Shopping for a UTV with front PTO for snowblower

[ruffdog]

I replaced my TC33D with the 5610 Toolcat for the same reasons the OP listed. It seats 2 people, it runs front implements from the SSQA and also runs 3pt implements on the rear. I have AC in the summer and heat in the winter.

For a short time, Polaris made the Brutus UTV that had a front PTO and lift. After you paid for the attachments, it was quite expensive.

 

[adlertom]

You can buy a front snow blower that has it's own engine and mount it on the front of any S&S that goes slow enough...

SR

Thanks. Do you know what kind of ballpark price such units sell for?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I haven't priced one in a long time, so you need to do a bing search and see what a unit like you would want, would cost.

They make them in different sizes with different options. There's plenty of youtubes showing them in action.

SR

 

[JamesHW]

We have about two miles of trails through our woods and have thought about clearing trails when we start spending winter there, but operating a snow blower through woodland trails seems like a miserable job fraught with hazards hidden in the snow. Besides, you end up despoiling the pristine area around the trail with the thrown snow, so our choice would be to groom the trails instead of snow blow them. I figure packing down the snow accomplished a similar aim as snow blowing with a better aesthetic effect. Elderly neighbor nearby (sadly recently deceased) told us of cross country skiing on our trails in the 50’s when the trails had not gotten overgrown. Low end grooming traditionally would be a snowmobile, but I thought a tracked sled could be affordable and the Snow Dog looks like fun and there is a dealer not far away. One drawback is of course the exhaust which points at the operator. My Track Technologies electric sleds could be a better solution that look like they may be available soon and certainly more expensive than the snow dog.

 

[adlertom]

We have about two miles of trails through our woods and have thought about clearing trails when we start spending winter there, but operating a snow blower through woodland trails seems like a miserable job fraught with hazards hidden in the snow. Besides, you end up despoiling the pristine area around the trail with the thrown snow, so our choice would be to groom the trails instead of snow blow them. I figure packing down the snow accomplished a similar aim as snow blowing with a better aesthetic effect. Elderly neighbor nearby (sadly recently deceased) told us of cross country skiing on our trails in the 50’s when the trails had not gotten overgrown. Low end grooming traditionally would be a snowmobile, but I thought a tracked sled could be affordable and the Snow Dog looks like fun and there is a dealer not far away. One drawback is of course the exhaust which points at the operator. My Track Technologies electric sleds could be a better solution that look like they may be available soon and certainly more expensive than the snow dog.

Yeah, I wasn't looking to snowblow (or even plow) my trails, just my driveway.

I do also want to use the UTV on my trails, but mostly for spring/summer/fall maintenance chores.

 

[ArlyA]

We have about two miles of trails through our woods and have thought about clearing trails when we start spending winter there, but operating a snow blower through woodland trails seems like a miserable job fraught with hazards hidden in the snow. Besides, you end up despoiling the pristine area around the trail with the thrown snow, so our choice would be to groom the trails instead of snow blow them. I figure packing down the snow accomplished a similar aim as snow blowing with a better aesthetic effect. Elderly neighbor nearby (sadly recently deceased) told us of cross country skiing on our trails in the 50’s when the trails had not gotten overgrown. Low end grooming traditionally would be a snowmobile, but I thought a tracked sled could be affordable and the Snow Dog looks like fun and there is a dealer not far away. One drawback is of course the exhaust which points at the operator. My Track Technologies electric sleds could be a better solution that look like they may be available soon and certainly more expensive than the snow dog.

That is a bit off from what the OP was asking about. Nonetheless, grooming trails is my forte and if you start a thread on that, I will respond.

 

[JamesHW]

Will consider a thread at some point for sure. I see trails and snow in a paragraph and start thinking of grooming trails

as to the front PTO for a snowblower and the op’s 1000 ft driveway, I would be bereft to not mention the walk behind tractor (BCS/GRILLO) have a front PTO and a variety of 1-stage & 2-stage snow blowers up to a beefy 33” Berta that requires a 13 HP & up tractor. Throw tracks on one and you have a real durable snow machine. Of course that doesn’t help w/ the need for a general purpose UTV for bombing around on trails. I see the less powerful, but still good (no belts) 24’ single stage snow blowers that will run the 6.5 HP machines and up (in fact I see a new one (implement only) used on Craigs list currently for $500).

 

[ArlyA]

Will consider a thread at some point for sure. I see trails and snow in a paragraph and start thinking of grooming trails

as to the front PTO for a snowblower and the op’s 1000 ft driveway, I would be bereft to not mention the walk behind tractor (BCS/GRILLO) have a front PTO and a variety of 1-stage & 2-stage snow blowers up to a beefy 33” Berta that requires a 13 HP & up tractor. Throw tracks on one and you have a real durable snow machine. Of course that doesn’t help w/ the need for a general purpose UTV for bombing around on trails. I see the less powerful, but still good (no belts) 24’ single stage snow blowers that will run the 6.5 HP machines and up (in fact I see a new one (implement only) used on Craigs list currently for $500).

There are no pod kits available for small tractors and these do cost real $$$. The ones we are looking at for our next 6x6 with run about $5500.

 

[jaydee325]

You can buy a front snow blower that has it's own engine and mount it on the front of any S&S that goes slow enough...

SR

A friend of mine is the service manager at a power sports dealer who sells side by sides.

The dealer sold one of these snow blowers and the service manager said he knew it was going to be trouble as soon as he uncrated it. And, it was back several times for problems related to poor quality materials and design.

I'm not saying they all are junk. Just make sure you see the setup, preferably in action, before putting your hard earned cash into this option.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I'm not saying they all are junk. Just make sure you see the setup, preferably in action, before putting your hard earned cash into this option.

Just like tractors, there's more than one model/brand...

Choose wisely grasshopper...

SR