I'm new to the forum and have a question for all you old hands. I have a rtv 900 that I presently use mostly for getting around a 100 acre wooded and hilly property and gathering firewood. I would like to do a little bit of dressing up of the old loging roads that were punched in by a cat many years ago and have some bank sluffing and rutting. Would this be possible with a front plow and if so which plow would you recommend? Thanks for the help, Ted
light road grading
- Thread starter tedt
- Start date
Ted,
I don't have any personal experience with the RTV plow but if your trails are anything like mine, I don't believe I'd do it with a front plow.
The plow on the front of the RTV is made for snow. I don't know how it would act, especially when tackling the sluffing issue. That may put a lot of torque on the mounting in particular.
Unless I have a dozer or skidsteer available, my preference for cleaning up trails that have the same conditions as yours is to use a box blade on the 3-point hitch of a tractor. When pulling an implement, if something gets snagged, it does a lot less damage than when pushing.
If you don't have a tractor with box blade available, here's a pic of one that goes on the RTV. I don't know anything about it, but I'd personally opt for something like this over a pushing type blade.
http://compacttractorreview.com/cs/photos/rtv_photo_gallery/picture1372.aspx
Brian
I don't have any personal experience with the RTV plow but if your trails are anything like mine, I don't believe I'd do it with a front plow.
The plow on the front of the RTV is made for snow. I don't know how it would act, especially when tackling the sluffing issue. That may put a lot of torque on the mounting in particular.
Unless I have a dozer or skidsteer available, my preference for cleaning up trails that have the same conditions as yours is to use a box blade on the 3-point hitch of a tractor. When pulling an implement, if something gets snagged, it does a lot less damage than when pushing.
If you don't have a tractor with box blade available, here's a pic of one that goes on the RTV. I don't know anything about it, but I'd personally opt for something like this over a pushing type blade.
http://compacttractorreview.com/cs/photos/rtv_photo_gallery/picture1372.aspx
Brian
[quote user="coobie"]I have the curtis snowplow for my kubota.I would NOTtry to do any moving of heavy dirt with it.The plow itself is made pretty solid but IMHO I would limit to snow removal only.coobie[/quote]
Coobie,
How does your plow mount to the RTV? Is it receiver or frame mounted?
Ted,
I forgot to mention that point earlier. Many of the front plows mount only to the front receiver. Any lateral or excessive force on that receiver could easily break something.
Coobie,
How does your plow mount to the RTV? Is it receiver or frame mounted?
Ted,
I forgot to mention that point earlier. Many of the front plows mount only to the front receiver. Any lateral or excessive force on that receiver could easily break something.
[quote user="bczoom"][quote user="coobie"]I have the curtis snowplow for my kubota.I would NOTtry to do any moving of heavy dirt with it.The plow itself is made pretty solid but IMHO I would limit to snow removal only.coobie[/quote]
Coobie,
How does your plow mount to the RTV? Is it receiver or frame mounted?
Ted,
I forgot to mention that point earlier. Many of the front plows mount only to the front receiver. Any lateral or excessive force on that receiver could easily break something.
[/quote]bczoom,my curtis snowplow is frame mounted with electric lift and I opted for the manual angle.I was looking at a Blizzard plow that was all hydro.but the cost was a crazy $2700 bucks installed,I opted for the curtis plow for around $1400 installed.Last year was the first year of snow plowing with it and it worked great,I am more than happy with it.coobie[
]
Coobie,
How does your plow mount to the RTV? Is it receiver or frame mounted?
Ted,
I forgot to mention that point earlier. Many of the front plows mount only to the front receiver. Any lateral or excessive force on that receiver could easily break something.
[/quote]bczoom,my curtis snowplow is frame mounted with electric lift and I opted for the manual angle.I was looking at a Blizzard plow that was all hydro.but the cost was a crazy $2700 bucks installed,I opted for the curtis plow for around $1400 installed.Last year was the first year of snow plowing with it and it worked great,I am more than happy with it.coobie[
]oldforester
Member
Tedt,</P>
I've had a lot of experience with log roads, installation, maintenance and repair. You should locate a good operator in your area with a decent size dozer (JD-450 or 550) who has had some experience with log roads. Maybe a logger who has some down time and is available for a few hours. Get your roads fixed some time when the weather is right for grading dirt (not too wet or dry), install small waterbars where necessary and then sow them down to a good grass seed mixture right away. You can then use them after the seed is established and really get some use out of your RTV by getting firewood, hunting or whatever. I think you will find that your money will be better spent this way. The RTV is not a dozer and is not the best tool for the job. A snow plow is a snow plow. Just trying to help.</P>
I've had a lot of experience with log roads, installation, maintenance and repair. You should locate a good operator in your area with a decent size dozer (JD-450 or 550) who has had some experience with log roads. Maybe a logger who has some down time and is available for a few hours. Get your roads fixed some time when the weather is right for grading dirt (not too wet or dry), install small waterbars where necessary and then sow them down to a good grass seed mixture right away. You can then use them after the seed is established and really get some use out of your RTV by getting firewood, hunting or whatever. I think you will find that your money will be better spent this way. The RTV is not a dozer and is not the best tool for the job. A snow plow is a snow plow. Just trying to help.</P>
TWO GUNS
Senior Member
Tedt,</P>
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<DIV id=_ctl0__ctl1_bcr_PostForm___Reply>oldforester had the perfect solution. He is 100% right on everything he stated.</DIV>
<DIV>Your money will be put to use better that way !!!</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></P>
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<DIV id=_ctl0__ctl1_bcr_PostForm___Reply>oldforester had the perfect solution. He is 100% right on everything he stated.</DIV>
<DIV>Your money will be put to use better that way !!!</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></P>
[quote user="tedt"]Thanks to all for your ideas and input--I guess I'll have to tell the wife that I have to buy a D8. Coobie, even though your Curtis plow is frame mounted you think dirt pushing would create lateral forces that would exceed the strength of the mounting? Ted[/quote] Ted,I think if all you pushed was some lose dirt you would be OK but if I was useing the plow on a logging road I would be nervous about hitting old stumps and such.coobie.