The ATV Vee Plow Vs. The ATV Straight Blade – Here’s the One You Need
So, do you get an ATV Vee Plow or stick with the straight blade?
It could very well be one of the most popular questions that people have regarding which snowplow to buy.
A good part of the time, you see professionals running an ATV Vee plow.
Of course, they aren’t just limited to ATVs or UTVs.
V-plows can show up on a variety of different trucks or pieces of machinery.
And there is a reason for that.
Seasoned plowpeople feel that v-plow give you a lot more control when you’re plowing.
They argue that because they essentially have two blades, you can control where the snow goes which ultimately makes your job of plowing a little faster and easier.
When pressed for more information, people running v-plows often cite these reasons for them being superior over straight blades:
- Easier to clear a driveway. With an atv vee plow you can attack a driveway head on. Whereas with a straight blade, you’ve got to start at an angle. And this makes sense as having the vee in the center of the plow gives you a cutting edge right in front of you. So this just makes it easier. You can attack snow head-on, rather than having to get out and adjust your blades to a certain angle or drive your atv at an angle while trying to plow.
- The reverse Vee makes clearing parking lots quicker. Ok fine. Maybe there isn’t such a thing as a “reverse Vee” on a V-plow. But if you angle your V-blade in the opposite direction, you can use it as a scoop. This means that you can take big straight sections of snow out at once. This is because the scoop doesn’t allow the snow to spill out the sides as you plow.
- V-Plows are fantastic at removing hardened snow or ice. And this really comes into play if you’re trying to move big banks of snow. The Vee allows you to slice right into the bank head on. If you were using a straight blade, you’d have to try and hit the snowbank or snow pile at an angle and try to chip away at it. So it can really save you a lot of time.
Most often, once you’ve used a V-plow, you never want to go back to using a straight blade.
With it’s extra efficiency and control, this design a big favorite among professionals.
Just the fact that you can adjust your blades is a big help.
You can use the standard arrowhead shape to cut through packed snow or ice. Or as I mentioned before, you can also reverse the V, and create a scoop to make placing or stacking the snow or ice a breeze.
But all is not perfect.
There are a few drawbacks to getting an ATV Vee plow.
Disadvantages to Using an ATV Vee Plow
First of all, if you’re a professional, these disadvantages might not matter as much to you.
Most of the drawbacks of a v-plow system would fall into concerns a homeowner or light user might have.
Disadvantage #1 – Cost
The first concern is the cost.
An ATV Vee plow will cost quite a bit more money than a standard straight blade.
This is in large part to the fact that most V-plows have hydraulic systems that allow you to open and close the plow.
(By open and close, I mean that you’re converting the plow from an arrowhead style to more of a scoop style.)
And with the added hydraulic system and controls, this adds quite a bit of cost.
Now, there are systems where you can manually open and close the v-plow and lock it in place.
But even those systems are at least double the cost of a standard straight blade.
Disadvantage # 2 – Weight
Now, this might not be something you think about right off the bat.
But all of these hydraulics, the larger blade and more brackets involved with running a v-plow weighs a lot.
And while you might not have to manually lift it yourself, your machine does.
This results in more wear and tear on your ATV or UTV.
So the front suspension will take more of a beating as it lugs around this added weight.
In some cases, you might even have to offset all of the weight on the front using a counterbalance.
You might have to add more weight to the back of the ATV in order to keep it from being “nose heavy.”
And in doing this – again – it will add even more wear and tear on your ATV.
Of course, if you’re running a salt spreader or carrying sandbags on the back of your quad anyways it might not be a big deal.
But it doesn’t take away from the fact it’s still added weight.
So if you’re a professional who makes money doing this, wearing out your equipment might just be the cost of doing business.
But for the average homeowner, they’re not going to want to wear their ATV out doing it.
Overall Thoughts on the ATV Vee Plow
The most important thing for you to consider when thinking of getting an atv vee plow is how much you’re going to use it.
If you’re going to just plow your own driveway and a couple others here or there, I don’t see the point in spending the extra money. And I don’t see the benefit of putting the added stress on your ATV or UTV by doing it.
I think your money would be better spent on a simple straight blade system like this one.
If you wanted, you could even look into getting a snowblower attachment for your ATV or UTV. See here for what you should know before going this route.
But if you’re a professional and you’re looking to speed things up, a v-plow system might be the way to go.
When people looked for information an an atv vee plow, they also ended up searching for answers to questions like the following:
Where to push and what kind of blade would be best?
There are basically two easy ways to push snow. You can use a tractor or ATV mounted blade, or you can drag a light duty commercial grade blade behind your ATV. If you want to clear an area bigger than half an acre in size, it’s easiest to use the tractor-mounted blade, but if you only have one idea of where to put the snow (ie. on top of fields) then dragging the commercial grade blade will work just as well. A heavy duty ATV like a side by side would be easier again because it should be able reduce larger amounts of snow more quickly than any four wheeler or off road vehicle with smaller wheels.
What the distance is (approximately) center to center of the push beam hooks?
The distance between the two push beam hook bases is typically 16 inches.
It’s not uncommon for a pair of push beam hooks to be mounted in a factory at a distance apart of no less than 16″.
But like with everything, it can vary slightly from model to model.
What kinds of things should I look for in a snow plow for my atv?
A snow plow for an ATV may be different than one for a truck. Overall, the features to look for in any type of snowplow are durability, blade performance and salt or ice break-up.
It’s best to buy a plow with a replaceable wear strip on the bottom of it, one made out of some kind of AR plate.
Why did you buy the v-plow in the first place?
People often buy the V-plow for their ATV because it’s perfect for providing a clean, frozen surface on tough terrain. It does to an ATV what skis or blades do to a snowmobile. With its heavy duty construction and 8″wide steel plowing deck, the V-plow will bring smooth surfaces for transporting goods deep into any terrain where traditional skid steers can’t go.
You might also want one if your job is remodeling ski slopes, building off-highway trucking routes, or opening doors to previously inaccessible backcountry hiking trails!
Is plowing bad for atv?
No. Plowing with an ATV is actually safer than using a tractor. It’s also “greener” because it doesn’t need as much fuel, and the only emissions are the exhaust that comes out of your vehicle.
Another nice benefit of using an ATV for plowing is that the ATV creates a small amount of ground contact which significantly reduce soil erosion and compaction, as you have more control over it than a big blade on a tractor.
Is it better to plow snow ATV or UTV?
A Utv is better. An ATV takes up to 2/3 of the width of a residential street, so it will take them longer than a UTV. A UTV averages between 4-5 feet in width and can easily clear sidewalks and driveways without as much as scraping.
What is an ATV plow?
It’s a compact plow, usually used with a small tractor for recreational purposes.
A compact plow is typically 2 to 3 inches or less wide, with tines angled to the right of the operator. The tines are mounted on either side of an upper frame member that is suspended by steel cables from a set of heavy-duty frames which, in turn are fitted onto the axle of an ATV. Compact plows provide light leveling and subsurface cultivation tasks that would be beyond the capabilities or operating capability of individual hand blade use or small tractors without rear power units.
Are ATV plows good?
Yes, they are excellent for clearing snow and drifts.
A front mounted ATV plow is very good for getting around, but it will not go over anything more than about six inches high. A heavier duty plow with a wider blade will handle anything up to four feet high without too much trouble.
What size plow should I put on my ATV?
The size plow you should use depends on the snow conditions in your area. For heavy snowfall, purchase a large or heavy duty plow. For light to medium snowfall, purchase the standard size.
It’s always best to consult with someone who can physically measure the amount of snow expected in your area so they can recommend the correct tool for you. If that isn’t possible, again for heavy snowfalls I recommend large or heavy duty plows; if its sand or ice then any size will do; and if it’s only light to medium snowfall then buy standard sized plows.
Can you plow with a 2wd ATV?
Yes, if you are willing to make a little more work for yourself. With 2wd (4×2) ATVs, it is possible to go forward while slip-sliding or ride backwards while slip-sliding; but with 4wd (4×4) ATVs, it’s possible to go both forward and backward without slipping.
The only downside of plowing with a 2wd will be gathering too much snow in front of the plow which will pull it backwards when you try to get your car moving again. The other option would be to get behind the vehicle you’re taking off from, lift that tire up into the air so there isn’t any snow underneath it and push back by bouncing up and down.
Which ATV is best for plowing?
I suggest an ATV with at least 500cc engine and tires that are at least 27 inches tall would be good. Different models seem to vary greatly in this category. The best way is to consult the manufacturer’s specifications before buying one for plowing.
What is best ATV for the money?
There isn’t any one particular ATV make or model that is universally recognized as the best. However, it’s possible to compare the performance of various models by checking specifications, which are typically published on each manufacturers’ website. The following data should be considered when comparing various models available on the market today.
Check for engine displacement. A larger engine will have more horsepower and torque at better speeds, but it may use more gas than a smaller engine would require because there is less weight to pull around. Generally speaking, an ATV intended for recreational purposes doesn’t need to exceed 300cc or so; one intended for racing or mud-slinging might go up into the 400cc arena; and anything over 500 will handle just about anything you throw at it.
What size Truck do I need to plow snow?
You need a large truck – at least 3/4 tonnes.
If you live in the south and only get snow every year or two, then go for a smaller truck that gets great gas mileage if your budget is tight. A warm climate with mild winters may not warrant plowing at all – but still think about ice and flood damage prevention just to be safe. If you live in New England, go for at least an 8-foot pickup with a plow and top-quality windshield wipers; those kind of trucks don’t make it any faster through snow, but they do at least keep you safer on icy roads as well as taller trucks like SUVs which can easily slip off the road over time (especially with bad chains).
Is a 400cc ATV big enough to plow snow?
Yes. But with that said, there are a lot of different factors that come into play when you’re trying to determine if any size ATV can plow snow, including the layout of your property and the type of terrain it’s on.
An ATV with a 400cc engine is probably capable of plowing snow as long as you have a relatively flat piece or land for them to work from. A larger engine will make the job much easier because they will be able to do more work without exhausting themselves as quickly. Even an ATV with 300 cc engine stand the chance of being able to plow snow, but don’t expect them to last too long under those conditions.
Are UTV good for plowing snow?
Yes, but they are expensive when compared to a normal tractor or ATV. UTVs are not heavy enough to do the same job as a regular tractor in most cases, but can use less fuel because of their smaller engines.
How much horsepower do you need to plow snow?
You need 500cc of power to plow snow. This will provide enough power and torque to push the snow and clear a path for you and your car.
Can a 250 ATV plow snow?
It can, but it would be underpowered. Most ATVs have a smaller engine because their size prohibits them from being as powerful as a full-size commercial plow.
Can a Kawasaki Brute Force 300 plow?
Yes, but it would be underpowered. The Kawasaki Brute Force 300 has the power to plow with little effort in light snow. For heavy snow, you may want to look into a bigger engine like the Kawasaki 400cc 4-Stroke Rear Tine Rotary Snowblower (NP28ZXER). Alternatively there are also two-stroke rotating blade rubber tracks that offer better traction for plowing in winter conditions.
Is a 500cc ATV big enough?
Yes, a 500cc ATV is a good size for an ATV.
However, the larger an ATV is, the easier it will be to drive and control off-road. The pros of owning a 700-800cc ATV are that they have more torque from the engine and produce less heat in conjunction with their lower compression ratio which makes them more fuel efficient. They also have a wider range of use in different terrains because they can handle rougher conditions better. Other pro’s include high top speeds, being able to carry heavy loads during rescue missions/hunting trips/etc., and being easier to operate after becoming familiar with all controls regardless of how much power it has if you’re not familiar with driving.
How many miles do ATVs last?
Lifespan will vary by driving conditions, but our estimates put the average at about 10,000 miles.
A well-maintained ATV is built for reliability and longevity. The newest models are developed with lower pulse engines to increase life span. Additionally, vehicle maintenance can help prolong your unit’s life cycle up to 10 times that of regular use in the wilds!