[ItalianIce]

Hi,

I'm looking for some advice on purchasing a plow truck to take care of a personal driveway. I'm looking into purchasing a house (or just acreage to build on) with at least 300 acres possibly more in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The location will hopefully be on or close to one of the great lakes. I'm not sure if that will really make much of a difference in snow fall if I'm on the shore or not. The driveway I will have will bprobably be anywhere between 1500-2500 feet long. I want to have a house as close as possible to the water. I will be upfront I have very little knowledge of vehicles. I've never been a car guy; and, since living and working in major metros of the US and Europe, I usually I just use: trains, cabs or uber lately. I travel extensively for work so owning a car hasn't been a high priority to me. And I'm originally from the suburban areas so I've never owned a truck. I'm looking to simplify and disconnect myself from so much technology in modern life. And this area of Michigan appeals to me large lake, rugged nature, and great potential to decompress from technology.

So, I first purposed this question over at another site called *************-- the results were mixed and the moderator was an odd one. I was given a link to some user that got banned about some things. So, I asked about contacting said user my thread was terminated and I was given the third degree by the head honcho. After that I surmised that the site was not the place for me. So, here are my new questions:

1) Is a 1-ton Pickup truck big enough to handle my needs? Or do I go bigger?
2) What sort of plow package should I put on it? There was a lot talk about V-Plows. I did research them. However, I'm still not sure if I need one?
3) What sort of other equipment for the truck will I need? There was some talk of Tire Chains and I'm unsure if I need them or not.
4) Anything you can suggest would be helpful...

Thanks
Andy....

 

[WalterFGBS]

I hope you factored in that the U.P of Michigan gets nearly 300 inches of snow on average in the winter. I don’t think a 1ton pickup is going to have the guts to really take you through a season. You might want to buy a truck from a DOT. Something with a massive v plow and wing sets. That way you push through big banks and bench them. I will show you a video:

Obviously, not for daily driving but if you have a massive driveway with 6ft tall drifts and snow banks 6-7ft tall this the truck you need. Or a snowblower truck.

 

[cwren2472]

It's unfortunate that not every forum site is as friendly and helpful as this one.

And, even better, it has "said user!"

 

[WalterFGBS]

It's unfortunate that not every forum site is as friendly and helpful as this one.

And, even better, it has "said user!"

Now, I am curious... who is said user?

 

[ItalianIce]

I hope you factored in that the U.P of Michigan gets nearly 300 inches of snow on average in the winter. I don’t think a 1ton pickup is going to have the guts to really take you through a season. You might want to buy a truck from a DOT. Something with a massive v plow and wing sets. That way you push through big banks and bench them. I will show you a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGVO7mClaEA

Obviously, not for daily driving but if you have a massive driveway with 6ft tall drifts and snow banks 6-7ft tall this the truck you need. Or a snowblower truck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaBS4ino6eU

So, you think I should go bigger. Where would I find a place to purchase a DOT truck? What is Benching? How does one do it? Finally, that snowblower looks like it is more than I am ready for.

thanks for the help.

 

[WalterFGBS]

So, you think I should go bigger. Where would I find a place to purchase a DOT truck? What is Benching? How does one do it? Finally, that snowblower looks like it is more than I am ready for.

thanks for the help.

Benching is when you use the wing plow to push the tops of snow banks back to make more room when you plow. It can only be done with a truck with a wing plow. To do it you set the wing plow at the desired height and width and let the truck do the work. The more snow the bigger the truck will need to be.

https://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trucks/for-sale/list/category/224/heavy-duty-trucks-plow-trucks-spreader-trucks/manufacturer/oshkosh
And auction sites are places to find used DOT trucks not mention heavy truck dealers and second hand truck places.

 

[ItalianIce]

Benching is when you use the wing plow to push the tops of snow banks back to make more room when you plow. It can only be done with a truck with a wing plow. To do it you set the wing plow at the desired height and width and let the truck do the work. The more snow the bigger the truck will need to be.

https://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trucks/for-sale/list/category/224/heavy-duty-trucks-plow-trucks-spreader-trucks/manufacturer/oshkosh
And auction sites are places to find used DOT trucks not mention heavy truck dealers and second hand truck places.

okay I will check those sites out. I think I will need a couple of lessons on this plowing stuff. It seems a lot more difficult than I first thought

 

[SnoFarmer]

It’s really not that tough, Walter I mean Connor can do it, anybody can.

It’s far from rocket science or even aerospace, it’s just pushing snow out-of-the-way don’t overthink it

 

[WalterFGBS]

I think the 1 ton is too small myself. I think the 9ft plow is on the small side as well. I would go with something in the GWV of 18,000lbs and up. Even if you only have your driveway to do the issue will be where do you stack snow and how much. You don’t want to have a road that starts out wide enough to handle your car and then half into the season you cannot drive a bicycle down it.

You might want to consider designing a driveway that has ample room on the sides. You might also want a wind break to keep the driveway from drifting snow. Just remember you will need space to stack snow.

 

[SnoFarmer]

Is that what you think you think everybody up in the UP has a two or 3 ton truck or a large agricultural tractor with the snowblower just to plow their driveways?

Do tell

Many plow driveways that are much longer with the same amount of snow with a half ton .
they do it every day it snows .
I just think you need a little bit more than a half ton truck to carry the weight of the plow and Counterweight. You shouldhave a sturdy enough truck to handle a 9 foot plow and weight.

I guess you can tell difference and experience levels as I have over 38 years experience working with snow commercially and Walter,I mean Connor has zero.

OP you can get whatever you want, I’m giving you sound advice based on years of experience living in the north land & on the shores of Lake Superior.

Or you can listen to a guy who has never plowed snow ,his trucks barely run.
he believes the only truck that’s any good at plowing snow ,as you have seen is some old relic of a water truck.

Do you need a spreader or a salter no.

You can throw a shovel full of sand 100 feet
If need be
Why because as you plow a gravel driveway you ate constantly kicking up gravel,sure is a lot cheaper than the spreader
how are you going to load the spreader ?by hand?
one more little tip you don’t apply salt to a gravel driveway

 

[cwren2472]

how are you get a load the spreader ?

I think he was going to load it with the sea plane

 

[WalterFGBS]

Is that what you think you think everybody up in the UP has a two or 3 ton truck or a large agricultural tractor with the snowblower just to plow their driveways?

Do tell

Many plow driveways that are much longer with the same amount of snow with a half ton .
they do it every day it snows .
I just think you need a little bit more than a half ton truck to carry the weight of the plow and Counterweight. You shouldhave a sturdy enough truck to handle a 9 foot plow and weight.

I guess you can tell difference and experience levels as I have over 38 years experience working with snow commercially and Walter,I mean Connor has zero.

OP you can get whatever you want, I’m giving you sound advice based on years of experience living in the north land & on the shores of Lake Superior.

Or you can listen to a guy who has never plowed snow ,his trucks barely run.
he believes the only truck that’s any good at plowing snow ,as you have seen is some old relic of a water truck.

Do you need a spreader or a salter no.

You can throw a shovel full of sand 100 feet
If need be
Why because as you plow a gravel driveway you ate constantly kicking up gravel,sure is a lot cheaper than the spreader
how are you going to load the spreader ?by hand?
one more little tip you don’t apply salt to a gravel driveway

This is unhinged...

1) i come from an area that used to average about 100-120 inches of snow each year. Now, we are down to 50-60 inches per year. And it doesn’t stay as long. So, I know what it takes to push snow around. We had storms 20 years ago that were 40” plus inches in 24 hours. We got 72 inches in three days that I plowed with a 1500 pickup. It was hard and we already had 12-15 inches on the ground... so it was very hard to push back with such a small truck.

2) I plowed professionally for 4 years

3) I do love Walters but I wouldn’t and do not suggest them to everyone.

4) I said getting a spreader wouldn’t be a bad idea. I never said anything more.

5)digging up your gravel driveway with plow is not an effective solution to ice or hard packed snow...

But let’s see what the op says.

 

[SnoFarmer]

Why do you make this **** up ?
nobody said anything about digging up the driveway,

Seeing as you mentioned digging up the driveway .
In your four years (of plowing experience)
you must not of learned how to operate a snow plow efficiently.
if you were any good at plowing a gravel road or driveway you would never dig it up,even in the spring and fall when it’s muddy.

You see I don’t leave piles of gravel off to the side of a drive, on the lawn or all over the place .

I am a professional with the knowledge , experience and the capabilities to properly plow the surface that hand.

Ho Yeah I didn’t plow for somebody else for all those years for 28 years I ran my own snow removal business with multiple trucks & multiple employees.

 

[WalterFGBS]

Do you need a spreader or a salter no.

You can throw a shovel full of sand 100 feet
If need be
Why because as you plow a gravel driveway you ate constantly kicking up gravel,sure is a lot cheaper than the spreader
how are you going to load the spreader ?by hand?
one more little tip you don’t apply salt to a gravel driveway

Why do you make this **** up ?
nobody said anything about digging up the driveway,

Seeing as you mentioned digging up the driveway with four years of plowing you must not of learned how to operate a snow plow .
if you were any good at plowing a gravel road or driveway you would never dig it up,even in the spring and fall when it’s muddy.

You see I don’t leave piles of gravel off to the side of a drive, on the lawn or all over the place .

I am a professional with the knowledge , experience and the capabilities to properly plow the surface that hand.

Ho Yeah I didn’t plow for somebody else for all those years for 28 years I ran my own snow removal business with multiple trucks & multiple employees.

Wow... strawman much? I never said anything at all like you’re claiming. I said in response to your nonsense that plowing a gravel driveway turns it up this giving you a surface with higher traction. Was simply hyperbole that diggin’ up the driveway is a bad strategy to add traction. I stand by that still.

I ran the snowplowing operation I did with multiple drivers and truckers...

You are being to me wonder if you are not off in the head...

 

[SnoFarmer]

Wow... strawman much? I never said anything at all like you’re claiming. I said in response to your nonsense that plowing a gravel driveway turns it up this giving you a surface with higher traction. Was simply hyperbole that diggin’ up the driveway is a bad strategy to add traction. I stand by that still.

I ran the snowplowing operation I did with multiple drivers and truckers...

You are being to me wonder if you are not off in the head...

Wow, What a narcissist.
What was the old song verse
“You’re so vain,you probably think this post is about you?”

Oh that’s right, you are the OP so ,,,I was ,,,by all means talking to you.

I can relate any Factive experience to the OP I wish .

I do know why your “so-called “business lasted only 4 years but then most small businesses don’t make it past that Mark before they go bankrupt. if you made a good healthy profit like I do there’s no way you would’ve gave it up to go work at the family business.

But then why would a guy with college education like yours be plowing snow or selling furniture?


And there you go again.
taking somebody else’s thread off-topic dragging it through the mud the same thing you complained about happening to you On
Another site.
You just can’t break that habit can you.
Your a internet troll.

The way you run around the internet ruining everybody’s thread makes you a Internet bully.

And I’ll harass bullies.

 

[cwren2472]

The way you run around the internet ruining everybody’s thread makes you a Internet bully.

And I’ll harass bullies.

Does that make you a CyberBullyBully?

 

[SnoFarmer]

Does that make you a CyberBullyBully?

Yes.

But don’t beat up on me I i I‘ll go to another forum and complain about it.
Then me and all of my imaginary friends and all of their imaginary friends are going to team up and we’re going to police the Internet and we’re going to report everyone.

And and then you’ll be sorry .

Because then you’ll be on double secret probation .

 

[ItalianIce]

Wow, What a narcissist.
What was the old song verse
“You’re so vain,you probably think this post is about you?”

Oh that’s right, you are the OP so ,,,I was ,,,by all means talking to you.

I can relate any Factive experience to the OP I wish .

I do know why your “so-called “business lasted only 4 years but then most small businesses don’t make it past that Mark before they go bankrupt. if you made a good healthy profit like I do there’s no way you would’ve gave it up to go work at the family business.

But then why would a guy with college education like yours be plowing snow or selling furniture?


And there you go again.
taking somebody else’s thread off-topic dragging it through the mud the same thing you complained about happening to you On
Another site.
You just can’t break that habit can you.
Your a internet troll.

The way you run around the internet ruining everybody’s thread makes you a Internet bully.

And I’ll harass bullies.

As the originator of this thread I kindly ask you to stop responding to any content found with in it. Or I will be forced to report your disruptive behavior to the the proper management team members.

 

[ItalianIce]

I think the 1 ton is too small myself. I think the 9ft plow is on the small side as well. I would go with something in the GWV of 18,000lbs and up. Even if you only have your driveway to do the issue will be where do you stack snow and how much. You don’t want to have a road that starts out wide enough to handle your car and then half into the season you cannot drive a bicycle down it.

You might want to consider designing a driveway that has ample room on the sides. You might also want a wind break to keep the driveway from drifting snow. Just remember you will need space to stack snow.

So, why do you suggest such a large vehicle? How much of a difference does vehicle that weights 18,000lbs compare to a 1-ton vehicle?

 

[ItalianIce]

Does that make you a CyberBullyBully?

I see you have no information that pertains to this topic. I will ask you to do the same as Snofarmer if you cannot stay on topic.

Thank You

Andy.