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Yes, that’s a great method. I certainly do use the bucket to back drag away. If I know it’s a garage that is used in the winter. With the newer style hybrid pull blowers, you can get the snow much closer to objects which is nice. Thanks for watching!

The doors, windshield, rear panel and roof are all by a company called Hardcabs.

@@ranchroadhomestead Thanks!

Thanks!! We sure have had a decent share of snow so far this season. If it’s a good quality gravel driveway, we usually try to cut it down so the base doesn’t get too thick. So then we would be tilted forward a degree or two. If there’s a lot of rock or high middle etc, then we’d just keep it thick and hope people stay off it when get gets mild! Thanks again for watching

Thanks, and thanks for watching!!

That’s a tough one, without having owned a 700 or any good seat time in one, I can’t say for sure. I do know that the 520 is still working really well, and the compact size continues to fit the bill here, especially with the trail grooming in the winter. Thanks for watching!!

Would be great to, but it’s hard without having access to a 700. If the opportunity comes up, we would likely do a video however!

You’re correct! Nice, you’re seeing the same snow we are 👍👍. More is on the way. Sounds like a great rig you have setup there. You could handle 30” of fresh snow with that I bet! What are the dimensions of shoes you have on the Norman? The angle depends on what shoes the blower is riding on, and where they are located, but I’d say tilt it back 5-10 degrees until your base is built and frost gets into it. Then you will probably run the blower close to plumb so your base doesn’t get too thick over the season. You’ll probably find times you could tilt it forward a couple degrees if you needed to cut your base down.

Thanks for the comment! It’s been going pretty well. Last winter wasn’t much of a winter to truly test it, and we just had our first real snowfall of this season. The lights on the top are built into the @hardcabs cab. We since added a basic LED 360 strobe as well for safety. It has a Honda accessory heater installed. It seals pretty well. Richy has tucked a few rags here and there which helps (some soft foam strips would be cleaner eventually). He is the primary operator of this rig, so I think a YT video with him is in order! Thanks for watching 👍👍

What tires are they?

Traxion Glacious winter UTV tires

We have been using 5w40

@ranchroadhomestead nice, I was thinking of switching from 15w40 to 5w40 to help lubrication during cold start, but its not listed in the manual as one of the options

@simd510 hmm I’m pretty sure we just use the 5w40 because that’s what we run in the tractors.

Apologies for the late reply! I need to get into storage and do some measuring. I will get back to you. Thanks for watching 👍👍

We leave them in during the summer. We tried removing them on one tractor for the summer once, but they don’t stay in the holes as well when you put them back in, and you don’t have much room for new spots. After a few summers the lugs would be pretty carved up if you kept looking for fresh rubber to hold the studs well enough. Because of this, we opted to leave them in and have done so for years. We loose a few every winter it seems but it’s well worth it for the security and added traction. We haven’t noticed significant signs of wear in the carbide tips either. Thanks for watching!! 👍👍

I’ve been meaning to gps it. On the district road radar I never saw it go as fast as I thought it would. I think Honda displays slightly faster than it’s actually going with the stock 24” tires. The main thing is that on the 520, the suspension can be pretty harsh on our trails so I run low air pressure on the 28” tires. I suspect it would go much faster than 63 km/h like you said, if I pumped the tires to the rated psi. Thanks for watching! 👍👍

Thanks for the comment! Our 2021 pioneer 520 is still going strong. Pleased daily on how it maneuvers in tight spaces. A new-ish issue we have found in dad’s 2022 pioneer 520 is that we are seeing an odd amount of rust around all of the welds on the rops etc. hopefully that was just a ‘covid’ era issue that isn’t present on current machines. Take care and thanks for watching!

That’s a great idea especially for lighter items!

Thanks for the comment, and glad you enjoyed the video!

Glad you like the setup. It actually works so well and only takes a few minutes to mount up since I now leave the front bumper off. Thanks for watching!!

Thanks for tuning in! The 520's are holding up pretty well! Over 5000 kms on mine, much of that higher revs road running (tire treads are starting to show their age lol). I must point out some rust forming at the welds on Richy's 520, which is pretty odd since it has seen less rain/snow than my 520, hes not happy about that. I have since added a superATV power steering kit and torq locker front diff, which really have transformed the P520 to another level, at a bit of a steep cost albeit. This was to help make trail grooming more fun/manageable. The power steering is really nice when manoeuvring around the yard projects etc. We both agree that EPS should be standard, having said that, we do both run larger wheels and tires, which doesn't help the steering factor. Hope that helps. Thanks again for watching and happy homesteading!

Thanks for the kind words! You point out some very valid key info regarding the Pioneer 500/520. I rarely dump firewood as well. If we do, it's when we gather some blocked hardwood from downed trees in the bush that our tractors can't get to, so it's handy to be able to bring that wood out of the bush to the yard and dump it by the splitter, times like that I love the dumping box of course. Did you have the larger tracks or the smaller 'under 700cc' size tracks? We have the X4s which is meant for smaller machines, the 520 seems to do fine with them other than shifting isn't so nice when the machine wants to almost come to a stop before it gets in the next gear... About the power steering, we finally did that upgrade, as it was starting to get a bit cumbersome, especially with tracks and trail grooming. I like the idea you have about the dash handle as well. As for the sound levels, the plastic roof isn't great, for sure. The bimini top on Dad's is much quieter. I wonder if some sound absorbing panels could be added under the roof. Now you have me thinking...next mod maybe! -Thanks for watching and happy riding!!

Thanks, so glad you enjoy the vids! The 1000 feels much larger indeed. You have good reason to be unsure about the suspension on the 520, as it can be rough at times. Soft sidewall tires help and run a bit less PSI in the tires depending on your trails. Upgraded suspension would be very, very nice though. Hope that helps! Happy riding and thanks for watching!

Good point, and thanks for commenting. As of 2024, the Pioneer 520 is narrower (50" wide) than the ranger 570 at 56", which may be important to some buyers. The Ranger has some nice features like the added ground clearance and suspension travel above the Pioneer 520. In many ways the 570 could be considered a better rig. Having said all that, to this day, I still prefer shifting for the type of riding/work I do with the 520. I can see why many people would prefer the Ranger 570 though. Also I'm not someone that believes belt/CVT transmissions are a bad thing, there are pros and cons with both transmissions. I really like the ability to keep the rpm low when I'm just putting around on the flats or driving past cranky neighbours! If I lived somewhere that needed the tracks on all year, I would say a CVT option would be the winner since shifting with tracks on isn't ideal. As for the Subaru, you're correct that it is CVT, but it uses a all steel 'belt' that is built from a bunch of sandwiched steel plates. It is electronically controlled to have the engine running at low rpm for fuel economy, and then 'fake shifts' more like a 7 speed auto transmission when more power is required and so on. So far it has been a great transmission as a daily driver. If I were the sole driver of that car, I would have gone for something with a manual transmission, since I do almost no city driving. Thanks for watching!!

Yes, the higher RPMs of the belt drive CVT can be annoying but they are also much easier to repair vs the Honda gear transmission should anything happen. Polaris recently introduced a much more modern CVT with a steel belt and computer-controlled clutch pulley position to simulate gears just like your Subaru. However it’s only on the large and expensive machines for right now.

@tylermacconnell217 I’m sure once that tech gets cheaper it will be on all the machines. By then Honda might make the switch. Although the new pioneer 1000 shifts like actual butter, seems like they have it down to a science on that machine.

Thanks, it’s made driveway maintenance a dream. Thanks for watching!!

Great question, a bit tricky to answer. I was never really bugged by the lack of power steering on trails with gentle turns and travelling at a decent speed. The slower you go and tighter the trails and turns, you start to feel it, but manageable much if the time. Of course you always have to watch out for bumping an object and having the wheel spin and jamb a thumb etc. especially when backing up. Hold that wheel tight. Frankly the more time you spend doing three point turns, backing up, chore/work type stuff, you quickly start to wish for power steering. We have since added power steering to the one 520 that does all the trail grooming with tracks on and it’s a dream now. So now our opinion is that Honda should just make it standard, but as viewers have stated this continues to drive the price of a ‘value’ rig up and up. Hope that super long winded answer helps you out! Happy riding and thanks for watching! -stay tuned for the torq locker vid coming up; we have it all recorded. We talk about the power steering kit a bit!!

@@ranchroadhomestead thanks for the reply. Where are the power steering kits purchased? Thanks

@OceanBreeze2022. We got our SuperATV kit through our local Honda dealer here in Ontario, Canada. Here’s a link to the superATV site, they also sell direct I believe. www.superatv.com/honda-pioneer-520-power-steering-kit

Smart! I should have figured to do that from day one but assumed it wouldn’t be needed on a newer era machine, but I guess that tech hasn’t changed much in the P520. Gotta love the simplicity of a value machine!! Thanks for watching and happy riding!!

Awesome, glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!!

Glad you enjoyed, and good point. I'm not sure what other models there are for UTV's with open differential/turf mode in the same class as the Pioneer 520 if you require the compact size. We have had great success recently by adding the Torq Locker front differential and SuperATV power steering kit. You still have to throw the steering wheel from nearly lock to nearly lock in really tight trails, but its basically effortless now. The downside is tossing a bunch more money at a 'value' priced machine, but the outcome is really, really good. Thanks for watching!!

Glad you enjoyed the video! It was a move I didn’t see coming from Honda in the 500 size but pretty cool that they did. Would have been nice if Honda had done this from the beginning thought. I’m not sure about the engine mechanics other than that it is just slightly larger displacement, but it’s likely very similar. Thanks for watching!! Happy riding

Thanks, and thanks for watching!!

Oh good to know! First time I’ve used the mention feature! I wish YT shorts could be like up to 3-5 minutes tho. So hard to cover all the bases in under 60 seconds sometimes… The Agro is a winner I believe especially with the cost being much more affordable. It looks like getting at the chain is easier too!

@@ranchroadhomestead I tag companies on here, but was never truly sure that it did anything. yeah I agree if shorts could be a little longer, it would masks it alot easier to pay other than clips. I like the framing built into the agro trend unit.

@ROCKINRODNEY cool! Yeah the Agro trend is a very solid unit. Well over 1000 lbs for a 78”. The manual doesn’t have specs but lifting it off the delivery trailer you could tell it’s well built. 👍

So, where do we find prices on the various models?

@goblue2708 I would check your closest dealer for those manufacturers, because of added shipping costs etc depending where you are located. Here in Ontario, Canada the Agro Trend is about $100 CAD per inch of width, whereas the Cyclone is more like $150 CAD per inch. Hope that helps 👍

Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for watching!!

Yes we did, it seems to help the snow keep ‘rolling’ in the groomer which is great. They are a fairly weak point though, as one caught on something last year and broke. Thanks for watching!!

You are welcome. We haven’t used chains, just carbide tipped ‘grip stud’ brand studs. Thanks for watching!!

They are GBC kinati mongrels. 28x10x14. Thanks for watching!!

Glad you could find it helpful, and thanks for subbing!!

Glad you enjoyed the vid! I wouldn’t say most blowers are quick hitch, I would say land pride, MK Martin, and Agro trend likely are. At least with our experience and Category 2. We ordered a used Pronovost Cyclone blower used from out of province with the understanding that it was, but sadly on receiving it turned out that was not the case. We will be selling it and switching to Agro Trend blowers now. They are very impressive pull blowers!! Happy new year to you and thanks for watching!!

@@ranchroadhomestead what is it that you find advantageous with the agro trend? I'm not familiar with any of the brands yet, but see the cyclone is very popular. Yours is the first I've seen mentioned of the agro trend. So I'm very curious to know more.

@ROCKINRODNEY sounds like a great topic for a video, wish we had more time for videos! Maybe I’ll do a UA-cam short this weekend of side by side comparisons… Simple answer is, the new (not sure when) Agro Trend I’m speaking of is the hybrid pull type, and it’s very similar to the cyclone. Enclosed chain, rear access hatch for fan (wayyyy better latch system to access) but add the Quick Hitch! A few other nice improvements too. I really like that the cyclone is galvanized however. Can’t win them all. 👍👍

@@ranchroadhomestead I agree. Was going to suggest it as a video topic, but wasn't sure if you'd want to commit the time for doing it. I'm subbed, so I would appreciate watching it anyway.

@ROCKINRODNEY thanks for subbing! I’ll see what we can put together that could be informative 👍

Glad you enjoyed the vid. I guess you sure don’t get much snow in Texas. We haven’t put our tracks on yet this season. The rain is putting the damper on things. Thanks for watching!!

I’m not sure what the out the door price is these days. On Hondas site they show the pioneer 520 at 16,000 plus taxes. And yes, the tracks are not the answer for everything unfortunately. Sure wouldn’t want to get stranded out on the lake in the slush that is for sure. The locking front differential we just added has made a big help! Thanks for watching!!

Thanks for watching!

Very true. There are pros and cons with both I suppose. Like you said though, it depends what you are doing with the machine, and everyone has different needs. Personally, I like when I’m putting around the yard, and able to keep the revs low and quiet with the gear transmission. Thanks for watching!!

Glad you could find the video useful. We have since added a locking front differential, and will be adding power steering. This really transforms how the machine performs, but at added cost for sure. Thanks for watching!!

Thanks!

Would be neat to see that modification!

Sadly it does not. We were told it was by the dealer that shipped it to us, but on arrival it was a no go. We might adapt it to the qh20 in the future. It’s possible a cat 1 QH might work, I’d like to look into that but will be a bit light duty. Thanks for watching!!

Thanks for the comment. The pioneer 520 definitely ticks all of those boxes! I was planning on having the 500 for 20 years but the 520 with box came out which was an easy move at the time in 2021. Hopefully we have this one a long time. Just went over 4500 kms on the 520 and going strong. Thanks for watching!!

@ranchroadhomestead the problem will be finding one, might have to settle for a 500 and build my own box but a 520 would be prefered... Still have to wait for next year...

@stevencampbell1603 didn’t know they were still so hard to get. Not sure where you are located, but our local dealer has a green one in stock currently FYI.

Rev limit is 38 ish mph or 62 kmph on the display. I definitely notice some heat at the seat where the buckles are, but not too bad in our climate at least. Thanks for watching!!

@@ranchroadhomesteadThanks