WOW, You guys are GREAT. Didn't mean to start the, "entertaining" banter in regards to storage. Sorry about that. Ok, best example I can give you as far as the climate around here. We have a very humid climate. So the winters are colder and the summers are hotter. We had the worst ice storm 4 or 5 years ago, not much snow. Year before last we had our first blizzard ever in the history of Oklahoma. Last year we had 2 blizzards back to back. When we do get snow we get ice, and it is usually 1 to 2 inches thick, however the blizzards hammered out 6 to 8 inches of ice. Snow is heavy and thick and packs tight. Now usually snow will only last a day or two, sun and temperatures melt even 6 to 8 inches away in a day or two. It was very unusual for us to have snow on the ground as long as we did, almost 3 weeks. But plowing was NUTS! Guys were even using mini-ex's to plow with. You really can't move much snow with a mini-ex dozer blade...LOL But these yahoos were getting 100 to 150 and hour! My skidder is great on the ice, but not 100% effective. Much much easier if salt/sand is put down first. The reason I am so hip-hopped up on this now is because I have 3 hospitals I have been talking too. I stated my rates earlier....... Funny thing is, in Oklahoma we may not see ONE snow flake this next season. This is ALL a gamble for me. But I do know we are going to have winters that will require plowing. It may take me 3 or 4 plowing seasons to recoup, but I think it would be worth it. As far as local dealers, well those are few and far between. The ones that are dealers don't stock parts. They just order what you need. So I am totally clueless about plows and spreaders. I am certain that the D60 is the way to go. That is all I am certain of..LOL I figure now is when I want those contracts signed and get my truck setup. The ice is the BIG thing here. Lots and lots of ice. It is worse than a gravel road, how do these plows hold up to that type of terrain?

"ToMang07 - I have had to do so far was put skid feet on it (dirt driveway) and replace the fluid yearly."

Is that necessary for ice too? That is also why I asked about the cutting edge, will ice shorten the life? We don't get light powder for snow here.

 

Hey, I've had my F350 in low range, 2nd. gear, hitting 1200 degrees EGT, and bogging down, pushing a foot of wet springtime Colorado snow...

 

You won't be peeling up solid ice, you'll be scraping along on top of it. Ice is probably tougher on the edge than hard-packed snow, but then I'm used to grinding on pavement. My job requires me to have the shoes retracted so the edge is on the asphalt...
If it's pot-holed choppy ice, it'll be a rough ride, and the plow may catch & fold down a lot. If it's smooth ice, you'll scrape the snow off the top.

 

Yeah that sounds close to what I'll see around here at least a few times a year. This last winter I got all of 10 feet up the driveway in 4hi before my 7,000 lb 4wd diesel was stopped in it's tracks spinning the tires. Then you're stuck with a big plow-shaped snow ball that you've got no choice but to ram into to get moving again lol Sometimes when it's that wet I can't even angle my blade because it just pushes the truck sideways instead of pushing the snow, then I gotta keep the blade straight and just hammer through to make a path, then chip away about a foot or two at a time - any more and it just pushes the truck when it builds up a ball.

 

do you run chains on the front tires when you are plowing? what about chains on the rear?

 

chains and studs are illegal to run on the roads here, so I just go with tires good for snow. Sometimes throw a couple hundred pounds in the back for extra weight. With a diesel engine and a plow hanging off the front the front wheels do most of the work.

 

well they are legal here! WHEW! LOL I did notice a HUGE difference putting chains on the front of my chevy. In 4L I was walking around EVERYTHING.

 

I've only had to chain up once, and that was front & rear. Yeah, it makes all the difference on ice.
A couple tons of sand in the back doesn't hurt either...

 

Consider it had 3.55 so I knew it would done like that but before it had 4.10 gear it was ok but it SUCK GAS so fast. 3-5 mpg When I change to 3.55 now it plow and get 7-8 mpg


Heavy wet snow. USE 4L don't listen those plow guys who say 4LOW too slow and worthless. They are going to hurt their transmissions.

Mostly I use 2wd plow or 4H until I feel I am push limit then drop in 4L.

Before you put plow make sure your fan clutch are work good. They get overheat QUICK and blew up radiators plus hose from rad to engine was SWELL like balloon. I replaced #3 radiators in 1 1/2 months. New thermostat and Heavy duty fan clutch fixed expect 1 mpg lower.

For diesel I never like F450 diesel with E40D it wasn't shift like you usually with gasser. It shift too hard and quick. But it had 195K miles so it got new transmission after heavy wet snowstorm.

andHad drove 94 F350 dump 7.3L with 5 speed. I say WOW it plow like BEAST. it 2wd but it plow like bulldozer.

 

3.55? How well can you haul tractors and heavy loads?

 

I should clarify that the skid feet are to space the blade up so you don't dig into a soft driveway, like dirt/gravel. If you are plowing pavement, you don't need them, but your cutting blade will take a beating. I'm still on my origional cutting blade, (Plow is from 2004, I've had it since 07) because I plow dirt driveway. If I was doing pavement... be on my second by now at least!

I have 3.73 gears and never had an issue plowing... but I have a diesel.

As far as chains, I wouldn't bother IF you have good tires. I highly reccomend a good set of All-Terrain "M+S" tires with an agressive tread. If thats not in the budget... chains would work.

Sander.... I wouldn't spend the money unless you have a place to get sand cheap. They are expensive to buy, expensive to maintain, and expensive to fill. Not to mention kicking rocks off into windshields could cause you a couple angry fans.

 

Several Myers plows. '96 has 3.55 "Poly", '89 has 3.73 I think "steel". "96 pushes good but I'm thinking adding another trans for "splitting" when pulling.'95 has Myer' 8-1/2' on 4.10,"steel" We get $115. pickups-$156. for stake bodies. Like said earlier, change oil annually and keep dry during off time, no probs that way. Pick up mounts still available. The f-350 we had to modify. We never had weather like this before Obama was elected.

 

 

It was tow ok but keep overdrive off or manual shift 1 and 2 to keep rpm higher.

It was worn out. Only 15K miles on new 351W but so much blow out it smoke out oil cap. Truck itself only had 73K when I bought.

That how I end bought 87 F250 then it wasn't enough for me so Bought 2000 F350 diesel 4wd for $1500.

 

What about Hiniker plows? I talked to a local company here and he told me Hiniker parts are easier for him to get. He also sells Meyers, but told me that getting parts for them is difficult. So any Hiniker users? He quoted me 7 grand not installed.