When choosing a snow blower, you will find more than enough options available on the market. As such, it can become rather complicated to pick just one.
There are many significant differences between regular wheeled snow blowers and ones that use a track.
The main differences are in the speed, traction, and how easy you can maneuver the machine. So, which type of snow blower should you choose?
We’ve done some research and have found significant factors that you should consider before buying one.
In line with this, it’s natural to ask: are track snow blowers better than regular wheeled models?
What Is a Track Snow Blower?
A track snowblower is much different from the wheeled versions.
The main difference is that a track snowblower uses a, well, track rather than wheels. That isn’t only where they differ, though.
Track drive snow blowers provide extra traction when you’re plowing snow. This is useful because some areas have more slush and ice, making it harder to push the machine.
Imagine a scenario where you’re trying to plow snow out of your driveway, but the machine keeps slipping around. Not only is this dangerous, but it also makes the job take a lot longer.
Having tracks on the bottom of the machine gives it more traction on these surfaces.
Another factor that makes a track snow blower stand out from other models is the engine.
While your standard snow blower has a single snow blower engine, a track snow blower has a two- or three-stage snowblower engine.
What Is a Wheeled Snow Blower?
A wheeled snow blower is the standard model you find in stores. It operates by using wheels to help move the machine around.
For most jobs, a wheeled snow blower is ideal. Wheels work on most land types, but you’ll lose some control if the weather conditions are adverse.
Ice, slush, and other environmental factors make it harder for the machine to be pushed around.
When Should You Consider a Track Snow Blower?
You should consider a track snowblower if you’re facing a few different situations, among which are:
1. When working on an uneven surface
First, if you’re trying to plow snow on an uneven surface, you’d be better off using a track snowblower.
It has better traction and will generally do better at sticking in place. This includes if your driveway is slanted or if you’re trying to remove snow from a hill.
2. When plowing snow on icy surfaces
If you can stick your foot out and slip on the ice, you’ll likely need to be using a track snowblower.
You’ll be able to gain control of the machine and maneuver it easily.
3. When doing heavy-duty jobs
Additionally, track snow blowers are designed for heavy-duty jobs.
If you need a two-stage or three-stage blower, you’ll find that most track snow blowers are of those designs.
The reason for this is to handle snow that is either compacted or contains ice or slush.
If you live in an area with heavy snowfall, you may want to consider a track snowblower.
Track Snow Blower vs Wheeled Snow Blowers
The most significant differences between wheeled snow blowers and a track-based snow blower are the speed, traction, and, most importantly, the maneuverability.
These three factors are crucial when you’re working with icy climates. The main reason is that steering a wheeled snow blower is easier when you have more control due to the tracks.
Another major difference between the two is that track snow blowers have advanced steering technology.
The tracks will automatically start to move in the direction you’re positioning the machine. This makes it easy to control and move the snowblower into areas you need to plow snow.
Icy snow builds up at the end of your driveway due to snow removal trucks. They tend to be difficult to remove because the snow is already compacted and iced together.
Standard snow blowers won’t be able to move the snow because they aren’t designed to move compact snow.
However, track snow blowers are often either two-stage or three-stage units designed to remove heavy snowfall. This also includes snowfall that is heavy and compacted in other areas.
The engine of a track snowblower is powerful and has heavier settings. This means you can lock down and quickly remove any dense snow from the area.
Then again, track snow blowers don’t hit the ground, so there may still be a small film of snow left behind.
Advantages of Track Snow Blowers
There are many advantages of track snow blowers compared to wheeled ones.
For All Surfaces
Track snow blowers can clear snow or even dirt on all surfaces. This is useful if you’re plowing snow on angled or slanted areas.
Better Control
Another big advantage is that they give you increased control. You’ll be able to move the machine around any bends or compact areas due to the increased maneuverability.
Aside from that, track snow blowers can remove compacted snow, snowbanks, and even plow the snow you’re walking on.
For Heavy-Duty Tasks
Track snow blowers are designed for heavy-duty tasks. This makes them useful for a variety of different environments.
If the property you want to plow has hills or is elevated, it could be difficult to use a wheeled snow blower. With a track snow blower, you’ll have more traction and control over where it moves.
Easier Turns
Sharp turns can be challenging to do with a wheeled model. On the other hand, using a track snow blower allows you to make quick and sharp turns without repositioning.
Faster Results
Lastly, using a tracked model can speed up the snow blowing process.
If you were to use a single-stage wheeled snow blower, you’d have to take much more time to get the job done.
However, if you’re using a track snowblower, the job can be quick and painless.
Disadvantages of Track Snow Blowers
There are also many disadvantages to using track snow blowers.
Bulky
First off, they are cumbersome and tend to take up a lot of space.
If you don’t have much room to store one, it will be challenging to find a track snow blower that fits in a small space.
Heavy
Additionally, their weight tends to make them rather strenuous to push. While you could easily manage to push a wheeled version, it takes more strength to use a track version.
Expensive
Another big issue is that track snow blowers are going to cost much more than their other counterparts
You could find a decent track snowblower for cheap, but it may be outdated and not have what is called “automatic” steering.
New snow blowers with tracks at the bottom are designed to be easier to push due to grabbing the snow in front of the machine.
Considerations
Before you decide which model of snowblower you want, you should consider the following.
Track snow blowers are designed for heavy-duty work. While they are powerful machines, they are only intended to be used for wide spaces or heavy-duty tasks.
They are low to the ground and shouldn’t be used on gravel or another rocky terrain.
If you’re just plowing your driveway or your yard, you'll only need a wheeled snow blower.
However, if you live on a hill, incline, or have uneven terrain, a track snowblower would be a better option.
Most snow blowers will work on concrete or asphalt surfaces.
If you are in search of a heavy-duty snowblower, we suggest a two-stage wheeled snowblower. Getting a track snowblower won’t help with how secure the unit is, though.
There’s no difference between a two-stage or three-stage engine and a track snowblower.
Also, consider the size of the job you're using the snowblower for.
A regular snow blower will be sufficient for most jobs. The only reason you’d need to upgrade is if the ground is icy and the snow is too compact.
Other than that, you could get away with using any other snowblower.
When Should You Use a Wheeled Snow Blower?
You should use a wheeled snow blower in most situations.
The only time you should be upgrading to a tracked snowblower is when the incline is icy, and there is too much compact or slushy snow.
Even then, you could still get chains that you could put onto your snowblower.
Wheeled snow blowers come in different designs, which are each useful in several different situations.
For example, you could use a two- or three-stage snow blower for complicated jobs that include compact or icy snow.
Imagine a house on flat land that’s packed with ice and compacted snow from snow plows. A regularly wheeled snowblower would be suitable for this job.
However, if the house had the same conditions but were built on an incline, you would need to switch to a tracked snowblower.
In most cases, using a tracked snowblower does not result in better snow removal. You’d only need to upgrade when there’s too much snow on an incline.
Lastly, you should only use a wheeled snow blower if there are less than six inches of snow.
Anything above that, and you should be using a two-stage wheeled snow blower or a track snowblower.
Are There Any Alternatives?
With new advancements in technology, you can now find snow blowers that toggle between both track drive and wheel drive.
By using this type of model, you can switch back and forth between the two modes. This is ideal because you have maximum versatility in different weather conditions.
Some models include three different adjustable positions, such as wheeled, track, and extra-traction.
However, these models are generally expensive and also wear down because of the gear shift between wheels and tracks.
Another alternative is to use chains on a wheeled snow blower. Some people don’t like how a tracked snow blower has enhanced control but lacks power.
A good alternative to this is to invest in a two- or three-stage model and put chains on the wheels. This will help prevent the machine from sliding off.
Of course, this method only works well if you aren’t expecting amazing results.
The chains elevate the snow blower, which causes the machine to miss a few spots. However, it can save you money if you’re looking to only use the chains every so often.
Track Snow Blower Checklist
To make it easier to decide, we’ve created a checklist for you. This goes through and helps you determine if you need a regular snow blower or a tracked snowblower.
Here’s what you should consider when you are choosing a track snowblower:
- There are more than six inches of snow on the ground
- The snow is iced over or slush
- There is an uneven terrain such as hills or incline
- You’ll be maneuvering around objects or buildings
- There are piles of compact snow
Are Track Snow Blowers Better?
The answer to this is both yes and no. While track snow blowers are superior to wheeled snow blowers, they aren’t exactly necessary.
Unless you require a track-style snow blower, then we recommend sticking with wheels.
Tracked snow blowers aren’t better than other types of snow blowers.
Most people tend to enjoy wheeled snow blowers with chains on them to help with traction.
You’ll probably notice that tracked snow blowers give you better control but lack in speed. Only choose a track snowblower if you’re dealing with ice or require traction.
In Conclusion
Track snow blowers are suitable in a wide variety of different climates.
Being able to tell which situations you’ll need it is critical in knowing whether are track snow blowers better than its counterpart.
Overall, we’d say that a track snow blower is only useful if you’re looking for increased traction.
The power of the engine and the enhanced maneuverability only come in handy if you’re working on slopes, inclines, or around objects.
After all, they are more expensive than your standard snow machines, and there are alternatives you could invest in.
We’d only say a track snowblower is worth it if you’re having trouble with your machine slipping and sliding out of place as you plow.