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Winter Improvements
One more thing that we had a bit of trouble with - maybe even worse than lack of traction on the hill - was the windshield wipers slushed up again, as they did with the last storm. Thick wet snowflakes just cling to the wipers. They melt enough to stick, and then they stay.
I scraped each blade clean before we left, and we didn't even get to Millers Market before we were down to maybe 10% visibility. Almost ran someone off the road because I couldn't see. I stopped at the township yard and had to scrape them off again. They stayed clear after that, mostly because the snow was shifting over to more of a sleet or rain.
After filling up the rear tank, we stopped off at an auto parts place to see if they had a particular device I had heard of - they didn't, but as soon as we got back, I ordered some Slushbusters. I think next year I'll make sure I put heavy duty winter wipers on as well - visibility needs to be clear through those windows, especially when I'm aiming a plow at people.
Or, rather, avoiding aiming it at them. =)
As for the slipping and sliding business, I think an Onspot system might be in order. Maybe not for this winter, but certainly for the next. Chains are about one order of magnitude cheaper if you just look at material costs. The difficulty is that installing them is a pain. Justin and I have had personal experience installing chains on the snowblower, and that was difficult enough. And they only slipped off a half-dozen times. Chains on a truck would need to be put on and taken off repeatedly, in less than ideal conditions. There's been a lot of times the road to the nature center was clear and dry and the gravel road there was not - which would mean installing and removing them all the time. I'm thinking time spent swapping chains on and off - as well as a higher replacement cost (replacement cost for the Onspot chains are an order of magnitude less than the cost of another full set of chains) - would easily exceed the difference in cost between the two.
Not to mention, flipping a cool safety trigger switch vs. crawling around in slush and snow on a highway roadside during low visibility winter weather conditions.
Anywho, that's a high priority for Fall 2008. Unless I absolutely can't get up the hill next time I plow, I won't consider it for this season.
I scraped each blade clean before we left, and we didn't even get to Millers Market before we were down to maybe 10% visibility. Almost ran someone off the road because I couldn't see. I stopped at the township yard and had to scrape them off again. They stayed clear after that, mostly because the snow was shifting over to more of a sleet or rain.
After filling up the rear tank, we stopped off at an auto parts place to see if they had a particular device I had heard of - they didn't, but as soon as we got back, I ordered some Slushbusters. I think next year I'll make sure I put heavy duty winter wipers on as well - visibility needs to be clear through those windows, especially when I'm aiming a plow at people.
Or, rather, avoiding aiming it at them. =)
As for the slipping and sliding business, I think an Onspot system might be in order. Maybe not for this winter, but certainly for the next. Chains are about one order of magnitude cheaper if you just look at material costs. The difficulty is that installing them is a pain. Justin and I have had personal experience installing chains on the snowblower, and that was difficult enough. And they only slipped off a half-dozen times. Chains on a truck would need to be put on and taken off repeatedly, in less than ideal conditions. There's been a lot of times the road to the nature center was clear and dry and the gravel road there was not - which would mean installing and removing them all the time. I'm thinking time spent swapping chains on and off - as well as a higher replacement cost (replacement cost for the Onspot chains are an order of magnitude less than the cost of another full set of chains) - would easily exceed the difference in cost between the two.
Not to mention, flipping a cool safety trigger switch vs. crawling around in slush and snow on a highway roadside during low visibility winter weather conditions.
Anywho, that's a high priority for Fall 2008. Unless I absolutely can't get up the hill next time I plow, I won't consider it for this season.
no subject
I've seen chain systems on ambulances around here, you have any idea how those work?
no subject
I know Hanover Township uses the Onspot on their ambulances. I'm also pretty sure the school buses have them.
There is at least one competitor, but the Onspot seems to be original and better quality. The chains on that other unit seem to look different in the holding position (although it works essentially the same way as the Onspot), whereas the ones I've noticed at rest - on ambulances, school buses, and oil tankers - seem to be the Onspot ones.
no subject
I'll have to pay better attention.
Cool.