Many people use their pickup trucks to plow snow during the winter. However, the plowing capabilities of trucks vary because of their different efficiency and power.
Are Snow Plows Bad For Trucks? Snow plows are bad for trucks because they can damage the front body and cause dents. In addition, truck frames can get rust due to continuous exposure of metal to salt and moisture, and this can also cause wear and tear in different parts. Furthermore, select a snow plowing pattern according to the location and avoid spinning the tires.
Snow accumulation on the roads can block the traffic and interferes with the smooth flow of traffic.
So when you see yellow lights on the road at night, it means snowplows are working to remove the snow from the road to clear them.
What is a snowplow?
Snow plow is a metal or a hard plastic device that removes snow from outdoor surfaces, particularly highways and transportation roads. You can mount the snow plows on the vehicle’s front, on its sides, and rear end.
In addition, front snow plows are present on the truck’s front end and drag snow away from the front side. The wing snow plows are present on the sides and push snow away from the road on the sides.
The size of the snowplow varies for every vehicle type and ranges from 6 feet to 8.5 feet.
Furthermore, the cost of snowplows ranges from $3500 to $4000. It is highly durable and lasts for almost 12 to 15 years. These plows can push the compact snow to the side of the road and ensure safe travel.
Why are snow plows bad for trucks?
Snow plows are bad for the truck when you add them without considering their size and the purpose of use. In addition, they can affect the truck body badly by damaging its clutches, frame, and transmission line.
Body damage
Plowing is not difficult for the trucks because they are designed to do heavy-duty tasks.
However, it requires careful management; otherwise, snow plows can damage the vehicle’s body.
For example, the front parts can get dents on the metal surface, and it can lose their paint.
Frame rusting
Rusting can occur on the pickup truck surface when adding snow plows to it.
In addition, when salt and moisture cause rusting when these come in direct contact with the metal frame.
The frames present on the lower end of the vehicle are more prone to rusting because of their continuous contact with ice.
Daily use of vehicles for snow plowing can damage the surface quickly. So it is better to follow these guidelines.
Quick wear and tear of truck parts
The snow plowing is like a repetitive shock to the vehicle’s chassis that can damage the truck parts that are close to the plows.
In pickup trucks with a manual transmission line, the clutches can wear out due to the mounting of heavy metal plows.
Damage transmission line
A continuous shift of gears from forward to reverse puts strain on the transmission line.
In addition, slipping can occur in the transmission line due to a decrease in line pressure.
Moreover, the pressure in line decreases when you try to change gears quickly after taking up a pile of snow.
The temperature of transmission fluids increases up to 240 degrees Fahrenheit and results in overheating.
Incorrect use of truck
Improper use of the pickup truck can also lead to severe damage. For example, the truck’s surface can damage when you attach heavyweight accessories to the front end.
The capacity of pickups to tolerate the weight varies and adding a weight beyond its capacity can affect it badly.
Installation of snowplows is not bad for the vehicle, but improper use and negligence of the driver can be responsible for this damage.
It is essential that the vehicle power and the volume of the snow pile match for a better plowing experience. If it does not match, severe damage can occur to the vehicle’s body.
Therefore, the truck’s capacity should meet the plowing requirements that a vehicle can handle efficiently.
How to avoid damage by snow plows to trucks?
Here are safety measures that you can follow to minimize the damage to snow plows. You cannot avoid the damage but reduce the extent of damage and increase the truck’s longevity.
Professional handling
You can avoid the risk of damage to trucks by handling the snow plows professionally. You should about the vehicle’s speed, which is essential for reaching a pile and going away from it.
Additionally, you can handle the plowing process in a good way by attaching a blade of a suitable size that is not heavy for the truck to operate.
Small size plow
The size of a snowplow or its blade matters a lot in plowing.
When the pickup size is small, choosing a small blade for mounting is better, and a large blade suits a heavy truck. However, it can damage your vehicle by mismatching the blade size.
Slowly remove the snow
Reach the snow pile by driving a pickup towards it slowly, plow the snow efficiently, and get back into an original position.
Fill the snowplow and avoid changing gears before the vehicle stops.
It is better to drive at 10 to 15 mph during plowing and do not exceed 35 to 40 mph during snow transportation.
Plan a plowing pattern
Before starting the task, you can plan a plowing pattern, whether you want to back-drag or plow in a straight path.
The plowing pattern depends on the location from where you are going to remove the snow.
For example, a windrow method is suitable for cleaning a large space like a parking area.
At the same time, the back-dragging method is perfect for removing snow from small areas like around the building or garages.
Avoid tire spinning and upgrade the suspension
Do not spin the tires when it is not essential to do. Move to the side of the road after plowing some snow to cool down truck systems.
It is better to wait for 8 to 12 minutes to cool down its engine.
Add extra airbags to the coil to maintain a level on the front side of the pickup.
Similarly, you can reduce the wear and tear of front suspension parts by minimizing the angle of steering components.
Replace the transmission fluid
It is better to give some time to the transmission fluid till it gets cold. Then, it’s time to replace the transmission fluid when it gives a burnt smell.
Wait for some time when the temperature reaches 235 to 245 degrees Fahrenheit and allow the transmission fluid to cool down. A frequent replacement of fluid can prevent damage to the truck.
Effective tips for plowing a snow
Raise a snow plow off the ground and keep it in a V-position if you notice deep snow on the highways. Plow snow in small quantities or inches by inches by changing the blade width accordingly.
Furthermore, do the task quickly if there is wet snow; otherwise, it will freeze again at night. Finally, you can start from the center of an accumulated snow pile to plow it efficiently.
Cover the large area of snow by removing small inches of snow slowly. The best time for plowing is early morning when there is no high traffic flow on the roads.
Does putting a snow plow on your truck void the warranty?
The manufacturers do not allow unapproved modifications on the trucks, and it can easily void the warranty.
The dealers are not responsible for repairing the truck if they find that this damage is due to the mounting of plows.
Additionally, some pickup dealers provide warranties mentioning a snow plow package that can help the owners ask for the repair.
So, the recommended snow plows do not void the warranty due to their installation on pickups. It gives you legal rights to ask for the repair in case of any damage to the truck body.
Related Articles: