Thanks for making the video great stuff Eric!

Good vid. Appreciate the time & effort you & the others took to make the video. Our experience with an LT Rich-era Snowrator has been great overall, though most of our workers have a tough time when they initially use it on dry ground (during orientation) because it tends to "buck" until they get the hang of how to use the controls correctly. One of our workers panicked when it started bucking (though was warned in classroom training earlier) and almost fell off. Your vid educated me on the Ventrac SSV, which I considered buying two years ago in spite of the $14k pricetag at the time, but I changed my mind when the local dealer said there would be a 6-8 week delay in delivery. Now that I see how tough it is to load salt into the Ventrac, I would avoid it even if if was much cheaper. As for speed -- faster is not necessarily an advantage, IMHO, though I don't want too slow either. So our SnowRator is just the right speed. Bottom line: if I was preparing to buy my first sidewalk machine, I'd buy the Z-plow because we're located in a low-snowfall area (Arkansas) and your price provides a much better ROI.

Good video, nice comparisons. Cool homemade plow. People make neat stuff. I am looking to see what is my best choice. I want a Toro Grandstand Multiforce! That thing looks really sweet.

Thanks for a cool video on good equipment. I am from Orrville (Ventrac is built here) so I am a bit biased myself. Your kit is really nice. I used to clean sidewalks with a Stiener with a cab. A z spray with your plow would have been much better. If only there was a drop spreader for them

We love ours, quick and fast on light nights. Once you load it down it's hard to lose traction. Only time we have trouble with it is if it is super wet and heavy snow. But even that would be hard on a snowrator. Can't beat the speed and the rubber edge. Short in length compared to a multiforce also and better weight distribution. Definitely buying another one.

Thanks for comparison. On the spreader comparison the drop spreaders on the Ventrac and Boss are really meant for sidewalks. So if you want precision salt application without it going into the grass, a drop spreader is the way to go. Because it is precise, and you can control the flow, you also use less salt. A broadcast spreader on your z-plow does spread it faster in parking lots, but parking lots are a different application than "Sidewalk Snow Vehicles" (SSV).

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

The broadcast spreader has lots of adjustments so it is very possible to spread only 3 feet wide and only a small amount of salt with it, but I should have shown that in the video better. Keep in mind that fertilizer gets spread at one bag per 15,000 square feet and the machine does that all the time no problem. Getting it to spread narrow is just a matter of turning the spinner slower. It’s not as idiot proof as the drop spreader though and that is a drawback for some sidewalk crews.

The boss fan boys are alot like Chicago Cubs fans, they think they're so awesome no matter how much they suck.

Great video!

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks! It was tough to get all these machines together and impossible to do that during a snow storm but at least it’s a good chance to see them side by side

Very good content

You think you could make an attachment for the ferris spreader/sprayer?

I'm a big fan of Ventrac so of course it would be my first choice. I'm sure they are all decent machines, But the Ventrac definitely looks like there was way more thought put into it. Look at the controls And how you stand on the Ventrac. Also the broom and blower are 2 big advantages as well. I have never used one tho, Just stood on one at the show room. This was a good video on comparison on them.

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

I agree, the Ventrac from is a well built machine, just a bit pricey and a one season thing. Aside from the cost and the salt spreading I did like it and respect how well it’s built.

@TB-sw1tf

4 жыл бұрын

Yea loading that salt spreader on the Ventrac was well thought out....../sarcasm

@steiger256

4 жыл бұрын

@@TB-sw1tf It did look a little difficult. They did place it tucked underneath tho to make use of all space. All in all tho looks more professional, Rather then bolting a plastic salt spreader on the front like the others.

@davehoyt8965

Жыл бұрын

I run service/maintenance plus I'm in the field where i work. Ventrac are junk. We have 3. 3 seasons each. They rust out, body panel fasteners are terribly dedigned. Belt system for broom is awful. Replacing anything on them is awful. Hydro drive hoses will fail because they are tight af against chassis bolts. Being non efi sucks also. Choke and throttle cables are prone to seizing up. Have had a choke mechanism break, one carb need to be rebuilt. All 3 blowing ignition fuses now with no explanation. Get a mammoth

If you ever operate these commercially you need the boss or ventrac for the 4wd We have run multi force sidewalk machines which are basically the same as z plow and 2wd does not cut it. Wheels just spin

We have the snowrators at work. Works really, moves really slow. Have to get the spreader settings right or you will be dumping salt

Do you make that plow kit for Ferris sprayers? I would be very interested if you do!!

Hi, is the price you gave for the hole machine? Or just the Plow and tires and lights

Do they make residential sizes . Like a 2-3 foot wide plows ?

I contacted you spring of 2018 to build me an aerator kit for my z spray and you said you would build it...then come September when I contacted you again to see if the kit was done, I was told you didn't have parts to build it...so I was left hanging and had to scramble to buy another aerator.

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

Sorry we stopped making the aerator as a stand alone kit. It’s still available as an accessory to a snow plow kit, but you need to have the plow first to put an aerator on the sprayer. If you already have a plow kit though we do have aerator attachments on the shelf ready to go now.

The Ventracs are far superior machines. All the way down to the hand warmers, the machine is better in basically every facet.

Three of them a all wheel drive

Have you put those drivers on a scale prior testing ? Cause, clearly, one of them brings a serious bias on the traction testing results.

Bigger tires actually means less traction in snow. That’s why snow tires are always skinny. Less area on the ground to bite in instead of having a lot of area on the ground that just slips.

As a person who runs the maintenance department and is also in the field running crews who use these machines.... having 3 ventracs i advise anyone to steer clear of these machines

I really would not want to use this equipment myself. I was in charge of snow clearing for a 26 acre facility for 13 years and I was in charge of my equipment purchases. For walks and tight areas I had purchased a Cushman Frontline mower with a heated cab and blower and when fitted with the extra weights and chains it was incredible. It is not to fun to out in the weather at 5 in the morning after clearing snow all night.

How does the z-plow kit do pushing a load of snow? Do you need chains since it's not 4wd ?

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

No we don't use chains, it really does well in the heavy stuff. It's not a tractor by any means, but it gets enough traction to bog down and stall the engine, and that doesn't happen until the snow pile is so big that it's falling over the top of the plow. The only thing it doesn't get traction on is pure ice, but nothing gets traction on ice unless it's studded tires and you could stud the tires if you were on a lot of ice.

It’s time to redo this video and a whole bunch of new equipment out there for walkways The new SSV Snow rhino and more

Need to add the toro multi force to this lineup now.

Looks like a good idea. Price point is ridiculous in my opionion.

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

Price point of all of them is more than we would like, but the hydraulics and stainless steel used in our kit add up quick! When you look at the labor it saves though it easily pays for itself in the first year.

@zachpowers7972

2 жыл бұрын

Better than paying 5 guys who get tired or don't show up.

you gotta do it with snow

Vent track is the one i would go with depend on $ coast is big difrence the green one should be half coast because its half machean and jerky ness would not be any thing to think of but sense its in ths ,

Comparing prices of powered machines to that of a kit is like comparing the cost of a tandem axle dump truck to that of home owner dump trailer. You only compared an attachment to the cost of a complete machine. To accurately portray head to head cost, you need to give the cost for purchasing the machines, having nothing to start with. In other words, what is the price difference between the Ventrac, as configured here, and a new Steel Green plus the kit? Since I have neither, I can't get the $4,000 kit and start plowing snow. The actual head to head cost? According to Steel Green's website, their cheapest machine that I found is just over $12,300 new. Adding your kit pushes it up to near $16,000. Cheaper than Ventrac? Only slighty. And then beyond that, I have more options of stuff to put on the Ventrac. You mentioned the snowblower and broom, but there is also a bucket which basically makes it a mini stand on skid steer. If the only thing a person is doing is snow removal, get the Ventrac. If you do commercial fertilizing and spraying, then your machine is likely better. As far as covering area with the broadcast option, since you can't plow a wide path, why do you have to drop spread a wide area? Simply drop salt as you plow. I would say that you do better at advertising your product than unbiased machine testing. Best wishes.

@MowBeta

4 жыл бұрын

Weston, wish I had read your comment before I posted mine. If you're right about the actual cost of the Z-plow Steel Green after including options, I would NOT buy it. The SnowRator would be my choice, based on our actual experience with it. Thanks for the eye-opener comment.

@danis0benz

3 жыл бұрын

The Z-Spray makes most of its money in the spring and summer. Getting the kit will only its use potential. The other machines are a one season machines. He's saying the acquisition cost of a dedicated sidewalk machine is far more than a kit for a machine alot of companies are going to have already

@danis0benz

3 жыл бұрын

@@MowBeta you do realize that some of those attachments are over $2000. The snow blower attachments runs over $4000 by itself.

Pricing should be explained right off the bat on all models

No it's not new to the market. The first time I seen a sidewalk snow removal machine was back in 2005 or 2006

@alexhatton3321

4 жыл бұрын

Cyberslug1 “relatively new” bud

2 we Wd vrs 4 wd

Faster isn't better...but you will fly further over the controls when you catch a curb.

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

I like to think that our setup is the best but in all fairness you make a good point. For “the slower the better” folks the snowrator is the clear winner ha ha :-)

@phattygoodness7347

4 жыл бұрын

@@ericdangersmith1 Ever run a stander mower and hit a widow maker stump? Probably not...probably haven't ever been out using your own product in real situations. You can laugh at "slower", but everything has it's limitations before safety becomes compromised. I dare you to take your machine out in a storm at 2am and run your machine blindly down walkways at full throttle. I double dog dare ya. Maybe you were joking, but I'm not. I'm looking for a walkway machine that can be transformed to a 4 season machine, and that also incorporates superior traction and mobility in tight confines with a smaller 48" to 54" V-plow and with a poly cutting edge. I'm still waiting...but you win the drag race...congrats!

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

Sorry that your equipment / operating abilities failed you with other plow setups. You don't have to double dog dare me to use the machine at full throttle - I have been personally running these machines commercially for over 5 seasons now - so when I say it works and it works well it's coming from the end user not just some engineer in an office :)

@phattygoodness7347

4 жыл бұрын

@@ericdangersmith1 I never said my equipment failed me and I've logged a lot more than 300 hours doing commercial snow removal over the past 30 years. Im looking for someone to think outside the box and develop a product that has all the best and necessary characteristics that comnercial snow removal benefits from. The Ventrac is the closest, but it lacks the capacity to transform for summer use, and it doesn't have a V-plow option. My offer still stands. I double dog dare you to take your machine and blindly run your machine at full throttle down walkways and along curbs. Youre gonna go for a ride and you're gonna fuck it up...its unavoidable. Nobody does that...especially if it's their own equipment and investment that stands to be destroyed. And yes, you can keep thinking that yours is the best. I think the response was... "Ha, ha".

@bis-manoutdoorservicesinc.6499

4 жыл бұрын

Phattygoodness 300 hours in 30 years huh? Where do you do snow 10 hours a year... Georgia.... haha you sound like a real know it all and you keep on shoveling buddy... punk

You should have multi force in there two

This test means nothing! Need to see actual remove snow 🥴

I would be damned if I would stand up all day clearing sidewalks it needs to have a seat on it

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

Compared to a machine with a heated cab these are not that comfortable, but they do detail oriented walks where the only other option is a shovel or a snow blower - and they're all a lot more comfortable to operate than a shovel :)

@grahamhowland566

4 жыл бұрын

Old saying goes a third class ride is still better than a first class walk 😀👍🏻

@michaelnussbaum6635

4 жыл бұрын

Nothing wrong with standing. The only way I like to mow

No BCS... I guess you didn't want to get showed up...

better with tracks

Damn! Should be called the slowrator. I'd be faster shoveling

The broom attachment is an option for the Snowrator, you are not being fair or honest in your sales pitch there. The steelgreen is garbage, it’s not even stainless steel….will rust out in no time.

Some of these test are unneeded. Starting out. Speed doesn’t matter. Quality does. Pushing against another machine. You should be doing it in the beginning. Also the kit. That plow looks cheap and useless. I’ve used many types of these plows. I have ran a business for more then 25 years. I recommend you redo the tests being more reasonable for tests.

@ericdangersmith1

4 жыл бұрын

Sorry you didn’t like the tests. Cant say that how quickly a machine can get work done is irrelevant, but I’d love to hear what tests you would rather see and maybe we can do them.

The Ventrac went up on two wheels because the operator had downpressure on the blade. This is clearly visible at 5:26 where he is in reverse and the wheels are up and the blade is down!! What is the story there???

@ericdangersmith1

3 жыл бұрын

We had both plows in float, so the foreword pushing force raises the front of the machine. When backing up you can see the tires start to come back down but it's hydraulic so its a slow drop. If you look close you can see I took the valve out of float after that to raise the plow again.

@artszabo1015

3 жыл бұрын

@@ericdangersmith1 AHA!! And I see, now. Thanks, I stand corrected.

Duck.

.

move slurry

These guys obviously have no life lol

Talk about bias add the price of your green machine !!! Your plow parts are worthless without the machine.

pointless video theres no snow

1st you’re not using a z sprayer max ride on you’re using the smaller Z sprayer a max would push the other machine in the wall stop cheating