# Wing plows



## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

I've been interested in a wing for my pick up plow truck. Sidewing has a plow availible at $1900 US. Want your ideas if it would work. I have turned down contracts for plowing private roads, because I think you need a wing to move snow off to the side, any they weren't big enough to buy a special piece of equipement for. Would a wing work on parking lots? I think the extra time and time is money to raise and lower the blade would offset the extra clearing width. But what could you buy for $1900?
Comments
Bill


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## snow (Jan 5, 2001)

Bill- there is a company in canada w-cote. they make wing plows for smaller trucks. i don't know if they go for under $1900, but in the literature they sent me, the plow is a frount mounted wing, while the sidewing is a rear mounted one. i don't know how hard it would be to make one, but maybe if you good with a welder and do a little fabrication, you could make one to your needs. no one around here uses wing plows, so i can't really give you brands. there is also a wing plow sold by  hp fairfield  called the hp 102 wing plow. hope this helps.

bryan


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## thelawnguy (May 20, 2001)

The fact they make a plow that fits doesnt mean it will do the job intended. I cant see a pickup truck moving a wing plow and a front plow with anything more than an inch or two of light snow. That wing will keep pushing the truck around in circles.

Something to think about.

In central CT all the towns have at least one wing, mounted on the largest truck they have. Its good for clearing half the road at a time, but that truck is *working*.


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## diggerman (May 19, 2001)

I agree with lawnguy,I've been on a "wing plow" web site and they have that one mounted on a nissan pickup and I just don't see it pushing a decent amount of snow with out getting pushed around(like into other cars, fire hydrants, brick walls,curbs,etc),even a larger truck is going to have a hard time with any thing more than 3 or 4 fluffy inches. Then think of what happens if it won't raise or blows a line and runs your main pump out of fluid(thats how the one I saw was opperated is off the exsisting plow pump using a diverter valve)your stuck with nothing to plow snow ,at least with a regular plow it can be driven to a shop with the blade on the ground, That doesn't work so well with some thing 10ft wide that you can't see.Also I saw how close to the truck body the blade was in the retracted position,this also is a problem because if some one were to bump into a object the damage could be to the whole side of a truck,starts to make the plow pretty expensive and the jobs not very profitable.


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

I had a w cote wing plow on 91 F 350 (the truck has been traded). I was using it for plowing private roads, and many towns in maine also use them. They will work well, if your speed can be kept up, and you are not climbing big hills. Also you want a 1 Ton with a v-box, you the snow doesn't push you around. Only with the 10' blade on my 650, a wing was never needed.

Geoff


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## snow (Jan 5, 2001)

geoff- i have some questions i want to ask you, please email me at [email protected], i forgot your email address. by the way, how were the hydraulics and mounting set up for the w-cote wing plow?


thanks,




bryan


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

Well that was back in the day of belt driven hydraulics. So they ran of a belt driven pump. My system involved a mess of hydraulics hoses inside the cab. I had levers that controlled the wing, front blade, and spreader ( i had a hydrolic one once). To run this i wasn't useing the standard fisher belt driven pump. I had a guy put something together to make it all work, the end result was it worked, on it was a mess. The truck became a 2 seater, and it was just a mess never will i go back to that.

The wing required one double acting cylinders, to make it work. I bought the plow, used but it had never been used. A guy bought it for private roads, decided he didn't want to change the appearance of his truck, and sold the wing.

Mounting the wing, requires removing the front bumper, and installing a bracket connected to the frame of the truck and plow frame. The bumper can be remounted further out. A second bracket was installed just behind the cab on the frame.

I might have not had the cote brand, that you are talking about. I was able to use my fisher plow with the wing. While the coat system looked like you needed to use their plow and wing together.

Geoff

[Edited by GeoffDiamond on 08-27-2000 at 02:13 AM]


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

> _Originally posted by thelawnguy _
> *The fact they make a plow that fits doesnt mean it will do the job intended. I cant see a pickup truck moving a wing plow and a front plow with anything more than an inch or two of light snow. That wing will keep pushing the truck around in circles.
> 
> Something to think about.
> ...


This is not intended to pick on lawnguy, or diggerman, note the dates for this thread, but I think what both Jerre and I have experienced with the Sidewing, is just the opposite a pickup can move a lot more snow with a Sidewing, It's great to see what technology, and some good design work can do to help us make more money.

Bill


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## CT18fireman (Nov 30, 2000)

Great to see that NS did a search and brought back an old thread. It was nice to see the old comments blend with the new thoughts.

I definately am thinking about a wing next year.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

I've been thinking along the same lines and been going to start a thread about it so glad to see this one brought back up. The question I have is - Any companies selling wings going to be at John Parker's this year? Assuming that he's going to have the meeting again this year.

John P?


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## Jerre Heyer (Mar 19, 2002)

Mick, Don't know about making it to John Parker's but I know that Sidewing will be at the SIMA show in Buffalo. I'd love to get out to John's but think that will be a few years down the road. The fall is a busy place at a snowplow shop.

Jerre

p.s. Bill you must have had some extra time on your hands to dig up that thread. I was laughing my head off while reading about spinning the truck in circles thinking about what it took to make my rig start to push to the side. I was going to reply to that untill I saw the dates and your post.


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## Arc Burn (Oct 21, 2002)

Hey Jerre,i do custom dump bodies on the smaller trucks (450's,550's etc.)and i've got some guys talkin about these wings,Have you (or anyone else) mounted one on a dump body before?
These are not the all steel dump bodys,but rather custom low profile dumps,frame and headboards are steel but the rest is wood.Just wondering how to go about mounting one i guess.


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

Mick, 

Not sure what part of Maine your in. However HP Fairfeild is right in Skoweghan. They are on Green street, take 201, and at the intersection right before the bridge, take a left if going north, Green street is your second street on the right after the left. 

Hp Fairfield will be able to set you right up in terms of wings.

Geoff


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Thanks, Geoff. That's about half an hour north on 201. I've been hearing about HP Fairfield, just never been up there.


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## Chuck Smith (Dec 30, 1999)

The video thelawnguy is talking about was a Nissan like he said, and it was doing 60 MPH (from the look of the video). It made it seem like if it slowed down it would spin out IMO.

As I have posted MANY times before, I had a 74 CJ5 with a 6.5' Western, that would spin the Jeep in circles all the time. I am talking about even light snowfalls. Speeding up and then dropping the blade just made me spin out faster. It would also make the Jeep slide diagonally, like the time I slid into a chain link fence and got tangled, or the time I chipped a chimney plowing a driveway..  It made me feel like a moron, because I had no control once the plow was dropped. Of course, that was back when Western liked to mount the undercarraige to the leaf springs..... I sold it after only a few months of (barely) plowing with it. 

~Chuck


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## CT18fireman (Nov 30, 2000)

We put four cement blocks and two buskets of sand in my brothers CJ and it will push anything. Never have a traction problem.


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## Ohiosnow (Sep 20, 2001)

*I had a 72 CJ5 Renegade with a 6.5' Meyers manual angle*

Wow I never had any problems like that.

Chuck Smith


> that would spin the Jeep in circles all the time. I am talking about even light snowfalls


I'll never forget back is 1977 we had a storm that dumped 22" in 24 hrs. & I plowed for 55 hrs with my CJ-5 :waving: with only 3 hrs. sleep.

My plow tires were 38" high x 14" wide M&S  not the best to drive in snow but once the plow was down I could move mountains. Of course it helped to have a 427-- V-8 & 4.88's


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## Chuck Smith (Dec 30, 1999)

When I bought the Jeep I talked to a friend who owned one. He said when he bought it, (new) he got it with the V-8. In the rear, he piled salt bags high enough to rest his elbow on when backing up. He said he never had a problem plowing.

When I owned the 74, a friend had an 85, with a Meyer plow, and he had no troubles at all. He had an auto trans, and a 6 cylinder. He also had a hard top, and hard doors. I even road with him once when plowing. No ballast, and he made it through the Blizzard of 96' (30").

My 74, had a manual trans, and a 4 banger. I had a soft top and soft doors. Tires were G78 - 14 (if I remember correctly). I never got stuck, or had traction problems (other than getting hooked on the fence). I think my problem was two things, not enough weight in the front or rear, and, the fact that the plow attached to the front leaf springs made steering with the plow down almost impossible.

I figured the Jeep would do OK, since I know they are great little 4wd's. My father had a 79, and it was a little tank. My friend had an 84, with 39" mudders on it, only problem he had was with the Quadra-Trac... he ran it in "Emergency" mode all the time. My other friend had the 85 with the Meyer, so I figured I'd do OK..... WRONG.

IF I was going to be doing driveways again, I would not hesitate to get another Jeep, only it would not be a 4 banger, or have a soft top  It would also be a CJ, not a TJ, or a YJ. But that is my preference. Keep it simple. 

Even the 85, I did a complete body swap on it in 1997 to a 91 tub, and found many different "parts". I mean the thing was a total "mutt". The on board computer was a Ford. The steering column was GM. The trans was a very expensive Pugeot. I'm sure I left a few out....

Back on the topic, I think it is great that we now have real use input, instead of just asumptions based on appearance, general experience, and opinions. 

~Chuck


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## Jerre Heyer (Mar 19, 2002)

CT, Can you get some picts of those "buskets" it there that good I need to look into them..LOL Jerre


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## sidewing (Dec 31, 2001)

Hi:

Mick- we were at John Parker's last year, too bad about the weather! If we can, I'm sure we'll make the trip down again (weather depending of course). We will also be at SIMA and the APWA show in Quebec in April.

Chuck- it's much easier to show than to explain, but Sidewing simply doesn't spin your truck around in use (nsmilligan can for sure attest to this!). Really, to move the truck with sidewing on at all you have to run the wing into a tree or large frozen snowbank. Even then, if you lift the wing you will cut the top part of any bank off, then you can move the rest in a second pass.

The thing to remember is that a typical 3/4 ton truck with both plows on weighs 8000 pounds plus (closer to 10,000 pounds with a V-box spreader full of sand/salt). Once you get that much weight moving in a straight line at some speed, it takes a considerable amount of force to deflect the truck from it's direction.

The HP Fairfield and other wings (Cote, Everest, etc) all work, and have long since proved that a 1-ton truck can push snow with a wing. What they also do, unfortunately, is throw all the weight of 2 plows plus mounts, etc on the front axle. This is too much for 1-ton trucks, causing excessive amounts of maintenance, and these days is sure to get you in trouble with the local law enforcement guys for exceeding your axle weights.

Sidewing just adapts a proven idea (wings) to the 3/4 and 1-ton trucks that are most commonly used.

I hope this helps. You can always email us for our video, should which might answer some of the questions anyways.

Thanks!

Reg


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## Chuck Smith (Dec 30, 1999)

> _Originally posted by Chuck Smith _
> The video thelawnguy is talking about was a Nissan like he said, and it was doing 60 MPH (from the look of the video). It made it seem like if it slowed down it would spin out IMO.


A Nissan is a far cry from 8,000 - 10,000#. That is what planted the 'negative seeds' about the plow IMO. That's not to say that a Nissan won't be able to use a wing effectively, but, most on here plow with full size trucks, so seeing a video of a Nissan, started you off on the wrong foot (again IMO). I know MANY small vehicles have no trouble with a front blade, that has been proven over and over. It is a wing on them that made us question if it would actually work.



> _Originally posted by Chuck Smith _
> *Back on the topic, I think it is great that we now have real use input, instead of just assumptions based on appearance, general experience, and opinions.
> 
> *


Exactly Reg. Bill and Jeere's experience is what I am talking about 

Mick, Sidewing was at the BBQ last year, they had their truck practically inside the garage door. I spoke to Reg myself. Reg offered to come down here and show me how the wing works last winter, but, we had no snow to see it in action. This year would have been great, since it snowed so much here.

~Chuck


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2004)

*Wing plow on pickups (3/4 ton)*

Many people use them in the Maine & NH area. They work excellent, a lot of Highway Department's use them.

When you get one, they usually add an extra spring to the side in which the wing is mounted to equal out the weight. My town has one on their 1-ton, it works great. They bought it from Howard P. Fairfield, but I know of other companys who make them.

Everest Snow Plow Equipment
Tenco Snow Plow Equipment
Birco Wing Plows
HP Wing Plows (as said it's Howard P Fairfield) - someone also wrote this
Cote Wing (someone also said this)

but my favorite plows are the ones made by Wayne Brown in Maine. He makes RIGHT WAY plows plus WING plows for 1-tons and 3/4 ton trucks.

Check them out here, they are rugged and work great.
http://www.brownhomesteadinc.com/snowplowsx.html

Sincerely,
Jake


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2004)

*Wing plow on pickups (3/4 ton)*

Oh ps, I wouldn't put a wing on a Nissan or Toyota or Mazda....

I recommend them only on Chevy, Dodge, and Ford...... and I know dealers (truck dealers) can order them specially. Municipal dealers are the best bet.

Sincerely,
Jake


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2004)

I'm told by Birco Engineering a wing plow (posted in the front - mid of the frame) is around $2,500

If you get a SideWing brand wing plow, it's on the back of the truck on the right hand side and if you take a corner, you'll be missing a lot of snow..... because the plows arn't near eachother... so your back tires will be going over a snowbank.

Attached is a pic of the Birco Wing


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

> _Originally posted by cigam _
> *If you get a SideWing brand wing plow, it's on the back of the truck on the right hand side and if you take a corner, you'll be missing a lot of snow..... because the plows arn't near eachother... so your back tires will be going over a snowbank.
> *


???

I've pushed a little bit of snow and never had that problem and I don't have any wing at all. So why would a wing (according to you, SideWing especially, apparently) CAUSE it? What I do is push the snow with a front blade properly sized for the truck it's on. The side wing is there only to push the snow further to the side - best suited to plowing roads.. And I've never seen a wing on the left side of the vehicle, anyway, except for a wing on the front plow - like a Blizzard 8-10.


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2004)

If you take a turn with your truck, your front tire will ride on the snow..... (if it's a sharp turn)..... and your rear tire tire will ride on snow if it's medium-sharp. Especially if it's a 7 - 7 1/2 foot. A guy I know who has a Chevy 1500 with a 7' something, well the snowbank to his right side, pushed his door in.....


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2004)

In NH, the state has equipped double wing plows, or right hand, or left hand side plows on their trucks.

Some one-way plows face the left.

This is only on the ones that plow the highway which has more than two lanes. 

And it's usually an option of which side you want. Standardly, it's on the right. But left is an option.

Such as the United Kingdom. You can't use a wing on the right side, unless it's on a highway.... where you can drive on the other lane.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

> _Originally posted by cigam _
> *If you take a turn with your truck, your front tire will ride on the snow..... (if it's a sharp turn)..... and your rear tire tire will ride on snow if it's medium-sharp. Especially if it's a 7 - 7 1/2 foot.*


Interesting. The 7.5' I have on the 1/2 ton Dodge and the 9' on the DRW Chevy 3500 are angled close to the front tire whichever direction I turn. The front wheel couldn't possibly run over any snow unless the moldboard was raised. I suppose if I was going real slow and it was a dry, fine snow, then I might get some trailoff that the outside rear wheel might run over, but it would be pretty insignificant. But usually I'm going fast enough that the snow curls over and away from the truck. Even going slow if the snow is wet/heavy, it'll curl over. That just the way the plow is designed.


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2004)

and how about the rear tires?


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

On a straight truck, the rear tires follow the front tires through the turn.


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2004)

If you are DRIVING straight, a straight vehicles will match. But if the truck takes a TURN to the left or right, the rear tires will drive over unplowed snow, or a small snowbank. (IF YOU TURN).

If you have a Front Mount wing plow, and take a right hand turn (such as plowing streets, as they usually only make right hand sharp corners), the tires won't drive over the snow as much as if you had the rear mount wing plow. Next time you plow, look at your tire marks (take a sharp turn).


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

I've been plowing for a few years.


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2004)

Take a turn (with the plow off the ground) in the snow, and you'll notice the tires do not follow the front tires. If the rear ones turned as well, yes it'd be the same. But not when the rear tires are straight and the front are turning.


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## PLOWMAN45 (Jul 2, 2003)

i had a 89 jeep wrangler with 31's yok's all terrian's that blizzard of 95/96 no problem i would of kept it if the carb didnt always make the jeep stall


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

*Sidewing*

The wheels do not run over snow when using the Sidewing, and in fact it protects the right side of the Truck up or down. The big difference between the Sidewing design and the Birco front mounted wing is the Sidewing pickup will push MORE snow with the wing down and track straight, with the front mounted wing the front of the truck is forced to the left. Having 2 seasons on a Sidewing it's almost doubled my productivity, plus I can wing back banks etc. The truck is starting into a sharp right hander in the pic.

Bill


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Here's a pic of the TRuck benching a snow bank, the sdiewing is raised all the way up. You couldn;t do this with a pick up and a front mounted wing the front of truck would never stay straight


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Here's the front of the truck, it's pushing a lot of snow. Without the sidewing helping keep the front of the truck turned into the bank it would be hard to do

Bill


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2004)

You can push banks back with the Birco. A bunch of municipalities use them. They wouldn't if they were ****. Take a complete right turn with the truck, (got a pick?), you'll see the tire go over snow.


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Have you ever plowed yourself with a wing? I got a 1000 + hrs on the Sidewing, and NO it doesn't come close to putting a tire in the snow. and yes you can push banks back with a Birco, but not with with the front plow full too like the picture, got any pics of your truck with it's wing to back up your claims? Here's aroad with close to 2 ft of snow in it, notice I had to back out of the push with only the front plow angled , it pushed the front of the truck sideways

Bill


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Here's a pic after the first pass. The front plow was in a V and the wing out


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

And just because local government uses them doesn't mean they're the best, after all are any of your local municipalities using treated salt? They take some time to clue into new technology. and then get into their budgets to use it. Here's the last pass out pushing back the benching.

Bill


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2004)

I stand corrected. After seeing some work from a snowplowing contractor (in which I haven't with the sidewing, I assumed which was dumb), I like the SideWing. It looks great. 

I have a few questions on the SideWing (for the future in case even I might buy one for my truck and save some money)

How much is the wing?

Total weight of wing?

Turning? (what's it like when you turn and their's a curbing.. do you have to move out more or does it not hit?)

Any advice while using one? (Suspension; plowing; maintenance; storage; etc)

Are these able to go on a 1/2 ton truck? I know with the Birco, it's pretty heavy and they usually put an extra spring on the right hand side on the front of the truck to balance the weight when the wing is up. I've seen other 3/4 ton trucks without the spring and the thing was really leaning to the side.

How does the traction work up hills with the wing? The Birco sometimes does have trouble when it's really heavy and deep snow, and you need to lift the wing at times or raise it slightly.

I really like the photos by the way. The SideWing is designed sort of like Tenco's (I think it's tenco's) rear mounted wing plow (the NHDOT puts them on some of their NHDOT trucks).

Sincerely,
Cigam


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Check out http://www.sidewing.net for up to date pricing distributors in you area. If you look close at the pics I run a u-edge on the sidewing helps a lot hitting storm drains curbs etc. You have to allow for the extra 4 ft of width when turning, just like towing a trailer. It won't go on a 1/2 ton need at less a 3/4 HD, my Dodge pictured with the spreader full grosses 9500#. Just retired that truck and bought a new GM 3500 SRW.
Her's my favorite pic of the truck, my brother is the dot grader operator

Billpayup payup


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## PLOWMAN45 (Jul 2, 2003)

a vee plow a wing plow if your doing highways i can see that i cant get by with 9 or 10 ft straight plow


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

How about cutting your plow time in half on parking lots? That's why I run both. I need the V plow because of some of our snow conditions, it's the only way I can open a hole in a parking lot and some driveways, roads I plow, other wise I would run a Blizzard power plow

Bill


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Some guys have asked can I run the Sidewing and an inbox spreader, thre answer is yes.

Bill


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## avalancheplow (Dec 20, 2003)

nsmilligan you switched to a gmc from the dodge! I like it can we get more pics? :waving:


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## 04superduty (Jan 9, 2004)

how hard is it to remove your side wing?


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## buzzz427 (Sep 11, 2008)

I have read this post several times I have a guy with a front mount wing on his f350 push my banks back on my 3 mile camp road that I plow and have been considering getting one. I am not sure about the rear mounted one it seems to not got out far enough but I cant find any literature or websites to buy either the birco or the sidewing. the website link on this thread doesnt work. anyone have any other site info.


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## oldmankent (Mar 2, 2001)

buzzz427;1263812 said:


> I have read this post several times I have a guy with a front mount wing on his f350 push my banks back on my 3 mile camp road that I plow and have been considering getting one. I am not sure about the rear mounted one it seems to not got out far enough but I cant find any literature or websites to buy either the birco or the sidewing. the website link on this thread doesnt work. anyone have any other site info.


this thread is way old. Sidewing is out of business. You might try jjagwing.com, but I don't know if they are up and running either. Custom seems to be the best option for a rear mount sidewing plow.


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## heman (Oct 14, 2009)

I've been trying to build a plow truck but can't find the right wing. Looking for a mid mount, looks like a forklift frame behind cab the wing is attached to that and wings out NOT down, one ram to push the blade out. The frame raises and lowers the plow. The frame tilts back just like a forklift so you can tuck it away or simply raise it up. ANYONE NO HOW BUILDS THAT?


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## heman (Oct 14, 2009)

I have a side wing if someone is looking for one


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## heman (Oct 14, 2009)

buzzz427;1263812 said:


> I have read this post several times I have a guy with a front mount wing on his f350 push my banks back on my 3 mile camp road that I plow and have been considering getting one. I am not sure about the rear mounted one it seems to not got out far enough but I cant find any literature or websites to buy either the birco or the sidewing. the website link on this thread doesnt work. anyone have any other site info.


I have a side wing, used it one season, worked great, but my problem was, I clean up after big truck could not get close enough to mail box with front plow With out hitting mailbox with side wing.


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