# Am I missing something about how to plow?



## clemensky51 (Dec 26, 2008)

I'm a first-time poster thinking about setting up my Rancher ATV to plow snow. There is a huge amount of info on this site, but one thing critical to my decision I haven't seen discussed yet in the ATV forum. 

In my neighborhood, the town municipal street plows come by periodically during a storm - say, roughly every 5 or 6 inches of snow. That heavy, compacted snow gets democratically deposited along the side of every street and across the end of every driveway, whether or not the driveway itself has been previously cleared.

I can understand the discussion and zestiness about motoring along a long country lane and pushing back a wave of light, fluffy snow....but the reality I will have to deal with includes a number of suburban drives, all of which will include a heavy band of Street Crud across their entrances. The Street Crud is a pain to shovel, to snowblow, and - I'm assuming - a pain to move with an ATV plow. So, for those of you who have to deal with this - what is your plowing technique? Do you try to bust through, or gradually carve out "crescents", or what?

Thanks in advance!
Clem


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## kelly67 (Nov 15, 2008)

I just cleared my driveway with just you mentioned, wet heavy stuff. I have a 05 rancher 350 with a 50" straight blade moose and chains both front and rear it walks right threw it.


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## skywagon (Nov 13, 2008)

kelly67;690604 said:


> I just cleared my driveway with just you mentioned, wet heavy stuff. I have a 05 rancher 350 with a 50" straight blade moose and chains both front and rear it walks right threw it.


My standby plow is a 350 rancher with a 60" Moose with no chains at all and it walks the dog. being it is front heavy with the plow, the back is lite and slips but when we lock it into 4x4 it is non stopable. In fact it pushes just as good as my larger Rhino.


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## IPLOWSNO (Oct 11, 2008)

i left my sistersin laws unplowed and went yesterday to do it. i figured thered be a problem there but it went right thru youll spend a little more time but youll do it. unless you cant plow good itll come to you as you learn.


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## hondarecon4435 (Mar 13, 2008)

it will go through them just fine


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## zztarg (Dec 28, 2008)

I plowed for years with a Suzuki 250 4WD and a 50" plow - I'd just travel down the driveway with the plow at an angle, cut through the windrow at the street, and open up a path for me to cut it away a bit at a time.

I did find that if the snow was heavy, I'd need to go out a couple of times during the storm to make life easier - sometimes I'd just go out to clear the windrow.

I'd also push the snow back from the street into the end of the yard from the left side of the driveway for about 30-50 feet. That way, the next time the city plows came through the driveway wouldn't fill up!


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## Pjslawncare1 (Sep 18, 2008)

We received 8 inches last snow storm and I have 18 accounts, some of which are exactly where you are talking about....a small town lots of driveways and lots of snow from the county plow trucks. I always have my blade angled. I have a Sportsman 500 2008, It was tough for me to push that much snow over to the right every push. I ended up going into the street and getting a running start. It was tough for mine.


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## IPLOWSNO (Oct 11, 2008)

did you ever think to make a couple straight passes to get rid of some snow? then go back and windrow,
starting from left to right take a couple passes in the left hand side then go to right and windrow imo


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## Peterbilt (Apr 28, 2007)

I think you are WAY over thinking the whole "how to plow" concept.

Just go outside and figure it out. Easy as that.

J.


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## sublime68charge (Dec 28, 2007)

for the drives that I due if the street crud pile is more than I can just brute force push with the blade I have done a combo of things 

move the pile in layers. 
Leave your blade up 6" and push the top of the pile then back up and push the bottom of the pile. Be mindful to not push the pile with your blade all the way up cause if you spin out and need to back up you can't pick your blade up higher to back up with the blade over the snow. Been there done that had to shovel snow to get ATV out..

I also have done for Drives that I need to get into to plow out. From street Back ATV 1/2 way into Pile drive out, Back up again 3/4 way into street crud pile drive out and now get a bigger run at the pile and back through the street crude pile, by backing in 1/2 and 3/4 you make a path through the street crud pile and then can get the ATV all the way through the pile so now your on the back side of the pile and can push it out into the street. The one drive I due is a single drive with sloping dirt bank on both sides so for that drive I push all the snow into the street and then I push it down the street and feather it into the snow bank on the side of the road I dont cross the street with the snow.

I have also tried to back or drive through the street crud pile and had the ATV sitting up nice and pretty ontop of 2' of snow and all the tires spining in air. that is why I'll due the back in 1/2 and then 3/4 with the back of the ATV you leave your front tire's on good traction and with the blade weight out there it will still pull it self out of the snow pile. also for bigger pile if you have a wide blade you also might want to make your backing in path wider.

it's more of a try this or try that and then a what works best for you approach.

good luck sublime out


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## Snowplowkid (Feb 12, 2008)

Try http://www.bossplow.com/PlowingTips. I know its for trucks but it might help.


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## deckboys (Dec 1, 2006)

i know in the truck if it is built up to high, i just run it over a few times to break up the thick snow, kinda spread it out a little bit.


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