 Fortunately, all year round, nature provides the land with water. Our survival depends on it. However, when the water falls in the form of snow, our survival depends on our ability to avoid it, remove it, or to have the supplies necessary to speed its melting. This film is about how to attach snow plows to the various brands of motor graders and some basic information on how to use the plows to remove the snow from the roads. The three types of plows to be discussed are the front single, the v-plow, and the side wing plow. The front single has one blade scooped in angle to throw snow off to one side of the roadway. The v-plow is designed to throw snow off to both sides, allowing a clear single lane behind it. It is usually combined with a wing plow. It is very useful in mountainous areas where large amounts of snow fall in a short period of time. The wing is a tool both for clearing a road and for shoulder service. But it will also provide a ledge off of the shoulder to allow for future snow removal access. Safe use of these plows requires not only a thorough understanding of how to use them, but also how to properly attach them to the motor grader. There are four main motor grader designs that cover about 90% of the types of vehicles available. The basic interface design and attachment features for each motor grader are similar. The front connection type has a one inch metal plate with six or eight holes for attaching front connection type tools. Most manufacturers make a front push interface that connects to the holes. There are usually at least two hydraulic connection options, one to raise and lower the plow, and the second to change the plow angle. Connecting this plow requires that first, the interface be in place and be at its lowest position. The next step is to align the grader with the plow. When in position, drive slowly into the locking position. For safety, it is very important to check this connection to make sure it is locked. A loose connection can cause a plow to fly loose and cause property damage or personal injury. Another type of connection is the manual locking pin mechanism. This type of connection is accomplished in the same manner as the front connection, but the locking pin must be placed manually through a female connection after the grader and the interface connect. The v-plow is installed on the same front end push interface. The female portion is exactly the same. The difference is in the way the grader driver approaches the plow. To connect the v-plow, the interface must be adjusted to the height of the female locking connector. The manual locking pin mechanism has locking pins that must be placed manually through the female interconnect. The various manufacturers use different pin sizes and different pin locking assemblies. The motor grader operator must exit the vehicle and perform this function or have a second person make this connection. The wing plow is perhaps the most complicated of all plow types. It requires the connection of front and rearmost interfaces to the telescoping hydraulic arms attached to the plow. This film will illustrate the use of a common wing plow interface used today. It is assumed that the proper interface is already in place on your motor grader and your task is limited to attaching the mold board. If your motor grader wing plow interface connection is different from the one shown, consult your dealer or manufacturer for specific instructions. The front mast is used to connect the inside or toe of the wing to the motor grader. The connection is to a hydraulic piston that raises and lowers the wing inside or adjusts the toe height. Most models also have a hydraulic arm to change the pitch of the wing. A safety chain or cable runs from the top of the mast to the outboard or heel end of the wing. The rear mast is the support for the heel. The hydraulic arm connector pushes the wing outward and upward. Obviously, it is a bit more complicated to mount a wing than it is to mount a V-plow. As with all greater attachments, operating a wing requires practice and a good deal of knowledge. To ensure safe operation, it is necessary to use a pre-start-up checklist. The checklist can be found in the field manual. Make sure that all pivot joints are clean and have been greased. Make sure the slides are lubricated to keep them from seizing during operation. Check the hoses for tightness. Start the grader and allow it to warm up. Move all the cylinders up and down just a few inches to make sure control cables and hoses are hooked up so that when the controls are moved, the correct action takes place. Move the front mast lift cylinder up and down. Then move the rear mast lift cylinder and make sure it moves freely. Raise the wing two feet off the ground with the rear mast down and fold the wing up against the grader. Check to see that the wing does not fall past the center toward the grader. Check the counterbalance valve by articulating greater wing in the road position. Some models require that when articulating, the mold board be moved two or three feet away from the side of the grader. Most models have a safety chain with a double-end cleavus on the front mast sling ring. Make sure the cleavus is tightly screwed to the mold board and has enough slack to allow for articulation. After completing your pre-start-up checklist, it is time to move the grader to the road. A motor grader with a V plow and wing can move a lot of snow. Safe and efficient operation of this rig can contribute a lot toward getting things moving again. The following operational guidelines and safety suggestions have been distilled from the experience of several operators and supervisors. Dress so that you can be comfortable outside the cab of your machine. First, do a thorough walk around of the rig. Check the battery and its connections. Cold weather decreases the efficiency of electrical systems, so you need to be sure that all connections are in good condition. Fluid levels should be checked along with coolant levels. You're out there to open roads. Be sure that you don't end up blocking one because of a preventable mechanical failure. Take change with you for the same reason. You have to be able to get through. Check the fuel filter. If the fuel tank was left less than full overnight in cold weather, the possibility exists that condensation formed in the tank. The air filter will have to do extra duty with blowing snow, so make sure it is okay. If you have a rotary type pre-cleaner, check to see that the spinner is free. The cutting edges of the greater mold board of the plow and the wing should be checked for cracks. Snow and especially ice can be very abrasive, wearing down cutting edges a lot faster than you might think. Visibility is going to be dependent on the good operation of your defroster and cab fan along with the windshield wipers. Your job will be much easier if you can see clearly. There are primarily three concerns when removing the snow from the road. The first is the obvious one. Making the road passable for passenger and commercial vehicles. The second is to help keep the road free of drifts that might accumulate in the future. This is done by not leaving windrows for new snow to drift against. The third consideration is to leave room for future snow to be removed from the road. Of course, it is also important to not damage the road surface or fire hydrants, culvert covers, or guard rails. In light snow, the motor grader's mold board and a wing plow can be used. The mold board should be tilted forward quite far to the point that the cutting edge is vertical to the road as seen here. This will roll the snow along the mold board to the wing, which keeps it rolling into the ditch. The motor grader's mold board and the toe of the wing are at the same level. This keeps the snow moving without a break. Be careful not to leave a windrow as the snow is being cast outward from the heel of the wing into the ditch. The height of the heel of the wing can be changed to fit the conditions you encounter as you plow. As a general rule, keep the heel up enough to clear any possible obstacles. You only want to remove snow, not guard rails. The wing is designed to move snow sideways, not to scrape snow up from the surface. So, if your machine is equipped to put downward pressure on the wing, be very cautious in doing so. The angles set on the wing and mold board of the grader are variables you have to control in different types and depths of snow. Another variable is the position of the circle on the motor grader. Shifting it to the right allows you to get a better angle on the mold board. It is also important to control the amount of downward pressure on the motor grader's mold board. This should be varied depending on the type of road surface you are plowing. Be careful not to damage the road surface. Different downward pressure will be required for a paved road that is applied on a loosely packed gravel road. What you see behind you is the key to how well you are doing. If there is no snow at all behind you, something is probably wrong. If you are removing all of the snow, you may be removing some of the road surface. It is probably better if you can see just some of the road behind you. If conditions permit, get out and look at the condition of the road surface just plowed. It may give you a better feel for the correct amount of pressure to put on the mold board. A frozen gravel road can withstand a little more pressure than the same road when it is not frozen. A paved road in good condition can withstand even more pressure. Obstacles such as manholes or expansion joints must be avoided so when pressure is adjusted on the mold board, it is probably better to err on the side of too little pressure rather than too much, especially if you do not know what obstacles there might be ahead. It is also important to be able to see some of the shoulder behind you. It is helpful to motorists using a newly cleared road as a guide to keep them from running off the road. The wing should be casting the snow out onto the ditch without leaving a windrow to catch future drifting snow. If the ditch is already full, raising the heel of the wing so as to leave a gentle slope upward at the edge of the road will minimize future drifting. The speed at which you travel influences how the snow moves across the mold boards. Too slow and you are a bulldozer. Too fast and you crash. Considering your visibility and your own comfort level, maintain a good speed to keep the snow moving across your mold boards. The V-plow is used to open roads when the snow is thick and deep. It is easy to get stuck. The two most important points are Stay in the middle of the road. Don't let snow come over the V-plow and fall onto your side. Snow on your side of the plow can cover the front wheels and make it impossible for you to back up. If you are plowing downhill, even a little snow coming over the V-plow can get you stuck. Speed is the controlling factor. You must hit the drift with enough speed and power to move the snow, but not so much as to bury the front of the motor grader. Stopping in time to back up is dependent on how fast you are moving. So be cautious the first few times you are doing this job. If you can watch or talk with an experienced operator, it will be helpful to you. Once you have moved some snow back and have cut into the drift, move over from two to four feet and make a run to widen the cut. Then move over in the other direction and widen the cut on the other side. Now move back to the middle and deepen the cut. Remember, don't let snow come over the V-plow onto your side. Repeat this pattern until you break through the drift. An alternate method of handling large drifts is the chevron method. Keep the tandem wheels of the motor grader in the middle of the road while steering the front of the grader to first one side, then the middle, then the other side. Forming a chevron pattern with the front of the grader. This method keeps the machine in the center of the road and reduces the chances of sliding off the road. In heavy drifting snow, it may be necessary to bench the sides of the road. Benching means using the wing with both the heel and toe raised to move the top part of the snow piled on the side of the road further away from the road. While benching, the height of the wing and the speed at which you run are controlled by the snow conditions. Move fast enough to roll the snow along the wing and off the heel. Watching and talking with experienced operators will give you a head start on mastering these procedures. This videotape is not intended to make you an expert, but it will give you enough information to keep out of trouble while gaining the experience necessary to perform snow removal operations with confidence. The main points to remember are, check out the machine before you go anywhere. Dress for the weather. Set the mole board pressure to be consistent with the road type you are plowing. Keep track of what you are leaving behind. You should see some of the road surface and some of the shoulder. Avoid leaving windrows to collect drifts when using a v-plow. Avoid letting snow get over the v-plow, especially downhill. Be aware of possible obstacles. For instance, guardrails that should still be there in the spring.