# Plowing With a 2000 7.3



## riversMontana (Oct 3, 2015)

I recently purchased a 2000 7.3 supercab short box F250 with 160,000 miles on it. Been a great truck so far this summer. Now I'm starting to think about the winter. Last season I ran a 2006 F250 crew cab longbox with the 5.4 Gas. Realized I made a mistake with the length my first plow event ( got rushed into the truck and plow last minute) truck had no problem plowing with my bran new Snoway 29r. Turning radius was a PITA. Hence the new truck. Anyway the 7.3 is stock. Want to know what people would recommend for upgrades for plowing? Different springs in the front? Extra fan? Thanks,


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

What are you putting on it for a plow?
What type of plowing will it see, drives or lots, or a combination of both?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

The X code springs would be nice,
Make sure the glow plug system is working properly. Double check the fuel filter heater as well.
No need for a fan, they run cool enough.
How's the front end?
Batterys good?


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## riversMontana (Oct 3, 2015)

dieselss said:


> The X code springs would be nice,
> Make sure the glow plug system is working properly. Double check the fuel filter heater as well.
> No need for a fan, they run cool enough.
> How's the front end?
> Batterys good?


Fuel filter and oil will be changed for sure before the snow flies regardless of where I am in my interval. ( roommate is a diesel mechanic) new glow plugs last winter according to previous owner with paper work. 
Haven't had the front end Checked out yet but I think I will have to do ball joints.

Batteries are great glad I will have two as I could tell the plow put a huge strain on the one in the gas pickup.

X code springs? What are they have you used fhem? Just have shocks in the front currently. Have you plowed with a 7.3?
Thanks for the input!


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## riversMontana (Oct 3, 2015)

SnoFarmer said:


> What are you putting on it for a plow?
> What type of plowing will it see, drives or lots, or a combination of both?


I have a new Snoway 29 R with hydroylic wings. I do a few drives but mostly smaller lots. Plan to grow even more this year and would like to pick up more lots

Thanks


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

How many leafs are there 2 or 3?
And you have to have springs, shocks just dampen the rebound of the dip so to speak.
What does your door code say for the front GVWR?


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## riversMontana (Oct 3, 2015)

dieselss said:


> View attachment 165925
> View attachment 165926
> How many leafs are there 2 or 3?
> And you have to have springs, shocks just dampen the rebound of the dip so to speak.
> What does your door code say for the front GVWR?


2 leafs 
Front gawr is 4800


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

You can do it with the 2 springs, however I'd personally look at getting the heavier springs. 
Diesel weighs alot, plow and components weight alot, you'd be really close to your max gawr. Cheap insurance, piece of mind.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Listen to what you have been told. I have a 02 F350 with a 7.3. It does fine. I have broken both front springs. But I was grossing around 11,000 lbs.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Randall Ave said:


> Listen to what you have been told. I have a 02 F350 with a 7.3. It does fine. I have broken both front springs. But I was grossing around 11,000 lbs.


The Salter goes in the back, not the front.......bet it was hard to see too


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Short wheelbase, enclosed utility body. I could not get another thing in there if I tried. Of course when the spring snapped, it was snowing and I just put the plow on. Felt like one of my last minute customers.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Don't do used springs. 

They aren't that expensive.


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## riversMontana (Oct 3, 2015)

Add springs or get coil over shocks? My 06 5.4 had the camper package and had coil overs


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

06 had coils, but not over unless someone added them.

Camper package add rear sway bar, overload leaves and certification for the most part.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Welcome to plowsite by the way.


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## cbservicesllc (Aug 5, 2011)

riversMontana said:


> Fuel filter and oil will be changed for sure before the snow flies regardless of where I am in my interval. ( roommate is a diesel mechanic) new glow plugs last winter according to previous owner with paper work.
> Haven't had the front end Checked out yet but I think I will have to do ball joints.
> 
> Batteries are great glad I will have two as I could tell the plow put a huge strain on the one in the gas pickup.
> ...


The ball joints are pretty much a slam dunk...


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

riversMontana said:


> Add springs or get coil over shocks? My 06 5.4 had the camper package and had coil overs


Either buy the springs from Ford or aftermarket.
Coil overs might do it, but it's kinda a bandaid. With the heavier leaf springs your front end will sit up higher as well.
Downfall, it'll ride ruff. But it's a truck not a caddy so who cares..


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## jdsquire (Nov 19, 2015)

I've got a '99 SD with the 5.4 and 5200lb front end. Previous owner added AirLift air bags, very nice addition with the 8' 6" Meyer Poly blade hanging on the front.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

New springs as suggested or airbags. 

That age and that many miles I'd replace them. 

What's the oil pan look like? Oil cooler?

Listen to dieselss. so far he's been dead on. 

Yes. I've plowed with one or 4. Not that it really matters.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Not a fan of air bags in the front for a plow.

Too many variables unless it's done right.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

I love airbags on the front for a plow. 

Guess we do it right............


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Do you leave plows on truck or remove them after event?


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Do you lower them to the ground or leave them in the air after an event?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Yes...........


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

I like some of the used car dealers. Truck out front with plow up all summer.


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## riversMontana (Oct 3, 2015)

Thanks for the input from everybody. Not sure what I will go with yet but leaning towards the heavier springs. Want to be ready and do it right this winter....smooth sailing this year hopefully. Last year as my first year going on my own started out great until I got in a wreck early January during a storm. High school girl didn't see me and ran a stop despite the fact visibility was clear and I had all my lights on including Strobe. Clipped her front end at 45 Mph. No one was hurt luckily. Her car totaled. Small dent in my door as my bran new Snoway plow took 98% of the damage. Used it 8 times maybe. My dealer totaled it. Everything would have been fine but dealing with her insurance company Progressive was a night mare. Took 5 months to finnaly close it. Tried to screw me at every opportunity. Worked out for me in the end. Lessons learned and gearing up early this year. Will definetly be using this site far more this year.
Thanks


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

I have an 02 F350 CCLB 7.3 with an 7.3 and a XV hanging off the front. Now I do have custom after market springs with higher spring rate, can't remember rating anymore, and it carries the weight very well.


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## riversMontana (Oct 3, 2015)

kimber750 said:


> View attachment 165941
> I have an 02 F350 CCLB 7.3 with an 7.3 and a XV hanging off the front. Now I do have custom after market springs with higher spring rate, can't remember rating anymore, and it carries the weight very well.


I like that setup.

Any suggestions on operation while plowing? What I'm getting at is a diesel mechanic here was telling my to plow in 2nd and mentioned some other things about plowing with a disel.

I plowed last year with my last truck no problem in drive. On occasion would drop it down into 1st if I needed to break the berm the county left me on my lot.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

kimber750 said:


> View attachment 165941
> I have an 02 F350 CCLB 7.3 with an 7.3 and a XV hanging off the front. Now I do have custom after market springs with higher spring rate, can't remember rating anymore, and it carries the weight very well.


No ballest? Plowsite gods are frowning on you!


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

riversMontana said:


> What I'm getting at is a diesel mechanic here was telling my to plow in 2nd


If you're "mechanic" is telling you to plow in second, run away and fast. Find a new mechanic who knows what he is talking aboot.

Plow in drive or 1st. I prefer 1st, but many plow in D. NEVER, EVER plow in second from a dead stop. Furds, for whatever stupid, idiotic reason, start in 2nd gear if that's where you have the selector. You put it in 2nd and it's going to take off in 2nd and smoke the clutches in no time. In D they start in 1st and in 1st they stay in first.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

As I said in the past I will say it today I will save the future

"D" is Dozer mode. Some people confuse the two with an S thinking it stands for snow


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

How fast do you need to go in a parking lot?
If your not plowing roads, use 1st.
shifting causes slippage under load, this generates a lot of heat
and wear.


ps use around 500-800lb of counterweight or more or a spreader.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Some here would say, get a truck with a stick, but that's a whole different discussion


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

A stick of dynamite?


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> A stick of dynamite?


What, you want him to get s Ford with a 6.0? 42 to go!!!


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## jdsquire (Nov 19, 2015)

The first truck I ever plowed with was a '96 F-250 Super Duty with the 7.3...had F-350 suspension under it and the 7.3 was chipped. Had a 9' 6" Boss V plow, 100 gallon fuel tank and a tool box. Thing was a snow pushing beast, boss claimed he could push more with his Ram 2500 with the 360.....claimed.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

dieselss said:


> No ballest? Plowsite gods are frowning on you!


Put a bed on that weighs twice the factory bed. No the weight is not all behind the rear wheels. Truck plows just as well as it did with 600# in bed as it does with just the flatbed. Besides I get along with most of the gods here.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Mark Oomkes said:


> If you're "mechanic" is telling you to plow in second, run away and fast. Find a new mechanic who knows what he is talking aboot.
> 
> Plow in drive or 1st. I prefer 1st, but many plow in D. NEVER, EVER plow in second from a dead stop. Furds, for whatever stupid, idiotic reason, start in 2nd gear if that's where you have the selector. You put it in 2nd and it's going to take off in 2nd and smoke the clutches in no time. In D they start in 1st and in 1st they stay in first.





riversMontana said:


> I like that setup.
> 
> Any suggestions on operation while plowing? What I'm getting at is a diesel mechanic here was telling my to plow in 2nd and mentioned some other things about plowing with a disel.
> 
> I plowed last year with my last truck no problem in drive. On occasion would drop it down into 1st if I needed to break the berm the county left me on my lot.


Hate to say this but gotta agree with MarkO. Any mechanic that is telling to push snow in 2nd with any vehicle is an idiot. As far as operation, put it in drive and hammer down. I don't know of any real difference between gas and diesel for plowing style. I use a diesel because it is the biggest truck I had when I decided to plow commercially.


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## riversMontana (Oct 3, 2015)

Yeah never really thought he was right about plowing in 2nd or whatever he said exactly. He was making a big deal about plowing with a disel instead of a gas though. Said it was much harder on the truck. Much more expensive. I know disel repairs are much more expensive than gas but I'm going for it anyway. Although said I'm better off with a 7.3 than a 6.0 for plowing because egr's on the 6.0 tend to clog up really bad after 1 season.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

kimber750 said:


> Hate to say this but gotta agree with MarkO.


You should be proud to think like me.



riversMontana said:


> Yeah never really thought he was right about plowing in 2nd or whatever he said exactly. He was making a big deal about plowing with a disel instead of a gas though. Said it was much harder on the truck. Much more expensive. I know disel repairs are much more expensive than gas but I'm going for it anyway. Although said I'm better off with a 7.3 than a 6.0 for plowing because egr's on the 6.0 tend to clog up really bad after 1 season.


In all seriousness (which happens aboot once a decade for me) you need to find a new mechanic. The one you are referencing is not a mechanic. He is an idiot. Through and through.

If he first told you to plow in 2nd and is now telling you it is harder on a truck to plow with a diesel, I wouldn't let him air up my tyres.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

riversMontana said:


> Yeah never really thought he was right about plowing in 2nd or whatever he said exactly. He was making a big deal about plowing with a disel instead of a gas though. Said it was much harder on the truck. Much more expensive. I know disel repairs are much more expensive than gas but I'm going for it anyway. Although said I'm better off with a 7.3 than a 6.0 for plowing because egr's on the 6.0 tend to clog up really bad after 1 season.


Only thing hard on a plow truck is the driver.



Mark Oomkes said:


> You should be proud to think like me.


Not sure I am ready for that level of cool just yet.


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## L.I.Mike (Dec 28, 2002)

I plow roads and leave it in drive with the overdrive off. Refresh the front end and you will be fine.


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## acrajchel (Aug 21, 2016)

I've got an 05 F-350 with the 6.0L (engine that replaced the 7.3L). i just changed my fan back to the kind in the 7.3L, because it cools better, so you should be good there. You will definitely need upgrade your springs. I didn't even know that they ever put springs with that little of weight capacity on a diesel. I've got the 6,000s on mine. Diesel engines are already a good bit heavier than a gas, then add another 700-1000 lbs of plow, and you are going to be way over weight.

I would also recommend changing fluids in your tranny, transfer, and diffs to a good quality oil, rather than factory. I use Schaeffer's Oil. Depending on how much plowing you do, you may need to change tranny fluid at least throughout the snow season. Just depends.


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## MajorDave (Feb 4, 2011)

Agree with the X-code Springs. I did that. Raised front end about 1.5 in.

Also, besides just new fuel filter, call Diesel-o-rings and rebuild you fuel bowl. I rebuilt everything to include new heater element. Replaced all seals and replaced fuel lines. Big difference. Then changes the HP oil lines and added a crossover line. 

All great suggestions to keep her running. The engine is a best. I upgraded to turbo and irs a beast. Moves mountains.


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