RTV OR COMPACT TRACTOR PLOW

[eyi]

Hi all,

I am a glad owner of both a Kubota RTV 900 and L3800 and I live in Canada, just north of Maine’s border where there is plenty of snow.

I feel as if my snow removal setup is not optimal. Actually I always use the tractor to remove snow, either with the back snowblower and a back plow. The problem is I like to do plenty of logging in the winter so my logging winch has to be on the tractor and I am tired to remove it each time I need to take care of snow.

I have a 1500 feet road to be taken care of as well as the perimeter of our cottage, garage and sugarshack, you see the setup…

My question is should I go with a plow on the RTV or a quick attached front plow on the tractor FEL ??

Thank you very much

 

[nybirdman]

I have a full sized tractor and an ATV snow plow;given a choice I would go with the tractor(FEL mounted 8'),ATV is a lot smaller but fits in the tight spots.
Tractor also has a 7' rear blade.

 

[RjCorazza]

I've never used an ATV, but I do like my ssqa tractor plow. My tractor use is 100% snow duty during the winter so I do very little switching of implements, other than the rare swap of the rear 7' blade with a 6' blower.

 

[Yander]

RTV with heated cab sounds pretty nice for 1500' drive in Canada.

 

[Paystar]

I use both. I have an open station tractor with a rear blower and an RTV-X1100C with a 6-1/2 foot Boss vee plow.
Like Yander said, the heated RTV cab is wonderful when it's minus 40 and the wind is howling. My tractors are all open station and I use a rear blower because I use my loader daily.
The RTV will push lots and has good traction. But you have to remember, with a plow you need to get out when it is storming and not let it build up too much. A plow won't eat through feet of snow like a blower will.

And by the sounds of it, you with a 1500 foot drive to clear, an RTV with a plow should be okay because you have a nice long run to keep your speed up to throw the snow off the plow. And like I say if you don't let it build up too deep, the RTV is a lot faster than a tractor.

 

[JJT]

I use both. I have an open station tractor with a rear blower and an RTV-X1100C with a 6-1/2 foot Boss vee plow.
Like Yander said, the heated RTV cab is wonderful when it's minus 40 and the wind is howling. My tractors are all open station and I use a rear blower because I use my loader daily.
The RTV will push lots and has good traction. But you have to remember, with a plow you need to get out when it is storming and not let it build up too much. A plow won't eat through feet of snow like a blower will.

And by the sounds of it, you with a 1500 foot drive to clear, an RTV with a plow should be okay because you have a nice long run to keep your speed up to throw the snow off the plow. And like I say if you don't let it build up too deep, the RTV is a lot faster than a tractor.

I have the same setup, a good sized open tractor with a rear blower and a 1100C with a Vee plow. The tractor does the heavy/deep snow work, the RTV does the small storms after the ground is frozen. At 62 it's nice to have the heated cab. I could not do snow removal without the tractor, but did snow removal for 20+ years without the RTV. So if the question is "if I can only have one machine for snow removal?", the answer would be the tractor.

 

[eyi]

Thanks everyone for your answer. I forgot to mention both my RTV and tractor are open station .

 

[Paystar]

I have the same setup, a good sized open tractor with a rear blower and a 1100C with a Vee plow. The tractor does the heavy/deep snow work, the RTV does the small storms after the ground is frozen. At 62 it's nice to have the heated cab. I could not do snow removal without the tractor, but did snow removal for 20+ years without the RTV. So if the question is "if I can only have one machine for snow removal?", the answer would be the tractor.

I agree. I got rid of my F550 truck and Boss vee plow because tractor even outperformed it DISCLAIMER: FOR MY APPLICATION LOL

 

[Paystar]

Thanks everyone for your answer. I forgot to mention both my RTV and tractor are open station .

I kinda got off track now that I read your original question again. I would think the RTV would handle a plow better than one on the loader of a compact tractor? I feel as though a loader plow would try and steer you more than a plow on the RTV? And the RTV can travel at faster speed.

If those are your only options. But I would NEVER be without a tractor and blower.

 

[ruffdog]

I have a Snowsport plow that I used on my TC33D tractor and on my RTV900. For most snows, I preferred to use the RTV over the tractor because of the speed. BUT, if we would get deep heavy snow (2ft+), then I could always put the plow on the tractor.

 

[eyi]

For those of you who use a snow plow on your FEL, how to you handle that ? Float mode ?

 

[RjCorazza]

For those of you who use a snow plow on your FEL, how to you handle that ? Float mode ?

I do not float the fel. I lower the blade until it just touches the pavement and there is an inch or so of slop for the blade to move in. It's easy enough on flat or consistent grades, but requires constant attention on undulating terrain.

 

[ruffdog]

I do not float the FEL. My Snowsport plow has float capability built in the design.

 

[RidgeHiker]

On my gravel driveway & parking with small terrain changes float does not work as well as making small adjustments on the fly whether I am using the plow or loader bucket. I prefer my UTV which is more compact and maneuverable and the plow just rides over the ground. I use the tractor when snow is too deep or heavy for the UTV and at times just for the heavy, packed county plow berms at the end of the driveway.

 

[chim]

My FEL mounted plow is set up to float on chains, just like it was designed to do when mounted on a truck. I can put the weight of the FEL frame or even the front half of the tractor if needed to loosen stuff up.

Search for " underslung snow plow" and you'll see various members' approaches.

 

[RidgeHiker]

My FEL mounted plow is set up to float on chains, just like it was designed to do when mounted on a truck. I can put the weight of the FEL frame or even the front half of the tractor if needed to loosen stuff up.

Search for " underslung snow plow" and you'll see various members' approaches.

That is certainly much better, especially on irregular surfaces!!!

 

[eyi]

So , can I conclude a basic LP STB series plow is not an optimal tool for an uneven dirt road because it misses the « pickup « system ?

 

[ruffdog]

So , can I conclude a basic LP STB series plow is not an optimal tool for an uneven dirt road because it misses the « pickup « system ?

In this video, you can see the problem of the PLOW itself not being able to float. If he floats the loader, the plow can follow the ground but the tractor front lifts and he loses traction (cant steer or spins). When he tries following the ground with the FEL without floating, he can never get it right. The plow on a FEL doesn't push straight back like on a truck, it pushes up toward the upper loader pivot pins. The geometry is just wrong.

 

[eyi]

In this video, you can see the problem of the PLOW itself not being able to float. If he floats the loader, the plow can follow the ground but the tractor front lifts and he loses traction (cant steer or spins). When he tries following the ground with the FEL without floating, he can never get it right. The plow on a FEL doesn't push straight back like on a truck, it pushes up toward the upper loader pivot pins. The geometry is just wrong.

Cristal clear !! Many thanks. Per chance are you familiar with the plows Kubota sells for their RTV 900 ? Do they have the same problems?

 

[ruffdog]

Cristal clear !! Many thanks. Per chance are you familiar with the plows Kubota sells for their RTV 900 ? Do they have the same problems?

No, they float and operate just like a plow on a truck and are a shorter package.