Say goodbye to underbody plow accidents
The Carlton County Highway Department installed circuitry on its snowplows to prevent damage to underbody plows when backing up, preventing thousands of dollars in damages by spending a fraction of that amount.
The modification, which takes about eight hours to install, automatically raises the underbody plow whenever the operator shifts the truck into reverse. A pressure switch detects the blade once it is fully raised and shuts off the hydraulic lifting action to prevent over-pressurization.
Highway maintenance superintendent Randy McCuskey said that before the installation, plow operators would back up their rigs without remembering to lift the underbody blade first. That would fold the blade toward the front of the truck and break cylinders, causing up to $3,000 in damages.
Not anymore, said McCuskey. Since former Carlton County mechanic Arnie Lofgren developed the circuitry and fitted the entire plow fleet, there hasn’t been a single accident.
“We saved a ton of money,” said McCuskey.
To modify each plow, counties should expect to spend about $150 on materials: two relays, an indicator light, a pressure switch, wires, and hoses. Plows with a mechanical switch to raise the plow require minimal additional modification, Lofgren said.
“Usually it goes pretty good,” Lofgren said of the installation. “With the right tools, you could probably get it done in half a day.”
—Jim Hammerand, LTAP intern