# STEEP driveways



## flakesmeangreen

I was just reading some threads about really steep drives and chains needed. Would love to see some pics of these driveways. I know the camera NEVER shows how bad they are. I'll start it out with one I declined to do. Same drive, a few years later the new homeowners call. I still declined but really wanted to suggest a ski lift! And yes I have used chains and on all four tires. Any secrets you guys have?


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## flakesmeangreen




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## JDT

Any secrets you guys have?


STAY AWAY FROM THEM!!! Thats my secret...shh don't tell anyone else!


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## Green Grass

JDT;700915 said:


> Any secrets you guys have?
> 
> STAY AWAY FROM THEM!!! Thats my secret...shh don't tell anyone else!


when did you find out my secret!!!


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## drivewaydoctor

I did a driveway last year that was twice as bad as that. I could barely walk up it let alone drive. And we're aren't allowed to use chains here... It was fun.... NOT!!


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## mycirus

That one about doesnt look that bad. I did one a few days ago, it was banked towards the grass hill in the front so when you slipped it was towards an embankment and to make matters worse at the bottom of the hill, the neighbor decided thats where they will park thier car. It stunk.


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## DareDog

my dad has one he plows and he can only plow up hill! city dosent like it to be plowed downhill then in to the road(he dosent leave in the road he plows it in to the snowbank on side of the road) 

it will suck you into the side of it if ur not careful.


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## 2COR517

I have a tough one to plow uphill. The Vee plow is a huge help. You're only moving half the snow off each side. You can really wind it to her speed wise, because you don't have to worry about getting pulled to one side. I also run plenty of weight and good tires. Plow with the storm, and keep chains handy if it gets away from you snow wise. Something else that helps, but often gets overlooked, is the condition of the road. When I picked up my two toughest roads, I convinced them to have the road serviced. I have a friend with a power rake on his Kubota. Works wonders. The uphill job is stone dust. He raked just before it froze. Just as smooth as asphalt. I kept it plowed and sanded last year. Most of the time it was as clean as the state highway it runs off.


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## Dustball

These are real-


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## 2COR517

Now how is my Beamer going to handle that breakover angle pulling in the garage?


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## kashman

well i do a plow every 2 in and salt all the time . we had a ice storm last week i had 2 salt one side sit at the bottom till the salt started working 2 get back 2 the truck. it pays very good


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## fisher guy

hope it dont snow there that would be a fun ride down hill with a snow blower cuz i aint touching that with my truck.... actually now that i look at it more if u set off a couple of m-80s at the bottom of the driveway it might set off an avalanche after it comes down just snow blow it away


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## redflynn

*what was the builder thinking*

I wouldn't even look at a house or condo if a real estate agent brought me there as a potential property to view.After that "curb appeal" I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of looking at it.................Thats crazy


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## willyswagon

Dustball;701160 said:


> These are real-


That would have to be the last property in the World before I'd buy it!!
That is beyond Stupid


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## snowman55

I call B.S. no way that would pass code. got a street address I have got to see that for myself


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## willyswagon

I don't have any digital pictures of this one I used to do in Halifax. I'll try to get some scaned in. It was 900' long going down to a millon dollar boat house on the Northwest arm in Halifax. The driveway had a gentle slope towards the water for about 600', then you had to make a 90 degree left turn or go over a 27' cliff. In the next 200' section you decended 25' vertically. At the end of this hill you had a 180 degree swith back(or you would end up in the water). The final 100' was easy after that. Keep in mind that the driveway was shaded all year by huge pine trees. 14 other contartors had turned the job down.

People would only ever come plowing with me ONCE !! Most people didn't enjoy it like I did.The driveway was spot treated twice a day(just before they left for work and just before they would come home)

I was payed on a per push/per traction control basis. It cost him between $4000-$5000/winter.payup That was 10 years ago.I did it for three years without any problems.


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## theonlybull

the steepness of that first one wouldn't bother me, but it's narrow, has rocks in the way in the first shot. and it's paved, i really hate paved, sloping drives. they never seem to have the traction of dirt.

i always plow up, when ever i can, it's always easier to back down


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## Tacr2man

Are those two properties near the ocaen , cause when they are built like that in the UK its usually to launch the lifeboat


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## cornbinder

willyswagon;701225 said:


> That would have to be the last property in the World before I'd buy it!!
> That is beyond Stupid


you got that right!! who was the moron that drew up the blueprints for those houses? he should be demoted for stupidity!


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## ALC-GregH

I've never in my life seen a driveway that steep.


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## Burkartsplow

the pictures are fake.u think someone would allow that.old picture.


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## cretebaby

that picture has been run through the ring hear once already LOL


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## Turbodiesel

That has got to be the sillyest design ever . People really buy property like that ?

Are you sure your not having fun with us? I dont think a car could possibly get in the first garage with out spinning or bottoming out . 

Shovelers special . Wear your golf shoes too.


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## 20Silverado05

Two different accounts i have . they pay good . the pictures never serve them justice on how steep they really are.


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## fisher guy

that last one sure does meep


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## drivewaydoctor

20Silverado05;701751 said:


>


I see a tree with my name on it.... LMAO


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## 02DURAMAX

that last one is crazy!


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## flykelley

drivewaydoctor;701923 said:


> I see a tree with my name on it.... LMAO


I see 2 trees with a chainsaws name on it. Cheaper to cut them down that to run into them.

Regards Mike


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## Steve'sZr2

would be cool to see some videos of the steep drives getting plowed. That last one looks to be a doosy


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## gottaluvplows

drivewaydoctor;701923 said:


> I see a tree with my name on it.... LMAO


better mark it good or u will end up in that streem or in a ditch on the last one.
I dont even see any thing. How do you kno where to go? Do you use stakes,flags.etc????


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## justme-

I've been doing some steep ones for years- knowing what the road condition is like is number one, having a gentle foot is 2, and knowing how your truck handles in key. I always have weight in the back- 400lbs or so as ballast BEHIND the rear wheels, and some additional over the axle, sometimes up to 1000 lbs total.

steep drives are 4wd always, sometimes 4lo, just for the extra traction. I'll get some pics of mine next storm. I always have chains on hand, and lately one of them usually gets them. It is down hill directly into the garage and off to the right is a steep hill to drop off that goes down and back 200 feet. once you're over that it's going to be a long wait for a couple of wreckers.
I always have sand/salt on hand and have had to salt after a push to back back up on many occasions.


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## JDiepstra

Dustball;701160 said:


> These are real-


Not real....


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## Dustball

JDiepstra;702206 said:


> Not real....


Another pic-


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## theonlybull

i know of many driveways around here like that one...... but not like the last one in that row... yikes


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## PORTER 05

we dont have many bad steap drives i either dont take them when they call or give them to friends.


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## snowman55

dustball. I have got to see that pm me an address please.


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## mkwl

Dustball;701160 said:


> These are real-


Impossible- there isn't a car out there (or any standard trucks for that matter) that could handle getting into those garages- heck of a job with photoshop though!


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## PLOWMAN45

i had a drive way that steep it was a pain the lady was a pain i got rid of it


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## Mark Oomkes

Dustball;701160 said:


> These are real-


You realize not everything you read and hear is true, especially on the internet?


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## In2toys

mark oomkes;703177 said:


> you realize not everything you read and hear is true, especially on the internet?


blasphemer!!! Someone getta rope!!!!!!!!


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## Doom & Gloom

What the hell, I would have to run WIRSBO under that driveway to keep it clear all season long?


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## TKLAWN

I don't belive it either where's it at?


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## naturalgreen

i do a pretty steep one
it is about a mile with about.2 miles of steepness
I presalt the sht out of it and its in contract and if it is so bad I put the skids on my shoes and walk it one time with the spreader or hold a bag and walk it dropping in tracks
then go smoke a cig and drive up it and plow down remembering it pulls to the side.
real thick 2 times 
salt last trip down


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## Dustball

Mark Oomkes;703177 said:


> You realize not everything you read and hear is true, especially on the internet?


That was from another site I was on-

http://www.contractortalk.com/f11/steep-driveway-36589/


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## KL&M Snow Div.

Wow those drives are crazy! I would be terrified if I started sliding toward a fence or house or something like that with a big truck and plow..


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## Mark Oomkes

Dustball;703862 said:


> That was from another site I was on-
> 
> http://www.contractortalk.com/f11/steep-driveway-36589/


Oh, what was I thinking, it's on another site, so THAT makes it real. Sometimes I can be so stuuuuuuupid.

Get us an address so we can Google Earth it. Or better yet, you get the address, Google Earth it and post the pics.

Hard to tell by the topo map, but it doesn't look like it makes sense to me.


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## Dustball

I can't find the exact location of it but I keep finding pictures.

These should lend some credibility to the original pics-

http://leenks.com/gallery499.htm


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## flakesmeangreen

20Silverado05 , that second drive with the snow looks really steep, even on camera. that's gotta a blast in a big, quick moving storm! lol


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## cretebaby

Dustball;704438 said:


> I can't find the exact location of it but I keep finding pictures.
> 
> These should lend some credibility to the original pics-
> 
> http://leenks.com/gallery499.htm


Still Fake


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## flakesmeangreen

> Quote:
> Originally Posted by Dustball View Post
> That was from another site I was on-
> 
> http://www.contractortalk.com/f11/steep-driveway-36589/
> Oh, what was I thinking, it's on another site, so THAT makes it real. Sometimes I can be so stuuuuuuupid.


I saw it on contractortalk.com too and for some reason made me think it was true. lol I think I read something about it though. Those pics with the blazer seem to prove it, although I'm no Photochop expert.


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## flakesmeangreen

justme-;702134 said:


> I've been doing some steep ones for years- knowing what the road condition is like is number one, having a gentle foot is 2, and knowing how your truck handles in key. I always have weight in the back- 400lbs or so as ballast BEHIND the rear wheels, and some additional over the axle, sometimes up to 1000 lbs total.
> 
> steep drives are 4wd always, sometimes 4lo, just for the extra traction. I'll get some pics of mine next storm. I always have chains on hand, and lately one of them usually gets them. It is down hill directly into the garage and off to the right is a steep hill to drop off that goes down and back 200 feet. once you're over that it's going to be a long wait for a couple of wreckers.
> I always have sand/salt on hand and have had to salt after a push to back back up on many occasions.


You sound like you know your stuff! I do, and have done, everything you said, even had chains on all four, but got rid of my bad ones and don't take on any more. In hindsight I wonder if it a combination of me being new then and driving a truck with an open diff. What a difference now! Live and learn....

But still,your customers actually understand that their driveway needs extra service to make it safe for both you and them and understand the need for the extra level of service and the _additional expenses_?


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## flakesmeangreen

PORTER 05;702918 said:


> we dont have many bad steap drives i either dont take them when they call or give them to friends.


nice friends! lol


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## daninline

I did a very steep drive a few years back it was smooth pavement with a loop at the top I can't tell you how many times I slid down sideways on the brakes with the blade down. the scary part is it was better to just roll with it all the way down no brakes. He call the next year I didn't even give him a new price... sometimes you just have to say no


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## flairlandscape

You can tell that the second house, the really steep one is photoshopped right where the concrete drive meets the house. Their is nothing underneath the concrete and no dirt graded up to it.


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## qualitylawncare

A few of the steeper drives we do. The pictures really don't show the pitch on these that well. They are all white knuckle drives


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## qualitycut

The last house in the pic of those steep driveways doesnt even have an entrance to the road.


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## shovelracer

if you look hard enough you can see a piece of the last entrance. Dirt piled in between. My inlaws is like that and i have seen a few lake homes with drives that steep, but they all had rolled breakovers. We had a snowblower crew a few years ago that would do them, but they have all since moved or been dropped. They where all a special pavement that consisted of very large rough aggregate. Rough like a cheese grater. Obviously everything you see isnt real and there are some real crazy PS's out there, but I would bet that someone actually signed off on that design.


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## spacon

I don't believe these drives are real either. What's the addresses in Canada? We're not supposed to get snow until this afternoon, maybe I'll run up and verify them


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## rednekk frank

Great thread! A couple of white-knucklers posted here, for sure.

Here are some shots of my driveway - it's about .7 mile, hard packed dirt, and about 70% of it is sloped to some extent. Pics start at my garage, and head down to the road:




























In the above picture, if you can see the open space around the bend where there are no trees, this is what would greet you if you were to not make that turn (taken from the bottom up):










...continued in next post...


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## rednekk frank

...continued from above...



















Here it where it flattens out for the last .25 mile or so to the municipal road:










It can be a challenge for an ametuer like myself, but in the 2.5 winters we've been here, I haven't had any problems that a set of tire chains couldn't cure. The truck is an old beat-to-hell Ranger that never sees any other use, so I'm not particularly worried what happens to it, which takes a great deal of pressure off.


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## flakesmeangreen

rednekk frank. where in NEPA are you? In the 1st pic especially, is that the Delaware River?


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## rednekk frank

I'm in northern Schuylkill County. No rivers near me.


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## flakesmeangreen

rednekk frank;715101 said:


> I'm in northern Schuylkill County.


Schuylkill. That's Yuengling country!


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## Dartsport

rednekk frank, I think you live about 1/4 mile from me??


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## rednekk frank

flakesmeangreen;715777 said:


> Schuylkill. That's Yuengling country!


Yes sir, it is!


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## rednekk frank

Dartsport;715968 said:


> rednekk frank, I think you live about 1/4 mile from me??


Judging by your location, I'd say that's about right.

Now, who are ya?


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## Joesno

THIS IS THE DRIVE DOWN TO MY BEACH HOUSE!!! at least i dont have to plow it...


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## littlenick

Joesno;716574 said:


> THIS IS THE DRIVE DOWN TO MY BEACH HOUSE!!! at least i dont have to plow it...


Joe you have TOO much time on your hands......


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## jomofo

rednekk frank;716463 said:


> Yes sir, it is!


mmmm..... Yuengling...


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## Dartsport

rednekk frank;716464 said:


> Judging by your location, I'd say that's about right.
> 
> Now, who are ya?


Paul Stravinsky. I am the 1st house on Reservoir Road. I can see your christmas lights from my house. I thought it was you, from your 4th picture, down on the old railraod tracks. 







:waving:


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## Winter Land Man

flakesmeangreen;700827 said:


> I was just reading some threads about really steep drives and chains needed. Would love to see some pics of these driveways. I know the camera NEVER shows how bad they are. I'll start it out with one I declined to do. Same drive, a few years later the new homeowners call. I still declined but really wanted to suggest a ski lift! And yes I have used chains and on all four tires. Any secrets you guys have?


If I get a digi camera or a scanner, I'll take a photo of a narrow (about 9 feet wide) private dirt road I used to plow. The beginning of the road is a steep hill, and about 3/4 up the, there's a sharp nasty turn. First time I had the account, I had to sand the road and I almost went off the corner of the road (and at the side of it, is another hill, with trees and a house, no guardrail)... scared the s*it out of me. The guy who owns the road has this big house which used to be an old prison... it costs him about $800.00 a month for oil to heat it. He didn't like my cost of plowing. I originally plowed if there was 3" of snow on the ground. He didn't want it sanded ever, though he was billed when I first went there. But eventually he got tired of me plowing and it costing him so much, so he said come plow when it's 8"... I said goodbye. Also, he made out a $1,200 check and it bounced and the bank tried to call him but it was a fake number, so I had ******** to deal with and he had to go down to the bank and straighten it out and get the money.


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## DFLS

drivewaydoctor;701923 said:


> I see a tree with my name on it.... LMAO


I see 2 trees to get wedged between


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## rednekk frank

Dartsport;716714 said:


> Paul Stravinsky. I am the 1st house on Reservoir Road. I can see your christmas lights from my house. I thought it was you, from your 4th picture, down on the old railraod tracks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :waving:


No Sh*t. We know each other. Frank Ratkiewicz here. Your shop is about half a block from my dad's house.

Small world, eh?

Paul, by any chance would you know of anyone selling a working salt spreader with variable speed or adjustable feed gate for a decent price?


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## Dartsport

rednekk frank;718009 said:


> No Sh*t. We know each other. Frank Ratkiewicz here. Your shop is about half a block from my dad's house.
> 
> Small world, eh?
> 
> Paul, by any chance would you know of anyone selling a working salt spreader with variable speed or adjustable feed gate for a decent price?


I don't know of any. You could check with Brian Rarick, he may know? 88?- 5541. Brian does alot of plowing and salting.


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## riverwalkland

heavy salt & sand makes a big difference
or
leaving a nice wide snow blower on site and just hopping out of the truck and doing it with that and charging a fortune to do it (if it's not too long)

I've got one that's very steep and its also very narrow and it's full of potholes, I only do it because I charge about 2-3 times what I would for the same driveway if it was flat and it makes for some quick cash after I calm down about how much wear and tear it is on my truck...


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## puddintank

Here's a Google street view of those steep driveway pics spread around the Internet. I did some sleuthing and found the actual address. 5148 W. New Bridge Rd, Fayetteville AR.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&q=5148+new+bridge+rd,+fayetteville+arkansas&ie=UTF8&split=0&z=16&iwloc=addr&layer=c&cbll=36.087675,-94.23253&panoid=MF8Q1PK8-gFGA19dIP6m6g&cbp=12,34.70943897711345,,0,5


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## IPLOWSNO

Dustball;701160 said:


> These are real-


seriously, who would pay 30 years for that, id never buy a used car from them either lol, you know the wife just burned the tires off just to get up it.


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## Bolt-1

Kinda of a crappy pic but, Its a straight 350'. At its steepest point its 29 degrees. Im just glad its straight. Plenty of stopping room at the bottom where it flattens out. How do i know? With one of my electronic toys from the wonderful world of construction.


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## ontario026

This one is real, I got called out a couple weeks ago to quote this one... I couldn't even try it if I wanted to, my extremeV plows into the asphalt before the tires start to climb the driveway, and I have the 2" stacking stops so the blade will pick even higher than stock,,,, I told her to find a snow shoveling or blowing service, not a plow service....

Matthew


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## redneck farmer

Here is one I plow in one of the nice sections of town. The first pic is at the bottom of the driveway looking up, the second is at the top looking down. The very first time I plowed this last year I was backing from the top down the driveway and my truck started to slide off the drive sideways towards a tree, luckly it stopped prior to implanting the tree into my passenger side door. This is always a fun one to plow.


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## Goofyexponent

willyswagon;701228 said:


> I don't have any digital pictures of this one I used to do in Halifax. I'll try to get some scaned in. It was 900' long going down to a millon dollar boat house on the Northwest arm in Halifax. The driveway had a gentle slope towards the water for about 600', then you had to make a 90 degree left turn or go over a 27' cliff. In the next 200' section you decended 25' vertically. At the end of this hill you had a 180 degree swith back(or you would end up in the water). The final 100' was easy after that. Keep in mind that the driveway was shaded all year by huge pine trees. 14 other contartors had turned the job down.
> 
> People would only ever come plowing with me ONCE !! Most people didn't enjoy it like I did.The driveway was spot treated twice a day(just before they left for work and just before they would come home)
> 
> I was payed on a per push/per traction control basis. It cost him between $4000-$5000/winter.payup That was 10 years ago.I did it for three years without any problems.


I used to work for Ace Towing and Crane in Halifax. I know the EXACT driveway you are talking about because we had to BACK the crane and crane support truck down that same driveway to pick a yacht out of the water in there!!! It is a HUGE nightmare....I have pictures, I will post them when I find them


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## willyswagon

Goofyexponent;728699 said:


> I used to work for Ace Towing and Crane in Halifax. I know the EXACT driveway you are talking about because we had to BACK the crane and crane support truck down that same driveway to pick a yacht out of the water in there!!! It is a HUGE nightmare....I have pictures, I will post them when I find them


Nightmare = $$$$. Man you must have had some job getting the crane down there. The turn at the bottom was KILLER Is it the one off Purcells Cove Road?


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## Goofyexponent

Here are the pics of my driveway at home. I live in an apartment complex directly off the Bedford Highway. It's STEEP and never cleared off properly. We, as tennants, and the landlord usually wint up going outside, shoveling after every storm and applying our own bagged salt so the driveway is passable. This is how the driveway is left after the plow guys do their job. What you see there is mostly un-salted ice and wet snow. I know plowing you can't get EVERYTHING, but adding a little more salt to the mix usually takes care of the situation. I usually take my plow and go clean up the heavy stuff so I can turn my big dump truck around and back it into it's spot without hitting any other cars.


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## Goofyexponent

willyswagon;728701 said:


> Nightmare = $$$$. Man you must have had some job getting the crane down there. The turn at the bottom was KILLER Is it the one off Purcells Cove Road?


Yes sir it was! We had a 70 ton crane in there with a tandem westernstar flatbed. It took well over 2 or 3 hours to get in there, set up and rig the cables...it was a constant fight all the way down, getting out wasn't any easier I tell you! I am going through the pics now, when I track them down I'll post them.


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## willyswagon

Goofyexponent;728705 said:


> Yes sir it was! We had a 70 ton crane in there with a tandem westernstar flatbed. It took well over 2 or 3 hours to get in there, set up and rig the cables...it was a constant fight all the way down, getting out wasn't any easier I tell you! I am going through the pics now, when I track them down I'll post them.


2 -3 hrs to go 900', that sounds about right for that spot. Now keep it open all winter!!

It would be alot easier now, since Hurricane Juan cleared out most of the 200 yr old pine trees.


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## theonlybull

Goofyexponent;728702 said:


> Here are the pics of my driveway at home. I live in an apartment complex directly off the Bedford Highway. It's STEEP and never cleared off properly. We, as tennants, and the landlord usually wint up going outside, shoveling after every storm and applying our own bagged salt so the driveway is passable. This is how the driveway is left after the plow guys do their job. What you see there is mostly un-salted ice and wet snow. I know plowing you can't get EVERYTHING, but adding a little more salt to the mix usually takes care of the situation. I usually take my plow and go clean up the heavy stuff so I can turn my big dump truck around and back it into it's spot without hitting any other cars.


i that near flamingo drive? the sister in law lived near there..... definalty some good driveways around halifax..


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## Goofyexponent

yes it is. It's about 200 meters from Flamingo drive in a building called Woburn Manor. The driveway here is a nightmare in a snow storm...My 4x4 f150 had trouble climbing the hill a few times in the snow. The F250 diesel however will claw right up it lol.


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## theonlybull

i thought those buildings across the road looked familiar.

here's a short vid of my father sanding our shop driveway, with out homebuilt skidsteer. the diveway continues to the left down to a 80 x 200 pad, then a 40' drop off. across the road, is our old shop ( still use it for storage) that we also plow and sand.

http://i460.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid460.photobucket.com/albums/qq325/theonlybull/plowing/jan242009002.flv


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