Sidewing Demo

[wyldman]

I got an email last week from Reg,at Sidewing,who wanted us to demo their truck with a Sidewing installed.I called an spoke to Dan,and we set it up.They even drove all the way out to our place to drop the truck off,and pick it up.The timing was perfect,as we were down a few trucks from the last big storm.

The truck was a 2001 Ford,with a PSD.It has a 7.5 ft Western on the front,and the Sidewing installed on the rear.Very nice clean unit.

I got a chance to run it through pretty much my full route,doing eveything from big to small lots.It is absolutely awesome with the sidewing.On larger lots,it almost cuts the time in half.It takes about a 4 foot swath,about the same as what you can take with the front blade without spillage.It does spill off in between the two blades somewhat on turns,so a larger front blade would be needed to prevent that from happening.

The Sidewing performed flawlessly,but I did not like the touch pad controller.Reg said this has been addressed in newer models,and I know Jerre has some custom switches available too.

The two main benefits I found are speed in clearing big lots,and the ability to clear the edge of a lot\road without getting the truck too close.It really rolls snow well,so it doesn't matter if you have 4 inches,or 10,it cuts right through it.Nice being able to clear the edge of some lots which have an embankment on the side without running the risk of sending the truck down the hill.

It lifts incredibly fast,almost too fast. :D The extend\retract speed is really slow,but that is due to a huge 4 foot cyl to control the rear of the plow.Once you get it out,leave it out.Plan accordingly to do as much work with the wing as possible,so you don't have to retract it all the time.It takes about 15 seconds to extend it or retract it.Maybe a little less if it was warmer out,but it was -19C.

I think one of these will definately be hanging off the side of the ol Dodge next year. ;)

Here are some pics I took when I was out.Would have shot more,but I was too damn tired.

[wyldman]

You can see this thing moves a lot of snow when windrowing across the lot.Truck was very stable.The front blade actually seems to offset the rear,so it tracks straight.

[wyldman]

Originally posted by Tileman
Chris I think you are still tired, you some how forgot to post the pictures.(

Rich::)

I always forget that Rich.I wish you could edit and reattach the pic,but you can't. :(

[wyldman]

Doesn't look like much,but the extra 4 feet really adds up on the long runs.

[wyldman]

You can see here a wider front blade is needed.At speed it's OK,but when you slow down or turn,it spills off in between.

[Tileman]

Chris I think you are still tired, you some how forgot to post the pictures.((

Rich::) :

[wyldman]

Rear shot.

[wyldman]

Push snow over the edge of an embankment.This is scary without the Sidewing,and the truck wants to slide off when it's icy.

Sorry about the blurry pics,it was COLD !

[wyldman]

From the rear.

[wyldman]

Can be used for clearing off walks too.

[wyldman]

Another.

[wyldman]

That's it for now.Thanks again to the Sidewing guys for the use of the truck.

Check out the website at www.sidewing.net

:canada

[Tileman]

OK you are tired:) . I have a question! Looks like the truck has no extra weight in the bed does this cause any problems with the trucks rear end wanting to move around on the ground (slide sideways) .
And do you or any of the rest of the boys with the sidewings have problems with this?

Great pictures Thanks for getting out in the cold.

Rich

[wyldman]

Truck had no ballast,but could use some.Even without,when it wants to push the rear of the truck over,the front blade counteracts,and it straightens out quickly.Very easy to control.

[CT18fireman]

I would think run with a good central hydro system the extend retract would really improve.

Needs at least an 8ft blade for that truck.

[wyldman]

With good central hydraulics,it would be fast.Even better would be a cable lift,like the big trucks,so the wing comes in and up at the same time.Good for those close calls.

The problem is most people don't have central hydraulics.This unit was designed to be easy to install,in just about any truck,and that it is.It's self contained,no need to run it off the plow pump or anything else.

It does need a bigger blade,at least 9 feet,or an 810. ;)

[John DiMartino]

The sidewing really doesnt push the truck around unless you hit frozen piles,then the back of the truck will gently kick out.It has a spring loaded cylinder,so it doesnt shock the truck when it hits an immovable object.It will trip over it,or gently push the truck over.Ive run with zero ballast and close to 4000LBS.While it doesnt need ballast,a heavy ,wet snow is better pushed with some weight.

[Lawngodfather]

Awsome

[ROTTBERGZ]

still don't see how you can justify the cost of a sidewing. unless you have a real wing and you're out clearing mutiple lanes on a freeway... just is not cost effective.

but i guess it looks kinda cool.

[wyldman]

What are you billing per hour ? How many hours per season ?

I would say it chopped may 15% off the time it takes to do my route,the first time I ever used one.Probably even more once I got used to it,and modified it a bit to my liking.Those numbers could be as high as 50% if your doing long driveways\roads and such.

So even at a conservative 20% time savings,add up 20% of what you billed all year.You can now take on that much more work (and make more money),or be done 20% earlier.

[Lawngodfather]

Kind of like the 40% time saving a Blizzard 810 will give you...

That's still a modest number too.

[Mark Oomkes]

Chris, they actually let you plow with their truck? lol After seeing the pic of your speedometer?

Rottbergz,I do not own a Sidewing yet. But look at it this way, how much does a truck with front plow cost? $30-35K? Probably more if you get some options and a Blizzard. BTW, I'm thinking diesel here. If you have just a straight blade and get anything over 3-4" you can only use about 1/2 of your front blade, correct? Now for another $4-5K, you can add another 4 ft of plowing most of the time. The 4 ft is what you are getting out of the $30-35K investment of truck and front plow, correct again? So for about 1/7 of the cost, you just doubled your productivity. Not to mention paying another operator.

I am aware that you would not be able to use this plow at every location, but where you could, it would be amazing. The time savings coupled with a Blizzard would be even more amazing.

[John DiMartino]

Mark,you hit it on the head.Most guys here saying it isnt worth it,havent tried it.Id like for them to watch my truck plowing with both plows,and after im done with a 2 hr lot(8 ft straight blade) in about 1/2 hr then tell me it isnt worth it.Time is money,my one truck does what 3 used too easliy.

[Jerre Heyer]

Mark, I have actually started to let municipalities take my rig and run it in a storm. Driving is beliving. Got a few local units that may be taking the ford for a run too. It's an awesome combo with the 810 on the front. 8'4" with the front blade and 4'-5' with the wing............12-13' in one pass with no clean up.

I've got a little custom work done to mine and can hit 15' with it

Jerre

[dapgar]

that is a clean nice setup. seems like it should extend a little further. almost seems too angled along the truck. maybe it was just the pictures.

i know i couldn't justify spending that much for the type of accounts that i have, but i can see where in a lot you could save a lot of time.

Mark, I have a V blade, but even in storms way over 3-4 inches, i use my whole blade when the V is power angled one way or the other, not half my blade. maybe a 1/2 ton pickup pushing white cement would end up using half the blade in a 5-7 inch storm.

[pbeering]

He Jerre, how about a picture of your setup?

[Jerre Heyer]

Peter, Next storm we'll take some more action picts. Just got done doing upgrades to the front pivot point and have some more lift mod's to do. Realize my blade is 3 years old now. It doesn't see the use some of the others do but I have imroved the installs as I've gone and mine was the ALPHA test on a Superduty. Many improvements since then.

Jerre

[pbeering]

This is all about the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition:

1. See

2. Want

3. Need

4. Acquire

5. Rationalize

6. Explain why you shouldn't sleep with it.

The pics the Sidewing guys posted of the new unit were very interesting. For those of us who do split mission plowing, it seems to be a potentially huge productivity booster, even if only on the roads.

[wyldman]

Originally posted by pbeering
This is all about the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition:

1. See

2. Want

3. Need

4. Acquire

5. Rationalize

6. Explain why you shouldn't sleep with it.


Sounds like Johnny D's problem with his new alternator,especially #6. ;)

[tom]

ballpark price of a sidewing?

[CAMERON SERVICES]

The last price I remember hearing for a sidewing was around $4500 Cdn.

[nsmilligan]

Dan if your using the full width of the V then your dropping a lot of snow off the high side, and you have to go back and "scoop the windrow" or move it over again, with the Sidewing you can use half the V, so no spilage and still clear more area. My truck with the sidewing generates over 40K/season, before the wing less then 30K, The intial cost will be quickly offset by production, as Johnny D said. I think the Sidewing increased the productivity of the truck at less and I know in some cases more then going from a straight blade to a V. Some out there still wonder if a V is worth the extra money, and I think that qusetion has been answered. :notworthy
Bill

[nsmilligan]

I think I posted this pic on another thread, buy it shows what kind of serious snoe the Sidewing can move. This strom dumped 60-70 cm of snow (about 2 feet) and I could still plow with both down, about 12' width!

Bill

[tlc]

Wyldman

Nice to see you in a Ford and even better with a Western Plow. :wink

[Pickering Snow]

I forgot about this thread so Chris after Reg got that truck up to you for demo did you ever buy one?

[ice scream]

Kind of like the 40% time saving a Blizzard 810 will give you...

That's still a modest number too.

You are dreaming unless you comparing it to a 7' straight blade.:D

[snowplowjay]

You are dreaming unless you comparing it to a 7' straight blade.:D


I guess you've never operated a Blizzard in a large commercial/industrial lot for very long then..........


Jay

[nsmilligan]

Just a follow up we've had a couple of good storms about 30" and the Sidewing as continued to make money for me, I'm still amazed at how much snow I can move and the truck still stay straight. Just wondering if Chris made the investment?

Bill

[wyldman]

I'm not really plowing anymore,but would like to start dealing them.Gotta give Reg a ring......:D