Well winter is over (I hope). This winter I got to plow some snow with two different BIG REDS with two different plow setups. I will be honest - plowing snow with a BIG RED was cool for awhile but it will not be my first choice in the future. There is a few reasons for this:
Other Plow Vehicles - I have a 1954 Allis Chalmers WD 45 with a back blade and a 1983 Case 580 Super E tractor/backhoe. Both of these vehicles are better and faster than plowing with a BIG RED.
Time/Transitions - Plowing with a BIG RED takes a lot of time compared to the other vehicles I have. Is it better than shoveling? Yes but raising and lowering the plow, going from forward to reverse, and multiple passes can get tiring.
Snow accumulation - I found the BIG REDS were good when the snow was a foot or less. Anything more the rear tires would just spin. Note that I did not run snow chains.
My driveway - I have a gravel driveway that is not level. This means the blade height needed to be adjusted to avoid digging in. The 1985 BIG RED with a winch controlling the blade height was a huge advantage as the blade height could be held easily as compared to the Cycle Country Plow on the 1984 BIG RED. I had to manually hold the cycle country plow up in many spots which was difficult.
Here are some other considerations:
Driveway - The ideal driveway for the BIG RED plow is a paved level driveway. Anything else will most likely cause issues.
Storage - The plows I have are large and heavy. Storing the plow in the off season should be considered.
Installation - Getting the plows on and off of the BIG REDS was fairly easy but I did not use the BIG REDS for anything else while the plows were installed. Trying to use the BIG RED around the property with the plow installed is not practical. Taking the plow on and off throughout the winter may not be the best option either.
In conclusion I am glad I had the chance to plow snow with a BIG RED but it is not the best solution for me. Yes it is better than shoveling but instead of investing money for a plow for your BIG RED you may be better off taking that money and buying a snowblower especially if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow.
1984 Honda 200ES with Cycle Country plow
1985 Honda 250ES with plow
