Questions from a First-Timer with Skid Shoes on a Plow Blade

[billattractorbynet]

It's been interesting to me how many people have implied or said that the RTV-500 isn't going to get the job done. I guess that it is a matter of expectations...I'm not dealing with anything that huge. A few very long driveways (1000 feet) and, on mine, I have gravity in my favor. I'm in Virginia, not Minnesota, so we do get walloped, but not that often.

As for the skid shoes, until I totally figure them out, it sounds like I'll use them for the gravel, and not the asphalt. So, I'll do all the gravel driveways first, then raise the shoes and do the asphalt.

I did buy chains for all four wheels. The Kubota dealer said I didn't need them, but I figure that I've got nothing to lose by having them, and putting them on only for the snow.

 

[leonz]

Hello Bill,

If you can get some tube sand for ballast you will be fine.

 

[airbiscuit]

You will be amazed at how much that will plow. I doubt you will need the chains, but chains on the front will help you steer in heavy-wet snow.

 

[cabover4us]

If your machine is anything like my friend Scott's Bobcat UTV
wicked heavy and a traction animal. Plows with straight blade all on 300' of crush and run, does use skid shoes all winter, but does an unbelievable job. Last year only stuck one time driving over an embankment...If I didnt buy a Honda Foreman
Rubicon I would have bought one of those Bobcats. Only drawback is he doesn't have doors or heat. He has 20 horse Honda motor with gas. I suggested a propane heater for now, working on finding some doors for now.

 

[FatTire]

I've done a lot of plowing with a Gator XUV, it works great. If we get some snow before the ground is frozen I plow with that to avoid wrecking the dirt driveways. Mostly I use it on our parking pad (made of paver bricks, no tire chains) so that I don't have to run the tractor on it. The tractor has chains, and can scratch up those bricks easily, which is why I use the gator for that. Since we put the pavers in, I put a poly edge on the Gator's plow and do the pavers with the skid shoes up. For early season on dirt I set the skid shoes so the blade is up off the ground about an inch. If muddy the plow can still dig in and move dirt/gravel, but not too much compared to any other tool that we own. For ballast the Gator needs at least 250 lb in the bed, 400 lbs is good.