3 Things to Know Before Installing a Snowplow on your Truck
Are you tired of waiting for a snowplow to clear your street or driveway? Do you want to clear the snow yourself to save time and money? Your truck can easily be equipped with a snowplow to make clearing the snow around your home easier. However, there are three things you need to know before you install a snowplow on your truck.
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Make sure you have the right type of truck
Not all trucks can handle carrying a plow. The best plows tend to weigh upwards of 300 lbs, so you need to have at least a half-ton pickup truck to ensure your vehicle can handle the plow. To be safe, it would be wise to have a three-quarter ton truck.
If you don’t have a half-ton truck, you’ll most likely need to upgrade your truck suspension before installing a 300-lb plow on the front of your vehicle. You also can opt to use a smaller, lighter plow, though you risk it being less effective.
Choose the right type of plow
There are numerous type of plows you can choose from. Polyethylene plastic is the newest material being used for plows. While this material is appealing because the snow doesn’t stick to it as easily and it doesn’t weigh as much as steel plows, don’t be fooled because polyethylene plows are the most expensive and can’t flex as well as steel plows can. So a steel plow is likely your best bet because of its strength.
If you do end up selecting a polyethylene plow, make sure there are steel plates on the bottom of it. When you’re plowing, it’s almost guaranteed that you’re going to run into something hidden in the snow. When this happens, you want your plow to be protected against damage.
A steel plow is equipped to handle these situations, but a polyethylene plow needs the bottom steel plates to eliminate the potential of any damage. These plates will be the first part to wear out and may require some maintenance, so be sure to ask your seller about a warranty.
Consider auxiliary lighting
Because your plow is situated on the nose of your truck, there’s a good chance it will block your headlights. To make sure you can effectively plow in the dark, you’ll need to consider some supplemental lighting. These lights could be situated on the plow itself or could be installed on the roof of your truck. Either way, it’s imperative that you can clearly see the road in front of you when you’re using a truck with a plow.
It’s important to consider these three factors before you rush to install a snow plow on your truck. However, if your truck meets the criteria for a plow, having your own for the snow will make traveling in the winter much easier.
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