# Thoughts About Wet Snow and Plowing it



## QKSnowRemoval (Aug 21, 2008)

This is my first year at plowing and i had one hell of a way to start out with plowing 8 to 10 inches of wet snow. Is there a special way in plowing it? Cuz correct meif im wrong but it seems to be alot harder on your truck and equipment and harder to move around. So i have come to the conclusion that wet snow just blow to plow. Could you guys help me out and give me some advice and thoughts thankx.


----------



## gottaluvplows (Dec 20, 2008)

Pretty much IMO just plow it- get it over with 
Also When plowing wet snow try not to push straight so much 
we windrow in wet snow (as much as possible)! and......
DONT LET IT FREEZE unless u like salting!
If you let it sit for a day your screwed!


----------



## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

Ya you plow it at 4" and dont wait for 10"


----------



## DHDB (Oct 27, 2008)

For any snow but especially wet snow, always plan ahead for the next storm. Dont push to the end of a run and stop. If you do, you will leave a big frozen mound of snow in the shape of your moldboard. Guess what happens next storm? Your frozen plow shaped popsicle is waiting at the end of your push, so you have no where to push snow. If it's a parking lot, the lot will just get smaller and smaller and smaller.... Always plan ahead for the next storm.


----------



## johnslawn (Nov 13, 2006)

Ditto what plowmeister says. imo less wear and tear on truck. Profit margin down but your not pushing the truck or stressing yourself


----------



## F-SERIES BEAST (Dec 12, 2009)

I second the plow meister, and dhdb posts.


----------



## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

take smaller bites,
don't stop mid push,
push your piles far enough back that when the next snow comes, your ice piles are not in your way.

just be glad its not ice or slush......


----------



## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

Even seasoned pro's have a hard time with those storms. You just have to take it the shortest distance possible and don't freak out! Sometimes you just gotta plod along and take it little by little.


----------



## Burkartsplow (Nov 1, 2007)

smaller bites is the way to go.


----------



## Kenyou (Oct 13, 2007)

I just had 8 to 10 inches of wet snow the other day and it was not fun. I tried plowing it straight into a grassy area and that got the snow off the parking lot and left a lot of room for the next storm.
Then I tried windrowing it, and of course that doesn't get it off the parking lot, it just makes bigger and bigger windrows. Luckily I had a payloader because the snow got so heavy and had to scoop it all up and carry it away to the place where I pushed the snow in the first time. Of course, if I had a V plow, etc. I would have been a lot better.


----------



## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Take small bites and push it far as it can go,once it freezes it there for the season. Just what out for the next time you plow. If you had any run off from the pile and it froze you'll love the slide in!


----------



## KBTConst (Oct 25, 2009)

Once you start finish it never stop and go back to it later because you will not be able to move it till it warms up.


----------



## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Get quite a bit of snow here on the Maine Coast. 

Here are some things I do in my parking lots.
I actually windrow less with the wet stuff. I usually put the plow in scoop, and just start pushing. To the sides, the ends, wherever. I don't try to be neat and tidy. I usually keep the blade up just a tick also. Saves some wear on the cutting edge, and keeps more weight on the front tires. The extra weight gives you more traction if you are in 4wd, and better steering. Then I go back and cleanup, windrowing to the side.

If you are plowing a spot where you have to windrow, keep the blade up a bit. Once again more traction and better control. Then drop the blade and scrape/clean it up.

As far as letting wet snow sit, I have done it several times. I plow three schoolyards, so if we get a Friday night storm, I don't have to hurry. I keep the buildings accessible, but I just let the snow sit there in the major parking areas. The water will drain out. Then I go in on Sunday afternoon after church and plow it up. Great plowing. Of course you have to use some discretion. If temps are really dropping after the storm, might not want to wait.


----------



## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

Plow with a wet snow....don't let it build up.


----------



## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

2COR517;904172 said:


> Get quite a bit of snow here on the Maine Coast.


Whoops, meant to say we get quite a bit of *WET *snow here....
I know that many of you get much more snow than we do


----------



## TLB (Jan 19, 2007)

Just like the others have said, don't stop moving & do it before you get too much.

I'd rather move 12" of the powder than 4" of the wet concrete stuff anytime !


----------



## MileHigh (Nov 6, 2007)

gottaluvplows;903162 said:


> When plowing wet snow try not to push straight so much
> we windrow in wet snow (as much as possible)


Some bad advice right there.


----------



## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

gottaluvplows;903162 said:


> Also When plowing wet snow try not to push straight so much
> we windrow in wet snow (as much as possible)





BladeScape;905033 said:


> Some bad advice right there.


I have to agree with you on that one. After about the third pass, it's pretty tough to get that mud to move sideways.


----------



## Kenyou (Oct 13, 2007)

Kenyou;904014 said:


> I just had 8 to 10 inches of wet snow the other day and it was not fun. I tried plowing it straight into a grassy area and that got the snow off the parking lot and left a lot of room for the next storm.
> Then I tried windrowing it, and of course that doesn't get it off the parking lot, it just makes bigger and bigger windrows. Luckily I had a payloader because the snow got so heavy and had to scoop it all up and carry it away to the place where I pushed the snow in the first time. Of course, if I had a V plow, etc. I would have been a lot better.


I forgot to mention that I plowed this wet snow in the parking lot 4 times during the storm. I would have really been screwed if I had waited until it stopped snowing.


----------



## QKSnowRemoval (Aug 21, 2008)

wow, thankx for the info guys, alot of good reply's in this thread.


----------



## Deco (Nov 14, 2009)

wet or dry i clean them all the same .:laughing:


----------



## blowerman (Dec 24, 2007)

I'll agree on the windrow issue. Too many times windrowing and you'll be stuck with a big windrow and no way to move it.


----------



## Chipmunk (Aug 29, 2008)

Definitely don't windrow if you don't have to with a lot of wet heavy snow and the pavement is at or below freezing. If the pavement is at or below freezing, it will freeze to it in no time and your screwed trying to scrape it up. Then you realize you can't scrape it up and have to heavy salt it to slush and then go back and clean it up. Cost more money and possibly time and headache for the lot manager depending on the time.

When you get to your snow pile. Put what your pushing where you want it right away, don't wait to pile it up. Or it will freeze and you get the same issue I said above. You'll spend more time trying to scrape that crap up then pushing it in your pile right away.
For example, the last snow storm that I am going to explain further below. One of my guys was pushing snow in front of the pile. Put about 4 pushes there and then tried to pile it up. But it froze before he could pile it. Then asked me to push it up for him, took me off what I was doing, costing time when he could have just took the extra time to pile up the first push right away and repeat. Takes less time that way in the long run.

Our last storm last week was a PITA. Large to medium size areas and even with angling the plow, it still built up in front of the plow and had to back off and take a small bite. The reason it still built up in front of the plow being angle was we could not go fast enough to throw it in these areas.

One of my new guys got stuck three times at least. I told him he'll learn not to take on the huge pile at once so he doesn't get stuck eventually. My first year, I tried the same thing thinking, "Hey, my truck is badass, it can take it." I learned I was wrong after getting stuck about 4 times, lol.

The powdery snow rocks. It throws better, its lighter and easier to move. But it has its downfalls. It doesn't compact like you want it to. It doesn't pile like you want it to, but piles ok. It flies over your plow and covers your window if you don't have a flap. Wipers at full speed, lol. It will still do it with a flap sometimes, just not as much.

In conclusion, the last snow storm on our new contract, was a PITA. My guys subing for us were new to the wet heavy snow on medium size lots. So I had to run around a lot explaining a lot of things. No biggie, its how you learn, but took me more time to do what I was doing. Point being, everyone has to learn at some point and sometimes it just takes them, getting on it and making mistakes. Someone explains those mistakes and then they can resolve it. They learn something new.

I've been doing this for about 6 years and I still have a lot to learn. There is a lot I haven't done.

As for the wet and heavy stuff, sometimes, you just have to get out there, push the hell out of it without breaking your equipment and get it piled up and looking nice when your done. As well, as others have stated, ALWAYS keep in mind for the next storm.
Do you have room to pile more snow? Are your pile spots full? Can you pile up in some parking lots until you can haul the stuff away or bring in a skid steer or loader to pile it up higher? Again, always think ahead for the next storms.

I don't know if any of this helps or has already been stated, but hey, its here anyways.
And if I am wrong on anything, please correct me. I'd rather be corrected and start doing the right thing, than keep doing the wrong thing.

Sorry for the long post, just had a lot to say I guess, lol


----------



## the new boss 92 (Nov 29, 2008)

i agree with chipmonk, i like to do 2 or 3 passes windrowing and then hit the windrow bank with the blade straight and clean up the crumbs later before i leave. this past storm i seen this lowballer in 4 low pushing this windrow about as high as his rims, i went by and laughed cause hes going to beak something or work his equetment more then needed!


----------



## Chipmunk (Aug 29, 2008)

the new boss 92;907187 said:


> i agree with chipmonk, i like to do 2 or 3 passes windrowing and then hit the windrow bank with the blade straight and clean up the crumbs later before i leave. this past storm i seen this lowballer in 4 low pushing this windrow about as high as his rims, i went by and laughed cause hes going to beak something or work his equetment more then needed!


Oh man, that is funny. I rarely, if ever, use 4 low. I only use it if I'm stuck (if I ever get stuck) and need some torque with a slight amount of gas to creep out. Otherwise, I go without and use the plow to push me out. Eventually, you learn how to not get stuck, haha. For example, don't take on a whole pile at once, otherwise, you'll just crawl over it and get your tires off the ground.

I use to push snow at certain times in 4 low to get that torque to move it, but then I learned that its just too hard on the truck and just take a little at a time.
Its a lot of snow and its heavy. You just have to realize that no matter what you do, its gonna take more time than usual. No sense in breaking your equipment in the process.

It sucks, but its what plowing is all about. Those guys either need to love it or leave it.

When there is a lot of heavy snow, at first, the lot looks like total crap, but as you pile it up and clean up, it looks so much better. Like cleaning up trails and if you have to push short runs piled up rather than long runs, run the long way of those pushes. It looks SO much better and professional. I can't even stress that enough.


----------



## DAFFMOBILEWASH (Dec 9, 2006)

It is most important to keep ahead of the storm. Sure at times it can't be done but in all my years of pushing snow I can only remember a few moments where I had to stop. Keep the blade square too the curb and push what you can. Rember it doesn't have to be perfect just keep the majority of the accumulation on the curb side of the lot.

IMO if you can't keep up in a storm then you don't have enough equipment or you are spreading your sevices too thin.


----------

