All-terrain vehicles (ATV’s) are specifically designed for all types of terrain from mud, to rocks, the plains, and even snow. Snow is by far the most difficult for all vehicles because of the freezing temperatures that coincide with the white stuff. Not only do you have to worry about the sheer amount of snow, which you can get stuck in, but you also have to take into account the freezing temperature that can affect both you and your machine, and make slipping a big issue.
How much snow can an ATV handle? How much snow an ATV can handle depends on the traction you can get. With the right modifications, your ATV should be able to easily tackle upwards of 2 feet of snow in your ATV with the right modifications.
The modifications you will want if you are riding in a lot of snow aim to improve:
The more traction you have, the greater the amount of snow you can traverse in your ATV. The same can be said for power and plowing ability. If you are able to push more snow out of your way, it will make it easier for you to traverse the terrain.
This article will explore what modifications can be made to your ATV that will coincide with the aspects of your ATV as mentioned above. Even if you do not plan to use your ATV for heavy snow terrain, this article will give helpful advice on items or things you should think about when riding your ATV in all types of conditions.
All-terrain vehicles are extremely customizable. You can make your ATV perfectly suited for the type of terrain you will be experiencing when you ride by simply changing out a few parts.
You should always refer back to your owner’s manual to see the lowest temperature at which your ATV can operate. Most owner’s manuals will have outlined ways you can reduce the temperature that your ATV can operate in. Some small, easy steps or additions you can add to your ATV that can help it run at lower temperatures include:
These parts and accessories ensure that your ATV can start in freezing temperatures. The hardest part about cold weather, as any vehicle owner can surely attest to, is getting your vehicle to start up in the below freezing temperatures. Once you get your ATV started, the heat from the engine keeps everything warm and powered so you can go on your adventure.
TiresBy far the most important part of your ATV to consider when determining what terrain you will be facing, ATV tires directly relate to how much traction you will be getting from your ATV. Tires are the part of your ATV that will be in constant contact with the ground and determine whether your ATV will make it in the snow.
Special ATV tires are made for all kinds of terrains. Most tire manufacturers make cheap tires that can be used for “all terrain,” which is a shaky statement at best. In order to get the best performance from your ATV on the type of terrain you will be facing, it is vital that you get the tires made specifically for that terrain.
For snow terrain, you want tires that meet the following categories:
The ridges on the tires are known as tread blocks. They are the raised pattern that fully encompass your tire. The more these ridges protrude outwards from your tire base, the deeper snow your ATV can travel through. The rigid tires dig into the snow and allow you to gain more traction than if you had smooth tires.
Radial paddles are exactly what they sound like. Radial paddles are raised sections on the tire that can span the entire width of the tire.
They give the tire the look as if it is the paddle of a paddle boat and function in much the same way as large ridges. Radial paddles are more important than ridges when you are traveling through deep snow as they are able to push you through soft terrain.
The raised ribs on snow tires are a combination of both the rigid tread blocks and radial paddles. Raised ribs will be located on tread blocks and look much like the radial paddles. Raised ribs are specially made for moderately deep snow to little amounts of snow so that you can maintain great traction while still having the smoothest ride as possible.
The next aspect of the tire you have to take into account when determining how much snow your ATV will be able to traverse is the width of your tire. You want a wider tire when dealing with deeper snow to spread out the weight of your ATV over a larger area. The more spread out the weight is, the less likely your ATV will sink in the snow and get stuck. The wider the tires means a greater distribution of the weight of your ATV over a larger area.
If you want our recommendation on an excellent snow tire, check out the Maxxis Snow Tires.
Are t here Adjustments to Help in Deeper Snow?Yes! There are many adjustments you can make to customize your ATV to make it be able to function and excel in all types of terrain, especially snow. These adjustments can be made to different places of the ATV. You can add accessories to your ATV or add additions to already modified parts on your ATV.
ATV Tracks are the most obvious choice, but they are expensive and limit your riding to only snow. However, if you are riding in deep snow and not on roads or dirt or anything else, replacing your wheels with tracks are your best option to avoid getting stuck.
Tire AccessoriesWith tires being the most important part of your ATV when it comes to traversing over snow, you can further customize them to ensure that you have the best traction possible.
There are two ways you can add traction to your tires through the addition of accessories: chains and ice spikes. Tires chains are the most common way to add traction to your tires in snowy or icy conditions. The downside of having tire chains on your ATV is that you cannot go full speed since the chains could break sending metal chunks flying in all directions.
–These chains are our favorite, but they do come with a hefty price tag-
Ice spikes or studs are rubber spikes on the tire that are cone shaped. The shape allows the tire to be able to grip icy surfaces by poking holes in the ice and gaining traction through that method. These studs are tailored towards travel across ice instead of snow.
-You can find a lot of different options here on Amazon-
WinchEven if you customize your ATV with everything to make it a beast when it comes to traveling through snowy terrain, there is always a possibility that you will get stuck along your journey.
When you do get stuck, it could take hours for you to dig your heavy ATV out of the snow. You have to work it back and forth till you get the ATV free which requires a ton of effort.
You can save a lot of time and energy by installing a winch on your ATV. The winch allows you to be able to pull your ATV out of snow drift very easily. All you have to do is find a sturdy tree or rock to tie the winch around and turn it on. The winch will do all the hard work of dragging your ATV out of the deep snow.
Check out our Recommended Gear for our Winch recommendations.
LightsIf all else fails and you find yourself completely stuck and unable to get out while on a trail or you are riding your ATV in weather conditions that limit sight range, you need to have plenty of lights on your ATV in order to be seen. The ability to be seen by others is vital for your safety when driving any ATV.
We use the sweet lights from Gorilla Whips, which we reviewed not long ago.
ATV riding in the snow is a ton of fun! If you haven’t done it yet, you need to give it a try. There are some things you can do to make your ride more fun and hit the deeper snow. Just make sure to be careful!
One safety tool I like to have on me when riding in snow or other places I may get stuck is some recovery boards. They are a life saver at getting traction when you need it.
One of the more common concerns people have when thinking of getting a snowplow for their ATV is how well it actually works for plowing snow. How much snow can it handle, and how does it really perform in the more challenging plowing conditions?
I myself was on the fence on whether I should get a plow for my ATV or if I should add some more cash and get an ATV snowblower instead. I did a little research to help me decide, and I will share my findings in this post.
So how well do ATV snow plows work? An ATV snow plow works really well for almost any depth of dry snow or for moderate to low depths of wet snow.
It’s fast, maneuverable, and great for sidewalks. However, for deep and heavy snow, you will probably be better off using a heavier machine or a snowblower.
There is definitely a need to elaborate a bit on the short version of the answer above.
How well an ATV snow plow actually works depends on many factors such as what you are comparing up against, what you are planning to achieve, what kind of snow conditions you typically get where you live, and what realistic alternatives you have to choose from.
Related: 3 Best ATVs for Plowing Snow; Buyers Guide
Dry snow weighs almost nothing. A breeze of wind will move it on the ground. With powdery snow like this, it doesn’t really matter how deep the snow is. It doesn’t weigh anything so that the ATV can handle it.
However, you may find it a bit challenging to keep all of the snow in front of the blade. As you speed up, the powdery snow will overflow the plow blade, so that you need several passes to move all of it.
If you expect a lot of plowing in conditions like these, it’s a good investment to upgrade your plow with a rubber deflector that mounts on top of the blade. This will allow you to plow snow in depths near the height of your blade without overflowing issues.
Most places get these kinds of conditions with really deep and light snow only a few times each year. Instead, it’s the more challenging conditions that become the deciding factor whether an ATV snow plow is the right choice for you.
This is where things start to become a bit more challenging. The wetter and more compact the snow gets, the harder it will be to plow. This is true with all snowplows, not just with ATVs.
In most cases, the ATV plow will have no problems with a couple of inches of even the heaviest stuff. When depths start reaching 6-8 inches, the bike’s relatively low weight starts showing in the form of less than optimal plowing performance.
Tires may start spinning, and you may find that it’s struggling to keep the blade all the way down to the ground.
The compact snow will lift the plow blade so that you need to go back for a second pass. But then you also need to tackle the snow-packed by your tires from the first pass. To prevent the blade from lifting, you can install a so-called down-force kit.
The only problem is when the snow is deep or wet; the front end wants to push to whatever side the blade is angled.
Having a 4×4 quad is a must. For more inspiration on what you can do to prevent your tires from spinning, I recommend you head over to this article about the best ATV weight for plowing snow.
Real snow storms with several feet of snow are the most challenging. When you expect more than a few inches of heavy snow, you simply have to go out and plow during the snow.
Now, this is what I call winter!If you wait until after the storm has finished, you may find yourself facing more than the ATV can handle efficiently.
If you put some effort into it, you will eventually tackle deep, heavy snowfalls as well, but it takes much more time and will put a lot more strain on the equipment.
So as you probably understand by now; Whether an ATV snow plow is the right choice for you depends a lot on what kind of snowfalls you expect to get.
There is a huge difference between having 20×2 inch snowfalls and having 5 heavy snowfalls of a foot or more with snow. For the latter, and if you don’t want to go for a plow halfway through the storm, you should consider looking for other alternatives.
Keep in mind that the blades on ATV snow plows are relatively narrow (50inch is considered average) compared to plows built for trucks or tractors. This means that you will not move as much snow with each stroke as you will with the others.
For 2-3 homes, a few hundred yards of a driveway, and few mid-sized parking areas, the capacity should be more than enough. But if you plow many wide roads or huge parking lots, other alternatives with wider blades and heavier vehicles are better.
On the other hand, few if any machines can compete with the speed, maneuverability, and nimbleness of an ATV.
These abilities compensate quite a bit for the lack of pure pushing power.
Over time, this has the results evening out a bit.
It’s almost like comparing a race car to an SUV. The SUV can bring more people than the race car, but it will need twice the time to get there (as long as we leave speed limits out of the equation!).
This especially comes true where there’s not much space, like in small driveways, between buildings, and on sidewalks. You’ll find that areas like these often need to be left unplowed when using a truck or any larger size machine.
After some practice with the ATV, you will be able to «dance» around and have these areas free of snow in no time!
ATV snowplows are not very good for piling snow, plain and simple.
If space is a limiting factor so that the snow needs to be piled through the winter, you might as well start looking for other options right away. A snowblower or a tractor with a front loader is my top recommendation in this case.
But if you are not too tight on space, you can stack up quite a bit of snow as long as you plan accordingly. Ideally, it would be best if you pushed the snow out over the brink of a small hill or into the ditch of a road or a parking lot.
It’s crucial that you push the snow far enough at the beginning of the season, so you have room for more on top or at the back of the pile. You will not be able to move the snow pile with the ATV as soon as it has frozen solid.
The plow will dig in as soon as it is lowered too low on soft grounds like unfrozen dirt and gravel roads. Most plows are fitted with flotation shoes to prevent this from happening, but this is simply not enough in the softest conditions.
When the ground freezes solid, however, you should have no issues on hard surfaces like pavement and concrete.
You need to expect to go through a learning process before you can master your ATV and plow to its maximum potential.
Beginners may feel they struggle a lot, even with smaller depths of snow. But this will get better over time for sure.
Another aspect to consider on the «user experience» side of things is the lack of protection from the elements. Suitable clothes and heated grips are a must if you want to avoid freezing your nuts off!
Last but not least, plowing with an ATV is a lot of FUN!
For many buyers, this is the deciding factor for choosing an ATV plow over, let’s say, a snowblower.
Unless the snow depths are too challenging, or the weather is not too bad, you may expect quite the joyful experience of doing something that otherwise is seen as quite a daunting task.
Related: Are ATV Plows and Plow Mounts Universal or Model-Specific?
Understanding how well an ATV snow plow actually works may be a bit easier when we compare it to its most relevant alternatives.
A snow blower is a lot slower than a snowplow but will handle much deeper snow.
You can pile snow where you want it, but when the snow is light and dry, it seems half of it will fly back straight in your face. Don’t get me wrong, I love my trusty Toro, but my cheeks are often quite red after a job well done.
Using a snow blower can also be quite exhausting. Not as bad as using a shovel, but more than riding an ATV with a plow.
For larger areas as long driveways, a snow blower will simply be too slow to handle the task efficiently.
For me, this is the best option as the task on hand is clearing several feet of snow when I get up to the cabin. I’ve found it to be the perfect combination of snow removal capacity and portability (I need to bring it there on a trailer).
Rammy offers some fantastic snow blowers for ATVs.As soon as the snow removal job is done, I can use the quad as transport from the main road and all the way up to the cabin.
You can get both plows or snow blowers that you can attach to your lawnmower tractor.
But this ride is a lot less nimble, runs slower, and can be used only on smooth surfaces. Most of them lack 4×4, so the tires will spin as soon as snow depths get above an inch.
If you own a small farm or any other type of bigger property, this may be just as good an option as an ATV with a plow.
The front loader enables you to pile snow more efficiently, and the heated cabin will be very nice to find on the coldest days.
The extra weight ensures that you can handle most plowing situations. Even when plowing icy and compacted snow.
It is, however, quite a bit slower and can’t get to the tightest spots.
How much snow can an ATV plow?
Most ATV snow plows should be able to plow 6-8″ of light snow. When the snow is wet, however, this number is significantly lower.
Are ATVs good for snow plowing?
ATVs are great for plowing tight spaces with a lot of obstacles.
They can handle moderate amounts of snow but do not work so well with wet and icy snow. They are usually good enough for most homeowners.
What about moving dirt with an ATV?
If you’re up for some light landscaping in the warmer seasons, the ATV plow may be just what you need to get the job done. Leveling sand, dirt, or gravel should be no problem as long as you don’t dig in too much at the time.
However, I would not use it grading longer dirt roads, as this can be very rough on the quad.
In Samara and the Samara region, winter this season is not very smooth so far. There is a lot of snow, then the next day it will all melt. Snowmobiling is not yet possible in full force.
But, thanks to this, I rediscovered the ATV. In winter, riding an ATV is even more fun than in autumn. No dirt! Significantly more drifting, generally cool to ride an ATV in the winter.
I just bought a big windshield for winter.
And a shovel became an indispensable attribute. In winter, I had to dig once. The shovel "fits" in the front trunk of an ATV. Naturally, in the mind is still a working winch. A couple of cables in the trunk.
Here are two videos made with the Go Pro Hero 3 . The camera is located on my helmet.
It was not dark yet. We went to the Volga.
It's already dark. At first, the video is not very exciting. Then comes the forest. And then there will be an annealing of my son on our ATV and a neighbor on BRP.
In principle, the Go Pro Hero 3 can also be used at night. Of course, "high definition" with this degree of illumination is difficult to achieve. But the essence of the video is shown normally, as it seems to me.
In general, I rode a quad bike in winter only down to -5 degrees, probably. Usually a little warmer. The windshield helps a lot with the cold wind. Not needed, to be honest, heated handles, seats. Well, I didn't freeze. Although, of course, when it's -10 or -15, maybe even warm gloves won't help. But the priest usually even overheated 🙂
I often didn't have to get stuck. There is still little snow, an ATV can drive almost everywhere in our area. Stuck once stupidly on the parapet, after a tractor clearing the road. Sat on the belly. The parapet turned out to be too high. And at that moment the shovel is the best friend!
I also realized that it is probably better to ride a Polaris Sportsman Touring in winter with two people. And it is desirable that the rear passenger was heavier.
The touring quad is slightly longer than the standard quad and the weight distribution is not optimal for snow climbing in my opinion. Drive wheels are underweight. If I sit down as a passenger, the ATV rides on the rear wheel drive where I, as the driver, get stuck on the rear wheel drive. And yes, it's more fun together. Also, the second person will not hurt when riding in 1 ATV. Sometimes you need to push the ATV a little, but one person will not be able to gas at the same time.
I want to write about the stock tires Polaris — not for winter. For drifting on snowy porridge - oh yes! But in the snowdrifts it's hard. And I am of the opinion — that the stock should be ridden, and only then buy the tires you want.
A bit of ATV drifting 🙂 It was the perfect amount of snow for an ATV.
On the rear wheel drive it was possible to drive everywhere at that time. By the way, on a rear-wheel drive, you can accelerate more in such snow than on a full one.
And in winter I drive a lot more with all-wheel drive. Probably up to 80% of the time. Fuel consumption has increased. I thought it was twice! I skid often, including all-wheel drive. But that's the beauty of riding!
In the second video, if you noticed, the son is already driving an ATV. He really likes it - I allow him only in a safe place, in the fields. Let him get used to technology, love it.
But the son does not forget to play with toys. For the new year, Santa Claus gave him Playmobil ATV with pickup.
We rode a quad bike and a snowmobile with a friend to the Volga.
But in comparison with a snowmobile in terms of cross-country ability in winter, when there is a little more snow, the ATV loses.
On a snowmobile ... gave gas - and he flew. On an ATV, he gave gas - and he drove a maximum of 20-30 km / h, burrowing in the snow. We rode with a friend in a team - ATV + snowmobile. A snowmobile will definitely go faster in the snow. An ATV is less extreme than a snowmobile, so to speak. The ATV has electric power steering, in winter it does not heel as much as a snowmobile. The ATV has very soft suspension, at least on my Polaris. I almost always rest on the quad. On a snowmobile - you always work with your body for balance, if you turn the steering wheel - it's still a pleasure 🙂
If you draw any conclusions about the advisability of buying an ATV or a snowmobile. Then, for people who count money, I would first of all recommend buying an ATV. It will cover almost all the time of the year in terms of cross-country ability (especially in recent winters in the Samara region). Get pleasure and adrenaline at any time of the year! I am personally very glad that I bought the ATV first.
The whole family is very happy that we have it. And everyone is happy to ride it.
The snowmobile is a little more complicated. Still, taking into account employment, you don’t ride a snowmobile so often even in winter in good weather. Snowmobile for 16 weeks maximum per year. And then, it costs more than you ride it. No, of course there is an exception. People specially go far into the snow to have a really cool ride. Almost take a vacation for this. But the vast majority of people work on weekdays and only Saturday and Sunday are at best for a snowmobile. But the snowmobile itself in winter has, of course, a lot of pluses - the main one is a tractor that will drive everywhere with a minimal chance of getting stuck. And he's very fast!
Many people wonder if it is possible to ride ATVs in winter. In fact, it turns out that lovers of a sports lifestyle choose a motorcycle for the summer, and a snowmobile for the winter.
But there are also those who manage to use ATVs all year round, regardless of weather conditions. A dose of adrenaline and saving space in the garage, as well as budget funds for two types of equipment, are the main reasons for this approach. Each type of transport also requires a separate technical inspection and a permit to drive.
But if you are wondering whether it is worth riding an ATV in winter, take care of its proper operation and preparatory work for it. There is nothing complicated about this, and such preparation is not much different from preparing a motorcycle. Let's consider in more detail.
The ATV is a kind of hybrid of a tractor and a motorcycle, that is, a motorcycle engine is bolted to the tractor chassis. Engine preparation comes down to adjusting the carburetors (if the engine is carbureted) to a low temperature and changing the oil to "winter", that is, with improved starting characteristics in cold weather.
For the vast majority of ATVs, the instructions require the use of motorcycle oil with a viscosity of SAE 10W-40 and a JASO MA quality level.
Usually it is called semi-synthetics, and it is considered efficient up to a temperature of -20 ° C, which is clearly not enough for winter operation in the middle lane, to say nothing of Siberia and the North. Therefore, before winter, even if the oil has not worked out the required resource, we ruthlessly change it to a fully synthetic one with an extended temperature range, for example: Liqui Moly ATV 4T Motoroil 5W-50. This lubricating fluid meets improved cold start temperatures and is able to resist overheating. This phenomenon may surprise many when riding an ATV in winter, but in fact it turns out that it is not so rare. Occurs when skidding in the snow, so this must be taken into account in advance.
There are two more specific winter problems with the ATV engine when driving:
It is enough to shake out the filter, and the engine will be restored. The main thing is to be aware of a potential problem in order to fix it right away. In addition, in order to ride an ATV in the winter, you should pay attention to the liquid cooling system.
It may be necessary to replace the antifreeze with a more frost-resistant one. We recommend using Liqui Moly Kuhlerfrostschutz KFS 12++, a concentrate that should be diluted 2:1 with water (product and water). Such a mixture can only freeze at temperatures below -60 °C. Hence the conclusion that such a reserve will not interfere even in the Moscow region.
She does not need special arrangements. It is advisable to change the oil in the bridges to fully synthetic, if you have not already done so. Motorcycle synthetics are excellent for increased loads - Motorbike Gear Oil VS 75W-140, if such oil is allowed in the instruction manual. Anthers on CV joints must be regularly treated with silicone so that they do not lose elasticity in frost. The chain in winter conditions needs to be processed less often and you can use the same chain lubricants as in summer, for example: Motorbike Kettenspray Enduro.
Change your old brake fluid ruthlessly in winter for ATV riding.
The accumulated water insidiously freezes in the brake machines and working cylinders. It happens, as always, suddenly, and you already know what happens when the brakes fail. Brake Fluid DOT 5.1 has good low-temperature qualities. It remains fluid at temperatures even below -50 °C, and it is not for nothing that travelers in the Arctic latitudes use it.
Rarely does anyone on an ATV change tires to winter tires, considering the usual mud option suitable for winter conditions. However, on clear ice, rough off-road tires are completely helpless. The situation can be improved by studding large tread blocks with cargo studs. Such services are provided by both some tire shops and cargo services. You can also “cut” the rubber into small lamellas using a grinder or a special device, but this is a very laborious and literally dirty event.
In order for ATV riding in winter to be normal, attention should also be paid to the winch, as the only means capable of pulling out of snow captivity.
To do this, it is necessary to properly service the structural element even before the onset of winter time in accordance with the instructions attached to it. To do this, it is necessary to change the lubricant to a low-temperature one and remove water if it has entered the gearbox. For the latter, Liqui Moly Marine Winschfett marine waterproof synthetic lubricant with Teflon is optimal. Its temperature range allows you to use the winch down to -35 ° C, and one tube is just enough. Electronic-Spray contact lubricant is well suited for servicing electrical contacts and solenoids, it will also save you from freezing.
Pay attention to the fuel system as well. Both carburetor and injection systems need maintenance, for which Motorbike 4T-Bike-Additiv is well suited. It cleans the system of carbon deposits, makes it easier to start the engine, improves traction and protects against corrosion.
ATV with proper care, will give you pleasure both in summer and in winter.
