Driving with a plow
12-03-2006 | 02:23 PM
#17
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Omaha NE
I take my plow off after every snow storm. it makes a big difference on the way my truck handles, boss snowplows are heavy. there is also difference how 1st generation trucks and 2nd generation trucks handle with that much weight is hanging out that far in front the axle. so that must be the difference between coil springs and leaf springs.
12-03-2006 | 04:58 PM
#18
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From: south of Kansas City 40 miles
My plow is on a '76 chev 4x4, 3/4 ton. It goes on during the first snow and I leave it on all winter, but I have 4 trucks!
From seeing the damage pushing snow does to a truck I would not consider a plow on my '01 dodge. I bought the chev in 1980 and have used the plow on it the last 12 years and only clean my own property and a couple of other commerical locations. The salt used on the roads can not be removed fast enough or completely enough to eliminate deterioration. I had a new exhaust system installed at the end of last winter and the shop couldn't save the exhaust manifold for the rusted bolts!
Charge extra, put it in the "repair kitty" you'll be needing it!!
From seeing the damage pushing snow does to a truck I would not consider a plow on my '01 dodge. I bought the chev in 1980 and have used the plow on it the last 12 years and only clean my own property and a couple of other commerical locations. The salt used on the roads can not be removed fast enough or completely enough to eliminate deterioration. I had a new exhaust system installed at the end of last winter and the shop couldn't save the exhaust manifold for the rusted bolts!
Charge extra, put it in the "repair kitty" you'll be needing it!!
12-06-2006 | 11:52 PM
#20
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Joined: Jul 2006
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From: MA
rebuild after the season? 
a standard plow is only about 200-300#. my 78 Chevy 1\2 ton full time 4x4 is used to plow every year [ no not just driveways]-same ball joints, front tie rod, and same springs.[ i know someone is going to say 'your springs haven't sagged'. yes, they have. I've lost about 3" of hight in the front, but there also 28yrs old]
and keep in mind only the plow is removable, not the pump, lights, or bracketry. the secret to longevity is simple, maintenance, and common since. in other words, when your plowing you don't need to go 70 MPH. and do your ride a favor, lower the plow when you park-your springs will thank you i do agree though, if yours comes off easy enough then yes i would remove it. also, your right, traffic was fun [driveing to chicago]-McCormick Place.
a standard plow is only about 200-300#. my 78 Chevy 1\2 ton full time 4x4 is used to plow every year [ no not just driveways]-same ball joints, front tie rod, and same springs.[ i know someone is going to say 'your springs haven't sagged'. yes, they have. I've lost about 3" of hight in the front, but there also 28yrs old] and keep in mind only the plow is removable, not the pump, lights, or bracketry. the secret to longevity is simple, maintenance, and common since. in other words, when your plowing you don't need to go 70 MPH. and do your ride a favor, lower the plow when you park-your springs will thank you i do agree though, if yours comes off easy enough then yes i would remove it. also, your right, traffic was fun [driveing to chicago]-McCormick Place.200-300 pounds??? Yeah maybe a 7ft myer that you were running on your old chevy. But an 8ft Fisher mm2 weighs in around 800-900 pounds. So in other words don't compare apples to oranges.
Plus you have it on a truck you only drive in the winter to plow with. Ofcourse you are not going through front end partsMy truck is plenty tough enough to have a plow hanging on it "all the time". My front end could care less if that weight it there. It doesnt really hurt anything. I have never rebuilt a front end after a season. My first gen is a tough, durable truck, meant to work.
Who takes their truck to a garage to have it worked on??
Who takes their truck to a garage to have it worked on??
12-06-2006 | 11:56 PM
#21
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From: MA
You should be fine with a regular plow. This discussion was started by a member asking about riding around with a plow on all the time
12-07-2006 | 09:19 AM
#22
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From: over yonder back there
200-300 pounds??? Yeah maybe a 7ft myer that you were running on your old chevy. But an 8ft Fisher mm2 weighs in around 800-900 pounds. So in other words don't compare apples to oranges. Plus you have it on a truck you only drive in the winter to plow with. Ofcourse you are not going through front end parts
Once again you are like the other guy. Most old Doges came with Myer plows. They are a light weight plow used for light duty and can not be compare to the new MM2's. And I owned a 90 Dodge 2500 with the Sno-commander package on it. The front end were not all that strong. They were good. But I wouldn't ride around with the plow on it
Plus you have it on a truck you only drive in the winter to plow with. Ofcourse you are not going through front end partsOnce again you are like the other guy. Most old Doges came with Myer plows. They are a light weight plow used for light duty and can not be compare to the new MM2's. And I owned a 90 Dodge 2500 with the Sno-commander package on it. The front end were not all that strong. They were good. But I wouldn't ride around with the plow on it
Ah, my truck would never have any Meyers junk hanging off the front of it. Meyers stuff is for light duty plowing...homeowner stuff in my opinion. My truck has a 9ft western plow, that i cannot pick up one corner of the blade off the ground. I bet plow and frame weighs about 1000lbs. You also cannot compare a snow commander dodge to a first gen 250, especially one with a cummins. the front ends are totally different. What did a snow commander have, a dana 44? (i could be wrong).
Minute Mount...Schminute Mount, who cares. real trucks leave plow frame on all the time, i like that fact that it adds that much more front end protection anyways.
Dont compare me to "the other guy."
Starting to get angry, gonna stop now
12-07-2006 | 10:11 AM
#23
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From: LI, NY
Don't wanna add fuel to the fire, but its actually Meyer no "s" 
But besides this is all off subject. For the short term down to work and back, running with the plow is not a problem, as said before, angling the plow to the drivers side will help if u need to drop the blade in an emergency. With the HUGE cooling systems on these trucks, you shouldnt have to worry about overheating. Just know you are running with an extra couple of hundred pounds on the front end, and driving in bad weather, take your time, and leave plenty of room, and you''ll be fine.
But besides this is all off subject. For the short term down to work and back, running with the plow is not a problem, as said before, angling the plow to the drivers side will help if u need to drop the blade in an emergency. With the HUGE cooling systems on these trucks, you shouldnt have to worry about overheating. Just know you are running with an extra couple of hundred pounds on the front end, and driving in bad weather, take your time, and leave plenty of room, and you''ll be fine.
12-07-2006 | 02:58 PM
#24
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From: South Indy
Yeah, but I had to chime in because if I got one on might I too would want to know about driving with it on when it's not really going to be used.
12-07-2006 | 10:20 PM
#25
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From: illinois
i never said it was only driven in the winter. it is a daily driver-438,133.8 miles on it. this is the first year it won't be used for plowing because I'm going to restore it to be in shows. and the plow is a 9.5' western with 2'wing attachments on each side. and as i said before, only the actual plow is removable on mine, the lights, lift cylinders,[not electric over hydraulic pump style, engine driven hydraulics] and related parts don't come off. maybe the issue is not so much the plows, but the durability-reliability of two different kinds of suspension [leaf spring vs. coil ]
12-08-2006 | 12:48 AM
#26
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From: illinois
OK, I've got to admit, after re-reading my own post[1st one] 2-3 hundred is being a little light. even so, the parts in question should still be more than capable to with stand an added load of a plow in the raised position for an extended time,[ i don't mean left up 4 days/weeks at a time] and not wareout that fast [right?]. if the front end of these trucks really do require that kind of 'after season service' then I'd be fairly disappointed.
bigdave12768, if my first post came off as singling ya out, then, sorry my fault, wasn't meant to appear that way, i just didn't agree about the rebuilding/end of season part. I've only had my dodge a little over a year, so perhaps I'm completely wrong on just how tough the front ends are.
bigdave12768, if my first post came off as singling ya out, then, sorry my fault, wasn't meant to appear that way, i just didn't agree about the rebuilding/end of season part. I've only had my dodge a little over a year, so perhaps I'm completely wrong on just how tough the front ends are.
12-09-2006 | 08:33 PM
#29
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From: south of Kansas City 40 miles
Comparing the heavy bumpers with the plow isn't quite equal. It's like carrying a bag of groceries in the house pulled up against your chest vs. carrying it at arms length.
When you take the weight of the plow and stick it out three feet you now have a torque wrench with a cheater bar on it! You get alot more leverage.
Don't know how these trucks hold up with a plow, but my old chevy has paid for itself several times with NO front end work.
When you take the weight of the plow and stick it out three feet you now have a torque wrench with a cheater bar on it! You get alot more leverage.
Don't know how these trucks hold up with a plow, but my old chevy has paid for itself several times with NO front end work.
12-10-2006 | 01:35 AM
#30
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From: South Indy
Comparing the heavy bumpers with the plow isn't quite equal. It's like carrying a bag of groceries in the house pulled up against your chest vs. carrying it at arms length.
When you take the weight of the plow and stick it out three feet you now have a torque wrench with a cheater bar on it! You get alot more leverage.
.
When you take the weight of the plow and stick it out three feet you now have a torque wrench with a cheater bar on it! You get alot more leverage.
.
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