# Hey Guys I would like to buy a plow please help !!



## HDROCK (Nov 21, 2003)

I have a 2500HD 4X4 and I was wanting to get a plow for my truck could you all please help me on what I need. I dont plan on doing many jobs for money but, I have alot of family in town who are ederly and its just to many to shovel. I live in WV and we do get a decent amount of snow. I was thinking about maybe a 7.5 since I will be doing smaller driveways and just to have a smaller one cause Iam new to the plow scene. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I suppose with everything else I would be better off to buy a good used plow then to lay down the money for the new one since I wont be using it very often. Also I would like one that I could disconnect fairly easily I dont want to run around with the plow on my truck all winter.

Thanks Guys :waving: 

Also there is a post right now in the equipment forsale section of this site for a blade for my truck for $425 is this a good deal? How much does everything else that I will need cost?

Like I say fellows I know nothing and your help will be greatly apprecited


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## HDROCK (Nov 21, 2003)

He come on guys 24 of you have looked at it but, still no replys 
Dont be afraid to hop right in and make a suggestion.


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## easthavenplower (Aug 21, 2003)

yes a 7.5 is good get a waestern or fischer if you want good stuff get a fischer or western if you want just ok get a meyers its also lighter but it wikk work thats what i have its your choice good luck


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## The Boss (Oct 22, 2003)

I'd get an 8.2' Boss V Plow if you want good. Western makes great plows also. Wouldn't ever buy a Meyer. Just my opinion.:waving:


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## Arc Burn (Oct 21, 2002)

Goto your local dealer,don't be to concerned with brands at this point,if you've been here for 10 minutes you know the big ones,Fisher,Western,Meyer,Boss,Blizzard and spend the money now on a new set up,probably in the 8' department,by the time you piece a used one together and get the bugs worked out you will be farther ahead to have just bought a new one,it will be a worthwhile investment especially seeing the light use that it will,it should last you for many years and many trucks.


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## BigRedBarn (Jan 4, 2003)

I have the same requirements... I plow my driveway and the driveways of some relatives & friends. Thus, I don't get commercial plowing insurance ($500-600 from my agent) so I CANNOT ACCEPT ANY PAYMENT for the plowing I do on others' properties. 

Now that I've said that, I have a 7½ foot wide Western Ultra-Mount plow. I had a Western on my last truck, and liked it. I don't believe that Western plows are all that bad. They're not top of the line, nor are they bargains, either.

I think the 7½ foot wide plow is best for someone not doing too much plowing. An 8 foot plow might be inconvenient for driving to/from the various driveways you do. I know that on the narrow roads around my little town that even the 7½ foot wide plow needs a little bit of attention so you don't start creaming mailboxes that are too close to the road ("Honest, ossifer, I didn't hit those mailboxes, even if they do have red paint on them"). 

Also, the Western Ultra-Mount is a nice system as it's really easy to install and remove. On my old truck, once we had the plow on for the Winter it stayed on all Winter. With this new one I can take the plow off and quickly install it when it's needed. Plus too and also, with the new Western plow, when I remove the plow, the whole plow package comes off, essentially, On my old Western plow, the hydraulic unit and the headlighst were permanently mounted to the truck. I know this "all off" plow system has been around for a while, but those of us who've been using older versions of these plows get excited with these innovations. 

I bought a urethane plow edge from someone here in this forum. I had a rubber edge on my old plow and liked that. I can't wait to try out this new urethane edge. These rubber or urethane plow edges allow you to plow quieter, which means you don't necessairly wake people up in the morning when you plow their driveway. I also greatly slowed down the rate of drop for the plow (very easy on the new one, just an adjustment screw on top of the hydraulic unit). Now the plow doesn't make a loud "bang" when I drop it. As I don't do commercial plowing, I'm not interested in speed when I plow. 

Finally, don't forget to get a blinking yellow caution light for on top of your truck. You can get a fairly inexpensive one on many of the web sites menetioned in this forum. Some are under $20 (revolving "Kojak" light). In my area, by law, you have to have a blinking yellow caution light when plowing even residential driveways. Someone I know got hit when he was plowing and got a ticket for not having a blinking caution light, plus got charged with fault in the accident. They have them with magnetic mounts, so you can put it on and take it off fast. 

That's just my 2½¢.


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## HDROCK (Nov 21, 2003)

I appreciate everyone replys. So would it be the overall opinion of the group that I just purchase a new plow instead of a good used one? Also Big Red Barn I did not realize about the insurance issue you were speaking of. So is this a State Law in NY? Down here in WV I would almost be 95% sure most guys who plow dont have any special insurance rider. Heck it would probably be a hoot to see how many did not even have insurance on the trucks that the plows are on. It seems alot of people have beater trucks they bring out when we get storms most dont even have inspection stickers... LOL Anyway thanks for everyone reply and keep them coming. 

I really dont want to hit any mailboxes would i be better off with a 7 foot plow? I realize most of you who do this for a living think Iam crazy and that I should just pay one of you to do it, but it just looks like to much fun to miss out on:bluebounc


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## BigRedBarn (Jan 4, 2003)

Based on my discussions with both my corrent and former car-insurance agent, commercial plow insurance is needed in New york state if you accept payment for plowing. My current agent did say in slight jest that accepting a gift certificate for Red Lobster wouldn't be a problem.

I believe that the 7½ foot wide plows are pretty much standard. Check out the various plow-manufacturers' web sites to be sure.

Sure, a used plow is a possibility, especially for non-commercial plowing, and for installation on a used truck (I assume it's used, but likely fairly new, no?). 

But, I'd really have some heartburn over trying to find a used plow that's not beat to snot by a former owner who may have used it for commercial plowing. Let's face it, commercial plowers are interested in doing the job fast and getting to the next job. They don't necessairly worry about being kind to their equipment as their time is incredibly valuable as customers are calling 10 minutes after it snows wondering why their driveway isn't plowed yet. 

With a used plow, you can do a tear-down on the hydraulic unit and replace wear parts (brushes, etc.). You can replace hydraulic hoses and other parts. You can have the plow itself worked on (I had my old one welded where it was damaged, then I had it sandblasted and repainted). Maybe someone out there does do that to the used plows they sell ("Used Snowplows R Us"?). 

It's all a matter of what you have to spend, and what you can do yourself repair-wise and such. If you do go with a used plow, it might be nice to have some repair parts on hand just in case. I know Western has kits available. As an absolute minimum, spare hydraulic oil is a must as not having any can leave you without being able to raise the plow (yes?) and then you couldn't drive the truck unless you removed the plow unit and left it where you broke down. 

Again, just my 2¢. There are others on this site with much, much more knowledge and experience than me. Maybe they can chime in a used plows.


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## Adams plowing (Oct 8, 2003)

Well first off i would like to say on the insurance thing all plowers should have GL ins to protect themselves from lawsuits arriseing from slip/fall accidents it may not be inportant if your just doing family but if your doing commercial and or residential and getting payed for it if your smart you'll have it because if you dont all it takes one person to slip/fall on somewhere you plowed and sue you w/o you having the insurance to handle the claim the money they sue you for will have to come from your pocket. one lawsuit like that and your basicly financially ruineduntil/unless you are able to pony up the money they were awarded. with that all said and done asfar as plows go on that 2500HD i would go with an 8' strait blade or an 8'2" V blade. thats a decient sized truck 7' would be too short for it.you could run a 7.5' but you'd probaly be happier with the 8' asfar as transporting the blade between pushes i dont see any problems carring the 8' blade thats what i run most all traffic areas that are big enough to travel through with your truck are going to be big enough for you to get through with the blade and if your traveling with the blade fully angled (although you dont have to) an 8' blade would only cover 7.5' of space due to the angle taking up the extra 6" of the blade. asfar as plow choices i would go with either a Boss Western or fisher... personally i prefer Boss plows.


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## HDROCK (Nov 21, 2003)

I appreciate everyones help !!!!:waving: I'm going to call my dealer and price some new plows. The used plows that I was speaking of were generally like the ones on ebay that have been used 4 times and they are 2 years old. I dont really want to buy any junk and I can afford to buy a new one I just figured since I was not going to be plowing commercially that I would never use of even a new plow. But I hate my equipment breaking down so maybe I should get a new one... 

I have another dumb question guys... I have seen some plows that go into V's are V plows good for residential driveways ? Are V plows more expensive.

Thanks for everyones help


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## HDROCK (Nov 21, 2003)

I just noticed that I got tung twisted in the last part.. I was trying to say that I figured since I was not plowing commercially that I would never even use up a good used plow, much less need a new one...but it might not be a bad idea. So do new ones come with warrantys?


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## HDROCK (Nov 21, 2003)

I think the word I was looking for was tongue..... Now I know what the spell checker and preview post are for


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## vector6 (Aug 6, 2003)

HDROCK,


Welcome to plowsite!! 
from another West Virginian... :waving: 


Im in Morgantown... where you from ?


Man i wish it would SNOW !!!!


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## Adams plowing (Oct 8, 2003)

hdrock v-plows are more expencive than strait blades they would work good for drives but with the small ammount you are gonna do it might not be cost effective for you you might be better to just go with a strait blade. oh and those plows that they say have only been used 2 or 3 times have generally been used more... some truley have been used only a few times but the majority have been used more they just say they were used less to make them sound more attractive. and new plows generally come with warrentys.


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## HDROCK (Nov 21, 2003)

Vector 6,

I'm down here in Beckley praying for snow as well.. Last year I think by this time we had already had a couple of small snows. Lets hope Dec. will be more eventful.. Then some of you guys will be piling up the money payup

Thanks for the welcome


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## HDROCK (Nov 21, 2003)

Alright I called the Western dealer and they confused me  The guy told me to get on the western website and check out some of the plows so here is what I found. They offer several different plows Pro Plow, Poly Prow Plow,Standard Plow,Poly Standard Plow. So what exactly is the Poly? From the website it basically just said that the snow rolled off of it better and that it was a maintenance free blade. Will I need a ploy..

Not to offend anyone I have not totally decided on a Western Plow it was just the one I found the fastest in the phone book. It seems some of you are as loyal to plow manufactures as we are to our CHEVY TRUCKS !!!!

Which plow do I want the? The Standard one is the cheapest


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## Adams plowing (Oct 8, 2003)

the Pro plow is the comercial plow their made stronger than the standard plow hteir designed to be worked harder and more than the standard plows so it just depends on what you want i personally would go with a commercial quality plow if i were you especially if this might eventually turn into a small biz for you at some point or if you are in an area that gets lots of snow and you have a lot of people to plow for but i have always been one to prefer getting something that was made for heavy duty use this way it should stand up to quite a bit of use also a good heavy duty plow should last you quite a few years with minor maintnence. asfar as the poly plow vs steel blade. the polys the moldbord wont rust or need painting because it is not made of metal where as a steel blade after it gets scratched up a bit may need some paint to keep it from rusting bad. both poly and steel have their advantages but its pretty much just personal preferance. if you wanted to save money somewhere i would go with the steel and save the money there... theres nothing wrong with a steel blade they get the job done and are easilsy able to be repaired with a welder if something does happen to them where as if a poly gets broken there isnt a cheap fast way to fix them quick...


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## HDROCK (Nov 21, 2003)

Hey guys I have been studying this plow thing quite a bit. Have any of you ever used one of these pull behind plows. These just go into the trailer hitch receiver and you drag them behind. I'm going to leave a link down here at the botttom take a look and tell me what you think. I guess the good part would be if I ever got rid of my 2500HD it would work on like a Tahoe or Suburban. Its says that some contractors now use both a front and rear. Here is the link www.snowmanplows.com

Thanks you all have been a Big Help


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## Adams plowing (Oct 8, 2003)

some plowers do use them and they work well for their purpose but they dont have the stacking ability that you have with a front blade and really only work real well in conjunction to a regular blade because once you move the snow you have to be able to put it somewhere thats where the stacking ability of a normal blade comes into play...


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## slowpoke (Nov 18, 2003)

Chevy makes a Truck?


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## sbrennan007 (Jul 27, 2003)

8' Western Poly Pro Plow
$3200 installed out the door!


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## BigRedBarn (Jan 4, 2003)

I still recommend a 7½ foot wide plow (Western) rather than an 8 foot wide plow. 

With a 7½ foot wide plow:
- You can drive down the road easier without worrying about clipping mailboxes, other cars, etc. Yes, you can angle the plow a bit to reduce the width, but an 8 footer is still pretty wide for driving on many roads. Personally, I always angle my plow to the left when I drive (i.e., bring it in on the left) because right turns are usually sharper and it's better to have the extra room on the left. 

With an 8 foot wide plow:
- The plow sticks out further at the sides, so you can get closer to edges, or even under things, such as mailboxes, because your truck doesn't get in the way. This is a real plus for some people. 


To me, a 7½ foot wide plow is fine for non-commercial use, such as what I use it for. I only plow my driveway, that of the house next door (my rental property) and some occassional favors for friends, neighbors and reletives. That's just my 2¢.


PS: I also added a urethane plow edge to my Western plow for this Winter. So far, I like it. I had a rubber plow edge on my last truck and I really liked that.


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## PROCUTSLAWNCARE (Oct 18, 2003)

Meyer's :waving:


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## Bolts Indus. (Dec 22, 2003)

*hdrock*

If you are not mechanicaly inclined or don't have all the tools then buy new if you can afford it. Used plows can end up costing you more in the long run. 7.5 plows are for 1/2 tons and 8' plows are for 3/4 tons. It's that simple. Don't forget Blizzard with power hitch. Rear mount plows that angle like the SnowMan would do the job for you but usually used in conjunction with front plow. Will take you a little longer but it should be fine. I am going to allow that you may get the bug and start plowing some pay jobs so I will recommend an 8 foot front plow.


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## rewoodworking (Dec 19, 2003)

OK i am new at plowing also and did alot of checking on the net and local i got a good deal at this site on a unimount and i just ordered the harness and mount i paid 1200.00 for plow it is a unimount and 800.00 for the rest of the parts and I'm told i did very well 

i didn't buy used harness or cab-cammand i wanted them new 
the plow looks almost new still stickers and no flacking paint

you can shop and get good deals if you look


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## gt_racer50 (Dec 4, 2003)

Just buy a plow that you can get parts for locally or easily, one that is popular in your area, that you can get it worked on in a flash and not be hauled over the coals. I have a Meyers, I like it, parts are readily accessable, repair is readily accessable. You'll find guys that don't like Meyers, you find them that don't like Western, don't like Boss. Just buy 1 that you can get fixed in a hurry or get parts for in a hurry. I blew a plow motor on our 1st plowable snow this year on a Sunday, called up the local Car Quest store, and they had it in stock, went there and picked it up, back on the road in 1 hour. Somthing to think about.


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

If you have any thought that you might turn it into a buissness or do some stuff on the side go for a comercial grade like a western pro plow or a fisher. Get a blade that you can get parts for localy. 

I would go steel since it is cheaper and easy to fix. Its not going to rust through and you can scrape it up and shoot it up with some paint easy enough. You also dont have to worry about rolling snow unless you are doing larger comercial lots. You also can put wings on a steel blade(a nice addition if you co comercial).

If 3" on either side causes you to whack and object then you are a bit to close any way. I run a 9'6" Fisher EZV on my 2500HD and it folds to 8'6" or so and its managable going down the road. Gota be mindfull at times like when going down a narrow country road but its definatly doable. A 8' blade will be much narrower when its angled going down the road. 

If you are strongly considering doing some comercial work then a V blade is a very big help but its about a grand more so its not really a cost effective thing if you arnt doing it commercialy and trying to be as efficent as possible. The faster you can move snow the faster you can get to the next paying customer and the more paying cusomers you can have. No paying customers means no real reason to shave a few minutes here and there IMO.

If you know what you are looking for and have the ability to repair a blade then a used blade might be a good way to get a bargin. IMO it sounds like a new blade would better suit you though to save you from some worries. If you install yourself(its pretty easy) you get a pretty good idea of how its all set up and save yourself a couple hundered bucks. If you buy local and you have a good dealer they should help you if you run into any problems and might even check things out for you. I would buy local even if you pay a few more dollars since it will be much easier to get help. I pay a premium for service and I expect premium service. This is the biggest thing when finding a dealer IMO not just the lowest price.


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## Bolts Indus. (Dec 22, 2003)

All my customers that run 3/4 ton rigs are commercial plowers and all want an 8 foot blade. The rule we use is 8 foot blades for 3/4 ton and up and under 3/4 ton then it's a 7'6" light truck model. There are 2 grades of 7'6" blades, one for a 1/2 ton and one for a 3/4 ton. we don't sell 7'6" blades for 3/4 ton.


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## Tom Smith (Nov 8, 2003)

*v blade*

I want to do alot of residential / commercial plowing.... Will a V plow save me alot of time? Whats the benefit.. I will be getting a Western 8' Pro Plow(Steel) or a MVP V Plow....


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## BigRedBarn (Jan 4, 2003)

*Re: v blade*



> _Originally posted by Tom Smith _
> *I want to do alot of residential / commercial plowing.... Will a V plow save me alot of time? Whats the benefit.. I will be getting a Western 8' Pro Plow(Steel) or a MVP V Plow.... *


My truck has a straight blade, as did my previous truck. I'm cheap, so a straight blade is all that I'd consider.

I live on a busy rural road, and I'm out on disability right now after some surgery, so I look out the window a lot watching the traffic go by. I would estimate that 24 out of every 25 trucks that drive by with plows on them have straight-blade plows.

There's a Boss dealer just about 2 miles from my house that sells many of the plows that are bought in my area, so there should be a lot of V-blade Boss plows around these parts. But, I still see very few V-blades. If they saved that much time I think a lot more people would have them. So, either they don't save time, or everyone else is like me, cheap.

Personally, it would seem that they'd just make things more complicated. It takes getting used to using even a straight blade to do a job as quickly as you can. We all develop our own methods to prevent having to make multiple passes, such as when you leave "side trails" of snow (or whatever people call them).

Sure, with a V-blade you'd probably develop tricks to make things go faster. But, are they really enough to make the extra cost and complexity of a V-blade worth it?

Personally, cheapskate-ness aside, I'd stick with a straight blade just because I'd worry about the possible extra downtime due to the added complexity of a V-blade system. The more complex a setup is, the more things that can break or go wrong.

Simply put (pun intended), simplicity is always best. The more simple a setup, the less there is to break or malfunction.

As an example (and I'm always trying to fit in a discussion about my tractors, so here goes), I'm always tempted to get a newer tractor. My tractors are plain and very common old Ford's: a 1944 2N and a 1947 8N. But, these simple old tractors do the job, they seldom break down, and they are easy to maintain & repair. The newer tractors have complex hydraulic systems that have hoses & valves all over the place. They have all sorts of levers, controls, gauges, and such. I'll stick with my old, simple tractors, thank you very much.


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

yes the KISS is not a bad idea but if you look at the parts involved in a V and a straight blade they arnt many. also many guys dont want to/cant afford to drop the extra cash or are just afraid of something new.

Simply put a V blade _will_ make you more efficient. You will be able to clear the same area more quickly so you can move on to the next. You'll get done sooner so you could add acounts and make more payup

If it will be enough in your situation to make up the cost difference is debatable. Dont really know what you are doing. A V makes clean up much easier. I personaly havent found much use for the V position except its much nicer while traveling since it takes up less room than a straight. Some people use the heck outa the V to bust big windrows though.

Vs have thier dissadvantages but I wouldnt buy a straight blade for what I do(mostly med-large comercial)


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