Gravel

[Greenman2ooo]

I was wondering if there are some of you who prefer not to plow gravel areas? It seems like gravel would be tougher on the paint, etc. I have heard somewhere that someone said they charge 25% more for gravel accounts. Just wondered what kind of fun things gravel could do to my pretty new V Plow when it hits the snow?

[GeoffDiamond]

Have fun in the gravel. It takes longer, and chances are you will make a mess. This is more certian if this is your first time plowing.

Geoff

[plowking35]

With an urethane edge, it will be just like plowing asphalt. SMOOOOOOOOOOOOTH as my baby's bottom.
Dino

[diggerman]

If it isn't cut to the rock they will complain if you leave a pile at the end they want you come an fixit in the spring.Rock is a pain period,I don't care if your cutting edge is made of some material from Mars,when you get a spring snow and its muddy it will be a mess.

[Greenman2ooo]

The specific area I'm concerned with is fenced in. The contractor who plowed it last season plowed a foot of rocks to the edge of the fence. I think I'm going to pass if they accept my bid.

There is too much work available for me to take on extra aggravation. I'm shocked that at the end of October there are so many commercial accounts that have yet to decide, or even think about snow removal.

[plowking35]

I know alot of new people are hear, so I wont bore you with all the benifits of urethane edges.
However the biggest advantage of urethane is its ability over rough terrain. We do a complex that has 2 large gravel lots, I used to hate plowing those areas, in fact less than 4" of snow and I wouldnt even attempt it. this would lead to complaints from the management, and then me complaining that I dont want tear up my trucks and plows.
Well last year we installed the edges, and what do you know, its so smooth plowing gravel, doesnt matter frozen or not, and cleans right down to the surface. In fcat much better than a steel edge. With the steel we would raise the plow 2" to keep from jarring the truck, with the urethane we just float and go. Spring clean up was to remove gravel piles from the snow storage areas, it was a total of 80-100 man hrs. This year 0 man hours. We even pushed over lawns with no damage. Please go to my web site [url]http://www.thehousedoktor.com[/url] and follow the link to the urethane edge article. Read and look at the pics. That drive is recycled asphalt grindings, it was so loose that I could pick up the material with my hands, yet the urethane edge did no damage to that drive.
Check it out, try one out.
Dino

[Skookum]

I am not a big time plower, I just take care of my few full service accounts during the winter as well. But, I have a tip that might help new pushers.

Anyway, a friend of mine, who has plowed for years, once told me if I ever plowed a gravel drive he had a good way to do it without any shoes on the blade. Drop the blade then raise it until you feel the front of the truck start to set down, then stop and push.

I tried it on my neighbors drive after several years of her denying my offer for fear of rocks in the yard next spring. It worked! No rocks in the spring. But, I can only atest that to one drive, all my others are asphalt and concrete. Also, it was a 12" snow, anything under about 3-4 inches I can see as being a waste of time, better to just trample it down.