They say life is about simple pleasures, and one of the best simple pleasures I know is using your ATV to get jobs done. You are out working, but you are enjoying your rig. It really doesn't get better than that.
In this case, the simple pleasure I'm referring to is plowing snow. A fresh snowfall becomes another excuse to get out, fire up the ATV and play around, er, work hard for an hour or so. Without further ado, here are some tips on how to install that plow of your dreams.
Plow Basics
Plows come in a variety of sizes and shapes and are one of the most-popular ATV accessories. For this test, we went with a large plow offered by Cycle Country. As with many of the plow manufacturers, it offers straight and vee blades and a "state blade," or a large angled blade (which is what the state's snowplow trucks use, hence the name).
We chose the 60-inch state blade, a giant orange blade. In order to mount it, Cycle Country supplied a push tube (which runs under the ATV and mounts the plow), a mounting plate that includes mounting points for the tube and an electric angling kit. The directions require all of your attention, but we were able to do the job in an afternoon. The basic plow, push tube and mounting plate all went on fairly easily. The electric angling kit required considerable effort to install. The installation photos should help you through some of the tricky parts.
Note that you'll also need a lift mechanism for your plow. We had a winch installed on our test machine, and that works nicely for the plow. If you are considering purchasing a winch lift system, the manual lift is the most-economical option. We'd strongly recommend using a winch, as it is not much more expensive than adding an electric lift and is a nearly mandatory accessory for quads that see serious off-road use.
1. The first part to install...
1. The first part to install is the mounting plate, which bolts to your frame. This is easiest if you tip the machine up on its end. Be sure and turn off the gas before you tip it up. We also fit the push tube with the ATV in this position, and we'd recommend attaching the wire to the electric motor for the angle adjuster at this time. You'll want to align the two blocks that keep the electric motor from hitting the frame while the machine is tipped up.
2. We had to drill out the...
2. We had to drill out the stock plastic skid plate in order to slip the U-bolts that mount the plate through.
3. Here you see how the U-bolts...
3. Here you see how the U-bolts sit after the holes are drilled. The left U-bolt rode up on the motor mount a bit. It held tight and the plate mounted level, but the U-bolt did not lay down nicely against the frame.
4. This is how the front end...
4. This is how the front end of the push tube came set up from the factory. We had to reposition a few parts to install the electric angling kit.
5. Lay out the push tube on...
5. Lay out the push tube on a table or bench, and align it the same way as in the drawing. This makes it easier to follow the instructions and to get things assembled to match the sometimes-confusing drawings.
6. The instructions for mounting...
6. The instructions for mounting the electric angling kit were not perfectly clear on how to mount this cable tensioner. Note that the L-shaped threaded part tucks under the plate. Leave this part as loose as you can to make it simpler to install the cable.
7. Wind the cable around the...
7. Wind the cable around the motor spool so it doesn't overlap, or you'll have trouble stretching it tight with this little spring. Once it's on, tighten the cable with the tensioner shown in the previous photo. The tension is right when you can slip a zip-tie into the coils of the spring, as shown here.
8. When installing the electric...
8. When installing the electric angling kit, you have to replace the locking mechanism for the plow with this bent rod and bolt setup. Be sure and slide the long spring over the bolt before you tighten the bolt--it won't slide over afterward.
9. This is how the push tube...
9. This is how the push tube looks when it is slid into place under the quad. The tube attaches to the mounting plate with two pins located at the rear of the tube.
10. Attaching the blade to...
10. Attaching the blade to the tube is fairly tricky. Make sure the square metal blocks are aligned as shown, use the top bolt holes to mount the blade to the tube and be prepared to use a rubber mallet to pound the bolts through the hole. The hole is the proper size, but the thick paint makes the bolts hard to drive through it. We found using a drill to remove the paint inside the hole helped the bolts slide through more easily.
11. Here you see the plow...
11. Here you see the plow mounted, with the strap connected to the spring. That strap/spring combo controls the locking mechanism that allows the plow to angle. Also note the winch hooks into the slot on the plow mount, not to the same bolt onto which the spring hooks.
12. The wires that control...
12. The wires that control the electric angling kit are somewhat tricky to route. We found the relay tucked nicely into the pod at the front of our Honda Rincon. You have to route wires from the relay down to the electric angling motor and back to the battery.
13. The control for the electric...
13. The control for the electric angler mounts to the handlebar as shown. If you use a Cycle Country winch, the controls mate more conveniently than with this setup.
14. This is the complete setup,...
14. This is the complete setup, ready to plow.
AClark County, Wisconsin,...
AClark County, Wisconsin, is located smack-dab in the middle of the state and offers 170 miles of well-marked ATV trails.
Featured Destination: Clark County, Wisconsin
Clark County, Wisconsin, offers a mix of great trails, gorgeous scenery and low traffic. It's centrally located in Wisconsin, about four hours from Chicago and two and a half from Minneapolis-St. Paul. The area had more people living in it in 1930 than it does today, and the mostly uninhabited 1200-plus square miles are packed with sleepy little towns, 133,000 acres of public land, 32 lakes, the Chippewa River and 170 miles of ATV trails.
The trail system consists of a mix of fire roads and twisting sandy two-track running through hardwood and pine forests. The trail follows the Chippewa River and has some nice, scenic stops on the way. The system is closed from March 15 to May 1 as well as the nine days of deer gun season (which lasts from the Saturday before Thanksgiving to the Sunday after the holiday). ATVs need to be registered in Wisconsin and display a current registration to be operated on the trails. Nonresident vehicles must have a nonresident trail pass. Contact the Clark County Forestry and Parks Department (715/743-5140, 888/CLARK-WI; www.clark-cty-wi.org/ATV.html, www.wisc-online.com/counties/clark/) for further information.
The trail system has great...
The trail system has great access to the area restaurants, most of which have gas stops such as this one.
With lots of great little Sconny (Wisconsin) burger joints and gas stations on the trails and relatively low traffic, the area is perfect for a weekend getaway. Note that there is plenty of public land for hunting small game, and some great fishing at Mead Lake or Rock Dam.
If you go, be sure to have a burger at Dale's North Mound Tavern. Dale's is one of those little places where you can get a great burger and fries for less than $2 and a tap beer (or an on-tap 1919 Root Beer) for less than $1. It has great food, Clark County ATV maps on the counters, live bands on some Saturday nights and a great mix of classic and new rock on the jukebox, and you can get a free pitcher of beer for every deer heart you bring in. What more can you ask?
Just down the road from Dale's you'll find Sunset Pines Resort (715/267-6989; www.sun-set-pinesresort.com), which has three two-bedroom cabins for rent and a 4.5-acre lake stocked with game fish right out front. The cabins are about a mile off the trailhead. You need to trailer your quads to the trailhead.