# perfect push snow removal picture thread



## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

it has been a good amount of time since I posted any pictures of my trucks. been slowly adding to the fleet. so here I go. started out with a 98 f150 that I bought for $1000. I traded that for my favorite truck, a 94 f350 7.3 idi 5speed. drove here for a few months. plowed with her all winter. Picked up a pull plow that was missing the hydro pump for $350, bought a new pump for a few hundred more. I will never plow with out one again. after winter I found a great deal on a 2002 f250 cclb with a blown motor. just so happened I had a motor laying in the corner of the garage from dismantelling the truck in my sig. picked her up for $1900. it was a deal I couldn't pass up. she is now my daily driver and the 94 f350 has become full time plow truck. a few weeks ago I found another great deal on a 2002 f250 with only 117,000mi for $1400. needed a new rear axle and a bed. already had the plow mount and most of the wiring installed. just another deal I couldn't pass up.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

I will get some pictures of plowing once it starts to snow here in north east ohio


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## xgiovannix12 (Dec 8, 2012)

can I see pictures of them nighthawks how they are mounted?


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

xgiovannix12;1910659 said:


> can I see pictures of them nighthawks how they are mounted?


Yes I will get some pictures of the brackets. Just some angle iron with a tab welded to it...


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## xgiovannix12 (Dec 8, 2012)

thesnowman269;1910675 said:


> Yes I will get some pictures of the brackets. Just some angle iron with a tab welded to it...


I always wanted to put the nighthawks on my head gear I just kept thinking they would look big and goofy.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

they did look big and goofy on my old f150. however the extra light output was certainly worth the somewhat goofy look.


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## xgiovannix12 (Dec 8, 2012)

thesnowman269;1911083 said:


> they did look big and goofy on my old f150. however the extra light output was certainly worth the somewhat goofy look.


lol they do IM sure the output was worth it. I found a set of these for a decent price

http://www.storksplows.com/hamsar-p...ement-meyer-hiniker-boss-curtis-blizzard.html

I might go this route they are almost the same size as the older style


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

I do not recommend those lights at all. they typically come on the newer snoway plows and are complete garbage. constantly falling down. the back access panel has a tendency to fall off. leaving the internals exposed. again I do no recommend those lights to anyone.


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## xgiovannix12 (Dec 8, 2012)

thesnowman269;1912105 said:


> I do not recommend those lights at all. they typically come on the newer snoway plows and are complete garbage. constantly falling down. the back access panel has a tendency to fall off. leaving the internals exposed. again I do no recommend those lights to anyone.


ive been trying to find someone who had em to see the quality before ordering them. I guess you just answered my question :laughing:


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## xgiovannix12 (Dec 8, 2012)

I think they would look better with light extensions. I made a set for mine. they look so much better on your older ford for some reason.


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

thesnowman269;1912105 said:


> I do not recommend those lights at all. they typically come on the newer snoway plows and are complete garbage. constantly falling down. the back access panel has a tendency to fall off. leaving the internals exposed. again I do no recommend those lights to anyone.


Back panel has screws holding them on shouldn't fall off I have set since 09 no problems


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

A lot has changed in since I last updated this thread. Ive since gotten rid of my 94 F-350. After the last storm of the 2014-2015 season it had developed a large amount of play somewhere in the transmission. So it was time to go. I ended up selling it to someone who lived in PA. they destroyed the truck with their bad taste. I'll post a picture of what it looks like these days. After the 94 was gone the weather started to get warmer. The perfect time to paint in your garage! So I found a bed for the 02 Ext cab F-250 and started to paint it. I messed up terribly when I did this the paint came out looking like an orange. I was so worried about having the metallic in the paint run that I went way to fast and didn't spray the paint properly. I later learned you should never use a metallic single stage paint if you don't know what you are doing. :angry: The Ext cab was starting to eat every cent I had, and decided I better find a way out before I was stuck with $6000 into a $3000 plow truck. I began to look for options on trading it for something else I could use. A friend of mine at the same time had a 97 F-350, he believed was having transmission issues and needed a new trans. So I figured I would stop by and take a look. It was a decent shape (for a work truck) 97 F-350 cab and chassis 4x4 with 120,000mi on a 7.3. It was formerly a dump truck used by a local tree company for firewood deliveries. He had taken the dump bed off and placed it onto another truck he owned and put a regular pick up bed on the 97 I was looking at. It looked like crap, drove like crap, even smelled like crap. But it ran good and i saw potential. Convinced him to throw in another truck he had sitting around and I would trade him for the Ext Cab w/ a plow. so the deal was struck. After some investigating and a lot of reading I found that the transmission problem the 97 F-350 was having was all electrical. there was a broken wire for the Rear vehicle speed sensor. After splicing it back together it drove great!  But now I needed to find something else for a bed. After about a month of looking I had started to give up. Nothing I found was worth buying for the price they were asking. While everything worth buying was far to much money. But after waking waking up on a Saturday After noon I went on Facebook and there it was! the perfect Flatbed for the perfect price! Someone was selling it on a Facebook page that I followed, I went and picked it up that day. Meanwhile I had also acquired an 86 f350 4x4 C&C w/ a 7.3 idi in the trade for the ext cab. It was in rough shape and had a ******* rigged dump bed system on it. I happened to find a man selling an 87 f350 with a clean cab and a decent dump bed in Pittsburgh for $700. Thought perfect that will be a nice winter project with little investment and Ill have a decent little dump truck around. Off to Pittsburgh I went in a terrible rain storm the entire way there. Upon arrival in Pittsburgh I found the truck he was selling was anything but a 1987 f350, but instead a 94.5 F-Superduty. Handed the man his money signed over the title loaded it on the trailer and off I went. My plan had quickly changed, as I was no longer swapping cabs or beds around. The F-Superduty is in great shape aside from fenders and some dirt as it has sat around for 5 years (due to a clogged fuel filter and fuel return line the man stopped driving it). These truck where built on a 4x4 chassis and used a 4x4 transmission to accomidate the e brake set up ford had designed for those trucks. Time for an axle swap! At this point in time I have had the F-Superduty running once. It will need some new injectors glow plugs and other minor things. Ive since cut the 86 f350 up for parts to put into the F-Superduty, Rebuilt the Dana 60 King pin and I am in the middle of rebuilding the rear axle. Which I believe is a ten lug dana 80? It has a detroit locker and matching gears to the front axle. But that is where I am at today. Waiting on some nicer weather to get the dump truck going with axle swaps


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## PLOWMAN45 (Jul 2, 2003)

old fleet wesport


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

PLOWMAN45;2085721 said:


> old fleet wesport


I'm not to much of a fan for the newer ford trucks. I've had a few issues with my 02 F-250. These old Fords are cheap and tough wesport


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

here are a few pictures of the 86 while I was taking it apart. and a few more pictures of the Ext Cab


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

thesnowman269;2085850 said:


> I'm not to much of a fan for the newer ford trucks. I've had a few issues with my 02 F-250. These old Fords are cheap and tough wesport


You're not a fan of the new ones, but you keep trading the old ones for other old ones every few months. There must be a reason for trading so often, right? If you had a new one you could drive and plow with it for YEARS before you ever started having issues, and it would look nice as well.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

Harleyjeff;2085892 said:


> You're not a fan of the new ones, but you keep trading the old ones for other old ones every few months. There must be a reason for trading so often, right? If you had a new one you could drive and plow with it for YEARS before you ever started having issues, and it would look nice as well.


Yes you are correct. I could go out and spend a few thousand on a newer truck that could last me quite a few years problem free. But I am trying to keep my initial invest some what low while I Build a business. So that I am able to invest into other aspects other then vehicles. Is this the best approach? Im not sure but its the one I am able to take at the moment.


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

thesnowman269;2085939 said:


> Yes you are correct. I could go out and spend a few thousand on a newer truck that could last me quite a few years problem free. But I am trying to keep my initial invest some what low while I Build a business. So that I am able to invest into other aspects other then vehicles. Is this the best approach? Im not sure but its the one I am able to take at the moment.


Your wrenching time and the aggravation of all the horse trading (even if you like both for some reason) are worth money! No, this is not the best approach. With all you've done you could have a nice newer truck and a decent back up. There is way more to building a business than just putting trucks together. You should be working on acquiring customers, accounts, and contacts a lot more than working on trucks. This fleet is kind of a mess and gives the impression you have more of a hobby than a business. Why is the Meyer headgear falling so far forward on the gray truck?


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

once again things have changed. Took some advice and changed a few things. Bought two newer trucks for this season. The crew cab is my daily driver when I'm not working, also use it to meet with customers. the new flatbed is my daily work truck. tows my new (to me) cargo trailer with all my carpentry/ remodeling tools. nice to be able to load mat


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

I might as well post a few summer time work photos as well


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

few more. color was just a little off on the wine cabinet install


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

Wow. Trucks and projects look very nice! Congratulations!


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Very wise decision you made on purchasing those trucks. They look much nicer and should serve you well with a lot less headache.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

Thank you both! Couldn't be more happy with the way this year has gone. Hoping for a good winter now.


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Great progression! Looks like your doing well!


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

Nice rigs!


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

Little update on some recent projects. And my little toy I picked up and did a little work too over last winter and this summer. Unfortunately I forgot to take before and during pictures of the kitchen but it was taken all the way down to the studs.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

Don't have any pictures from this past winter. But it was a good one. Was able to pick up another truck for next season. I'll be converting my reg cab flatbed to a dump body. I'll try and document that for those who are interested. I also had enough down time to purchase a new trailer and upgrade it the way I wanted. I built all the shelves on wheels so they are easily removable. Made some nifty brackets to lock the shelves in place


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

What a summer it has been. Not a good one either. I think the biggest fear in owning your own business is “what do I do if things don’t work out?”. After a kitchen remodel and a lengthy battle I’ve decided to never work for a Jewish lawyer ever again in my life.. but after you tackle your greatest fear, the rest seems a whole lot easier. Well anywho, after that experience I was forced to post my ext cab flatbed up for sale. Not the end of the world by any means. That’s not the end of it though! I don’t know if I have mentioned it before in this thread, but when I am not plowing snow or remodeling homes. I work special effects in the film industry. Mostly in the Cleveland Ohio area. However I was lucky enough to get a call to work on a film out of town this summer (felt like I had finally made it in the film industry). Wonder Woman 2 in Washington DC to be exact. While working in the special effects shop my glove was caught in a machine pulling my right middle finger into the machine. It ground away half the bone, tendon, and skin lengthwise as well as dislocated the finger. First time in a boo boo buggy wasn’t to bad! While at the hospital the surgeon placed four steel pins in my finger at the joints to hold it in place. Relocated the finger, and sowed her up. After about a month and a half the finger tip began to die. I eventually lost 1/3 of my finger. I won’t post any pictures unless I get enough requests. They aren’t all too pretty. Such is life. My hand is still incredibly sore three months later. I’m told it’ll be this way for quite some time. With all that said. If anyone has a lead on a great deal for a F350 flatbed please let me know!


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

https://www.auctionsinternational.com/auction/15018/item/10-steel-truck-bed-92338 More of a welding bed, only one I know of now. Not sure if 10' is to long or maybe modify it. It's cheap now.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

Some updates on equipment. Picked up a used skid steer for a great deal. And an f250 for an additional plow truck.

Due to some ptsd after having my finger ripped off, I've decided to sway away from remodel work. A decision based on a new fear of power tools and the man power/crew needed at times for projects. I've decided to scale back and become a one man band. I'll be getting more into light excavation projects. I've managed to find a small niche on doing smaller jobs that larger companies prefer not to touch. After completing a few projects, I've come to realize that a one ton dump truck is only so capable. Toying around the idea of purchasing something larger. I do not have a CDL but am not opposed to obtaining one. If anyone has some advice of a larger dump truck such as an f650-750 that would be appreciated


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## buttaluv (Dec 8, 2000)

Looking good!


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Being your going to concentrate on excavation and a one or two man show I would get the CDL. You are going to want something in a single axle that will haul 10 ton. You don't want to make to many trips to your dump site or gravel pit. 

In fact if you have room you are better off having the gravel pit bring your materials ( stone ) with one of there tri axles and stock piling. I found out it is cheaper that way than running your own truck to the pit. I try to stick with Internationals or sterling something of that sort maybe a Volvo.

The Furds and the GM that will haul that much weight will cost you more money to buy and operate. Keep in mind you can tow a electric brake trailer with a air brake truck. I can relate to the PTSD as I been through a few near death experience and was suffering with it for years until my Doctors found the right medication for me.

If you have a problem concentrating and taking things out of context see your Doctor. I'm fine now and feeling pretty good. Excavation done right you will make a good living. It's time to start learning pipe, meaning sanitary, storm and utility's is a big part of it along with the stone work etc. Good Luck


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

BTW you will need at least a walk behind tamper or small roller with vibration.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

Quite a few tools still on the list to acquire. Looking for a tamper, laser, and a few attachments for the skidsteer. I have a smaller 66” rock hound available if anyone might be interested. Needs assembly. All new parts for it


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

Hey snowman.

The title of your thread is about pushing snow perfectly. Don't you think its ironic you have almost no photos of pushing snow?

Maybe MJD can change the title to "my truck procurement thread, and home improvement projects, with green grass as a background".

That would fit the profile accordingly.
Lol


Nice upgrades on the trucks, and projects, btw.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

Dogplow Dodge said:


> Hey snowman.
> 
> The title of your thread is about pushing snow perfectly. Don't you think its ironic you have almost no photos of pushing snow?
> 
> ...


Unfortunately there hasn't been much snow this year for me to take pictures of. But I will admit you make a great point


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

thesnowman269 said:


> Unfortunately there hasn't been much snow this year


Ditto.


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## Mudly (Feb 6, 2019)

Cool a local guy


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