Anyone have any experience plowing snow with a 2wd (locked) 5 ton?? I used to know a landscaper that did it with his cabovers, but im wondering if anyone here has tried it. Usually we have about 2-8" of snow to push max. Oh ya this would be an empty truck too, as its used to haul the bobcat to the site as well.
Plowing empty isn't fun at all. We only plow our driveway with a Gmc 6500 and it must be loaded to do anything even with chains. It doesn't have a locker, but both tires will still spin if empty. Now loaded up, it will plow up the dirt if you're not careful.
Coastal, I don't know if this would fit your description, but I had a Ford L8000 SA that didn't have a limited slip rear-end(it had a differential) that I used for plowing. It would go through alot of snow. I plowed our road with it, and could plow 1ft no problem. It had a funnel(one way) plow. It was 15k MT, without the plow, so heavier than what you mentioned. I did have to have at least 2-3 yards sand in the box though. Empty it would just spin. I put chains on it once, but removed them for a better ride, and lost very little traction from doing that. I hope that'll help some.
Ya thats what I was thinkin....hmmmmm Maybe i need a salt spreader and put the bobcat on a trailer..... :spaz
Capilano's trucks have lockers but they only use them when they need it. They also have salt spreaders the trucks don't use tailgate spreaders like the old cornbinders when the gov't had highways. So they always have weight in the truck and if it gets icy then chains are strapped on. I don't know which type of plow you want to use do you really want to go to all the work of installing a belly plow or you can mount a front mount plow. Front mount plows are heavy and will decrease the traction you already lacking. Keep in mind our West Coast snow is wet and heavy night light and powdery like they have in the Interior and East Coast. The snow turns to ice soon as it compacts.
Any 2WD heavy truck will plow with fine with lots of weight in it. Concrete blocks,gravel,any load that won't freeze will work. If it's a flatbed,not a dump,using concrete mafia blocks works well,as they can be lifted on and off as needed. Without weight,it's going to be a tough go,you'll probably get stuck.
You need weight in the back...... no weight the wheels spin; thats why I will only buy a 4x4.
A medium duty 4x4 is pretty expensive so on a medium duty its weight and good set of drive tires if its bad chains. Its amazing what some weight does and the truck can go. I have about 450-500lbs on the back of my truck right now because we have had some winter weather. I can't go anywhere with a empty truck but I put 500lbs on the tail of the deck behind the rear wheels it gives the tires extra bite. Even getting out of my parents driveway where I keep my winter weight for the truck I spin like h*ll with a empty truck on wet concrete I put the weight on the truck doesn't even spin a wheel.
Ah I see... I thought he was talking about a 1-2ton. Couple guys here actually have International 4x4s. Not much use for them this winter though.:crying
With only 2-8" I bet you could get away with it empty and good tires just don't kick up to big of windrows.
I had a Ford C8000 cab over with limited slip differential. That truck was the worst in the snow. I have plowed with a 2 WD 1 Ton dump, it worked good when plowing big lots (I also had cable chains when I needed them). With a 2 WD you will have trouble plowing small lots where you are turning and backing up constantly. It can be done but it is slow and very frustrating. Having a Salt Spreader on that truck would make more than a plow and you could tow a loader on a trailer. I’m glad I didn’t leave Richmond during that last storm. Most of the roads were gridlock for 6 hours in rush hour. Every hill had tractor-trailers spinning out going up and jackknifing going down.
I think that you might want to load the dumper with something, or attach the trailer and use the bobcat for the snow removal. thats my $.02
The majority of the municipal trucks around here are 2 wheel drive and they do ok for the most part. Our storms are typically 8" or less, we get the occasional big storms in excess of that number. Most times these trucks can handle it with no problem with both a front plow and wing. In tougher storms tire chains are installed. The Town and County services both have some 4x4 trucks for the mountainous areas, I've never seen a State truck with 4x4. I drove a Ford LN8000 for one Town for a couple winters and never got it stuck.
Thanks guys, I think it needs some weight to it for sure.... Bobcatuser...whats a salt spreader get hourly out here??
The rate here is 115 dollars per hour for a single axle 5 ton plow with salt spreader that includes the cost of material.
Just be sure to add some weight that is separate from the salt in the spreader. It would be a real shame to get the right amount of weight added and then get stuck at the end of a run after spreading most of the load:bouncegri
lol good point! :thumbsup
Ya you carry water on the truck so you accidently drain the water tank in a mall parking lot then show up the next day to see if they want some salting done :yup Any mall in Richmond will do then you can charge for spectator seats when the demolition derby starts those Beemers and Mercedes banging into each other the drivers cursing at each other in languages other than english :roll
If you have a tailgate spreader mounted on a pickup the going rate is $125 Hr plus $18 per 20 Kg bag. Bulk salt is about $550 tonne spread with a v box spreader ( 1 tonne minimum charge) You will need to have somewhere to store bulk salt under cover. There is only 1 place in the lower mainland to get bulk salt from, If we get more than 5 days of cold weather they usually sell out of salt. I was the last truck in line to get salt yesterday befoe they stoped sellling, now I have 12 tonne left on my truck and it’s raining.