this post was submitted on 25 Nov 2023
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Offgrid living

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Living off grid often correlates with poorly accessible locations - because that's where the infrastructure is not.

On certain latitudes, especially near bodies of water, especially in remote locations - do not ask who the snow comes for - it always comes for you (and with a grudge). So, what ya gonna do?

Over here, a tractor being incomplete (it is great folly to go into winter with an incomplete tractor), snow is handled by an electric microcar. Since the microcar is made of thin sheet metal and plastic, it cannot carry a plow... but the rear axle being solid steel, it can pull one.

The plow is one year old, and was previously pulled by a gasoline car. It is made of construction steel: 8 mm L-profiles shaped like a letter A with double horizontal bars. The point of connection on top ensures it doesn't lift too much while plowing. It's currently fixed with an unprofessional and temporary C-clamp (there will be an U-bolt soon). It is pulled with a chain.

If snow is heavy, the L-profiles lift the plow on top of snow, and you have to plow the same road many times. Sometimes it veers off sideways. Generally, you have to catch the snow early with this system - if you're late, you're stuck. :)

Not many advantages, but dirt cheap. Don't go plowing public roads with such devices - it is nearly invisible to fellow drivers, and cops would get a seizure.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

This is really interesting! I've never heard of pulling a snowplow before. Or using anything besides a truck. I'd love to see more pictures of your setup but if that was blurred for identity protection then no worries!

It's cool to see out-of-the-box solutions for stuff I've seen my whole life.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

It's a poor solution, but better than nothing. The plowing profiles are welded with the L pointing forward and down (to ensure rising on top of snow), the holding profiles can be welded any way. They are at 1/3 of length and 2/3 of length respectively.

P.S.

A note: if one has automatic transmission, or continuously variable transmission, one should not pull things.

With manual gearboxes, fixed reductors and direct drive, it's OK. The car is indeed blurred for privacy. :)