What Size Atv Is Good for Plowing Snow

• #1

I'm thinking about buying a atv for snow removal in the next few weeks here in Ohio. My question is do I buy used and save some cash or finance a new one? Also, what size atv would be ideal for snow, 350,450,700??Any input would help.

I'm mainly doing driveways and 2 smaller commercial lots

• #2

If all you doing with it is plowing, anything over 500 is a waste.

If you plan on riding it year round and plowing, look at 650 and up (yes overkill, but tons more fun)

• #3

500 or bigger
All depends how much money you have
Bigger you get the better traction you will get

• #4

i have a 360 prairie and its awesome no problems plenty of power all year long. ive plowed over 12 inches of snow with no problem before
tires and plow size matter also but with some sand bags on the racks you get much better traction also

• #5

Go 800cc. I like it for the extra weight. The power is nice too... Thinking of upgrading to the new 1000cc Can Am as well. Buy a new one and pay cash...

• #7

bullseye;1511852 said:

I have plowed personally and professionally with everything from a ATC 200 with a homemade plow (worked wwwwwwway better than I ever thought it would)....to a Honda 350es..........to my present machine - a 08 Honda 420es. You can plow with anything really !!! CC size is just what you can afford. People that tell you the bigger the better have proably never used a smaller displacement machine.
I find my 420 can push a mountain of snow. I have a "Moose County Plow". And I have pushed huge amounts of snow with this set-up !! My Dad has my old quad - 03 Honda 350 with a "Moose County Plow" as well. It is mind-blowing how much snow these machines can push. The small physical size of the 420 and 350 make moving around really handy. Easy to get around things and easy to get close to buildings and such !! I also have found the power from these two machines has been more than adequate....I have never needed or had a need for more power when plowing.
Traction will be the biggest weakness for plowing. Better tires and weight on the racks will help lots!!
Hope my opinion helps !!

I have plowed with old Honda and yamaha traction was a problem My polaris sportsman dont need extra weight and lock it in all 4 wheels pulls unlike the old honda and yamaha
only 3 wheels pull with there limited slip front ends

To OP make sure you get one thats a true 4x4 or make sure it has a locker in the front end

• #8

Thanks for all the input, I need another quad for our farm and I don't feel like putting a plow my new truck this year. Here is what i found: http://chillicothe.craigslist.org/mcy/3391657941.html I'm going to look at it tomorrow and maybe buy it.

What does everyone think?

• #9

There is absolutely no point in a 4-wheeler over 400cc. You don't gain anything at all. A few of the manufacturers are using the "ours has more power" BS to sell them to stupid people. The reality is that a 400 can go anywhere a bigger one can go, can do just as much work as a bigger one can do, can keep up with the bigger ones, and is a WHOLE LOT more fun and nimble than the bloated hogs.

One thing the bigger ones do that the smaller ones don't... they break.

• #10

I plow with a 2003 Rancher and 2007 Forman. I am here to tell you that you don't need anything bigger than a Rancher. It will push a bunch of snow. Tires are the key to any machine. Getting into tight spaces is where a smaller machine really shines over the behemouth machines. And besides, with the price of a large machine, I can nearly buy too smaller ones or a really nice Jeep TJ. Don't believe the hype of needing a huge machine. Its kinda like off-roading, Its the driver that makes the difference. If you need that big a machine, chances are you are trying to overcome skills. I have been a trail guide for 15 years and I see it all the time. No offense intended to anyone.

• #11

jasonv;1512016 said:

There is absolutely no point in a 4-wheeler over 400cc. You don't gain anything at all. A few of the manufacturers are using the "ours has more power" BS to sell them to stupid people. The reality is that a 400 can go anywhere a bigger one can go, can do just as much work as a bigger one can do, can keep up with the bigger ones, and is a WHOLE LOT more fun and nimble than the bloated hogs.

One thing the bigger ones do that the smaller ones don't... they break.

Now I see why you think a atv can't bust open a 3ft drift. You're using a toy atv to do the job.
You also forgot to call BS on the other guy that said he pushed 12" of snow.

• #12

ALC-GregH;1512429 said:

Now I see why you think a atv can't bust open a 3ft drift. You're using a toy atv to do the job.
You also forgot to call BS on the other guy that said he pushed 12" of snow.

A "toy" is one that is oversized, because it is there to make the owner feel big. Not actually do anything useful.

I don't care what kind of nonsense you think you know, it comes down to physics. If the BLADE is a quarter the height of the snow, you aren't going to plow anything.

• #13

jasonv;1512574 said:

A "toy" is one that is oversized, because it is there to make the owner feel big. Not actually do anything useful.

I don't care what kind of nonsense you think you know, it comes down to physics. If the BLADE is a quarter the height of the snow, you aren't going to plow anything.

Again, you seem to have lost that clue.

• #14

I know a lot of guys use the 400 class machines for sidewalk work, when I bought mine I ended up buying a 500, only because the price was only a few hundred more (both single cylinder machines), to jump to a 650 (twin cylinder) was I think $ 1500. I bought a used 300 (that i dont plow with) after the 500. I'm sure the 300 would be fine as well, from my experience you run out of traction (because of low weight), long before you run out of power with either of my machines.

• #15

RLM;1512897 said:

I know a lot of guys use the 400 class machines for sidewalk work, when I bought mine I ended up buying a 500, only because the price was only a few hundred more (both single cylinder machines), to jump to a 650 (twin cylinder) was I think $ 1500. I bought a used 300 (that i dont plow with) after the 500. I'm sure the 300 would be fine as well, from my experience you run out of traction (because of low weight), long before you run out of power with either of my machines.

Exactly.
Its amazing all the people who think you need 700 hp to haul a bag of mulch from home depot. There's a link to a video somewhere on this site, about an old timer snow plow busting, must be about 8 foot drifts. 150 hp. Oh, almost forgot to add... it had about an 8 foot blade. That's 8 foot TALL.

You can't plow snow that's deeper than the machine you're plowing with. Greg there was claiming up to 5 foot drifts... with a 3 foot tall 4-wheeler with a 1 foot blade. NOT HAPPENING.

• #16

jasonv;1512574 said:

A "toy" is one that is oversized, because it is there to make the owner feel big. Not actually do anything useful.

I don't care what kind of nonsense you think you know, it comes down to physics. If the BLADE is a quarter the height of the snow, you aren't going to plow anything.

It can be done It will take longer his way but his overhead is a lot less then somebody would plow it with a Skidloader and do it 1/3 of the time takes him do a driveway

So yes it can be done I wont do it

• #17

Antlerart06;1513132 said:

It can be done It will take longer his way but his overhead is a lot less then somebody would plow it with a Skidloader and do it 1/3 of the time takes him do a driveway

So yes it can be done I wont do it

No, it is physically impossible. It really CAN'T be done.

• #19

jasonv;1513216 said:

No, it is physically impossible. It really CAN'T be done.

O yes 2 yrs ago we got 24'' snow and wind and was blowing 25-30 mph all the time it was snowing and I drive a F350 with a V plow and drifts was 8-9ft tall Some the drifts I had to just take 1/3 of the plow keep working it till the drift was gone Same apply to a atv just take little at a time
Its possible just takes time

• #20

Fwilamosky;1511316 said:

I'm thinking about buying a atv for snow removal in the next few weeks here in Ohio. My question is do I buy used and save some cash or finance a new one? Also, what size atv would be ideal for snow, 350,450,700??Any input would help.

I'm mainly doing driveways and 2 smaller commercial lots

IMO the bigger the CC the more snow you can push as in soft fluffy snow to wet heavy snow. And push more snow farther. And the more fun you will have...

What Size Atv Is Good for Plowing Snow

Source: https://www.plowsite.com/threads/what-size-atv.140015/

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