# Lightweight Plows



## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

I hope I didn't violate rules joining here as a non-professional, but I'm looking for some advice. I've got a 2018 F-150 Reg Cab 4x4 5.0L V8 XL w/snow plow prep. FGAWR is only 3300lbs. I'm just a homeowner with ~700 ft drive to plow. About 600' paved and a double wide side lot with 75' gravel. It's too much for me to snow blow so I usually spend $900-$1200 per year for plowing. It's bizarre but it seems like my little town usually wins the award in MA for most snow, go figure. The guy I'm paying to plow may retire soon and I have reason to believe I will end up paying 20-25% more if I get someone else.

I have this truck I got a good deal on for some towing (trailer, boat, horse trailer), it's pretty basic, not decked out. So I thought maybe I'd do the plowing myself. Plow will only be on there when I'm plowing so not a lot of driving with it up, but still I should go lightweight for this truck. There are sort of 3 levels of lightweight plows I can see:

1. Budget "home" plows - Meyer, snowbear, K2, firsttrax. These are 1.5K-2K with manual angle adjustments. Mostly mail order although I think I do have a meyer dealer not too far away. You can get up to $3.5k on these with full hydraulics. No ballast requirements specified but I figure at least 250lbs. (2-3 year $$ recoup for me)

2. <325lb "non-commercial" plows - Fisher, Western have one (probably the same one ). Meyer has one. Snoway has one but it's not approved for F-150. These are in the $4k range. These seem to need 250-350lbs of ballast on my truck. (3-4 year recoup for me)

3. <500lb "light commercial" plows - probably should never be used commercially but they are allegedly higher quality. These are $4k-6K. Boss and snoway have one. These seem to need 540-1000lbs of ballast on my truck. (4-5 year recoup for me)

I doubt professionals here will recommend #1 above, but what about 2 or 3? #2 is a little less money and less ballast. For #2 I can get a fisher HS for about $4200 installed. In the #3 range boss has the 7' HTX which is 360lbs and adds down pressure for $4600 installed (probably more than I need, but heck it will save me having to blow in front of my garage doors). #3 also has the snoway 26 but I think it needs like 950lb of ballast (my calculation, there seems to be no calculator and my local dealer is not very savvy). I have a lot of boss dealers in my area so I got a more competitive price on that one. The boss needs 540lbs of ballast.

I'll make myself a small frame to hold some sand tubes near the back wheels. I know they should be at the tailgate but I will leave these in all winter and I'd like to have some usable space at the back. 7 bags would give me 490lbs of ballast. Close enough as far as I'm concerned for the boss. I do have a tonneau cover so the sand should stay relatively dry.

One question: What should I factor in for cost of annual plow maintenance? If the maintenance is high, I may never recoup my cost. 

Also, please vote: Boss, Fisher or get my feet wet with one of the cheapies? I was going to get a cheapie (K2 or the snowbear), but I feel like I would regret it.

thanks

steve


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

I’m just a private plower; myself and a neighbor. Two large country driveways and turnarounds. 

My basic advice would be to buy quality and capability. You don’t want to be in the middle if a Nor’easter and have equipment that can’t handle the job. May cost you a little more, but you will be much happier with it. 

You definitely do not want a plow that has to be manually adjusted. 

Another important item is good snow tires, so factor that into everything. Does no goid to have a nice truck and plow, but crappy tires in the snow.


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

I'll throw in my 2 pennies.
You've got too much area for #1. Those things are tiny.
#2, maybe, but if you're worried about maintenance costs, you have to consider what you might break.
#3, What dealer is in your area and who provides better service and has parts readily available?
As for maintenance costs on a real snow plow, its minimal.
Fluid changes, greasing, etc, unless you hit something hard, at at higher rate of speed.
You can easily get 10 years out of a plow for private use if you take care of it. Also, by buying a quality plow, it would have resale, or trade in value.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

seville009 said:


> You definitely do not want a plow that has to be manually adjusted.
> .


This sentence can't be stressed enough


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## absolutely (Dec 9, 2010)

A friend has a Boss on his f150 and doesn't put any ballast for his driveway and does great with it.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

Any name brand half ton plow will do you just fine. Choose your poison. As recommended, dealer interaction is probably your biggest factor.

If you are only doing 700ft, your repair and maintenance costs SHOULD be nil


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## doolin64 (Sep 1, 2009)

I've been running a Boss HTX 7.6 on my 2015 crew cab. I'm going into my 4 season with the truck. I've got 42 miles on my truck and when not plowing I run oversize tires. In the winter I'm running snows. Needless to say, I've had no undue maitnenance. I'm getting ready to do my brakes but that's about it. The boss has been a great plow for me. I wish I was buying now to get the downforce and led lights.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

doolin64 said:


> I've been running a Boss HTX 7.6 on my 2015 crew cab. I'm going into my 4 season with the truck. I've got 42 miles on my truck and when not plowing I run oversize tires. In the winter I'm running snows. Needless to say, I've had no undue maitnenance. I'm getting ready to do my brakes but that's about it. The boss has been a great plow for me. I wish I was buying now to get the downforce and led lights.


Brakes at 42 miles???


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Philbilly2 said:


> Brakes at 42 miles???


I'm guessing he meant 42K


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## doolin64 (Sep 1, 2009)

Sorry, EWSplow is right. I meant 42,000


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## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

Thanks for the quick feedback. Another boss dealer got back to me at an even lower price $4400. And yet another one responded and told me not to waste my time with the 7'. He can do the 7.5' in painted steel for $4450 or stainless for $4650 both with downforce. He says not to bother with ballast at all for my own drive since its a 4x4 and the plow will mostly be down. I don't like going out of spec on the plow weight though. Any comments on 7' in spec or 7.5' which is 73lbs heavier?


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## doolin64 (Sep 1, 2009)

Personally I'd go with a 7.5. I don't run ballast either. I do drive around a bit with the plow since I used it to clear a few rental properties. With the plow at full angle a 7.5 is barely as wide as the truck. If I could run an 8' I would. Go poly to save the weight on the 7.5.


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## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

doolin64 said:


> Go poly to save the weight on the 7.5.


Good idea. The guy pushing the 7.5' didn't have poly but I called the other dealer and he is going to give me a price. Without downforce he wants $4229 installed so it seems like the 7.5 will only be $100 more than the 7'. The 7.5' has 6 vertical support ribs instead of 4 and that plus the extra 6 inches seems like a good use of 49 extra lbs.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

The weight difference between steel and poly on the HTX is only 24 lbs


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## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

Yes, weight is not that much different. Probably I'm crazy but I kind of like the nonstick nature of the poly. 

Just for grins I called Boss and asked them why their product selector didn't suggest a 416lb 7.5' poly plow when it does suggest the 393lb steel 7' plow and other manufacturers were telling me nearly 500lbs was ok (snoway). She said first they filter out based on fgawr and gawr, both of which seem ok (with ballast). But, in addition to those things they also conservatively recommend based on wear on springs, stopping distances and blade height. Most likely one of those knocked it out. These things mostly these affect driving around so she agreed if it's just my property after I drive it home it should be fine. The sales guy said it was close enough that he was willing to fudge it a little to place the order. He's going to get back to me on financing in the morning.

The only thing left is for me to decide is if I want it with downforce at $4529 or without at $4229. I do have a couple of "end" locations where backscraping would be nice, but probably a couple of pulls without downforce would work in most conditions. Does it help in forward scraping or is it hard on the driveway to do that? Mind you I've never plowed so I have no idea if this feature is worth it .


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## doolin64 (Sep 1, 2009)

The HTX doesn't do great backblading in my experience. It rises up easy. For the price I'd add downforce. It would be a no brainer for me.


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

I had a Snoway once with the down pressure. It definitely helped, but as you say, without it you just make a few more swipes. Using down pressure going forward shouldn’t be necessary due to the plow angle.

Regarding ballast, even if you don’t need it to counter weight the plow, it’s still a good idea to have weight in the back at least for traction. I carry five 80 lb (or 70 lb, can’t recall) tubes of sand in my daily driver truck for traction purposes.


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

dsm1212 said:


> Yes, weight is not that much different. Probably I'm crazy but I kind of like the nonstick nature of the poly.
> 
> Just for grins I called Boss and asked them why their product selector didn't suggest a 416lb 7.5' poly plow when it does suggest the 393lb steel 7' plow and other manufacturers were telling me nearly 500lbs was ok (snoway). She said first they filter out based on fgawr and gawr, both of which seem ok (with ballast). But, in addition to those things they also conservatively recommend based on wear on springs, stopping distances and blade height. Most likely one of those knocked it out. These things mostly these affect driving around so she agreed if it's just my property after I drive it home it should be fine. The sales guy said it was close enough that he was willing to fudge it a little to place the order. He's going to get back to me on financing in the morning.
> 
> The only thing left is for me to decide is if I want it with downforce at $4529 or without at $4229. I do have a couple of "end" locations where backscraping would be nice, but probably a couple of pulls without downforce would work in most conditions. Does it help in forward scraping or is it hard on the driveway to do that? Mind you I've never plowed so I have no idea if this feature is worth it .


For $300, why not. It will clean in front of your garage better, especially when you get the wet stuff.


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## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

Thanks for the help. I scheduled an install for the Boss 7' 6" HTX Poly. 

One last question: If I decide I need lifts in the front I see they are pretty reasonable, but what should I expect to pay for installation?


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## doolin64 (Sep 1, 2009)

Congrats! 

What kind of lifts are you talking about?


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## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

Probably just 2" strut extensions.


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## doolin64 (Sep 1, 2009)

Oh your talking true front end lifts. I have an 1.5" lift on my mine. The front doesn't sag that bad if any at all. I only have the lift for for the oversized tires I run in the warmer months.

I'm not sure ifnthis link works but shows my 7.6 at full height. 
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dAmF7ruSLQkZwKZQA


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## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

That looks great. I figured I'd see where it's at and then maybe add them. Do you remember what it cost to install or maybe you did yourself? I think there are a couple of tools I'm lacking.


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## doolin64 (Sep 1, 2009)

I think it was 250 with an alignment. Wasnt bad at all. Best to leave it to the professionals. At least thats my opinion.


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## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

doolin64 said:


> I think it was 250 with an alignment. Wasnt bad at all. Best to leave it to the professionals. At least thats my opinion.


Sounds good. Thanks again


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## 2WHEELGNNR (Jan 6, 2014)

I have a 2012 F150 FX4 with a fisher plow and love it. not too heavy for the truck whatsoever. dont even have timbrens installed. works great. 7' plow.


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## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

Quick followup. I had the BOSS HTX 7.5' plow installed and used it once so far on very heavy 6" snow. Installer did a nice job. They had to remove my skid plate and a rubber guard that was across the front of the truck but did manage to reattach the tow hooks.

My regular plow guy stopped by to talk and he said it takes him 30 minutes to do my 700' of drive (fairly tricky by my house) and it took me about 50 mins this first time futzing around trying different things. The plow worked great the extra time was all me . Pic attached along with a shot of my cheap solution for 400lbs ballast made from 30 year old pavers sitting next to my house and some scrap lumber. I had zero problems driving the truck home about 35 miles with this ballast. Since then I've driven on some slippery roads (without the plow) and I was able to stay in 2WD so I like having the ballast in there. Thanks for the help picking the plow!


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## doolin64 (Sep 1, 2009)

Digging the ballast! Plow looks great. Congrats! Wish I had the Led lights. I just cant justify spending a $1000 to upgrade.


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## NYH1 (Jan 10, 2009)

Congrats on the new plow.

With ballast/counterweight, you want it as far back as you can get it. Up against the tailgate is best. You have it over the rear tires and close to the tailgate.

If it was me, I'd rebuild your box taller so you can stack your bricks in it and put them against the tailgate and not have it over your rear wheels. Just a suggestion is all. 

NYH1.


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## dsm1212 (Oct 23, 2018)

NYH1 said:


> With ballast/counterweight, you want it as far back as you can get it. Up against the tailgate is best. You have it over the rear tires and close to the tailgate.
> NYH1.


Yes, I'm sure you are right, tailgate is ideal. It's a trade off though. I won't be driving the plow around raised hardly at all since it's just my own driveway. If I pile everything at the tailgate it makes it a bit hard to use the tailgate for taking things in and out when I'm not plowing which is like 98% of the time. My understanding is that anything on the rear wheels or behind will help offset the front weight but if I was driving around and plowing more I would definitely do as you suggest.


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

dsm1212 said:


> Yes, I'm sure you are right, tailgate is ideal. It's a trade off though. I won't be driving the plow around raised hardly at all since it's just my own driveway. If I pile everything at the tailgate it makes it a bit hard to use the tailgate for taking things in and out when I'm not plowing which is like 98% of the time. My understanding is that anything on the rear wheels or behind will help offset the front weight but if I was driving around and plowing more I would definitely do as you suggest.


You'll be fine. 
The way you did it frees up your truck to haul other things on top of the ballast.


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## sota (Jan 31, 2011)

@OP... that's gotta be one of the prettiest ballast setups I've ever seen.


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