# This Year's Fisher Discussion



## Sean Adams (Jan 9, 2000)

Dear PlowSite Members,

One of our sponsors, *Fisher Engineering*, has created a discussion for the members of the site. Feel free to participate throughout the next week. The discussion begins at the next post (which will be made by a representative of Fisher) and will end on 11/30.

Last Year's discussion was fantastic and created a wealth of information. Enjoy this year's discussion as well - and be sure to thank Fisher for taking the time to contribute to the site. Without sponsors like Fisher we would have a very difficult time keeping this site alive.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Again this year as last, Fisher Engineering will hold this open forum for 5 business days. We will be closed November 25 - 26 so the forum will run through the 30th. The forum is open to discuss any technical issues as well as product questions regarding snow and ice control equipment. As always we encourage feedback regarding ideas for new products or product improvements. It is our intention to answer all threads daily as they come in and first thing in the morning for threads that come in during off business hours. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Gary Dwinal
Product Manager
Fisher Engineering
207-701-4253


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## lakeeffect (Nov 17, 2002)

Question for Fisher- I understand a Stainless steel V plow is in the works, can you give us any more info on this and when it might be released?


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Lakeeffect,
Since the introduction of the stainless steel XBLADES we have had a few inquiries about stainless steel V-plows. Can I understand your message to mean that this is a product that you would be interested in should we offer such a plow? At least in part, the reason we participate in this type of forum is to get feedback from snowplow users as to what type of products they would like to see available in the future and I would like to know from you or others on the forum what their thoughts are in this subject. Thank you.


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## lakeeffect (Nov 17, 2002)

Yes I would be very interested in a V X Blade. I currently own a 8' X Blade and will never own another powder coated plow. This year I purchased your new curb/wear shoe kit so will see how this improves gouging in gravel. As long as you can keep the price reasonable and the quality on par I could see myself purchasing one.


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## Big Nate's Plowing (Nov 26, 2000)

is there a wider homesteader in the works by chance?

6'8" just isint wide enough for a dakota/durango I am hoping for a 7'2" or 7'6" homesteader, if you decide to make them mark me down for 5 units

thanks
Nate~


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Big Nate,
The Homesteader series of plows are currently available in two sizes. They are 6'8" and the larger 7'4".


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## intlco (Nov 15, 2004)

I would be very interested if you were to reintroduce a optional conventional mount for your v-plows.

We purchace blades every year, but we try to only purchase blades that allow us to leave the light bar on the truck. Because it takes up too much room in our shop to put all these uni-mounts. 
Also, I would highly recomend that you improve your dealers in the MT/WY region because there customer service is terrible, and they don't return phone calls because they don't care if they sell your product, and they charge nearly double what the plow cost back east. The same is true for Western Dealers here.
We've used Fisher Plows for 15 years, but are considering changing this year because of these problems.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi intlco,
Thanks for your inquiry. There are lots of reasons, some of which are legal, to get the headgear including the headlights off the truck when the plow is removed. In the state of Massachusetts, for example, a law has recently been passed making it illegal to install a plow on a new truck if the headgear and lifting mechanism does not come off when the plow is removed. For these reasons we only offer our plows with the Minute Mount or now Minute Mount2 mounting system. Pretty much all plow companies offer only this type of mounting system for the same reasons. I am glad to hear our products have treated you so well of the years. I hope this issue does not make you decide to switch to another brand that may or may not meet your snowplowing demands. 

I will pass the dealer issues you made mention of, to our Regional Sales Manager that calls on our dealers in that area. Thanks again.


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## intlco (Nov 15, 2004)

Gary Dwinal said:


> Hi intlco,
> Thanks for your inquiry. There are lots of reasons, some of which are legal, to get the headgear including the headlights off the truck when the plow is removed. In the state of Massachusetts, for example, a law has recently been passed making it illegal to install a plow on a new truck if the headgear and lifting mechanism does not come off when the plow is removed. For these reasons we only offer our plows with the Minute Mount or now Minute Mount2 mounting system. Pretty much all plow companies offer only this type of mounting system for the same reasons. I am glad to hear our products have treated you so well of the years. I hope this issue does not make you decide to switch to another brand that may or may not meet your snowplowing demands.
> 
> I will pass the dealer issues you made mention of, to our Regional Sales Manager that calls on our dealers in that area. Thanks again.


Hello Gary,
Thank you for your quick reply. It is sad to hear that some states have made laws against conventional mounts.
I do know that I spoke with the Everest Co in Canada and they have now re-produced a conventional mount like your old one for the F550's and their product is very good too. But our company has all Chevy's so it don't fit.

I know that their is no laws in MT or WY regulating what you put on your truck. Most of these ranch trucks have Custom Grill Guard Bumpers that are much stronger than a plow because we have a big issues with antelopes and cattle on the hwy.

It is not convenient to take off all plow equipment including mounting brackets so you can put on a Grill Guard for protection. So alot of guys out here are getting stuck leaving the blade on all winter.

Maybe it would be a good idea to design a HD Grill Guard like Ranch Hand makes that will fit into the plow mount on the truck. Then we would have protection from animals when the plow is not on.
or,
perhaps you could consider offering the old conventional mount in this region only as a special order item. I know that it would be popular here, because even the city and county don't take the equipment off their 1 ton pickups. They just keep recycling the old mounts and welding them so the fit the new trucks.
I myself and several other guys here are also doing the same thing.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi intlco,
I guess I envy you folks for having such an abundance of wildlife out there in your beautiful state, that you have to protect your vehicles from damage caused by road incursions. As of a few months ago we now offer a grill guard called the Fisher ProTube which bolts directly to any truck with Fisher Minute Mount or Minute Mount2 plow attachments. It takes less than ten minutes to install and there is no drilling. There are two versions available with one constructed from carbon steel with black powder coat finish and the other constructed of electro-polished 304 grade stainless steel having a chrome like finish. For the most part the ProTube is for cosmetics and I doubt would provide much protection against a collision with an antelope or cattle though. 

Thanks,
Gary Dwinal


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## familylawn (Sep 27, 2004)

*question a bout the electro lift*

I just purchased a truck with a 7' 6" blade it have the old mounted joist stick type controls. Is their a touch pad or a wireless the is compatable with that type of unit. If their is were would I be able to purchase that product. Thanks Family Lawn Care Services


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## BillNero (Jun 17, 2000)

*Poly Spreaders*

Hi Gary,

I'm curious if Fisher has any plans to make a poly V Box spreader in the future.

Bill Nero
Central Parts Warehouse


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## lakeeffect (Nov 17, 2002)

I do have a couple more questions/ comment Gary. Is Fisher looking at improving their lighting system? Also Are any different or improved hitching systems being developed? Although the MM2 is improved over the MM1, I believe there are better systems out on the market now. I don't want Fisher to fall behind the competition as I have been a Fisher customer for over 20 years and still believe they are the best plows on the market. My ideal setup would be a stainless V with improved lighting, better shoe kit and a improved hitching system. Asking alot, huh.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi BillNero,
I guess I will answer your question with more questions. Is that a product that we should be manufacturing? How many would you use in your fleet? Are there other brands of this type of spreader in your area? If we were to manufacture this type of spreader, what type of power or drive would you prefer to have? What capacity should the unit have to fit your needs? You, as a user of this type of equipment, are the best people to answer these types of questions for us because if we ever do decide to manufacture this type spreader we want to make sure we do it right!
Thanks for your enquiry and I look forward to your answers.

Gary Dwinal


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Family Lawn,
If your plow is a Minute Mount style plow with the electric/hydraulic unit mounted on the headgear, you may have one other option. Check the plug in connector on the end of your current cab control. If the connector is a small white plug with six pins, you can purchase our optional hand held control and plug it right in place of your joystick control. If your truck has the old style joystick control that operates with cables, there are no other options unless you wanted to completely upgrade to a new hydraulic system.

Thank You,
Gary Dwinal


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Lakeeffect,
We are always looking at various parts of our plows where we can make improvements and again value feedback. I will assume from your message that you feel our lights are do for improvement and I think that is fair criticism as we have had the same light for many years while the lights have improved dramatically on vehicles over the last several years. Your comment will be taken under advisement. I thank you very much for the kind words about our products and I can assure you we are always working hard to improve our plows and to do whatever it takes to keep customers like you using our products for another 20 years. Look and plan for many new products as well as current product improvements to come to market over the next several years from Fisher Engineering.

Thank You,
Gary Dwinal


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## Bad Luck (Sep 30, 2004)

Gary, 

I just recently purchased and installed my self a 7.5RD MM2 system. In the last part of the directions, it tells the installer to first fill the pump with fluid, raise and lower the blade then fill it again. The step after this is to adjust the tension on the spring cable, then adjust the lift chain. Well, I followed these steps and because the lift chain was not adjusted first (prior to filling and lifting the blade), I ended up stretching out the spring by literally lifting the entire assembly with just the spring and cable! I now have to order a new one. Is there a way to modify the installation instructions? I originally thought I missed a step but after going back it seems the directions steer the installer the wrong way.

Other than that I think the quality of the product is great. I can't wait to start using it this winter!

Thanks, 
Anthony


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## BillNero (Jun 17, 2000)

*Poly V Box*

Your questions - my answers:

Is that a product that we should be manufacturing? YES - I can't imagine anyone wanting to deal with Gas engines and chain assemblys if they don't have to.

How many would you use in your fleet? As we don't plow snow but do serve the Snow & Ice Control industry, I would have to guess at that answer. Maybe 30% of out total units sold in the first year would be Poly - eventually 80% or more - depending on quality and pricing.

Are there other brands of this type of spreader in your area? There are now two manufactures of poly spreaders.

If we were to manufacture this type of spreader, what type of power or drive would you prefer to have? I love the concept of electric motors with reduction gear boxes for power..

What capacity should the unit have to fit your needs. I would think three sizes could cover the overwhelming majority of applications. 1.5 Cu Yd (6') - 2.0 Cu Yd (8') and 3.3 Cu Yd (10').


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## Chainlink (Oct 29, 2004)

First off I would like to say wow, actual interaction with cooperate blood.  

I have a Fisher mm1 with 6' 9" blade, It came with the truck I purchased a couple of years ago and have been really happy with it. It is currently on my 98 toyota tacoma trd v6. 

Heres my Question is there any options or plans to make a grill guard to mount to the truck in off season. I have done a few searches to find a product like this and have not found anything. I do think others might like this option. As stout as the mount is I think a heavy duty grill guard or bumper would be nice. I have looked at just putting a different bumper on from the after market, but the plow itself mounts so closely this is not an option. 

Thanks.


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## Midwest (Oct 16, 2004)

Chainlink said:


> First off I would like to say wow, actual interaction with cooperate blood.
> 
> I have a Fisher mm1 with 6' 9" blade, It came with the truck I purchased a couple of years ago and have been really happy with it. It is currently on my 98 toyota tacoma trd v6.
> 
> ...


Hi Chainlink,
Just wanted to let you know that they do offer a protube bumper, its talked about earlier in this thread.


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## Chainlink (Oct 29, 2004)

Midwest said:


> Hi Chainlink,
> Just wanted to let you know that they do offer a protube bumper, its talked about earlier in this thread.


Boy is my face red, I looked at this thread before that was posted then when I got back I posted. That will teach me for not refreshing.  Here ya go Midwest ....

edit: went to look at them at Fishers web site I need better pic than available so I switch my question to, Can I get better info on these bumpers?


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## Midwest (Oct 16, 2004)

Hi Gary,

Just wanted to let you know that the new fishtick control for the V-plow is awesome. I just picked up a new mm2 ezv. I think that fisher has come up with great improvements over the original mm1.

On a second note, regarding you vbox spreaders. I deal with knapheide in ST. Peters Mo. Great guys, but last year they were not carrying your brand. Unfortunately I had to buy a  Henderson. I think you need to make sure that if fisher's name is on the building, then all of your equipment is available there


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## grassmanvt (May 27, 2004)

Any plans for box blades/snowpushers in the future?Also, would be nice to see some more factory installed/warrantied options, with a package discount of course. I have had three fishers in the past couple years, and with each one I find myself adding an extra edge, a swinging backdrag, and a set of wings. It would be nice to have these options with the factory finish and warranty. Just a thought. If you have any of these things planned for the future and need some help with r+d, just let me know, between myself and my help, we can break most anything, wouldn't even charge you for it. Thanks.


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## George C (Aug 24, 2004)

Gary.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to answer these questions.
I just purchased an 8' XBlade. Although I have not plowed with it yet, I know it will do a great job. Personally, I think the MM2 is first class. I like the brutal simplicity of the set up, and the hardest part is plugging in the cables!

My question is this, I have the Fishstick control, and I am wondering why the swing, or the "angling" of the blade doesn't seem to make crisp starts and stops. The swing seems a little sloppy.

I have heard this is not the case when using the joystick controller.
Is there anything that can be done to make the swing behave a little tighter?
Thanks.

BTW, thanks for the T-304 blade. I've never purchased a plain steel moldboard before because I simply HATE painting.


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## Crash935 (Sep 3, 2003)

Chainlink,

They dont offer a "full brush guard" but they do have what they call a Protube. Its in the "bull bar" style with mounting points for a pair of driving lights. Check their web site from the link above or pm me and i will get you more info.


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## wfd44 (Jan 31, 2004)

Hi Gary,

First I will introduce my background a little. I worked in the parts department at Pape Chevrolet in South Portland, Maine many years ago. I had the responsibility, and good fortune, to be resposible for our inventory of Fisher Plows and parts. At that time you were our sales rep and one Friday you called up offering one last comp ticket to the New England 300 at Loudon (you guys were sponsoring Dick McCabe's # 0 Buick at the time) and I was lucky enough to attend. 

It was around this time that the first Minute Mount plows hit the market (for S-10's) with the SEHP. I now own a late (with insta-act and iso module) MM1 7'6" RD which is on my 1996 Chevy. The MM2's I have looked at appear to be easier to mount/dismount with the single lever to pull the pins(my biggest issue with my MM1). The only thing I would try to change if I could would be the jack. If it were possible to have a built in jack lever to help take the weight off when dismounting (without having to dig around under the back seat for the black piece of pipe) that would be a big help. All in all I really like the Minute Mount sustem as is. I think it is a good, simple, reliable system. Some of the competitors systems seem over complocated to me. How do you unhook (or hook up if its broke and needs to go in for work) some of these others without power.

Better lights would certainly be an improvement. Probably composites or even HID.

Interchangeability should also be a marketable upgrade/feature. I hear that some other manufacturers control systems are compatible across different types of blades alowing folks to put a straight blade on a v-blade equipped truck depending on needs or break downs. I also hear that you can't hookup a Fisher straight blade on a truck equipped for an EZ-V even with the correct Fish Stick even though the physical mounts would allow the interchange.

I guess mostly what I would like to see are incremental improvements and future products compatible with the previous generations.


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## plowking35 (Dec 21, 1999)

Hi Gary

Good to see you around here again. I hope all is well. Was good seeing you back in August, here is to a great snow season.  
Dino


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## Arc Burn (Oct 21, 2002)

WFD44-You can run a straight blade on a V equipped truck with an adapter from Fisher,I use it every day this time of year for service work on customer plows.


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## DeereGuy (Dec 12, 2003)

Hi,

I run an 8' X-Blade on an 04 2500HD. I'd like to 2nd or 3ird the lighting upgrade.

It's can be disheartening to hook up a $4k plow, knowing the conditions are only getting worse, on a new truck and realize you can't see squat. At the very least, a quality lens/mirror combo with replaceable H3 or H4 bulbs should be an upgrade option. I don't think true HID is very cost effective at the moment but sealed beams have no place on a plow that cost this kind of $. New and better bulbs are coming out all the time. It probably wouldn't bother me if my truck was 14 yrs old and I didn't have the contrast in light output that I now get with this new vehicle.

As it is I'm on the lookout for an upgrade light kit. Any suggestions.

Lastly, if you frequent this site you'll note how popular wings are. Guys with straight plows looking to curb trail-off in an effort to reduce time and make more $/hr. or to work difficult lots where snow has to be moved through corridors etc.. Were Fisher ever to come out with a set of sides like Tur-key Wings that would be approved for Fishers. I'd buy them in a second.

Thanks,
-Deereguy


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## davink (Nov 22, 2004)

*Quality of the Homesteader?*

Hi there,

I have a question about the Homesteader. I am not a professional, and do not plow commercially, I do however plow about four- five driveways a storm within about a 15 mile radius of my home. My question is how well will this plow hold up with this type of use?

I was looking to get a standard light duty, but Fisher does not make it for the Nissan Titan 1/2 ton Trucks. Do you have any idea when / if you will come out with an underbody mount for the Titan.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to all of these threads, it is sometimes very difficult to get in touch with the right person to get your questions answered.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Bad Luck,
As we take great pride in how clear our installation instructions are, I went to my books and read the installation instructions for this kit this morning. On page 11 under final adjustments which is where we talk about filling the unit with oil, the very first bullet instructs the installer to temporarily adjust the lift chain before going any further. After filling the system and bleeding out the air, bullet #8 instructs how to make the final adjustments to the lift chain. The next bullet #9 then tells how to adjust the lift arm retraction spring. I am sorry you damaged the spring on your new plow.

Gary Dwinal


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Bill Nero,
Thank you for the feedback on the poly hopper spreaders. Additional feedback from users or potential users of poly hopper spreaders would be very valuable for us. Here is your chance guys!! Tell us what you need or would like.

Thanks Again,
Gary Dwinal


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Chainlink,
I can say that we "just about - pretty near - almost" have exactly what you are looking for in our product line up. Just this year we released a new product called the Fisher ProTube (mentioned earlier in this thread). It is a direct bolt-on, no drilling required, grille guard for all full size trucks with Fisher Minute Mount or Minute Mount2 plow attachments. Unfortunately, about the same time we released the ProTube we stopped manufacturing the Minute Mount style plows for the Toyota and most of the "compact" size trucks. These smaller trucks have a narrower dimension between the pushplates and the ProTube will not fit on them. Our new Homesteader series of plows replaces the plows we did offer for these trucks as well as many more additional trucks that we didn't offer plows for previously. A ProTube for the Homesteader plow attachments may be something we may look into in the future if there seems to be enough demand from the market for it.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Midwest,
Thank for the kind words about our new EZ-V plow controls and the new Minute Mount2 attachments. I certainly agree with your assessment about having all of our products available at each and every Fisher dealer and will see to it that your words get passed on to our Regional Sales Manager that covers that area for us.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi grassmanvt,
Box plows or pusher plows seem to be more and more in demand to today's snowplow market. As I have mentioned on this thread many times, we value user feedback on subjects like this. Do you currently use these types of plows? How many do you have? What brands are you using? What size units do you have? (can you tell market research is a big part of my job??) Will you buy more of them within the next 2 or 3 years? How long have you used a backdrag on your Fisher plows? How many others do you know that use backdrags on their Fisher plows? Your other product suggestions are very welcomed and will be taken under advisement. Thank you.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi George C,
Thank you for the kind words about our new XBLADE and Minute Mount2 attachments. I really like the comment about the "hardest part is plugging in the cables". 

The Fishstik control is different from the joystick as it has a built-in feature called "softstop". Some users complained the plows stop too harsh or too abrupt after the control button was released. The softstop feature allows the plow blade to kind of "coast" to a stop. I am sorry but there is no way to modify the Fishstik to operate like the joystick does. This is a good example of the difficulty involved in designing products that are exactly what all users prefer to have. I will assure you we probably perform more market research before we design and release new products than any other plow company, but we will most likely never be perfect at it!! 

Thank you.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Crash935,
Does your site name have anything to do with the fact that you need a "full brush guard". Just kidding!! You are absolutely correct with your assessment of our new ProTube. We chose to go in this direction versus a more custom fit grille guard because of the different number of units we would have needed. The ProTube is very universal and will bolt on to any and all full size trucks with Minute Mount or Minute Mount2 attachments. A more custom design would have required several models of ProTubes to fit the different trucks correctly in a manner that would have been esthetically acceptable to most.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi wfd44,
Wow, you are giving away my age now as that is something that happened about 13 to 14 years ago!! Glad you were able to get the race and have fun. If I remember correctly the team crew chief worked at your dealership for a "real" job. 

The new Minute Mount2 does exactly what you say you would change when comparing to your Minute Mount plow. Simply drop the jackstand, the retract spring pulls the lift arm down automatically, push back slightly on the headgear, and pull the handle down retracting both connecting pins. I agree 100% that others have made their mounts more complicated by adding hydraulic assist or hydraulic jackstands. They seem to be more gimmickry than anything and not as quick or as simply as the Minute Mount2. These added components also add more hydraulic fittings and therefore higher chances of hydraulc leaks which can totally stop a snowplow in it's tracks during a plowing event. We are always looking at other plow mounts on the market and still feel our plow is the most simple and quickest plow to attach to the vehicle.

The headlight issue has come up on this thread earlier and I agree the headlight technology has improved dramatically over the past few years.

Any truck equipped with an EZ-V plow control harness will operate a straight plow as well. An adapter must be plugged into the harness to allow a straight blade plow control to be attached but everything else will work fine for either plow.

I can assure you, there will be much incremental improvements in our products over the next few years as well as many new exciting products. Stay tuned!!

Thank You.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi Dino,
Thank you for the warm reception. Participating in this forum is a lot of fun and always yields a great amount of information for us. 

Thanks again


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## wfd44 (Jan 31, 2004)

Gary:

Mark still works there turning wrenches on new Chevies. I see him once in a while when I am there getting one of mine worked on. I left 11 1/2 years ago and now work for the Westbrook Fire Department (formerly just down the street from my local dealer WA Messer).

So the adapter must go in the cab end of the harness and allow the straight blade Fish Stick to plug in to the EZ-V harness? A friend of mine has two EZ-V's and two straight blades. I will have to let him know that this is available so he could put one of his 8'6" straight blades on his one ton in case one of his cowboys does something to one of the V's.

Also correct me if I am wrong but my buddies MM2 will fit/work on my truck equipped with an MM1, insta-act and updated electrics.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi DeereGuy,
Plow lights have gotten a lot of mention on this thread and we are "listening". The technology has improved a ton over the last several years with the H3 and H4 bulbs. Heck there is even an H5 bulb now! HID lights are truly cost prohibitive and do not make much sense for snowplow use. One competitor that did offer them as an option has decided to stop offering them as they quite simply didn't sell any of them because of the exuberant price. 

Wings do seem to be the new trend for this year. How many other guys are running or would like to see wings available as an option for Fisher plows?

Thank you


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi davink,
The Homesteader plow is a personal plow designed for light duty use. My suggestion for you would be to inspect the other properties very thoroughly, before snowfall, to make sure there are no obstacles you may not see after the area is covered by snow. I can honestly say that, even though sales numbers have far surpassed our expectations, I do not know of anyone that has bent or even damaged a Homesteader plow since we released the line for sale three seasons back.

Thank you


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hi wfd44,
The adapter does go in the cab of the truck. Your friend can even change the control harness in his two "straight blade trucks" which is easy to do, and he then would be able to operate any of his plows on any of his trucks. The only caveat to that is that all trucks must be equipped with the new E-force isolation system. The old style relay system and the new Isolation module system are not compatible with each other. 

The Minute Mount2 plow will hook right to your Minute Mount truck attachments and if they are both E-force electrical systems, will operate just fine.

Thank you.


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## wfd44 (Jan 31, 2004)

Gary 

I also have a marketing suggestion - more videos on the website. I know you have a couple on there for x-blade and homesteader. A lot of your competitors have some pretty good ones and they illustrate their points and features really well (plus they are fun to watch in the off season).


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## Bad Luck (Sep 30, 2004)

Gary - I'll have to go back and look at my manual. I must have been so excited that I was almost done that I over looked that comment. I'll let you know what I find.

Thanks again.


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## duh (Feb 8, 2004)

Just picked up my truck today with a new Fisher 7.5 RD just installed, must say it looks pretty sharp,also the best dealer i have ever met. Now weatherman calling for 60 degree temps and plenty of rain. ugh :yow!:


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## sidecar580 (Nov 23, 2004)

*plow float*

I have a Fisher minute mount plow with the standard joy stick controll. When I push the lever down , the plow goes down but when I let go the plow will not go down any more. Is that the float? Is there a way to make it continue to drop[ like my old speed cast]?
John


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## Big Nate's Plowing (Nov 26, 2000)

something I noticed while surfing ebay tonite was the abundance of your PDF manuals being sold on a CD-R on ebay you might want to enforce your © rights and do something about them,heres a link to the questionable auctions

I myself give copies away to people that need them and dont have internet access, but selling them....

thanks Nate


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## Midwest (Oct 16, 2004)

Hey Gary,

I think you really need to start making ATV Plows, and quick, I need one now  

I'm buying a moose plow that's yellow, send me a fisher sticker and I'll put it on there, that should turn some heads.


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## intlco (Nov 15, 2004)

*Overcharging For Plows In MONTANA!!!*

Both Fisher And Western need to do some price regulating in Montana? Today I spoke with a dealer who never returned any of my calls to purchase some v-blades and after sitting on hold 20 min, he finally comes to phone and says that we now want 8K for any Fisher blade and was complaining that you gave someone part of their state and the other guy is charging 8500K for a blade.
The Western dealers are doing the same in Montana.
The sale guy says, if you don't like our prices, then you can drive 600 miles to another market.

As far as I see, you can have the best product, but if you don't take care of your customers and get rid of these dealers that are overcharging, you will not sell plows in the Montana market.
After trying to buy some Fisher V's for 2 months, I'm finished with this. You guys don't have a phone number like other companies to call a rep. and I am tired of workin so hard at buying some blades.
Friday, I will drive out of town and buy Blizzard blades. And other guys here in Montana and Wyoming market will do the same if they don't stop over charging.

Maybe your regional rep should contact Kois Brothers, in Billings, & Great Falls and contact Midwest Industries in Bozeman. And the other dealers that are overcharging.
This is not the way to treat a loyal intl customer of 15 years. We have company offices in both MT & WY and overseas in several countries as well. Loosing business customers like my company is not good for business.


----------



## BJH Snow (Dec 18, 2003)

*Message to Gary*

Gary,

I plow snow in the Twin Cities of Minnesota and I purchased my truck with a fisher 8' conventional plow on it (1996). I really like the job it does clearing the snow and how it handles. I do have a tough time with keeping my engine cool with the snowfoil on but I have figured out how to deal with it.

I would be interested in picking up wings for the plow. I have just sandblasted and repainted the plow and wings would be a great addition to my 8' conventional staight blade.

Bryan, MN


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## NorthwestPlower1 (Feb 4, 2001)

I am currently a boss poly-V 9'3" RT2 user. I dont think i could ever go back to a straight blade again. I hate rust and refuse to buy any painted or powder coated plows. My salters are stainless. I am currently on my 4th Poly blade. I would like to see a X-blade stainless V-plow. 8',9',10' in length. You may have a new customer if you bring it to the market.


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## Hamptonplow (Nov 19, 2003)

Hi Gary,

I'm on my third Fisher plow and have never had one let me down. Tell your fine folks to keep up the good work.

I have four comments:

1. I have an 81/2 EZ-V. If a stainless version were available, I would buy it tomorrow.

2. The cost of the new style fish-stik which eliminates the "mode" process is an outrage. My dealer quoted me $320. Fisher should offer a discount on new items to existing customers. 

3. I would like to see better "molded in" back drag capability on all Fisher plows.

4. Regarding your ballast guide: Fisher needs to take into account that most trucks sold now are well equiped with many options. Many of us decide what plow we would like, use the guide to check for compatable trucks, then go get it. For example, I have a Sierra Crew Loaded and with Quadrasteer. The ballast guide recommends 400lbs. After my install we put my rig on the scales. We needed over 1000lb of ballast to keep the front end under the weight limits. I know it's just a guide, but surely you can do better. I consider your ballast guide to be obsolete. 

Best regards and thank you for taking the time to address this fine forum :waving:


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

sidecar580 said:


> I have a Fisher minute mount plow with the standard joy stick controll. When I push the lever down , the plow goes down but when I let go the plow will not go down any more. Is that the float? Is there a way to make it continue to drop[ like my old speed cast]?
> John


Hi sidecar580,
If you hold the lever in the down position for about 3 seconds, the control should electronically lock into the float mode. It will stay in the float mode allowing the blade to ride up and down on the terrain until you put the lever in the raise position. Only then will the float mode be deactivated.

Thank you


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Midwest said:


> Hey Gary,
> 
> I think you really need to start making ATV Plows, and quick, I need one now
> 
> I'm buying a moose plow that's yellow, send me a fisher sticker and I'll put it on there, that should turn some heads.


Hi Midwest,
The ATV plow market is something we have heard a lot about from people like yourself that own ATV's. Your request will be taken under advisement.

Thank you


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

intlco said:


> Both Fisher And Western need to do some price regulating in Montana? Today I spoke with a dealer who never returned any of my calls to purchase some v-blades and after sitting on hold 20 min, he finally comes to phone and says that we now want 8K for any Fisher blade and was complaining that you gave someone part of their state and the other guy is charging 8500K for a blade.
> The Western dealers are doing the same in Montana.
> The sale guy says, if you don't like our prices, then you can drive 600 miles to another market.
> 
> ...


Hi intlco,
Your timing is interesting as I will be visiting some of the folks you have listed here in Montana next Monday afternoon! Obviously your words are extremely disturbing and I will personally talk to some of the involved parties. I am going to print off this message a take it with me and talk to the top level management to make sure they are aware of what may be going on. I wish I could do something to keep you from traveling 600 miles to a different market to buy a competitors plow. That sounds like it could be a potential nightmare if your plow breaks down in the middle of a storm and you need parts or service. Please feel free to send me a PM with more details of your contacts and I will see if I can have someone contact you from one of these locations and resolve this controversy.

Thank You


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

BJH Snow said:


> Gary,
> 
> I plow snow in the Twin Cities of Minnesota and I purchased my truck with a fisher 8' conventional plow on it (1996). I really like the job it does clearing the snow and how it handles. I do have a tough time with keeping my engine cool with the snowfoil on but I have figured out how to deal with it.
> 
> ...


Hi BJH Snow,
Unfortunately, wings are something we currently do not offer. I will be putting a list of potential new products together to be presented to top level management, after this forum is completed, and wings will be on that list.

Thank you.


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

NorthwestPlower1 said:


> I am currently a boss poly-V 9'3" RT2 user. I dont think i could ever go back to a straight blade again. I hate rust and refuse to buy any painted or powder coated plows. My salters are stainless. I am currently on my 4th Poly blade. I would like to see a X-blade stainless V-plow. 8',9',10' in length. You may have a new customer if you bring it to the market.


Hi NorthwestPlower1,
As I have stated on here earlier in this thread, we are always working to improve our current products as well as offer new products. As I have also said on here earlier, look for many new and improved products to become available from Fisher Engineering over the next several seasons! I hope one of them will be exactly what you are looking for. Your feedback is very valuable.

Thank You


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Hamptonplow said:


> Hi Gary,
> 
> I'm on my third Fisher plow and have never had one let me down. Tell your fine folks to keep up the good work.
> 
> ...


Hi Hamptonplow,
Thank you for the fine comments about our products. It is very good to read comments like this as generally we don't hear from people that are happy with their plows.

1.)Stainless Steel EZ-V plows have been one of the more popular topics on this thread. We are listening!

2.)The cost of the new control you are talking about is the very same cost as the original control. The price did not change with this product improvement (which BTW was made as a direct result from feedback from users like yourself). If you had to buy a replacement control and you chose the same control you currently have, it would be the same price.

3.)Back drags are another accessory that will be on my "wish list" for new products to be added to our product line up in the future.

4.)You are correct in your assessment of our ballast guide and your criticism is somewhat fair. It is simply a guide to assist our customers and dealers and is not a book of hard facts. The problem is that each and every model truck is available with an endless number of options. Each option can and does affect the curb weight of the truck, which in turn takes away from the reserve capacity. The information we provide to our dealers in this ballast guide is more than any other plow manufacturer provides, and our dealers very much appreciate this information, but if we tried to accommodate each model truck with each and every option, the information would become a logistical nightmare for everyone to follow. I hope that all makes sense to you.

[Best regards and thank you for taking the time to address this fine forum]

I will assure you the time we involve in this is as valuable to us as it is to any of the members and participants to this thread. I think it is also kind of fun having direct dialog with people that use our products to make their life a little easier or in some cases a little more prosperous!

Thank You


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

duh said:


> Just picked up my truck today with a new Fisher 7.5 RD just installed, must say it looks pretty sharp,also the best dealer i have ever met. Now weatherman calling for 60 degree temps and plenty of rain. ugh :yow!:


Hi duh,
I can't even see your truck but I think it looks pretty sharp too with that brand new Fisher plow on the front!! Who is the dealer. He deserves a mention on here if he did such a good job for you. We take a great amount of pride in establishing the best people and businesses to represent our products in each and every market.

Unfortunately, the one element we cannot control is the weather. What kind of weather do you suppose we would be having right now if we could!!!!

Thank You


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## sam973 (Jan 20, 2004)

Hi Gary,

I have several Fisher plows, the latest one being a 9 ft MC for my 05' F550. My question is why did Fisher do away with the all hydraulic pumps that run off the motor. I have several that I never had a problem with. They save the batteries for running the spreaders and light bars during plowing. I found my hydro units to be the most reliable once you got the belt adjusted properly.

Thanks in advance,
Sam


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## sidecar580 (Nov 23, 2004)

Gary Dwinal said:


> Hi sidecar580,
> If you hold the lever in the down position for about 3 seconds, the control should electronically lock into the float mode. It will stay in the float mode allowing the blade to ride up and down on the terrain until you put the lever in the raise position. Only then will the float mode be deactivated.
> 
> Thank you


Gary:
That does not seem to be the case....The float does not work.......no float.....Any ideas where to look next?
Sidecar580


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

sam973 said:


> Hi Gary,
> 
> I have several Fisher plows, the latest one being a 9 ft MC for my 05' F550. My question is why did Fisher do away with the all hydraulic pumps that run off the motor. I have several that I never had a problem with. They save the batteries for running the spreaders and light bars during plowing. I found my hydro units to be the most reliable once you got the belt adjusted properly.
> 
> ...


Hi Sam973,
Even though it was getting very difficult to find the space under the hoods on newer vehicles to locate all of the needed components, we did nothing to influence the demise of the under hood belt drive hydraulic system. Shortly after the introduction of the Minute Mount style plows, the demand for under hood belt drive hydraulic systems began to diminish and basically fell to a point where we no longer could buy components in high enough volumes to remain in the under hood belt drive business. We think most people preferred to simply unhook two electrical connections when removing their plow rather then to unhook three hydraulic quick disconnects, which will always leak a small amount of fluid, when disconnected.

I agree they were trouble free systems. You could literally bolt it on, shut the hood, and forget about it. Heck, most systems never got the oil changed until they broke a hose and had to refill the tank for that reason! Timing of all of this was good in some ways as the new trucks now all have very heavy duty batteries and electrical charging systems and draining batteries is no longer a factor as it was back in the 60's and 70's when vehicles had only 35 amp alternators and 250 CCA batteries.

Thank You


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

sidecar580 said:


> Gary:
> That does not seem to be the case....The float does not work.......no float.....Any ideas where to look next?
> Sidecar580


Hi Sidecar580,
If the control does not go into the float mode, something is wrong with it. How old is the unit? I ask this because the very first electronic joystick controls we offered actually had a mechanical detent that physically locked the lever in the down position. If yours is an older one like this, the detent may be worn out.

Thank You


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## Andy N. (Dec 14, 2001)

*Cutting Edge or Not*

Gary,
I have read and listened to everything regarding a cutting edge on Fishers but I still do not really understand. Can you clarify whether you need one or not and if so, how long or how do you know when to put one on? I have a Fisher and have put a cutting edge on it but it seems like it is unneccesary.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Andy N. said:


> Gary,
> I have read and listened to everything regarding a cutting edge on Fishers but I still do not really understand. Can you clarify whether you need one or not and if so, how long or how do you know when to put one on? I have a Fisher and have put a cutting edge on it but it seems like it is unnecessary.


Hi Andy N,
Depending on the amount of plowing you do and the surface you are plowing, you are correct. A cutting edge may be unnecessary. I have a 9' plow and do not run a cutting edge on it. The trip edge (officially known as the base angle) is designed to be a wear item. All current production RD, HD, and XBLADE plow blades have wear bars, which consist of very hard strips of metal, welded to the back side of the base angle out on each end. This is to help against abrasion and makes the original base angle material last longer. The base angle can safely be worn up to 3" or so on the ends, which is where it will wear first, before it then becomes necessary to install a cutting edge. A good indicator of how far you can safely wear the base angle is how far the bottom of the trip springs are from contacting the ground. If the base angle wears too much, the bottom of the trip spring bars can come into contact with the ground. If the spring bars are in fact close to or in contact with the ground it is time to add a cutting edge or replace the one that is on there. If you do wear the base angle down as described, you should take a grinder and grind the forward face of the lower "lip" of the base angle smooth before installing your cutting edge. A build up of metal tends to accumulate there as the base angle wears. If this lip is not ground off flush with the forward face of the base angle prior to installing a cutting edge, the new edge may not sit flat against the base angle and the bolts will come loose causing the cutting edge to fracture.

Thank You.


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## Beej1024 (Nov 23, 2004)

1st off, I wish more companies took the time to poll the people that actually use thier products. Kudos.

Now, I'm new to all of this. I purchased a 2003 F250sd w/5.4 in it last year. I knew/know nothing really about plow hardware. I'm posting a few photos to see if you can:

A: what model is this the dealer sold me (documentation was LIMITED)

B: is this the right size/setup for my size truck.

Thanks again.


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## intlco (Nov 15, 2004)

Good Day Gary,

Thank you for your reply and the your concern regarding the situation in Montana. I tried to send you a PM, but it is blocked and don't work.
I will be happy to give you a letter with details about whom I spoke with at these companies and what they replied.
I have done a lot of business with Kois in the past 10 years, and I too am not pleased with the Billings store destorying our business relations. I know that they will know me well, and they will not be pleased that I write you. But I advised the sale rep yesterday that I was in contact with you and that I would bring up the price issue.
The dever store is still great to do business with and they are not doing what Montana stores are doing. The only thing is that it is impossible to drive to denver for service or parts during winter.

Thank You,
Intl Co.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Beej1024 said:


> 1st off, I wish more companies took the time to poll the people that actually use thier products. Kudos.
> 
> Now, I'm new to all of this. I purchased a 2003 F250sd w/5.4 in it last year. I knew/know nothing really about plow hardware. I'm posting a few photos to see if you can:
> 
> ...


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## RamesesSnow23 (Jan 4, 2004)

Hello Gary Dwinal and thank you and fisher for taking the time to help us with our questions on this site.  

How come a minuite mount was never made for the Jeep Cherokee. I know a conventional mount was once available for it, but why no minuite mount now? I was considering getting a 6'6" fisher for it, but could not.

Also was a (exact, not 6'9") 7' plow ever made? Also, if possible, could you tell me how much the 6'6" minuite mount plows weigh.

Do you plan on manufacturing a Red Sox World Champion plow, like you did for the patriots after the superbowl, that would be cool.  

Thank You again for answering our questions, its nice to have representatives direct from plow companies here to help us out. I will also say that your website is set up very nice and has alot of info, i like having access to all the owners manuels, installation instructions, etc.


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## duh (Feb 8, 2004)

Gary Dwinal said:


> Hi duh,
> I can't even see your truck but I think it looks pretty sharp too with that brand new Fisher plow on the front!! Who is the dealer. He deserves a mention on here if he did such a good job for you. We take a great amount of pride in establishing the best people and businesses to represent our products in each and every market.
> 
> Unfortunately, the one element we cannot control is the weather. What kind of weather do you suppose we would be having right now if we could!!!!
> ...


The name of the dealer was Universal Welding in Watertown ,CT. Great bunch of guys.


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## bobingardner (Jul 18, 2004)

Hi Gary,

Thanks for monitoring this forum. 

I bought a Fisher 760LD and noticed that this year's design differs from last year's in weight and construction. How did Fisher reduce the weight while extending the moldboard and other than those two features what are the benifits and drawbacks of the new design?

regards,
bob


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## capt caper (Jan 2, 2003)

Gary I hope you had a good Thanksgiving.

How do you feel about 8" cutting edges on the 8ft. commerical plows? Some guys around here use the after maket ones dealers sell them and seem to pay a high price. Does it affect anything? Why didn't Fisher come out with an 8" cutting edge for these?. 

Also I was interested in a spreader and notice the Honda is $400.00 more. Why is that? Is is that much better?


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## rob1325 (Jan 6, 2000)

Gary,
First off I love Fisher products and been using for years now. Thank you for your time in answering everyones questions and suggestions. Some of the things I also would like to see, as others stated are:

1) A Fisher V-Plow for a f-550 size truck that will last longer than the current 9.5 V you offer (won't buy another because of cracking and warping). I would LOVE to see a X-blade version V plow that will handle weight of this size truck with sander behind it, I would also buy one in a second if made available.

2) A back drag mount similar to Westerns. I have one on all my plows (made myself), very benifical. Also, if possible for V blades. Would be great for scoop back dragging and save me time and the use of other equipment for that purpose.

3) Scoop options, I have them on couple of my straight blade plows, and they work great and are time savers.

4) Like others said, Lights are outdated.

5) What happened to off set sander chute you used to sell on your sanders. I wanted to get one but dealer said you don't make them anymore. I was bummed out. I love the fact you can bypass spinner to fill pails and empty out sander. Will this sander ever come back?

I purchased two X-Blades last year and just love them over the HD line. Please come out with a X-Blade 9.5 V, you would make me one happy plower along with others. I personally thing it would be one HOT item.

Thanks Again,
Rob


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

bobingardner said:


> Hi Gary,
> 
> Thanks for monitoring this forum.
> 
> ...


Hi Bob,
You are correct. The new 7'6" LD plows are 26" tall, yet weigh less than the earlier design that was only 23" tall. As to how we were able to achieve that. Excellent engineering would be my answer to that. We tend to throw some pretty good challenges out to our engineering department and most of the time they are up for the challenge. We learned a lot about the use of different manufacturing methods & materials during the design of our new Homesteader series of plows (that plow is a full feature plow that weighs less than 250lbs. - complete package) that we have been able to carry over into some of the larger series of plows. The obvious benefit of the taller blade is the ability to carry larger loads of snow. There are no drawbacks that I am aware of.

Thank You


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

capt caper said:


> Gary I hope you had a good Thanksgiving.
> 
> How do you feel about 8" cutting edges on the 8ft. commerical plows? Some guys around here use the after maket ones dealers sell them and seem to pay a high price. Does it affect anything? Why didn't Fisher come out with an 8" cutting edge for these?.
> 
> Also I was interested in a spreader and notice the Honda is $400.00 more. Why is that? Is is that much better?


Hi capt caper,
Just finished eating turkey with my family. As usual, I ate way too much!! 
8" cutting edges on our plows is a BIG NO NO!!. The moments arms and other leverage factors on our base angles and trip springs are designed to work properly with 6" cutting edges ONLY! Buy adding the two inches to the bottom of the cutting edge, it multiplies the tripping forces by x3. In other words the base angle is tripping with a force that three times more leverage that designed for. This can cause severe damage to the trip springs, base angle, top & bottom trip spring anchors, as the overall blade structure. For these reasons, the warranty on any blade that is operated with 8" edge will be immediately voided. It is fairly common to look at the trip springs on a blade that has been operated with an 8" cutting edge and see all of the springs collapsed. The blade will simply trip way too easily and with a tremendous amount of force if an 8" is being used. The exception to everything I have said above is our MC series of plows which come standard with 8" center punched, reversible cutting edges. These plows are designed completely different and require an 8" cutting edge to work properly.

The Honda engines are more expensive and are a smoother running engine that have certain features that most people perceive as superior to other engines on the market. We added the Honda at the request of our customer base.

Thank You


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

rob1325 said:


> Gary,
> First off I love Fisher products and been using for years now. Thank you for your time in answering everyones questions and suggestions. Some of the things I also would like to see, as others stated are:
> 
> 1) A Fisher V-Plow for a f-550 size truck that will last longer than the current 9.5 V you offer (won't buy another because of cracking and warping). I would LOVE to see a X-blade version V plow that will handle weight of this size truck with sander behind it, I would also buy one in a second if made available.
> ...


Hi Rob1325,
My answer to 1 - 4 would be: We are always working to improve our products and come out with new products, and I think you should stay in touch with your local Fisher outlet over the next few years. Hopefully you will get everything you are hoping for.

5) The offset chute worked great when used with a high salt content, but was less than satisfactory when used with just plain sand. For that reason is was discontinued from our product line up. Hopefully we will come up with another way of quickly unloading any unused material from the hopper.

Thank you for purchasing our new XBLADES and also for the high praise on our XBLADE performance. I will put the XBLADE V-plow on my wish list!

Thank You


----------



## MidAtlantic (Nov 6, 2004)

Gary,
Does Fisher offer any factory mounts or wiring harnesses for the following trucks:

'95-current Isuzu NQR, NPR
'95-99 International 4700 LPX (lower than lo pros)
'98-2004 Hino FB

The Isuzu and Hino are cabforwards trucks...

If Fisher does not offer any mounts or wiring harnesses could you please forward me any pics or guidance as to how to install plows on these trucks?

Do you recommend plowing with cabforward trucks?

Look forward to your response.

Robert
[email protected]


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## JCKL (Nov 16, 2003)

On the adapters that was mentioned earlier in this post, I would be able to run an 8'6 ezv on my truck that had an 8' straight blade installed or is it just the other way around?


----------



## Arc Burn (Oct 21, 2002)

JCKL said:


> On the adapters that was mentioned earlier in this post, I would be able to run an 8'6 ezv on my truck that had an 8' straight blade installed or is it just the other way around?


Not to put words in Garys mouth,but,the adapter is for a V to a straight and you need the straight controll.If your set up for the Isolation Module you can purchase a V controll harness(under$250) and then run a V or staright on your truck,you'll now need a V controll,around $300.


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

cja1987 said:


> Hello Gary Dwinal and thank you and fisher for taking the time to help us with our questions on this site.
> 
> How come a minuite mount was never made for the Jeep Cherokee. I know a conventional mount was once available for it, but why no minuite mount now? I was considering getting a 6'6" fisher for it, but could not.
> 
> ...


Hi cja,
The answer to your question is somewhat complicated. About the same we released the Minute Mounts for sale, we also adopted a new internal policy with what is now known as our kit selection guide. This guide lists out vehicles that do or in some cases do not have the proper axle rating reserves to carry the added weight of a snowplow. The Jeep Cherokees did not have enough reserve capacity meet our internal guidelines. The new Homesteader line of plows will fit onto some of the new Jeep Loredos and Wranglers.

Our HS series of plows (no longer in production) were available in 6'6" & 7' models. The replacement plows for this series is our LD series which are available in 6'9" & 7'6".

We do not have any plans to offer a limited edition Red Sox plow. Sorry

Thank you for the kind words about our company and our website.

Thanks Again


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

JCKL said:


> On the adapters that was mentioned earlier in this post, I would be able to run an 8'6 ezv on my truck that had an 8' straight blade installed or is it just the other way around?


Hi JCKL,
In order to operate an EZ-V plow with any truck, the truck must have an EZ-V control wiring harness. If a truck has an EZ-V control wiring harness there is an adapter harness available that can be attached to the end of the harness in the cab and a straight plow control can then be attached the harness and the truck will be able to operate a straight plow. Kind of the opposite of what your above statement says. I will add that it is relatively easy to change the control wiring harness on any truck and upgrade it to the EZ-V control harness.

Thank You


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

MidAtlantic said:


> Gary,
> Does Fisher offer any factory mounts or wiring harnesses for the following trucks:
> 
> '95-current Isuzu NQR, NPR
> ...


Hi Robert,
We do offer a universal attachment kit that may be used to install a plow on some of these trucks. I say "may" because there are many factors about these trucks I do not know. Some of those factors are: GVW, FGAWR, curb weight, with other equipment installed. Another factor that could and probably would be an issue on the IHC truck would be vehicle ride height. Some of the lo pro trucks simply do not set high enough off the ground to adequately carry a plow over the road when traveling between plowing sites.

We offer attachments for some cab forward trucks such as the Mitsubishi FG series of trucks.

Thank You


----------



## Midwest (Oct 16, 2004)

Hi Gary,

I just had my first plow with my new MM2 EZV, and I gotta say it was great. I'm used the the EZ-V, but the new fishstick control made it alot easier(hands down, the best improvement you could've made). Now, for the bad stuff---I lost my sticker on my first parking lot WTH!!! Don't tell me your saving money on the stickers, or at least I hope not. My 3 year old ezv, used heavily, still has the perfect sticker on it. 

Also would like to let you know that Jeff, Terry, and Kim from Knapheide in ST. Peters Mo has always been great, helpful and professional.


----------



## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Midwest said:


> Hi Gary,
> 
> I just had my first plow with my new MM2 EZV, and I gotta say it was great. I'm used the the EZ-V, but the new fishstick control made it alot easier(hands down, the best improvement you could've made). Now, for the bad stuff---I lost my sticker on my first parking lot WTH!!! Don't tell me your saving money on the stickers, or at least I hope not. My 3 year old ezv, used heavily, still has the perfect sticker on it.
> 
> Also would like to let you know that Jeff, Terry, and Kim from Knapheide in ST. Peters Mo has always been great, helpful and professional.


Hi Midwest,
Thank you for the kind words about our new EZ-V control. It is always nice to hear that a product change is exactly what customers wanted and it makes their job a little easier. That is what we strive for.

I am sorry to hear that your decal fell off. If you PM me with your name and mailing address, I will be more than happy to send you a replacement. If you wash the surface with alcohol or paint thinner, the new label should stay on just fine. If you are not far from a Fisher distributor, you can return the plow there and they will be more than happy to replace the label. As I have mentioned on here a few times we are always working to make product improvements, and we have been working with a couple of different powder coat supply vendors to get our powder coat finish absolutely the best it can possibly be. It sounds like the surface on your new plow may be a little too slippery!!

Thank You.


----------



## Grn Mtn (Sep 21, 2004)

*Thank You and Wish List*

Thanks to Fisher for taking time out to listen.
Last Year I plowed 27 events, 3 of them back to back. My new 8' HD MM2 Rocked the House! On my Ram2500 the lift is awesome, I'm 22" off the ground, combine that with the 29" of blade height and I was able to push up/back some serious piles. I even pushed a fresh pile bigger than my truck backwards 30' to make room. I use the handheld controller and love it, (It did have to have the circuit board replaced at the end of the season due to erratic response)
Wish List: 1) Better lighting system w/replaceable bulbs. Maybe even the addition of floods that angle down each side of the blade. 2) Factory installed backdrag cutting edge. 4 of us are having these put on this year after one of us tested it last year(he was the only one that cleaned to blacktop, while our accounts kept having a layer of hardpack snow build up, by the end of January I had drives with as much as 5" built up). 3) Make a 4' Sidewing, (buy them out an Fisherize it!) I'll be buying this next season, it will help me with my commercial accounts. (I bought the plow last year, Spreader this year, SideWing next year, Ex-Blade V the following year. 4)Make a Tailgate spreader that can swing away with salt in it. I was going to buy a model 2000 for the swing away, but when I found out you cannot swing it away loaded up, and the nasty brackets that get drilled to the rails I switched to a model 1000, with variable speed control. Can't you make a frame that bolts on to the sides of trucks frame like a trailer hitch than up top something that would slide into the rear posts that would stabilize it?
Thanks for the great products and the time to read our posts, Oh, both Cyncon and Thru-Way Springs in Rush/Rochester NY have provided great sales and service.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Grn Mtn said:


> Thanks to Fisher for taking time out to listen.
> Last Year I plowed 27 events, 3 of them back to back. My new 8' HD MM2 Rocked the House! On my Ram2500 the lift is awesome, I'm 22" off the ground, combine that with the 29" of blade height and I was able to push up/back some serious piles. I even pushed a fresh pile bigger than my truck backwards 30' to make room. I use the handheld controller and love it, (It did have to have the circuit board replaced at the end of the season due to erratic response)
> Wish List: 1) Better lighting system w/replaceable bulbs. Maybe even the addition of floods that angle down each side of the blade. 2) Factory installed backdrag cutting edge. 4 of us are having these put on this year after one of us tested it last year(he was the only one that cleaned to blacktop, while our accounts kept having a layer of hardpack snow build up, by the end of January I had drives with as much as 5" built up). 3) Make a 4' Sidewing, (buy them out an Fisherize it!) I'll be buying this next season, it will help me with my commercial accounts. (I bought the plow last year, Spreader this year, SideWing next year, Ex-Blade V the following year. 4)Make a Tailgate spreader that can swing away with salt in it. I was going to buy a model 2000 for the swing away, but when I found out you cannot swing it away loaded up, and the nasty brackets that get drilled to the rails I switched to a model 1000, with variable speed control. Can't you make a frame that bolts on to the sides of trucks frame like a trailer hitch than up top something that would slide into the rear posts that would stabilize it?
> Thanks for the great products and the time to read our posts, Oh, both Cyncon and Thru-Way Springs in Rush/Rochester NY have provided great sales and service.


Hi Grn Mtn,
Wow!! I guess I better be careful what I wish for. Your wish list alone is job security for me about the next five years. All kidding aside, it is feedback just like yours that we are looking for as a extra benefit of holding this type of forum. I can assure you there are already some projects under way that will address some parts of your wish list. Some of your other comments or wishes listed in your message may very well help to solidify the resources for even more projects. As with any company, we have to prioritize our resources to where we can get the "biggest bang for the buck" to put it in a very literal manner. The great part of all of the feedback just like yours, is that the top level management within our organization will also be monitoring this forum and will "see" or "hear" first hand what users of our products are really looking for from us. Thank you for the kind words about our two dsitributors in your area and I will see to it that the Regional Sales Manager for that area gets this message.

Thanks Again


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## grassmanvt (May 27, 2004)

Gary, Thanks for the reply. And in reply to your reply, here's some more info. As far as box blades, I don't currently have one but there is a good chance I will buy an 8' skidsteer unit. As far as backdrags are concerned,I have mounted one on every fisher I have had so far. Many local contractors also do, probably more do than don't. Another popular add-on that I mentioned (along with a lot of others here) is the addition of wings. I wouldn't say that the after market ones are the perfect answer but they do make a huge differance in plowing effiencey.Another nice advantage is that the extra width helps keep the snow off of the trucks doors when making a turn with a blade full of snow. The big downfall is that they constantly require new bolts, or mounts start to pull through the molboard, and the wings also get bent up easily.Even with those issues, they make such a differance in plowing that I still run them.I believe that if they were designed by fisher for a fisher they would be better integrated and more durable. I also like the idea of having these accesories and not voiding the factory warranty.One more item I would like to see is a better light. It's handy that the lights are very common because they have been the same for so long but on the other hand, they have been around so long that they are outdated when compared to the lights that come on the trucks that we are mounting these units on. I guess the newer lights on the trucks have spoiled us. Another thing I want to mention is that in our area(central Vermont) unlike some of the areas mentioned in the other posts, our area has some great dealers. They stock most common parts and are very knowledgeable when it comes to tech questions. Sorry for the long post but it's not often that you can voice your opinion to someone that can actually has influence in a product line,and after spending anywhere from 20-40 hours straight in a plow truck per storm,it gives you time to think about what could be improved upon.Thanks for taking the time to be a part of this discussion!


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## Tarkus (Nov 19, 2004)

Gary, has you ever though of standardizing the wiring harness so that any minute mount two truck that can support a vee plow can by default even if a straight blade is installed first?. Yes I know you can change harrness to make it work either way but it might also make it easier for you to sell a Vee plow to someone with a striaght who might be more inclined to upgrade if it was just a quick "plug n play" switch and it would simply manufacturing by only having to have one harness style to make and stock per truck style verse two now. There are times I wish I could use a Vee plow interchangably but the thought of changing out harness holds me back because if I have to change harness I can change plow brands too if I am going to go through that much trouble. BTW I own 2 Fishers at the moment.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

grassmanvt said:


> Gary, Thanks for the reply. And in reply to your reply, here's some more info. As far as box blades, I don't currently have one but there is a good chance I will buy an 8' skidsteer unit. As far as backdrags are concerned,I have mounted one on every fisher I have had so far. Many local contractors also do, probably more do than don't. Another popular add-on that I mentioned (along with a lot of others here) is the addition of wings. I wouldn't say that the after market ones are the perfect answer but they do make a huge differance in plowing effiencey.Another nice advantage is that the extra width helps keep the snow off of the trucks doors when making a turn with a blade full of snow. The big downfall is that they constantly require new bolts, or mounts start to pull through the molboard, and the wings also get bent up easily.Even with those issues, they make such a differance in plowing that I still run them.I believe that if they were designed by fisher for a fisher they would be better integrated and more durable. I also like the idea of having these accesories and not voiding the factory warranty.One more item I would like to see is a better light. It's handy that the lights are very common because they have been the same for so long but on the other hand, they have been around so long that they are outdated when compared to the lights that come on the trucks that we are mounting these units on. I guess the newer lights on the trucks have spoiled us. Another thing I want to mention is that in our area(central Vermont) unlike some of the areas mentioned in the other posts, our area has some great dealers. They stock most common parts and are very knowledgeable when it comes to tech questions. Sorry for the long post but it's not often that you can voice your opinion to someone that can actually has influence in a product line,and after spending anywhere from 20-40 hours straight in a plow truck per storm,it gives you time to think about what could be improved upon.Thanks for taking the time to be a part of this discussion!


Hi Grassmanvt,
Don't ever apologize to me for giving me user feedback. We go to great lengths to seek user feedback. In fact I have spent two of the last three weeks traveling to Michigan and Chicago where I rented motel conference rooms and brought in groups of commercial plowing contractors for a half day and simply grilled them for product feedback. We always focus on what they do and do not like about their current plowing equipment, any modifications they have made to their equipment over the years, and what the most important features are they seek out when buying new or additional plowing equipment. I guess the point I am trying to make here is that user feedback is the main focus for us when it comes to deciding where we need to prioritize our resource. So I say
to you - A BIG THANK YOU!!


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Tarkus said:


> Gary, has you ever though of standardizing the wiring harness so that any minute mount two truck that can support a vee plow can by default even if a straight blade is installed first?. Yes I know you can change harrness to make it work either way but it might also make it easier for you to sell a Vee plow to someone with a striaght who might be more inclined to upgrade if it was just a quick "plug n play" switch and it would simply manufacturing by only having to have one harness style to make and stock per truck style verse two now. There are times I wish I could use a Vee plow interchangably but the thought of changing out harness holds me back because if I have to change harness I can change plow brands too if I am going to go through that much trouble. BTW I own 2 Fishers at the moment.


Hi Tark,
[I can change plow brands too if I am going to go through that much trouble]

I think you have misunderstood the harness situation. Changing the one control harness over to a V-plow control harness is fairly simple to do and is a one shot deal (it just plugs into the Isolation Module and routes to the control and vehicle grille). You do it once and that is it - you can then run a straight plow or a v-plow. Plus, if you think you may want to operate a V-plow in the future you can ask your dealer to complete your installation using a V-plow control harness right at the original installation.

To answer your first question, we have thought about just putting the V-plow harness on all trucks. The problem with that is the V-plow harness is more expensive and therefore would financially penalize all straight plow purchasers that will never operate a V-plow with their truck.

Thanks Tark @ WB?


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## Bad Luck (Sep 30, 2004)

Gary - I did go back to my installation manual and this is what it reads:
_"Complete installation of lift chain by inserting the loose end of the lift chain through the stop link on the lift arm. Fasten to other holes in the A-frame using a 3/8" U-bolt, lock washer, and nut. Hand tighten."_

Not very clear. Maybe adding something to say to take up all of the slack in the chain upon installation or something???

PS - For reference my manual is # 27777 RD/HD/X 28900X.

Thanks again for going the extra mile!

Anthony


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## Tarkus (Nov 19, 2004)

Gary Dwinal said:


> Hi Tark,
> [I can change plow brands too if I am going to go through that much trouble]
> 
> I think you have misunderstood the harness situation. Changing the one control harness over to a V-plow control harness is fairly simple to do and is a one shot deal (it just plugs into the Isolation Module and routes to the control and vehicle grille). You do it once and that is it - you can then run a straight plow or a v-plow. Plus, if you think you may want to operate a V-plow in the future you can ask your dealer to complete your installation using a V-plow control harness right at the original installation.
> ...


Gary,

Thanks for the responce. I know I can change harness (I installed both of my Fishers myself) but it is not a 20 minute job either though to do so properly. Yes it would cost more to make the harness but it would also mean you would have to make and stock less kinds of harnesses and reduce inventory as well and reduce costs somewhat becuase of this. It might add 25 to 50 bucks to price of a straight blade but it might also gain you more sales in the long run by making it a easy no fuss upgrade for straight blade users. Had I know what I know now I woud have installed a Vee plow harness on day one but this was never offered or explained to me by dealer at the time. Also I would put dual controller pig tails on harness to support the correct control for plow type in use and this would be cheaper than making a adaptor for vee plow harness to be able to use a straight blade controller.

Something to think about some anyway.

Regards


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Tarkus said:


> Gary,
> 
> Thanks for the responce. I know I can change harness (I installed both of my Fishers myself) but it is not a 20 minute job either though to do so properly. Yes it would cost more to make the harness but it would also mean you would have to make and stock less kinds of harnesses and reduce inventory as well and reduce costs somewhat becuase of this. It might add 25 to 50 bucks to price of a straight blade but it might also gain you more sales in the long run by making it a easy no fuss upgrade for straight blade users. Had I know what I know now I woud have installed a Vee plow harness on day one but this was never offered or explained to me by dealer at the time. Also I would put dual controller pig tails on harness to support the correct control for plow type in use and this would be cheaper than making a adaptor for vee plow harness to be able to use a straight blade controller.
> 
> ...


Hi Tark,
Your suggestions are all good ones and will be taken under advisement. Adding $25 or $50 to all plow installations sounds on the surface like an easy thing to do without causing any harm, but I will assure you, we work very hard to keep costs down. It is always a disappointment when we have to increase our prices. Our people will work hard to keep costs down in increments of nickels and dimes so we can keep our prices as competitive as possible in the market place. You can see why we think it would be MAJOR if we added $25 to $50 to all straight blade plow sales.

Thank You


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## 350 STROKER (Oct 18, 2004)

i just want to start of by saying. in my opinion fisher is the best out there. i started out plowing NH and moved to Va about 10 years ago and brought my fisher with me. i can't tell you how many guys i converted from using myers to fisher. we still have a few meyer in our fleet and what a pain. i can't tell you how much we spend welding / fixing these meyers blades. the fishers we change the oil and go to work...thank you!!
I do have a questions for you I have a MM1 7' 6" mounted on my 01 f-350 and ran into a small problem last year when i put new tires on the truck. i went up one tire size to 285 / 75 / 16 and the plow started to raise off the ground on one side when fully angled. I dropped the blade to lowest mounting level in it's mount but it still seems to plow unevenly? the truck is not lifted per say.. it does have the ford X code springs in the front. Can you give me any advice how to fix this? the only problem it is causing now is the cutting edges are wearing unevenly. the edge is now taller in the middle than on the sides. thanks for your help and keep up the great work.. Rich


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## Tarkus (Nov 19, 2004)

Gary Dwinal said:


> Hi Tark,
> Your suggestions are all good ones and will be taken under advisement. Adding $25 or $50 to all plow installations sounds on the surface like an easy thing to do without causing any harm, but I will assure you, we work very hard to keep costs down. It is always a disappointment when we have to increase our prices. Our people will work hard to keep costs down in increments of nickels and dimes so we can keep our prices as competitive as possible in the market place. You can see why we think it would be MAJOR if we added $25 to $50 to all straight blade plow sales.
> 
> Thank You


I understand where you are coming from Gary. If there is a extra cost and it is marketed as a asset for easy 'plug-n-play" future upgrades the extra cost is not longer a deterent but possibly a powerfull sales feature or assest. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me.

Regards


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

*10' Salter*

Gary:
I am looking to purchase the 10' hydraulic V box salter. My question is: Does it have a separate drive motor for the spinner and auger or is it a single motor set up. Thanks.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

cet said:


> Gary:
> I am looking to purchase the 10' hydraulic V box salter. My question is: Does it have a separate drive motor for the spinner and auger or is it a single motor set up. Thanks.


Hi cet,
The answer to your question is yes. The unit comes standard with one drive motor which will operate both the conveyor and the spinner. Then you can purchase an optional kit and a dual control valve that can be installed that will allow for separate control and speed for your conveyor and spinner.
Your local Fisher distributor should be able to give you any finer details about this option.

Thank You


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## Robber80 (Sep 8, 2004)

this is off topic and all but i was thinking about the hand held control offered with the fishers. I like the control a lot, but was thinking that for the people with a standard transmission (like me) 04 f350 with a deisel, fisher should make a shift nob in the shape of a pistal grip with the controls on top in perfect reach of your thumb. like i said, way off topic, but i have thought about this for awhile and figured its worth saying incase others liek the idea. i know a lot of people i know like manual trannys and would love to not have to take their hand off the shifter to control the plow. what do you all think??


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## Flipper (Nov 1, 2001)

I would like to see you guys bring back the belt drive hydraulics. Maybe not specific to a vehicle but a universal setup that the installer or end user could adapt. Included would be pump, valve assembly, (electric or cable) hoses and cylinders. You can buy these seperate but they are more expensive then if you offered it as a kit.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

350 STROKER said:


> i just want to start of by saying. in my opinion fisher is the best out there. i started out plowing NH and moved to Va about 10 years ago and brought my fisher with me. i can't tell you how many guys i converted from using myers to fisher. we still have a few meyer in our fleet and what a pain. i can't tell you how much we spend welding / fixing these meyers blades. the fishers we change the oil and go to work...thank you!!
> I do have a questions for you I have a MM1 7' 6" mounted on my 01 f-350 and ran into a small problem last year when i put new tires on the truck. i went up one tire size to 285 / 75 / 16 and the plow started to raise off the ground on one side when fully angled. I dropped the blade to lowest mounting level in it's mount but it still seems to plow unevenly? the truck is not lifted per say.. it does have the ford X code springs in the front. Can you give me any advice how to fix this? the only problem it is causing now is the cutting edges are wearing unevenly. the edge is now taller in the middle than on the sides. thanks for your help and keep up the great work.. Rich


Hi Rich,
You have got to make some modifications to get your A-frame level with the ground when the plow is on the ground and ready to plow. By putting the bigger tires on your truck along with the new springs your truck is now setting higher than it once was. A 7 1/2' plow on a big F350 is going to be borderline in its ability to get the A-frame level even without bigger tires or stiffer springs. If you have already dropped the truck end of the A-frame down as low as it will go, you are going to have to add metal to the top of the A-frame or do whatever it takes to get the A-frame to set level or parallel with the ground when pushing snow.
Thank You


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Robber80 said:


> this is off topic and all but i was thinking about the hand held control offered with the fishers. I like the control a lot, but was thinking that for the people with a standard transmission (like me) 04 f350 with a deisel, fisher should make a shift nob in the shape of a pistal grip with the controls on top in perfect reach of your thumb. like i said, way off topic, but i have thought about this for awhile and figured its worth saying incase others liek the idea. i know a lot of people i know like manual trannys and would love to not have to take their hand off the shifter to control the plow. what do you all think??


Hi Robber80,
Not off-topic at all. Excellent feedback. Your comments will be taken under advisement.

Thank You.


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## Gary Dwinal (Aug 1, 2001)

Flipper said:


> I would like to see you guys bring back the belt drive hydraulics. Maybe not specific to a vehicle but a universal setup that the installer or end user could adapt. Included would be pump, valve assembly, (electric or cable) hoses and cylinders. You can buy these seperate but they are more expensive then if you offered it as a kit.


Hi Flipper,
I hear you loud and clear! If we thought there would be enough market to support what you are requesting, we would do it in a heartbeat. The very reason those components are so expensive is a direct result of the sales volume diminishing to a dramatically low number. The demand just simply dried up and unfortunately will most likely never return to where it would have to be to support us making belt drive hydraulics available again.

Thank You


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