How to Make a Snow Plow Blade for an ATV

Manufactured snow plow mounted on an ATV

As snow begins to fall and temperatures head for the lower end of the thermometer, many homeowners are anticipating digging the snow shovel out of the garage so that they can then dig out their own driveway. However, many ATV enthusiasts have realized that their ATV is not only a toy for the summer time, but a tool that can be employed in the winter as well. Snow plow blade attachments for ATVs abound, but in many cases can be expensive. There are other alternatives to buying a newly manufactured blade, one of which is to build your own snow plow blade. Follow these steps.

Things You'll Need

• Cutting torch
• Steel 55 gallon drum
• 1-inch thick sheet metal
• Universal snow blade mount
• Welding equipment
• Grinder
• Electric drill

Instructions

1. Lay the 55 gallon drum on its side and use a permanent marker to draw a rectangle on the side of the drum 20 inches high by 36 inches long. Use the cutting torch to cut this triangle out. Smooth the edges of the rectangle with the grinder. This will become your blade.

2. Examine the universal snow plow mount for your ATV and determine how the actual mounting mechanism attaches to your blade. In most cases, there is a multi-position mounting bracket with a solid mounting pin that fits through a bracket in your blade. Cut two triangular brackets out of the sheet metal using the cutting torch. Weld the brackets to the center of the snow plow blade parallel to one another and vertically aligned so that the mounting pin on the ATV mount will attach easily to the snow plow mount.

3. Use the drill to drill holes in the triangular mounting brackets on the snow plow blade in positions mimicking that of the universal ATV Mount. Attach the universal snow plow mount to your ATV according to the manufacturer's instructions and then attach your newly built snow plow blade to the mount to test for ground clearance. You can now also paint the blade if you so choose, or go straight to plowing snow.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on the quality of steel that the drum is made from, you may want to cut out two blades from the side of the drum and weld them together like a "sandwich" to increase the strength of your blade.

• Be sure to wear safety equipment, such as goggles and an apron, while welding or using the cutting torch. Also, weld far away from the gas tank of your ATV as sparks could potentially cause a fire.

Resources

• Resource for finding snow plows