Does anyone have an ultimate sidewalk solution for doing a lot of commercial sidewalks quickly? We are using ASV-PT30's right now but that is not the end all solution. We've used a BCS before with mixed reviews. I am looking for something to snow blow, plow/shovel, and spread salt. I wish someone made a snow slapper with rubber cutting edges that was twice as wide. It would take the place of a shovel because they clean the concrete so well and it would be a decent snow blower. Then I would want something to spread salt with. Some properties require you to walk back to the truck with the salt multiple times to refill. The sidewalks just seem inefficient to me. Can anyone who has figured this aspect of commercial snow removal shed some light on it for me? There has got to be a better way.
Dingo 320-D or Gravely for a plow/blower?
Z-Master for Salt & Liquid Application?
There are so many variables in size of walks, if your using a asv (small skidsteer), what about a toolcat instead, spreader on back and switch between plow, blower & broom on front ? Also Wacker/Neweson has small wheel loaders that I believer have spreaders for the back, then there are trackless, etc but those are crazy money. For smaller walks a bcs is a good all around multiple purpose setup, my personal preference is for dedicated machines. I would rather maintain a walk behind sweeper and a blower, just from a standpoint of if one doesn't start you can use the other, it may not be ideal but will get you through, and attachements are often as much as a dedicated unit.
We have been using Walker Mowers with plows/blowers on the front. We are looking to switch to the new John deere 1 series tractors, you can mount blower/plow/sweeper on the front, they have optional hard cabs w/heat and you can mount a spreader on the back and they fit on a 48" sidewalk and have a fairly low initial investment.
Ventrac. Once you go ventrac, you won't go back! Multiple attachments, articulated so super manueverable, cab ,heater, one machine is something like 38" or 40" wide and the other is 48" wide so you don't tear up the grass.
We use one and love it. Let me know if you want me to tell you more...
Front mount commercial mowers work incredibly well. Kubota, JD, Hustler, ect...all make machines that are very efficient. I personally use a F932 JD with a 66" blade and I can clear a couple miles of sidewalk every hour. On the back I've got a SnowEx 575 spreader which works *okay*. I wish I could find an electric drop spreader but I just don't think they're available.
Both shovel crews still use shovels and blowers but
We use a toolcat for a few miles of walks we do for a city and a few other commercial sites while its running around.
RLM
I'm trying to get away from $20-$30,000 machines that go mostly unused in the summer. I'm thinking something smaller and more nimble like a shoveler but it does not get tired like a shoveler... The walk behind unit are ok but I do not like to have the operator walking behind them. They seem to get tired and when all is done the walk back to the truck eats up time as well... Then they have the disadvantage of not being able to spread salt...
CDA817
We are not in the mowing business so it does not make sense to get any mowers. I don't want an expensive piece of equipment sitting all summer.
Schuley
I can see a Ventrac for large sites where it is fixed but we have a B3030 with all the attachments that fits the same niche. I'm looking to go from property to property quickly with a unit.
Maybe I'm trying to get something that is not available. Also the spreader would have to be a drop spreader because it cuts way down on damage in tight areas.
I have been pretty impressed as to what an atv can do. My sub uses a diesel atv Runs all night, has a 60 inch plow. If he had a v plow it would be even better. He tows it on a trailer. You could easily add a salter with a skirt around it and it would drop salt.
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Small town computer store owner/operator since 2000.
Commercial snow services since 2007
Its not primarily a mower its just a compact AG tractor with the blower and cab you are only looking at 18k or so which isn't bad for a snow only machine. Very few moving parts which leaves lithe room for breakdowns unlike some of the other machines on the market.
Kubota tractor + Bauman drop salter + 5' plow is pretty much the standard around here. If it's not a Kubota it's a Deere or Massey. Can't think of too many companies around here that don't have one. Heck even the Municipalities have been slowly replacing the trackless units with em.
It's hard to not to find a use for them in the summer and you can always just lease it for the winter be it from a farmer or a rental company.
Atv with a spreader on the back. For the money nothing will compare.. hit the walks every 4-6 inches and you won't need a blower.500+ cc's with a hand lift plow.
I've been having the same problem.. The idea's I came up are with the following:
UTV with a v plow and spreader on the back. The major down side is the width. You can road them if the distance isn't to far you can hold a days plus supply of salt and they are comfortable and easy to train people on
ATV With a straight plow and mini spreader.. Can't hold as much salt as a UTV has to be left on site can't legally road in my state.
Larger garden tractor (JD455 or a ventract) with a blower on the front and a salt dogg walk behind drop salt spreader attached to the back.. This would work for a dedicated site with bagged salt bins but takes to long to road from site to site..
I guess it depends on your setup and how far your accounts are..
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Trucks are red, tractors are green, and skid steers are yellow
to me it sounds like an ATV with a blade on the front would be your best bet...when i look at sidewalks i want speed...an ATV and a mower at top speed can provide that...we just picked up a snowblower for our grasshopper mower and i can't tell you how impressed i am with it, only issue we had was traction at times because we are still waiting on tire chains...blowin' snow at 10 MPH and doing a good job at that...it also didn't tear up grass when we had to go over it when cars were parked too close to the curb at apartment complexes...in my opinion the grasshopper is the best set up, BUT we use the mower on larger properties in the other 3 seasons, plus a bagging unit for early spring and leaves in the fall...so it makes sense for us...i would highly consider an ATV as my next investment if i went a different route, gives you 4x4, speed, and does a good enough job...can also put a spreader on the back
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