# plowing with a v6?



## cubplower

Hey guys, 
i ve been lookin around lately for my first truck that id like to plow with... but my dad wont let me get a diesel so half ton it is. I found a pretty good deal on an 01 chevy 1500 but it has a v6. would this be ok to plow with?


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## Plowtoy

Theres not much weight in the front with a v6 but it can be done. Our old shop truck was a 94 chevrolet half ton v6 with a snow way on it. It got moved around pretty good if the snow got heavy, but in most cases it did fine. It sounds like a great first plow truck IMO


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## hydro_37

it shoulf be just fine...depending on driver and snow conditions


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## BlackBirdWS.6

why not just try to find a 1500 with a v8?


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## cubplower

my dad WANTS me to get a v6(less gas) but if i pay half hell let me get a v8.. this is just if this deal comes through... as for hydro and plowtoy thank you, we dont get much snow here


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## BlackBirdWS.6

i would try for the v8 just for the extra umpff, i have a 93 k1500 chevy reg/short with a 7.5 meyer as a light snow/ driveway truck and its never caused any problems even with wet snow like last year during snowmageddon it was plowing 14in fine, just adjusting the suspension makes the ride go right down the drain...


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## cubplower

yea thats im not worriede so much as it being a half ton etc as not having enough power with the v6


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## BlackBirdWS.6

if you can get the v8 you'll be fine, and if you want some more power a couple mods and you'll be set.


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## SharpBlades

honestly, you won't get a lot greater mpg's with a v-6 vs a smaller v-8. I have a 2 wheel peel with a 4.6L v-6 and it only gets about 1-2 mpg better than my 4x4 with a 5.3L v-8.


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## jb1390

V6 will be fine for plowing snow. Now pulling a heavy trailer, you might want more horsepower. But when plowing you are never moving fast enough to have the need for that extra power. The gearing will be enough, even with a v6. 

For anyone that doubts-try taking your truck (with not too much ballast), in slick conditions, drop the blade and floor it. See how effective that is. When your wheels just spin, and you don't move any snow, you will realize that you need traction, not horsepower, to move snow.


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## ddb maine

jb1390;1119662 said:


> V6 will be fine for plowing snow. Now pulling a heavy trailer, you might want more horsepower. But when plowing you are never moving fast enough to have the need for that extra power. The gearing will be enough, even with a v6.
> 
> For anyone that doubts-try taking your truck (with not too much ballast), in slick conditions, drop the blade and floor it. See how effective that is. When your wheels just spin, and you don't move any snow, you will realize that you need traction, not horsepower, to move snow.


I would have to slightly disagree... You need torque, and traction to move snow. Horsepower is for speed, torque is for moving heavy objects. IE: drag cars have insane hp numbers and minimal torque, while a turbo diesel will easily have twice the torque compared to its hp. 
I do agree that a v6 is plenty especially if you don't frequently see snow. Just plow with the storm so that the truck does't have to work 100% all the time.


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## cubplower

i will be fairly frequently pulling a trailer, which is what i told my dad and he seems to think a v6 is plenty but im still tryin to get him to let me get the v8


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## jb1390

What is the weight of your trailer? A v6 would not be my choice for pulling a 10k pounds skid trailer, but would be just fine for a lawn tractors or small boat. 

DDB Maine-torque is multiplied through gearing. Yes, you need torque to move snow, but a v6 in low gear will be more than sufficient. Also, I bet drag cars have insane torque numbers too. It's all about where along the rpm line your torque is....plowing at 11k rpms is just not fun for most people.


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## cubplower

ill be pulling anywhere from 700lbs to 7500lbs


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## BigLou80

BlackBirdWS.6;1118812 said:


> why not just try to find a 1500 with a v8?


or a 2500 gas job.
A 2500 series truck is going to hold up a whole lot better for a first plow truck.


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## BigLou80

ddb maine;1119680 said:


> I would have to slightly disagree... You need torque, and traction to move snow. Horsepower is for speed, torque is for moving heavy objects. IE: drag cars have insane hp numbers and minimal torque, while a turbo diesel will easily have twice the torque compared to its hp.
> I do agree that a v6 is plenty especially if you don't frequently see snow. Just plow with the storm so that the truck does't have to work 100% all the time.


actually "horsepower" is defined as the ability to do work over time. the more HP you have the more work you can do. Torque is a rotational force, even is nothing is actually moving. Torque in and of it self is not a useful metric for plowing snow or towing anything. The minute the torque starts moving you using horse power. Torque is not even required to move a car (think pushing it) or any other load. If you can move 33,000 lbs one foot in one minute you have done one horsepowers worth of work no torque required.

That's why all engines are rated in horse power not torque, even large diesel engines like the ones that go in trains are rated by HP not torque. The more horsepower the more work is can do.

The reason all heavy trucks have a lot of torque has to do with diesel engine design not because the torque is needed to perform the task.


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## BlackBirdWS.6

horsepower is a by product of torque though i.e. turbos make torque which intern creates hp


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## BigLou80

BlackBirdWS.6;1120181 said:


> horsepower is a by product of torque though i.e. turbos make torque which intern creates hp


 Torque is a byproduct of the fact that internal combustion engines have a rotating shaft. The rotational force is then turned in to horsepower. You can have torque with no horsepower and you can have horsepower with no torque


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## BlackBirdWS.6

BigLou80;1120194 said:


> Torque is a byproduct of the fact that internal combustion engines have a rotating shaft. The rotational force is then turned in to horsepower. You can have torque with no horsepower and you can have horsepower with no torque


http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/horsepower_vs_torque/index.html


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## BigLou80

BlackBirdWS.6;1120263 said:


> http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/horsepower_vs_torque/index.html


OK! that article backs up what I said, rotational force (torque) is converted in to horsepower. Keeping this germane... a V6 or any other motor is rated in HP, If you have 10,000 FT/lbs of torque and 0 HP @ 0RPM your not plowing any snow. Torque ratings in and of them selves are not a good indicator of a vehicles ability to do work and that's why all engines are rated in HP my GMC has a 300HP 6.0 my friends dump truck has a 500HP cat in it the SD40's that roll by my house have 3000HP prime movers in them some times as many as 5 lashed together (15,000 HP). No one refers to a motors torque rating. Diesel engines are not used in trucks buses etc because of their high torque they are used for their efficiency and durability

A v6 may not produce as much HP as a V8 but it should still have enough to get the job done. its drive train should by designed around the fact that the V6 makes less hp and torque at the same RPM as a larger engine. It may have to be in a lower gear to do it but a V6 is 100% capable of getting the job done especially at the low speeds of plowing. If 10HP are required to plow it doesn't matter where(rpm) and how( diesel, gas, coal oxen) you make the 10HP as long as its available at the speed you need to travel


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## Plowtoy

Cubplower, I still think a V6 will be o.k. for what your wanting to do. I plow with my V6 jimmy and also tow a 24ft travel trailer with it in the summer. I don't break any land speed records with it when I'm towing but its not imposable to maintain a safe speed when towing a load of that size. I have plowed with 4 cylinder gas and diesel, i have plowed with 6 cylinders (in-line and V) and i have plowed with small block V8s and V8 diesels. I have never plowed a big block gas. What i can tell you is that they all plowed o.k., you need to be aware of what/when your plowing. I wouldn't expect my 4 cylinder gas to do the same work as my V8 gas, and same goes for the diesel (however the fuso i plowed with a 4 cylinder diesel had a 9 foot blade and did a lot of work). For me its how you put the power to the ground and how you use it. You may have to take smaller bites with your V6 rather than trying to make full pushes every time. If you end up with the V6, make sure you have some weight in the back and good traction type tires. GOOD LUCK


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## BlackBirdWS.6

yes but you say you can hp without torque and vice verse, an engine is going to create both your not going to have a motor just making hp or just making torque


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## mnglocker

How about getting the V8 just based on the resale value of the truck, because after 2 seasons of using a half ton for plowing you'll want a 3/4-1 ton.


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## tjslider

A V-6 will work just fine. I have an Exploder that is going on its 8th season. Can't carry a 9ft, but it does just fine with a 7ft and salter on the hitch.

TJ


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## sbt1

The V6 will be just fine. I remember plowing with Dad in a Dodge 3/4 ton with a Slant-6. Moved loads of snow in NH.

Someone said it, the main thing you need to worry about is traction not power.

Also, re: gas mileage, your right foot has much more to do with the mileage you get than the V6 -vs- V8 difference. At least, when driving on the street. When plowing, it's gonna suck gas no matter what.


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