AED Foundation & SkillsUSA Illinois Support Skilled Trades
Jessica Schwartz
Winter Improves Wear Bar On Its Patriot® Steel Snowplow
Winter Equipment has improved the wear bar on its Patriot® Steel Snowplow Cutting Edge System. The new wear bar is a one-piece, high-quality, cast steel design with increased hardness that is filled with Winter® Carbide Matrix™, providing greater wear life. The improved Patriot system is built to last four times longer than the industry’s standard steel snowplow blade. Longer blade life means that users experience less downtime changing out blades and reduced material costs. Patriot system’s new wear bars are 2″ longer than the previous wear bar. The blade’s serrated design self-sharpens and cuts through packed snow, which decreases salt usage and chemical treatment. For easy and safe installation, the system features three Patriot sectional blades to replace dangerous, full-length cutting edges. “Our engineers looked at how we could make our already durable Patriot system even better,” said Kent Winter, founder and CEO of Winter Equipment. “We anticipate that our customers will continue to see as much as four times longer wear, when compared to the industry’s standard steel cutting edges.” Winter Equipment’s Patriot system cutting edges are designed to clear packed snow and ice from rough roads, asphalt and concrete streets at lower speeds. The system comes with a satisfaction guarantee, ensuring that if the product’s wear system does not perform or last as long as promised, the company will work with its customers until they are satisfied. Shipped free, the Patriot system comes ready to mount with all parts, hardware, and installation directions. The system can be ordered ...
Get Equipped: Snowplows & Attachments
Take a look at this assortment of snowplows and attachments that can improve and add value to your professional snow and ice management services. SK-R 6 Box Plow From BOSS Snowplow The SK-R 6 joins the SK-R 8 and SK-R 10 to expand BOSS’ line of SK Box Plows for tractors, skid steers, and other compact vehicle equipment. SK Box Plows from BOSS are designed to put the full force and maneuverability of compact vehicle equipment into getting the pavement back to black. The floating edge and pivot system keep the cutting edge in contact with the pavement regardless of the contour. The new SK-R 6 features a reversible 1” rubber cutting edge designed for quieter plowing operation and better protection to sensitive surfaces. The SK-R 6 joins the five other models in the SK Box Plow line; it features a 79” width, four vertical ribs, and two horizontal pans. SG Snowplow From Steel Green Don’t let your fertilizer spreader/sprayer sit unused all winter long. The SG Snowplow attaches to Steel Green Manufacturing spreader-sprayer machines and enables contractors to utilize this equipment for snow plowing. The SG Snowplow is compatible with Steel Green models SG46 and SG52. Steel Green purchased the rights to manufacture the Z-Plow™ and is producing a snowplow attachment to transform its zero-turn spreader/sprayer into a sidewalk snow-removing machine with up to 350 pounds of salt-spreading capacity. The SG Snowplow is made with all stainless-steel construction and resists corrosion from salt and liquid deicer. It features a poly plow blade, ...
Get Equipped: Plows And Attachments
Take a look at these five plows and attachments that can improve your professional snow and ice management services. Challenger & Snow Blades by Cub Cadet Whether you’re removing snow from a driveway or clearing walking paths, Cub Cadet has two UTV snow blades for the job. If you’re plowing walking trails or campus pathways, the 58-inch blade is specifically designed for the Cub Cadet Challenger 400 4×4, with heavy-duty 13-gauge steel and e-coat for protection. For larger snow removal jobs such as parking lots, the Cub Cadet 72-inch snow blade allows operators to plow snow from the comfort of an enclosed Challenger MX 550 or MX 750 EPS cabin. Both kits include blade, side markers, skid shoes, rubber flap, and synthetic rope. Heavy-Duty XV2™ V-Plow by Fisher Engineering Measuring 10 feet 6 inches wide, this new model is designed to fit Class four to six vehicles, is offered in both powder coated and stainless steel, and is available with optional new FISHER INTENSIFIRE™ LED headlamps with EdgeView™ Technology. It’s constructed with four vertical ribs and eight exclusive x-bracing ribs that provide structural integrity and torsional strength. The flared wings soar from a 35-inch center height up to 45 inches at the outer edges. The new model has a larger center snow control, a new T-Frame that uses a solid, one-piece construction, and includes integrated blade angle stops and an oscillating pivot bar. Other features include a trip-edge design to get over bumps and hidden obstacles whether in V, ...
Protecting Diesel Exhaust Fluid From Extreme Cold
For landscapers and others involved in outdoor work and snow removal, there is always plenty of annual winter preparation. But one thing that may be overlooked is the proper management of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) used in many diesel-powered trucks. Handling and storing DEF can be challenging in winter. Made from a mixture of technically pure urea and purified water, DEF freezes at 11 degrees F and needs to be properly maintained and dispensed to preserve its quality. Like water, DEF will expand up to 7% when frozen and can damage a storage tank if it is full or nearly full when freezing. If you have a tank you think may freeze, it’s a good idea to keep it less than full. If DEF freezes in the vehicle, do not put any additives in the tank to help it melt. DEF needs to remain pure for it to work correctly. The vehicle will start without a problem and the DEF tank has a heating element that can quickly thaw the DEF. Don’t worry; on-spec DEF is specifically formulated to allow the fluid to thaw at the proper concentration to keep your vehicle operating smoothly. In addition to freezing temperatures, there are other considerations when purchasing, storing, and handling DEF. Drivers accustomed to purchasing DEF in containers should always look at the expiration date on the bottle—and be sure to use it before this date—since DEF has a limited shelf life. If a date is not present, ask for the most ...
