1435 v 6x4 Gator, snow removal

[jcmseven]

To all, I am asking this question to help a friend of mine. About one year ago one of my work colleagues bought a small horse farm with about 13 acres of land. It has several barns and a nice house. The drive leading to the house is about 500-750' and about 8% gradient at its max. Though not extremely steep, it has sharp drop-offs to either side and is steep enough that with bad weather a vehicle even with four-wheel drive would have a hard time climbing the drive. With the homestead purchase, my friend had a 1435 front cut and Gator 6x4 gas thrown in. He had since added a dual wheel kit to the 1435 to enhance stability on his hills. With our most recent snow, my friend called me to advise him on the better snow removal option. We gathered prices on the 72" front blade for his 6x4 and a 60" blade for his 1435. The 1435 blade, obviously, priced out more-expensively but seems to be a higher quality blade. My dealer, from whom I got the prices, said that he did not feel the 1435 would plow well as it was too light and did not recommend a plow for either machine but rather getting a new Gator instead with a plow. This is out of my colleagues price range right now. I have seen 6x4 Gators plow and they do not plow that well in my limited experience v. a newer XUV-style. I have no idea how a 1435 plows, but cannot imagine it would plow poorly with the center mount diesel engine and four wheel drive, not to mention the dual wheels which seem to be easily chained. Does anyone have any thoughts about this?? My personal opinion differs from that of my dealer, but I also do not want to give my buddy $3K worth of bad advice and my experience with the 1435 is very limited and not related to snow-removal.

John M

 

[JESSE1]

I had a diesel 6x4 Gator. No experience with snow but in mud there's hardly any traction. Too much flotation with the four drive wheels. Also has very little ground clearance. My diesel HPX 4x4 Gator handles mud much better and the four wheel drive definately helps with the steering in slippery conditions. The 6x4 would just keep going forward when in mud.

 

[beenthere]

Less flotation (i.e 4x2 gator or non-dual wheels on the Deere 1435) would be better, and add chains if needed.

JESSE1 has good advice.

Friend of mine has a 4x2 Gator with plow and it handles the snow quite well, he says. I have a 4x2 Gator and wouldn't think of it as a snowplow potential. Too many situations where just pushing a plow forward do not exist. Getting hung up, needing to back out, too much snow ahead, etc. make either the Gator or the 1435 marginal. IMO
I agree with your dealer. I think he knows. Better to put a blower on it.