# Plowing with a zero turn mower



## Derwood (Feb 2, 2015)

I've seen mixed reviews on doing this. I have a Ferris 3100z with a 37 hp Kawi. I'm wondering about putting a plow on it for my personal use only. Currently I have a 2012 Ariens 28" snow thrower that works well, just not in my particular area. The wind swirls a lot and blows everything all over. I have a huge pad in front of the garages and many times have to throw it twice (because it doesn't clear the driveway on the first toss). I also have partially replaced knees and lugging the blower around is getting to be a real pita. Had a Kawi Prairie 360 with plow and sold it a few years ago (stupid I know). I don't see me buying another atv as the ONLY time I'd use it would be for snow removal on my driveway.

So would a ztr do it? Do I need chains/straps on the rear tires or should I just swap them out for different one's that would offer better traction? My machine weights 1400lbs....I'm thinking the cost will be in the 1K range +/- and I would not be using for commercial removal or anything like that. If I could get 700 or so for my 2 year old Ariens, it wouldn't be too bad.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Derwood;1946586 said:


> I've seen mixed reviews on doing this. I have a Ferris 3100z with a 37 hp Kawi. I'm wondering about putting a plow on it for my personal use only. Currently I have a 2012 Ariens 28" snow thrower that works well, just not in my particular area. The wind swirls a lot and blows everything all over. I have a huge pad in front of the garages and many times have to throw it twice (because it doesn't clear the driveway on the first toss). I also have partially replaced knees and lugging the blower around is getting to be a real pita. Had a Kawi Prairie 360 with plow and sold it a few years ago (stupid I know). I don't see me buying another atv as the ONLY time I'd use it would be for snow removal on my driveway.
> 
> So would a ztr do it? Do I need chains/straps on the rear tires or should I just swap them out for different one's that would offer better traction? My machine weights 1400lbs....I'm thinking the cost will be in the 1K range +/- and I would not be using for commercial removal or anything like that. If I could get 700 or so for my 2 year old Ariens, it wouldn't be too bad.


Just for home use you shouldn't any issues putting a plow on it, tire chains or skinny tires would be helpful depending on how much or how wet the snow is.


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## Derwood (Feb 2, 2015)

Thanks for the input. Skinny tires huh? I was thinking like the really aggressive ITP-like tread tires that would go on an ATV. Any idea what tires might cost??? Tirerack.com????


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## sublime68charge (Dec 28, 2007)

Id keep your blower for the big snow falls that your zero turn wont push.

get a plow for it. with the weight you have you might be OK with just the tires you have. Maybe get the rubber strap chains that they make so you don't scratch up your pad.

for most of your snow falls the zero turn will handle it all fine.

for the bigger snow push it all into a big windrow and then use the blower in 1 or 2 pass's to clear out the snow.

for the big big snow's open a path with the blower and chip away with the zero turn and make some piles and then use the blower to clear them away.

just my thoughts. 
is the drive on your zero turn good
will it handle the abuse of plowing?

or use the zero turn to make your snow blowing easy and save the extreme abuse of pushing huge amounts of snow will have on your zero turn.

make windrows or piles and them blow them away.

also the zero turn will only make so big of a snow pile you have to push way back at the start of the year to have enough room for snow by the end.

though with the blower you can disperse the snow if you need to.

good luck


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## sublime68charge (Dec 28, 2007)

what size tires due you have on the ZTR now?

On my ATV I run oversized mud tires for summer swap riding and have the old stock tires with chains on and when we have a harsh winter I'll change over to the stockers with chains. I due get more pushing/traction with the stocker running chains on them. about 30% more with stock tires and chains.

out of the last 10 winters have changed over to the stock tires 7 years. this winter haven't made the change yet and now with only at most 2 months left of winter I'll just tough it out on the bigger tires.


but when we have had a lot of snow in early December I'll make the change.

Id rather change tires than deal with the hassle of putting chains on the atv each year.

what is the tire size on your ZTR?


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Derwood;1946611 said:


> Thanks for the input. Skinny tires huh? I was thinking like the really aggressive ITP-like tread tires that would go on an ATV. Any idea what tires might cost??? Tirerack.com????


Skinny tires to get more weight per square inch on the ground. 
Chains could be a problem when it come to clearance, I know my Scag wouldn't have enough room to run chains.


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## Derwood (Feb 2, 2015)

Here's what a guy near me sells. Said the straight blade puts too much work onto just 1 wheel and makes it hard to get traction. With this one, you run down the middle to open it up, and then use just one SIDE of the plow (so about 23.5 inches on the 47" plow). Says because you're only taking half (and it's being pushed to one side not just straight ahead) one can go pretty quick...

http://dubuque.craigslist.org/grq/4777479238.html


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## nycjsw (Feb 8, 2010)

I have a gravely ZTR 44" deck and have a Country ZTR snow plow. I also put Terra grips on the tires last year. I've been plowing with it for 6 years. I've been plowing about 8 driveways that are some 30 ft long. We usually get 3-4 snowfalls a year. I does a great job. I was shocked how fast and powerful it is plowing. The engine over the drivewheels and the ztr capability make it nimble and powerful. Up to about 10 inches of snow is the most I've done. I had 3 ft mounds of snow I'd move. I would think large commercial ZTR mowers would do even better. I'm just using it as a homeowner and to help some neighbors. Sure it can't go over huge mounds of snow but it can move them.


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## Chevy2500 (Jan 4, 2016)

Do you have issues with the units sliding side ways when trying to windrow?


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