Plow with tracks, or chains with snowblower?

NS Gearhead · Jan 23, 2014

Looking at buying a Ranger 900XP. I originaly planned on getting the Polaris tracks, plow and winch. The tracks will help push and bank snow and keep me from going shack whacky in the winter letting me hit the trails regardless of snow. However, these last two snow storms (blizzards), even the jeep's been challenged pushing the foot of snow we got. Got me wondering if a snowblower's the way to go. Having limited funds, and the tracks and a blower being about the same, I have to decide between the two. I could still get the plow with the blower, just no tracks. I have no experience plowing with an ATV or SXS, so I guess I feel like I'm downgrading and worried about its capability... although most of my neighbors plow with ATVs.

Thoughts?

Also, anyone have any experience plowing with chained tires and tracks? Is one "better". I'm guessing chains are better on ice, and tracks on snow...

Oh, and when I was having trouble pushing I was on a slight incline... and the tires are 15.5" wide so they don't dig down very well.

nybirdman · Jan 23, 2014

My son plows for a living(village) and says tracks are terrible for plowing.I would try just the tires and plow and maybe purchase chains for the tires.I have a plow for my atv and it will move a lot of snow in a hurry.The SXS 's are twice as heavy;should really make a nice snow removal machine.

NS Gearhead · Jan 23, 2014

nybirdman said:
My son plows for a living(village) and says tracks are terrible for plowing.

Wow I would have never thought. I suppose they'd act like my Jeep tires and float instead of digging down... can they be studded? Spiked, or bolted?

kevin37b · Jan 23, 2014

Rubber tracks are worthless on snow pack / ice . Chains . There are at least 6, 000 ,000 posts about chains / no chains . You drop the front off a 2 " edge and go to back up you will understand .

RedNeckRacin · Jan 23, 2014

Tracks are meant to float not bite. Hardly anyone plows with a dozer in the winter for good reason. (Besides they are expensive to run)

Relic · Jan 23, 2014

NS Gearhead,have U gone to the Ranger900Xp forum yet? Or the CanAm Commander Forum?? I see there are guys on the CanAm forum who uses tracks.Maybe worth a try.

NS Gearhead · Jan 24, 2014

Ok I hear yas... I was hopeing to get first hand accounts. Youtube vids show people having great results with tracks... and I can't wrap my head around tracks being bad for plowing... just think of a skid steer... are you telling me a tracked skid steer sucks in the snow!?!

Relic, I have lurked the Ranger forum... mostly the DIY section looking at homemade cabs... but I'll have to lurk a little more, and maybe join. Tks for the tip!

kevin37b · Jan 24, 2014

Snow is one thing . Packed snow or ice is another . Yes a tracked skid sucks on a slick surface .

Looking4new · Jan 24, 2014

I used to run a 450 John Deere dozer with street pads on it for a sidewalk plow many moons ago. It was great. Once the grouzers got worn down some, (a few years old) we'd take the street pads off and leave them off. It would climb curbs lickety split.

RedNeckRacin · Jan 25, 2014

Looking4new said:
I used to run a 450 John Deere dozer with street pads on it for a sidewalk plow many moons ago. It was great. Once the grouzers got worn down some, (a few years old) we'd take the street pads off and leave them off. It would climb curbs lickety split.

and sidewalks are perfectly flat or nearly so aren't they? Take that machine on a bit of a grade and see how you feel about it.