mowerman Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Glad this is my last winter had to run 120 miles on tire chains yesterday chained up three times ran out of hours had to get a two hour extension and with that I just barely made it in uuuuurrrrhhhh!!!!. Good thing I took the F150 instead of the Mustang, 7 inches of snow at my house although I do carry chains in the car, I’ve had to chain it twice to get home…… bob 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeH Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Glad you got home safe, we haven't had much of a winter here in southeastern PA in a couple years now. Some cold coming in next week, but no snow worth talking about yet. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-544964 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Wow, I guess you guys got lucky from what Mecho says about Connecticut it’s been a real bear Thanks for that. I was off today and I was happy. I might be off tomorrow as well due to weather only thing good about it a lot of times I don’t work. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-544970 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Ordinarily, one Wyoming is shut down around Rollins 80 is completely closed at elk mountain affects my run a lot which is ordinarily not heartbreaking. Ha ha…. Bob Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-544971 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeH Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Supposed to get 3-5 inches on Tuesday, but you know how accurate the weather man is this far out... I'm pushing to get the cutoff's cab off and in the garage before then. We've got 2 weeks of sub 35 degrees coming up, which makes it too cold to pour any concrete. So it'll be a good opportunity to knock out the rest of this cab swap. Our trucks never go out in the snow, but I've plowed snow off and on since I was 18. This year I just have to worry about plowing my own 7 acre property, which is a nice break from years past. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-544977 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Yeah, that’s rough work for what I hear mainly too many hours and the Thanks expect miracles 35 below????? My god where are you?????? I just called off Dispatch hung up on my ear. I don’t know what that was all about. I have a pretty good record but he gets a shitty mood. Sometimes I don’t think I was the only one. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-544978 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Don’t forget, we need pictures updated Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-544979 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeH Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 About half an hour north of Philly. Just some arctic air dropping south for a couple weeks. Jetstream will push it back north sooner or later. I'm running a thread in the "modern trucks" section. Though at 21 years old it's not really a modern trucks. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-544981 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeH Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Worst storm I've had to plow so far was 45 hours straight with a half hour nap halfway through. Guy I usually plow for picked up a shopping mall on the edge of Philly with "zero tolerance". It's a constant 24/7 operation, cars and pedestrians all day and restock employees all night. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-544982 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Well, they must be shorthanded around here they’ve been doing a lousy job past couple days interstate 80 was the worst they did a better job in the city Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-544986 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Yes, your weather is much worse than ours, but the temperature doesn’t drop quite as far so far we’ve only seen 13° and that’s generally middle of the night Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545003 Share on other sites More sharing options...
other dog Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 On 1/11/2024 at 1:48 PM, mowerman said: Glad this is my last winter had to run 120 miles on tire chains yesterday chained up three times ran out of hours had to get a two hour extension and with that I just barely made it in uuuuurrrrhhhh!!!!. Good thing I took the F150 instead of the Mustang, 7 inches of snow at my house although I do carry chains in the car, I’ve had to chain it twice to get home…… bob I've only chained up one time in my life, and that was to get over to the beer store, 2 miles away. 1 1 Quote Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545021 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Joey Mack Posted January 12 Popular Post Share Posted January 12 many years ago in Maine, I had a basic 2wd Toyota pick-up. 4 banger with a 5 spd. I used to offer snow blower services in Old Orchard Beach. lots of small houses that a plow truck wouldnt do well there.. They liked my service because it was clean and there was no damage to their grass and hardscapes.. anyway, I was always chained up, and I would keep a bag of 'S-Hooks' in the truck along with a Channel lock pliers. every time I broke a link I would squeeze an 'S-Hook' in place of the broken link, and roll on.. You wont catch me doin' that crap today, just sayin'.... 3 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545023 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 But when you put them on all the time big rigs, it just takes a few minutes I could chain up both sides in about 10 or less my uncle used to have a summer home in old orchard beach Anyway, last winter, I only put two Chains on the entire winter don’t really mind putting them on. I just don’t like running them for miles and miles. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545031 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 1 hour ago, other dog said: I've only chained up one time in my life, and that was to get over to the beer store, 2 miles away. At one time when I was single, all I had was a Harley Davidson and one time I had to put on full rain gear just to drive down to a restaurant and have dinner but Tom, I like your story better ha ha 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545032 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechohaulic Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 blizzard of '78 in CT . mounted V-plow AND chains on all wheels of road grader; mount flood lights for round the clock snow removal. TD -20 dozer left the garage headed down the main road worked it's way to other side of town . operator 48hrs no sleep nor did the dozer have full cab ;;we did a make -shift enclosure. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545033 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 I was driving for nissens bakery back then that night we couldn’t even move the trucks out of the yard they sent us all home good thing I had a 70 Chevy 4/4 with a snow plow otherwise I wouldn’t have made it home Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545041 Share on other sites More sharing options...
other dog Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 12 hours ago, mowerman said: But when you put them on all the time big rigs, it just takes a few minutes I could chain up both sides in about 10 or less my uncle used to have a summer home in old orchard beach Anyway, last winter, I only put two Chains on the entire winter don’t really mind putting them on. I just don’t like running them for miles and miles. I got stuck over on rt. 60 in West Virginia one night with an empty log trailer. It did exactly like the weather man said it was going to do- come down as rain but it was going to freeze the instant it hit the ground. I figured I would just make it as far as I could then stop when the rain started. It started raining and the next pull off was the big wide spot at the top of the mountain before you get to Rainelle. And I almost made it. But not quite. I was going uphill, almost up to where it leveled off before I got to the big pull off, just sitting in the road spinning the tires like I was on ice. Because I was on ice. A state truck came by spreading salt, went around me like I was sitting still, because I was sitting still. Then he said on the cb "hey big truck, you stuck?" I really wanted to say "no, just thought I'd stop in the middle of the road in the middle of nowhere at 3am" but I said "yeah". Then he said "ok, I'll back down in front of you and throw some salt out". He started backing up and started sliding right away. He said "whoa, it's slick ain't it!" I said "yeah". Then he said "let me throw my chains on". I thought I should give him a hand with the chains, but he was chained up and backing down the hill by the time I got my jacket on. 1 Quote Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545047 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 lol wild story… it’s happened to me a time or two spin out and you can see the top.. bob Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545050 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeH Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 There's a long straight hill near me that frequently turns into a sheet of ice during snow storms. Before you go down it you slow down so you can make sure its not blocked off by people getting stuck coming up. One car will get stuck halfway up, the next car that comes up will try to go around them and get stuck at the same point, the next guy coming up will try to go around both of them by using the shoulder, and get stuck at the same spot. Before you know it you've got 5 cars across blocking the whole road. Meanwhile my dodge 2500 cruises right up it at 45mph with the plow off the ground. My single axle Ford L8000 salt truck I have to lock the rear axle and use my momentum to carry me up the hill, but I'm empty and headed to get loaded when I hit that hill, so I have no weight to speak of. One of the perks of the whole "green" movement is they've made cars lighter and lighter. Which makes them worse in the snow. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545053 Share on other sites More sharing options...
other dog Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 1 hour ago, mowerman said: lol wild story… it’s happened to me a time or two spin out and you can see the top.. bob Funny, it always seems to work like that. One time I was coming back from Westvaco in Covington with an empty log trailer. It was snowing hard and by the time I left the paper mill and got on 64 the road was completely covered. I pulled over on the shoulder at the on-ramp at exit 36- right before you start up North Mountain. It was 5 miles to the top and I wasn't sure I could make it because I hadn't seen the first plow truck working. I figured that a salt shaker would come along eventually and I would just follow it to the top. Finally one did, and I did. No problems- until he turned into the crossover about a quarter of a mile from the top. I couldn't believe he had abandoned me like that, but he did. And I caught hell making it that last quarter of a mile too, it was touch and go for a while there. 1 Quote Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545054 Share on other sites More sharing options...
other dog Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 One night I was coming back from Chillicothe, Ohio- with an empty log trailer as a matter of fact. It was snowing hard, but 64 was in pretty good shape when I came across, but getting worse. When I got on rt. 60 at Buena Vista and started east it was pretty bad. So I decided that if rt. 60 looked like it had been plowed going up the mountain I was going for it, if not I would just pull into the Food Lion parking lot on the left before you start up the mountain. This mountain was a 2 lane road, 4 miles to the top, 7% grade, nowhere to stop until you went over the top. So once you started up you were committed, there was no where to pull over if you wanted to. And for some reason the road looked like a salt truck had been up it so I kept going. But it didn't take long at all to figure out that my eyes had deceived me, because no plows had been up the mountain, and neither had anybody else. I spun my way almost to the top, where the Blue Ridge Parkway crosses over, then almost lost it. The truck was almost completely sideways by then, rear end toward the ditch, I was facing the center line. But it was still moving- just barely, but still moving. I was really sweating bullets by this point. The speedometer said I was doing a couple hundred because I was spinning so much, but actually I was hardly moving at all. But I was moving. And I thought "if I can just make it to the top I'm pulling into the big wide spot about a half mile down and calling it a day- I shouldn't have tried to get over the mountain until tomorrow anyway". And finally I got a little more traction and a little more straighter and made it to the top. And I pulled right into that big pull off and jumped in the bunk. I had barely gotten stretched out when I heard a noise and looked out and saw 2 salt shakers coming up the mountain. At least the Amherst county side was out getting it done! I knew they would turn around at the Parkway because that's where the county line was. So I got back up and decided I should follow them off the mountain when they came back through. When they finally came back- they usually had a cup of coffee and a smoke at the parkway- I let them get about a 2 curve head start and pulled out behind them. You could see way down the mountain because there were no leaves on the trees. I went all the way back to the woodyard that night, hooked to another load of wood and went home, because once I got off the mountain it was mostly just raining. It turned out to be a good decision to follow the salt trucks down the mountain too, they had a major ice storm over that way and a lot of people didn't have power for over a week. Trees were down blocking roads all over, so if I hadn't followed them I might have been stuck over there for several days. 1 Quote Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545056 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 glad it all worked out and yes i have been sideways spinning with single drive and doubles ....like you said its always at the top,,,,come on baby,just 20 more feet...actually that almost happened to me wednesday,,,, i had empties biggest pull on the road and i only put 1 chain on thinking i can make it with 3 axle almost to the top 50 ft started spinning real good but i made it,,only time i got stuck anywhere was rollins wyoming they shut down I80 when its too bad,but i was in a hotel with a restaurant......,,last winter baby already told fedex last week retire date yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa hoooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!come on back/// lol bob 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545057 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brocky Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 In 70 when I worked for the predecessor of Matlack hauling petroleum nights, from Syracuse NY to the St Lawrence River Valley, with tag axle White coupe cab with a 220 and 10 speed, I had to chain up several times to get from the main road into the distributor and back out of his tank farm. Also learned to leave an S curve in the discharge hose so when I was still half loaded I could move the drives out of the ice pockets made by the warm tires!!!! Quote Brocky Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545061 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 Brilliant hardly anybody thinks of that I usually do trying to land I in a decent chain up area with at least a little grade, otherwise, as soon as you put the chains over the tires and try to move the tires, start spinning and throw them off And yes, tag axles are worthless as tits on a bull winter conditions 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/73744-winter-is-back/#findComment-545063 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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