First of all, this is just an idea I'm kicking around, no actual plan to do this for at least a couple of years. I have a '73 F700 single axle grain truck. 361 with a 4 speed/split axle. It has a steel grain body on it. It is the only thing I kept after auctioning off my other farm equipment when I got out of farming. I plan to use the truck for landscaping purposes in the future. And to possibly use the truck for snow removal as I move into that field. Before I get serious about the F700 for snow, I want to get a couple seasons under my belt with my F250. Plus I don't foresee any accounts at first that the F700 would be practical for. Now to the meat and potatoes of this post: The sides of the grain body are removeable. I'd like to add a V-box sander. Reasoning to do this is, the grain body by itself isn't strong enough to hold sand. Second I'd like to add a 10 to 11 foot plow. My biggest concern, and which may ultimately lead to a decision in not doing this is the trucks ability to get around in the snow. Even with a full load of grain on (30,000 lbs)which is overweight by the way, the truck would get stuck. Chains would probably solve this though. Just curious as to what some of you guys think about the feasability of this truck for use in large lots, etc.. As I said before I don't plan on doing this until I'm firmly established, and have some experience under my belt, I've only moved snow with tractors with loaders, and backhoe/front loaders. Thanks in advance.
With a sander, 10' plow, on spot chains. And working with your pick up, it would be a heck of a plow truck for lots. Geoff
If you're plowing right there shouldn't be snow enough left to get stuck in when you are out sanding, so the truck would work OK for that. Worst case is a set of single chains for teh ice storms. we used to drop a vee box on the back of our 2 wd F350 and it worked ok, when we had the bad ice in 98 we ran chains for hours on end, taking them off only when we had to run 20 miles to get another load of material.
Thats why on spots are the way to go. When ya need um, just flick the switch. However, you can't go over 25 with them in use. All my front line 2 wd trucks ( F 650 and F 750) have them, these trucks plow very well with or with out the on spots. None of my snow hauling trucks ( L 9000s) have chains on them, only they don't hit the road to everything is plowed. Geoff [Edited by GeoffDiamond on 09-03-2000 at 01:16 AM]
The only thing I would do with that truck is install a sander. When it comes time to plow time is evrything. That truck unless you are doing roads, is just to big. If you get a large lot, a loader with a box pusher will do in 1/2 the time more work than that truck could do. Think of all the shifting, clutching and steering it will take to plow with that. If you dont have the machine to push the box, get a sub to provide the machine and man to run it, and you buy/lease the pusher. Then just drive through with the truck and spreader when they are done pushing.
I wouldn't say the truck is use less for plowing. You have to look at it this way. The cost of the sander is the same either way. If you can find a used plow, for like 3 K or less, than you can still take on some bigger lots. True that truck could sand or salt, a lot of sq feet. However if you can sand all your lots in like 2 hours, is the truck being used to it's full potential? No. I would say, try to set it up as a plow truck too, and if money allows, buy or lease a pusher. Yes the pusher clears a lot, but i would sub out the pushing, get a few lots of your own for the F 700, and then sand the lots cleared by the pusher. More work, more money. Thats just how i see. True a pusher will out do my F 650 or 750 any day. However my travel speed will be quicker than my loader. Just for numbers My Pusher did 3 Big lots last year, 2 side by side, one a across the street. My F 650 did several private roads, and 5 lots of its own, and still sanded the lots plowed by the pushers. Just don't write the truck off just yet Geoff
Jason go with what you got, that truck will plow snow, it may not be perfect but it still will make you money.If you get the right lot you can go about clearing it in a way that does not require alot of backing(maybe). As for the sander and side boards,lose the board add the sander for weight,chain are good but can tear up a lot if you are not careful
