# Cleaning off tractor trailers



## 97silverado

Got a call today about cleaning tractor trailers off. Anyone know how long this takes as I never have done this type of snow removal. They got 32', 48' and 53'. on average it would be 20-30 trucks give or take. Any feedback would be great.


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## BFBoss

With a shovel?


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## 97silverado

Yeah pretty much. If the trailers are next to each other i was thinking of using a rake to reach the ones next to the on im on. Is there better ways???


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## Mr.Markus

http://www.durasweeper.com/demovideo.html

Show the guy this thing.....and check your insurance. Rooftops and other heights may be excluded and cost you more for an endorsement.


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## IMAGE

I would guess they want all the ICE build up on the frame and axles done also! Make sure you're equipped for the job and ready for hard work!


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## 97silverado

He and I both know about those machines but he is not looking for that. what do one of those cost i wonder. What is the best ways to go about this type of job by hand.


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## BPS#1

To do the job by hand will require a lift or platform of some kind with a long broom handle.

MOST of these trailer roofs will not support the weight of a person.
Being of a fiberglass type with limited cross supports they are designed to be light weight and allow
light to pass thru.


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## Wilnip

I'd charge $150 per trailer and hope its high enough that he never calls. A 3" snowfall will be bad enough but what happens when you get. 18" - 24" storm. BPS#1 is correct, you can't stand on the roofs. Trailers are 8' wide. Second thought, $250 per trailer!


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## Longae29

Mr.Markus;1421219 said:


> http://www.durasweeper.com/demovideo.html
> 
> Show the guy this thing.....and check your insurance. Rooftops and other heights may be excluded and cost you more for an endorsement.


Ugh.... that was my miilion dollar idea......guess someone beat me to it


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## onsight

Wilnip;1421249 said:


> I'd charge $150 per trailer and hope its high enough that he never calls. A 3" snowfall will be bad enough but what happens when you get. 18" - 24" storm. BPS#1 is correct, you can't stand on the roofs. Trailers are 8' wide. Second thought, $250 per trailer!


We walk on trailer roofs all day - someone has to fix them. When need be we do shovel them off by hand - its really no big deal. Wish I was closer to the OP - we would have a new repair account and a new plowing account.


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## mpgall26

I know around here they are extremely strict on CDL with snow on top. I have a very large neighbor who drives one and I assure you he's never been on top. I'll have to ask him. 
Please let us know what the standard practice is, I'm very curious. Sounds tough to be insured for that.


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## Canplow

I have cleaned trailers mostly tank though and we had 1000 gals of hot water on board a 4500psi lance and special melter/cleaner some times heavey build up would take 30-40mins per unit and that just undercarrage not snow off the roof. For that a scissor and roof shovels would work good keep in mind build up on the ground will need to be moved peroidicaly


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## onsight

mpgall26;1421576 said:


> I know around here they are extremely strict on CDL with snow on top. I have a very large neighbor who drives one and I assure you he's never been on top. I'll have to ask him.
> Please let us know what the standard practice is, I'm very curious. Sounds tough to be insured for that.


I don't know if you are asking me about insurance but my policy for trailer repair would cover us if someone were to fall through. I would not expect a driver to go up on a roof. I am not a little guy, and have no problem going up onto a trailer roof. We have customers that ask us to shovel the roofs off when there is a big drift on them from sitting at a dock - put a ladder up on the side, secure it so you dont go for a ride, start shoveling from the side and work your way over. I have seen a lot of roofs collapse from the weight of snow and the majority of the roofs are still ok - clean the snow off, remove the bad/bent roof bows, push top rails out and install new roof bows.
It does take a lot of snow to collapse a roof - usually you have to have many freeze thaw cycles that makes the snow really heavy- like a big chunk of ice. I do remember a service call that was for a roll door that wouldn't open. The reason was because the roof was starting to bend down from the weight of ice on it. Took a hammer up on the roof, broke it up into huge chunks that we pushed off the side (making sure the area was clear - they would have killed someone). After that the roof came right back into position and everyone was happy.

Here is a picture from last winter. Had 8 or 9 of these trailers to do. Took between 1 and 1-1/2 hours each to shovel. Not the most fun job - but it pays the bills and keeps my customers happy.


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## newhere

if you could get him to sign a 5 or 10 year contract i guarantee you i could build a sweet rig that you drive under, would be a big v-plow first and then a bristle broom or 200mph airblower to clean the rest. Home made and would work great for under 5 grand. Wouldnt take long to pay it off.


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## IMAGE

newhere;1421710 said:


> if you could get him to sign a 5 or 10 year contract i guarantee you i could build a sweet rig that you drive under, would be a big v-plow first and then a bristle broom or 200mph airblower to clean the rest. Home made and would work great for under 5 grand. Wouldnt take long to pay it off.


Like this?


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## jhall22guitar

IMAGE;1421728 said:


> Like this?


Just drive the trailer through that! Fastest way yet


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## dooleycorp

definitly try to go per hour and try to use power broom and be careful there very slippery


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## Winterized

Across the street from me the company built themselves a big scraper to drive under.

The scraping device itself is a 14 inch? channel iron with a very long and pointed V-shape they drive under going OUT of one their driveways.

It is NOT height adjustable. Have never even seen them use it... or have ever seen pile of snow along side of it. Been up for the last 15 years or so.


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## BPS#1

Winterized;1427142 said:


> Across the street from me the company built themselves a big scraper to drive under.
> 
> The scraping device itself is a 14 inch? channel iron with a very long and pointed V-shape they drive under going OUT of one their driveways.
> 
> It is NOT height adjustable. Have never even seen them use it... or have ever seen pile of snow along side of it. Been up for the last 15 years or so.


That is a good design but you'd sure want it to be adjustable.


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## Yooper75

Charge them $250-$300 a trailer, go rent a man lift and a high pressure steam cleaner for a day and have at it. I used to have to shovel off both our 48 ft flat beds they were both 102" wide trailers so 48ftx8ft6in is 408sqft so doing the math if all 30 trailers were all 48ft trailers you would be shoveling 12,240sqft by hand. That would be the equivalent of shoveling a small to med sized parking lot by hand standing on stilts.


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## bbct001

Buffalo turbine makes a blower that works pretty well. Mounts on a skidsteer, with a decent operator and a little practice you can crank through them, just make sure theres0 no one on the other side!


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