🚨 Thanks for watching! What recovery equipment do you think we should add to our arsenal? Courtney votes for a winch! Riley says chains for the army truck.
Agree, winches front and rear, or moveable. Chains on Army Truck could be good, but might encourage use and then hauling that tank back on the road after sliding on ice would be very tough.
@@AmbitionStrikes That actually is not entirely true, you have a lot of trees around, so a 4 or more pulley system with anchors at the trees, should easily pull your truck in any direction you want with Bronco, or any other 4x4. just need tree saver straps, pulleys and long enough "rope", or many ropes, to get the pulleys closer to the object to be pulled. If you care to see what can be done with pulleys and anchors have a look at this russian recovery channel: th-cam.com/video/tzki2U4Yk_U/w-d-xo.html
Having lived in Idaho for 25 years the only way you guys can make it work with the snow is with the proper equipment. Skidsteer with wheels and chains, snow blower or blade. 4x4 tractor with same. Or a small dozer. We call it winter kill. You come unprepared for winter and you sell in the spring. I had a mile driveway and dozed it. You are having a mild winter. Seriously, good luck! One other thing. Never let it pile up. Plow all night and day if you must.
I plowed snow as a youngster..it brought back memories.. The heavy snow is tough. Best advice is to try not to abuse the equipment too badly. You need a cheap harbor freight 12 v winch attached to the trailer hitch and a good snatch block. You can pull yourself out of most predicaments. Keep up the good work. You two are awesome!
I finished the video and went to the comments to say the same thing. But checked first because I knew it was too obvious and someone would have already said it.
I was also thinking that is really hard on your equipment. Back and forth movement and heavy snow like that will inevitably take its toll as per your neighbors. Would it be better to have something more indutrial, especially driveline and transmission designed for heavy back and forth? My grandfather drove a grader to clear snow and eventually solved the snow problem by emigrating to Australia.
Hey Riley, a couple of suggestions: 1. Put about 500-600 lbs of weight in the back of the truck, just inside the tail gate, 80 lb sand bags are great. 2. When you go to back up and you're slightly down hill, only raise your plow a little so more weight is on rear of the truck. Sometimes you might not raise the plow at all, it will slide on the snow. 3. Before plowing always check your pins- connection points on your plow. 4. Ice-sicles on your gutters is a bad sign, don't let that go very long. If you don't have snow guard on your roof you need that, will keep slabs of snow from sliding off your roof. Can be dangerous standing under the side of your 16' tall blg. There will be a steep learning curve your first winter in Idaho. Good luck, be careful, & watch some videos on experienced snow plowers. T from Ohio
Ted is 100% correct, I plow commercially, it is a game changer, more stable, more traction, helps when stuck. DO IT, before you get stuck again, your beautiful wife is always there to save you.
Another vote for more weight in the back! Sand bags are definitely a super easy way to make the weight adaptable and seasonal. The tube sand from HD or Lowes are great for this scenario and usually last a couple seasons.
So... you're saying to keep the heavy snow on the roof versus having it slide off? When there's heavy snow on the roof you have a chance of the walls buckling and the roof collapsing. Seen it happen many times.
Riley, there are so many suggestions about snow plowing from experienced snow plowers in the comment section. I started plowing at age 15 in Philadelphia. Here are my suggestions...momentum is your friend, not horse power. The motor mounts were broken for a reason, trying to use the motor and not momentum will do that again, real soon. Or you will break U-Joints or axle shafts. Get some speed then drop the blade. Second, there is no need to always drop the blade all the way down, it's just like cutting tall grass. Sometimes it is better to scrape some off the top and then clear the path on a second pass. Third, when you see the snow coming over the top of the blade, push that snow off to the side. Push the loads, especially when the snow is wet, off to the side ASAP. Forth suggestion, have fun with it!
ugh , that was the most painful one to watch sooo far. You earned your sleep that night! You guys always pull thru together. It's hard to stop Spark and Flame. Riley and Courtney always pull ( or push.. haha ) Through.
If there’s one lesson from my commercial plowing days, it was to get the work done before dawn... when snow is still cold and fluffy... once it begins to melt is when the breakdowns multiply by the hour. Besides, night plowing is more fun! Nice progress, in spite of the repeated rescues.
Plow truck for sale! Only used on our personal driveway! 🙂 what a fun channel. Jason Kauffman the shed guy shared his shed delivery video with our shed haulers group on Facebook. Good times. As far as the plow truck, we dont get near the snow here in NY but I’ve learned how easy it is to ruin the trans or transfer case plowing snow. In the future you may want to consider something heavy and slow like a bulldozer or skid steer on tracks. They are designed to push long term with minimal risk to the drivetrain. Have fun! Marv from the finger lakes in NY
Hi Marv! We are still SO amazed by how quickly Jason was able to get the shed delivered. I agree, I think something larger and sturdier is going to be our best plan for moving snow long term.
No matter what everyone is going to say to you about ... YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS OR THAT ... The only way to learn here in snow country is BY DOING. You guys are LEARNING big time. Just remember that next snow season you will be so much better prepared because of what you learn this season.
This is so true! There are so many things we want to do but we are quite limited with budget and time this winter. We can't wait to start working on a better set up for next year!
Just a hint. When plowing snow with a snow blade, never lift the blade while pushing forward. Plows = Plow only. Front end loaders can lift and pile but plow blades only push otherwise you will be forever stuck and eventually destroy your truck.
What an effort, snow looks pretty, but you can have it! Ur patience level is unbelievable & then u go the extra for the footage. It would have been a very short video if I made it , as once I edited the expletives out there would only be a few minutes left. Well done guys, it pays to have good neighbours and u definitely have gone the extra length to help each other out. I like the wine drop idea, great vid again, thanks for sharing ur experiences. Cheers
When I used to plow, the first pass would be a straight shot all the way to the bottom of the road/hill. Then back up to the top to start again, widening the path on one side or the other, one pass at a time. Use gravity and momentum to make it easier on yourselves. The less you have to back up, the better. You guys are doing great though! Love watching your growth! 👍🏼
I have a 40yo beater with a nice plow. Being retired I plow a few driveways in my neighborhood and most are sloped downhill from the road. I never bang the plow and like you said let gravity do most of the work.
Yes, momentum is great. Also, there should be away to lock your hitch pins in. It is never fun when the plow comes off. On my older SnowDogg VX85, a small hitch pin will do the job, keep the snow build up from working them loose.
Absolutely this! If needed, lock the plow into a v-shape and punch a path all the way to road. You can come back and widen it up later. It saves the plow from having to push quite so much and your equipment (truck too!) will thank you. :)
A traditional tow strap might be helpful when you are using the bucket on the excavator to pull you out. If you got a winch, mount it so you can slide it in the receiver hitch, that way he can self recover, too. And if you get a winch, always need to get snatch blocks or snatch wheels.
you should go to Home depot or Menards and buy a pallet of concrete block or loaded sand bags in the back of the truck. It would do wonders on traction for snowplowing!!
I vote for the winch in the receiver at the back of the truck and get one with the "poly" cable not a steel cable. Pick one that exceeds the weight of the truck and has a very long poly cable ( get a snatch block or 2 too!)! That gianormus snowblower would be fantastic. Maybe move the snow away from the sides of your building allowing for the rain to run off and not into the shop. Getting up at all house of the night to stay ahead of the snow isn't the most fun you can have with your clothes on but you are way ahead of the game if you don't. You both are a great team! Stay warm! G.
Wet snow is the absolute worst. Obviously, it is incredibly heavy to move (as evidenced by the destruction of your neighbor's plow truck!) but it also keeps liquid water from draining properly because it can make a very effective dam or plug. If the shop is flooded it might be worth digging a trench in the snow where you have your ditch around the building to help things keep moving. Eventually, if you have a french drain there it might be worth it to put in a simple heating element wire to keep it clear.
you might want to look for some type of loader that you can pile snow. You can only push so much. It is early in the snow season. Leave a vehicle at the bottom for groceries etc and commute up and down with a snowmobile
I've been plowing for years now and I do not envy you. 😄 Don't be afraid to use the plow to help you get unstuck. That's one of the benefits of the type of plow you have. It was quite impressive how you used the high lift and straps to get unstuck. That type of ingenuity is what is going to carry you through this winter. It's been a joy to watch you two continue to solve the problems you encounter.
The army truck might be too big of a vehicle to maneuver so winches would be a better choice. We just had 18" of snow here in Western New York and my small Kubota tractor kicked ass. It's too small for you're place but a Kubota track skid steer might work out well. A friend brought his over to move rocks for me. It is a very impressive machine. I don't know the model off hand but it moved a rock that was just as big as the machine. He used the forks to flip it a few times and that pain in the ass rock was in the woods.
Real winter has finally arrived! :D It is frustrating while plowing, but also rewarding in it's own way. Sometimes it can be fun. :) You got this! A winch that you can put on the rear hitch and a come-along winch are generally worth having. The winch will help you get unstuck, the come along gives just enough extra oomph to help reattach equipment or run any extra pulleys/lines/snatch blocks you may want to run. Both are pretty inexpensive (relatively) that you can pick up at a hardware store or harbor freight. Sometimes, only occasionally, you need to disconnect the plow to get the truck unstuck, drag the plow out, then start over again. It all really depends on what other friends/vehicles you have available to help. :)
I see an Air Force surplus Artic Circle airfield snow blower. Might be on same chassis as the Army Truck, or better on the front of an orange Snow Cat. Chews through 12' high drifts. (Love the dogs frolicking in the deep snow.) Freeze-thaw-freeze cycles challenging. Keep at "it!"
This was so intense! Glad you guys were able to get unstuck and help your neighbors. The road wine was hilarious. Supplies if you get stuck in the snow lol
Good to see that you are getting a handle on how snowland works!..............os plow a little and plow often and next summer make that road wide and flat!................ that was fun for us watching!!!!
Grew up enduring those Nor’easter blizzards. All the vehicle recovery advice is solid. But plow with your blade canted - driver side forward, passenger side back usually - and plan your swipes to avoid getting stuck when possible. Add weight to the bed of your truck, we used to drive around all winter with a load of sand or gravel, which comes in handy for traction too. Don’t try to bite it all off in a massive push. Also get a snowblower too! They’re great… You can find snowblower attachments for your quad.
when you have that much wet snow, not much you can do. big 3 point hitch snow blower on the back of a tractor works decent but ends up coming out looking like a snow cone maker. lol
One comment by another commenter was, "It's better to plow 8 inches twice than the whole 16 inches at one time." I'm with him. I've been doing the snow thing all my life. I'm in Minnesota near Canada now but I've lived in northeastern Washington, north of Spokane, for a few years so I know the kind of snow you get at your place. a snow blower mounted on your 4-wheeler might be the way to go.
Upkeeping that home road of yours might be serious and expensive challenge continuing every winter. You might consider planning to get serious hardware for that job, like Caterpillar wheel loader or bulldozer or something of that magnitude. Breaking the lighter stuff (which probably will happen if you have to do that plowing job a lot) can end up making more trouble. Get some powered winch to the car at least, easier to pull it off from sides of road? EDIT: Or how about just getting a SNOW BLOWER?
Great job guys , what a mess! Slush is not powder!! Wow! 😯😯plowing is speed ,and weight , add weight to back bed , sand bags worked for me , if the snow is too deep lift plow slightly and get some speed or the snow will stop o dead .. just a hint ....🙂🙂🐾
That’s what I do for a living in Michigan , plow snow . Thank god it’s been a mild year so far but that kind of snow is a transmission burner . Put a plow on the military beast . In your old videos you had a 4x4 tractor with a bucket but I think you would need a bigger tractor . Good luck one season at a time .
You guys had a tough day for you got a lot of snow we get credit bit of snow in Maine but I don’t think as much as you’re get Well I had a bad day the other day too I went out to get the newspaper from my wife and slipped and broke my ankle so here I am watching videos is all I can do
Love watching you two work together, your pets playing must provide a ton of comic relief and affection. I just love how willing you both are to using your mind to do rather than fear. You are an awesome example. In so many ways! Even your marriage in how well you work together and don’t appear to ever get angry at your differences. Thank you.
Not sure where you are located, but everything you showed was what we had in Boundary County a few weeks back. What a mess! Couldn't move the wet heavy snow and the trying to use the snow blower just led to a clogged chute. Then it all turned to ice. Worst winter we've had in a few years and just recently the roads started to clear up. I feel your pain :)
A real road with effective, helpful neighbors will will avoid most of the recovery gear needed...neighbors that break and get stuck regularly are more of a hinderance than they are worth and pretty much just get in the way. Come on over to the south side! You guys are gaining huge knowledge this winter and I have no doubt that next winter will be a different story. Keep up the good work!
Btw, I plowed at 10PM that night and again at 4AM when the rain woke me up. Very manageable, not yet really rained on and the snow flowed off my blade just fine. Timing can be everything!
This video brings back memories! Moved out of Boise to our current property in SW Idaho back in 2016 - a winter that got nicknamed "snowmageddon." Spent the winter plowing heavy snow off our driveway with a four wheeler and a plow. Heavy, rained on snow is the absolute worst for plowing. Bought a tractor the next year, then got basically no snow!
My lessons learned in 20 winters driving uphill and downhill in snowy mountains: better get up in the middle of the night and plough early and again and again, especially when driving a light truck like yours. You can save time by using a snowblower, that is my second recommendation. You must avoid wet and heavy snow on the road. A winch is indispensable anyway, in summer and winter!
Riley, if you weld a couple of clevis grab hooks to your Highlift/Handyman jack, you can use it as an improvised winch with a length or two of chain. No stretch in the chain and more leverage with the jack handle than those short-handled strap tighteners.
For my 2 cents. That looks like it is a 8'-6" plow. When you put it in the V position it is actually narrower then an 8' straight plow positioned to either side. What happens is you don't get the snow pushed off to the sides it rolls back under the tires and that is how you are getting stuck. If you had a 9'-6" plow in the V position it pushes the snow far enough to the sides your tires will then be making contact with the road. Better traction less chance of getting stuck. Like others have said better to make a full pass all the way through in the V position. this allows for the snow to be split and spread evenly to both sides. Learned from experience been there stuck in remote locations and its no fun. Plus heavy wet snow is the worst to plow.
1. Plow with the storm, especially when its wet. Yes, get out of bed at 1 am. 2. You're still using the truck like a bulldozer. Your neighbor probably was too. Hence, broken, expensive parts and labor intensive repairs. 3. Try not plowing all the way down to the ground on the first pass. 4. Put the shoes on the blade to prevent digging into soft ground. 5. Do not try to pile snow with the blade. The blade will ride up on the pile, lifting your front wheels off the ground. 6. Get a large skidsteer with a wide snowblower. Another snowfall like that and you won't be able to push it to the side anymore or over the top of the previous plowing.
For that kind of snow you could use a tractor with a snow blower on it. Not sure what your snow fall a year is. Here in Northern Michigan we get lots of snow and a driveway that long a tractor mounted snow blower is fantastic. It might not have been fun for you but it was fun to watch :)
A bit of advice: do not use a hi-lift for a diagonal force, or as you call "shimmie". You will make your wife a widow! Hi-lifts MUST push or pull in a straight line. Note- Hi-lifts can be used as a winch between lines or chains. Also consider getting a electric winch and mounting it to a receiver post. Pop it into the receiver when needed. Run an electric quick disconnect from the battery to the back of the truck for convenience. Also, welcome to North Idaho! We are in CDA.
It was good to see you two working so well together and able to get unstuck eventually. And Riley you have to start listening to Courtney's advice when she says putting something on your feet to get more traction. Pushing a vehicle in the snow can be dangerous, once the vehicle starts moving it could of stopped suddenly and you could of done a face plant into the blade of the plow. Good to see you were ok but just saying nothing wrong with being extra careful lol coming from someone who has had so many crazy accidents and paying the price now at my age !!!
Winches. Possibly two? One mounted permanently to the front of one of your vehicles. One that can be mounted to a hitch and transferable between vehicles.
Oh man! I feel your pain with that much wet snow. We ended up with a relatively big 4x4 tractor with a blade and a loading bucket. That worked pretty well for us. It took us several years before we figured it all out and got the right combo. Keep going!
Put some bags in the truck box over the rear axle...may need to make a wooden frame over the rear axle and place the sand bags within the frame. Good luck!
Riley, you might want to look at a 12v HD winch for the plow truck. They make models that mount on a plate that fits into a 2" hitch receiver on the back, or a totally portable unit like the Warn PullzAll. Combine either of those with that strap you had and you should be good to go. You could then self recover using a tree as an anchor. Would be faster than waiting on Courtney or the neighbor also. Also X2 on putting more weight in the bed of the truck to even out the traction. Best situation would be equal weight at each tire, but it might be hard to figure that setup out in deep snow winter.
Y'all in for a long winter. I have a feeling the way things are going seeing the weather patterns is going unleash a LOT of snow this year. Please be safe and keep up the hard work.
I notice you have a v plow... I do too , when I get stuck I raise the plow half way then push scoop mode to push my truck backward out of the hole while slowly backing up. Try it it will work Mike in very northern vt
Winch, snatch block and a recovery rope or two will take care of most situations. Check out Matts Off Road Recovery if you haven't already. Guy has his act together.
I think that every time I'm having a bad day I can just rewatch this episode and it'll put my meager problems into perspective. 🙃 Hopefully it got much better and the excitingly thing made it up the hill. 🤞🤞 -Troy & Aimee
So amazing to see the Hi-Lift in action. Such an amazing tool (which I still don't understand everything you can do with it.) It's like a Multi-Tool. Very cool to see the kinetic rope in action. Teresa says "Courtney to the rescue!"
@@krissfemmpaws1029 Thanks Kriss must be some big pins..LOL I've used mine to help lift large stones. I was setting where equipment couldn't go. I'd love to see a video of everything you can do that you never thought you could do. Thank you again for sharing.
@@OutOfOfficeCamping some of the pins are 3 plus inches in diameter and 20 inches long. Our big machine has about a 3.5 yard bucket we use it to feed the crusher and move some of the rock around out of the way where the D-9 doesn't fit.
For pulling out any rig, there are many different techniques, you can even use your own wheels as a winch, as long as you have appropriate straps, and fastening points. But winch makes it so much easier. But if you intend to use army truck, I would go for the chains. You can even make an extra long rope, 50+ anchored pulleys to multiply your power, and then just run down the street/road yourself, to pull that rig out. Except maybe the friction in pulleys would counter your strength ...
🚨 Thanks for watching! What recovery equipment do you think we should add to our arsenal? Courtney votes for a winch! Riley says chains for the army truck.
I vote winch. It is excellent in cases where one person is all you have.
Agree, winches front and rear, or moveable. Chains on Army Truck could be good, but might encourage use and then hauling that tank back on the road after sliding on ice would be very tough.
Donald that is the reason we haven’t used the army truck yet! There’s no way our neighbors bronco would be pulling it out!
@@AmbitionStrikes That actually is not entirely true, you have a lot of trees around, so a 4 or more pulley system with anchors at the trees, should easily pull your truck in any direction you want with Bronco, or any other 4x4. just need tree saver straps, pulleys and long enough "rope", or many ropes, to get the pulleys closer to the object to be pulled.
If you care to see what can be done with pulleys and anchors have a look at this russian recovery channel:
th-cam.com/video/tzki2U4Yk_U/w-d-xo.html
Chains and winch for the Army truck! Make it unstoppable! 😂
Having lived in Idaho for 25 years the only way you guys can make it work with the snow is with the proper equipment.
Skidsteer with wheels and chains, snow blower or blade. 4x4 tractor with same. Or a small dozer. We call it winter kill. You come unprepared for winter and you sell in the spring. I had a mile driveway and dozed it. You are having a mild winter. Seriously, good luck!
One other thing. Never let it pile up. Plow all night and day if you must.
You need to get a winch for you truck to pull yourself out when you get stuck! I enjoy watching and love your enthusiasm!
I plowed snow as a youngster..it brought back memories.. The heavy snow is tough. Best advice is to try not to abuse the equipment too badly. You need a cheap harbor freight 12 v winch attached to the trailer hitch and a good snatch block. You can pull yourself out of most predicaments. Keep up the good work. You two are awesome!
I finished the video and went to the comments to say the same thing. But checked first because I knew it was too obvious and someone would have already said it.
We actually ran into town to buy a winch and our Harbor Freight is out of stock at the moment!
@@AmbitionStrikes They have been parked 300 miles off LA-Long Beach since November ... 🤯
I was also thinking that is really hard on your equipment. Back and forth movement and heavy snow like that will inevitably take its toll as per your neighbors. Would it be better to have something more indutrial, especially driveline and transmission designed for heavy back and forth? My grandfather drove a grader to clear snow and eventually solved the snow problem by emigrating to Australia.
The harbor freight 12 v winch is fairly tough. Cable rigging is most important, You can move most anything using snatch blocks. :)
As a tip it’s best to put weight in the truck bed(if you haven’t already lol) to counter act the weight of the plow on the front.
Hey Riley, a couple of suggestions: 1. Put about 500-600 lbs of weight in the back of the truck, just inside the tail gate, 80 lb sand bags are great. 2. When you go to back up and you're slightly down hill, only raise your plow a little so more weight is on rear of the truck. Sometimes you might not raise the plow at all, it will slide on the snow.
3. Before plowing always check your pins- connection points on your plow. 4. Ice-sicles on your gutters is a bad sign, don't let that go very long. If you don't have snow guard on your roof you need that, will keep slabs of snow from sliding off your roof. Can be dangerous standing under the side of your 16' tall blg. There will be a steep learning curve your first winter in Idaho. Good luck, be careful, & watch some videos on experienced snow plowers. T from Ohio
talk about a difficult introduction to plowing. that wet snow is HEAVY
Ted is 100% correct, I plow commercially, it is a game changer, more stable, more traction, helps when stuck. DO IT, before you get stuck again, your beautiful wife is always there to save you.
Another vote for more weight in the back! Sand bags are definitely a super easy way to make the weight adaptable and seasonal. The tube sand from HD or Lowes are great for this scenario and usually last a couple seasons.
I think Riley has weight in the back. It's a pretty basic concept in traction and his neighbor has probably mentioned it.
So... you're saying to keep the heavy snow on the roof versus having it slide off? When there's heavy snow on the roof you have a chance of the walls buckling and the roof collapsing. Seen it happen many times.
WAO, I mean... yeah, exactly that WOW.
Riley, there are so many suggestions about snow plowing from experienced snow plowers in the comment section. I started plowing at age 15 in Philadelphia. Here are my suggestions...momentum is your friend, not horse power. The motor mounts were broken for a reason, trying to use the motor and not momentum will do that again, real soon. Or you will break U-Joints or axle shafts. Get some speed then drop the blade. Second, there is no need to always drop the blade all the way down, it's just like cutting tall grass. Sometimes it is better to scrape some off the top and then clear the path on a second pass. Third, when you see the snow coming over the top of the blade, push that snow off to the side. Push the loads, especially when the snow is wet, off to the side ASAP. Forth suggestion, have fun with it!
ugh , that was the most painful one to watch sooo far. You earned your sleep that night! You guys always pull thru together. It's hard to stop Spark and Flame. Riley and Courtney always pull ( or push.. haha ) Through.
I feel like you would be the best neighbors ever!
Maybe put the plow on the LMTV, the bigger truck and bigger chains might help. Add a winch on both , good luck.
If there’s one lesson from my commercial plowing days, it was to get the work done before dawn... when snow is still cold and fluffy... once it begins to melt is when the breakdowns multiply by the hour.
Besides, night plowing is more fun!
Nice progress, in spite of the repeated rescues.
Plow truck for sale! Only used on our personal driveway! 🙂 what a fun channel. Jason Kauffman the shed guy shared his shed delivery video with our shed haulers group on Facebook. Good times.
As far as the plow truck, we dont get near the snow here in NY but I’ve learned how easy it is to ruin the trans or transfer case plowing snow. In the future you may want to consider something heavy and slow like a bulldozer or skid steer on tracks. They are designed to push long term with minimal risk to the drivetrain. Have fun! Marv from the finger lakes in NY
Hi Marv! We are still SO amazed by how quickly Jason was able to get the shed delivered. I agree, I think something larger and sturdier is going to be our best plan for moving snow long term.
No matter what everyone is going to say to you about ... YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS OR THAT ... The only way to learn here in snow country is BY DOING. You guys are LEARNING big time. Just remember that next snow season you will be so much better prepared because of what you learn this season.
This is so true! There are so many things we want to do but we are quite limited with budget and time this winter. We can't wait to start working on a better set up for next year!
You guys need an tractor with a Snowblower attachement. You can't push heavy snow but... You can blow it a mile with a big enough tractor.
You guys definitely need a plow for your snowverlander. Plowing with tracks is like nothing else so easy. Let’s get them to see this!!!
yep was just think that as i watch this video
Beautiful yet deadly. This is what keeps me in Vegas ;)
Just a hint. When plowing snow with a snow blade, never lift the blade while pushing forward. Plows = Plow only. Front end loaders can lift and pile but plow blades only push otherwise you will be forever stuck and eventually destroy your truck.
Get a couple of 75 lb snatch blocks and some chains when you get stuck
You guys make an old man with a heart condition so happy watching you youngsters having fun.
What an effort, snow looks pretty, but you can have it! Ur patience level is unbelievable & then u go the extra for the footage. It would have been a very short video if I made it , as once I edited the expletives out there would only be a few minutes left. Well done guys, it pays to have good neighbours and u definitely have gone the extra length to help each other out. I like the wine drop idea, great vid again, thanks for sharing ur experiences. Cheers
When I used to plow, the first pass would be a straight shot all the way to the bottom of the road/hill. Then back up to the top to start again, widening the path on one side or the other, one pass at a time. Use gravity and momentum to make it easier on yourselves. The less you have to back up, the better. You guys are doing great though! Love watching your growth! 👍🏼
I have a 40yo beater with a nice plow. Being retired I plow a few driveways in my neighborhood and most are sloped downhill from the road. I never bang the plow and like you said let gravity do most of the work.
Yes, momentum is great.
Also, there should be away to lock your hitch pins in. It is never fun when the plow comes off. On my older SnowDogg VX85, a small hitch pin will do the job, keep the snow build up from working them loose.
Absolutely this! If needed, lock the plow into a v-shape and punch a path all the way to road. You can come back and widen it up later. It saves the plow from having to push quite so much and your equipment (truck too!) will thank you. :)
You guys are living the life huge 💪👍
A traditional tow strap might be helpful when you are using the bucket on the excavator to pull you out. If you got a winch, mount it so you can slide it in the receiver hitch, that way he can self recover, too. And if you get a winch, always need to get snatch blocks or snatch wheels.
The wall tile looks great with the floor tiles. Great work as usual
STAY WARM.
you should go to Home depot or Menards and buy a pallet of concrete block or loaded sand bags in the back of the truck. It would do wonders on traction for snowplowing!!
I'm amazed at the quality of the comments!
I thought they were doing amazingly well, but now it appears they have much to learn.
Yes, you two are a great team and are able to keep on smiling in the face of challenges. Thanks for sharing your great videos.
Y’all are like 2 peas in a pod! Love the way you keep moving and through it all still laugh ! A merry heart does good like a medicine! Love y’all
It is so nice to have neighbors helping each other. Wet snow sucks.
I came to the realization years ago,if you want to save your sanity,don’t go where it snows.works fine for me.good luck with your venture.
I vote for the winch in the receiver at the back of the truck and get one with the "poly" cable not a steel cable. Pick one that exceeds the weight of the truck and has a very long poly cable ( get a snatch block or 2 too!)! That gianormus snowblower would be fantastic. Maybe move the snow away from the sides of your building allowing for the rain to run off and not into the shop. Getting up at all house of the night to stay ahead of the snow isn't the most fun you can have with your clothes on but you are way ahead of the game if you don't. You both are a great team! Stay warm! G.
I love the snow, seldom get it here in Alabama. Wish I lived there. I take pictures of cotton fields and tell people we have to grow our snow.
Wet snow is the absolute worst. Obviously, it is incredibly heavy to move (as evidenced by the destruction of your neighbor's plow truck!) but it also keeps liquid water from draining properly because it can make a very effective dam or plug. If the shop is flooded it might be worth digging a trench in the snow where you have your ditch around the building to help things keep moving. Eventually, if you have a french drain there it might be worth it to put in a simple heating element wire to keep it clear.
Looks like the dogs love it 😍
you might want to look for some type of loader that you can pile snow. You can only push so much. It is early in the snow season. Leave a vehicle at the bottom for groceries etc and commute up and down with a snowmobile
I love Florida even more now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Feet so warm too.
Been stuck myself twice this year so far. I use my tractor that's chained to dig myself out, but will be getting a nice winch!
I Live in the mountains on a private road that we have to maintain. Ditch the plow and get a snow blower attachment for the excavator. Thank me later!
I've been plowing for years now and I do not envy you. 😄 Don't be afraid to use the plow to help you get unstuck. That's one of the benefits of the type of plow you have. It was quite impressive how you used the high lift and straps to get unstuck. That type of ingenuity is what is going to carry you through this winter. It's been a joy to watch you two continue to solve the problems you encounter.
Thanks Wes! Hopefully he doesn't have to use that tactic again this winter... 🤞
@@AmbitionStrikes by the way, did you ever figure out what the deal was with the wine?
The army truck might be too big of a vehicle to maneuver so winches would be a better choice. We just had 18" of snow here in Western New York and my small Kubota tractor kicked ass. It's too small for you're place but a Kubota track skid steer might work out well. A friend brought his over to move rocks for me. It is a very impressive machine. I don't know the model off hand but it moved a rock that was just as big as the machine. He used the forks to flip it a few times and that pain in the ass rock was in the woods.
Real winter has finally arrived! :D It is frustrating while plowing, but also rewarding in it's own way. Sometimes it can be fun. :) You got this!
A winch that you can put on the rear hitch and a come-along winch are generally worth having. The winch will help you get unstuck, the come along gives just enough extra oomph to help reattach equipment or run any extra pulleys/lines/snatch blocks you may want to run. Both are pretty inexpensive (relatively) that you can pick up at a hardware store or harbor freight. Sometimes, only occasionally, you need to disconnect the plow to get the truck unstuck, drag the plow out, then start over again. It all really depends on what other friends/vehicles you have available to help. :)
Here it is summer 2022 in TN. Reminding me to buy a come-a-long and tow rope for this winter.
I see an Air Force surplus Artic Circle airfield snow blower. Might be on same chassis as the Army Truck, or better on the front of an orange Snow Cat. Chews through 12' high drifts. (Love the dogs frolicking in the deep snow.) Freeze-thaw-freeze cycles challenging. Keep at "it!"
I never thought I'd have dreams of owning a snow blower, but that is exactly what I dream of these days! 😉 -Courtney
I know where one of those snowblowers sits for 30 yrs, always ready to save the day in the mountain passes of Northern NM.
Idea, get you a large sxs plow an mount it to your snow beast an make a mini snow cat for your deep snow excursions
This was so intense! Glad you guys were able to get unstuck and help your neighbors. The road wine was hilarious. Supplies if you get stuck in the snow lol
Time to buy a plow for the Army truck! (And winches!)
Yes!!
Good to see that you are getting a handle on how snowland works!..............os plow a little and plow often and next summer make that road wide and flat!................ that was fun for us watching!!!!
Have had plow come off my truck while plowing . When snow builds under it it can trip the pins
Tilt the trailer to one side to allow the snow to slide off and leave it that way. Would make it so much easier to clear too.
Grew up enduring those Nor’easter blizzards. All the vehicle recovery advice is solid. But plow with your blade canted - driver side forward, passenger side back usually - and plan your swipes to avoid getting stuck when possible. Add weight to the bed of your truck, we used to drive around all winter with a load of sand or gravel, which comes in handy for traction too.
Don’t try to bite it all off in a massive push. Also get a snowblower too! They’re great… You can find snowblower attachments for your quad.
when you have that much wet snow, not much you can do. big 3 point hitch snow blower on the back of a tractor works decent but ends up coming out looking like a snow cone maker. lol
you can use the hi lift as a winch too....it gets you 3' at a time, then reset.
Through it all you kept your smiles!!!
One comment by another commenter was, "It's better to plow 8 inches twice than the whole 16 inches at one time." I'm with him. I've been doing the snow thing all my life. I'm in Minnesota near Canada now but I've lived in northeastern Washington, north of Spokane, for a few years so I know the kind of snow you get at your place. a snow blower mounted on your 4-wheeler might be the way to go.
Upkeeping that home road of yours might be serious and expensive challenge continuing every winter. You might consider planning to get serious hardware for that job, like Caterpillar wheel loader or bulldozer or something of that magnitude. Breaking the lighter stuff (which probably will happen if you have to do that plowing job a lot) can end up making more trouble. Get some powered winch to the car at least, easier to pull it off from sides of road? EDIT: Or how about just getting a SNOW BLOWER?
Like another viewer said will help next year harbour freight winch on rear receiver , and. Tow strap ...😯🙂
Need plow more frequently in the large storms.
Great job guys , what a mess! Slush is not powder!! Wow! 😯😯plowing is speed ,and weight , add weight to back bed , sand bags worked for me , if the snow is too deep lift plow slightly and get some speed or the snow will stop o dead .. just a hint ....🙂🙂🐾
That’s what I do for a living in Michigan , plow snow . Thank god it’s been a mild year so far but that kind of snow is a transmission burner . Put a plow on the military beast . In your old videos you had a 4x4 tractor with a bucket but I think you would need a bigger tractor . Good luck one season at a time .
We are learning as we go and dreaming up our ideal snow clearing rig. Hopefully we can make it happen before next winter!
You guys had a tough day for you got a lot of snow we get credit bit of snow in Maine but I don’t think as much as you’re get Well I had a bad day the other day too I went out to get the newspaper from my wife and slipped and broke my ankle so here I am watching videos is all I can do
Yikes! We hope you heal up quickly!
Love watching you two work together, your pets playing must provide a ton of comic relief and affection. I just love how willing you both are to using your mind to do rather than fear. You are an awesome example. In so many ways! Even your marriage in how well you work together and don’t appear to ever get angry at your differences.
Thank you.
The pups playing in the snow makes it all worth it!
Never knew winter could be so much work. Yikes. Thanks for sharing
Boone and Bailey really love playing in the snow.
Not sure where you are located, but everything you showed was what we had in Boundary County a few weeks back. What a mess! Couldn't move the wet heavy snow and the trying to use the snow blower just led to a clogged chute. Then it all turned to ice. Worst winter we've had in a few years and just recently the roads started to clear up. I feel your pain :)
A real road with effective, helpful neighbors will will avoid most of the recovery gear needed...neighbors that break and get stuck regularly are more of a hinderance than they are worth and pretty much just get in the way. Come on over to the south side! You guys are gaining huge knowledge this winter and I have no doubt that next winter will be a different story. Keep up the good work!
Btw, I plowed at 10PM that night and again at 4AM when the rain woke me up. Very manageable, not yet really rained on and the snow flowed off my blade just fine. Timing can be everything!
This video brings back memories! Moved out of Boise to our current property in SW Idaho back in 2016 - a winter that got nicknamed "snowmageddon." Spent the winter plowing heavy snow off our driveway with a four wheeler and a plow. Heavy, rained on snow is the absolute worst for plowing. Bought a tractor the next year, then got basically no snow!
Isn't that usually how it goes! But at least you had a great excuse to get that tractor sooner rather than later. 😉
You have the most awsome dogs I,ve ever seen...
You guys are troopers for keeping a good attitude through all that, I know how tough it is.
My lessons learned in 20 winters driving uphill and downhill in snowy mountains: better get up in the middle of the night and plough early and again and again, especially when driving a light truck like yours. You can save time by using a snowblower, that is my second recommendation. You must avoid wet and heavy snow on the road. A winch is indispensable anyway, in summer and winter!
Still would love to see that plow on the army truck. Your long drive is going to be a continuing challenge for your old plow truck.
Riley, if you weld a couple of clevis grab hooks to your Highlift/Handyman jack, you can use it as an improvised winch with a length or two of chain. No stretch in the chain and more leverage with the jack handle than those short-handled strap tighteners.
For my 2 cents. That looks like it is a 8'-6" plow. When you put it in the V position it is actually narrower then an 8' straight plow positioned to either side. What happens is you don't get the snow pushed off to the sides it rolls back under the tires and that is how you are getting stuck. If you had a 9'-6" plow in the V position it pushes the snow far enough to the sides your tires will then be making contact with the road. Better traction less chance of getting stuck. Like others have said better to make a full pass all the way through in the V position. this allows for the snow to be split and spread evenly to both sides. Learned from experience been there stuck in remote locations and its no fun. Plus heavy wet snow is the worst to plow.
1. Plow with the storm, especially when its wet. Yes, get out of bed at 1 am.
2. You're still using the truck like a bulldozer. Your neighbor probably was too. Hence, broken, expensive parts and labor intensive repairs.
3. Try not plowing all the way down to the ground on the first pass.
4. Put the shoes on the blade to prevent digging into soft ground.
5. Do not try to pile snow with the blade. The blade will ride up on the pile, lifting your front wheels off the ground.
6. Get a large skidsteer with a wide snowblower. Another snowfall like that and you won't be able to push it to the side anymore or over the top of the previous plowing.
For that kind of snow you could use a tractor with a snow blower on it. Not sure what your snow fall a year is. Here in Northern Michigan we get lots of snow and a driveway that long a tractor mounted snow blower is fantastic. It might not have been fun for you but it was fun to watch :)
A bit of advice: do not use a hi-lift for a diagonal force, or as you call "shimmie". You will make your wife a widow! Hi-lifts MUST push or pull in a straight line. Note- Hi-lifts can be used as a winch between lines or chains.
Also consider getting a electric winch and mounting it to a receiver post. Pop it into the receiver when needed. Run an electric quick disconnect from the battery to the back of the truck for convenience.
Also, welcome to North Idaho!
We are in CDA.
It was good to see you two working so well together and able to get unstuck eventually. And Riley you have to start listening to Courtney's advice when she says putting something on your feet to get more traction. Pushing a vehicle in the snow can be dangerous, once the vehicle starts moving it could of stopped suddenly and you could of done a face plant into the blade of the plow. Good to see you were ok but just saying nothing wrong with being extra careful lol coming from someone who has had so many crazy accidents and paying the price now at my age !!!
Great video
Winches. Possibly two? One mounted permanently to the front of one of your vehicles. One that can be mounted to a hitch and transferable between vehicles.
That would be a GREAT combination!
You also need to get some snatch blocks. Minimum of 3.
Oh man! I feel your pain with that much wet snow. We ended up with a relatively big 4x4 tractor with a blade and a loading bucket. That worked pretty well for us. It took us several years before we figured it all out and got the right combo. Keep going!
Put some bags in the truck box over the rear axle...may need to make a wooden frame over the rear axle and place the sand bags within the frame. Good luck!
Riley, you might want to look at a 12v HD winch for the plow truck. They make models that mount on a plate that fits into a 2" hitch receiver on the back, or a totally portable unit like the Warn PullzAll. Combine either of those with that strap you had and you should be good to go. You could then self recover using a tree as an anchor. Would be faster than waiting on Courtney or the neighbor also. Also X2 on putting more weight in the bed of the truck to even out the traction. Best situation would be equal weight at each tire, but it might be hard to figure that setup out in deep snow winter.
Tht hig jack technique is awesome 👌
Y'all in for a long winter. I have a feeling the way things are going seeing the weather patterns is going unleash a LOT of snow this year. Please be safe and keep up the hard work.
I notice you have a v plow... I do too , when I get stuck I raise the plow half way then push scoop mode to push my truck backward out of the hole while slowly backing up. Try it it will work
Mike in very northern vt
Great job guys, but incredibly tough, thank god you have enough equipment to do the job, that's a lot of snow. Keep smiling, C U on the next one
Hi watching you from Australia…it is very hot and humid here…wish I could be there for a little while…playing in the snow
Winch, snatch block and a recovery rope or two will take care of most situations. Check out Matts Off Road Recovery if you haven't already. Guy has his act together.
This is why I left Nothern Montana
I think that every time I'm having a bad day I can just rewatch this episode and it'll put my meager problems into perspective. 🙃
Hopefully it got much better and the excitingly thing made it up the hill. 🤞🤞
-Troy & Aimee
We kind of forgot how long that day was... until Courtney started editing the footage! 😂
When one has too much snow for a plow to muscle through then the only right tool is a snow blower :)
Don't lift the plow while going forward. You'll get stuck every time if you drive up on top the snow.
Is that little bit of snow beginning to suck yet! Wait till you get 2 to 3 feet!
We're not sick of it yet! But we have definitely started dreaming of our ideal snow clearing machine.
So amazing to see the Hi-Lift in action. Such an amazing tool (which I still don't understand everything you can do with it.) It's like a Multi-Tool. Very cool to see the kinetic rope in action.
Teresa says "Courtney to the rescue!"
Where I work I use mine a fair bit, from pushing out excavator hinge pins to moving plate steel into place for welding.
@@krissfemmpaws1029 Thanks Kriss must be some big pins..LOL I've used mine to help lift large stones. I was setting where equipment couldn't go. I'd love to see a video of everything you can do that you never thought you could do. Thank you again for sharing.
@@OutOfOfficeCamping some of the pins are 3 plus inches in diameter and 20 inches long. Our big machine has about a 3.5 yard bucket we use it to feed the crusher and move some of the rock around out of the way where the D-9 doesn't fit.
You have a bull dozer!!! The best snow plow made
The dogs surely enjoying it
Sooo much work. I think I am too old for all that. Entertaining though.
Such a great channel.
For pulling out any rig, there are many different techniques, you can even use your own wheels as a winch, as long as you have appropriate straps, and fastening points. But winch makes it so much easier.
But if you intend to use army truck, I would go for the chains.
You can even make an extra long rope, 50+ anchored pulleys to multiply your power, and then just run down the street/road yourself, to pull that rig out. Except maybe the friction in pulleys would counter your strength ...
Hi guys, just started watching you channel. I lived in MI, OH, Buffalo NY. then in the sixth grade to AZ You just reminded my why I still live in AZ