Snow plowing a driveway--Options?

PhilJohnson · #21 08/24/09, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVcook

DH and I 'built' a drag behind snow plow out of 2 x 6's and some lengths of perforated metal (like drywall corner bead) to protect the edges when it's dragged. We attach it to the hitch on the 4 x 4 Jeep with a length of HD chain and drive down our 1/8 mile long driveway. It's shaped like a triangle and the point of the triangle is where the chain is attached. DH drags the plow around when we get moderate snow. It works like a 'wing or V plow' and cuts through the snow. Then he finishes up with the 4 wheeler and mini plow. We have a snowblower, but the snow is so heavy we rarely use it.

RVcook

Heh, I was gonna suggest something similar. I built a drag last winter and pulled it behind my 4x4 truck. Worked good for the most part, did need more weight on it to work real good. Cheaper than anything else I can think of and it gets the job done fast. The one I built last year cost nothing and I think I can do better this year at double the price

radiofish · #22 08/25/09, 12:00 AM

Well here is a photo of a snowblower, the Southern Michigan sub-species.. I think that my dad was clearing about 4 to 5 inches of snow, when the photo was taken..

Snow plowing a driveway--Options? - Homesteading Questions

Snow plowing a driveway--Options? - Homesteading Questions

I think that it may under powdered for your lenght of drive, and the anticipated amount of snow..

hunter63 · #23 08/25/09, 12:27 PM

I really suck at plowing on gravel, so far, practice, practice.

Snow plowing a driveway--Options? - Homesteading Questions

Hooligan · #24 08/25/09, 03:09 PM

Sorry. Double post.

Hooligan · #25 08/25/09, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mellowguy

That was my thought too. How much snow can you get in western Washington? If it's 4-5 inches, any car with all-season tires can just drive over it a few times until the weather melts it a few hours or a couple of days later. The problem here is at the end of the driveway, where the county plows makes a snow bank.

I'm in Ontario, and I just drive over anything below 6" of snow. That's with a 4x4 or a sport car. Storms get cleaned-up by a neighbour with a tractor-mounted snowblower.

ATV-mounted blades are useless. If you can't just drive on top of it with your car, your ATV won't push it. Forget about using an ATV to push heavy snow, and they'll make a mess on gravel driveways. Anyone I know that tried an ATV with blade gave up. I have a stubborn friend that cleans small snow (up to 3-4") with the ATV to justify his purchase, and anything bigger with a walk-behind snowblower.

A lawn-tractor with a blade will do much better, except with gravel. A lawn-tractor with a snowblower will work fine. I don't understand the negative comment in one of the above posts.

A walk-behind snowblower works fine. 1/8th of a mile seems like it would take a lot of time to clean with a snowblower. If you're cleaning 5" of snow with a decent engine, it might very well take you an hour or two to clear.

Keep in mind that snowblowing is not as glamourous as it may appear. You've got to dress up as if you're snowmobiling, because wind is a b**ch when you blow snow.

I'll be the contrarian here.

Been plowing our large gravel yard and 300' of driveway for 10 years with a little Honda 350 ATV. NW Vermont.

You do have to plan for the room and it helps if you have a bank you can push the snow over. My ATV is set up with a foot operated lever to raise and lower the blade. This makes all the difference in the world. It is much quicker then a winch operated setup and with practice you can "throw" the snow up and over. Over the years I've learned how to knock the tops off the banks with the blade raised when they reach the right height. Done right this creates more of a ramp then a bank and you can keep pushing the snow farther away as necessary.

I always let the first couple snowfalls sit there to be packed down assuming they are not to deep. This keeps the gravel in the drive .

I did suffer through the learning curve though....

amelia · #26 08/25/09, 08:00 PM

Really helpful info, guys. Thanks. Especially the pictures.

salmonslayer · #27 08/26/09, 10:25 AM

We get about 200 inches annually and here are some thoughts:

Snow blowers (as opposed to snow throwers) work fine in heavy wet snow so I am not sure what some are talking about. Had a self propelled Honda for years and it really helped to get snow up and over the sometimes 7 or 8 foot berms.

ATV plows dont work very well in heavy wet snow because the berms pile up and they dont have enough weight or HP to push through. They can be handy in lighter snow or to clear a small residential drive etc,

Truck plows are worth the cost in heavy snow areas but do like cabin fever and mount them on an older truck; they are rough on a trucks front end and frame; 4 X4 or not.

Lastly, I used to make a lot of money as a kid shoveling peoples driveways but when I was layed up last year recovering from surgery; I couldnt find a kid anywhere willing to do it for even $50.00. Luckily I had friends, all in their 50s and 60s who came to the rescue but I relay that because you might find the same thing in your area if your thinking about hiring it out. Guys with plows will do your drive but wont usually do sidewalks or other areas. Also, most plow contractors are in a hurry and if you have ornamental bushes or other things along your drive; they will take a beating.

**highlands** · #28 08/26/09, 12:05 PM

I use the larger bucket on our tractor, since we have a tractor. It's a little slower than a pickup truck with a snow plow but there are some storms when a pickup truck couldn't do the job so over all it's a good solution for us. I like being able to lift the snow up off the ground rather than just compacting it into a pile. That gives me more options. Again though, I hammer because I have a hammer... If I had a screw driver I would probably use that...

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://HollyGraphicArt.com/
http://NoNAIS.org

diamondtim · #29 08/26/09, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amelia

Okay, don't laugh at me. I'm new at this!

I'll have about 1/8 mile of driveway to clear this winter and am not sure what my options are. I hear a lot about "four wheelers" with snow plow attachments being a good bet in this area; I've also heard reference to snow blowers. I'm afraid I don't have a mental image of either one and would kill to see a picture! Also, any advice on what might be a good (and reasonably priced) option for doing this job would be greatly appreciated. One priority of mine is that it not be mechanically complicated--the simpler the better. Thanks for any ideas!

How much snow does your area get and is it wet or dry? Ice and sleet too?

What equipment do you have now? 4x4 truck, suv, tractor, lawn tractor or Bobcat?

4x4 truck or suv. You can add a snowplow on to your vehicle.

tractor. front-end loader (bucket) or 3-point hitch plow.

lawn tractor. Blower attachment, blade or rotating brush attachment.

Bobcat. Bucket or rotating brush attachment.

Good Luck.

amelia · #30 08/26/09, 07:56 PM

We could easily see an 18-inch accumulation overnight here. I don't presently have any equipment at all, and am hoping to avoid spending a lot of money on any one thing at the outset. After I get my bearings, I'm sure I'll discover that I have opinions about things that I haven't the slightest clue about now.

A snow blower looks like a good possibility, maybe a 4WD ATV. Someone offered to sell me a tractor yesterday (no price discussed). However it's a very old one (1940-something), and I figure it could be quite a project to maintain it since I don't presently have any vehicle mechanic skills.

Thanks again for the ideas--keep 'em coming, I'm learning a lot!

Drew Cutter · #31 08/26/09, 08:16 PM

You have got to think about wear and tear on transmission , how easy it is to mount or dismount . A rear mount snow blade on a pickup has some appeal to me .

http://www.snowmanplows.com/

Tilly · #32 08/26/09, 08:57 PM

We lived in the hills around Yakima WA for thirteen years, never had a problem getting through the snow. You can drive right through that east side snow, as long as your axles clear. I drive a suburban, never been snowed in at all the whole time we lived there. Invest in good tire chains and/or studded tires if they are still legal out there. Is this your first winter on the property? First time living in a snowy area? Ask around the locals and see if it will dump 18 inches overnight night after night, or if that is the worst they've seen in a year.

Tilly

diamondtim · #33 08/26/09, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amelia

We could easily see an 18-inch accumulation overnight here. I don't presently have any equipment at all, and am hoping to avoid spending a lot of money on any one thing at the outset. After I get my bearings, I'm sure I'll discover that I have opinions about things that I haven't the slightest clue about now.

A snow blower looks like a good possibility, maybe a 4WD ATV. Someone offered to sell me a tractor yesterday (no price discussed). However it's a very old one (1940-something), and I figure it could be quite a project to maintain it since I don't presently have any vehicle mechanic skills.

Thanks again for the ideas--keep 'em coming, I'm learning a lot!

18" of snow at a crack is serious snowfall and an ATV couldn't handle it at all. You're going to need something that can move snow by the ton, literally.

With no equipment, I would strongly consider the drag that others have made pulled by a truck with a trailer hitch and then work up to getting a plow truck (old 4x4 with snowplow attached).

You could also look at an older truck with a plow, but with no mechanical skills, you could end up buying a piece of junk that will eat you alive with garage bills to keep it running. You'll want a friend that can help you pick out a good older truck and an honest mechanic that can inspect it.

Hooligan · #34 08/27/09, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diamondtim

18" of snow at a crack is serious snowfall and an ATV couldn't handle it at all. You're going to need something that can move snow by the ton, literally.
With no equipment, I would strongly consider the drag that others have made pulled by a truck with a trailer hitch and then work up to getting a plow truck (old 4x4 with snowplow attached).

You could also look at an older truck with a plow, but with no mechanical skills, you could end up buying a piece of junk that will eat you alive with garage bills to keep it running. You'll want a friend that can help you pick out a good older truck and an honest mechanic that can inspect it.

I beg to differ. I've moved far more then 18" with my little atv, regularly. I'm not talking about a little residental driveway either. This is a long rural driveway with a large parking area. It takes some experience and technique but I've been doing it for 10 years and have no plans to change things up at this time. It does a great job.

We get some snow here in northern VT too.

Hooligan · #35 08/27/09, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amelia

We could easily see an 18-inch accumulation overnight here. I don't presently have any equipment at all, and am hoping to avoid spending a lot of money on any one thing at the outset. After I get my bearings, I'm sure I'll discover that I have opinions about things that I haven't the slightest clue about now.

A snow blower looks like a good possibility, maybe a 4WD ATV. Someone offered to sell me a tractor yesterday (no price discussed). However it's a very old one (1940-something), and I figure it could be quite a project to maintain it since I don't presently have any vehicle mechanic skills.

Thanks again for the ideas--keep 'em coming, I'm learning a lot!

That's the reason I went with an ATV. It would be used year round for a variety of purposes and not taking up space all summer just waiting for the snow to fall. Since then I have acquired a good sized tractor with a blade and a 4x4 pickup which could easily handle a plow but the ATV does better then then the tractor and does it well enough that I don't feel a need to spend the money on a plow for the truck.

Now I did box myself in the first season when we got 3 24" plus storms in 10 days but I learned much from that experience and now look forward to the big dumps.

Now, if the magic fairy came by and wanted to give me my dream snow removal rig it would be a good sized, three point hitch mounted snow blower and the tractor to run it and the new barn to store it in.

Until that happens the atv does just fine.

NorthCountryWd · #36 08/28/09, 02:52 PM

I have to agree with my fellow Vermonter, we get a couple 18" plus dumpings every year and my quad was used for a long time on our 1/4 mile drive. It took forever, but it worked. I've got a full sized truck plow now, but the quad is still used for the little stuff and the hockey pond.

diamondtim · #37 08/28/09, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hooligan

I beg to differ. I've moved far more then 18" with my little atv, regularly. I'm not talking about a little residental driveway either. This is a long rural driveway with a large parking area. It takes some experience and technique but I've been doing it for 10 years and have no plans to change things up at this time. It does a great job.

We get some snow here in northern VT too.

Hooligan,

There is a difference in moving 18" of dry December powder and 18" of heavy wet March snow.

No doubt, an ATV could handle powder, but the heavy stuff could really put a strain on the poor little machine. I know, I killed an Ahrens snowblower trying to move heavy wet snow. Plowing beats the heck out of a full-size 4x4 truck, I can only imagine what it would do to an ATV.

As my FIL used to say, "You do what you think is right."