2720 v. XUV Snow Removal

[MaJYk]

I have a 2720 CUT and recently have sold my ATV to get a used 620i. My atv was my primary tool for removing snow. I live in southwest Indiana, so there is usually only one or two decent snows and a few minor snow events. The thought of plowing in a heated cab XUV is very enticing (and easier transport), but I was wondering what additional uses the front blade would have besides snow removal, to what extent is it going to be useful for grade work (I have a loader and grade box as well). My driveway is about 400 yards (asphalt millings), 2 neighbors drives about 100' each (crushed stone) and about 800 yards (paved) to get us to the main road maintained by the county. Gator has no winch yet, so I feel I'm looking arount the same cost either way unless I stumble on a deal before crunch time. No interest in a snow blower, large (rare) snows would be removed with farm tractors or full sized backhoe. Opinions?
1. Gator-
pros=heat/travel convenience/new winch
cons=minimal other uses
2. 2720 front blade
pros=hydraulic/possible other uses
cons=flipping cold/54" or mods req'd
3. 2720 rear angle blade
pros=half the money/likely most other uses/loader available for stacking as needed or 2 direction attack
cons=still cold/most likely worst performance for snow removal/constant looking over shoulder

 

[jcmseven]

For strictly snow removal, there is no tractor that can hold a candle to any of the higher end UTV's such as yours. I have used both and a Gator XUV will plow circles around a 2720, unless the snow is EXTREMELY heavy, and perhaps even then. Where I live, we get several decent snows per year and we have very challenging terrain that is steep and curvy. I have generally been very impressed with the plowing ability of these machines.

Unfortunately, most of the snow blades out there are really meant for snow, not dirt or gravel. They are not heavy enough to effectively plow other things, though they will do so on a limited basis. Winch mounted plows are especially light duty, so if you were interested in plowing with your Gator, I would say the plow would need to serve as a dedicated snowplow, with your tractor doing the tractor things you mention. One exception to this is the JD Power Tach plow which is heavier duty and has hydraulic down pressure. It is still a "for snow" plow, but will plow more dirt and light gravel grading. It is also much more expensive (about $2700) with the power lift, but offers that versatility. Interestingly though, when one thinks of the cost, a good quality winch plow with the winch also will be well over $1K in most cases and is less nice.

John M

 

[Deadman]

If you put a Ballast Box on that 2720 with 800Lbs in it, it will plow that UTV and the snow all up into a Mountain. That UTV will never push like the heavy tractor will. But the tractor will be cold.

 

[jcmseven]

Deadman, we will have to agree to disagree. I have had a 4520 with a 7' front plow, rear and front tires loaded with Rimguard, a 2172 Frontier rear box blade with 10 42 pound Quick Tach weights on it for a total system weight of 3700+750+650+810+420+420===6750 pounds in operation, and it would come nowhere close to plowing the snow at the speed of my diesel 850d Gator. I would venture to say that it is a bit more machine than the 2720; though I have also plowed with a 3720, 4310, 595, and 2320 for comparison , so I have all the compact frame sizes covered. Though some plowed better than others, none plowed as well as the Gator. I now have a Ranger, and it also plows faster and better than the tractors, but not as well as the Gator did. I qualify this by saying that if the snow were really deep (to me really deep is greater than 12" on the ground at once), a tractor may plow a little better, but still not as fast. If one is getting snows like that regularly having a snowblower is probably the better overall choice. My findings have been that snow most times is just not that heavy and 99% of the time it does not take something super heavy to move it. My Gator could overwhelm the 72" blade at times with its ability to move it, and I even bent a moldboard plowing with it, so it was plenty stout. My Gator diesel, with winch, brush guard, hydraulic dump bed and a full tank of fuel weighed 1715 pounds. The 2720 weighes only 200ish pounds more stock, so the difference is not huge there. The Gator is also capable of holding an equivalent amount of ballast in the bed to a ballast box and has a fully articulating suspension, more speed and better tires for plowing. It is also TRUE four wheel drive (tractors as you know have an open front diff). Our OP has a cab on his gas Gator which would put him reasonably close to 1600# in chassis weight without any ballast in the bed, so again the difference in operational weight is not large here.

One concern I have about plowing with a Gator is that stock they lack power steering, which is a big advantage for plowing. My Gator had the Unisteer system which made things very easy. I would recommend this investment for anyone plowing with a Gator to any degree. In short, I too felt the Gator would not be a valid option for plowing, after comparing it to a line of tractors I have used, it simply is faster, does a better job and is a much more efficient way to plow snow.

John M

 

[MaJYk]

The replies are appreciated, and I didn't intend to start banter over which will be more capable. If either were to struggle with a particular snowfall, much larger equipment would be utilized.
More interested in comments like refering to gator power steering that diminish its convenience, or the 2720 front blade's usefulness (or uselessness) as as a mini "dozer", or if a rear angle blade is effective as a snow plow.
FYI, gator has aggressive atv radial tires and for the 2720 I own 3 per side rear wheel weights and grade box that can be used as ballast, I don't intend to mess with chains and fluid isn't an option as I need to be able to keep it light b/c it's also my lawnmower

 

[yankeerider]

One concern I have about plowing with a Gator is that stock they lack power steering, which is a big advantage for plowing. My Gator had the Unisteer system which made things very easy. I would recommend this investment for anyone plowing with a Gator to any degree.

I wonder how much the type of plow affects this. I have the Deere V-plow on our HPX, and while lighter steering effort might be nice, I don't consider it excessive. When it was delivered by the Deere dealer in the summer, with the plow installed, the effort was very high. But the cargo bed was empty. When I plow, there's a couple hundred pounds of ballast in the bed, which makes a difference. While actually pushing snow, the hydraulic down pressure on the blade unloads the fronts even more. That wouldn't happen with an aftermarket plow that uses a winch for up/down, but I'd expect most of the plow weight would be transferred directly to the ground. It's also possible that John has to do a lot more tighter turning than I do.

At any rate, I love plowing snow with the Gator. I haven't gotten it stuck yet, and I can't say the same for my 755 which used to be my main plowing machine. The gator is much faster.

 

[whistlepig]

I have a 2720 CUT and recently have sold my ATV to get a used 620i. My atv was my primary tool for removing snow. I live in southwest Indiana, so there is usually only one or two decent snows and a few minor snow events. The thought of plowing in a heated cab XUV is very enticing (and easier transport), but I was wondering what additional uses the front blade would have besides snow removal, to what extent is it going to be useful for grade work (I have a loader and grade box as well). My driveway is about 400 yards (asphalt millings), 2 neighbors drives about 100' each (crushed stone) and about 800 yards (paved) to get us to the main road maintained by the county. Gator has no winch yet, so I feel I'm looking arount the same cost either way unless I stumble on a deal before crunch time. No interest in a snow blower, large (rare) snows would be removed with farm tractors or full sized backhoe. Opinions?
1. Gator-
pros=heat/travel convenience/new winch
cons=minimal other uses
2. 2720 front blade
pros=hydraulic/possible other uses
cons=flipping cold/54" or mods req'd
3. 2720 rear angle blade
pros=half the money/likely most other uses/loader available for stacking as needed or 2 direction attack
cons=still cold/most likely worst performance for snow removal/constant looking over shoulder

I live in southwest Ohio about a mile from the Indiana border. Until last winter my ATV and blade was my primary snow removal machine. We have lived here three years and the winds drifted the snow 4 feet high last winter. An ATV with a snow blade and snow 4 feet deep didn't work. Last winter the tractor and FEL became my primary snow removal machine. To the point that I have invested a lot of money in snow chains and a ballast box for the tractor this year.