The Snowplowing Thread

[sotc]

Nope, bought it off Craigslist several months back

 

[squisher]

I'm having my best year yet. I've been plowing til I drool, then sleeping a couple hours and doing it all over again. My truck is getting beat, gonna need a massive overhaul at the end of the season.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I finally got around to welding up my plow project. I don't like how it's mounted, so I'm going to redesign the whole contraption. I'll either make a pin bracket like Fisher uses, or I'll weld a couple of rectangular tubes on the A frame and chain them onto my pallet forks. 8' blade is much faster than the bucket. Even at idle the power angle is super speedy.

 

[Cobleskill]

You put chains on the tires?

 

[MasterBlaster]

My truck is getting beat, gonna need a massive overhaul at the end of the season.

What does that normally involve?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Jack the gas cap and drive a new truck under it???

 

[Dave Shepard]

Yes, I chain up the rears. I ran out of time today. It pushes like a tank with chains. Going to see if I can get chains for the front so I can steer with the plow angled.

 

[squisher]

What does that normally involve?

It's gonna involve tranny, transfer case, and engine. Out, rebuilt, and re-installed. I'm already looking into doing the transfer case sooner. I'll probably pick one up from the wreckers have it rebuilt and then do the swap quick. I just did the front end, outer universals, new seals, re-pack bearings, so it's hopefully good for awhile.

 

[brendonv]

Another 10 hrs today. Shit sucks, well the truck sucks. No traction on the new chevy, dumbass never put weight in it during the week. Sure makes for stressful times.

Don't know how people get off on plowing,

Cash is good for now at least.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I don't know. It's not so bad from the cab of a 3 yard loader. Getting the two feet out of the mill yard for the new toy that's coming tomorrow afternoon.

 

[squisher]

Don't know how people get off on plowing.

Ummm, no thanks!

Money makes plowing awesome, and that's about the only awesome part of it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

 

[chucky]

Plowing's pretty big around here as a side venture, with about 100" of snow here so far this winter. On the way to work last month:

http://www.youtube.com/user/fourcubed47?feature=mhum

 

[bill22]

Snow plowing?i only plow chicks.

 

[FJR]

I bet.

 

[bill22]

Lol.

 

[squisher]

I can't find the embed code? I may be too outdated?

My favorite plowing song, wakes ya up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh3qZ2FlwSI&nofeather=True

<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zh3qZ2FlwSI" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe>

 

[top_notch]

Good Deal?

Looking at getting a plow. Boss v. Owner will let it go for $3500 do you guys think its a good deal? Im just trying to get into plowing and have a 02 f250 ex cab 8ft bed and am planning on doing residential. Is this truck too big? Is the V plow a good choice? "I'm new I don't know what to do"

Here's a pic of the plow I'm looing to buy. It comes with everything and fits my truck....its coming off a 99 and I have an 01.

 

[Fruitbowl]

I think that price is good. I would love to have a V Plow. Mine is a Meyer 7.5' on a 3/4 ton Chevy. Plowing is really hard on the truck .... even if you baby it. I personally would never put a plow on a truck I loved. Put it on an old truck that you don't really care about. Good luck!!!

 

[top_notch]

Thanks for the input. I can see your point on the truck thing, but the way I see it is I have a big truck that I drive around and don't really use it to its full capacity. I figure I might as well put it to work and get the use out of it. I guess I would just like it to make me some money instead of me dumping tons of cash into it upon fill up.

 

[FJR]

Plowing is really hard on the truck .... even if you baby it. I personally would never put a plow on a truck I loved. Put it on an old truck that you don't really care about. Good luck!!!

I could not agree more! I backed into a fire hydrant that was buried in snow and mangled the bumper and rear quarter panel a few weeks back, and that is why I use a dedicated truck for that. Every year it always seems to be something. I see brand new 3/4 tons rolling around with plows and I think they are nuts. Even if you don't hit anything plowing is still hard on the front end of the truck, the transfer case, and the trans.

V-plows are nice as long as you have the truck for it and the price looks good if it is in good shape.

 

[squisher]

If you plow with a pro plow on a pick-up you will frig things up. Even if you drive as smoothly as possible and don't hit anything you will destroy suspension and drivetrain components on a regular basis. The plow looks like a good deal to me but I'm up in Canada where deals are not as plentiful. If you put that plow onto your truck I would expect to be doing ball-joints too if they have any age and your springs will not be up to the task of the weight of that plow and the diesel motor, either add a leaf or airbag the front. Also from what I hear if you plow with a diesel automatic you can kiss your tranny goodbye on a fairly regular basis too. The torque of the diesel is constantly winding up the converter/tranny and loads it up hard right as you're pushing into/up a pile. Everyone around here that jumped on the diesel bandwagon for plowing is jumping back off. Also if your truck is a standard like mine you better bring the clutching skills or you will eat up a clutch in no time.

I plow like a madman, about a 12hr push every event. The money is great but unless you're into wrenching yourself your profits will be sucked up in repair bills. My '92 f-350 has a smallblock gasser in it and I still have airbags in the front, new shocks every other year atleast and I've got the oldstyle front end with kingpins instead of ball joints. Even with front airbags I'm going dual shocks after this season to help things out.

I run a 9.5' V and would never plow with anything else. For the record v-plows aren't much heavier than a non-v pro plow usually around 100pds difference and the difference between a 8.5v and a 9.5v is negligible in weight. But for function it's huge. I do alot of commercial lots and roadways and the extra 1' saves me time. Also when things get tight the extra 6"s a side keeps my truck 6"s further away from obstacles than a shorter plow so it actually makes tighter areas easier imo.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Great post, Squish. I feel like I just got educated in plowing. Incredibly heavy snow this year, north and west of me, not bad at all in my area. The townships are running out of money for the plow work, and a number of people have died while attempting to clear their roofs. Some of the earthquake areas have been blasted as well, up to nine feet piled up. Things can get pretty rough indeed.

 

[squisher]

Wow that's some crazy snowfall Jay. Our winter here has been lackluster at best. Very reduced snowfalls and besides one three or four day cold snap extremely mild temperatures. It has not been a fantastic year to be a snowplower, I've done more treework this winter than I have the last three combined. I'm thankul to have the work though.

 

[treebogan]

Past two winters the Plower's made an absolute fortune.A freind of mine drove one of two Tractors his Boss had out Plowing and Gritting,last year they wrote Bills of $400,000 per month.After two years like that every man and his Dog went and bought a Plow and Gritter for their Tractor.

This winter its the least snow since the 1970's.