BX snow removal or 1000lb ATV?

[donn12]

which one would be better? I already have the atv with blade so the question is should I buy a rear blade for my BX24? Does anyone make a front blade for this without the $1800 kwikhitch setup from Kubota? We do not get a whole lot of snow here (Northern Virginia). $ wise the only thing that makes sense is probably the rear blade or stick with the ATV. It does great but a new tractor toy is always good. I also posted in attachments...a combo rear landscape rake and rear blade unit would be awesome but I have not seen one.
any feedback?

 

[Lindy]

I'm in western NY, where we get quite a lot of snow, and I have both an ATV with a plow and a tractor with a 3pt blower.

For light snows of, say, 6" or less, which I'd guess is what you get, the ATV is quicker. I can blast down my 500' driveway at 20mph and blow the snow off to the side pretty good. When we get 2' of snow, however, it's hopeless on the ATV. It's taken me as much as 3 hours to clear the driveway in that case with the ATV. In cases like that, I'm forced to put the plow square-on to "bulldoze" the snow, rather than at an angle, which is much quicker. The snowblower on the tractor will blow right through any of that stuff.

For your situation, I'd think that the ATV plow is your best bet. It's lighter than the tractor and won't tear up your grass as much. Shouldn't leave ruts in soft/slushy/snirty/muddy areas like a tractor would.

BTW, I use a Cycle Country State Plow on my Honda Foreman 450. It works great. It looks like this (this one's not mine):

 

[asylum575]

The rear blade is about $300 at TSC. What's nice about the rear blade is , it can be used for finish grading. Have you looked at the Paynes clamp on blade. It clamps on to the FEL. It's manual so you have to just set the angle and go. That goes for about $800. Personally, I would prefer pushing snow in front of me instead of pulling.

 

[KeithInSpace]

Mr. Donn12, I lived in NoVa for a few years and am currently a stone's throw from you in Fredericksburg. Every snow we've had, I handled with my FEL no trouble. If I had an ATV, I would have much preferred that to the BX in getting the 6" snows off the driveways...I do all the neighbors on the cul-de-sac, which add up to some 3,500 to 4,000 feet of driveway.

You may remember the 'big' snow we had in 2002 or 2003...we had some 2 feet in Haymarket. I didn't have my tractor at the time, but I saw plenty of plows NOT able to clear the snow...everyone was renting Bobcats and tractors with FELs to clear parking lots. In that case, the ATV wouldn't have done much unless you kept up with the snow, but that would be the case for a rear (or front) blade on the tractor as well.

My opinion: Get the rear blade for some reason other than snow removal. If you play with it during a snow, fine, but I honestly think you'll find the ATV to be much quicker and more comfortable (with the suspension and all). And when the REAL snow falls, you'll be using the FEL anyway.

I have an RTV500 (or similar) on my wish-list...whatever side-by-side I ultimately purchase, it will have a front blade.

 

[donn12]

I am interested to see how well the FEL does with snow. any particular ups or downs? At the least with a real heavy storm I can move some drifts around.

 

[ampsucker]

not having an atv w/ blade, i'll post up my thoughts on the bx24 with loader and rear blade.

i have been able to handle heavy wet snows up to about 2 feet no problem. the hardest part is when the rear blade loads up and the rear tires don't have enough traction and are pushed sideways by the plowing action of the blade. this only happens VERY rarely. i run chains on the front wheels but not the rear which is why this happens i think.

otherwise, REALLY handy to have the FEL to pile snow where you want it, to dig out heavy wet snow from corners or to ballast up the front wheels for more traction. i also really enjoy the power steering of the bx in the snow and the ability to add a snow blower on front or rear or a heavy salt/sand spreader if i choose down the road. i don't think you have these options with the atv except for very light salt spreaders and most don't have power steering which could be an issue with a blade full of snow.

i also think most atv plows are lighter, most are electric vs. hydraulic and most don't have much downward force from the weight of the blade itself.

that said, i can see how going faster on a long driveway could really help and in a light snow, you could probably get it done much quicker with an atv.

i find i don't mind "pulling" the snow from the 3pt vs. pushing it from the front. i think i would prefer blowing it from the front, but it would take a LOT to make me give up the FEL for all the versatility it brings to the game.

i think my ideal set up might be an atv with light blade and the tractor with FEL and a good salt/sand spreader on the rear.

just some thoughts..

amp

 

[Matt_Jr]

I've got a BX24 and a Woods RB60 rear blade. I also have a Kawasaki Bruteforce 750 4 wheeler. I'd really like to get a plow for the 4 wheeler 'cause my boss has the same 4 wheeler with a plow and for anything 6" or less it does great. I've plowed the shops parking lot several times with it and not only does it do well but spinning around(doughnuts) is more fun 'cause the added weight to the front lightens the rear tires. My 4 wheeler has heated grips but my tractor doesn't (the real reason I want a plow for the 4 wheeler).

 

[LBrown59]

I am interested to see how well the FEL does with snow. any particular ups or downs? At the least with a real heavy storm I can move some drifts around.

What do have a the FEL on?

 

[Matt_Jr]

FEL's are good for moving piles of snow or pushing them back farther and making the piles higher but I don't like plowing with mine. I've got a driveway about 250' long and do several neighbors drives and they are all gravel. It's hard to not scoop up gravel with the FEL. The FEL really shines when the snow gets too deep to plow it. Then you have to scoop it up to move it. Sure beats a shovel.

 

[donn12]

The FEL is on my BX24. my driveway is asphalt so that may help. Thanks for the info.