who likes/loves plowing with trucks? ?

George2615 · Nov 5, 2015

farm boy00 said:
I personally have never had stacking problems through these hard Michigan withers last few years while plowing. One lot I has the corner pile 10'+ tall stacking it. Although my truck (duramax) does give good torque if not spinning

Apparently you don't get as much snow as I do. In the middle of February when you have snow piled up 8-10' high everywhere in the yard and you get another 2' snowfall with no place to put it you need a loader to move it to make room.
I've been plowing snow for almost 50 years now using everything from a garden tractor with plow, snowblowers, Jeeps, 1/2 to 1 1/2 Ton pick ups and stake racks, big dump trucks, tractors, and an Oshkosh with wing plow and still do.
Unless you can blow or throw the snow to start with a truck won't move 10' high frozen piles of snow.

PILOON · Nov 5, 2015

A lot depends on the area and the annual snow accumulations.
I plowed with a 4X4 GMC diesel 3/4ton and usually ran out of space mid Feb no matter how far and wide I started out.
Clients were so far apart that the tractor was not an option (like 7MPH).
For sure with foresight a truck is faster and more comfortable and in the end more profitable.
In reality in snow belt areas I guess you need both, one for speed and efficiency and the other to widen.

But by choice I prefer the truck/plow. Warm and cozy, fast and efficient. Get'r done!

Suburbs now forbid any snow onto the road so tractor blower remains the only option but then the clients are about 100 feet apart so it becomes a drive every 5-10 mins.

My worst nightmare with the truck was when we got a 36" dumping. (the plow was not that high).
I adjusted about 6" high and plowed the top layer returning for the rest later. That storm I chained up all 4 wheels so I was a bulldozer on wheels. Fortunately it was a rather light snow.

The worst nightmare is 10" of early heavy wet snow on gravel drives. No matter how you adjust the plow or blower you end up pushing or blowing gravel all over the place.
Comes spring and every client is unhappy and then so are you because some percentage want to sue and some don't want to pay.

skyhook · Nov 6, 2015

PILOON said:
The worst nightmare is 10" of early heavy wet snow on gravel drives. No matter how you adjust the plow or blower you end up pushing or blowing gravel all over the place.
Comes spring and every client is unhappy and then so are you because some percentage want to sue and some don't want to pay.

Just inform these clients about the "gravel" problem beforehand, tell them there is a $500 surcharge if they want the gravel removed from their lawns come spring.

skyhook · Nov 6, 2015

farm boy00 said:
Kinda curious on this. Have seen most people recommend using tractors or only run tractors. I understand that not everyone has plow trucks. I personally like plowing with trucks. I actually got 1 plowing job and am a back up plowers for a busdy when he goes out of the country for Christmas and I can't even fully drive yet.
So who likes there trucks??

View attachment 446288
Plow is still involved storage

Why aren't you using the Ford.

farm boy00 · Nov 6, 2015

skyhook said:
Why aren't you using the Ford.

The 79 ford isn't currently running and we haven't been able to pay for the 04 f150 we are getting

crashz · Nov 6, 2015

I miss plowing snow. Especially last year!

I grew up plowing snow, most of the times in lots and sub-divisions that had little to no traffic. Very few residential driveways. Those were the days!

farm boy00 · Nov 10, 2015

crashz said:
I miss plowing snow. Especially last year!

I grew up plowing snow, most of the times in lots and sub-divisions that had little to no traffic. Very few residential driveways. Those were the days!

I personally don't like plowing houses bit it is plowing after all