Snow plowing

Never plowed with a Dakota but...............a couple of thoughts come to mind.

Short narrow drives and streets are a pia. No place for the snow to roll off the blade, you have to have some weight and grunt to push the snow and stack it. Also, if you have to back drag, a light plow on a Dakota probably won't do it.

Commercial plowing is best done with a properly optioned 3/4 ton or bigger truck. I wouldn't want to be out in one of those 2-3 inch per hour storms with a Dakota. But that's me, you on the other hand......

Roy

I don't but a good friend of mine uses a '93-'94?? Dakota with a 6.5' Western. It does fine on driveways and little spots where you have a couple of swipes and go. Anything over about 6" and it takes him a while. He does one parking lot for a bowling alley and takes him a couple of hours to do it. I drove by and looked at it one time and had to chuckle, it shouldn't have taken over about 45 minutes for the lot. Overall, he's happy with it.

Btw, I second what Roy said, a bigger truck will handle it better.

Denny

If it is that tight without snow, you aren't going to get it done with a dakota either. Everything will shrink by a few feet once you get some snow banks along the sides. Don't know where you live but a couple of back to back storms and no melting and you'll be renting a bobcat to get in there. That might be the thing, find out how much somebody wants per hour for a bobcat or front end loader and price the job accordingly. Condo's can be a pia, they may not want you pileing snow on the lawns. If you can pile the snow watch for melt and refreeze on walks and driveways. One slip and fall and it is sue city, have a bunch of insurance.

One last thought. A old CJ5, if you can find a good one. I've looked for one for a couple of years and yet to find a decent one, maybe your luck will be better.

Roy

x-no-archive: yes

The Dakota is a very light duty truck. A 3/4 ton or better will stand up to the abuse of snow plowing better than a Dakota.

If you just want to remove snow, purchase a used farm tractor with a drag blade.

Where are you Roy? I saw a CJ-5 in fresh paint the other day while on the road. It was outside Amsterdam NY. Was sitting on a trailer for sale for 1500.00

I'm in southeastern MA. If you are able shoot me the phone number for it. It won't hurt to talk to the owner.

Roy

And...... any plow truck without heated leather seats is useless IMHO.......

;^)

Mike

I use a 1500 std cab and short bed. I do a bunch of fast-food restaraunt type lots and don't have a problem. I have the quick ratio steering gear and it seems to work good as far at turning radius goes. I had to put a cooler on the return hose coming out of the gearbox to keep from burning the fluid. I still flush it every spring when I put the plow away tho.

The ole Dodge has to call for help if there more than 5-6" on the big lots. It's just more than it can handle unless you want to spend all night getting it done.

Denny

fences,

I have plowed snow for over 20 years now and with as much as 3 trucks on time. Lightweight trucks are "toys" at best pushing snow because when it gets ugly you need weight and grunt to get the job done. If you want to clear your driveway that is one thing but to use it commercailly is another matter. I can clear over a foot of snow in one

8 foot pass wet or dry with relative ease. Also when you plow you want to plow at about 6 to 10 MPH when possible because with a good plow design it will roll it and throw it out further off of the side of the blade and make a small edge stack. A far as length, I alway use 3/4 and 1 ton trucks with standard cabs and SRW?s and I have no turning issues and this is where chevies after 87 shine for two reasons. They turn tight and the CV joints in front axle shafts with IFS do not torque bind/whip back through steering wheel like a straight axle will when you crowd it in a tight turn plowing. I must admitt I was apprehensive when I got my first IFS GM truck to plow with but now I would NEVER go back to a striaght front axled plow truck.

Sounds like a plan for breakage.

I'm not going to comment on this other than to say that around here chevies are the least popular plow truck.

Roy

Why am I not surprised by this. Ya gotta be paid in food.

Gotta plow with it fer sure.

Roy

I'll grab any info the next time I'm out there. (probably late Sunday or Mon.)

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Roy