I have also heard the Cooper M&S tires are great for plowing.

My reasoning for not using a manual tranny is two fold.

1) You left leg will be tired in about 30 mins. Not cool when you have 2 feet of snow.

2) A clutch will not be able to handle the amount of shifting you will do when plowing snow. I would guess you would go through one clutch per plowing season. An auto will last a lot longer if treated properly (complete stops before shifts and frequent fluid changes).

-Matt

 

Even better than lying to a reputable contractor, either try subbing for him or just ask him for help. DO NOT ask their prices and then lower your prices a couple bucks to get jobs. This is called lowballing and shows that you don't really know how to estimate or operate your business on your numbers. This is the main reason that most plowing 'companies' go out of business. In my area, $50-$60 is on the very low end. I am on the higher end of the spectrum and do not have a problem getting enough plowing. The other part of this is that when your tranny goes, plow breaks, front end needs to be rebuilt, basing your pricing on someone elses may not be making you enough money to pay for the repairs. You might want to check into insurance as well, unless you want to take the chance on losing everything you own from a lawsuit.

Don't plan on breaking even the first year plowing part time. I wouldn't hold my breath on supporting your hot rod project by plowing either. Working 3rd shift you might be able to find someone that needs an operator or sub during the day, because most plowing is performed during the 3rd shift, so those operators may be at their job or getting rest.[/QUOTE]

I've been in the snow removal/landscape industry for 15 years and whole-heartedly agree with everything above. If you want the inside scoop from the pro's, check out plowsite.com

Hope this helps.....

P.S. And for the record, a manual tranny will last just as long if not longer than an auto. I've plowed with both, an auto will be easier to learn on. But don't listen to anyone who says a manual won't hold up (although your leg may give out from constant shifting).

 

Actually the throwout bearing gave up first on mine, After 3 1/2 seasons.

 

Im not too sure about that... My parents drive is 65 x 40 I can plow it in about 5 minutes, or takes abbout 1/2 hr with the 24inch toro blower

 

Man! We had (3) snow blowers (8,5 and 2HP) all going at the same time and it still took us 3-4hrs to clear the area.

Never again in my mind! Even if I never break even with plow jobs, just having the Peace of Mind that I can clear a Path anywhere, anytime with a Truck/Plow is enough for me !!

The extra money I make from plowing would be extra gravy for my Hot Rod project!

 

Is this the tire you'all are saying is the BEST plowing tire out there ?? Cooper Discoverer M&S

 

Advice? Sure. Hit it hard and hit it fast . That's what we do when plowing out the yard at the farm.........but we use a 73 Versatile 300 hydrostatic/manual gearboxes with a 12ft blade. The old man plans on makin a 3 point hitch for the back to mount the snowblower. I think he wants to cancel winter in the yard.

Trevor

 

I agree with katman snowblowers take to long of a time to clear an area.I would hire a kid for clearing sidewalks with a snowblower but for parking lots and driveways you got to have a snow plow.

 

I bought a John Deere 410 backhoe for that specific purpose. I like my truck too much to tear it up.
I used to plow with an ex military 6x6, it plowed great but turning was a real joy! Armstrong steering!

 

I don't completely agree Matt I like plowing with a stick shift. I have done it for better than 15 years and the only compliant I have is reverse is geared a little to low when doing parking lots. Other than that I have zero compliants plus those autos give up too soon plowing deep snow.
Just my opinion nobody elses
Glen
05 F-350 4x4 Reg Cab PSD 6Spd.

 

I agree the manual with overpower the auto any day for plowing purposes. The manual trannys are more solid to. In case your wondering i plow with an 89 chevy 2500 4x4 reg cab, reg bed 6spd trans. I swapped the trans from an auto to a manual for the sole purpose of plowing and durability.

 

are the snow falls in your area wet heavy snow? the reason i ask is because up here in a.b canada alot of people plow with quads or even skid steer tractors.
and the guys who know what they are doing seem to work very fast and do really nice jobs( clean drives with no damage to the surfaces. would this be a good idea in your area?

 

That's exactly what I was going to ask about! I have been wanting to get into the plowing business as well (but with my ATV). Just cruize up to the front door just after a snow storm and see if they need their driveway/sidewalk plowed. I could probably pay off the $400 plow in one season easily. Plus...all the fun of drifting and doing donuts on the roads to and from customers. I can turn around in my own radius (reverse on my ATV is only about 6mph), strap sandbags to the racks for weight for snow over 8". One tank of gas (3.5gal) will last me almost all day...and you wont break anything on an ATV unless you do something insainly stupid. I can also guarantee I can do the same sq-ft lot in the same ammount of time that it would take someone in a truck to do.

I think I will do it next winter!

 

i don't mean to sound like a pecker but how could you do the same sq ft lot with a quad jsut as fast as a truck with an 8ft plow, your 40 inches compared to 96inches i dunno maybe i am missing soemthing i am by no means trying to start a fight. yes i have seen guys do long side walks with atvs and i think a few driveways but hey if it works for ya good luck

 

Katmandu, Plow for someone else if you want to make money and learn the business as well as how to plow.
Yes you can make more money if you plow your own jobs, but if someone wants to hire you to plow their snow it will have to be done everytime it snows.
Most places here want the lots plowed when there is 2" of snow, all the places want it plowed if there is 3".
You also have to develope a game plan about where the snow can go, where it can not go and what to do when there is to much to fit where it can go.

Driving down the street asking people if they want their lot done is not good for several reasons. They may have a contract with someone else who will be mad when they get there 10 minutes after you start plowing. You will not know about hidden obsticles that can damage your truck or plow. And you may or may not get paid.

Plan on the maintence on the truck to tripple what it is just driving around. Alternator, batteries, U joints are all going to take a beating as well as ball joints and tierod ends.
A good strobe light is a very good idea, two is a better idea. You want to draw attention to you and your truck but don't even think people will cut you some slack.
Backup lights, stock backup lights will not cut it at night in a driving snow storm.
Heated mirrors are also real nice in that freezing rain or sleet that always happens at least once a year while plowing.
Last clutch and throw out bearing lasted for 10 years plowing in my manual tranny. It was a dump truck and towed machinery in the non snow season during that same 10 years.

Every 4x4 truck out there has a place in the snow business, but you have to have the right truck and plow for what you are plowing.
My 86 with a 9 foot dump on it don't work well in a driveway, but that Bronco would not work well at the mall where I plow unless you were doing the sidewalks. We use a Cat skid steer and a 600 Polaris 4x4 four wheeler for those.
I am running a Snoway plow with hydraulic down pressure. One of my customers is a tire shop, I pull up to the garage doors drop the blade with the down pressure on and can backdrag the lot clean for more than the length of my truck. Then I can turn around and get behind the snow and push it away. The plows with chains on the lift can not do that in a 6" snow. Works the same way in a driveway with a garage door at the end of it if my truck will fit.

We have a pre season meeting of all the drivers every year and actually walk the lots looking for things that are going to be a problem. Curbs .. I have seen one truck and three plows totaled by curbs. Manhole lids and catch basin lids sticking above the surface are as bad as curbs possibly worse if you do not know where they are because they hide under less snow. We all look over the entire lot, but we assign areas for each of us to start in. That person pays the most attention to obsticles in his area that way, and if someone comes over to help him, he can point out the bad places to whoever helps him out.

I do the same thing with all my personal contracts every year before the snow falls.

Third shift is not going to work well with plowing, when the snow is flying I am usually out the door at 1 AM and don't come home till that afternoon.



This is after about a 4" snowfall, that 4 wheeler with a blade on it would not clear this lot as fast as a truck will. When you have a couple of acres to plow a little snow makes a big pile.



This is after 28" one night. Our four wheeler would not even move in this one. Sleet to start then the temp dropped and it turned to snow. I had to chain up all four on my truck to push this snow.