New England B.S. Thread

It was a progression for me. Bought the first house and after one storm realized that shoveling the entire driveway was for the birds. Bought a snowblower and used that for two winters. The next year I bought a cheap old Case tractor with a huge-ass bucket and used that instead.


It was ugly as sin, but awesome because you could plow the whole driveway in 3 sweeps and it didn't even grunt about shoving back heater banks. We moved that summer, to a house on a side hill. Brakes on the Case didn't work at all, so I sold it and upgraded to my little Kubota and used that for the first year we were in the house. But clearing back a big snow storm with a 4 foot bucket takes forrrrrevvvvvvvverrrrrrrrr and after we got a 2+ footer (this one pictured below) I started hunting for a plow truck.


The Yeti is SOOOOO much faster than the tractor, has a heated cab, and I do favors for friends/coworkers all the time (they usually throw me $20-$30, depending on the size of the storm). Plus since I keep it registered for the road I've got a work truck during the off season, too. For me that's worth the $70 registration and the $100 to insure it for the year.


Also....

https://maine.craigslist.org/cto/d/plow-truck/6347338722.html

 

Yeah, both of them. Just put a fresh coat of paint on the plow for the season this past weekend.

Did you ever sell that hot rod project? I remember you were trying.

 

I just stay in bed until I hear the plow truck clearing my driveway hahaha I win

 

I'm not big on relying on somebody else to handle whether or not the GF and I can get in and out of the driveway. Don't have enough faith in people in general, lol.

 

You know what they say... you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

I clear my own driveway as well.

Got a 28" Troy Built blower. Seems to do the job.

 

I have the world's easiest driveway at this point. It's almost perfectly flat, concrete, and only about 20x60 ft. Should be a breeze to clear in the winter. I have an Ariens snowblower, but want a 4x4 ATV with a plow. Mostly to have an ATV, the plow would be an excuse to justify it.

 

I've tried to convince the Mrs to let me get one as well, with the same reasoning behind it. My neighbor has one, and in the winter his son is out there clearing the driveway with it. Makes me jelly.

 

Plow guys look at my driveway, shake their head & say 'sorry, no'. Takes me 2 hours with a snow blower that's almost bigger than I am each storm. Stupid snow.

 

That was the driveway at the old house. Flat and square, and paved. But still a hell of a lot faster with the tractor than with the snowblower, and a lot less snow blowing back in your face too.

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.123...4!1spUH_6P80B5R4SlWX9MPTUA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Steep angle or something? Or tight radius curve?

 

Yeah, I hear that. I can't complain, my landlord just does it automatically and it doesn't cost me anything but if I had a chick living with me I would have to do it myself. With my truck and the driveway being all downhill on the way out I can get out even with 3' of snow on the ground.

 

I saw a few people selling mid 2000s Yamaha Grizzlys with plows in the $2500-$3500 range. I refrained because I really want a new truck in the spring. Maybe next winter.

I had neighbors with an '07 Grizzly when I was in high school. They'd let me take it whenever I wanted. I'd spend hours on the mountain with it going up all the discontinued roads. It was so much fun. Had push button electronic lockers front and rear. No way you'd ever get that thing stuck unless you high-centered it. Think it was a 450, but still had plenty of power for what I'd want it for.

 

That sounds bad ass right there!

 

The heater bank is the biggest obstacle for us. From a 2 foot storm we've usually got a 5 foot heater bank at the end of the driveway. And with no downhill for momentum...stuck. It's actually a slight rise as you go towards the road, but not bad. The '84 can do it, and the F150 probably could, but the GF's RAV would probably lift off and lose traction. And the Mustang wouldn't even get out of the garage

 

My parents house was like that. Up hill to the road with a massive snowbank at the end of it for every storm. They lived at 2000 ft, so tended to get more snow than anything around them too.

I'm only at 1200 ft or so now, but I'm also 45 minutes further north so it might balance out.

 

Main issue is all the patches. Neighbors tree roots busting it up. Neighbor been telling me for 4 years he's going to cut down the tree. Finally told him I'm just going to cut the roots & he went ape nuts. He's got the money, want's the tree gone, but won't spend. Maybe I should send him a repave my driveway bill....
Also driveway gets narrow & runs right up along the side of the house, right up to wooden steps, right up to porch, dead ends at garage out back. It's a hard driveway to do fast, has a crown, has patches (which I said I'd sign something waiving them if chunks come up). Nope, around here they want fast & easy, so I bust arse for 2 hours.
I hate coming home at 23:00/23:30 to a plow burm across the driveway & feet of snow in the driveway. Neighbors don't likely appreciate me dealing with it at that hour either - LOL.

 

Good morning, we did get to meet. I introduced myself in the morning at Big Y. My nephew was the one who’s brakes heated up on the way to the tunnel

 

Wow Nuno, hope you get better soon

 

Thanks Dan!

Not sure what it is either... doc at urgent care didn't even say. Just told me what she was giving me and away I went.

I think it's a cold, a bad one...

 

Ought to just blow the snow into your neighbor's yard. If he bitches tell him to take care of the tree and fix your driveway and you'll stop, lol.