plow snow with m817 ?

[SCRAP]

has anyone mounted a plow on thier m817? i would think they would do excellent, and international truck plow frames are easy to come by around me...anyone else with same idea?

 

[drgreg]

I have plowed a lot of snow, and I never want to do it in an MV. The creature comforts are just not there.

 

[SCRAP]

plowing snow in any dump truck isnt a pleasure unless you have 40k to buy a real nice rig, but I think I can handle a few hours in a m817 .

 

[Wildchild467]

i know its not a 5 ton, but i want to put a plow on my M35A2. it wouldnt be my prime plow machine, just a backup incase my Jeep Cherokee cant push the snow back any farther. my truck sits all winter, but the rare couple times, it would have been nice to have!

 

[drgreg]

plowing snow in any dump truck isnt a pleasure unless you have 40k to buy a real nice rig, but I think I can handle a few hours in a m817 .

Well an MV is not just "any dump truck". The cabs leak, the defrost sucks, the wipers suck. They are not good winter vehicles.
But this, like every other thread where someone asks advice, if I just tell you what you want to hear you'll be happy.

 

[maddawg308]

I have seen plows put on deuces and 5-tons, and the amount of structure that has to be added to the lower front frame area to support the plow setup isn't worth the effort, in my mind. Get a civvy plow truck and be happy. Trust me, you will be happy.

 

[scooter01922]

Look at that, log on for the first time in months to send a PM and this it the top topic I have a m35a1 with an 11 foot highway plow on it and as such have some experience here. While the cab does leak air like a colander and the wipers do suck i must say that even on the coldest days i stayed warm with the sheer amount of heat generated working the truck. Keep in mind i was plowing a 1.5 mile long dirt road and a large lot and at one point the piles on each side were midway up my chest and i'm a 6 foot 3 inch guy. Under lighter workloads ect you very well might not be in the truck long enough or work it hard enough to stay really warm. Someone clearly fabbed the plow mounting setup on this truck. Very simple frame that goes back to the front axle and a hefty frame mounted directly on the bumper with several very large bolts. All comes off with a few 1 inch pins. Beat the ever living poop out of it trying to push back 4 foot banks after a really poorly timed ice storm and it held up just fine. Its something to see the snowbank cracking into microwave to refrigerator sized blocks and you just keep on trucking Truck sure does get thirsty on those long pushes. Fuel consumption had to be at least 7-8 gallons an hour based on some mental math. There is a bit of a learning curve plowing with a deuce or a 5 ton or whatever. All the weight of the plow gives you great traction on the front end but only when you lift it. With the plow down steering can be a real PITA at times. Found i needed a LOT of weight in the bed to be very productive about not getting stuck. Had a buddy with a front end loader push back some frozen snowbanks for me mid season and he piled the snow appx a foot over the top of the cab and that seemed to be getting close to whats really needed to keep things moving reliably. Being it was all frozen ice it had to be several tons of weight. Plan on putthing a pair of jersey barriers in the back for next winter and seeing where that gets me. Amazing how easy it is to get your butt stuck on flat level ground if there isn't anything on all those duals. With all that in mind there is NO way i could have moved the snow i did this past winter without this truck. Pushed like a real champ and always ran out of traction long before power. Would NOT want to plow with it commercially, after a few hours it just beats the snot out of you. If its just a backup truck for when the proverbial sh!t hits the fan storm rolls through it would do just fine. I'll see if i can't grab some pics of the frame and plow setup in the near future, but can't promise it will be fast. To all the "regulars" no i'm not back sadly, still don't have the time to lurk SS like i used to but i'm trying to at least get on now and then.

 

[maddawg308]

WB scooter!

 

[scooter01922]

Thanks buddy, really sucked to miss aberdeen this year. Trying to get to at least one rally though if i can find the time.

 

[kastein]

Wow, I grew up over in Haverhill...

Been considering putting a plow on my M54A2 when I get it running again, if we have a winter like the last one I definitely will. Hear some people were getting 120/hr from the state to plow highways, even my 5mpg rig can make money at that rate.

Amusingly enough I have another plow I will be putting on my Jeep... Comanche for plowing the driveway and private road I live on. The Cherokees are the toys, the Comanches are for getting work done

 

[BEASTMASTER]

i'v been plowing with my M-51 for 6 yrs now and i'd keep going if it wasn't for the wife. been using NDCC's with no weight in the back and a BIG 11' plow the town doesn't want me to stop plowing ,but hey, ya know. like they say, keeping the windshield defrosted is a BIG problem. but with the stereo and three heaters i got a charge out of it. and they will push a LOT of snow.

 

[Bolkbich]

Ive been plowing for 6 years with my m813 i took the foam out of the seat back( it gave me alot more leg room and the seat back is rounded so it holds you instead of giving you no side support believe it or not its a huge improvement) ,sealed up the windshields, converted the blades to good jeep winter blades, made sure the defroster ducting is sealed up good. The power steering is real nice. The heater kicks ass. I throw my ipod on start plowing and wait for the "im stuck " calls to come in. She aint shiney but shes bad.

 

[marsman]

Sweet Rig!

 

[m816]

I still plow a lot of snow too. I also drove five tons during the winter back in the 60's through Europe. Yep, the cabs leak like a collender and the defrosters suck, and they are like riding in an old wagon. I plow highways from beginning to end and then run salt to clean up Nothing better than a surplus State Highway truck for snow work they are warm, dry, powerful, and somewhat comfortable. Mine has four wheel drive and the spreader comes out infront of the drivers. That is the best combination I have ever driven. I go up hill and down hills with little effort in the heaviest snow. I am only a little jealous of the guys who have auto trans. I am the only one around who still drives the manual trans . Guess that is whiy I get the nice toys.

 

[robert c neth]

a lot of the deuces i bought over the years were used by townships to plow snow on a regular basis.on an open road they may be fine but around the house forget it.when you get it stuck with the plow and frame on it the tow bill will be more than any money you make ,unless you have the means to get it out.just plow the snow back the first time and you wont have to spend all that money for a plow.i plow with my pickup and have a landcruiser as backup and i never worry because i have the 6x6s to pull them out .

 

[eagle4g63]

Bolkbich: you have anymore pics of the plow rigging?