Moved to a new home with ~170' straight run driveway just South of the CNY snowbelt. Considering a Kubota / Deere practical subcompact tractor at 1st but want to really know from someone (outside of a dealer) if these machines are practical for plowing. Like the idea of the ATV for other uses; hunting, trailing, etc. Are they really any good for mowing / plowing and general ~5 acre property maintenance. Will be doomed with the wife if I spend up to $10K on something and need something else!!! Please advise if a tractor is the way to go and maybe get a small riding ATV in the future. Have been looking at the 660 Grizzly, Polaris Rincon and others. Recommendations? Factory plow kit or other brand? Winch or hand raised plow? Are the lawn mowers worth the price? Is there potential belt damage with plowing? Are standards recommended over autos for work use? Really need a yard tool 1st and a toy second. Need help in a hurry though as winter is coming in CNY... Thanks.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

I used, and my father still uses, a 2000 Grizzly with an aftermarket 60" plow to move snow, gravel, dirt, etc. As long as you don't wait until there is 2 feet on the ground, a Grizz will move it just fine. A winch makes a world of difference, well worth the money for more reasons that just lifting the plow.

 

Has he used it for mowing? Thanks for the info.

 

I have both on my farm - Arctic Cat 500i, and John Deere 1050 tractor.

Generally speaking, the quad will mow and plow land, but the tractor does it a lot better. Deadman's throttle, so your thumb doesn't get tired. Runs the mower with a PTO, whereas the quad will need a self powered mower, more expensive, more to maintain. The tractor steers a lot easier. My neighbor plows a little garden with his quad, but anything more dense than soil will stop it - rock, big root, etc... I have a 44" swisher mower. Not bad, but not a substitute for a decent mower. Another neighbor has a 60" mower on the front of his rubicon, does pretty well with it so maybe I just needed to get the larger side discharge mower. Pulling power - no contest, the quad doesn't hold a candle to a tractor.

If you're plowing snow, the quad is excellent, probably better than the tractor if the snow isn't too deep. Be aware that a lot of snowplows for quads are fiberglass, so they will fall apart on anything heavier than snow. A scraper blade on a tractor is great for leveling ground, and fairly cheap.

I have a manual trans on my Cat, just didn't trust those rubber band things. I cross a creek several times getting across my farm, belts and water aren't always a good combination, especially if you're doing it every day. Get a winch, they're not that expensive and very handy to have.

Where my Cat gets a lot of use is in just getting me around my farm, and hauling firewood. My place is pretty hilly, so driving a tractor across it would be rather hazardous - tractors roll a lot easier than a quad, and weigh a lot more. The quad is a lot faster over rough ground than a tractor or truck, and doesn't tear the ground up as much. And it's a lot more fun.

So which should you get? Both, if possible. Each does some things very well. I'd suggest you see if a tractor and a modest quad fit into your budget. I have an older 4x4 Big Bear that has been quite reliable, and lots of fun, so not getting the latest and greatest in a quad isn't the end of the world. You should be able to find a used Bear and JD 850 for under $10k, no problem.