Grandpa, tell me bout the good ole days............

[Jstpssng]

You still using the Pony Express up there......

Pony Express was more reliable. I believe that in the two or so years it ran they only lost 1 bag of mail.

 

[Dftodd]

I didn't say it wouldn't, just that it tends to kick the rear end sideways when it kicks in.

What I used to use for weight was the inner tube for the rear tire of a Massey 175 filled with sand. It fit behind the wheel wells in my full sized pickup, and when frozen it wouldn't move. Of course once I put it in it was there until spring, but it gave good traction.

I can deal with the kicking sideways.

My Ford f150 didn't have the limited slip differential. That darn thing would look at wet grass and give up.

 

[Oldpath05]

Before 4 wheel drive and snow plows for plowing roads, I wonder how many put tracks on Model T's, it was just a 100 years ago that some had these I guess.......

 

[groundcover]

Before 4 wheel drive and snow plows for plowing roads, I wonder how many put tracks on Model T's, it was just a 100 years ago that some had these I guess.......
View attachment 679127

Friend of mine has a couple of those !

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I remember my school bus driver, a female, stopping during snowy trips home and putting on the chains. Today they don’t carry chains and shut down school at a flurry.

 

[Jstpssng]

Before 4 wheel drive and snow plows for plowing roads, I wonder how many put tracks on Model T's, it was just a 100 years ago that some had these I guess.......
View attachment 679127

Even before that, they had horse drawn snow rollers which packed the snow for the horse drawn sleighs. If I was internet savvy I would post a picture or three...

 

[grsthegreat]

 

[user.69169]

1000-20 tire on wheel filled wid water in back of pickup give plenty of traction. Need forklift to get back out unless you drain water out before moving. Ain't like it matters if water freezes.

 

[Cat_Driver]

When I was a kid maybe 10 years old and I watched a Jeep pull up in front of our house on a heavy snow night. No cars were moving, as we lived on a pretty steep hill. He pulled up dropped his snow plow and drove straight up that hill with no problem. That was 55 years ago and I've owned a 4wd something every year since. I've had Hummers, Jeeps (several) F250, F450, many toyota land cruisers, many GMC suburbans, GMC 3500's 2500's and on and on. I've never found a 4x4 I didn't enjoy.

My first real new vehicle was a 1974 Power Wagon "SNOFITER" play on words SNOW FIGHTER. As a 16 yer old I actually convince my parents to sign the Power Wagon by telling them I would start a snow plowing business. The truck and plow were $4,995.00 at the time about the same price as a new Corvette at $5,700. Truck was delivered in Nov. There I sat in that same window waiting for the snow in Dec. No snow. Parents now making payments they can't afford. More waiting still no snow, me feeling a pile of you know what.

Then it started, first light snow, then heavy snow of three days. I started doing my contracts. I plowed for three days straight with no break. I would sleep with my head on the steering wheel in the middle of plowing a shopping center. At time Iwoud come home set the alarm for one hour and flop on my beat with wet books and parka still on. After an hour I went out again, and again.

After I did all my contracts people were begging me to plow their business so their employees could get to work. I would hit them with rediculous prices 4 times the normal just so they would say no, but they would always say DO IT.

I'll never forget this day. After three days I came home at breakfast and unloaded cash from every pocket I had and set the pile in front of my parents he were having coffee. That pile paid for the truck, I was vindicated and no longer feeling like you know what.

That truck paid for itself many many times. To put things in perspective my Dad was a welder for GM and was making $2.35 an hour. I made more with one parking lot than he made in a week. From that day forward I vowed to never work for someone else but to work only for myself.

 

[ultrarunner]

Great Story!