Snowplow position when travelling

[mbrule]

I am wondering where guys that have snowplows carry the blade when travelling, and why. There are 4 choices:

1. Straight accross
2. Angled right
3. Angled Left
4. Wherever it is when raised

I carry mine angled right for a number of reasons that I will share after I see some other opinions. Thanks for your input, please don't forget to say why you carry it that way.

Matt

 

[TheHammer]

I keep the blade straight when driving. Less chance of smacking the ground with the corner of the blade.

Sometimes you don't have a choice. With my last truck I had to angle the blade for airflow to keep the truck from running hot.

 

[MossRoad]

When I had a plow, the owner's manual said to carry it high enough to clear road obstructions, but low enough to not block the radiator.

When I drive a company truck with plow on the highway, I usually take it up a foot off the ground, then angle it so that the wind counteracts the affects of our trucks usually being out of alignement and wanting to drive off the side of the road!

And always keep it low enough to not block the headlights. Some will lift high enough so that if you angle it, one headlight will be blocked, even the ones on risers on the plow mounting frame.

 

[Dmace]

I have a 9ft blade on the front of my 1-ton dump truck and on back roads I have to angle it because it's wider than the lanes and by angling the plow it's not so wide. On highways, I leave it straight and raise it to about halfway of it's total height so that it does not block too much of the radiator. Also at highway speeds, I notice that an angled plow makes the truck pull to one side. That can't be good for your alignment/suspension. Plus I usually take out a curn or two with it angled as the closer side is only a few inches off the ground.

With properly setup plow frame lights, you can lift the plow up to it's max and not obscure the lights but I leave it half way up and chain it. I always chain my plow if it's more than a mile or so travel, especially with such a heavy plow. Those hydraulic cylinders don't last too long with that much weight bouncing around on back roads.

On a side note: A 1994 Ford F-350 4x4 diesel with a dump body filled with 4,000lbs of sand, 6 brand new tires and a 9ft fisher plow = SNOW TANK!

 

[mbrule]

Interesting, you guys have already answered my questions, I angle mine to the right (8 foot plow) because it is narrower on the road, also truck runs cooler at highway speed, though I avoid highways when possible with blade on. I also find that WHEN I MEET SOMEONE WITH AN 8, 9, or 10 FOOT BLADE STAIGHT ACCROSS ON A NARROW ROAD, I am:

1. narrow as possible
2. can skim the gutter plow bank easier.

That was the reason for my initial post, I met a dually this AM on the way to work going way too fast on a narrow road with the (at least 9') blade staight. I think we would have hit if mine was staight too.

I do now, understand a couple of good reasons to carry it straight, thanks to you guys. Though I will continue to carry it angled. Thaks for your input.

 

[LarryRB]

I Angle mine left and right depending how far to travel, only to allow cool air to both sides of radiator,, what I hate most is those that raise them straight and try to travel our skinny roads, I can't count how many times I went far right not to get side swiped,,

 

[George2615]

We have a lot of crosswinds at highway speed so the blade may be angled right, left, or straight so as to not be plowing directly into a headwind / crosswind. I've seen a difference of a few hundred RPM by not having the plow face the direction of the wind.

 

[Chuck52]

Seems like most of the plows I see are carried straight, and like has been mentioned, that can make passing one on a narrow road interesting. I share my road with farm implements all the time, so I kind of look at the plows the same way. They are on their way to do a job I probably benefit from, so I don't mind pulling over, though that often involves riding the snow on the edge of the road.

Chuck

 

[mbrule]

I agree, I don't mind pulling over either, but it can be tough when two trucks meet both carrying blades, hence the reason I stay angled. Also in Massachusetts, max legal road width is 8.5 feet without permits etc. I realize that snowplows are and should be an exception, but a 9' (and probably 10' too) is less that 8.5' wide when angled.

May be it is just my experience, but some guys with plows just get too excited (or somtnig) and drive too darn fast on back roads! Making it hard to get out of the way.

Sorry for the rant!!!!

 

[Timber]

Well 1st off right hear this the last week we have had several people killed by people clipping people with there plow blades and 1 woman had a loader dump a load of snow on her and killed her. People and children are out walking in the street.Seems everyone owns a plow these days with no instruction of plow educate.

1) take it off if you not using it
2) when driving angle it to the left to push a head on contact away from you

Plows and pedestrians are a nasty way to go and bear in mind the roads are narrower, the plow makes your truck wider & snow puts people in the street and the young people really don't know to watch for what a plow is doing