# Advice on Chevy 1500 w/4.3L



## BrownsFan

I recently purchased a 1997 Chevy 1500 w/ a 4.3l V6.
I'm interested in getting a plow setup and would like to solicit opinions from actual users.
I know I CAN put one on, it's just a question of whether or not it's a good idea and if so what size/type is recommended.

For what it is worth, I'm looking at non commercial plowing of my driveway and the driveway's of family and friends (like my parents who are getting old). Nothing commercial.

I bought the truck on auction from the University where I work. It was a maintenance vehicle w/ low miles (48k) and although dirty w/ some scratches is in pretty good shape.

What I'd like to hear about most is advice on brands of plow, type and what I should expect to pay, especially if I buy used (which is what I'd prefer).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## DuraMaxAllison

*hmm*

well as long as you are not plannign on pushing a great deal of snow , you can prolly buy one of those home owners speacials at wally marts or some other store like that ..:ie target,etc...i dont think that lil v-6 can push too much snow ..and traction will also be a factor ..load her up with salt bags or something heavy in the winter time.


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## mustangmike45

I have personally plowed with a 1993 GMC 1500 4x4 for the last 10 years. I used a 7'6" western plow on it and never had an issue with traction or lack of power. I still use the truck to this day as a backup plow as well.

Granted plowing with my new 2500hd and boss 8ft super duty is much easier! Hope this helps.


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## jcesar

I know a guy who used a 4.3 v6 in his gmc 1/2 ton. HAd a plow on it from Northern tool. 
Never had issues with it, as long as he had extra weight in the back. Hope this helps ya.Oh, By the way, with that little engine, GO SLOW WHEN PUSHING SNOW!


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## Triple L

jcesar said:


> I know a guy who used a 4.3 v6 in his gmc 1/2 ton. HAd a plow on it from Northern tool.
> Never had issues with it, as long as he had extra weight in the back. Hope this helps ya.Oh, By the way, with that little engine, GO SLOW WHEN PUSHING SNOW!


Why go so slow, I plow 7 commercial lots with my 4.3, never had a problem yet. She's got plenty of power. Not as much as my buddys F250 diesel but I push right beside him in snow 8" deep. Don't worry about it. The 4.3 will be fine.


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## BrownsFan

MustangMike,

I found a plow nearby on ebay that was previously on the same model truck.

After going on the Western web site I found out my V6 will actually take up to an 8 ft. plow (my guess is b/c it weighs less than the V8). My truck also has the heavier rated front axle.

If I go w/ this plow (western 7.5) do you recommend Timbrens (sp) or just adjusting my torsion springs? Also, what about a supplemental tranny cooler? lastly, how about timbrens for the additional balust weight in the back (necessary)?

Finally, did you ever have power issues when you used your 1/2 ton to plow?

Thanks.


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## jcesar

Triple L said:


> Why go so slow, I plow 7 commercial lots with my 4.3, never had a problem yet. She's got plenty of power. Not as much as my buddys F250 diesel but I push right beside him in snow 8" deep. Don't worry about it. The 4.3 will be fine.


 the reason I say go slow is this. My buddy's truck had a serious lack of power. Every time he tried to plow faster, his truck would overheat. Did you by chance have a bigger radiator installed in yours?


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## Triple L

jcesar said:


> the reason I say go slow is this. My buddy's truck had a serious lack of power. Every time he tried to plow faster, his truck would overheat. Did you by chance have a bigger radiator installed in yours?


I see your explination now, My 06 has twin electric fans on it and a MONSTER 18,000 lbs tranny cooler that I installed on it infront of the rad. the electrics are nice, As soon at the temp gets to 105 they kick in and boom! 1 -2 minutes later it's back down to 90. There great. Never had a cooling issue at all, even in the summer blasting around town with the A/C on pulling a 8,000 lbs. trailer and givin it, the guage never moves. If your dosent have electric fans and your having heating issues I would strongly recommend them


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## THEGOLDPRO

BrownsFan said:


> MustangMike,
> 
> I found a plow nearby on ebay that was previously on the same model truck.
> 
> After going on the Western web site I found out my V6 will actually take up to an 8 ft. plow (my guess is b/c it weighs less than the V8). My truck also has the heavier rated front axle.
> 
> If I go w/ this plow (western 7.5) do you recommend Timbrens (sp) or just adjusting my torsion springs? Also, what about a supplemental tranny cooler? lastly, how about timbrens for the additional balust weight in the back (necessary)?
> 
> Finally, did you ever have power issues when you used your 1/2 ton to plow?
> 
> Thanks.


just because they say it will take an 8 foot deosnt mean it will, my old 1998 ram 1500 had a curtis 7'6 plow on it, and the front would sag like there was no tomorrow, i used to put a piss load of weight in the back for ballest, that got old so i decided to go on ebay and buy some 2500 springs, and swap them out.

so i would say a seven and a half foot plow is prolly just about right for that truck.


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## BrownsFan

I really don't have any interest in an 8 ft. 7.5 will actually work our better for me. It's just nice to know I'm not limited to only the lighter 7.5's.
After reading about tranny coolers I think it's kind of a no brainer, especailly since it sounds like they are fairly inexpensive and not that difficult to install.


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## mustangmike45

I would say that you should put a tranny cooler on the truck. I ran just a cheap one from autozone on my 93 and have never had a tranny problem in the last 13 years!

Just make sure to come to a full stop before shifting from reverse to drive or the opposite! This is the number one tranny killer


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## Alaska Boss

I had a 1991 Chevy 1500 W/T, with the 4.3 V6 engine in it, & plowed commercially with it for 9 years, with an 8' Snoway. My experience with that combo was, it worked fine, but I would probably not do it again. I built my own angled wings for it, & so the plow was probably too much for that truck. The 4.3 is a great engine (basically a 5.7L (350) with 2 cylinders chopped off), mine had almost 300,000 miles when I sold it, & still never used or leaked any oil. IMO, tons of power is NOT the ends to all means, one thing good about NOT having alot of power, is that you don't tear your truck's components up,... I never had ANY problems with that truck greater than replacing U-joints, & one reason for that I'm sure is, because I didn't have 400 HP straining against everything. So, getting longevity out of your equipment is worth not having a hotrod, IMO. But with that being said, the thing that I did have problems with, was the frame of that truck. Half-ton frames are not built from as heavy of steel as ¾ or 1-ton trucks, & I ended up cracking or breaking out pieces of my frame at almost every spot that the plow mounted to the truck. I have a nice shop & welder & could deal with that, & fixed/beefed everything up to make it work, but the average guy would have a major headache on his hands dealing with a cracked/broken frame. In any case, if you do get this truck to plow with, keep your eye on all points of the frame where your plow mounts are bolted to it, and for sure add timbrens to the front suspension. Also, because of the transmission/axle gearing, you should ALWAYS plow in Low Range with ½ tons,.. at least Chevy's are geared too tall to plow in High Range, no matter how little snow you're pushing. For what it's worth,... that was my experience. Good luck.


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## BPK63

I just bought a 92 Chevy K1500 with a 4.3 and plow setup already on it. I only bought it to plow my driveway and that's it. I just have too much driveway for my 8hp Snapper snowblower to handle. Last February when we got 2 feet of snow I was out there for 5 hours. I plan to cut that time down to 15 minutes now. This truck seems to have an extremely heavy suspension compared to my regular F150. I have to assume it was setup properly for a plow. I also plan to use 4low to make it easier for me to manuever in my driveway. I'm glad to hear they can go to 300k. I have 127k on this one and it runs great so far.


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## mattunh

I just purchased a 1998 Chevy 1500 4.3L, auto, short box with a 7.6" Fisher MM plow. I plan on plowing two residental driveways and two small doctor's offices. Thanks for the advice on the Timbrens and plowing in low range. 

I hope this truck works out. I only paid $6,000 for it from a Chevy dealer with 68k miles. It is very clean with no rust or dents. One benifit of buying a 1/2 used vs. 3/4 or 1 tons is they are ususally in much better condition and not worked to death. 

Any advice on plowing with this truck is greatly appreciated. 

Thanks,
Matt


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## SnoFarmer

mattunh said:


> I just purchased a 1998 Chevy 1500 4.3L, auto, short box with a 7.6" Fisher MM plow. I plan on plowing two residental driveways and two small doctor's offices. Thanks for the advice on the Timbrens and plowing in low range.
> 
> I hope this truck works out. I only paid $6,000 for it from a Chevy dealer with 68k miles. It is very clean with no rust or dents. One benifit of buying a 1/2 used vs. 3/4 or 1 tons is they are ususally in much better condition and not worked to death.
> 
> Any advice on plowing with this truck is greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> Matt


 News Flash!!! 
You are plowing commercially.. This is the NON-commercial thread.:waving:

If you found a 2500 or a 3500 in the same condition would still think was beat just because of it's capacity rating???

Your using a 1/2 ton get the timbrens front and rear..

More advice?? lol..
Sell the 1/2 ton now and get a 3/4 or 1 ton before it snows..
Get the proper INS.
Register your new business as an LLC. or whatever????

JMO...


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## mattunh

SnoFarmer said:


> News Flash!!!
> You are plowing commercially.. This is the NON-commercial thread.:waving:
> :realmad: _Relax. We were talking about plowing with a 4.3L Chevy._
> 
> If you found a 2500 or a 3500 in the same condition would still think was beat just because of it's capacity rating???
> _No, but most people that purchase a new 3/4 or 1-ton did so because they are going to work the truck. That is why when looking most 3/4 and 1-tons in the $6k price bracket were not in great condition. The point is it is very hard to find a 3/4 or 1-ton used in great condition in my price bracket._
> 
> Your using a 1/2 ton get the timbrens front and rear..
> 
> More advice?? lol..
> Sell the 1/2 ton now and get a 3/4 or 1 ton before it snows..
> _Do most of you agree with this? The office lots are small, 20 car L-shaped._
> 
> Get the proper INS.
> _Done._
> 
> I have done this. It was not as much as I thought.


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## SnoFarmer

mattunh said:


> I just purchased a 1998 Chevy 1500 4.3L, auto, short box with a 7.6" Fisher MM plow. I plan on plowing two residental driveways and two small doctor's offices.
> 
> "Any advice on plowing with this truck is greatly appreciated." quote
> I guess is't not...lol :realmad: relax..
> 
> "Relax. We were talking about plowing with a 4.3L Chevy" quote.
> So what,, I don't care if you are using a golf-cart...xysport
> 
> It really does not matter how SMALL the lots or drivesare. You are plowing commercially..
> How about organizing your business?
> LLC?
> You know why this is important,,,, right?
> 
> Sell the 1/2 ton now and get a 3/4 or 1 ton before it snows..
> "Do most of you agree with this? The office lots are small, 20 car L-shaped." quote
> 
> Do you want to grow your business? If so you will need a bigger truck..
> Read the posts on this subject. A lot of people started with a 1/2 ton. Almost all of them have 3/4 tons or bigger trucks now.
> Just some advice:waving:


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## basher

Triple L said:


> I see your explination now, My 06 has twin electric fans on it and a MONSTER 18,000 lbs tranny cooler that I installed on it infront of the rad. the electrics are nice, As soon at the temp gets to 105 they kick in and boom! 1 -2 minutes later it's back down to 90. There great. Never had a cooling issue at all, even in the summer blasting around town with the A/C on pulling a 8,000 lbs. trailer and givin it, the guage never moves. If your dosent have electric fans and your having heating issues I would strongly recommend them


Is your tranny cooler thermostatically controlled? Too cold is as bad for your tranny as too hot. Maybe has something to do with that growl? http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=36907


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## AFM Contracting

*4.3 is an awesome motor*

I have a 1994 W/T 1500 with the 4.3. It is an awesome motor, if mine was 4x4 i wouldnt hesitate putting a plow on it. As a side note you might want to look into an air intake and a transmission cooler for sure.


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## BrownsFan

Thanks for all the advice. It is appreciated.
I bought a used meyer 7.5 for a pretty good price and the seller installed it for me for $200, which to me seems well worth it.
He showed me how to adjust the torsion springs but said it didn't need it but might after the plow is on for a while.
My question is how do you know when you need to adjust and how do you know when you need timbrens? 
Also, what is reasonable for a tranny cooler and is it a diy or should I have it done at a shop?
I'm only plowing my drive and that of friends and family but I want this truck to last a long time. It's a 97 but only has 50,000 miles an almost no rust so I should be able to keep it going for a long time.


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## SnoFarmer

You can do the tranny cooler your self, difficulty; easy.


As for the timbrens,, put some weight in the box. If you find you are bottoming out when you go over bumps or dips in the road or the front sags to much then get them.
But you could be o.k. with that plow.. drive it and see.

If you want the truck to last, just take it easy when your plowing. If you are spilling your coffee or the dog is flying off of the seat and hitting the dash you may be beating your truck a little..... lol

we just gave you a few of the options that are available to you, you may not need any of them.. but you should know about them.... it's up to you ....good luck..


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## PhantomRacer

fwiw....been plowing with my 2wd, 4.3 Chevy P/U for a few years now without issue. Been plowing with the Snowbear plow..been able to push more snow than you would think possible. It is all with technique to make up for the lack of 4wd and downward pressure. 

One huge key in my case is to use dedicated SNOW tires (not all season). Been able to plow with snows on the truck (with the summer tires/wheels in the bed for weight) with great results. 

Search the forum for my ID to view threads including pictures of my truck, plow results, etc. 

You can plow quite well with a 4.3 v6. Would more power and 4wd help...sure...but doesn't mean you can't with a 2wd. 

Paul


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## Rcgm

Yes you can plow with a 2wd I have done it it works.But I would not do it again.4WD is where its at.Get a sno way 26 series for that truck you will love it.Or you can get a sno bear 


Did I mention you should get a sno way:redbounce 

RCGM
Brad


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## PhantomRacer

Rcgm said:


> Yes you can plow with a 2wd I have done it it works.But I would not do it again. 4WD is where its at.


Agree 110% 4wd is the way to go. But not all of us have one....or have the means to buy one...

if you have a 2wd, and it is your only choice...a SB plow is FAR better than hand shoveling any day of the week.

As far as the 4.3 motor..is is more than acceptable for non-commercial plowing.

Paul


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## Freddy130

Our 1995 has a 4.3 litre in it has 330 000 kms with a 7'6 Diamond plow hanging off of it. Truck works everyday of its life so for non-commercial plowing any 7'6 foot plow should be alright. I find the nice thing about the V-6 is that it doesn't have so much power that it will pull the truck up over a snow bank so it stays unstuck well when plowing...good luck with the truck!

RC


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## ThisIsMe

I am pretty sure my JD 410 with all of its 83hp coming from a tiny 4 cyl. Would push more snow then a Cummins having more then twice the cubic inches and all of its 235hp. LOL

Then again not really fair as the 410 weighs about 10,000lbs more, so plop 10,000lbs in the bed of the one ton with the Cummins and then it will be fair. 

Better yet, let the JD 410 push the truck with Cummins with plow around and see how much snow we can add. Then let the Cummins try to push the 410 around. 

Point being : Lot more comes into play with moving snow then engine size.

Chris


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## BrownsFan

Thanks for all the advice.
So, how much should the front end drop when I lift the plow?
What is normal? Also, is there anywhere online that will show better plowing techniques?
Thanks.


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## Freddy130

I will try to get you a picture of our 4.3 tonight after the truck is home. If your looking for some plowing tips the BOSS snowplow website has a page of directions on how to use your snow plow if you want to take a look at them.

RC


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## mrbrickman

be careful of the flywheel, try not to push it too hard in 4x4...

i had my 5.0 flywheel shear around where the bolts attach to the motor (flex plate, whatever you wanna call it....seems its a hell of a frickin lot thinner than id expect it to be) made a nice clacking noise till i fixed it, now i dont put the 8 footer on it, and dont try stacking like i used to

the 5.0 had the same flywheel as a 4.3 s10 i found out from a junkyard "teckie" and ended up comparing mine to one off a 4.3 motor

still makes tons of money she does, paid for itself at least 20 times over


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