Acreage Rig

Winter chores with an ATV or side-by-side

Cold starts, belt care, plowing in low range, short-trip maintenance, tire pressure and working alone: how to keep an ATV or side-by-side doing chores through a northern Alberta winter.

Winter is when a chore machine earns its keep: feeding, hauling water, plowing the lane. It's also when machines get the hardest use. Short trips, cold starts and heavy pushing in snow all count as "severe use" in at least one manufacturer's book. Here's what the manuals and farm-safety guides say.

Short trips in the cold count as severe use

Segway's owner's manual for the Fugleman UT10 lists "short trip cold weather operation" as severe use, along with prolonged low-speed, heavy-load work and extended idling. Machines used that way need inspection and service more often than the regular chart shows. A machine that only runs ten minutes to the bale yard and back every morning all winter fits that description.

Ask your service department whether to shorten your service intervals for winter chore use, and keep receipts. Some warranties, including AODES Canada's, require owners to keep maintenance records.

Cold starts and the drive belt

  • Warm it up. The UT10 manual's troubleshooting chart says to warm the engine before driving in low temperatures, so the CVT belt becomes more flexible and doesn't burn.
  • Engage the clutch decisively. The same chart says slow, easy clutch engagement is a cause of belt problems. Use the throttle quickly and effectively to engage.
  • Watch the oil level. The UT10 manual says a rising oil level in cold weather can mean contaminants are building up in the crankcase. If it keeps rising, stop using the machine and have it checked.
  • Battery. Cold weakens batteries. The UT10 manual has a monthly battery check in its maintenance chart, and its display shows battery voltage. A battery tender over winter helps.

Plowing, pushing and towing in snow

  • Use low range. The UT10 manual says to use low range only for plowing snow and dirt and for towing or pushing at low speed.
  • Snow in the CVT. If the belt slips after deep snow or water, the manual says water or snow may have got into the CVT. Its fix is to remove the CVT cover and drain it. If you're not comfortable doing that, have your dealer do it.
  • Stuck. For getting unstuck from mud or snow, the manual says to shift to low range and use brief, decisive throttle. Too much throttle can cause loss of control or a rollover.
  • 4x4 first. Engage four-wheel drive before the wheels start slipping, not after.
  • Plow weight counts. A plow and mount add weight up front. Count them against total capacity, and use manufacturer-approved mounts. See Loads, towing and attachments.

Tires and traction

Check tire pressure cold, and with a low-pressure gauge. Farm Safe Manitoba's guide notes ATV tires run very low pressures, often 2 to 6 psi, and that a regular gauge may not be accurate. A soft tire makes the ATV pull toward it. Side-by-sides run higher pressures. The UT10 manual lists 15 psi front and 16 psi rear, cold. Always use the figures in your own manual.

Cooling system

The UT10 manual says the factory fills the cooling system with a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water, and to use fresh 50/50 premix whenever coolant is drained. Have the mix tested before the deep cold arrives.

Working alone in winter

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association's toolbox talk says that when you do a task alone, tell someone and carry a communication device such as a cell phone or two-way radio. In winter, add:

  • Layers, spare gloves and a face covering
  • A headlamp, since chores often start and finish in the dark
  • A plan for who checks on you, and when

Cell coverage across northern Alberta farmland can be patchy. Know where your dead spots are.

Getting a machine ready for winter, or need a plow fitted? Talk to the service departments at Frontier Mitsubishi (Grande Prairie), Borderlands (High Level and La Crete) or Frontier Auto & Imports (Whitecourt).

Sources

Guides in this section

Our first in-depth guides for this section are being written and fact-checked now. In the meantime, start with the overview above or browse all guides.