Snow Plow Truck
Plow Blade
The snow plow blade is equipped with a hardened steel cutting edge. This wears down over about 24 hours of plowing and is replaced with a new edge. The blade has a spring loaded bottom section that trips when it strikes an obstacle such as a manhole or railroad track. This reduces the impact to the plow mount and truck.
Hopper
The truck is equipped with a hopper that dispenses salt or a sand/salt mixture. The rate of application is paced off the speed of the truck. The material is feed by a conveyor belt to a chute at the rear of the hopper. The material drops on a spinning plate that throws it horizontally behind the truck.
Brine Tank
The truck carries approximately 150 gallons of brine. The brine is a mixture of salt and water. The brine is applied to the salt as it falls from the conveyor belt to the spinner. Wetted salt is a much more effective deicer that non-wetted salt.
Warning Lights
The rear of the truck is equipped with flashing warning lights. A truck in a plowing or spreading operation will often drive slower than other traffic. Drivers should pass cautiously. When the truck is spreading material, salt or sand is discharged directly behind and to both sides of the truck.
Snow Chains
The trucks are equipped with automatic snow chains. These are located inside the rear wheels. If the trucks lose traction, the driver can lower the chains which are thrown under the rear wheels as they turn. They provide the necessary bite on slick roads. Under normal conditions, the chains remain in the up position. If conventional chains are used, they tend to wear out in 24 hours. The automatic chains can last an entire winter season.
Control Panels
The spreader and plow are controlled using special electronics located in the cab of the truck. The driver can lift the plow and set the angle to plow either right or left.
He also controls the rate of application. The driver must also enter information in the controller for the type of material being applied and whether or not brine is being added.