Snow Equipment Owning/Operating snow plows for zero turn mowers.

[kevin72]

Im going to start mowing around 5.5 acres. With that comes a pretty long drive with turn around. I was wondering if anyone had advice on snow removal with a zero turn. after using a zero turn would you prefer a different method. Thanks

 

[Backlight]

I have a zero turn, Kubota Z700 series, it gets suck on hills with slightly wet grass. I've not used it to plow, that said if your plow area is somewhat flat, you don't have allot of snow and you use chains it might be ok... Main concern would be traction IMO.

There are a number of youtube videos of guys with ZTR's and plows if you've not looked already.

 

[Sprinklerman]

Plow every time you get an inch of snow and it should be fine .

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I use my Grasshopper 725D for snow removal,

It works MUCH better than I ever expected!

Although the pict. shows, just six inches of snow, a foot or more is NO problem at all, you just have to go slower. I've blown out some big drifts with it...

The bar tires work just fine on hard packed snow, but if you get a lot of ice, you will have to buy the optional chains, or just get the tires studded.

I've had trucks/plows, tractors/plows, rear 3 point blower and plows, and even a tractor/front blower, but I really like the way my GH can get get in and around things, blowing the snow out, that I couldn't do with the others...

SR

 

[civilian]

Is the ztr a belt driven snow blower or shaft driven? When I was looking at tractors that had snowblowers, I stayed away from the belt driven snowblowers. I feel the shaft driven blowers transfer the power better. That being said, what kind of snow do you have? Wet and heavy, or cold and light?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Mine is pto shaft/chain driven, it blows EVERYTHING well, light or heavy snow, even heavy snow with water in it...

It's easy to put on too...although that's because my GH has the electric lift that makes the front mower easy to remove,

so the mower is a snap to take off, then you drive right to the blower and hook it up...

SR

 

[Backlight]

Here's my zero turn after I lost traction (and slipped sideways) going up my drive.. :ashamed:

Plowing with it is not an option, at least on my property.

 

[Creamer]

The hopper is set up well for a blower or plow because it is a front deck. If you do not ahve a front deck I do not know how you would do it. My Deines has a blower option and I know some people who have them and really like them. Not sure why belt drive would be any worse that shaft drive - I prefer the belt drive because it absorbs the shock so that it doesn't get transmitted to your driveline/engine. I have a good friend who is a good Hopper dealer and know probably twenty people who have blowers on their hoppers like Robs and they all love them. Some use cabs though.

Chevron tires make a world of difference for traction in the little bit of snow. Turf tires tend to fill up and ride over the snow eliminating a push force.

 

[3238dpw]

https://www.meyerproducts.com/snow-plows/off-road/ztr-snow-plow Meyers makes plows for zero turns. There are a few manufacturers that do. It makes me believe that it does work reasonably well. I think the big key is do you have asphalt or gravel? I have never seen one plowing with a zero turn on anything other than asphalt or concrete. I had a friend who had a timecutter (homeowner toro zero turn) with a plow and he said it worked great,but he couldn't plow more than about 6-8"

 

[roadhunter]

Very interesting. I hadn't considered using the mower for snow but I guess for flat applications and small amounts of snow it woudl probably work really well and be really fast.

For things like sidewalks it would be really slick.

Now just gotta figure out a way to angle the deck up in the front so I can mow snow drifts and shoot them out the side LOL.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Grasshopper sells a plow, sno-blower and even a rotary brush for their front mount mowers... I've used my blower in 18" of snow and it just eats the snow and keeps on going...

My drive is gravel...

SR

 

[tcartwri]

Front Mount machines are no problem, in fact it is a very common setup.

My zero turn won't even move itself on snow and ice never mind push a blade and it's a tank.

 

[AxleHub]

When you see a GrassHopper front mount unit in person . . . its hard to imagine it as a ztr because

a. You sit on top of the drive wheels.

b. The support wheels are behind you . . Not in front of you.

This is not what most people think of ztr units. Whether its mower deck in summer or snowblower in winter . . the unit is designed well for hills and slopes and steering control. Its wide stance is also a benefit. The normal ztr has the weight in back and the drive wheels in back and steering is typically in back.

Grasshoppers also allow you to be able to see very well because you can look down rather than "over" the snowblower.

And for clearing typical width sidewalks, its hard to imagine a better machine for that purpose.

 

[LD1]

ZTR's actually do quite well but only if it is a flat drive. They dont do well on hills. And better tires help, and/or chains. Something like AT101 tires.

The Landscape company I work for in the winter plowing uses ZTR's with the rotary brushes to plow. They use them on sidewalks and at alot of the factory lots doing in front of the dock doors between trailers where a truck plow and back dragging suck.

 

[LD1]

ZTR's actually do quite well but only if it is a flat drive. They dont do well on hills. And better tires help, and/or chains. Something like AT101 tires.

The Landscape company I work for in the winter plowing uses ZTR's with the rotary brushes to plow. They use them on sidewalks and at alot of the factory lots doing in front of the dock doors between trailers where a truck plow and back dragging suck.

 

[Ford850]

When you see a GrassHopper front mount unit in person . . . its hard to imagine it as a ztr because

a. You sit on top of the drive wheels.

b. The support wheels are behind you . . Not in front of you.

This is not what mist people think of ztr units. Whether its mower deck in summer or snowblower in winter . . the unit is designed well for hills and slopes and steering control. Its wide stance is also a benefit. The normal ztr has the weight in back and the drivevwheels in back and steering is typically in back.

Grasshoppers also allow you to be able to see very well because you can look down rather than "over" the snowblower.

And for clearing typical width sidewalks, its hard to imagine a better machine for that purpose.

And, because the drive wheels are centered (front to back) it is a true Zero Turn Radius machine. When you spin it, you and the drive wheels are at the center of the circle footprint, and the front wheels are tracking in the same circle as the back wheels. Most "ZTR" mowers aren't really zero turn.

 

[AxleHub]

Or there is yet another choice in a zero turn mower for winter purposes . . . But its not a ztr (zero turn rider).

Its a ztt (zero turn tractor). They look like a lawn tractor and have the stability on hills or attachments but behave like a zero turn.

Cub Cadet made a 42" 18 hp, a 46" 20 hp, and a 50" 25 hp units. The picture below is my I 1050. 25 hp zero turn tractor. Not shown is a very normal looking snowblower that attaches to it.

 

[LD1]

And, because the drive wheels are centered (front to back) it is a true Zero Turn Radius machine. When you spin it, you and the drive wheels are at the center of the circle footprint, and the front wheels are tracking in the same circle as the back wheels. Most "ZTR" mowers aren't really zero turn.

"True Zero Turn" doesnt always have to mean the drive wheels are centered and you are centered over them.

Placement of drive wheels, other wheels, and myself sitting on the machine is irrelevant.

what makes it a zero-turn is if it can complete "zero-turn". My scag Wildcat fits that bill. If what you are saying is true, that the drive wheels need be right in the middle and you need to be sitting over top of them, then are you saying that all the MFG's are calling them wrong?

 

[Ford850]

"True Zero Turn" doesnt always have to mean the drive wheels are centered and you are centered over them.

Placement of drive wheels, other wheels, and myself sitting on the machine is irrelevant.

what makes it a zero-turn is if it can complete "zero-turn". My scag Wildcat fits that bill. If what you are saying is true, that the drive wheels need be right in the middle and you need to be sitting over top of them, then are you saying that all the MFG's are calling them wrong?

The axles on all of them are zero turn. When you spin the machine, the drive wheels will spin in their own circle. I'm saying with a front mount the machine/mower is truly zero turn because it spins in it's own footprint. It really doesn't matter much though, since the front mounts are longer to begin with so that footprint is larger. But it is nice to zip 180 degrees and not get pulled from the seat on a front mount. Some mid mounts are better than others, depending where that seat is located. Some are pretty close to the same position as a front mount's.