Plow Life

[Aspen Snow]

We have basic covered life for a spreader, trucks, and various other things. How long have you guys kept a plow in service? I know Geoff will have an answer on this one. Got go to sleep now, because it just started snowing. We got all the trucks ready to go.

 

[Lazer]

Our 1990 Boss seems to be fine. With the cost of new trucks, I'll probably keep it for another 5 anyway.

With our Meyers 8-10 seemed to be about it.

Our old style rear plows were only good for 6-7 years. Our new style should be good for 15.

 

[GeoffD]

Post of the time we trade the plow with the truck.

However I have 4 old 9' blades used on tractors for pushind snow. 1 97 Diamond, 1 94' Fisher 1 93 Fisher, 1 91 Fisher.


The 91 is showing is getting near the end of dependable service life. So the next few truck's I Trade I will remove the plow system. Keep the pump, wiring, controlls, headlights, lift frame, and 9' blade. The frame kit, I will sell to a local used plow dealer. I also plan on having a spare 9' blade sitting around the yard, just in case.

The 10' blades on our F 650s and F 750, we are not sure on how long they will last. We plan on keeping the trucks at least 10 years, because they are a true medium duty truck. I don't know if Moldboard replacement will be needed after 6 years of hard use or not.

BTW, I think that if you use a home owner grade plow, for commercial, you plow life will be less.

Geoff



[Edited by GeoffDiamond on 11-30-2000 at 08:08 PM]

 

[Tim1075]

My friend took my 1976 meyer plow last year because his truck came with the pump and lights but no plow so that is still in use. The plow was originally off a 76 dodge power wagon municipal truck so it saw many hard years of plowing.

 

[GeoffD]

Tim where are you located?

Meyer used by an town, must be southern new england.

Your give a local DPW in Maine a brand new Meyer, they will kill it in 5 years. These guys are brutal, the pound on plows proabably harder than anyone, on this forum. They have broken a-frames on fishers, broken spring mounts, and they just glue them back together. After 10-15 years they can kill a fisher, no problem.

Geoff

 

[Tim1075]

I'm down in western country new jersey thats all you see around here. Our DPW now uses westerns on their pick ups and go through them about every 3 or 4 years

 

[John DiMartino]

DPW should use Fisher or Diamond,they are tough on plows.Those guys go thru trannys as fast as i go thru winshield washer fluid in a bad storm.

 

[Chuck Smith]

Around here in Essex County, NJ you see Meyer, Diamond, and Western on DPW trucks. The road plow DPW trucks run Western in some towns. It's the mason dumps and pick ups that run Diamond and Meyer (and Western). I have yet to see a V plow on a DPW truck. I wonder how long it will take them to "get up to speed" on V plows.

~Chuck

 

[Tim1075]

Chuck i am in bergen county and i really dont see where the DPW's in our area would need a v plow.

 

[Aspen Snow]

In our town, which is Vernon Township, NJ. They have two v-plows on there trucks. They also got some new F-550 this year with 10' Fisher MC and Smith Spreaders. Nice looking trucks.

 

[GeoffD]

I think the 9' MC is for teh F 550s, the 10' for a true mid sized commercial truck. If they put a 10' MC on it, the truck aint going to be linken life, but hey what DPW truck likes life.

Geoff

 

[Snow Pro]

The DOT's around here have been using the permanently fixed V-blades (the kind that don't invert and scoop snow) for as long as I remember. Usually the trucks and blades go up for public auction after 10 years. They sell cheap to guys that want to spend their money on maintenance instead of newer more expensive equipment.

 

[Chuck Smith]

Tim,

Around here, the DPW trucks have to clean all the municipal lots in town. You know, the ones with parking meters in them, that are too small for road plows to do. They have them all over for rows of stores on main streets. Also, all the commuter lots. Also, all the town park and recreation area parking lots, and bike trails/jogging paths. That's where a V plow would come in handy. They even plow a frozen lake in town with a Ford Ranger when the ice is safe for skating. The police station in town always has cars in it, and it would be cake to do with a V plow compared to a straight blade on a pickup, which is what they use now.
So you see, everyone can benefit from a V plow that does parking lots, as well as driveways.


~Chuck

 

[Tim1075]

Chuck i see your point now i guess i was just thinking in terms of my town where we only have 2 comuter lots that they do with a bobcat 853 with an 8ft meyers and there are only really 2 more lots to be done and they can mostly be done with either a GMC topkick or 1 of the 1 ton dumps.

 

[plowking35]

Ever try clearing an intersection? A v plow is also very handy there as well. I spoke with a few local plow dealers on sat, while peddeling my wares, and they sell very few v plows. Seems commercial guys just dont see where it will save them time and make them more money. Its kinda funny, some dont even know the plow goes in the scoop position, many think only straight and v. Perhaps they should rename the it, the scoop plow.
But guys who have v plows never go back to straight.
Dino

 

[Lazer]

I don't know if it's true that V-plow owners won't go back to straight.

We have a trend here of a number of larger contractors who now have straight plows on their trucks after 5-10 years of the V-plow.

Most all run snow pushers which do the brunt of the work.

Of course all of them ran Boss, perhaps they'd change their mind if they ran a trip-edge V-plow.

 

[John DiMartino]

My Uncle just bought a brand new Chevy 3500 dump truck this week,and after having 2 Boss V-plows for 4 yrs,he is having a Western 9ft straight blade put on it tomorrow.He doesnt think the V's save him any time,He has the 2 Bosses,and 3 straight blades on pickups.His biggest like about the V position is how easy it is to drive down the road with both ens pulled back towards the truck.