# Project Mini Utility Truck with Snow Blower



## Badgerland WI

After evaluating many different options, we decided to move forward with our Mini Truck Snow Blower project. Many have asked me if we ever came up with a viable option and the progress so I thought I would post our progress here. To our knowledge, this has never been done in the U.S. and we only know of a Canadian group that has tried it otherwise.

Project Mini Truck: 1995 Mitsubishi MiniCab 4x4 Utility Vehicle - Hi/Lo Range (54" wide)
Blower Assembly: Berco 54" two stage with a 23hp Kohler pony motor

Blower will be full remote control from in the comfy, heated cab (engine start/stop, auger direction and height)

We've waited for a month to receive the blower unit as the Canadian manufacturer seems to think the winter season starts in late November... :angry: Isn't there snow on the ground there already?!?

Otherwise, the fit and finish of the blower is top-notch. All of the components seem well engineered, although time and testing will ultimately tell. We went with a Kohler pony motor based upon the reputation (and being a local company to us). Kohler makes some of the best cold-weather operations small engines and I know of several small engine repair guys (not dealers) that have nothing but good things to say from their experience in maintaining them.

We looked into just about every conceivable option for attaching a blower to our application. A PTO system ultimately would've been too costly/complicated to reproduce and would've varied greatly from different truck manufacturers. The main hurdle to overcome was designing a "quick-release" mount system that would be durable enough to withstand the abuse.
The beauty of the Berco system is that it is completely self-contained and supports its own weight when in operation. One of the design challenges is assuring enough ground clearance when the blower is raised for loading/unloading on a trailer.

We're in the mount fabrication stage at this time and will have alot more information in the next week's time period. Here are some early pics:




























We're looking forward to getting the first truck completed as this should be an excellent alternative for snow removal guys that need to be able to place the snow more precisely than simply plowing.

More to follow soon - stay tuned!


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## mercer_me

I bet that will work good. Is it small enough for side walks?


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## IPLOWSNO

you tease us with one pic wtf? come on dude you have to have atleast a couple, do you think alaska boss just posted one pic come on


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## Badgerland WI

We wanted to set-up a blower that would be a great, all-around size (width) for sidewalks and driveways. 54" is a little wide for some walks, but will get the job done. Going to a wider model will not be a problem once the mount is finished, but eliminates many walks.

 Heh... no teasing intended. Those were the best pics I could provide to this point until we get the blower attached to the truck. We're fabbing a push bar up front and initally planning to use a winch for up/down on the blower until we get the exact measurements. I eventually want to switch to an actuator once I know the stroke. I'll have more pics as soon as there's more to show.


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## racingmodracer

I am very interested in your project and will be keeping one eye on the build  I am interested in how the engine is coupled to the blower itself. I am building one with a eight foot two stage blower and am trying to use a snowmobile engine for a power plant. I have another thread going in regards to this and will be posting photos also. thanks and keep up the good work.


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## sublime68charge

looking good badgerland,

will be awaiting Pics of the finished product.

thnx


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## rusty_keg_3

sub'd, sounds like a sweet project...


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## flatlander42

subscribed!


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## SuperdutyShane

Just subscribing. Looks good.


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## Wallace

Badgerland WI;852708 said:


> After evaluating many different options, we decided to move forward with our Mini Truck Snow Blower project. Many have asked me if we ever came up with a viable option and the progress so I thought I would post our progress here. To our knowledge, this has never been done in the U.S. and we only know of a Canadian group that has tried it otherwise.
> 
> Project Mini Truck: 1995 Mitsubishi MiniCab 4x4 Utility Vehicle - Hi/Lo Range (54" wide)
> Blower Assembly: Berco 54" two stage with a 23hp Kohler pony motor
> 
> Blower will be full remote control from in the comfy, heated cab (engine start/stop, auger direction and height)
> 
> We've waited for a month to receive the blower unit as the Canadian manufacturer seems to think the winter season starts in late November... :angry: Isn't there snow on the ground there already?!?
> 
> Otherwise, the fit and finish of the blower is top-notch. All of the components seem well engineered, although time and testing will ultimately tell. We went with a Kohler pony motor based upon the reputation (and being a local company to us). Kohler makes some of the best cold-weather operations small engines and I know of several small engine repair guys (not dealers) that have nothing but good things to say from their experience in maintaining them.
> 
> We looked into just about every conceivable option for attaching a blower to our application. A PTO system ultimately would've been too costly/complicated to reproduce and would've varied greatly from different truck manufacturers. The main hurdle to overcome was designing a "quick-release" mount system that would be durable enough to withstand the abuse.
> The beauty of the Berco system is that it is completely self-contained and supports its own weight when in operation. One of the design challenges is assuring enough ground clearance when the blower is raised for loading/unloading on a trailer.
> 
> We're in the mount fabrication stage at this time and will have alot more information in the next week's time period. Here are some early pics:
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> We're looking forward to getting the first truck completed as this should be an excellent alternative for snow removal guys that need to be able to place the snow more precisely than simply plowing.
> 
> More to follow soon - stay tuned!


What is going to power the blower?
I had custom made a blower for one of my customers and you really have to pay attention to the rotation of the blower.
Is that a Rad blower?


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## flatlander42

*""23hp Kohler pony motor""*

that is right from his first post......


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## mercer_me

This winter you take some video of it working.


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## Wallace

masternate42;857255 said:


> *""23hp Kohler pony motor""*
> 
> that is right from his first post......


 okay that one for me!


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## Badgerland WI

*UPDATE - Small One*

Just a quick update on the project.
Busy weekend left less time than expected but here's the progress:

Front cut-out for custom-fabbed winch plate and receiver mount (we were able to fit the winch out of site on this application):










Here is the mount assembly we fabricated - yet to be painted:


















Here is the mount welded-in with winch in place:


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## Badgerland WI

Update continued...

Here is the mount on the truck from the front (test fit and awaiting paint):










We mounted the 23 hp Kohler on the blower assembly with the cold-weather package installed:


















Getting some wiring sorted out - thought I would take a shot of the in-cab remote which controls all functions of the blower:










We also installed the heavy duty coil springs up front with the lift kit, wheels and tires. We started on the push frame assembly and will be completing that in the next day or two.

I'll have more updates in the next couple of days as we get back on schedule with the build.


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## dellwas

Looking sweet, Dan!


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## Triple L

Looking good! did that Kohler come with that egr set-up? thats the first time i've ever seen comething like that.... Keep us posted, you've got a vary cool idea going! Defentially need some vids


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## Badgerland WI

That was my reaction too. It was a special cold weather package allowing warm air to be returned to the carb/intake - slick set-up they developed. That engine should purr once at operating temperature, even in the coldest conditions.

We will be taking lots of vids and pics once we get to the completion point with the project. I have a feeling Im going to be driving north for testing to catch some white stuff a little earlier than we'll see it in SE Wisconsin!


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## Wallace

Damn...... your hired!


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## IPLOWSNO

are you picking it up with the winch? maybe you should make a higher plow truck like mount up higher?

i dk just typing out loud


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## Badgerland WI

This is one of the issues that needed to be worked-out - how to lift the blower assembly for loading/unloading, moving, etc. The Berco blower systems all use winches on ATV's/UTV's for lifting the blower. The design uses a fulcrum on the undercarriage (think push tube style) that runs the length of the vehicle it is mounted on. All the winch needs to do is pull back on the front of the blower assembly to "tilt it back". I prefer having the winch mounted securely to the frame where it is most-secure. There shouldn't be a need for mounting the winch higher unless we run into a snag with the current design.

We're in the stage of the build where we're customizing & fabricating the undercarriage for the blower assembly. Once this is complete and attached to the truck, we'll be able to test the winch lift and clearances.


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## c.schulz

Keep me posted on this one. Nice idea!!

Chris


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## IPLOWSNO

yea i hear ya but i was thinkin keep the winch there and use metal to bring the wire up high then down,

i m sorry i was just thinkin out loud, good job keep it up


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## Badgerland WI

*Another Update...*

No problem! Never hurts to think out loud.

Made some more progress on the build the last couple of days in-between helping customers and such - here's a small update for the junkies following along.

Fabrication on the blower mount to the truck is complete and testing will start (hopefully) tomorrow. We made some chages to our mount plan once we had the sub-frame assembly from Berco under the truck and we decided not to run it all the way to the rear of the truck. We found some things that we didn't like about their generic mounting system and we wanted to engineer more heavy duty attachment points to the truck.

We ran into a little set-back with the cold weather de-icing package on the pony motor and found that we needed a reverse exhaust/EGR system to allow clearance for the winch cable. We just got the parts delivered today so we can get that situated and finish assembly on the motor.

Here's a couple more pics of the unit mounted to the truck...

*Front shot at operating height:*










*Side shot at operating height:*



















*Here's a profile shot showing the wheel, tire, and suspension upgrades at operating height.*










Things are moving along well. We're going to be doing some maneuver testing and running the truck with the blower attached to see what frame attachment tweaks we need to make (if any). Next comes completion of pony motor assembly and wiring (including installing the Optima battery). We're probably going to install a distribution block since there will be so many additional power leads running between the blower, winch, rear salter, and warning lights.

Did anyone invent the 9 day week yet???


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## IPLOWSNO

it looks awesome but i see it looks like the winch pulls back on the blower? instead of up see what i am saying?

some ice screws in the tires for your ad campaign and you are golden, ya know i tell yeah what i'll do, ship it to my house i will do the ad commercial in abundant snow conditions, seeing as your a buddy, i 'm gonna knock the price i charge, in half for ya.

fill all tanks prior to delivery, and you'll need full coverage on them too,lol


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## Michigansnowkin

Nice mini, can you legally drive that on the roads? How will you transport it from job to job if you cant drive it? Thanks


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## Badgerland WI

IPLOWSNO;862111 said:


> fill all tanks prior to delivery, and you'll need full coverage on them too,lol


:laughing: I may need a special "coverage" plan for that! Insurance guy just had a stroke... 

Yes, I understand what you're saying about the UP vs BACK on the blower when lifting. I can't answer that one yet until wiring is completed and we can test that aspect of it.










Looking at the side view again, there is a pivot-point on the blower frame so the wheels on the blower unit always remain on the ground unless lifting high. This is how the manufacturer intended the blower to be lifted by an ATV or UTV. We're using their concept first to see how viable it is. If we need to go to Plan B, then we will fabricate a reinforced push bar off the frame mount to raise the angle of attack for the winch cable.

As far as getting from point to point for snow removal, it all depends on where you are located. Mini trucks are street legal in at least a limited capacity in 14 states now. Here in WI, they are still a grey area vehicle. However, it is on the books in here that you can drive your ATV/UTV on the road up to 5 mile segments in-between locations for snow removal if you have proper equipment on the vehicle (blinky light, SMV, etc). Many states have some sort of legislation like this, you just need to dig through the mountains of state legislation to find this type of thing. I started a thread on this for everyone to use as a resource once more people contribute to it: ATV Road Use Thread

For longer transports, we treat this like any other ATV/UTV with transport on a trailer. The truck weighs about 1500lbs and the blower/pony motor about 400-450lbs. With the salter on the back and bagged salt in the bed (up to about 1100 lbs), we're gonna have some nice weight pushing behind that blower.


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## 06Sierra

Kimpex used to sell a pulley and strap kit for the snowblowers. The pulley went on the blower and the winch hook went on the strap that attatched to the atv rack. Not sure if it was needed or if it was used because it was easier on the winch??? I have a Montana Jack's receiver so I didn't need the pulley when I had the snowblower.


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## IPLOWSNO

you gotta add a bull bar, with amber lights remember white lights will suck, it will look tough, you must take pics of it in mattracks too, it will be worth it,

do a vinyl wrap with your company logo, when ya sell tell them they have to keep it like that for a year, for the special deal your giving them, make it look cool it may never come off lol just leave space for the new owners, ya never know?

and as far as the insurance, we'll just claim it was freight damage, there's ways around everything


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## IPLOWSNO

sno camo would look so good on that, but seeing it's a plow rig some european cop paint jobs would look awesome in the high viz colors


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## Badgerland WI

We already have our other current project truck (pictured) in the shop for a wrap in a RealTree Snow Camo pattern so we'll see how it turns-out as a potential option for this one as well.


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## RLM

Are these "mini trucks" road legal ?


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## Badgerland WI

Badgerland WI;862196 said:


> As far as getting from point to point for snow removal, it all depends on where you are located. Mini trucks are street legal in at least a limited capacity in 14 states now. Here in WI, they are still a grey area vehicle. However, it is on the books in here that you can drive your ATV/UTV on the road up to 5 mile segments in-between locations for snow removal if you have proper equipment on the vehicle (blinky light, SMV, etc). Many states have some sort of legislation like this, you just need to dig through the mountains of state legislation to find this type of thing. I started a thread on this for everyone to use as a resource once more people contribute to it: ATV Road Use Thread
> 
> For longer transports, we treat this like any other ATV/UTV with transport on a trailer. The truck weighs about 1500lbs and the blower/pony motor about 400-450lbs. With the salter on the back and bagged salt in the bed (up to about 1100 lbs), we're gonna have some nice weight pushing behind that blower.


I talked a little about this in a post above - all depends on your location.


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## IPLOWSNO

which model do you like best or carry the most of? can we view your inventory or no


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## Badgerland WI

Mitsubishi trucks are one of my personal favorites (all years), but there is really no huge advantage to one make of truck over others. Some manufacturers offer options or configurations that others do not.
We specialize in the top three manufacturers: Mistubishi, Suzuki, and Daihatsu, but there are 6 major manufacturers of the mini trucks in Japan - here are some positives & drawbacks to each:

Mitsubishi - very well-rounded utility truck with great gearing, high volume production, spacious cabs, excellent parts and accessory availability.
Suzuki - smallest of the older body-style mini cabs, most popular truck by number in US, excellent range of 4WD options, excellent parts and accessory availability.
Daihatsu (Toyota) - roomy cabs, high volume production, specialty models like Jumbo and Deck Van models, excellent parts and accessory availability.
Honda - very nice trucks with roomy cabs but available only in AWD - part time 4WD systems are what we prefer.
Subaru - considered the largest of mini cab configurations, excellent road capabilities, 4-cyl rear mounted engine configuration (limiting aftermarket accessory options).
Mazda - essentially a clone of Suzuki trucks rebranded as Mazda sharing majority of the same parts.

Yes you can. I'll PM you with answer to your question about inventory.


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## sublime68charge

Badger Here's a pic on my Blower and ATV and how I use the winch for picking up the blower.
works great and I only did the pulley trick on it as the winch is only rated for 1,500lbs and I didn't want to burn it out on picking the blower up and down.










sublime out


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## sublime68charge

Badger nice looking project so far.

take care of cornering at higher speeds I know with the Blower on my ATV that I have to slow down to make a turn. with all the blower weight on those little tire's up front my ATV didnt' want to turn I went half way acroos the road before I got it turned for the corner going how I wanted. this was at 10MPH plus or so.

about my Max speed is 15MPH for transport for actual blowing snow I can get up to 4MPH or so.

since I only have to go 7 blocks from 1 drive to the 2 other's that I due it works for me.

sublime out.


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## Badgerland WI

Sublime - nice set-up. Is that a 48" blower? The details look identical. What HP pony motor came with or did you install? How's the performance for you?

Yes, I see what you're saying about the nose weight and driving at low speeds only. Steering is not a problem on dry pavement, but we'll see how it does on a little slicker surface. Good advice on that one.

I never had any intentions of this being driven around at higher speeds. This rig is being designed as a great residential option with lower speed driving in-between locations like a subdivision or local neighborhood.


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## sublime68charge

Badger, I want to say the motor is a 12HP and it's only 44" wide but it does the job. It is an older Kimpex blower unit and the Mount has been change that it will hook into the older style Moose Push tube mount plate.

It had a Manual handle for the up/down of the blower unit which was a pain your either up or down.
the Winch is alot better this way If I want to hover 1" off due to gravel or uneven surface I can due that.

Been alright for me Had some problems here and there with thing's. mostly cause it's an older unit.
I have had for 2 years and guy I bought it from had it for a few and he got it from an older guy who had it don't know how long so it's pushing on age for thing's. so far the damage list is

First year was a pain to keep running would get it started and hop on ATV pull up to snow and would sputter and die. spend 5 minutes pull starting the darn thing and after doing this 4-5 times I was pretty pissed at it so I unhooked it and put the blade back on for that snow fall. I only had teh 1 ATV with the mounting plate.

2nd year I put the Blower on my smaller ATV Honda Rancher Worked good the first big snow fall and then on the 2nd I broke the Drive Belts from the Motor to blower. "Who knows how old they was"
Finished up that snow fall with the other ATV and Blade. Got belts put on and then the next time I went to use it I the chain that drive the Auger broke and took out the Idler Gear to keep tension on the Chain. Snow season was over then

Have the parts to fix it I just haven't done that yet.

for the big snow fall's it has worked great. when it has stayed working it has saved me alot of time. Vs my ATV and Blade.

her's an old pic of the unit still has the manual lift handle.









this is one of the drive I due on a 7" snow fall took me 7 minutes to clear.









with my 60" blade with Back drag I guessing I'd be 15-20 minutes time I push it all into the street and then feather back into the curb pile. 
so my plan is the snow's under 6" I'll use the Blade and then for those over 6" use the blower

sorry for rambling on but since your build is somewhat like what I have "abeit Bigger Better and Warmer"
I thought I'd share my $.02

I noticed on the deflector hood is a small motor for up/down any chance you can get a upclose pic of that? mine is just a Manual knob and I'd like to get something on there that I can change the angle from the seat of the ATV. I can due Left/Right via a Long rod that hooks to a Screw drive at the base of the blower hood but I dont have an up/down unless I get off the ATV and go up to the blower.

ok ok

sublime out.


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## 06Sierra

Sublime, Kimpex makes a kit for the auto shute control. I think there is one for the left/right movement and one for the up/down. I think that is pretty much standard on the newer blowers.


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## IPLOWSNO

thanks badger, are the trucks really governed to 25?


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## Badgerland WI

06Sierra;864980 said:


> Sublime, Kimpex makes a kit for the auto shute control. I think there is one for the left/right movement and one for the up/down. I think that is pretty much standard on the newer blowers.


Sierra is correct on this one - the power chute is standard depending on which blower package you purchase. If I'm not mistaken, Berco makes the blower assemblies for Kimpex. I'll get a close-up shot of the servo motors and see what they cost individually. Being a new dealer for Berco, we're still on a learning curve with their parts availability, etc.

IPLOWSNO - Yes, the trucks are really governed to 25 mph at time of sale to meet federal import guidelines. The governor itself is a shifting plate installed on the interior of the cab over the stick shift limiting the trucks to first gear & reverse.
 Let's just say that I've seen many trucks owned by customers with that shifting plate magically disappearing, but I have no idea what they did with them.  That's a whole different story!

Today we're diving into wiring... my favorite part... and the inspiration for creating many new four letter words.


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## IPLOWSNO

well thats an easy fix lol, i hate wiring,hey the bumper on your outdoor truck thats the bumper you need,

sno camo for sure, blackrims big tires you know what i like lol

back to work dam it


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## sublime68charge

Badgerland WI;865783 said:


> Sierra is correct on this one - the power chute is standard depending on which blower package you purchase. If I'm not mistaken, Berco makes the blower assemblies for Kimpex. I'll get a close-up shot of the servo motors and see what they cost individually. Being a new dealer for Berco, we're still on a learning curve with their parts availability, etc.
> 
> IPLOWSNO - Yes, the trucks are really governed to 25 mph at time of sale to meet federal import guidelines. The governor itself is a shifting plate installed on the interior of the cab over the stick shift limiting the trucks to first gear & reverse.
> Let's just say that I've seen many trucks owned by customers with that shifting plate magically disappearing, but I have no idea what they did with them.  That's a whole different story!
> 
> Today we're diving into wiring... my favorite part... and the inspiration for creating many new four letter words.


thanks Badger whenever you get time that would be fine.

you can send me a email at [email protected]
with a price and things

sublime out.


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## jomama45

Badger, very nice looking project you have going. 

Where is your shop at? Are/where you affiliated with Urban at all? I'm right over in PW myself. I've seen your lettered truck around a few times, actually saw it this morning on the way to a job.

Joe.


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## Badgerland WI

Thanks Joe & Howdy neighbor!

Yes I share some retail and, more importantly, shop space with Urban in West Bend. We lost our shop space because the owner of the property ran himself into bankruptcy and we didnt even find-out until the property was taken over (long, crappy story). Anyways...
I've known the owner of Urban for awhile. He's a good guy and an excellent metal worker - we've been so busy that I needed assistance with set-up. It's been a good relationship now that he's getting out of the Chinese products. 

I live in Saukville so I'm sure you'll see me around from time to time in our 1/2 ton or 1-ton.


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## Badgerland WI

Sublime,

Here's a couple shots of the chute control motors I took today (kinda crappy - only had my phone camera with)...

This is the height control motor mounted on the side of the chute:










This is the directional control motor at the base of the chute:










I'm not sure how much these are going to help but will give you an idea of what they're using on the new systems. No luck on pricing info yet.

Not much new on the update-front other than wiring and control placement inside the cab. We fired-up the winch today...










Building a custom wiring harness for the pony motor is one of the most insanely fun things I have ever done...


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## sublime68charge

Thanks Badger for the Pics from what I can guess the height control turns and then there is a gear drive that moves up/down for that? I am thinking for mine I can just mount an Electric Actuator and have that move my chute up/down. as far as rotation I have a crank handle that runs back to the ATV that works good enough for what I due and sometimes the less Elec stuff you have going on the better.

but it would be nice to be able to adjust Height from the seat of the ATV Vs having to get off and go up to the blower.

sublime out.


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## Badgerland WI

*Progress Update*

Progress Update on the build....

We finished our custom wiring harness to the blower assembly and fired everything up. I've never known anything that induces the need for beer more than wiring. 

I shot a quick video of our engine and remote function testing: *Mini Truck Blower Build Engine Testing*

Impressions:
This thing is going to move some snow! The 23hp Kohler sounds beautiful at idle with the muffler and de-icing system installed (sounds more like a Harley at idle than a small engine). The impeller on the blower creates a very strong pressure/wind rush out of the chute. We actually blew several cans over on a nearby table the first time we fired the motor and increased the throttle/rpm's. The remote chute functions seem to be just the right speed. We all had smiles on our face when we first fired the engine and the beast came to life. I'm looking forward to throwing some snow all over the place as soon as we can.

I did some more maneuver testing yesterday. The truck handles very well with the blower - better than expected during tight, full-lock turns and over uneven terrain. With the blower supporting the majority of its own weight, it is barely noticable on the truck.

Here's a couple more shots:



















Next on the build list:
We're waiting for the salter to arrive so we can finish fab work on the interior remote control stack - it's going to be quite the control stack. This will also allow us to button-up the final wiring. We're finishing fab work on a custom roof rack to mount front flood/work lights and light bar. We've just about finished the paint prep for what we're painting and vinyl work.

More updates come'th soon!


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## jomama45

Looking good Dan.

I take it you're in the old equip. rental place on the North side of WB? 

Is Bob still running Urban? We've known him for probably 15 years or so. He lettered my brothers first race car. Come to think of it, I think my bro may have actually lived in the loft above his garage for a while. :laughing:


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## Badgerland WI

jomama45;873717 said:


> Looking good Dan.
> 
> I take it you're in the old equip. rental place on the North side of WB?
> 
> Is Bob still running Urban? We've known him for probably 15 years or so. He lettered my brothers first race car. Come to think of it, I think my bro may have actually lived in the loft above his garage for a while. :laughing:


Bob actually took Krause Auto's old place on S Main Street last year and we're sharing his shop with him right now - it's Urban's new home. Bob is a good sh!t.


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## jomama45

Badgerland WI;873723 said:


> Bob actually took Krause Auto's old place on S Main Street last year and we're sharing his shop with him right now - it's Urban's new home. Bob is a good sh!t.


Ahhhh, I see. I'll have to check the place out the next time I'm close. :salute:


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## WayneSnow

just subscribing


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## Wallace

I'm curious to know what the price is when it's all said and done with?
Let me know when you want a couple of power angle Blizzard plow to mount up...


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## Badgerland WI

*Another Progress Update...*

We're in the home stretch of the build. We finished-up most of the wiring and fabricated the "control stack" box and mounts. The wiring took some time, but we managed to squeeze all necessary functions in: Pony motor ignition/kill, winch control, auxiliary and warning lights, salter remote, and of course blower functions. My main goal was to have the blower remote within a finger's reach while my hand remained on the stick shift:



















Here's a profile shot with the salter installed:


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## Badgerland WI

*More...*

We made some changes to the roof rack fabrication - here's the final product with the LED floods and light bar installed:



















And a shot with the LED floods lit (camera didn't like this one too much)...










The truck is ready for snow to complete testing. We have only minor details yet to complete, and the vinyl to be installed (most likely tomorrow). We test loaded the truck on a trailer this evening and our mount design worked as planned (no hang-ups on trailer ramp).

WHERE IS THE WHITE STUFF?!?


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## WayneSnow

looks good


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## THEGOLDPRO

awesome build man,great job.


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## IPLOWSNO

looks great, but theres onl;yone problemi m fricken right handed lol


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## Badgerland WI

Thanks for all of the positive comments.



IPLOWSNO;886304 said:


> looks great, but theres onl;yone problemi m fricken right handed lol


 Honestly, it takes most people about 5 min and a few shifts to get used to the right hand drive configuration. The pedal layout is the same as a LHD with the gas pedal on the right/clutch on the left.



Wallace said:


> I'm curious to know what the price is when it's all said and done with?
> Let me know when you want a couple of power angle Blizzard plow to mount up...


Pricing will be all updated soon once we've completed the build. A major focus in this project was to put together a capable blower compact utility vehicle using high quality components with a reasonable price point. There just isnt alot available to someone wanting a vehicle-mounted snow blower without a rather huge investment and this should fill a big segment void. This first build is, of course, taking alot longer than it should/will on future builds. But we are taking our time and applying what we've learned as it progresses.

The Blizzard UTV plows look pretty nice. I'd definitely be interested in evaluating its capabilities.


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## Triple L

Do you have to trailer it everwhere? How does it hold the blower without those aux. wheels... Great concept but it seems like trailering it everywhere defeats the whole purpose of it IMO


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## WIPensFan

Triple L;886397 said:


> Do you have to trailer it everwhere? How does it hold the blower without those aux. wheels... Great concept but it seems like trailering it everywhere defeats the whole purpose of it IMO


I second that. If you could easily drive that around town I'd have 1 or 2! Those little wheels gotta go.


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## Badgerland WI

Mini trucks are intended as off-road utility vehicles, meaning that regardless of how they are set-up or their purpose, they should be compared to UTV's in classification of their use. If you are traveling distances in-between locations, then yes, you would want to trailer this vehicle (just like your Bobcat, ToolCat, Ranger, ATV, etc). For someone with multiple accounts in proximity, this might be a great solution. It's all how you look at it.

In Wisconsin, we're lucky enough to have legislation allowing properly equipped utility vehicles on the roads up to 5 mile segments in-between locations for purposes of snow removal. We also have long-awaited "other" legislation about to be introduced to the state government this month. 

In regards to the frame wheels out front, this is the first time this has been done. We geared this project towards the lower speed aspect of its intended use, so the blower assembly wheels do their job in supporting the weight keeping the truck very well balanced. If we ever look at a higher speed design where the truck is traveling greater distances and the blower needs to be completely lifted, then we will re-think the mounting system in its entirety. Again, thats not the intended purpose here.


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## rusty_keg_3

Looks great! So, what do you have in it so far? Could you break it down too? If you dont mind, oh, and the time u have spent...


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## sublime68charge

Badger 

How about an update on how the truck/blower did with this storm that just came through?

I wish I had my atv blower up and ready for this storm but it was still in the back of the garage buried and broken so I just went with the old standby ATV and Blade and it was a struggle but I made it through.


sublime out


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## WayneSnow

agree with sublime


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## F-SERIES BEAST

Very nice, i'll be keeping out on this thread!!


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## Badgerland WI

*Update*

Update from testing in the big storm last week...

Sorry for the delay - had some family issues thrown in to the mix that took priority.
Well, I think we can all agree that the storm produced pretty-much worst case conditions to test in!  Overall, the blower did very well in conditions that were difficult to say the least. After doing some snow relocation in West Bend (about 14"-15"of the heavy wet stuff), I took the truck over to my home which is on a county highway. The county trucks did a wonderful job of leaving a small mountain of the most difficult wet snow / heavy slush at the end of my drive. My personal Ariens 2-stage pretty much took a dump leaving 3/4 of the work to be done so I didn't have much of a choice. I did plug the discharge chute three times during the time that I was testing the unit, but considering that everyone else running a blower in the area was spending the majority of their time clearing their discharge chutes. A heavy dose of silicone spray certainly helped the situation.

I discovered two issues that we are addressing:

Pony Motor Throttle: It was obvious right off the bat that the throttle on the pony motor needed to be adjusted. The engine responds to load and was initially idling too low causing it to bog when encountering the worst type of load to put into a blower...heavy wet snow over several inches of slush. I made some adjustments to the idler springs and such which greatly improved the performance, but I still believe we can get even better performance out of this set-up. Time to have an expert look at this particular detail. The pony motor had plenty of power and provided impressive performance.
Parasitic Power Loss: We've got a battery drain occuring somewhere in our miles of wiring that we're hunting down. 

Otherwise, this was a little more than I had planned for a first-run test, but I guess it was a great proving-ground scenario to really hammer the set-up. Our float mount design worked great and allowed the blower to remain in contact with the ground surface at all times. The truck had no issues attacking the snow and the weight seems appropriate having had worst-case conditions to test in.

I was not able to shoot any video as I was out as a one-man show. I think we're definitely ready for the next storm to roll through to produce something for you guys to see and we'll have our minor bugs worked-out.


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## WIPensFan

Might as well test it in the worst stuff possible, that way you know it will handle everything else. Always going to be bugs to work out. Can't wait to see it work.


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## WayneSnow

thats good that it performed well! good luck with minor adjustments


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## Triple L

bump bump, any new updates??? Hopefully a video...


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## Badgerland WI

Quick update...

I am waiting on a few parts to come in for the throttle assembly on the pony motor. After having a Kohler expert take a look at the set-up, he made a quick suggestion to greatly improve the operation and performance of the blower. Parts should be in within a week.

I'm planning a trip up north with the blower truck where I was this past weekend testing & filming our latest tracked-truck project. The area has received about 2-1/2 feet of snow so far and there are some un-plowed areas that will provide a great testing ground.

I promise more to follow!


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## IPLOWSNO

is it wrapped yet??????


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## Badgerland WI

Ok guys... here's another crappy video, but it's something! 

With the storm that came through today/tonight, I had an opportunity to do some additional testing on the truck with the new throttle controller installed so I slapped on a camera for an on-board view.  We got about 7"-8" at the time this was shot.

I was plowing slowly while I tested other aspects of the truck, so don't mind the speed aspect of things. This isn't the best video in the world but you get the idea. I'm on schedule to take the blower truck up to northern WI this weekend for the full testing in deep snow and MUCH better video action shots to share.

Anyways...here's a little clip to keep you entertained til then:
*Blower Truck Test Video*

I hope all the local contractors made some $$$ off this lake effect craziness tonight.


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## JohnnyRoyale

That setup would sure cure mama's back problems and keep here nice and warm at the same time. Nice.


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## Grn Mtn

Dan, love how the project is going so far, the interior shot shows the controls taking up the passanger side knee room area, is it just the picture or can you really not put any one else in the truck?


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## IPLOWSNO

youve come along way badger, i remember back in the day when all you say was buy a mini lmao, 

your almost famous now buddy good job keep it up


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## Badgerland WI

*Full Action Video!*

Finally, here's an action video of the build. I transported the truck up to northern Wisconsin to test it out in a variety of conditions. From several inches of snow to over 3' that has been sitting for weeks, here's the build at work:

*Mitsubishi MiniCab Snowblower Mini Truck in Action*


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## sublime68charge

IPLOWSNO;949682 said:


> youve come along way badger, i remember back in the day when all you say was buy a mini lmao,
> 
> your almost famous now buddy good job keep it up


Looking Good Badger,

and I have to 2nd Iplowsno I also remeber the day's of the buy a mini post's. LOL

from the Cab can you tell how close the blower engine is to the front of the truck when raising the Blower up?

I would not want to rotate the engine into the Cab of the truck at all. Maybe a stop Block on the winch cable to not let this happen.

I know on my Quad I get the Exhaust side divert sheild is the first thing that would hit the front bumper on my ATV. The side divert sheild is just a 6" tinwork redirect shute so that is not gonna hurt my ATV at all and would just bend itself first.

Just wondering if you view that as a potential problem at all?

Nice looking setup.

sublime out.


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## Badgerland WI

Grn Mtn;949673 said:


> Dan, love how the project is going so far, the interior shot shows the controls taking up the passanger side knee room area, is it just the picture or can you really not put any one else in the truck?


The area is cramped and the control stack is interfering with some leg room. A smaller adult or child would fit fine but not a second, 6'0+ adult.



IPLOWSNO;949682 said:


> youve come along way badger, i remember back in the day when all you say was buy a mini lmao,
> 
> your almost famous now buddy good job keep it up


Thanks man! Just alot of hard work (and money spent).



sublime68charge;961788 said:


> Looking Good Badger,
> 
> and I have to 2nd Iplowsno I also remeber the day's of the buy a mini post's. LOL
> 
> from the Cab can you tell how close the blower engine is to the front of the truck when raising the Blower up?
> 
> I would not want to rotate the engine into the Cab of the truck at all. Maybe a stop Block on the winch cable to not let this happen.
> 
> I know on my Quad I get the Exhaust side divert sheild is the first thing that would hit the front bumper on my ATV. The side divert sheild is just a 6" tinwork redirect shute so that is not gonna hurt my ATV at all and would just bend itself first.
> 
> Just wondering if you view that as a potential problem at all?
> 
> Nice looking setup.
> 
> sublime out.


Thanks Sublime. The air box assembly can hit the front of the cab if the assembly is winched to far back. We are looking into finding a stop block strong enough to stop the winch before this happens. There is enough clearance to raise the blower without a problem but it is necessary to use caution with going to high.

The blower performed beyond my expectations. I was happy to have the opportunity to test it in more severe duty than we ever intended (on more than one occasion). It was impressive to see what the motor would handle before bogging....large, iced-up piles but we never killed the engine.

:salute:


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## flatlander42

When you were in the deeeep snow, it looked like you could use a lower gear on the truck. It seemed to want to go faster than the blower could handle. Not saying anything negative, I just think a Granny Gear would be Sweet!


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## Badgerland WI

True. Part of that was operator error on my behalf as I'm not afraid to show you guys my limited experience in operating this rig being the first of its kind. Once I developed a little rhythm with speed in 4-LO and terrain conditions, it got better as time went on. At some points, the snow and ice was so deep and dense that all I could do was stab at it.

But that was the point...show you a real-world example of it in action versus a perfect video with nothing to question or talk about.


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## IPLOWSNO

seeing as you have to travel for testing maybe you can send a unit to me for testing,i will not charge you ,i could'nt charge a friend lol, but i will make your next commercial for ya, and break anything that will break, insert tons of smileys here,

nothing like positive advertising and some serious road testing hahaha, shipping is on you


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## Badgerland WI

I better get a bigger umbrella policy!


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## jomama45

Dan, very nice! 

Some day I'm going to make a point to stop in at your shop & see this in person, as well as say Hi to Highlander Bob.


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## sublime68charge

Just a Idea for you. Keep a ratchet strap in the truck that way if your Winch fails or cable breaks you can ramp the blower up on a snow bank and then strap it back to the truck raised up and still drive it back to the shop to fix. 

I had my Winch go out on my ATV snow blower after making 1 pass on a drive and I happend to have a ratchet strap with me by pure luck so I was able to finish the drive ramp up the blower snug up the strap drive to the next driveway lower blower due snow removal and then strap it back up and head for home to fix the Winch problem, "which was a broken ING on wire GR$#$#%#%$."

just a thought for ya.

though I dont know if you'd have a good tie back point on your truck or not I just hooked into the front rack on the ATV. But it's better to be prepared for these things than to be out there in the cold and dark going how in the heck am I gonna get this thing back to the shop to fix it.

sublime out.


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## IPLOWSNO

that tip will save his ass one day lol


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## Badgerland WI

Sublime - great advice and I'll have to make a small investment into that to finish off the project from that perspective.


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## Badgerland WI

Thought I'd share a few more pics.

Here's our 95 Mitsubishi sitting and waiting for more snow:










Here's another of one of our customers that installed a 72" Blower on a 96 Suzuki Carry that we set-up for him last year:


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## sublime68charge

nice Pic's Badger,

suppose to have 1 more storm come through WI early next week from what I hear,

6-9" possible.

hope you get a chance to put that blower to use 1 more time this year.

sublime out.


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## IPLOWSNO

looks awesome buddy, i likey, now how big an umbrella policy ya got?????????


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## Grn Mtn

the picture of the other unit with the 72" blower: anyway of putting that massive engine in the bed then run a drive shaft under the truck to shorten the distance from the blower to the cab?


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## sublime68charge

Grn Mtn;1011545 said:


> the picture of the other unit with the 72" blower: anyway of putting that massive engine in the bed then run a drive shaft under the truck to shorten the distance from the blower to the cab?


to expand on that I would think put a Hydraulic Pump on the engine in the truck box and then run lines to the Blower and run the whole blower off of the Hydraulics would make things better.

just a thought.


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## leon

*truck snow blower*

The best improvement can be accomplished
with the use of the clarence impeller kit for the
impeller kit to reduce plugging to a bare minimum.

Spraying the impeller of the blower with FF, WD-40, 
furniture polish and or cooking spray will work wonders 
for it too and combining it with clarences impeller kit WHOOOOOOSH!!!!

leon:waving:


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## sublime68charge

Badger, got anything instore for this year's snow removal?

or updates from last years' Mini truck and blower?

just wondering.

sublime out.


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## perrysee

like the set up would like tov get more imfovon trucks and blower set up
thanks Perry


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## Diesel59

First I would like to say that I am throughly impressed with the job you guys did mounting that blower on this mini truck! 

I do have a few suggestions: 

I am not a big fan of the plastic "Gas can" style tank used by Bercomac. On your setup I was thinking that it would be better all around if you used a "Race Car" Style stainless steel gas tank. This way you could mount a sending unit inside of it and have a Auto Meter gauge inside the cab telling you how much fuel in left in the tank. 

The tube style tires that they put on this snowblower from Bercomac are a problem waiting to happen. I was thinking you would see better results using a caster assy from a Zero turn mower. Something that is heavier that will be able to help support the frame in the event the snow blower get packed with snow. Also will be safer for turns having a heavy duty caster with a solid rubber tire. 

Just some thought I had that were leftover from one of my "Bright Ideas" 

I actually would like to build my own snowblower to mount on my Polaris Sportsman some day. But I'm still gathering up ideas for it.


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## leon

*mini truck snow blower*



Diesel59;1176234 said:


> First I would like to say that I am throughly impressed with the job you guys did mounting that blower on this mini truck!
> 
> I do have a few suggestions:
> 
> I am not a big fan of the plastic "Gas can" style tank used by Bercomac. On your setup I was thinking that it would be better all around if you used a "Race Car" Style stainless steel gas tank. This way you could mount a sending unit inside of it and have a Auto Meter gauge inside the cab telling you how much fuel in left in the tank.
> 
> The tube style tires that they put on this snowblower from Bercomac are a problem waiting to happen. I was thinking you would see better results using a caster assy from a Zero turn mower. Something that is heavier that will be able to help support the frame in the event the snow blower get packed with snow. Also will be safer for turns having a heavy duty caster with a solid rubber tire.
> 
> Just some thought I had that were leftover from one of my "Bright Ideas"
> 
> I actually would like to build my own snowblower to mount on my Polaris Sportsman some day. But I'm still gathering up ideas for it.


" the plastic can is easier to manage, install and plumb in and is less likely to suffer from vibration damage cause by the snow blower and still be road legal as they would need a type two can to fill a metal or plastic fuel tank on the blower The type 2 cans with the cage should be standard equipment for it any way to make it safer to transport the fuel supply if it is transported via trailer or on road."

The tube type casters are better as they are better able to absorb shock loads and NOT transmit them to the auger housing like a solid caster wheel would do on pavement or gravel.

Ideally in saying that, they should be using the double pneumatic casters form www.Cylonerake.com as they can support more wieght and provide better steering.


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## Diesel59

I see what your saying about the plastic cans. I was just thinking in terms of the long haul. The plastic has a better chance on breaking in the harsh climate. But it is easier to manage


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## leon

*fuel cans*

The heavy plastic they use for injection molding is 
very thick to be able to undergo UL certification 
and approval and of course its gasoline proof.

Where stainless will corrode and will not have 
a bending or shock moment to reduce the possibility 
of puncture.

They have to survive a drop test as well 
,if I remember correctly.


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## grasskeepers

the plastic cans are awesome, run it empty then just grab a full can and put it in, nice and fast no pissing around with filling tanks, i want this set up on all my mowers


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