A Snow Plow

[Curbster]

Well, I've never had the privilege of starting a new thread, but I have run a few plow trucks over the years, like this one I ran quite a bit last winter. It is a rear sander with Dickey-John controls. side wing, underbody blade and what we call, a one way - front blade. Lots of iron on the ground that needs a fair bit of attention at all times. Big old Autocar with a 15 speed.

 

[Steve Frazier]

Those belly blades aren't popular here, I've never seen them used.

 

[Curbster]

Yes, I've heard that they are not used in lots of areas. Probably a good reason for not using them. We use them all the time and drop the front blades off when there isn't much snow on the road, using only the belly blade. All of our trucks have belly blades though some don't have the ability to carry front blades. We also have to do 100's of kms/miles of steep gravel side roads with very limited turn around space at the ends of many of them. In the spring when roads start to thaw - a front blade is never used as they will dig in and dive with no warning. Some of the new drivers learn this lesson the hard way every spring.