I'm going to be doing at least 10 driveways per snowfall and was going to get a winch to lift the plow blade. Is this the ideal thing to do? I heard of a lot of people burning out the electric lift, but then there are the winch problems to look foreward with the cable being at such an extreme angle. What would be best? I'm sure we all would like the Montana Jacks reciever system with the winch rotator (pretty sweet) but I don't have $500 to put towards that. So what is best? Should I be content with the winch set up (since that is where everyone is pointing me towards)? My concearn is when plowing that many driveways per snowfall I will quickly cause wear on the winch cable. I can't afford frequent equipment failure during the "cash" season.

 

If you have a roller fairlead on the winch, its not a big deal and not like you will be using the winch that much that you would cause premature wear....the winch cables are pretty tough...

I would think that the winch is the way to go and not the electric lift....you can use the winch for pulling your machine out, the electric lift is just used for the plow lift....I would go with the winch...

 

All of the major landscaping companies around here are using the manual lift, which Polaris doesn't offer on their glacier plow. The big dudes are telling me that the manual lift is the quickest, simplest, most reliable way to go. I guess I will most likely be getting a 54" blade, most likely Cycle Country.

 

I've got two Cycle Country plows , a 48" & a 60" . The 48 came with their electric lift & was nothing but problems So I installed a winch & it works much better.

 

Go with the winch. All season utility, plus if you get stuck an electric lift dont do you much good. If youre concerned with cable wear, Snowmobile hyfax (slides) are cheap and can be mounted where the cable hits the bumper. Glides real nice. One slide will last a couple of years worth of winching up a plow.

 

I'm using the Warn 2.5 winch with the roller fairleads to work my Glacier plow. When the dealer installed my winch they put the rocker switch right at my left thumb so I can work it without taking my hand off the grip.
2004.5 Sportsman 500 H.O.
Motovan fairing/windshield
Heated grips
MTV deluxe passenger seat with heat
Kimpex passenger pegs
front storage box with fuel storage
Warn 2.5 winch
Glacier Razor plow

 

I'd say winch. And if cable wear does become a problem, you can get a short length of synthetic winch cable to use in the winter months for the plow, and leave the stock long wire rope on in the summer. I admit that i have never used the electric lift, but a winch seems worth the difference. My Superwinch works great, and the cable shows no sign of wear.