# Tips for Plowing with S10



## 97S104x4 (Dec 31, 2009)

does anyone have any tips for plowing with an s10.
it has a 6.5 meyers full steel plow not poly blade


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

Don't plow against the grain?!


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## ScottPA (Nov 11, 2009)

I would say make sure you always get some momentum before you drop your blade. Make the weight of your truck work, not the truck itself.


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## bersh (Dec 12, 2003)

Go slow and steady, don't ram piles, and start saving up for front end parts and brakes. If it doesn't have one already, put a tranny cooler on it. Also, make sure you use ballast, and make sure you have good snow tires.


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## THEGOLDPRO (Jun 18, 2006)

dont let the snow get much over 4-5 inches before you go out. or you wont be plowing much of anything. plow with the storm, the little trucks needs to do this more then the bigger 3/4-1tons because they just dont have the power or weight to push the deeper snow easily. go slow and be easy on her, she not really built to be worked, so things will break much easier if your kicking the piss out of it.


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## cmo18 (Mar 10, 2008)

there was a guy on here who did a frame off restorations on a 2wd s-10. He made it 4wd and put a plow on it for a bit but I dont think it was holding up for a plow truck. He then turned it into a an off road vehicle


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## poncho62 (Jan 23, 2004)

My s10 Blazer works good, but like said, they aren't a heavy powerhouse. Don't try and do too much with it.


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## leeddog65 (Jan 18, 2005)

I had an s10- extended cab, plowed with it til the body fell off....DEFINITELY IS a work horse, 4.3 is a monster of a motor, just dont forget some weight in the back


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## 97S104x4 (Dec 31, 2009)

thanks guys i have plowed all last year no problem with the truck except for overheating issues if i try to travel to far, this year so far so good no issues


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

I plowed with a Bronco II with a 6 foot Meyer for 3 seasons. The big thing is to plow with the storm. Go out when it reaches 4 inches and do all your places. It's better to do it twice and charge once. So you don't kill your truck. When you stack snow climb the pile and stop. Don't spin the tires, this tends to break U joints and CV's. Get momentum before you hit piles. Drop the plow as you get to them.


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## abbe (Sep 8, 2009)

isnt your truck for sale?


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

I plowed with a Bronco II with a 6 foot Meyer for 3 seasons. The big thing is to plow with the storm. Go out when it reaches 4 inches and do all your places. It's better to do it twice and charge once. So you don't kill your truck. When you stack snow climb the pile and stop. Don't spin the tires, this tends to break U joints and CV's. Get momentum before you hit piles. Drop the plow as you get to them.


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## 97S104x4 (Dec 31, 2009)

abbe;940071 said:


> isnt your truck for sale?


my truck??


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## abbe (Sep 8, 2009)

On RI craigslist I thought I saw it


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## 97S104x4 (Dec 31, 2009)

Thanks for posting that!!! NO its not for sale
thats a joke my uncles posted that without me knowing


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## pajamie (Feb 10, 2010)

*'05 Colorado*

I've been thinking about buying a '05 Colorado and putting my poly blade on it.. I only plow my personal drive and at my parents.. My poly blade is on a 1990 GMC thats pretty much falling apart and know the framework won't work and will have to get something else but, What should I do to the truck if I did buy it before pushing snow??


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## hobbyjeep (Dec 11, 2003)

I have a 97 S-10 ZR2 regular cab, short box w/ 6.5 ft. Fisher plow - Great for residential drives and small lots. With the 4.3L you have the 4L60e transmission. Key to long transmission life is to come to a COMPLETE stop before shifting between forward and reverse (assume you have an auto). DO not shift while rolling or you will take the transmission out. Truck has enough engine, but light- put some weight in the back. If deep snow, use Low Range to keep engine RPMs up and transfluid flowing.


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## ferdinand711 (Oct 25, 2006)

ScottPA;937750 said:


> I would say make sure you always get some momentum before you drop your blade. Make the weight of your truck work, not the truck itself.


and do this for the weight? http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=99197


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## pajamie (Feb 10, 2010)

Ya think I should do something with the front shocks, like go with gas so I can pump them up stiffer to support the weight or even go with a heavier spring??


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## Stik208 (Oct 19, 2004)

pajamie;995110 said:


> I've been thinking about buying a '05 Colorado and putting my poly blade on it.. I only plow my personal drive and at my parents.. My poly blade is on a 1990 GMC thats pretty much falling apart and know the framework won't work and will have to get something else but, What should I do to the truck if I did buy it before pushing snow??


Fisher HT. Turn up the TBs and/or add Timbrens. I dont use ballast since I only use mine for my driveway and family at times. Plow with the storm every 5-6 inches max.


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## albhb3 (Dec 18, 2007)

On the gas haulin a$$ duh


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Plowing with an S truck is no problem. All the above advice is good for plowing with any vehicle. Know its limits and work within them. I was amazed what mine could plow. Especially with a load of salt on the back. Turn up the front torsion bars a few turns--if the truck can carry my V-plow it can carry a straight blade! If you're really worried buy a set of Timbrens or the newer knock off versions.


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## golfmanres (Jan 3, 2002)

Buy a bigger truck!


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## black7.3 (Jan 18, 2010)

Why buy a bigger truck????? His s-10 seems to be doing a great job for him


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

golfmanres;996762 said:


> Buy a bigger truck!


Not everybody wants or needs a bigger truck. An S truck is a very capable machine for its size.


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## VPRacing (Dec 26, 2009)

derekbroerse;996739 said:


> Plowing with an S truck is no problem. All the above advice is good for plowing with any vehicle. Know its limits and work within them. I was amazed what mine could plow. Especially with a load of salt on the back. Turn up the front torsion bars a few turns--if the truck can carry my V-plow it can carry a straight blade! If you're really worried buy a set of Timbrens or the newer knock off versions.


You have a V plow on an S10? How much does the plow weigh?

You dont happen to have a spreader in the back of it do you? I think there is a picture of your truck floating around this site. :laughing:

I have a 84 S10 with a 6.5 Meyer on it and it does great for small parking lots and residential drives. If you have a long driveway or parking lot to plow, it would probably be a decent idea to put on a deflector, would probably help your engine stay a little cooler as well. I put 5 - 70lb bags of sand in the back (350lbs) and it does just fine.

I dont use the truck anymore since I have the 3500 and I dont think I would ever go back to it. Sure it was nice for the size but man did I really have to beat on it to get it to move 1/2 the snow my 1 ton will move without any struggle.

Good luck!


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

VPRacing;996812 said:


> You have a V plow on an S10? How much does the plow weigh?
> 
> You dont happen to have a spreader in the back of it do you? I think there is a picture of your truck floating around this site. :laughing:


Yup, its a 6'6" Boss V-plow. It weighs around 450lbs I believe. The truck also carries a Pro-Flo2. Yes there are a few pictures from last year floating around somewhere, that was pre-rebuild. Nice fresh new body on it, low mileage engine and drivetrain... truck is a gem. Goes out every night to do the salting right now because the K35 is sidelined. Generally 5 or 6 hopper fulls per night (6 is 7200lbs).

Honestly I haven't used the plow on it this year because after the body was replaced I haven't gotten around to reinstalling the wiring for the blade. We mounted the hydraulics up front rather than under the hood this time, so the wiring needs to be lengthened and modified a bit--just ran out of season.

You wouldn't believe the mountains of snow that truck can move and stack. I would never have believed it until I did it myself. I'm mostly concerned about axles and such, but with a little care when driving (knock on wood) I have yet to break anything. Truck had new balljoints when I bought it about 5 years ago... never changed em since. Only swapped out the axle shafts because I had better ones and the boots were cracked up really bad.

Really the only mods the truck has to handle it all is tranny cooler, the front tbars are turned up 2-3 turns, an extra leaf in the rear suspension, and a pair of Gabriel air shocks on the rear to help keep it level when the spreader is (over)full. When the roads are bad and the spreader is loaded I keep it in 4wd to override the stupid (and unfortunately still working) rear wheel ABS so I can still stop! lol We are very, very close to the sites we salt.

Don't kid yourself. This isn't some Japanese compact truck! The frame isn't sheetmetal. These trucks are much more truck-like than other compacts. I usually describe it as a scaled-down half ton--its very very nimble and durable and can do anything a half-ton full size can do. Just hard to keep the rusties out. I wish it had heavier duty axles but other than that its an excellent work truck--just don't expect it to do everything the K35 can. It is only a 4.3L after all, but even that would be a huge step up from the 2.8L yours would have had.

As I said above, know its limits and work within them. I push the limits of mine pretty far but I don't recommend people go as far as I do. Yet other people do pretty heavy work with theirs too. There was a guy way out east a few years ago with a couple of them, three I think, with 8' blades, pull plows, and spreaders... his died due to rust.  But they handle the heavy work pretty well.


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## ezcleanfilter (Dec 2, 2010)

I had a ford ranger,and to me my s10 blazer feels more like a truck. I cut and fab a western v plow for it , and put heavy duty air shocks on front is all I need. I did build a custom tranny pan to keep things cool. I have done so much to say so if ya want check out my link.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065509&id=1454208390&l=da2769bee8


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## 97S104x4 (Dec 31, 2009)

ezclean - ive seen your truck on here before, do you have pics of how u did the air shock install up front, ive been wanting to do that but i know no one makes air shocks for these trucks for the front, i already have them in the back and i like the fact that i can adjust them if i need to for the plow


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## ezcleanfilter (Dec 2, 2010)

97S104x4;1143737 said:


> ezclean - ive seen your truck on here before, do you have pics of how u did the air shock install up front, ive been wanting to do that but i know no one makes air shocks for these trucks for the front, i already have them in the back and i like the fact that i can adjust them if i need to for the plow


Im sorry but they were in my stock and don't know what they were for. But I wanted to put air shocks on front and seen the shocks on the shelf from 12 years ago when I owned my garage. They had the circle bottom but a flat mount on top,so I measured and the length was right so all I did was pressout the flat part out of the circle loop. And 100% luck they fit perfect were the old front shocks were. But if helps or not I will put more pictures on my plow link for you. I wish I could have told you more about them but when I bought my garage I bought his inventory some marked for use and some were not. Here is my link I will put the pics on there.


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## 97S104x4 (Dec 31, 2009)

no problem thanks for the help


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## ezcleanfilter (Dec 2, 2010)

I posted the pics on my link.


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## bigbadbrad (Mar 1, 2009)

remeber low range is your friend


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## outlaw66 (Nov 21, 2010)

Ive gotta get some pics of my s-10 this weekend and post em, put 99 s-10 with a 7'6" western, handles it great, I turned bars up over summer for larger tires, only drops 1/2" when blade is up. Had to build a custom mount, and really like the way it plows. I had a 85 s-10 blazer years ago, and loved it! for a little truck they work well!


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

bigbadbrad;1144731 said:


> remeber low range is your friend


Never needed low range for plowing on mine....


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## 97S104x4 (Dec 31, 2009)

derekbroerse;1144953 said:


> Never needed low range for plowing on mine....


yea same here, ive never plowed in 4 lo unless the snow was really really heavy. the truck does fine in 4 high


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## bigbadbrad (Mar 1, 2009)

are your guys std or auto? on our old ranger with a plow that we used that was std and only had a tired 2.9l i found it much easier to use 4x4 low, was much easier on the truck i found, less waer and tear and could push big piles


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Low range isnt just for power to push, it is to make the transmission not work so hard and to last longer. a transmission rebuilder told me to use low range whenever possible for that reason, I always put auxiliary tranny coolers and temp gauges in my plow trucks, and I was amazed to see how true it is. Without a gauge you never know how bad you're beating on the trans. 10 minutes of heavy plowing work in 4 high and my temp gauge would be into the red, so I would know to switch on the electric fan mounted to the tranny cooler. So then when I started doing the same jobs in low range, I could really see a huge difference. The transmission just never got hot! Runs about 40 degrees below the redline, which I had no trouble hitting in high range.
That being said, plowing in a big heavy beast with 4:10 gears I don't often have the patience to use low range. You have to plow somewhat slower and you have to shift forward and reverse a little more carefully. But anytime I can remember and have the patience, I use low range. And I have never killed a transmission plowing (knock on wood).


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Sorry for the hijack. I wanted to say I love s-10s, I've owned six of them and looking at another one right now. I would love to have a little s10 or s-blazer for a backup plowtruck, Bet they'd be so much quicker and more maneuverable for doing driveways than what I use now. My dually is ridiculous for a lot of what I do. But as a one man operation I really cant switch back and forth between trucks while I do my route.
The 4.3 is a monster motor in a little truck, the 4 cyl and 2.8 arent that powerful but as long as you aren't looking to drag race them you'll do fine. What you have to remember is you arent working any harder than a big truck because the plow is much smaller so you are taking smaller bites.
Derek is absolutely right, the S-10 is much more of a truck than the other little trucks. I've owned Toyotas and even one Ranger, no comparison.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

What everyone forgets about the S truck is that they use the same automatic tranny as the full size truck... Some of the older 2.8 trucks had less clutches inside (and some of the early 4.3s even) but I think they did away with that on the later trucks. I always put a big cooler on automatics if I can. Low range is too damn slow in reverse! Its fine for small, technical type properties where you aren't moving great distances.

Keep your tranny as cool as possible, like Dan mentioned. Add a cooler, a deep and finned pan, even a HD type shift kit never hurt.. Mind you, if your tranny is a lemon, it doesn't matter how cool you keep it, it will come apart anyways!


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

MOMENTUM IS YOUR FRIEND with a small truck!!! Remember that too...


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## outlaw66 (Nov 21, 2010)

Heres my S-10 this morning, 7'6" Western Uni-Mount with custom mount.


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## bigbadbrad (Mar 1, 2009)

outlaw66;1148956 said:


> Heres my S-10 this morning, 7'6" Western Uni-Mount with custom mount.


nice setup like the red on red


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## STIHL GUY (Sep 22, 2009)

a truck like that seems like it would be great for driveways. its easier to maneuver than a fullsize truck


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## outlaw66 (Nov 21, 2010)

Thanks! It is, turns around in tight places and pushes snow like a bear!


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

outlaw66;1149932 said:


> Thanks! It is, turns around in tight places and pushes snow like a bear!


Makes me feel stupid for plowing driveways with 1 ton duallies. My trucks are far better suited to parking lots, but I don't do much commercial work because my work schedule doesnt allow it, so it's residential for the most part. I'd love to have either an s-10 or a Jeep, but I have these heavy duty trucks and it wouldn't make sense for me to let them sit. I've often thought about having a little truck for some of the tight spots and for doing cleanup after the storm, but I'm only one guy and can only drive one truck at a time.

I am always tormented by trying to figure out how to make a truck good at everything. My truck pushes snow like a bear too, a freakin Polar bear, but it stinks in tight spots. And it is not especially fuel efficent either. But it tows anything I choose to hook to it, and is built heavy duty enough that I rarely worry about breakage. I have to have a backseat for the kids, but the extended cab isnt even big enough, which is why I bought the crewcab. Which is even longer than the first dually and not as maneuverable or fuel efficient. Why do I feel like I'm going in the wrong direction?

I guess what I need is a v6 S-10 with 400 hp and 500 lbft torque that gets 30 mpg and seats six comfortably. It needs to be short enough to turn around while plowing driveways and long enough to tow my 10,000lb 33 foot camper. Oh and don't forget the tailgate sander with 2-3 yards of mix in the back.

What I need just can't be done I guess. Going to stick with the crewcab project, it will do most everything I need, except turn around in a driveway.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

I had a 99 s-10 for a couple days last week, my cousin was trying to convince me to buy it. Nice little truck, 4 cyl auto with a jillion miles on it, but 2wd. If it were 4wd I'd buy it in a heartbeat and throw a little plow on it. It actually motivated me to look around for a little plowrig for a little while. Which made me realize I have too many already and that motivated me to get my 82 project going again. So now I'm driving the big long truck and putting a Fisher conventional on it.


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## ezcleanfilter (Dec 2, 2010)

I love my old s10 v plow setup,so much that I realy don't and won't pound it for all the cheap people in this city. I just will do my great customers and forget the rest.


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## ezcleanfilter (Dec 2, 2010)

And I live on the end of an alley,and built the plow just so I didn't have to rely on anyone. Then I went around my alley and said pay me 4 dollars per house a plow,well 2 people said that was to much and No one is even paying. So screw them do my own and good customers.


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## hobbyjeep (Dec 11, 2003)

Just finished about 30 hours plowing last storm (SE Mich)... started wet snow, then temp dropped and everythig froze and turned to ice. The S-10 (ZR-2) did a great job again, but used low range as much as possible in deep wet stuff. It has a 6'6" Fisher, wish it had a 7'. 

Someone earlier noted overheating issue, this can be eaisly fixed by a new engine fan clutch (Autozone has a extreme duty for about $50), that kicks fan in sooner. Negative is sounds like a jet engine when it kicks in and fuel mileage drops about 2 mpg. But will keep engine cool.


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

I seen at a local high end car dealer the perfect plow vehicle. It was a real hummer - H1 with a custom body. Someone had a pickup style 2 seat / 2 door cab built on it with a small bed. Put a small V box in the bed for weight and salting. I bet it would be the beast! I wonder how an H1 would hold up to plowing? Both Fisher & Myer make plows for it.


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## 97S104x4 (Dec 31, 2009)

heres some new pics of my truck testing out the rebuilt pump and the new tires, im still waiting on the first storm up here in RI. the only thing i did to the truck to handle the extra weight of the plow was crank the torsion bars, i also added air shocks in the rear to handle alot more in the bed. it only goes down and 1" at most when the plow is up.


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