Winters are never gentle on machinery, and this battered piece of metal tells the story. What looks like the remnants of a hydraulic skid from a snowplow blade shows clear signs of strain — twisted brackets, worn welds, and a fracture right where the pressure’s highest.
Hydraulic skids take the brunt of every push, lift, and drag as the blade grinds through packed ice and uneven pavement. After countless hours of scraping asphalt and battling frozen buildup, even the toughest parts can give way. One bad hit against a buried curb or a hidden chunk of ice, and the stress is enough to shear metal like tin.
To anyone who’s spent a season behind a plow, this sight is all too familiar — the cost of keeping roads clear when the snow just won’t quit. A good welder and a fresh hydraulic line can bring it back to life, but for now, it stands as a reminder: winter always wins a few rounds.
