# What is the best way to plow heavy, wet snow?



## 2dogs2 (Aug 25, 2007)

Just curious what the best way to plow heavy wet snow? Seems like this stuff don't want to push easy, for any distance. I have to keep stopping backing up and ramming through 1/2 the pile in front of the blade, then going back over what was left. :crying:


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

Unles you have a V plow that is probably the esiest way to deal with it.


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

2dogs2;617887 said:


> Just curious what the best way to plow heavy wet snow? Seems like this stuff don't want to push easy, for any distance. I have to keep stopping backing up and ramming through 1/2 the pile in front of the blade, then going back over what was left. :crying:


four wheel low.
lots of weight
dont take all of it at once if you can help it.
angle the blade if you can, to push some aside as your going
once the truck is moving DONT STOP. The weight of the truck helps keep it going.

if you cant push any more, and the pile is big.

a. take part of it at a time.
b. if it isnt too high raise your blade and take off the top to spread it again (drive over it with the blade up a few inches). back up and then plow from the ground.

i see people try to move big piles. taking less at a time is easier on the truck and usually quicker. Use your head, not just the gas peddle.


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

2dogs2;617887 said:


> I have to keep stopping backing up and ramming through :


I dont think anything to do with "ramming" is good. chip chip chip away. Straight push, angle, straight push, angle,repeat wesport


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## SteveJ (Jan 30, 2008)

I second what Bribrious said. My motto is "if the coffe splashes it's good, but if the cup flies out of the holder to the floor, you're pushin too hard", 

Don't be pushin RAMMING those slush piles too hard, you'll be going home on a hook.


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## 91AK250 (Nov 28, 2007)

i delt with this in the last storm of last season...we had 2 1/2 feet of heavy wet snow. i allways run in 4low when plowing so that didnt change...what i did was just bite off what i coulod chew...dont get too much at a time and it should go fine. just try not to slow down or stop because it makes it rough getting started again.


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## cmo18 (Mar 10, 2008)

how come you use 4lo all the time?


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## vegaman04 (Dec 12, 2007)

^ What he said.


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## 91AK250 (Nov 28, 2007)

after going thru 3 trannys(****** builder the first 2 times) the last tranny guy said use 4low to make it alil easier on it, which it makes sense the lower gearing would be alittle easier on everything. so i've just done it that for for years now and havent had a issue in 6 years now so i just roll with it lol


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## red07gsxr (Dec 22, 2007)

get good tires and have weight in the bed. i plow alot in 2wd. i have never used 4 low ever plowing. last winter i used 4 wheel drive only once. the truck pushes really wheel in 2wd. when it snows we usually dont get more then 6 inches at a time so the snow isnt 2 bad here. but like they said above just keep the truck moving and the snow will keep pushin


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Bribrius gave the best comprehensive advise. I would emphasize keeping the moldboard angled as much as possible, not ramming anything and staying steadily moving forward. If you can't move it without ramming - push to one side as much as possible and take a smaller bite. Ramming = damage.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Mick;618714 said:


> Bribrius gave the best comprehensive advise. .


Our Bri? How is that possible ?


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## sechracer (Nov 4, 2007)

grandview;618716 said:


> Our Bri? How is that possible ?


Hey, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.... J/K

But Bri is right, work smarter and not harder...


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

sechracer;618941 said:


> But Bri is right, work smarter and not harder...


Again,our Bri?


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## tls22 (Sep 30, 2007)

Wait for it to melt!:angry:


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

grandview;618954 said:


> Again,our Bri?


That's what happens when you get away from the nice flat black top and two inch triggers gv.

YOU LEARN HOW TO PLOW. 

:waving:


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## jdo150 (Oct 27, 2008)

Small Chunks at a time it will take you a little longer but the constant ramming will probley result in your truck breaking something or your plow breaking. 4lo and weight and a good set of tires for traction helps too.


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## Woodland (Sep 17, 2005)

bribrius;617917 said:


> Use your head, not just the gas peddle.


Best advice I've seen in a long time. And not just for plowing.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

I learned from a tranny rebuilder years ago what effect 4 low has on tranny life. I run a temp gauge and can tell what range I'm in by the temperature. I use low when I can, but it's tough some places. Honestly, low range keeps the tranny a lot cooler, which is of vital importance. As we all know, heat kills trannys. Well, sometimes pimps and johns kill trannys too, but that's another story..

As to hitting heavy snow, bear in mind that if you hit with your plow angled and the snow doesn't move, your truck will. It will go in the direction the blade is angled, then you're on the lawn. I actually had to call a friend to bail me out with is V-plow one time, I had a long narrow driveway that dropped off on the left and had a nice lawn on the right. It went downhill for a ways then back up. With some rain on top of 6 inches of wet snow, the stuff at the lowest point was pretty much solid. I couldn't go over it, or around it, and damn sure couldn't go through it with my 81 K20/8' Fisher. That V plow pierced it right up the middle and spread it off both sides. I still can't think of anyway I could have budged it with a straight blade.


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

edit.
i had posted but mis understood your post. i see your talking about more of a valley that had frozen. other than trying to push the snow to the side, yeah. i have no idea how to do it with a straight blade either. What would have happend if you hit it with the blade a few inches in the air?


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

bribrius;622736 said:


> edit.
> i had posted but mis understood your post. i see your talking about more of a valley that had frozen. other than trying to push the snow to the side, yeah. i have no idea how to do it with a straight blade either. What would have happend if you hit it with the blade a few inches in the air?


Wasn't frozen, it was just snow that was saturated with water. Plus I had already pushed maybe a hundred feet until I came to a stop, so there was a pile in front of me as tall as the plow. I tried raising the plow and busting the top off and couldn't. I think I almost drove the truck right off of the frame. I got that truck stuck a couple of times by doing just that, raising the plow and cutting the top off, then getting hung up on the remander of the snow. Otherwise that was a great plow truck, but I'll tell you I really prefer the weight I have now. My 3500 just doesn't want to stop. In that particular situation I was talking about, I don't know what difference my 1 ton would have made, except it may not have come to a stop in the first place.


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## WetChicken (Dec 23, 2006)

Hoe does that song go? "Slow ride... Take it easy."


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## kashman (Jan 13, 2004)

you can only push what you have behind you. your trying 2 push 600 pound you better have 600 in the bed


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## kashman (Jan 13, 2004)

just 2 let you know snow is free ballast


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## ServiceOnSite (Nov 23, 2006)

kashman;623155 said:


> just 2 let you know snow is free ballast


i have done that before in a 2wd just keep on shoveling it into the bed of the truck every time i got stuck. after a few times i didnt get stuck anymore.

just so we are all clear on one thing here. i belive i just read that a blizzard owner said that the only way the job could have gotten done was with a v blade??

and next we will have a black president. what wonders will we have in store for next month?


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

ServiceOnSite;623218 said:


> i have done that before in a 2wd just keep on shoveling it into the bed of the truck every time i got stuck. after a few times i didnt get stuck anymore.
> 
> just so we are all clear on one thing here. i belive i just read that a blizzard owner said that the only way the job could have gotten done was with a v blade??
> 
> and next we will have a black president. what wonders will we have in store for next month?


I'm guessing its because he drove in without having the blade angled. Or not having it angled enough. I think blizzards tend to push the snow forward more than other plows rather than it coming off the sides. He created a big pile in front of the truck and by that time it was too late. 
Same reason i still havent put wings on my plow. The little trails you hate are the big trails you love when its heavy.


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