I am looking to expand my snow removal buisiness, I already plow driveways with a atv. I am looking at Kage Innovations plow. My quistion is what to put it on a tractor or skid. The driveways I already have are in town but all over, so the speed of the tractor would be nice. I am wanting to start getting some parking lots which i know that the skids moverability would shine. The skid steer would almost have to be trailered from driveway to driveway which would take alot of time. Let me know you thoughts
skid steer or tractor
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ropinghorns
New member
Go with a cab tractor . I have both skid steers and tractors. The road speed will be slow compared to the truck pulling the trailered skid steer, but so much more safer than loading on the trailer and pulling in those ice conditions. Sometimes we can not get the skid steers to climb up the ramps.
LoneCowboy
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The Kago innovations plow/box is totally the way to go, super efficient.
I'm assuming these both (skid/tractor) both have cabs
tractor
pluses: way better visibility, 15mph or so on the road
minuses: weak lift arms
skid:
pluses: extremely strong lift arms for size. very fast, turn around go the other way. 2 speed (only way to go) about 13mph on road
minuses: terrible visibility.
price should be about the same.
ti depends on what you want to do.
big wide open areas, a skid rules. tight nasty cars everywhere, a tractor beats it.
a toolcat might be both.
about the same strength, good visibility, about 18mph road speed.
I'm assuming these both (skid/tractor) both have cabs
tractor
pluses: way better visibility, 15mph or so on the road
minuses: weak lift arms
skid:
pluses: extremely strong lift arms for size. very fast, turn around go the other way. 2 speed (only way to go) about 13mph on road
minuses: terrible visibility.
price should be about the same.
ti depends on what you want to do.
big wide open areas, a skid rules. tight nasty cars everywhere, a tractor beats it.
a toolcat might be both.
about the same strength, good visibility, about 18mph road speed.
Having plowed with both a cabbed tractor (Kubota L3600) and a skid steer (mainly S185 and S250 Bobcats), they both have pros and cons. IMO, plows suck on skids and tractors, I have used them on both and hated it. Snow pushers and large buckets are the only way to go IMO. Currently we are running a 7' bucket and 7' 3pt blower on the L3600 and 8' bucket on the S250.
If you are mainly going to use it for doing driveways I would go with a Bobcat because of the maneuverability. I have found the tractor just to be to cumberson in driveways, but tractors tend to shine in open parking lots.
This is just what I have found, but everyone is different. What works great for some, doesn't work for others.
If you are mainly going to use it for doing driveways I would go with a Bobcat because of the maneuverability. I have found the tractor just to be to cumberson in driveways, but tractors tend to shine in open parking lots.
This is just what I have found, but everyone is different. What works great for some, doesn't work for others.
First one
Gold Member
Skids are great removing snow , but without tracks on them you can get them stuck easy if the ground isn't level. In parking lots there hard to beat . If your looking into one tracks might be the way to go, but I still think about ground clearance under them. I find that I can get closer to things with the bucket ,because you can see the edge of your bucket better. You can lift alot with them and bust though hard pack snow banks pretty easy.
Tractors, can work in most all types of situations. You can get a wheel off into the snow and get out ( most of the time). Skid steer without tracks would most likely, if on uneven ground spin itself right into getting more stuck.
Tractor you can dump the snow further away from the drive-way because of the reach.With a tractor you can have the option of having a rear blade or a snowblower and still have use of your bucket.
One other thing, spin around on concrete or a tarred driveway with a skid steer with tires and you could see black marks. I still think as much as I like skid steers and they are powerful machines ,I'd still go with a tractor.
If you do get into a pickle getting stuck ,you can always use your bucket to lift and roll back right? But if you don't get the snow scraped all the way down to the ground and ride up over it where your wheels break though your only going to be trying to push snow with the back of a skid where with a tractor you don't run into that problem. Just a few things I've run into using both.
Tractors, can work in most all types of situations. You can get a wheel off into the snow and get out ( most of the time). Skid steer without tracks would most likely, if on uneven ground spin itself right into getting more stuck.
Tractor you can dump the snow further away from the drive-way because of the reach.With a tractor you can have the option of having a rear blade or a snowblower and still have use of your bucket.
One other thing, spin around on concrete or a tarred driveway with a skid steer with tires and you could see black marks. I still think as much as I like skid steers and they are powerful machines ,I'd still go with a tractor.
If you do get into a pickle getting stuck ,you can always use your bucket to lift and roll back right? But if you don't get the snow scraped all the way down to the ground and ride up over it where your wheels break though your only going to be trying to push snow with the back of a skid where with a tractor you don't run into that problem. Just a few things I've run into using both.
Piston
Elite Member
Do you have a truck to trailer it? If so, and if your only interested from a snowplow point of view, why not get a plow for the truck? Much quicker than an ATV and can handle a lot more snow. As long as you push the snow back in the beginning of the season you don't have to worry about snow piling up and having to move it with a tractor...
However, you can use the tractor or skidsteer for a million other things and they are WAY more fun as well!
However, you can use the tractor or skidsteer for a million other things and they are WAY more fun as well!
turbo466
Member
New Holland has an option on their tractors called supersteer. On these the axle pivots as well as the tires, giving the maching greater manueverability.
radman1
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I have used skid, CUTs and Toolcat. My TC 5610 with 3 pt is my preferred. Good visibility, turns tightly, goes 18mph, rides smoothly and doesn't tear up the turf or leave skid marks on cement. I like the CUTs and TC because I can use different attachments on front on back. With the TC, I use a snow blade on the front and blower on the back. Sometimes I will use the pusher on the front and blade or blower on the back.
Depends on what conditions you plan to use the equipment. Long driveways, best to use the front or rear blade and push to snow off to the side. Couple of passes back and forth and done. Small/big areas or short driveways, the pusher is nice and just put it in a pile. I just bought a used Virnig pusher with back blade and now can get close to garage/buildings. Just pull the snOW back and then push it away. Deep snow and bigger drifts will require the blower.
If I was pushing snow in wide open spaces, like a parking lot, then a big skid and big pusher would be the way to go.
Virnig Manufacturing, Inc. - Snow Pusher
Virnig Manufacturing, Inc. - Pull Back for Snow Pusher
Depends on what conditions you plan to use the equipment. Long driveways, best to use the front or rear blade and push to snow off to the side. Couple of passes back and forth and done. Small/big areas or short driveways, the pusher is nice and just put it in a pile. I just bought a used Virnig pusher with back blade and now can get close to garage/buildings. Just pull the snOW back and then push it away. Deep snow and bigger drifts will require the blower.
If I was pushing snow in wide open spaces, like a parking lot, then a big skid and big pusher would be the way to go.
Virnig Manufacturing, Inc. - Snow Pusher
Virnig Manufacturing, Inc. - Pull Back for Snow Pusher
scesnick
Veteran Member
I use both at work and I think I would go with the tractor. The vision out of the skid steers in pretty low. You wouldn't want to side swipe someones car in their driveway.
Also, You could use the tractor to expand your business in the summer by mowing fields.
Also, You could use the tractor to expand your business in the summer by mowing fields.
Diamondpilot
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If I were doing parking lots I would just put a plow on a truck. Better speed, comfort, warmth, ect. Use the small stuff like a CUT on the drives.
Chris
Chris
LoneCowboy
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If you are going to trailer it around, you should put a plow on your truck.
commercial snow removal is all about speed, how fast can you do the most properties. and trailering means they are too far to drive a tractor/skid steer from property to property.
5 minutes on either side to load it up and take it down, that simply won't pay.
a skid/tractor is MUCH more expensive to run than a truck. Figure $30/hour operating costs for a skid/compact tractor. A truck is about $7-$10 an hour
If you have like 3 decent sized commercial properties, than it might be worth doing the trailer thing, but otherwise, no.
Most people use skid/tractors/construction equipment on properties because they are either suited for that purpose (great big lots with great big pushers) or they already own the equipment.
Unless you have a really tight route (under 3 or 4 miles) with a lot of places on it, a truck is way faster than a skid/tractor. (in that tight route though, a skid/tractor will rule)
commercial snow removal is all about speed, how fast can you do the most properties. and trailering means they are too far to drive a tractor/skid steer from property to property.
5 minutes on either side to load it up and take it down, that simply won't pay.
a skid/tractor is MUCH more expensive to run than a truck. Figure $30/hour operating costs for a skid/compact tractor. A truck is about $7-$10 an hour
If you have like 3 decent sized commercial properties, than it might be worth doing the trailer thing, but otherwise, no.
Most people use skid/tractors/construction equipment on properties because they are either suited for that purpose (great big lots with great big pushers) or they already own the equipment.
Unless you have a really tight route (under 3 or 4 miles) with a lot of places on it, a truck is way faster than a skid/tractor. (in that tight route though, a skid/tractor will rule)
I have to agree, if you are going to be trailering from job to job you are much better off having a plow on the truck also. Not only would that give you more versatility for your jobs, but there are alot of times that a plow truck is much faster than either a skid or tractor.
One other thing to think of, do you have year round work for the tractor/skid? Or is it just going to be used mainly for snow removal?
Honestly unless you are going to be putting 300-400 or so hours on the tractor/skid every year they aren't making you any money. That is if you figuring paying roughly $20K for a used cabbed skid steer or cabbed tractor, if you are looking at new equipment the prices go up alot, our S250 was $42K. At 300 hrs for a used machine, by the time you figure in your payment for the equipment (and trailer if you have to buy one), insurance, fuel, operaters hourly wage, ect, you are only going to break even.
One other thing to think of, do you have year round work for the tractor/skid? Or is it just going to be used mainly for snow removal?
Honestly unless you are going to be putting 300-400 or so hours on the tractor/skid every year they aren't making you any money. That is if you figuring paying roughly $20K for a used cabbed skid steer or cabbed tractor, if you are looking at new equipment the prices go up alot, our S250 was $42K. At 300 hrs for a used machine, by the time you figure in your payment for the equipment (and trailer if you have to buy one), insurance, fuel, operaters hourly wage, ect, you are only going to break even.
