# Best method for sidewalks



## Marek (Nov 16, 2005)

Would like some imput from you guys up north and out west on the fastest way to clear sidewalks.We are servicing 70 commercial buildings and always fall behind on our walks.Here in Maryland every snow is different some light some wet and heavy but most are always under 5".We have tried four wheelers , paddle blowers , backpack blowers , front blades on F series Kubotas, and so on.... Now we are trying to find info on sweepers that go on the front of a walk behind or even a dedicated machine.The toolcat and larger sweepers wont work for most of the walks are 4' or less.
We are also looking for nicer quality spreaders for sidewalk chemical. Any links , photos or personal experiance would be appreciated.


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## fms (Nov 8, 2005)

Sweepers can really suck on city sidewalks. 
I used a sweeper for a short while. During one storm the wind was in my face, so all the snow blew back at me. It was the last storm I used a sweeper.
I have a Polaris 700 twin with a 48" blade that has worked out well.


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## Runner (Jul 21, 2000)

I was gonna say,...if you have a quad, this is hard to beat. I don't know of anything faster for the longer, open walks.


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## Marek (Nov 16, 2005)

the biggest problem with the quads are price and the plows are built so cheesy.Some of our buildings are getting older now and the sidewalks have alot of ridges.


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## Andy N. (Dec 14, 2001)

If it's a light snow, we use shovels 1-2". After that, all snowblowers or quad w/ plow. We use that plow alot and haven't had any problems with it. It has a poly edge which helps with the ridges/cracks. If it is a powdery snow, we also use backpack blowers and the Billy Goat blower on wheels.


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## lawn king (Nov 21, 2004)

*sidewalks*

I would invest in a compact tractor w/ front 2 stage pto snowblower.


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## itsgottobegreen (Mar 31, 2004)

lawn king said:


> I would invest in a compact tractor w/ front 2 stage pto snowblower.


I DID. (for anyone who doesn't know, I bought lawn kings old front mount 50" blower for my Kubota B7500)

Thats the best way to go. Compact tractor. I got a 50" blower or a 5' blade (when angled is 50" wide) So its great on sidewalks. Plus I can use it for badly drifted driveways.


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## Big Dog D (Oct 1, 2005)

If they are all to geather or fairly close you could try one of these. Bombardier SW48. Four feet wide, plow at 2-20mph, top speed 40mph +/-, very rugged power angle plow(v-plows also available), dry heated cab, power to push through deep wet snow,................


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## Marek (Nov 16, 2005)

Most jobs are within a 15 mile radius.What are you guys using for sidewalk chemical apps.?Who makes a spreader that is stainless and has side shields for the material to only hit the walks and not throw out into the grass?


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## Big Dog D (Oct 1, 2005)

Marek said:


> Most jobs are within a 15 mile radius.What are you guys using for sidewalk chemical apps.?Who makes a spreader that is stainless and has side shields for the material to only hit the walks and not throw out into the grass?


They make a Hopper/Drop type unit that mounts right to the back of the Bombard's. You can plow and de-ice in one pass!


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## Marek (Nov 16, 2005)

What does a machine like that cost? Also what does it weigh?


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## Big Dog D (Oct 1, 2005)

Go online and do a search for Bombardier SW48 and you can get some info that way.


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## golden arches (Oct 30, 2003)

Our local dealer has a Ventrac with snow blower, brooms and one with a vee plow. I haven't used one of these personally, but was told that a state complex is using both the broom and the vee plow with success.

Only drawback I would see is lack of portablity. They aren't small.

http://www.ventrac.com/pdf/LB540.pdf


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## Jpocket (Nov 7, 2005)

Id hate to be responsible when that sucker breaks down on the road, im sure it's not like workin on a 350chevy lol


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## little pat (Feb 14, 2004)

We use quads, as far as the plow blades are concerned, look into a moose plow for the quad, they are built like a tank and do a great job. They are heavy so they get right down to the concrete.


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## rsoli (Jan 14, 2007)

*Need a hopper for an SW48*



Big Dog D;241675 said:


> Go online and do a search for Bombardier SW48 and you can get some info that way.


Do you know where I can get one of those?


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

for atvs we have a poly cycle country and for being very light (50lbsat max) it scrapes well and is very durable, but for a "commercial" duty plow for an atv check out blackline plows (downpressure, hydro angle,etc)


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## gordyo (Feb 12, 2002)

Marek;240940 said:


> We are also looking for nicer quality spreaders for sidewalk chemical. Any links , photos or personal experiance would be appreciated.


I use an old Epoke EPOMini 20 drop spreader mounted on a John Deere 4410 utility tractor with a choice of a power angle plow or a 2 stage snowblower for the sidewalks around the college campus I work on. I took the tow bar off the Epoke and in it's place fabricated a 3 point hitch mount for it so I can lift it off the ground, back up to doorways drop it and spread my way out. Have had it for 8+ years and has worked great. I am looking into replacing it with the 3 point hitch mount PTO driven Epoke pm 1.4 for next winter as it is a bigger unit, made for hooking to a 3 point hitch, since we have added alot more walkways and building in the past few years. This place sells them.

http://www.jjei.com/product-lines/winter-maintenance/


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## cjcocn (Feb 17, 2006)

I don't know how this would work out for you with the loading and unloading requirements, but I was at a friend's place plowing their driveway last month (no snow to speak of since then) and their neighbor was zipping around on his little yard tractor that had a snow blower attachment on it. Man, he was moving with that thing!  I'm not sure how fast he was going, but I would guess that he made an 80' pass in well under a minute (and maybe in well under half a minute).

No one really does sidewalks here (the sidewalks on the side streets all "disappear" for the winter), but if I had to do sidewalks I would get a little yard tractor like he has and put a snowblower attachment on it. Early on in the winter I probably could have kept up to him if I was using my quad (50" Moose Plow), but after the sides get too high and hard his little yard tractor would be many times faster than me and my quad.


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## Duracutter (Oct 25, 2006)

Marek;241055 said:


> the biggest problem with the quads are price and the plows are built so cheesy.Some of our buildings are getting older now and the sidewalks have alot of ridges.


Yes. The quads have no grunt power either, like say a John deere diesel 6' front mower that is taken off and a 4' blade put on.

Overall, we've found sweepers work best for light snow falls, but anything over 4", the plow followed by the paddle blowers is the best. The plow guy can go fast and the trails left behind take very little time with the paddles. Also, sweepers break so often!!!:realmad:

Chains, sprockets etc....real nightmare. With the blade and the diesel combination, you can remove crust, it's easy on gas and lots of torque and power. We do miles of sidewalks in townhome/condo complexes so sidewalks are our main bread winner!


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*Sidewalk Machines??*

As stated above Bombardiers where designed for sidewalk applications...There are a few different manufactures of simular type machines; MT Trackless,Bombardier,Holder both tracked and wheeled all designed to clear sidewalks.Most will take various attachments;Vee plow,P/A plow,Blower head,sweeper and even mowers for the warmer weather....
Along with the Bombardiers I used a Case 1840 skid steer with a Erskine blower and that worked out well also....The skid steer being more practical being able to use it to stack and load etc....
As far as prices a good used Bombardier in my area can run anywhere from $2000-all the way up to I think they are around $80,000 new.....The wheeled versions are running about $4,000-$10,000 used and skid steers easy enough for you to look up....


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