What snow equipment do you use for your home? And who out there has used an ATV blower, Skid Steer blower, or tractor blower? Would love to hear how they work for your area and situation. Please comment below!
Was gifted a 1982 Montgomery Ward 8hp snowblower. Surprisingly it runs like a top. Just had 18" of snow here in SD and handled clearing the driveway and sidewalks pretty good. That skid steer with a blower looks awesome, a bit out of my price range but very cool.
Over the last couple of hours I've seen a lot of snow removal videos I am impressed with the way you went about your collection of snow removal equipment thank you for the video well done
I live in rural Minnesota. Skid loader with 96” snow bucket, 72” Erskine blower, Ariens 24” two stage walk behind and a Toro Power Clear 21” You my friend have the complete snow removal setup. With skid loader and blower, I watch the discharge chute to see if vertical to ground while blowing. It’s a great reference . Hard to explain but the satisfaction I get after clearing a heavy snow is such a reward.
First of all - you're a good Dad! This brings back so many memories of my family skating around trees in the woods near our home. We didn't play hockey, but the girls loved it. As I have gotten older, I learned - big is better. Save your $$$'s and get the right machine. Skid steer in your case is a great idea because it has so many uses. Thanks' for sharing.
Nothing beats a snowblower, I have 300 yards of driveway and a big parking area, I use an old quad with a blade to plow the snow generally toward the middle then blow it away with an old Ariens 12/36" snowblower. Moving snow is very satisfying!
FYI you’re using the plow on the 4 wheeler wrong. The large side is your discharge side, this allows the snow to travel up the blade as it moves to the side and throw it OVER the snow next to it. Think of snow mound on each side of the driveway and being able to throw the snow over that. Great video, I’d love to have the skid steer. I plow with a Sportsman 500 HO!
It really doesn't matter what way you use a plow , you can push to the left to keep the snow and possible ice chunks from flying very far if you live next to others and don't want to cause damage to their property.
I plow with a Honda Rubicon 500 and I agree that the large (high) side of the plow is the discharge side. That way, your driveway doesn't get narrower as the winter progresses because the snow goes over the existing bank.
Love the video. Very informative with real, unbiased information. I currently use a Craftsman 30” snow blower to keep my driveways clear. It is self propelled and has electric start so I don’t wear myself out with the pull cord. Keep the videos coming!
THanks Bekim! Hope all is well man. Yep, get that snow blower ready to rock for the winter and good luck figuring out what plow to go with! :) Cheers REPLY
Digging out your ditches and and keeping the foliage is the lowest possible about 10ft out will give the snow place to go when you plow. With that wind you’d have to be careful the ditches aren’t symmetrical troughs that would just fill with snow drifts. Adding lots of base gravel to your driveway to raise it up high and proud would make the most difference. Having the wind blow cleanly over the arch of the road with no obstructions might help a lot. That is how I design roads to be plowed efficient. Great video. Love the blower on the skid steer.
I have plowed and blown a lot of snow over the years both personally and professionally and have never had luck with ATV plows outside of some rare circumstances as they’re just too light and tend to float instead of dig in, especially with deep snow. I have used everything from smaller tractors through large front end loaders and graders and size and weight is a big benefit when plowing as is an ability to put torque into the ground through chains or snow tires, including studded snow tires. Probably one of the best pieces of equipment I’ve ever found was a track-steer with either a plow, brush, or blower depending on snow amount and type. A telehandler is another great tool as you can make some big piles and with 4 wheel steer and an ability to crab can really extend your biliary to push snow off a road by a good distance. One big issue with plowing/removing snow with a bucket is to be careful as there isn’t a trip edge though you can do OK with a 4-in-1 bucket and a decent forward angle and float to allow it to ride over obstructions. A side door machine like JBC or Volvo really makes plowing and snow throwing with a track or skid-steer much much safer and just so much nicer.
Great video and info, amazing how much equipment and effort goes into snow removal depending on where people live! What a fabulous property, and absolutely love the hockey rink! Western PA here, so I make due with my 2005 Polaris Sportsman and just upgraded from 52in to a 60 inch Glacier blade to plow my very long driveway, and of course help several older neighbors all winter long! Cheers!
5 ft power blade on a Suzuki King Quad 700 and 2 pairs of diamond pattern chains for 900 ft gravel driveway. Beginning of year I use a length of 2" ABS piping(stronger than PVC and rated for -40c) over the blade which keeps the blade from digging into gravel. I also have skid shoes as well when drive is frozen. I also cut a length of fire hose and attached it to the top of snow plow which helps keep light fluffy snow from blowing in my face and light bar.
Yeah, that Bobcat is tough to beat! We use a Arctic Cat Prowler UTV with a 66" blade and an Ariens 28 SHO snowblower. Sandbags in the back of the Prowler and i never need chains. I usually plow our 350' blacktop driveway and then run down the sides with the blower to get rid of the berms. Works for us!
What a fantastic video. And what a fantastic neighbor. Your friends and neighbors are lucky. I live in a similar place and can vouch for the value of a skid steer with a blower. And I love getting in a nice warm cab and helping my friends and neighbors. Hardly seems like service. Keep up the good work and congrats and creating a “Norman Rockwell” type of life.
Great video. I wish we had some snow here in North-Western Europe. Although we live more north on the globe then mainland USA, we have only one inch of snow in the entire winter and almost no frost, because of our mild sea climate.
Any man that has a family and two dogs that they take care of properly is a great neighbor to have. Please feed the wildlife as well because they have a very hard time in the winter months.
Great video: i have almost the exact problems you do with snow. I live at 6000 feet in the mountains of Wyoming in a remote location. And like you, I have tried to sequently solve them. I don't have a hockey rink though, and my road is about a third of mile long. I started with a Polaris Sportsman and burned it up (actually on fire!) the second year I was here. I upgraded to UTV and reached the limits it can do. My neighbor has a pick up with plow and has broken it several times so I decided that is not going to be a solution here. By February, our snow banks are 6 feet deep before the wind gets at them. We simply do not have a place to put the plan furrows. I have broken my UTV trying to push the banks back on nice days. The transmission will not handle the constant back and forth motions necessary. So, my next step is a skid steer with a snow blower. I am currently looking a potential buys with equipment dealers. Good luck with your snow!
Damn guy you’re tremendously fortunate to have the resources aka MONEY, to be able to purchase all these pcs of equipment!!! Probably could have used some of these items in Buffalo the last week or too!
Awesome video thanks, sadly we don’t have snow where I live in Western Australia. Strangley enough, watching your videos has a satisfying effect for me 🤠👍 Keep up the good work.💪
TH-cam recommended some of your videos to me. You can imagine my suprise when I realized I live in the same area. Can't believe I haven't noticed your rink, I drive by there all the time.
Great video, I wish I would have seen this years ago when we moved from Florida to Illinois. I've wasted a fair amount of cash on not-so-great mower plows. Now I use a walk behind blower and a Western Plow for my 2500HD. For many years in between my gracious neighbor let us use is Polaris Ranger and plow but even a few winters the packed and blowing snow was a little too much for it. Let it Snow!!
Hey Pete, I live west of Steamboat, I have a long drive and a lot I clear for a commercial building nearby. I have a 6' western plow from a pickup I adapted to my skidsteer, It works great. I use chains on the rear wheels and this year have installed screw in studs in the front tires. The studs seem to help a bit. We also have a Craftsman 20hp lawn tractor with a blade and a 42" snowblower we use when we need it. For backup we have a Yardman track snowblower, 10hp, 32". There is almost always a mix of machines used for any snow, each has its purpose. Thanks for this video, we have been looking for a snow blower for the skidsteer, it's good to see one in use.
Awesome video! Not having to rig up a high flow hydrolic pump is a huge advantage! I have a tractor & will now reconsider a front quik-tach snow blower.
Hey! Yeah it seems like it is a common misconception that you need to have a high flow machine to run the blowers. I was glad to find out they worked with standard flow machines when I was researching. I liked the tractor setup I did have, but mine was on the rear PTO which gets old after doing a bunch of plowing and having to turn my head to look backward. I know some tractors have the front mounting option which would be great!
I'm also in Montana, about 1.5hrs from you. We have a few acres in the country and every Winter requires some creative ideas to clear the driveway. I can't afford all the implements you have, but started out with a self-propelled blower and a plow on my ATV. The plow works great for my 1/2mi long driveway until the drifts get over a foot deep. The blower takes over at that point, but really struggles to get decent traction as my driveway is also on a hill. I'm in the process of building a 55in blower for the ATV but that won't likely be ready until the next Winter.
I use an older skid steer (New Holland LS180) with a plow instead of a snow blower. My old skid steer is both low flow and does not have the drain back line that most snow blower attachments require. I think there's a way to add one, but the plow has worked well enough that I haven't needed to change the setup. The plow is 9 feet wide, which will do my driveway in two passes, but doesn't sit flat on uneven ground and sometimes digs into the gravel on one side when I have it angled. I intend to weld some 2" schedule 80 to the bottom to reduce the damage it does to the gravel. My driveway is short, but very steep. I knew tracked skid steers would have traction problems on steep ice, so I went with a wheeled skid steer and I use chains. It works great on hard pack, but will get stuck fairly easily in soft snow. If I had more money and knew then what I know now, I would have gotten a tracked skid steer and put some of those Pro Lynx bars on the tracks for the winter. Looks like a great combo.
Great information and great snow equipment as well. This year will be my first time using a 6 foot, truck mounted Frontier snowblower on my property. So far it's been a game changer from the old combine with a 12 foot blade. Even though it's not a race, the old combine was just to big and not very nimble in the corners. Next summer we are putting a rear blade for dragging the road on the same truck and have the best of both worlds. Take care and keep those videos coming. You have a new subscriber.
Hi! I'm excited to hear how that front mounted truck snowblower works. Sounds awesome! Thanks for the kind words and happy plowing and snowblowing this winter!
@@DIYPETE 10 inches of snow throwing 54 feet. blower is over driven and needs to be slowed down. Front PTO needs to be as close to 540 with the ability to increase at my discretion in deeper snow. changing out 48 tooth driven sprocket for a 60 tooth will keep rear engine at 2200 RPM and bring the PTO down to 570 RPM. Approx. horse power at that 2200 RPM is around 85 to 95 Horse. So far so good, I'll update when I get more snow...lol...It all flew away, now I have to waite for more. Cheers from Sask. Canada.
Thanks! The Beast has been working like a champ the last 3 winters and isn't slowing down one bit. Put it to work this morning on 12 inches of heavy snow from this weekend's storm. The Beast won the battle yet again :) Cheers
Great video! I'm jealous of the skid steer and blower. I live in eastern Canada, where we don't get much snow, and it tends to melt between snow events. Currently have a 7.5' Fisher EZV on my 1500 Silverado. I've had plows on a tracked ATV, SxS, Jeep, and 2500 Silverado. The 2500 was by far able to push the most being heaviest, but least maneuverable. Everything's a compromise.
Great video. We use a Can Am Defender with a Bercomac Vantage 66" blower, similar to the one you use on your ATV. It does a nice job for us here in NW Montana. We don't normally get the wind you do, but the snow can certainly pile up. It doesn't compete with a PTO blower on a skid steer, but I have no need for a skid steer. Cheers!
I’d be out there 24/7 with that awesome equipment! May I recommend #1 diesel with Howes vs power service but that’s obviously personal preference. Used that combo for years in the patch up in ND.
If you have access to the fields close to your house you could use the plow to leave snow berms around to catch the windblown snow to help with drifting
Quad with the blade is similar to my setup started my snow plowing business as a teenager with a Garden Tractor A Snow Blade with Extension and worked my way up to a ol 88 GMC Sierra and a snow blade
my snowfence may be ugly but its done a ton of work removing shoveling hazards particularly on my main path to and from house snowblower will definitely help as shoveling 5ft high snow 1 lil scoop at a time alone from noon to midnight just to have a plow add back another 2ft just a couple minutes after you go in for a break to warm 🥵 up just exhausts ya, no heart attack yet but definitely investing in the right tools will help and how ya use them
Great vid. here in Sweden we usaly use tractors, wheelloader or trucks to plow. but when using the blower when you are going to lift it just lift the arm dont tilt, then you dont have to get the tilt back into position everytime. ^^
I live in the mountains of California. We don't get near as much snow as you do but having a driveway on the north side of the mountain is a pain. My neighbor gifted me a 454 Bearcat with a plow after her husband died. So I clear her driveway and mine when we get snow. It's perfect if a bit cold for me.
Hi Pete! I’ve been using an EGO snowblower, lawnmower and trimmer here in MN this year. Was super skeptical at first but highly impressed with their power and battery life after all four seasons of use vs growing up on fuel powered equipment. Also, everything is extremely lightweight which has been perfect for my 5x surgically repaired back. Thanks.
Best thorough breakdown on home snow removal by far. Wondering what truck you had hauling the skid around? Looked smal for such weight. What’s your skids weight and truck size?
Hey! So I have an F150 limited with the Raptor engine. However, i've only hauled it once to get service nearby. The skid steer is an S650 around 9,300 pounds or so. I don't ever haul it otherwise, but if I did I'd bump up to an F350 or something similar. My truck isn't made to haul that kind of weight plus the trailer. Thanks for checking out the video!
Actually when I made that video I may still have had my 2014 Tundra 1794. My F150 pulls it much better than the Tundra. I pulled it maybe twice with the tundra, and the F150 pulled night and day better than the older model tundra.
Great video! New follower here. Loved the various comparisons. Getting ready to buy the Kubota SSV75 with that same SkidPro blower. SkipPro is a great company !
I have an 8’ snow blade that we made some mods to: added 2’ wings at 40 degree angle on each side and added a second angle ram to take the extra stress. This mod will allow plowing with blade angled or in straight ahead acts as a snow push. With an area that windblown, a blower with discharge downwind reduces drifting. Actually one of my favourite things to do!
for the coverage part my dad taught me how to use a bobcat skidsteer and he modified it to have clear plaster bar windows and a heater and a simple door to block the wind and it is so nice
Excellent review and comparison of different machines & techniques on snow removal !!! My son has a long driveway in Northern MN and is looking at options besides his UTV and blade.
That sounds like a great machine Jeremy! My wife comes from a John Deere family and we are big fans of green tractors! :) Hope ya put it to good use again this winter!
Muy buen video, muy interesante. Gracias por compartir tus experiencias para quitar la nieve de la finca, un trabajo totalmente necesario para salir a la carretera en periodos de nevadas. Aquí, a 1250 mts, norte de España, cada año nieva menos, pero nunca se sabe y siempre antes o después hay que usar la guitarra, la pala manual, para quitar la nieve y quedas arto y los años van pesando. Un saludo.
Oof, look into a power shovel for the deck. One clearing method not covered! I use the toro 60v, complements the 60v 2 stage really well for clearing steps and can deal with slush
I love your content and your place looks great, would you ever consider using taller boards? As a long-term upgrade I could see them being very useful for keeping pucks in and snow out.
Growing up on the plains of the midwest, I would suggest a line of blue spruce set back about 50 feet from your driveway in a line. They really eat up the wind-driven snow and cost a lot of money in the short term, but save tons of work long term...
Thanks Rich! Love the idea of this. We've tried planting seedlings around the perimeter of the property but have had trouble getting the colorado blue spruce to do well. We did 12 4 footers on the front of the property and have 5 after 4 years unfortunately. We are going to try some doug firs because they are doing well at some of my neighbors properties. We have hard rocky / claylike soil. Growing up in SD, we had tree groves all over and planted seedlings that are now huge. I think we will definitely be investing in some trees ( 4-6 feet or so ) - and see if we can get them going to help with the wind driven snow. Thanks for the idea and inspiration!
Try adding weights to the rear of the ATV when using the blower to counter the weight out front. A spreader loaded with sand can help even if you do not spread the sand - walnut chips work well too and they bio degrade.
hey pete since you are the best odr builder on earth i figured i’d ask you - what is the best solution to a rink that is full on the deep end & still empty in the shallow corner?
Hey Dan! haha, I'm just one of many rink builders and always learning :) I know a lot of people use pallets in the deep end and cover them in cardboard or old carpet. Then put the liner over. The pallets are used to take up space so less water is used. Sounds like you have already filled yours. If it is deep in one and and not in the other I unfortunately don't have any great advice. I suppose making the boards taller around the deep side as long as they have lots of support. But that is a tough one!
very cool Pete. i did my 'share' by 'subscribing' and 'thumbs-up'...how's about a DIY/homemade zamboni? - it's a bit much...cut the metal with a plasma cutter/torch, using wet, 2D clay shapes on steel to help with the free-hand torch cutting...and then de-slagging the pieces...
Hey Kane! Great to hear from ya and thanks for subscribing man! So I did a super basic "DIY" style ice resurfacer ( no ice shaving ) , just basically laying down water. It worked alright but was underpowered. I was offered a real zamboni last season, but unfortunately I don't have a heated shop with enough space at the moment. But when the time comes, I just may make the leap and bring one home haha. Hope all is well man! ( here is the little tractor one I made - th-cam.com/video/4ylRp4ag9mg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=lgori7XXtWDy20O0 )
Thanks for watching! I'm definitely a big fan of the snowblower on skid steers and tractors. We are supposed to get a big storm tonight through Wednesday and will be using it yet again. Hope all is well and good luck with figuring out what to get!
I live in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and have plowed my road for almost 40 years. I’ve got a 450 polaris sportsman quad with a plow, a 27 hp tractor and a CanAm HD8 SxS with a plow. Thinking of a snow blower for those two ft snowfalls we can get. Because I’m the second house from the end of the road everyone gets there road plowed for free. You get a good feeling about helping people but that doesn’t cover fuel or wear and tear costs on equipment. Never even a thank you from most of them yet they will call and ask when I’m going to plow the road. I’ve spent almost $40,000 on equipment over the years while others on the road have done nothing. I still do it only because I can’t stand sitting around doing nothing.
Have you ever cleared your driveway in deep snow with the self-propelled Walker mower? I have about 450 ft in Liberty, Idaho of a driveway and I just wonder if it would handle it. I know that it would take longer than maybe a skid steer or a tractor, but I'm curious to know
What snow equipment do you use for your home? And who out there has used an ATV blower, Skid Steer blower, or tractor blower? Would love to hear how they work for your area and situation. Please comment below!
MT Pride !!!
I use a kubota bx2380 with a commercial snowblower
It works great for Marquette mi
It works great for Marquette mi
Was gifted a 1982 Montgomery Ward 8hp snowblower. Surprisingly it runs like a top. Just had 18" of snow here in SD and handled clearing the driveway and sidewalks pretty good. That skid steer with a blower looks awesome, a bit out of my price range but very cool.
Over the last couple of hours I've seen a lot of snow removal videos I am impressed with the way you went about your collection of snow removal equipment thank you for the video well done
Hey Phillip! Thanks so much for taking the time to say hi and leave some feedback. I appreciate it! Cheers!
This guy just went ahead and bought the whole catalog of snow removal equipment :D
I live in rural Minnesota. Skid loader with 96” snow bucket, 72” Erskine blower, Ariens 24” two stage walk behind and a Toro Power Clear 21” You my friend have the complete snow removal setup. With skid loader and blower, I watch the discharge chute to see if vertical to ground while blowing. It’s a great reference . Hard to explain but the satisfaction I get after clearing a heavy snow is such a reward.
First of all - you're a good Dad! This brings back so many memories of my family skating around trees in the woods near our home. We didn't play hockey, but the girls loved it. As I have gotten older, I learned - big is better. Save your $$$'s and get the right machine. Skid steer in your case is a great idea because it has so many uses. Thanks' for sharing.
Nothing beats a snowblower, I have 300 yards of driveway and a big parking area, I use an old quad with a blade to plow the snow generally toward the middle then blow it away with an old Ariens 12/36" snowblower. Moving snow is very satisfying!
I agree Blayne! And your setup sounds perfect!
FYI you’re using the plow on the 4 wheeler wrong. The large side is your discharge side, this allows the snow to travel up the blade as it moves to the side and throw it OVER the snow next to it. Think of snow mound on each side of the driveway and being able to throw the snow over that. Great video, I’d love to have the skid steer. I plow with a Sportsman 500 HO!
It really doesn't matter what way you use a plow , you can push to the left to keep the snow and possible ice chunks from flying very far if you live next to others and don't want to cause damage to their property.
I plow with a Honda Rubicon 500 and I agree that the large (high) side of the plow is the discharge side. That way, your driveway doesn't get narrower as the winter progresses because the snow goes over the existing bank.
Yep yes your right look at snowplow on the road it's designed after a one way
Love the video. Very informative with real, unbiased information. I currently use a Craftsman 30” snow blower to keep my driveways clear. It is self propelled and has electric start so I don’t wear myself out with the pull cord. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks Brendan! That Craftsman sounds like a great machine for your driveway! Thanks for saying hi and hope ya have a great start to the snowy season!
Great video Pete!. You just reminded me to tune up the snow blower and shop for a new plow for my ATV.
THanks Bekim! Hope all is well man. Yep, get that snow blower ready to rock for the winter and good luck figuring out what plow to go with! :) Cheers
REPLY
Digging out your ditches and and keeping the foliage is the lowest possible about 10ft out will give the snow place to go when you plow. With that wind you’d have to be careful the ditches aren’t symmetrical troughs that would just fill with snow drifts. Adding lots of base gravel to your driveway to raise it up high and proud would make the most difference. Having the wind blow cleanly over the arch of the road with no obstructions might help a lot. That is how I design roads to be plowed efficient. Great video. Love the blower on the skid steer.
I have plowed and blown a lot of snow over the years both personally and professionally and have never had luck with ATV plows outside of some rare circumstances as they’re just too light and tend to float instead of dig in, especially with deep snow. I have used everything from smaller tractors through large front end loaders and graders and size and weight is a big benefit when plowing as is an ability to put torque into the ground through chains or snow tires, including studded snow tires. Probably one of the best pieces of equipment I’ve ever found was a track-steer with either a plow, brush, or blower depending on snow amount and type. A telehandler is another great tool as you can make some big piles and with 4 wheel steer and an ability to crab can really extend your biliary to push snow off a road by a good distance.
One big issue with plowing/removing snow with a bucket is to be careful as there isn’t a trip edge though you can do OK with a 4-in-1 bucket and a decent forward angle and float to allow it to ride over obstructions. A side door machine like JBC or Volvo really makes plowing and snow throwing with a track or skid-steer much much safer and just so much nicer.
Great video and info, amazing how much equipment and effort goes into snow removal depending on where people live! What a fabulous property, and absolutely love the hockey rink! Western PA here, so I make due with my 2005 Polaris Sportsman and just upgraded from 52in to a 60 inch Glacier blade to plow my very long driveway, and of course help several older neighbors all winter long! Cheers!
Skid steer for the win! Decent weight on a small foot print giving maximum traction. Not to mention a heated cab.
5 ft power blade on a Suzuki King Quad 700 and 2 pairs of diamond pattern chains for 900 ft gravel driveway.
Beginning of year I use a length of 2" ABS piping(stronger than PVC and rated for -40c) over the blade which keeps the blade from digging into gravel. I also have skid shoes as well when drive is frozen.
I also cut a length of fire hose and attached it to the top of snow plow which helps keep light fluffy snow from blowing in my face and light bar.
Yeah, that Bobcat is tough to beat! We use a Arctic Cat Prowler UTV with a 66" blade and an Ariens 28 SHO snowblower. Sandbags in the back of the Prowler and i never need chains. I usually plow our 350' blacktop driveway and then run down the sides with the blower to get rid of the berms. Works for us!
What a fantastic video. And what a fantastic neighbor. Your friends and neighbors are lucky. I live in a similar place and can vouch for the value of a skid steer with a blower. And I love getting in a nice warm cab and helping my friends and neighbors. Hardly seems like service. Keep up the good work and congrats and creating a “Norman Rockwell” type of life.
Great video. I wish we had some snow here in North-Western Europe. Although we live more north on the globe then mainland USA, we have only one inch of snow in the entire winter and almost no frost, because of our mild sea climate.
I wish you had more cold weather up there so you could clear snow! Hope you enjoy the winter over there! Cheers
Any man that has a family and two dogs that they take care of properly is a great neighbor to have. Please feed the wildlife as well because they have a very hard time in the winter months.
❤ now you tell me about the snow blower,ten years ago I was still young enough, great video
No worries, just glad you got it figured out. my snow blower is currently broken. hope to have it fixed soon. thanks for the entertainment.
Thanks Bill and I hope you get it fixed up and ready to go soon! Cheers!
Great video: i have almost the exact problems you do with snow. I live at 6000 feet in the mountains of Wyoming in a remote location. And like you, I have tried to sequently solve them. I don't have a hockey rink though, and my road is about a third of mile long. I started with a Polaris Sportsman and burned it up (actually on fire!) the second year I was here. I upgraded to UTV and reached the limits it can do. My neighbor has a pick up with plow and has broken it several times so I decided that is not going to be a solution here. By February, our snow banks are 6 feet deep before the wind gets at them. We simply do not have a place to put the plan furrows. I have broken my UTV trying to push the banks back on nice days. The transmission will not handle the constant back and forth motions necessary. So, my next step is a skid steer with a snow blower. I am currently looking a potential buys with equipment dealers. Good luck with your snow!
Damn guy you’re tremendously fortunate to have the resources aka MONEY, to be able to purchase all these pcs of equipment!!! Probably could have used some of these items in Buffalo the last week or too!
My agriculture teacher built a snow blower attachment for his combine, it had 3 rakes,one above the other.
Awesome video thanks, sadly we don’t have snow where I live in Western Australia.
Strangley enough, watching your videos has a satisfying effect for me 🤠👍
Keep up the good work.💪
TH-cam recommended some of your videos to me. You can imagine my suprise when I realized I live in the same area. Can't believe I haven't noticed your rink, I drive by there all the time.
Excellent, been there done that with tractor blowers, wish i had seen this 15 yrs ago thanks again well done .dave in ontario
Great video, I wish I would have seen this years ago when we moved from Florida to Illinois. I've wasted a fair amount of cash on not-so-great mower plows. Now I use a walk behind blower and a Western Plow for my 2500HD. For many years in between my gracious neighbor let us use is Polaris Ranger and plow but even a few winters the packed and blowing snow was a little too much for it. Let it Snow!!
Hey Pete, I live west of Steamboat, I have a long drive and a lot I clear for a commercial building nearby. I have a 6' western plow from a pickup I adapted to my skidsteer, It works great. I use chains on the rear wheels and this year have installed screw in studs in the front tires. The studs seem to help a bit. We also have a Craftsman 20hp lawn tractor with a blade and a 42" snowblower we use when we need it. For backup we have a Yardman track snowblower, 10hp, 32". There is almost always a mix of machines used for any snow, each has its purpose.
Thanks for this video, we have been looking for a snow blower for the skidsteer, it's good to see one in use.
Awesome video! Not having to rig up a high flow hydrolic pump is a huge advantage! I have a tractor & will now reconsider a front quik-tach snow blower.
Hey! Yeah it seems like it is a common misconception that you need to have a high flow machine to run the blowers. I was glad to find out they worked with standard flow machines when I was researching. I liked the tractor setup I did have, but mine was on the rear PTO which gets old after doing a bunch of plowing and having to turn my head to look backward. I know some tractors have the front mounting option which would be great!
Snow markers is a great idea! Lots of great info, thanks!
Thanks for watching! Yep snow markers are definitely worth it!
Ah beautiful scenery, snowblowing and hockey. I'm hyped and subscribed!
Thank you Pete. This really helps me with my decision
I'm also in Montana, about 1.5hrs from you. We have a few acres in the country and every Winter requires some creative ideas to clear the driveway. I can't afford all the implements you have, but started out with a self-propelled blower and a plow on my ATV. The plow works great for my 1/2mi long driveway until the drifts get over a foot deep. The blower takes over at that point, but really struggles to get decent traction as my driveway is also on a hill. I'm in the process of building a 55in blower for the ATV but that won't likely be ready until the next Winter.
Man I'm in the wrong line of work lol good for you man 👍 living life Great video.
I use an older skid steer (New Holland LS180) with a plow instead of a snow blower. My old skid steer is both low flow and does not have the drain back line that most snow blower attachments require. I think there's a way to add one, but the plow has worked well enough that I haven't needed to change the setup. The plow is 9 feet wide, which will do my driveway in two passes, but doesn't sit flat on uneven ground and sometimes digs into the gravel on one side when I have it angled. I intend to weld some 2" schedule 80 to the bottom to reduce the damage it does to the gravel.
My driveway is short, but very steep. I knew tracked skid steers would have traction problems on steep ice, so I went with a wheeled skid steer and I use chains. It works great on hard pack, but will get stuck fairly easily in soft snow. If I had more money and knew then what I know now, I would have gotten a tracked skid steer and put some of those Pro Lynx bars on the tracks for the winter. Looks like a great combo.
Great information and great snow equipment as well. This year will be my first time using a 6 foot, truck mounted Frontier snowblower on my property. So far it's been a game changer from the old combine with a 12 foot blade. Even though it's not a race, the old combine was just to big and not very nimble in the corners. Next summer we are putting a rear blade for dragging the road on the same truck and have the best of both worlds. Take care and keep those videos coming. You have a new subscriber.
Hi! I'm excited to hear how that front mounted truck snowblower works. Sounds awesome! Thanks for the kind words and happy plowing and snowblowing this winter!
@@DIYPETE 10 inches of snow throwing 54 feet. blower is over driven and needs to be slowed down. Front PTO needs to be as close to 540 with the ability to increase at my discretion in deeper snow. changing out 48 tooth driven sprocket for a 60 tooth will keep rear engine at 2200 RPM and bring the PTO down to 570 RPM. Approx. horse power at that 2200 RPM is around 85 to 95 Horse. So far so good, I'll update when I get more snow...lol...It all flew away, now I have to waite for more. Cheers from Sask. Canada.
Great and informative video, Pete! Glad your Skid Pro snow blower (aka "The Beast") is still working well for you!
Thanks! The Beast has been working like a champ the last 3 winters and isn't slowing down one bit. Put it to work this morning on 12 inches of heavy snow from this weekend's storm. The Beast won the battle yet again :) Cheers
Great video! I'm jealous of the skid steer and blower. I live in eastern Canada, where we don't get much snow, and it tends to melt between snow events. Currently have a 7.5' Fisher EZV on my 1500 Silverado. I've had plows on a tracked ATV, SxS, Jeep, and 2500 Silverado. The 2500 was by far able to push the most being heaviest, but least maneuverable. Everything's a compromise.
Wow great video with a great amount of useful information, well done thanks
Great video. We use a Can Am Defender with a Bercomac Vantage 66" blower, similar to the one you use on your ATV. It does a nice job for us here in NW Montana. We don't normally get the wind you do, but the snow can certainly pile up. It doesn't compete with a PTO blower on a skid steer, but I have no need for a skid steer. Cheers!
I’d be out there 24/7 with that awesome equipment! May I recommend #1 diesel with Howes vs power service but that’s obviously personal preference. Used that combo for years in the patch up in ND.
If you have access to the fields close to your house you could use the plow to leave snow berms around to catch the windblown snow to help with drifting
Some people make life look so damn easy lol..... loved the video man. Very informative and easy to watch
Thanks for watching!
Quad with the blade is similar to my setup started my snow plowing business as a teenager with a Garden Tractor A Snow Blade with Extension and worked my way up to a ol 88 GMC Sierra and a snow blade
my snowfence may be ugly but its done a ton of work removing shoveling hazards particularly on my main path to and from house snowblower will definitely help as shoveling 5ft high snow 1 lil scoop at a time alone from noon to midnight just to have a plow add back another 2ft just a couple minutes after you go in for a break to warm 🥵 up just exhausts ya, no heart attack yet but definitely investing in the right tools will help and how ya use them
Great vid. here in Sweden we usaly use tractors, wheelloader or trucks to plow. but when using the blower when you are going to lift it just lift the arm dont tilt, then you dont have to get the tilt back into position everytime. ^^
Also for the ATV blower, make some homemade backweight with like concrete or so to balance it. ^^
I live in the mountains of California. We don't get near as much snow as you do but having a driveway on the north side of the mountain is a pain. My neighbor gifted me a 454 Bearcat with a plow after her husband died. So I clear her driveway and mine when we get snow. It's perfect if a bit cold for me.
Fantastic video. They all look fun to use. Thanks 👍👍
Hi Pete!
I’ve been using an EGO snowblower, lawnmower and trimmer here in MN this year. Was super skeptical at first but highly impressed with their power and battery life after all four seasons of use vs growing up on fuel powered equipment. Also, everything is extremely lightweight which has been perfect for my 5x surgically repaired back.
Thanks.
Great job, very informative and easy to understand. Thank you
Thank you for you Great movie
Best regards from southern Norway😢
Best thorough breakdown on home snow removal by far. Wondering what truck you had hauling the skid around? Looked smal for such weight. What’s your skids weight and truck size?
Hey! So I have an F150 limited with the Raptor engine. However, i've only hauled it once to get service nearby. The skid steer is an S650 around 9,300 pounds or so. I don't ever haul it otherwise, but if I did I'd bump up to an F350 or something similar. My truck isn't made to haul that kind of weight plus the trailer. Thanks for checking out the video!
Actually when I made that video I may still have had my 2014 Tundra 1794. My F150 pulls it much better than the Tundra. I pulled it maybe twice with the tundra, and the F150 pulled night and day better than the older model tundra.
Great video! New follower here. Loved the various comparisons. Getting ready to buy the Kubota SSV75 with that same SkidPro blower. SkipPro is a great company !
Nice video. TH-cam money is crazy though. You have more equipment than many villages in the alps !
I have an 8’ snow blade that we made some mods to: added 2’ wings at 40 degree angle on each side and added a second angle ram to take the extra stress. This mod will allow plowing with blade angled or in straight ahead acts as a snow push. With an area that windblown, a blower with discharge downwind reduces drifting. Actually one of my favourite things to do!
That sounds like a great plow! Nice work with the wings modification. Happy plowing this winter!
for the coverage part my dad taught me how to use a bobcat skidsteer and he modified it to have clear plaster bar windows and a heater and a simple door to block the wind and it is so nice
Very cool!
Excellent review and comparison of different machines & techniques on snow removal !!! My son has a long driveway in Northern MN and is looking at options besides his UTV and blade.
Thanks and great to hear!
Very well presented video, super informative, thanks Pete
Great video.coming from snowy Seattle suburbs.
Very informative and well produced video. Thank you!
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing that we're up in Manitoba Canada we get snow here too
I have a 1025r with 54” snowblower and Curtis cab works amazing.
That sounds like a great machine Jeremy! My wife comes from a John Deere family and we are big fans of green tractors! :) Hope ya put it to good use again this winter!
Muy buen video, muy interesante. Gracias por compartir tus experiencias para quitar la nieve de la finca, un trabajo totalmente necesario para salir a la carretera en periodos de nevadas. Aquí, a 1250 mts, norte de España, cada año nieva menos, pero nunca se sabe y siempre antes o después hay que usar la guitarra, la pala manual, para quitar la nieve y quedas arto y los años van pesando. Un saludo.
Well that was interesting as this will be my first winter using a bobcat L28 mini articulating loader
Hey Fred! That Bobcat L28 will be a nice machine. Good luck with it this winter!
Oof, look into a power shovel for the deck. One clearing method not covered! I use the toro 60v, complements the 60v 2 stage really well for clearing steps and can deal with slush
I love your content and your place looks great, would you ever consider using taller boards? As a long-term upgrade I could see them being very useful for keeping pucks in and snow out.
Wonderful video!! Thank you for sharing!!!
if you read the owner's manual of the bobcat or take the safety course it does say lower the bucket when not in use.
Good Job very interessting greetings from Germany
Growing up on the plains of the midwest, I would suggest a line of blue spruce set back about 50 feet from your driveway in a line. They really eat up the wind-driven snow and cost a lot of money in the short term, but save tons of work long term...
Thanks Rich! Love the idea of this. We've tried planting seedlings around the perimeter of the property but have had trouble getting the colorado blue spruce to do well. We did 12 4 footers on the front of the property and have 5 after 4 years unfortunately. We are going to try some doug firs because they are doing well at some of my neighbors properties. We have hard rocky / claylike soil. Growing up in SD, we had tree groves all over and planted seedlings that are now huge. I think we will definitely be investing in some trees ( 4-6 feet or so ) - and see if we can get them going to help with the wind driven snow. Thanks for the idea and inspiration!
Have you tried to weld a small round pipe under the blade , works perfect on gravel
Try adding weights to the rear of the ATV when using the blower to counter the weight out front. A spreader loaded with sand can help even if you do not spread the sand - walnut chips work well too and they bio degrade.
Great informative video. Thank you
hey pete since you are the best odr builder on earth i figured i’d ask you -
what is the best solution to a rink that is full on the deep end & still empty in the shallow corner?
Hey Dan! haha, I'm just one of many rink builders and always learning :) I know a lot of people use pallets in the deep end and cover them in cardboard or old carpet. Then put the liner over. The pallets are used to take up space so less water is used. Sounds like you have already filled yours. If it is deep in one and and not in the other I unfortunately don't have any great advice. I suppose making the boards taller around the deep side as long as they have lots of support. But that is a tough one!
Great video as always Pete! Thanks
Thanks Scott! Have had the footage over the last few years and had wanted to do something with it. Have a great weekend!
Nice that you've found something to occupy yourself in the winter while taking time away from narrating "Hard Knocks".
hi there real good /fun show thanks for it john
im using a rammy snow blower on my atv. werry happy whit that one
Nice!
very cool Pete. i did my 'share' by 'subscribing' and 'thumbs-up'...how's about a DIY/homemade zamboni? - it's a bit much...cut the metal with a plasma cutter/torch, using wet, 2D clay shapes on steel to help with the free-hand torch cutting...and then de-slagging the pieces...
Hey Kane! Great to hear from ya and thanks for subscribing man! So I did a super basic "DIY" style ice resurfacer ( no ice shaving ) , just basically laying down water. It worked alright but was underpowered. I was offered a real zamboni last season, but unfortunately I don't have a heated shop with enough space at the moment. But when the time comes, I just may make the leap and bring one home haha. Hope all is well man! ( here is the little tractor one I made - th-cam.com/video/4ylRp4ag9mg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=lgori7XXtWDy20O0 )
Thanks for video I'm thinking of buying snow blower
Thanks for watching! I'm definitely a big fan of the snowblower on skid steers and tractors. We are supposed to get a big storm tonight through Wednesday and will be using it yet again. Hope all is well and good luck with figuring out what to get!
Can you talk about why the skid steer vs the tractor setup? Great video btw.
I live in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and have plowed my road for almost 40 years. I’ve got a 450 polaris sportsman quad with a plow, a 27 hp tractor and a CanAm HD8 SxS with a plow. Thinking of a snow blower for those two ft snowfalls we can get. Because I’m the second house from the end of the road everyone gets there road plowed for free. You get a good feeling about helping people but that doesn’t cover fuel or wear and tear costs on equipment. Never even a thank you from most of them yet they will call and ask when I’m going to plow the road. I’ve spent almost $40,000 on equipment over the years while others on the road have done nothing. I still do it only because I can’t stand sitting around doing nothing.
wicked content. what make/model stove do you have?
Lower air pressure in 4wheeler with the snow blower and little bit of weight in the back wiill help driving it around easier
10:33 , when does next episode of the outdoor rink coming? 😍
That was a well put together video great place by the way ! stay warm play hard !
Thanks Raymond!
Pete, would renting a Uhaul moving truck one way to Florida be cheaper than all of this equipment you have? 🤣 Great video I learned a few things!
Bro .... I bought a new Bobcat ToolCat. Thats all I will ever need for winter and summer work .
Thx Pete, great Vid!!!
Missing Bozeman watching this!
What boots you rocking?
Hey! I was probably wearing a few different ones throughout the video, but I usually rock my Muck boots!
Looks like plenty of room for a nice size barn to put your equipment in.
Greetings from Minnesota
Hope all is well in the land of 10,000 lakes! GO WILD!
Great video Pete!!!
Thanks Brad! Hope all is well man, see ya at Sidecar!
Great video: thank you.
as soon as he said the first "go ahead and " i shut down the video rated down and went to next video.. this guy is obviously a follower
Nice wild shirt love it
You need a BX 24. I doo my buddies lane that's a quarter mile long in four passes and its light enough for the rink on the pond
Wow refreshing some common sense thank you
Have you ever cleared your driveway in deep snow with the self-propelled Walker mower? I have about 450 ft in Liberty, Idaho of a driveway and I just wonder if it would handle it. I know that it would take longer than maybe a skid steer or a tractor, but I'm curious to know