# Rookie Mistakes



## 100InchHammer

Here's the events of my first day of plowing.

A little history first. I am completely new to plowing, so each and every day is a learning experience. In Sept. I purchased a 79 Chevy shortbed, Full Time 4WD w/ a Western cable operated plow. The truck sat for a few years so there has been quite a bit of repairs and maintenance needed to get ready for the plow season. I thought I had everything covered. Repaired Items: Brake lines, Master Cylinder, Carb, Vacuum Lines, Heater, Lots of Electrical ietms, front hub bearings and hub, fuel tank, Plow cables and hoses, etc...

First real snow Tues Dec 14, 2010...there was 6-8 inches waiting for me on this morning. Roads were bad, visibility wasn't good but all was ok. 

3am: Got an early start to get my drives cleared before the customers leave for work.

3:20am: Stop at Speedway, get a lg cup of coffee. My truck doesn't have a cup holder so I set it on the dash, leaning it against the windshield...seemed stable enough.

Shortly after I arrive at my first stop. I take extra care to do a good job...I believe in quality first and speed will follow. Upon leaving I hit a bump in the road, the coffee that I have yet to take a sip of cause it was to hot is now on my lap and on my new seat cover...my leg is soaked and quite hot I may add and the cup is somewhere under my feet. I'm really pissed at myself for not taking the free cup holder offered to me by my buddy just 4 days ago.

As I drive down the road my driver side wiper kicks sideways and falls off the truck...WTF! I stop grab my flashlight and walk down the road looking for it. Haha, I find it, but the plastic clip that holds it on is broke...thats a bummer. As long as I was going 30mph or faster the snow was staying off the windshield, but every once in a while I would stop and use the wiper like a squeege and clean the window.

Shortly before 6am: I am at my last house on my morning route and I notice my plow seems to be going slow and sometimes I have to try it a few times to get it to lift or angle. Again, experience or lack of is kicking me in the ass. I get completely done and go to raise my plow and nothing. No matter what I try it won't go up, or angle...nothing! I back into the drive and pop the hood, thinking I have a loose connection. They all seem fine as this feeling of disgust sets in. Just 2 weeks ago I told my buddy that my alternator seems to be weak. I try and lift the plow by hand so I can choke up the chain and leave it raised, I can lift it by hand high enough but I can't hold it with one hand while I reattach the chain. (Ok, I never thought of using my jack.)

I venture off down the road trying to get home, plow down and straight. Lights are dimming so I shut off all unnecassary lights and heater, etc... My lights are actually to dim to really be of use and no help in reading road signs. I'm in the middle of BFE on winding hilly roads in a snow storm trying to make it home, using my flashlight as my only real headlight. At this point I find a farm and pull off in his barn drive. I flag down a car and a young lady asks me if I'm ok. I tell her my truck is having issues and I just need to know what road I'm on so I can call for help. We talk for a bit and she gives me the info I need and goes about her day. I drive another 3/4 mi to a restaurant I know and park my truck there, phone a friend and wait. My buddy arrives shortly and we try and jump the truck but no luck. So I tell him, take me to my car and I'll tow it to his shop where I do all my work on it at. I have towing ins, thankfully.

8am: I arrive back with my car, tow truck in route and I throw my heavy duty jumpers on for ****s and giggles. Bam, it fires right up. But here is the flatbed, so I let him take it anyway. I tell him the truck is running and asked him if he wanted me to drive it on. He said that would be great. As I back on the plow starts to dig in and stops me. He throws a hook on the axle and tightens up his winch. Then he lifts the bed to relieve the plow and pulls the truck up on. After he secures it, he tells me to put it in park. I open the door to find I only have 6 in of flat bed, so I step on the vertical aluminum rail, my foot slips and I fall to the ground. WTF, can my day get any worse?

10am: I'm in my chair under my blanket, pants in the washer and colder than hell. 

11am: My phone rings...it's a plow job, and not far away. I debate for a min as if I really want to go back out, knowing I have to replace the alternator. I don't feel like it at all but I made a commitment to this. I tell her it will be 2 hrs, she says np.

I jump up throw on my coveralls drive to the shop and yank out the alternator. Hit the parts store, have them check it to make sure it was bad...sure enough it was. I put in my new 63 amp lifetime warranty $45 alternator and head out. By this time I have had 3 more new calls for plowing. That makes me feel better.

5:30pm and heading to my last call. I notice my brake pedal was getting lower and lower each time I pressed it. WTF! I had just redone the lines and master cylinder, I had great brakes too...firm, high pedal, this can't be happening.

I do the last drive with soft low brakes but the proportioning valve saved me and kept me some brakes. I take slow and easy, get back to the shop to find that the tow truck driver threw his hook over my axle and my new brake lines. UNBELIEVABLE!

The worst part of this entire story is it was all self inflicted. Every thing that went wrong could have been avoided had I had more expeience. Oh and my last name is Murphy...Murphy's Law was written for this day.


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## hydro_37

wont be your last bad day in the snow plowing game......lol


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## BossPlow2010

hydro_37;1156147 said:


> wont be your last bad day in the snow plowing game......lol


No sir it won't! I wonder if it was the tow trucks driver first day too?


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## Silverado10923

That sucks! Sounds like a bad day! I really don't know how much "experience would have helped you with much of that. I have been plowing mostly residential for about 12 years, ten of which heve been on my own. Something always F's up. The plow, the truck, I have learned to carry hoses, fuses, bulbs, motors...It is usually what you don't have that goes. New truck, new plow, old truck, old plow... something F's up! Don't be so hard on yourself, sometimes things work out. If they do just be ready to get F'd next time.


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## maverjohn

Yes every year something pop up you didn't exspect, I put a new srarter in thinking the old one was slow and low and behold it only lasted 8 days s#%? happens 
I agree with silverado, don't be so hard on yourself it will get better with time as you learn more about your truck.


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## creativedesigns

Yup! welcome to fleet maintenance & breakdowns, lol. I just replaced a block heater on one truck & a starter on another.....:realmad:


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## KMBertog

can't be too hard on yourself.... it happens my man. new truck/old truck/new plow/old plow, etc... we have all been there. 

best of luck in the future!


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## paponte

Welcome to the business, and the blood money. One bit of good news for you, the first time out is usually the worst! Over the years I have learned to have a fully stocked shop with things we know can cause grief. Even with that, you can never be prepared for everything. You can make a good living off snow, but you had better bring your A game!


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## NPMinc

As the others said welcome aboard, you will find that things always happen to ya in this business. At least you were able to fix the stuff yourself, not wait on a mechanic to do it for ya. Dont beat yourself up as this has and continues to happen to all of us. For some reason it always seems funny after the fact but sure as hell dont when its happening. Best of luck to ya this season.


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## peterng

Hopefully you've got a sense of humor in your toolbox, and a can of resilience.
Pete


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## JohnRoscoe

Rainex that windshield, run the defrost as hot as you can stand it (crack the window), and you won't need your wipers a lot of the time anyway. 

And a decent bottlejack behind the seat goes a long way when a plow dies for whatever reason. 

Best of luck, most of plowing is being ready for the unexpected. If only it were all just steel scraping pavement.


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## Rc2505

Just a dumb question for the OP why such a small alt.? Running a plow you should put the biggest alt on the truck that you can. I would go for at least a 90 to 100 amp. I actually run 120 amp on all my trucks, plows or not.


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## ACA

I only have 1 chain lift plow left, but in the past if they died and I needed to lift it there is a easy way. Push into a snow bank which the plow will ramp up on. Leave it up there and jump out, move the chain up and there you go. Drive to your shop and fix it.


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## Brandon29

I just put a trans, and new radiator in my 90 this year. Was out in it this morning and my reverse lights weren't working then my strobe broke so I couldn't see anything and backed into a big tree. Just scuffed my bumper but still enough to piss you off. Glad I'm not the only one having bad luck. Hope your luck turns around. Spare parts are always your friend but it seems like you never have the right one anyways. Good luck this year


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## fordsuvparts

Yesterday I had a front drive shaft break a turn joint and then got a flat tire on the way to the shop to replace the drive shaft. Before i got back to the shop one of my other trucks called me and told me he had broken a hose fitting off on the front of the pump and had to chain up the plow to get it back to the shop. Oh and did i mention that one of my guys left a full truck load of salt in the truck outside in the freezing rain while i was working on the trucks in the shop. He forgot to pull the trap over it, now i have large salt bricks. Sh!t happens every year no matter how prepared you are. I have spare pumps c-valves coils lights module's and hose and batteries alt's and even a blade. But nothing every breaks that i have a spare. Good luck and don't get too discouraged.


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## mtnzone

ok you got the first storm blues add in that your a newbie to it and it is compounded.. Dont worry about it it should get better..

Two things to think about.
1. One guy gave you a great suggestion... using the snow to ramp up your plow to fx the chain to drive it home.. great advice but I have a feeling since yur a new bie you have not built you first snowbanking to ramp up. most newbies dont.. the drive in and dont lift their blade at the end making their banking angled... they just leave it with a flat face.. take a look at your snowbanks if they are flat faced then you will more than likey have issues. epcially if you have old plw and truck.....first off yu have hurt yourself with the ability to stck snow, and if those bankings harden imagine the shock your truck and plow are going to take plowing into them. solution as soon as possible go ack and ramp them up.. it will save oyu hassle later.. trust me..... 

2. older truck older plow... always bring a jack an extra lines just for those issues...

good luck.,...

oh and one more thing... get a coffee cup holder...lol


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## fireball

self inflicated situations that could have been avoided LOL. There is a reason why we are not sitting on the beach in San Diago, we love the challenge.


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## FinerCuts

Everyone has there bad days. The problem with plowing compared to lawncare is you have a actual set schedule for the week. Plowing is balls out and everything has to (normally) be done right away.


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## snowtech

your not the only one, i have had nights like that. now its to the point where every night i expect at least one plow, truck, skidder or tractor to go down and if nothing breaks i consider it a bonus. hang in there


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## tjslider

Barrel jacks work great... a cheap floor jack works better!!

http://http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-compact-floor-jack-66725.html

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200305235_200305235

My first trip out this year the headlight switch went out. Explain that one!!
Keep replacing parts, keep pushing snow!

TJ


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## dforbes

managed to get your route done, added 4 new customers. I would say you had a pretty good day. Anytime you are working with equiptment you are going to have days that seem like this. Just think if you hadn't got off the couch, fixed your truck and went to work, The next storm would have been a nightmare.


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## 100InchHammer

mtnzone;1156846 said:


> ok you got the first storm blues add in that your a newbie to it and it is compounded.. Dont worry about it it should get better..
> 
> Two things to think about.
> 1. One guy gave you a great suggestion... using the snow to ramp up your plow to fx the chain to drive it home.. great advice but I have a feeling since yur a new bie you have not built you first snowbanking to ramp up. most newbies dont.. the drive in and dont lift their blade at the end making their banking angled... they just leave it with a flat face.. take a look at your snowbanks if they are flat faced then you will more than likey have issues. epcially if you have old plw and truck.....first off yu have hurt yourself with the ability to stck snow, and if those bankings harden imagine the shock your truck and plow are going to take plowing into them. solution as soon as possible go ack and ramp them up.. it will save oyu hassle later.. trust me.....
> 
> 2. older truck older plow... always bring a jack an extra lines just for those issues...
> 
> good luck.,...
> 
> oh and one more thing... get a coffee cup holder...lol


Thx for all the replies and advice, I never knew about ramping or all the other tricks the seasoned veterans know, but I learn quick and welcome any advice given. It's hard to read a persons sense of humor on the internet but the original post was just that...a good laugh at my own mistakes.

And I assure you (whoever you were) that a experienced plow operator/mechanic would have not of done anything I did. I thought I had covered all needed maintenance, had I known the demand the plow puts on the batteries and charging system, the alternator that I KNEW was weak would have been replaced a month ago. The wiper that I reused and in the process of doing bent the clip that locks it on was also MY own fault. The coffee cup, the brake line, etc...were all related to a previous bad decision. Fortunately I do my own wrenching. I bought this older truck because of the nostalgia and memories of my youth, I knew before I bought it I would have age and sitting related issues. I gave $1800 for the truck and plow, running but bad brakes, leaks, electrical issues, etc... I do have 2 other frineds that I can call on to plow, should I have a major problem.


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## 100InchHammer

dforbes;1157263 said:


> managed to get your route done, added 4 new customers. I would say you had a pretty good day. Anytime you are working with equiptment you are going to have days that seem like this. Just think if you hadn't got off the couch, fixed your truck and went to work, The next storm would have been a nightmare.


You are exactly right! I did not want to get up and go back out, but if I didn't I might as well not even plow. Our customers expect us to provide the service we solicit and it wouldn't be right to not be able to service them because someone was to lazy to go to work.

It was all worth while adding the 4 new customers, 3 of which are now on my schedule and the 4th is a will call.

The icing on the cake that day was when I got to my second stop. I offer a senior citizen discount, but the lady didn't know it from my newspaper ad and I didn't know it when I called her with the price. When she came to the door to pay me, I dropped the price I quoted her by $5, she thanked me and in her hand with the money was a Qt size zip lock bag of fresh baked cookies. She said she figured I'd be plowing til dark and these were for me to snack on.

That may not seem like much to many of you, but to a single guy who doesn't bake, they were priceless. She is now my favorite customer!


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## NPMinc

Lol from a non single guy who's woman doesn't bake I know exactly where you are coming from. I have several customers like that (mostly friends of my parents). I always make sure I personally go do those due to the "benefits" you speak of lol.


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## MattR

I keep getting offered beer, rarely ever cookies. No joke either... lots of drinkers in my area and that is probably all they have to offer to drink/eat. Maybe they think the prices will drop if I get a bit tipsy..lol.

Anyways, back to original topic. I was fortunate to not make many rookie mistakes my first year. However, I did do a lot of reading/research here and another plow forum about stacking and other technics which helped me out greatly. Mechanically I have been fortunate (knock on wood) to complete each day without anything major happen. Normally it is just little things like forgetting to turn on or off the amber strobe light and even left it on overnight a few times. I had a plow pin come out one day, and plowed it deep into a snow bank. Had to dig it out with my tire iron. After that day I carry at least 2 spare pins and 4 spare pin clips.

Matt


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## acornish

wow -- it is always nice when the customer is gratefull ie: cookies cake coffee , im far from single but never complain when they offer a snack or drink, lets me know im appreciated, and saves me from making that extra stop at the choke and puke!


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## jimmyg1622

I found it is better to just slowly buy parts throughout the year that typically go out and keep them all in the truck with a tool box. I mean everything from spare rams to the alternator, you can never be over prepared


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## BrynBaily

No matter how prepared you are, things just don't break until it starts snowing, bottom line! When the pressure is on and the calls come in thats when you'll find that bad hose, fuel leak, busted wipers or that one roofing nail that didn't get buried in the snow that found your truck tire. These are just a few I've delt with that rolled off the top of my head.....


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## jimmyg1622

prsport I know but i try to avoid walking as much as possible, that's why i carry all those spare parts


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## IC-Smoke

you can always run the plow into a pile and then shorten your chain. 

I had a older couple that the mrs would always give me cookies if they were up when I plowed the drive.... but they were always rock hard! a good 10 min on the defrost vent and they were better. I always smiled and thanked them! I eventually had to drop then since they kept lowering what they paid me over the years, eventually wasnt worth my time and equipment abuse.


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## andcon83

Just read this thread, LOL ('m laughing with you). We all have those moments when we get stuck or something breaks. Then we just sit there for that 10 sec moment when you holler, scream and pound your fist off the dash. I think that is what makes plowing intersesting. You never know what you are going to get into next.


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## the new boss 92

this is part of plowing, once you get use to plowing and you know you wanna keep going for a couple years, just maintain the hell out of your stuff. after every storm shoot some grease in the front end parts, u joints, dont forget the front drive shaft might have a zerk if it slides. cheack fluid levels, trans, diffs, transfer case, engine oil. drive it ever now and then to if it your plow truck and keep everything moving, drive it all day before a storm to make sure if something breaks you can catch it before not while your plowing. Also keep someone on back up, worst case senerio your loos money one day, but you maintain a happy customer list!


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## thelettuceman

There are a lot of similarities here between plowing and off premise catering. Ovens not working, menu items left at the commissary, labor not showing up, and the list goes on and on. I've been doing both for a living .... 32 years plowing and 40 years in catering.


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## JTVLandscaping

Wish I found this thread sooner. First time out this year, 2nd account...Truck stalls. There goes the fuel pump. I don't carry one of those with me, and they give you no warning. I backed into a snow bank, busted off the exhaust in another storm. Then the spreader motor went. The alternator started to act up, so I bought one on Groundhog day, during a storm. After I bought it, no more problems. So now I have an alternator sitting on my passenger floor. There's good days and bad days. Some days you finish your route in record time and others you look back and can't figure out why it took you so long. It can get frustrating, especially when things go wrong but we all must enjoy it because every year we bid more accounts and keep doing it. I know I love it even though I wonder what it would be like to sit inside and watch it snow without caring about plowing it, or if the only worry I had was driving to work in the snow.


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## Puddle of Oil

Well this is my first year and I havent had any problems. I only have a handful of accounts though. I sure hope never have to go through all that. Lol


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## 100InchHammer

I will say my season quickly turned around. For sure my first day out was the most eventful and obviously my biggest challenge. I stayed with residential only this year, mainly because I wasn't sure of the reliabilty of that old truck I bought. My truck really turned out to be a gem for plowing. The truck was owned by a weld shop and it is reflected in the way it is overbuilt. Everything from 3/4 ton spindles on the front end to a locking rear diff, 3/4 ton springs front and rear with rear helper springs as well as steel reinforcements...everywhere. I was told when I bought it how much was done to it.

On the 2nd or 3rd day of plowing I dropped a front wheel into a deep ditch. The truck bottomed out on the front axle and running board, I had no doubt I was stuck. To my amazement, it slid backwards til the wheel caught the ditch and then with some spinning, it climbed out. I had 2 more times where I dropped off a drive or slid on ice, every time my truck pulled itself out.

This past weekend I bought an 8' slide in truck camper. I went to pick it up but knew I didn't have the correct plug for it, so I pulled my 18' center console fishing boat behind me to use as lights once the camper blocked my truck lights. When I pulled in and unhooked the boat, the previous owner told me, the camper was too heavy for a 1/2t shortbed, let alone pulling a trailer behind it. I just smiled and said, "It'll be ok.". The truck only dropped a 1/4-1/2" with the camper and it hangs over the tailgate by 6" with the tailgate down. The trailer only has a few hundred lbs of tongue weight so it didn't squat it down hardly at all. He said he was in total awe as to how much that truck could hold. Now getting up to speed was a diff story, I think I need heavier sidewall tires for our camping trips.

This fall I am buying a late model (95-05) Chevy 2500 to add to my fleet (Does 2 trucks constitute a fleet? LOL), I want to have the back up in case something breaks down. I plan on going after all comm accts next season.

I am also doing snow plow repair work...mainly fabrication and reconditioning of damaged or neglected plows. I have been a structural steel fabricator and tool and die maker for the past 25 yrs. http://youngstown.craigslist.org/sks/2230505039.html


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## jjklongisland

Wow, thanks for sharing the story and wow what a first day plowing... 

I remember my first night plowing... I had an 84 Ramcharger 4 spd with a 7.5 meyer. I was so excited. I was plowing for a landscaper who had the contract with a local school which was huge. So I said, I will do the bus loop first. There was about 6" on the ground allready and it was snowing hard. I make the first few passes and started building my confidence saying this aint so bad... Then decided to go a little faster and then BAM... had my first encounter with a manhole cover... I went from 15 mph to 0 mph in less than a 1/4 of an inch ( that how much I shifted the manhole cover... The plow never tripped. The cover was about an inch sticking above the asphalt. I flew out of my seat, hit my head on the visor and stalled the truck. When I came to my senses I realized I had no headlights and wanted to see what I hit. I get out and see the darn manhole cover. I then look and my truck and both my plow lights cracked off the mount and were hanging by the wires... It looked like a two eyeball coming out of there sockets... I laughed so hard... Thank god for Duct Tape...I tapped her up and then plowed the lot at no more than 5 mph... Took me 12 hours to plow a 6 hour lot... Anyway, I now know to scope out where the manholes are prior to the storm. I actually would print out google earth photos and circle them and refer to them from time to time...


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## RedArrow

Doesn't matter what business your in. I am new to plowing but have been in industrial distribution for 26 years. Those days happen! The nice thing is, they are usually followed by great days! In the end, they even out. If they don't get your butt in a pew more often.


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## live-for-snow

This stuff happens to everyone that puts a plow on the front of a truck. This is about the worst thing you can do to a vehical no matter how easy you plow with it. (And people wonder why it cost so much to have there drives plowed cause **** brakes and is not cheep to fix)....


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## mchur01

A little preplanning and maint goes a long ways, but we have all at some point and time had something go wrong & a good story even with planning & proper maint. Like ya said, "Murphy's Law".


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## tjslider

I am actually shocked nothing happened to us this year.
Murphy usually rides shotgun with me.
:laughing:


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## CGM Inc.

When I bought the biz 3 winters ago I was in the same boat! Trucks between 1985 and 2002...all beaten and not looked after at all! First storm was a ***** with a couple trucks down....all I thought was I need some reliable trucks to keep customers happy and liability at a minimum! 5 trucks I bought in 3 years and 1 tractor! business grew a lot, this winter was tough, plowed a lot with very little break downs and problems! Look after your equipment and it will do the job for you!


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## tjslider

Cedar Grounds;1278161 said:


> When I bought the biz 3 winters ago I was in the same boat! Trucks between 1985 and 2002...all beaten and not looked after at all! First storm was a ***** with a couple trucks down....all I thought was I need some reliable trucks to keep customers happy and liability at a minimum! 5 trucks I bought in 3 years and 1 tractor! business grew a lot, this winter was tough, plowed a lot with very little break downs and problems! Look after your equipment and it will do the job for you!


Agree 150%


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## dangerousdarren

i use a roll of duct tape for a cupholder, that way if i need it, i got duct tape close at hand. lol. glad things got better for you.


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## CGM Inc.

dangerousdarren;1292363 said:


> i use a roll of duct tape for a cupholder, that way if i need it, i got duct tape close at hand. lol. glad things got better for you.


:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: that is a great idea!!!


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## JTVLandscaping

dangerousdarren;1292363 said:


> i use a roll of duct tape for a cupholder, that way if i need it, i got duct tape close at hand. lol. glad things got better for you.


and fits most sizes of cup...it's almost like it was planned to be done that way...


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