# correct way to stack?



## stillen

I know there is an art to this and expereience goes a long way. But I need a hint on how to get started....

I know stacking snow isn't just driving fast into a snow bank.... Do you lift up on the plow as you approach so the plow rides up the snowbank as you push the snow up? or does the blade ride up the snow bank automatically?? Any hints are glady welcomed...

Thanks


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## tls22

Here is my 2 cents! As you approach the pile at about 5-15 miles an hour, start to lift the blade. You really only have to go up with the controller for a second or so then the plow rides up the pile as you go into it. Try not to let your front wheels get too far into or up the pile, thats how you get stuck. If you need more height raise the blade more then the initial few inches as you progress into the pile. Soon you will see a bunch of white. Lift the plow all the way before you start backing up so you don't drag any snow back with you. Its all about timing and when you lift the blade, you want to try to let the plow ride up its self so you are not abusing the hydraulic system too much. You get the hang of it quick, its easy to make big piles, not easy when you get stuck though. Use your judgement and try not to get deep into pile


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## hydro_37

If the pile freezes....timing becomes ALOT more important. Hitting a frozen pile at 5-15MPH is like hitting a parking curb. It will hurt.


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## Flipper

Use a loader. Plows are for pushing snow. Buckets are for stacking.


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## LawnProLandscapes

Flipper;564771 said:


> Use a loader. Plows are for pushing snow. Buckets are for stacking.


not every company has that luxary. itll take some practice but youll get it down pretty quick.


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## stillen

Is there even a safe speed to appraoch a NON frozen snowbank, I have a trip blade on my MM2..


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## LawnProLandscapes

youll get the feel for it.. i use approach the bank let off and coast up into it then give it a little gas to push it. that way you dont hit it to hard and mess something up. if you need to back up and get into it again with a little more steam if needed. :salute:


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## elite1msmith

frozen piles are hard to stack on... i try to make sure the snow gets moved before it freezes down , so its not in the way for the next storm


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## hydro_37

I prefer frozen piles. You can drive on them to stack higher.


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## grandview

One of my videos. You'll get the general idea.


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## tls22

Nice vid GV..............how do you mount that cam?

here is another stacking vid....go to the 3rd vid!

http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=59238


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## Peterbilt

Treat you like an employee here. 

Get back in your truck and figure it out. If you do it wrong i'll tell you, If I go away you did it write.

Peterbilt


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## stillen

Ok, i got sevreal storms under my belt, with 20 plus driveways each storm, and helping a few friends do a few commecial lots, I have NOT had any luck with stacking.... I watch all these videos, and friends stacking snow high,, yet i have very little luck...

I usually end up burying my plow in the snow bank, and having to get yanked out...

I see others with the plow riding right up the contour of the snow bank, while i, like i said, almost set off my airbags (not literally, but u get my drift,(little pun there) )....

This is what i am doing, i start with a full load, and head towards snow bank, just before i get there, i lift up a tad and it starts to lift the blade, i hit the bottom of the snowbank and sometimes the blade rides up a bit and pushes the snow over the top, other times i end up pushing the bottom of the snowbank in a tad.... My friends say that i should be leaving it in float mode, allowing the blade to have full motion, but ive had less luck with this.... 

any hints guys?/ thanks

O by the way, i have a 8 foot striaght fisher HD..... MM2


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## just plow it

First of all a straight blade will not stack as well as a V will. Second thing is try to raise your plow as you are going into the pile, don't just pick it up a little bit and let it glide up. when your about 5 feet from the pile pick your plow up just enough to take the weight off the plow and once the blade touches the pile LIFT it up until it maxes out. It's a timing game. also if you don't have a deflector on your plow it will not float up as easy because the snow will not get under it and lift for you. I hope this will help you out.


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## Runner

The idea is knowing how much is being left under the truck as you are lifting slightly on the blade. You work the pile little by little with each stroke you take, The truck goes over the small ramp and packs it down. Eventually, this stuff becoes packed ice. When you are done pushing at that pile, if you leave a little gradual ramp going up, it may seem untidy and not as clean cut at the time, but you will thank yourself next time you come in and push. This stuff will freeze down, and give you a rigid ramp to start. Eventually, as more and more snow accumulates with each event, you can goo higher and higher in to the pile without sinking in (as stated earlier, if you do, you can be all done - stuck). Now, going up higher in the snow bank doesn't necessarily mean further IN to the bank. The ramp builds slowly, and yes, snow DOES get pushed up OVER the top. Be careful toward the top, as to not let the blade go up over the crest of the pile too far, because the truck again can sink in and/or the blade can get hung up in the top of the pile. One thing to keep in mind, some plows are better for stacking than others, as the angle is different at the highest pivot point. I have had much better results with the straight blades than I have with Boss V blades for stacking. The V blades don't lift to that high of a trajectory, and the combined weight of the plow on the front makes the truck more prone to sink. The stacking has to be done much more carefully. Now, I am not talking about initial stacking, here...or piles around 6 or 8 ft high. I am talking about accumulatives of around 16 ft. piles or so.


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## ScnicExcellence

16 ft pile with pickup wow would love to see that.

I started this year never plowed with a pickup in my life. i started out and then made my piles back as far as i could then ove time i would be able to stack them up higher and higher because every time i did it there was like a ramp there. but now the piles are all about 6 to 8 ft high and when i hit the piles i lift the blade before hitting and then lift as i hit the pile this begins the action of the blade lifting up and let the pile do the rest of the work. my plow will normally got up as far as it can possibly go everytime i stack on the bigger stacks. some trucks can stack higher then others and some plows can stack higher then others. i had a guy ride along with me one day and tel me that his dodge 2500 couldn't stack anywhere near as high as my gmc 2500 only about half the heights i was getting. his truck also has a way newer plow. could be the reason.

I also hit the pile pretty quick.


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## JDiepstra

just plow it;729495 said:


> First of all a straight blade will not stack as well as a V will. Second thing is try to raise your plow as you are going into the pile, don't just pick it up a little bit and let it glide up. when your about 5 feet from the pile pick your plow up just enough to take the weight off the plow and once the blade touches the pile LIFT it up until it maxes out. It's a timing game. also if you don't have a deflector on your plow it will not float up as easy because the snow will not get under it and lift for you. I hope this will help you out.


This is good advice. ^^^^^

Stacking is about momentum and timing. You can't be driving too slow, and you have to get that blade raising up before you bury it into the pile. I find I can stack the easiest/best in the 'scoop" position.

It is hard to stack into a pile that does not already have a gradual slope to it. You need to make the slope yourself, and then maintain it. Don't try stacking on a vertical wall of snow, it's not nearly as easy.

Also, stacking 16 ft high with a pickup truck =


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## Snowaway

One thing that I have found that helps me stack a little higher is to push one blade full in front of the pile. Then stack on the second push. Having more snow in front of the blade gets me another foot or two. Still only can get about eight feet or a little more from solid ground. I have not tried to drive up the pile, just seems like a bad idea.


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## JDiepstra

Snowaway;729573 said:


> One thing that I have found that helps me stack a little higher is to push one blade full in front of the pile. Then stack on the second push. Having more snow in front of the blade gets me another foot or two. Still only can get about eight feet or a little more from solid ground. I have not tried to drive up the pile, just seems like a bad idea.


The higher I stack, the more snow I drag back with me into the parking lot. I usually can push up about 10 feet with the plow in SCOOP. Any more than that and the customer needs to be sold on snow REMOVAL or RELOCATION.


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## theplowmeister

Snowaway;729573 said:


> One thing that I have found that helps me stack a little higher is to push one blade full in front of the pile. Then stack on the second push. Having more snow in front of the blade gets me another foot or two. Still only can get about eight feet or a little more from solid ground. I have not tried to drive up the pile, just seems like a bad idea.


O yea of litle faith

I know not much snow on the front and bad quality but its all I got... for now.


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## Snowaway

theplowmeister;729653 said:


> O yea of litle faith
> 
> I know not much snow on the front and bad quality but its all I got... for now.


Hey thats pretty cool mabe I will give it a try someday.


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## JDiepstra

We are talking about big piles!


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## theplowmeister

JDiepstra;729666 said:


> We are talking about big piles!


the piles get bigger


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## JDiepstra

Oh that's right I forgot! I was just kiddin ya Plowmeister.


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## Runner

That's a great example of what I was talking about. As you get going along, the initial snow gets more and more packed down. Here's another that is off to a good start.


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## Snowaway

theplowmeister;729653 said:


> O yea of litle faith
> 
> I know not much snow on the front and bad quality but its all I got... for now.


Like this ?


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