Learned a new trick today

[jason2]

I'm a rookie and I learned a new trick today. I was plowing an apartment complex with 4 other trucks today. Only 1 truck had a v-plow, the rest of us had straight blades.

On long narrow runs, we'd put two trucks together and angle blades inwards towards each other and make a V. We could than make full runs and move a lot more snow. Kind of like a cheap man's V-plow.

I'm sure that's probably common knowledge to most people here. But I sure thought it was neat. And it worked well to boot.

Just got home from 10 hours of plowing, and it started to snow again. So probably will be back out again later.

 

[John DiMartino]

We have been going blade to blade for years,I have found that,automatics are tough to keep the same speed as the pile builds up,watch those mirrors,and the lighter truck always gets pushed off at the end of the pass.

 

[BRL]

Well Jason, I don't really consider my self a rookie or an expert but I've never seen or thought of that idea. We've always taken 2 or 3 trucks in tandem to windrow the snow to one side in the big lots. I can't wait to try the V idea though, since I already have a bunch of straight blades that don't need replacin' at the moment.

 

[plowking35]

Only works in tight places. If you have a wide open area, much faster to winrow. You really have to go slow, and you have to be mindfull of where the trucks are in relation to one another.
Dino

 

[John Allin]

Before vee plows, we did it all the time - large and small lots. One guy hung out the window with his hand on the other guys mirror. Near the end we moved away from each other so we didn't slide into each other at the pile.

Worked quite well. Took some talent to do it regular without any damage. Great feeling to move that much snow with straight blades.

 

[jason2]

On large lots we windrow. Just in tight long stretches we were V'ing up. You guys are right it's awful tight. Maybe 6 inches tops between the blades at the start of the push, once you get a big enough pile going you really got to watch for the lighter truck moving around. At the end of the push we might be a foot apart.

Only tapped mirrors once.

 

[SlimJim Z71]

I had never really thought of doing that. Maybe we'll give it a try tomorrow... if we get the 2-4 inches they're saying we're gonna get.

-Tim

 

[Chuck Smith]

Sounds good for older trucks. Not sure I'd recommend two $30,000 trucks running that close together! It is a more productive method for some areas it seems. Considering a mirror alone on some new trucks is $250+<img src="http://www.lawnsite.com/images/icons/icon11.gif">

~Chuck

 

[GeoffD]

I would hate to see what would happen if two good friends did this with two new trucks. And truck A happen to hit the side of truck B, I bet some words would be exchanged.

I have thought of this before and the risk just is too great even for a new or old truck IMO. However we have run trucks in tandem before.

Geoff

 

[Deere John]

I saw this at a dealership several years ago. It looked pretty funny. It made sense to me though, because they have their own body and paint shop!

 

[yardsmith]

Good idea; never thought of that. Wasn't until this yr. that I had 2 trucks to use, & 1 already has a V plow.
Just be sure the drivers are good & can react quickly if need be.

 

[diggerman]

We do this with 10ftrs between the hangers at the airport and you can really generate a pile of snow.