I was looking to purchase either the 550xp polaris or the 850xp to be used for snow removal. Any input as to whether the 550xp doesn't have what it takes to move 2' of snow. Should I only be looking at the 850xp? Also, what are your thoughts as to a plow or blower attachment. Pros,cons. Which is better? Got a long flag lot driveway. 900'. RCA topping. Near the house is pea gravel. I have a honda 1132TAS blower. It's awesome but with a big snow storm, like this one, it took 10 Hrs!!!!!! two days to dig out. I'm done. Thanks

 

will the machine just be used for plowing? the 550 will be plenty for plowing, the 850 would be overkill i think, unless you want the extra power just for fun or trail riding. polarises are pretty good snow plowers because they are heavy and get plenty of traction. good luck!

 

Thanks for the reply, Yes it will mostly be used around the house. Snow removal, some work in the meadow for discing in the spring and of course grading the driveway, ruts etc. My concern when watching some youtube vids., is it appears whenever there is heavy snow, the atv's seem to have some difficulty. I don't think the long driveway will be a problem. Two passes could do it depending on the size of the blade, one down and one up. But up near the house where the parking area is means PUSHING snow for longer runs. I thought the heavier weight and HP of the 850xp would be necessary to do this. I don't have any experience in this area.Never even owned an atv. Used to ride motorcross back in high school but that was 25yrs. ago!

 

you are correct, pushing 2 ft of snow down a long driveway probably is not do-able. i used to plow with my old machine, a lightweight yamaha 450, and i found that i would have to make frequent passes during a snow storm so it did not get ahead of me. i did not like to push more than 8" to a foot at a time. its not the power the machine has when it comes to plowing, both machines will have plenty of grunt in low gear, it mainly comes down to weight and traction. you can always throw sand bags on the racks for traction. i think i'd go with the 550 if i were you, i dont see a need for the 850.

 

You have to be in low range when plowing so even a Sportsman 335 can push snow as good a 800. No ATV runs out of power while in low range.

 

Thanks guys, Appreciate the input. Obviously I would prefer to spend less money for the 550xp. Any thoughts on the best plow setup?

 

This is another thought. 2010 Polaris Sportsman Big Boss 6x6 800 ATV : Overview With plenty of power and traction it's the best of both worlds for plowing. As others have said, you'll run out of traction before you run out of power in low gear. The only place this machine is not good is tight trails or sharp turns. If you can live with wide turns and extreme traction it might be a nice fit. I've thought of getting one but don't have the cash right now.

 

Thanks for the input MooseHenden. The 6x6 IS a sweet machine but as you, I don't have the cash either. Seeing that the tax assessment for my house has gone up while my electrical business (1 employee) as well as the economy has tanked, I don't forsee me getting it either. I've got to put more fertilizer on my money tree and get it out of hibernation. Everyone has a money tree, right?? I guess we're SUPPOSED to!!! I was hoping to purchased used. It doesn't matter. Before too long, we'll all be signing over our checks directly anyway so on second thought I think I'll put chains on my nephews tricycle. LOL

 

The 550 with chains on all fours would be plenty I would think. I have a 400 Suzuki Eiger that I do both my driveways and my mother in laws driveway. I have yet to really have a problem. I have the moose plow and mount that works for me. One HUGE tip with plowing with an ATV if you get alot of snow is to always push the snow as far back as possible when you first start or you will run out of room to put the snow as it build up.

 

The heaviest atv with power steering will work best.
The 550 will push as much as the 850. Don't expect to plow like a truck, you'll need to make a pass every few inches of snow. Get the heaviest made plow you can find.