Gator Snow Removel

[GeoffDiamond]

If you have miles of walks to clear, their may be a great solution other than snowblowing and shovelng.

Curtis snowplows and tractor cabs, have cabs, plows, spreader, all built for the John Deere Gator. I haven't used these products, however i think they may work very well. I am also going to seriously look at them, if not buy one.

Geoff

[diggerman]

I have looked at these as well over the years for sidewalks and think they would work fine along with the Kawasaki mule which many of the same items are available for.The one thing that I have found is that for the cost a used suzuki samuri is a better deal.The overall width is not much diff and you can buy two used suzuki's for the price of one new of the other.Also heat and cab and seating are all better,parts are much more available from more parts houses.The drive train is no 1ton but is better and more durable,and cheaper to repair and transport is legal and does not take another truck.But all this is just my take after thinking about big sidwalk jobs a couple of times.

[Alan]

There's a guy around here who runs a Sno-Way on a Geo Tracker, which I think is the same cat as a Samuri with different tags. He leaves the plow on all winter, what with being a big time plow operator and never knowing just when he might get an emergency plow job.

[Lazer]

That's of your sidewalks are that wide.

For 48" & narrower a Holder (German) tractor or a Bobadier are the way to go.

[GeoffDiamond]

Well the curtis blade is 72" wide, i think when you angle it your probably clearing 66". If i bought one,i think it would work well it most places. I will admit many jobs i would be clearing 6" of grass too, but thats ok, as the snow builds up, things will get narrow. I think the Geo tracker, would be too big, plus the turing radius is a lot larger.

Geoff

[Chuck Smith]

The Steiner articulating tractors are getting more and more popular around here for walks. They have lots of attachments for them too. Those machines have a front PTO on them. They have a front mount blower for leaves, and a snow blower too.
Oh, and I think Lazer was referring to a Bombardier.

~Chuck

[John Allin]

Lazer,

Arn't Bombardier's abit expensive?? The only places I have seen that kind of equipment is on universities, college campus's and the like.

Is any contractor (on this forum) for hire using something that expensive on a regular basis ??

If so, I'd be interested in knowing how you/they are transporting it. I'd like to get one, but cannot seem to justify the cost as compared to what kind of return I could expect.

[diggerman]

There is a big diffrence between a Geo tracker and a samuri, the samuri is narrower and is actually very close to the same width as a Kawasaki mule,and not much longer.The problem with most machines like the steiner the gator and the mule as well as atv for doing large sidewalk areas is the lack of good quality heat,which means foggy windows and warm up breaks.Sure if you want to be dressed up in snowmobile suits for 10 to 20 hour thats fine but I have found that the production goes up drasticly when the driver is warm.Not only while they are plowing but also the period of time they can plow for and their willingness to come back time after time.The other thing that I have found with our tractors is that they are not very mobile, which usually means if they are going very far they have to be trailered.Never had a samuri with a plow but I priced a holder and you can buy 10 suzukis for the same price,if I get an account like that I may try one.I have also thought about one with a back drag blade for doing a complex I do were the drives are across a one lane alley(I think every architect should spend one season in a plow).

[DYNA PLOW]

diggerman,i have two of those sammy's,one is severlymodified
for extreme rock crawling and the other is stock. i have also thought about a plow on it as i have one account with alot of side walks that are over 60" wide.
if i do iwill let ya know
dan

[Lazer]

John,

There is 6-7 or so contractors that use Bombardiers in my area. Maybe a total of 20 machines or so.

They cost around $70,000 new.

The rest use Holders (Another 10 units or so, around $45,000 new) These are just the guys I'm buddy's with, I'm sure there's many more.

Granted, some of these guys do have municipal contracts, but most work for residential only. These guys all just drive their machines down the road, the go 25mph.

Guys that do commercial (office parks and such) use Toro GroungsMasters/Stieners on trailers.