I know this is like a ford vs. chevy discussion (almost at least), but my input would be rubber edge pro-tech. Simple, economical, if it breaks just weld it, "less" operator training, you get the idea.. Even for steel edge units, I enjoy the IST over spring models, mainly because of the lack of moving parts.
I know people like the scraping ability of the Artic units, and I'm sure this more important on a company to company, and region to region basis. But I find that the rubber edge models offer me just what I need, especially because I pre-treat quite often, and they do it simply and affordably.
Everything we do is hourly. BUt with a pusher I would talk to owners and say were more effecient that before and therefore........ I think it would sell. No different than us mowing/maintanence with these companies that we do. Larger equipment - more effecient equipment, less time on property. How do you guys do it if you make the switch to bigger, better, more effeicent means of doing things?
Pushers make a HUGE difference when clearing a facility, as they save you time which makes you more money. But they do costs associated with them that you have to consider before hand.
Are you going to be leaving said piece of equipment at the property, or would you be moving from property to property?
That was one of the factors that came into play when I made my purchase. That and security. I do a lot of work in downtown Chicago, and there is not a lot of places to leave a piece of equipment with a pusher just sitting around in between snow falls, or secure places. So I opted for the HLA 3200 series Snow Wing that fits 50-80hp skids, and I can trailer around the city between job sites. Yes it costs more, but, it saves me in other ways.
Here's some of the advantages in my opinion:
1)The "wing" (sb3200w611 is the one I went with) gives you a 6' pusher box when it is in the closed position
2)When it is in the straight blade position it opens to a full 11' wide for either stacking or just clearing
3)You can have the blade open to the 11' position and the angle it to windrow just like a normal plow (no other pusher that I know of does that) or you can close off one end so there is no tail off.
4)You can rotate the �wings� back so that you can then pull up to a door or a loading dock and then back drag the area just like any other plow, but the snow is caught between the closed wings for less clean up. Which in turns saves cost on needing a second truck there to clean up the areas that the pusher couldn't�t get to and you need a pick-up to get to.
5)With the box closing up to 6' wide, it is easy to load on to a trailer and move around the city from job site to job site without having to unhook the pusher. I can drive it right on, park it, chain it all down, and go to the next stop. We use dedicated salt trucks on certain routes, so the truck that is hauling the skid around, is dedicated to doing just that.
So if you can swing it, it is an option I would look in to. I did look at the Kage System, but ended up going with the Snow Wing.
Last edited by buildinon; 08-27-2012 at 03:09 AM..
Heres my opinion. A far as a pusher they are great but the have draw backs if the operator has never ran one like angle of the bucket. It needs to be right... Plows are great but its just a plow... The Madge system is a pusher and a power angle plow. Which means you have a power angle plow
Pushers are def the way to go. we use Steel-Tec pushers and also have a couple 2 yard buckets from them. All great equipment at a reasonable price. Check them out www.steel-tec-usa.com
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