# Driving for days with plow on?



## TheSkilz (Jan 31, 2009)

I'm trying to figure the logic of driving for dsys or even weeks with plow on truck ... Now for starters i had a older 1999 f250 with a mm1 which was about 600lbs and took a few minutes to get on and off alone , now i hace a 2011 f250 with a XLS that weighs in at about 1100lbs and take me about 30 seconds to get on and off alone .But what is the point of pushing a 700-1100lb plow through the air for days on end i see it all the time ,,i don't get it ....Poor mileage,insuficent cooling . i'm sure the suspension loves it... anyone have any insight on this...


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## JB1 (Dec 29, 2006)

The ones that i see doing it is people that has no skin I the game, mainly school employees.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Some people have storage issues, theft concerns, lazy, and the kool factor. Just a thought


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## 91AK250 (Nov 28, 2007)

alot of guys here run them all season, mostly because taking it on and off every few days could be a pain in the butt.


mine goes on in the fall before it snows and comes off around may once it stops snowing.


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

"Kool factor" plows come on off so easy nowadays.....we take two plows off as soon as its done snowing for parts runs, lunch runs, etc. I.hate driving with a plow on.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

I put mine on twice this year in Chicago, once when I picked up in Milwakee and the second time was putting it is storage at work. I havent even plowed with yet.

Been in KC for the last three weeks, I can't believe how many plows I've seen. They had even less snow then Chicago


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

With my truck getting 5 mpg with the plow on I try not to drive with it on if I don't have to.


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## Snow Commandor (Jan 30, 2011)

I always take mine off the day after the storm. I see guys that drive around with the plows on all season, just for show.


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

gc3;1599385 said:


> With my truck getting 5 mpg with the plow on I try not to drive with it on if I don't have to.


Dang What does it get with it off

My plow is on all the time unless I'm going haul something
Its not my daily driver during the winter time


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

10 to 12 mpg I get when its off


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## Meezer (Apr 3, 2010)

TheSkilz;1599349 said:


> I'm trying to figure the logic of driving for dsys or even weeks with plow on truck ... Now for starters i had a older 1999 f250 with a mm1 which was about 600lbs and took a few minutes to get on and off alone , now i hace a 2011 f250 with a XLS that weighs in at about 1100lbs and take me about 30 seconds to get on and off alone .But what is the point of pushing a 700-1100lb plow through the air for days on end i see it all the time ,,i don't get it ....Poor mileage,insuficent cooling . i'm sure the suspension loves it... anyone have any insight on this...


I don't like putting any unnecessary wear & tear on the trucks with plows. I keep them parked & ready to go on a moments notice.

I have a 1/2 ton PU without a plow that I use for an every day driver/work vehicle.


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## BPS#1 (Oct 16, 2011)

I don't see the need for it either.

Guys in my area mount them in sept and leave on until may.
Plows that I know are a minute or two tops to mount/unmount.

They are still pulling their lawn trailers in the fall with them on and again in the spring before they take them off.

No way I want all that 100% unnecessary wear and tear on an expensive to repair work truck.

Just friday I saw a guy riding around with his new boss V with extensions on at full width. He looked wider than my 9' scoop plow.
The only thing I could see was that he had to show off his shiny NEW plow.

I've seen several NEW plows this year. They have got to be loosing their shirt, which is normal for this area. 
Snow can be real hit and miss.


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

Some are a bit more than 30 seconds to remove/attach. By "a bit more" I mean "a huge pain in the butt".

I suspect that some people do it for advertising.


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## mwalsh9152 (Dec 30, 2008)

my truck isnt my daily driver as I have a company van, its not even parked at my house due to lack of space. I put my plow on about a month ago to push snow, and it has been on since. Only time it came off was to go in the shop just before the blizzard hit here last week. If there is no snow in the forecast next weekend when Im home from vacation, it will come off. If not I will just leave it on, I dont drive it much at all, if Im going out with the family I take the wifes car, so its just not worth the hassle to me


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

I like the guys that tow a huge covered snowmobile trailer with the plow on. 

It's wicked cool


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

2COR517;1599603 said:


> I like the guys that tow a huge covered snowmobile trailer with the plow on.
> 
> It's wicked cool


"If my truck isn't sagging in the rear, it will look like it's not overloaded. I'll fool them!"


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## wilsonsground (Jun 29, 2012)

My 1 ton dump is only a plow truck/ salt truck through the winter so the plow just stays on. My personal pickup gets taken on and off With the storms.


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## Spool it up (Oct 30, 2012)

TheSkilz;1599349 said:


> I'm trying to figure the logic of driving for dsys or even weeks with plow on truck ... Now for starters i had a older 1999 f250 with a mm1 which was about 600lbs and took a few minutes to get on and off alone , now i hace a 2011 f250 with a XLS that weighs in at about 1100lbs and take me about 30 seconds to get on and off alone .But what is the point of pushing a 700-1100lb plow through the air for days on end i see it all the time ,,i don't get it ....Poor mileage,insuficent cooling . i'm sure the suspension loves it... anyone have any insight on this...


just plain ol hillbillism i guess. ball joints , brakes and fuel killer. :laughing:

Im assuming they have no storage , thats all I could come up with .


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I think its a good American that leaves the plow on.. He is helping the economy by spreading all that hard earned $$ around to the mechanics that fix the trucks. Doing there small part at keeping the cash flowing.


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## Spool it up (Oct 30, 2012)

theplowmeister;1599637 said:


> I think its a good American that leaves the plow on.. He is helping the economy by spreading all that hard earned $$ around to the mechanics that fix the trucks. Doing there small part at keeping the cash flowing.


i also was thinking in that direction . stimulating the Osama Economy


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## BPS#1 (Oct 16, 2011)

wilsonsground;1599625 said:


> My 1 ton dump is only a plow truck/ salt truck through the winter so the plow just stays on. My personal pickup gets taken on and off With the storms.


Naturally if its a plow only truck there is no need to take it off.
I wouldn't either. But guys that its their daily driver that leave it on all winter are creating unnecessary headaches for themselves.


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## BPS#1 (Oct 16, 2011)

theplowmeister;1599637 said:


> I think its a good American that leaves the plow on.. He is helping the economy by spreading all that hard earned $$ around to the mechanics that fix the trucks. Doing there small part at keeping the cash flowing.


At the same time they've gotta raise their rates to pay for all of this foolishness and I'm able to pick up their customers while they are either in the shop or trying to sign their newer/higher rate contracts.


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## Plow horse (Oct 18, 2009)

*Keep the Econ going.*

You all are A trip, And you forgot one, got to keep it on to keep the engine Warm, I guess air flo to the engine is opitional. Heck of a way to advetise by keeping your plow on. I leave mine off to the LAST possible moment, wether its my ultra mount or old meyers, even when out salt'n before and after.


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## Lowell_Ma_Snow (Jan 17, 2009)

I take mine off after the jobs are done and my driveway is cleaned. Extra gas, front end weight, cooler engine, parking issues. I never minded putting it on or taking it off. Only time I wish it was on is when some young punk cuts me off wishing my blade would make a nice can opener.


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## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

Mine doesn't go on till its time to plow. When in done it comes off unless I have to go back out again. My hemi gets bad enough fuel mileage, I don't feel the need to help it get worse.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

lots of assumptiions about a guy who happens to have his plow still mounted a few days after a storm - he like to burn fuel, he likes to replace ball joints, he's lazy, he is "showing off".....

what about the guy with the dedicated plow truck that uses the truck only to plow except for the rare instance where he needs to travel 5 miles to go to home depot once a month? he decides to leave the plow on for this trip. are the same assumptions formulated about this guy in the rare chance you see him on the road? or do you have better things to worry about?


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

In Illinois your not actually supposed to have a plow on a truck in situations where there is no snow to plow.

Still can't figure out why guys still drive around with them on. They might be looking for the one client that will pay them 15 bucks to do their driveway.


.......


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## Dakota Dave (Mar 3, 2010)

Maybe it a dedicated plow truck..I don't take my plow off till the snow is gone. usually in May. its a dedicated plow truck so I don't drive it for anything else. I don't even drive my non plow truck unless i need it . I drive 50 miles a day for work. My daily driver is a old rusty dented chevy cavalier . still gets 35 MPG with 230K miles on it.


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

It's been two weeks since the blizzard and my plow is still on. I don't think a day has gone by that I haven't plowed something. In fact I got a call yesterday to do a driveway. Granted I don't drive my truck much when I'm not working whether or not my plow is on. Why the hell would I take it off when I'm still plowing and there's snow in the forcast???


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## IHI (Nov 22, 2003)

When I had my construction business we'd mount the plows the day before a storm, and leave one truck with the blade on all season until spring since there would always be straggler calls here and there from non customers...just made life easier having 1 truck to go at the drop of a dime, anytime. Now that i have a "real job", the plow goes on my F350 day before first storm, and wont come off until season end, but the truck sits anyhow and we drive our cars to save on gas money. Used to drive my truck to my new "real job", cost me $540/month in gas in the F350. Bought a lil 4 banger, dropped my fuel cost to $140/month...and that's with errands and everything in the mix, so I can put that saved $400/month towards other things


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## alldayrj (Feb 28, 2010)

I lost the main pin on my boss plow during the blizzard. Didn't get a new one until a week after. Therefore, it stayed bolted on with a big bolt and nylock nut. Then i went and bought a new boss v in jers when it was 60 degrees and drove around with that for two days because the chicks dig it. Smarthitch is bad ass though


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## Mabepossibly (Dec 12, 2010)

Its easier to dismount and mount my plow 100 times than it is to do a set of ball joints.


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## Snow Commandor (Jan 30, 2011)

Mabepossibly;1608646 said:


> Its easier to dismount and mount my plow 100 times than it is to do a set of ball joints.


Word! I just did the ball joints and front rotors & pads on my truck. Only took the entire day! I take my plow off the day after the storm and don't put it on til the night when a storm is expected.


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

This is ridiculous.

How many of you guys that are taking them on and off regularly have a fleet of trucks?

After the last 6 weeks, do you know how many times I would have been paying my guys to take plows off in the AM just to mount them in the afternoon? The same day? 

If you're wearing down your suspension by keeping a plow on, might I suggest you are not using a truck set up to plow properly?

If wear and tear on the suspension is an issue, when parked, you guys should jack up the frame so it is not resting on the suspension parts. Go high enough so the tyres are not resting on the ground, either. 

What about keeping the fuel tank full?

Can you imagine all the wear and tear on fire apparatus? I think they should dump all the water after a fire, remove the tools and reverse the procedure when a call comes in. 

Seriously, when snow is in the forecast, the only thing I want to do is start 'em up and load 'em with salt. This garbage about wearing out ball joints and suspension parts because you keep the plows on is ridiculously absurd. I think we've been out plowing or salting close to 25 out of the last 37 days, you really think I should be dropping my plows on 11 trucks every day.

Worse yet, taking the risk of being laughed at by you guys. 

Let me ask this of the mowing guys, do you leave the mowers on your trailer all season long--at nights and over weekends? Do you unhook the trailer every night when you get home so that tongue weight isn't wearing out the rear suspension of your truck?

And why is this is in the homeowners\enthusiasts forum? The OP is a homeowner with an XLS?


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

1olddogtwo;1599384 said:


> I put mine on twice this year in Chicago, once when I picked up in Milwakee and the second time was putting it is storage at work. I havent even plowed with yet.
> 
> Been in KC for the last three weeks, I can't believe how many plows I've seen. They had even less snow then Chicago


posted that on the 16th, since then they had two events in KC for 24 inches



White Gardens;1599779 said:


> In Illinois your not actually supposed to have a plow on a truck in situations where there is no snow to plow.
> 
> Still can't figure out why guys still drive around with them on. They might be looking for the one client that will pay them 15 bucks to do their driveway.
> 
> .......


We have laws for everything in this state, I'm surprised they haven't outlawed snow yet



dfd9;1608896 said:


> This is ridiculous.
> 
> How many of you guys that are taking them on and off regularly have a fleet of trucks?
> 
> ...


Well said!!!!

I came home last Wed and mounted the plow, pushed Thursday its still on today. hoping to push today/tonight then drop it and return to KC


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## MajorDave (Feb 4, 2011)

Spool it up;1599667 said:


> i also was thinking in that direction . stimulating the Osama Economy


Osama or Obama???!! Hahaha...... This will draw some comments!


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

I will leave mine on if for a couple days after a storm if we've had enough snow I might need to push back a snowbank or two. 

It is amazing, however, how much higher my oil pressure runs without the plow on. Also sometimes have some overheating problems on the highway. (I slightly exceed the 40mph recommendation). The V2 blocks a lot of air. 

And no question it causes more wear and tear on front suspension components. For people who have fleets, who cares, the trucks aren't moving much. For me, 40-50 miles in a day will add up. Sure, it will hold it, and handle it fine, but parts will wear out more quickly than they otherwise would.


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## Plow horse (Oct 18, 2009)

*Says it ALL*

That says it all. AND the other one that will bring in comments he is not worth it, but the men behind him pulling his strings, how did they pull it off? and 2x!


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

Just got a call today to touch up a lousy plowing job from the blizzard 2.5 weeks after the storm. If my plow wasn't still on I would have passed on it. Just seeing my V plow sold the guy on me. His guy wanted him to shovel the end of the driveway for him, said he didn't need stakes and proceeded to not only miss the driveway by a few feet and destroy the lawn but never bothered to plow the actual driveway so that you could get in/out without driving on the lawn. Oh, and charged him $250 for that. I pushed back the driveway to where it should be as a courtesy now that it will be my account  I had worked for the homeowner several years ago...did his fall cleanup a couple of times.


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## tjctransport (Nov 22, 2008)

pure lazyness. 
the only trucks with plows mounted are the ones that only go out when it snows.


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

tjctransport;1609877 said:


> pure lazyness.
> the only trucks with plows mounted are the ones that only go out when it snows.


Well I sure as hell don't need my truck to pull my mowers around right now, lol. Yeah, snow plowing is about all I do with my truck in the winter. So that's laziness?


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

tjctransport;1609877 said:


> pure lazyness.
> the only trucks with plows mounted are the ones that only go out when it snows.


I'm with Darryl, please explain.

Especially in light of my reasonings.

Pretty much all of my trucks are on the road between storms, with plows on.

That makes me wonder: should I take the spreaders off the salt trucks when not spreading? Think of all that weight on the suspension, and the wear and tear.

Or, should I put helium in my tyres? I know this reduces down pressure, but it might be helpful with these other concerns you guys have brought to light.


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## THEGOLDPRO (Jun 18, 2006)

My plows/sanders go on in the beginning of the winter and come off in the spring time. But then again i don't daily drive my trucks.


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

I think it's this narrow minding thinking that everyone's situation is the same. People do things for a reason...based on their circumstances. Some guys have a quad cab truck that they use for everything from plowing to bringing their kids to school. Other's have dedicated plow trucks that are only used for that. Some people live in areas where it snows every few days and some live in areas where snow is infrequent. Be careful judging people when you don't understand their circumstances. I'm not gonna be driving around a 3/4 ton truck with a 6.0 liter engine unless I need a truck whether or not my plow is on it, nor am I going to take the Miata out plowing.


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## Plow horse (Oct 18, 2009)

*time to end*

I think we have been over it ALL.


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

Just to make you guys happy, my forecast is clear for a week, so both the front and back plows have been removed!


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

I dropped my plow and removed my bins of sand and salt and my shovels and snowblower yesterday myself. I still have some ballast in because I didn't feel like unloading it. I put some fuel stablizer in my snow blower, turned off the fuel line and ran it dry in case it's the last time I use it this season. I still have my plow controller plugged in and my tire and tow chains in the truck though. I'll leave the tire chains on my tractor/loader until I'm sure I won't need them again this season.


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

darryl g;1611530 said:


> I'll leave the tire chains on my tractor/loader until I'm sure I won't need them again this season.


I don't know Darryl, that's causing a lot of extra wear and tear on your tyres and the tractor's suspension.

Not a good idea. 

Actually, that's pretty halfass if you ask me.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

dfd9;1611508 said:


> Just to make you guys happy, my forecast is clear for a week, so both the front and back plows have been removed!


We do not have any snow forecast here, either. I went out and put my plow on this morning just to confuse people. Who knows, maybe another thread will start too?


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

It's not causing anything since it's not being used  The only use my TLB gets in the winter is doing detail snow removal work around my place, clearing around the fire hydrant across the street from me and doing a neighbors driveway that is too narrow/tight to do with my truck without great difficulty. I've talked her into letting me cut back all the saplings and to widen, regrade and resurface it in the spring. At this point it isn't what I'd call serviceable and she has a little Toyota Echo which isn't exactly a beast in snow. And it's Haffass! LOL


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## tjctransport (Nov 22, 2008)

darryl g;1609997 said:


> Well I sure as hell don't need my truck to pull my mowers around right now, lol. Yeah, snow plowing is about all I do with my truck in the winter. So that's laziness?





dfd9;1610013 said:


> I'm with Darryl, please explain. .


the question was "Driving for days with plow on?" regarding people that drive around with their plows on. i say it is being lazy. 
the only trucks i have that have plows on when no snow is around are the dedicated plow trucks. 
trucks that get used have the plows dropped as soon as they are done plowing and cleaned off.

there is no reason to be driving down the interstate at 65-75 mph with a plow hanging on the front of the truck when it has not snowed in 4 days, and there is no snow in the forecast for the next 10 days.

it takes 3 minutes to drop the plow, and MAYBE 10 minutes tops to hook it up.


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## Plow horse (Oct 18, 2009)

*Yup*

Yup. Here we go again. If people are so lazy as to have plows that outo lift when you touch the brakes instead of pushing a button to lift it, the why would they do something as laborish as taking there plows off. " By the way MOST of You Guys do not apply to this since you do plow so much that you have a reason to have your plows ON." Nobody is disputing that, Its the wantabee's who have nothing better to do than ride around thinking there cool. Theres allways those, so whats the big deal? Maybe we can make some $ on them by fixing there front ends


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

Plow horse;1611842 said:


> Yup. Here we go again. If people are so lazy as to have plows that outo lift when you touch the brakes instead of pushing a button to lift it


This can't possibly really exist. It sounds horrible. Might as well have it angle left when you turn up the radio, angle right when you step on the gas, and drop when you open your window.

Maybe it's me...I also like shifting my own gears, I hate A/C that comes on with the defroster (I'll press the button if I need it, thank you very much), and sometimes I even prefer manual windows.


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## Norsky (Apr 12, 2012)

Who Cares.......do whatever you want to. each situation is different.


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