The snow removal equipment manufacturer is also introducing the Forge 2.0 long bed, D-Force for DXT Plows and SK-R 6 compact vehicle plow
After Boss Products acquired the Snowrator brand in March 2018, it set out to redesign the one-of-a-kind product.
Using its more than 30 years of experience in snowplow design, Boss, a division of The Toro Company, re-engineered the Snowrator to maximize performance and reliability of the multi-tasking, labour-saving solution for snow and ice contractors.
The Snowrator quickly deploys to plow and de-ice sidewalks and walkways, which reduces the need for shovelling and allows the operator to brine, spread and plow at the same time, to maximize on-the-job productivity and profitability.
Boss-engineered improvements include a 1.2 metre hydraulic snowplow with a 50-cm polyethylene skin and improved electrical and plow attachment systems.
New Snowrator options
The Snowrator also now accepts all Boss ATV plow accessories and common parts for better parts availability and convenience of service.
“At Boss, it’s our business to make snow and ice management more efficient and profitable,” said Mark Klossner, marketing vice president for Boss Snowplow.
“Our customers can rely on the redesigned Snowrator to provide clean and clear sidewalks for metro, commercial and residential jobs, and Snowrators don’t call in sick or need time off. It’s a dependable labour solution in tough winter weather.”
RELATED: Salt shortage expected to continue this winter
For the vehicle, the Boss chassis provides greater protection from puncture to the standard brine tank and features a new, removable rear plate for easier maintenance and access to the tank.
As well, rear fenders and splashguards help to protect the operator from slush, salt, snow and other debris. The vehicle hardware now features nylon locking nuts to prevent loosening due to vehicle operation, for improved reliability.
New Snowrator electrical components
Boss also redesigned electrical components of the Snowrator. The electrical system now features weather-resistant connectors to improve reliability and an increased gauge of power and ground cables. As well, hydraulic hose ends now feature a coating with seven times more corrosion resistance.
Boss also replaced the terminal block with a power/ground harness to reduce corrosion to the electrical system and allow for plug-and-play with optional equipment.
A responsive hydraulic lever turn control offers ease of manoeuvrability with zero turn radius and four-wheel drive for traction in any condition. And a rear reference bar makes operation easier by giving the operator an additional hand-hold support feature. The front reference bar is now notched to prevent the bar from slipping and offers a method of limiting vehicle speed.
For visibility, the Snowrator is now equipped with LED lights.
Snowrator spreading equipment
The Snowrator features both pre-treatment and deicing capabilities with a standard 75 litre pre-treatment brine system, as well as an optional auxiliary brine tank and two deicing solid material spreaders.
An updated fully potted broadcast spreader controller provides onboard diagnostics for troubleshooting and eases operation.
The Exact Path 42 litre drop spreader with a Boss-exclusive salt chute distributes salt at the optimum width and pattern, minimizing damage to turf while reducing salt contact with the plow attachment system.
Available accessories for the Snowrator include a 75 litre auxiliary tank, plow wing extensions, material carrying trays, broadcast spreader, plow box wings, shovel mounting brackets, urethane cutting edge and 19 litre bucket mounts.
The acquisition
The Toro Company acquired the Snowrator’s manufacturer L.T. Rich Products in March of 2018.
Alongside the Snowrator, L.T. Rich Products is known for its Z-Spray line of stand-on spreader and sprayers for landscape contractors and grounds professionals. Other products include the Z-Plug stand-on aerator that is designed to convert to a slicer/seeder, snow plow or dethatching rake.
Since 1999, L.T. Rich Products has developed numerous products to help industry professionals minimize labour. Before entering the equipment manufacturing industry, the company, based in Lebanon, Indiana, worked in the landscaping field.
Outside of the Snowrator acquisition, Boss Snowplow has also added new products to its existing snow removal equipment roster.
The newest members of the Boss family are the Forge 2.0 long bed spreader and the SK-R 6 compact vehicle plow, both extensions of Boss collections. As well, the D-Force accessory is now available for DXT Plows.
“At Boss, we’re focused on every aspect of the contractor’s business — roads, driveways, sidewalks and parking lots — and the solutions they need to work quicker, more efficiently and with more profitability,” said Mark Klossner, marketing vice president for Boss Snowplow. “We take great pride in listening to our customers and offering the products and accessories they need to operate successful businesses.”
Forge 2.0 long bed
The Forge stainless steel spreaders have become a strong performer in Boss’ line of ice control solutions, and a new design makes the Forge a solution for long bed trucks. The Forge 2.0 long bed features a longer hopper design to optimize its fit on long bed trucks and make filling the spreader easier and quicker with a loader bucket.
SK-R 6
The SK-R 6 joins the SK-R 8 and SK-R 10 to expand Boss’ line of box plows for tractors, skid steers and other compact vehicle equipment. The new SK-R 6 features a reversible 4 cm rubber cutting edge designed for quieter plowing operation and protection to sensitive surfaces. SK box plows from Boss are designed to put the full force and manoeuvrability of compact vehicle equipment into getting the pavement back to black.
D-Force for DXT
As well, Boss continues to expand products offering D-Force, an accessory that improves scraping when backdragging by maintaining a consistent hydraulic down force, powered by a hydraulic accumulator, leaving cleaner pavement. D-Force will now be available on new Boss DXT 2.5 metre and 2.8 metre snowplows, adding even more power to the DXT lineup.
