

I would say some sort of Hotbox, or heat riser, or carby-warmer is a must to push snow-- Especially when you have to push snow when it's bitter out-- The last thing I wanted to be doing was fiddling with iced carbs outside when there's another 200 feet of snow to push...

Also, if someone is smoking "herbal cigarettes" in a closed area, and you get a buzz from the second hand smoke, that would be "Hot-Boxing." Totally different.... :D

--Vince

[waynev]

What's a hot box?

Now that's a loaded question, i'd say blonde and 120lbs.

[Weldangrind]

Yeah. Um, I did mean as it relates to carburetors. :lol:

It makes good sense to fab a heat riser; it's free warmth for the carb, and the fuel does a good job of keeping things cool.

Me? I'm fine. Still tinkering with these quads as I have time. I just bought a speedometer tonight that I'm gonna install on the Beast to baseline for future upgrades. I have a new carb and a new performance muffler to install, but I want to be able to quantify the difference. BTW, I'm with you on the Monster; I wish I had more of 'em. When was the last time you saw one for sale?

Yeah, I know. Detail oriented. My wife calls me something else.

Sorry for the threadjack T. :)

[TurboT]

No worries jack the thread all you like! :)

I found out earlier this week I've lost my riding place in Pemberton for a while, and with it the need for a snow plow! Very dissapointing but perhaps this thread can help out others wondering the same thing about snow plows and chinese quads.

[Weldangrind]

On behalf of everybody here, I'd like to say huh? I don't get it.

[TurboT]

On behalf of everybody here, I'd like to say huh? I don't get it.

The house I would travel to, to stay and ride was not 'mine.'

It was mine to use when I wanted, as it was empty and I was kind of looking after the property for them...however that just recently changed (like 1.5 days ago) as they decided to rent it out full time for money.

So, I can no longer go there to stay and ride.

..the picture I posted was of that house in the winter, which I planned on staying at quite a bit up until the most recent news, which was the need for the plow.

Does that clarify?? Not wanting to confuse anyone.

[Weldangrind]

Ok. Wasn't sure if that earlier post pointed to financial difficulty or not. Glad that's not the case.

There's always Nickelmine! If I ever get my act together...

[TurboT]

Ok. Wasn't sure if that earlier post pointed to financial difficulty or not. Glad that's not the case.

There's always Nickelmine! If I ever get my act together...

Nah no worries chap I still have a job and a roof over my head.. so far. :)

It's dissapointing my entire family loved going up there the house was very warm and cozy and nice property.. the people that own it were very generous to let us use it, and I tried to return the favour by keeping it upkept as it sat in the middle of the mountains empty a lot.

Perhaps one day it will come back for my use but for the time being no trips to Pemberton for a while.. hence the reason I spent 8 hours in the car today grabbing the YZ.

I'm so in for Nickelmine anytime.. even during the week, I'll take a day off. :)