# How to deal with manholes when v-plow is in scoop position



## 105857 (Aug 12, 2011)

First season plowing.

Running GMC2500HD with a 1996 Boss 8'2" v-plow. Plow has original steel cutting edge from 1996. Boss technician checked out plow and serviced it. Said it was in amazing condition and original cutting edge had hardly any wear and should last the entire season.

Starting this season with 3 condo complexes. All three have outdoor asphalt parking lots with a straight lane runing through the lot with parking stalls on either side and at the end (i.e. parking stalls on three sides of this lane). It's a straight push from the open end of the lane to the other end where visitor parking stalls at the end are set aside by the condo board for pushing the snow into. I'm using a "3 ft" rule to stay a safe distance from all parked cars on either side of the push. Had an experienced plowtruck operator lined up to show me the ropes. I would do shovelling and he would run the plow ,with me as a backup plow operator. He's now unreachable and contracts start Nov 01. I may have to run the plowtruck if it snows this week.

My plan is to keep the plow in scoop position for the pushes down the lane. Previous contractor had a straight blade and apparently just ran over the manholes. But because I have a V in the scoop position I need some pointers so I don't damage property and equipment incase I'm the one behind the wheel. I've run forklifts and farm equipment but haven't plowed with the truck yet.

Have three types of manhole situations in these lanes:
1. protruding 1/4 to 1/2 inch from level asphalt
2. top of manhole is perfectly level with the asphalt
3. in a "sinkhole" where the asphalt dips down a few inches to a foot on all sides of the manhole cover.

Lane width between parking stalls is generally 20-25ft. Manholes are located anywhere from dead center to 4 ft from the side of the lane. I've marked them out on diagrams so the operator knows where they are.

Would really like some basic pointers to keep in mind when plowing around these manholes.

My V in scoop position covers almost 7 feet of asphalt in width. One concern is that when I push snow around one side of the manhole covers (which are in the "sinkhole" situation) that the leading end of one of the V blades may catch and gouge into the asphalt as the asphalt surface rises back out of the sinkhole.

Thanks in advance for any pointers you can give.


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## Plow man Foster (Dec 10, 2010)

105857;1333956 said:


> Have three types of manhole situations in these lanes:
> 1. protruding *1/4 to 1/2 inch* from level asphalt
> 2. top of manhole is perfectly level with the asphalt
> 3. in a "sinkhole" where the asphalt dips down a few inches to a foot on all sides of the manhole cover.


None of these should hurt you or the plow. 1/4 to 1/2 inch is NOTHING! You dont realize it but some cracks in the pavement are higher than that! Just make sure you clearly mark where they are. Aslong as you do that and dont drive 50MPH you will be fine. This is why then created trip edges. I plow subdivision streets with my boss v 9'2" and if I KNOW there is a crack coming up i come right up to it and click the up button on the controller a couple times and keep on going.


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## 105857 (Aug 12, 2011)

Thankyou. I re-read my post and my description of a "sinkhole" may lead readers to think that the manhole protrudes out of the sinkhole like a volcano. But the situation I'm describing is where the manhole is at the bottom of a pit with the asphalt rising around it on all sides. Hope this doesn't change your response but thought I should be clear just in case.
Basically then you would just raise the plow in the scoop position as you pass over these manholes and set it back down then clean up around them with a shovel after?


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## samjr (Mar 18, 2008)

*Get a fisher*

I love my fisher V plow i never brake nothing


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## Plow man Foster (Dec 10, 2010)

105857;1333976 said:


> Thankyou. I re-read my post and my description of a "sinkhole" may lead readers to think that the manhole protrudes out of the sinkhole like a volcano. But the situation I'm describing is where the manhole is at the bottom of a pit with the asphalt rising around it on all sides. Hope this doesn't change your response but thought I should be clear just in case.
> Basically then you would just raise the plow in the scoop position as you pass over these manholes and set it back down then clean up around them with a shovel after?


pretty much so... But once you start plowing this lot you will get used to how to do it. Usually i lift the plow up then drop it immediately after. (Leaving how ever tall the cover is.) Lets just say a 1/4" of snow. Next time you come around just go around it. If you really care you can get a shovel out. But i have been in other condo complexes with speed bumps, its clear they do the same thing because there is a little pile of snow before and after it.


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## rochestersnowma (Sep 21, 2010)

As long as you have shoes on the blade and go slow you will be fine.
it's not the sinkholes thats the problem, it's the crap that sticks up


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

rochestersnowma;1334089 said:


> As long as you have shoes on the blade and go slow you will be fine.
> it's not the sinkholes thats the problem, it's the crap that sticks up


Who (that plow commercials) plow with shoes?


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## Plow man Foster (Dec 10, 2010)

BossPlow2010;1334199 said:


> Who (that plow commercials) plow with shoes?


not me.."bare foot guy!" prsport
otherwise you cant scrape anything


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## TPS Alberta (Oct 18, 2010)

Ive never had a problem with manholes in scoop mode whether they are sunken or protruding. For the ones that are protruding really bad ill slow down and lift the plow SLIGHTLY for a second then drop back down. For the sunken ones I don't change anything, but I try to keep the tips of the plow wing out of the hole which is common sense. You don't have to worry as much in scoop mode as the blade will trip back....V-mode is where you'll have a problem if you catch an edge on a manhole. 

I never use plow shoes


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