# Opinions on best SMALL vehicle to plow with...



## DCL

We have a few trucks on the road but are realizing we need somthing small for driveways. We were thinking a jeep would be perfect but then we would have no use for it in the summer. Would a 4x4 s10 work? Just curious if anyone has some good advice. Thanks!


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## Grisi24

Never used a Jeep but I have only heard good things about them... How small are these driveways you are talking about?


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## BSDeality

we run toyota pickups, unbeatable for driveways other than a jeep but we need to bring salt and shovels with us so we stick with the toy's. we pack in a few hundred pounds of salt and a few hundred pounds of sand tubes for ballast, a toro CCR blower and a couple shovels/scrapers. works out great. they're twice as fast as our f350 in the driveways because they're so maneuverable and shorter. we also put wings on to control the snow more and move it quick with a 8'6" blade on a small truck.


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## mycirus

These past 3 days I have done about 45 driveways with a crew cab 2500. Unless you have to make a 90 degree turn with a tree there you should be able to do it.



Edit...just realized you are in Newport. It can get tight with cars, traffic, banks and alleys.


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## poncho62

My old s10 Blazer, 6 ft Meyer works well.....I would imagine an s10 pickup would do as well......No idea about the newer ones though.


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## 2COR517

The S10 Blazers were excellent. The S10 pickups are popular too. Even a reg cab shortbed pickup is pretty manuverable. Put a 7.5 Vee with wings on it, that's a driveway weapon.


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## Rc2505

I have an old S-10 Blazer with a 6.5' Meyer poly plow on it. I have always said, it is a great truck to plow with. I can push right with full size trucks no problem, unless the snow gets real deep. I have pushed parking lots with 8" without any problems, but any deeper and you start bogging down real bad, not to mention the snow roll off with such a short blade sucks. As long as you are going to plow with the storm, an S-10 blazer should do fine.


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## SuperdutyShane

2COR517;921162 said:


> The S10 Blazers were excellent. The S10 pickups are popular too. Even a reg cab shortbed pickup is pretty manuverable. Put a 7.5 Vee with wings on it, that's a driveway weapon.


And of course, for a Ford fan, a nice Bronco.


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## theonlybull

SuperdutyShane;921220 said:


> And of course, for a Ford fan, a nice Bronco.


x2

i love my old man's 77 bronco. 6'6" fisher, and 302v8


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## show-n-go

The only problem you will have with a Toyota Tacome is trying to buy a used one. Since they did the buy back from the rusty frames all the ones left out there are almost as much as a new one unless they have stupid miles. You could look for a used Toyota t100 or tundra. Nothing turns sharper than a jeep, I wish jeep would make a vehicle like the Hummer h2 truck. That would be the best of both worlds.


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## DCL

Thanks guys for all the input. I have decided to sub a bunch of the out to a friend of mine with a smaller full size truck. But newport gets real tough, may pick up a real small truck next season, we'll see,


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## Screamer27

The company I push with has 4 Crew Cab 2500 Chevys, an f550 ford, a 1500 dodge reg cab long box, and I used to use a 1500 Reg cab long box Chevy with a st 90 meyer. We do an apartment complex that is sprawled out over 20 acres, a few town house associations, 2 trucking terminals and a few other smaller business. This year I sold my old Chevy and bought a K5 Blazer, I threw 3/4 axles with 4.10 gears under it, along with some modified leaf packs, and it runs on 33in tall tires. I run 600 pounds of ballest, and its about unstopable, I can move over 20in of snow, yet its small enough to that i can turn around in a dual width driveway if I have to. Here in about a week its getting a Hiniker C-blade to make it even better at doing parking spots at the apartment complex. Our fleet is running 2 western wideouts, 2 western 8.5 v's a boss 9.2 V, 8' straight western and my old meyer, so I do bank drive throughs, and the parking spots. The only thing that sucks about the K5 is the back window if in a storm, the rear window gets covered, and you have no wiper, and no defrost, so sometimes I plow with the window down. I also have a small JD snow blower in the back of the K5  I wouldn't trade the thing for anything.


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## ajman21

my s10 has been doing a excelent job these few snows I have used it on its a 98 so if that counts as a newer one then the newer s10/noma's r excelent plowing rigs.


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## Screamer27

I used an 96 S10 blazer for awhile, great small vehicle to push with, but we always had a bunch of maintence in that poor little truck. Each year it would eat ball joints, and pitman/idler combo. We ended up getting lifetime warranty parts for it, and just got good at replaceing them


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## snow patrol

Toyota Tacoma if you can find a good used one. I've run mine since 01 when I purchased it new. Its a great plow truck. great maneuverability, you can carry a blower, shovels, salt etc. and the overall reliability is second to none.


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## mercer_me

A have never used a Ford Ranger to plow with, but I but a do know my Dad's 2000 Ford Ranger 4x4 will go through deep snow wicked good.


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## theonlybull

Screamer27;930773 said:


> The company I push with has 4 Crew Cab 2500 Chevys, an f550 ford, a 1500 dodge reg cab long box, and I used to use a 1500 Reg cab long box Chevy with a st 90 meyer. We do an apartment complex that is sprawled out over 20 acres, a few town house associations, 2 trucking terminals and a few other smaller business. This year I sold my old Chevy and bought a K5 Blazer, I threw 3/4 axles with 4.10 gears under it, along with some modified leaf packs, and it runs on 33in tall tires. I run 600 pounds of ballest, and its about unstopable, I can move over 20in of snow, yet its small enough to that i can turn around in a dual width driveway if I have to. Here in about a week its getting a Hiniker C-blade to make it even better at doing parking spots at the apartment complex. Our fleet is running 2 western wideouts, 2 western 8.5 v's a boss 9.2 V, 8' straight western and my old meyer, so I do bank drive throughs, and the parking spots. The only thing that sucks about the K5 is the back window if in a storm, the rear window gets covered, and you have no wiper, and no defrost, so sometimes I plow with the window down. I also have a small JD snow blower in the back of the K5  I wouldn't trade the thing for anything.


put a 12V fan blowing across the inside of the back window. one like busses and trucks used to run. that works good in my old man's bronc'


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## Tommy10plows

*Best Small Plow vehicle*

Well, you guys who know me know what I am going to say:

JEEP.

Jeep CJ 5, or CJ 7, with real leaf springs, belt driven hyraulic pump, and a manual transmission. Dependable, simple to fix, unstoppable and easy to get parts for.

By the way, real Jeeps only come with leaf springs.....


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## derekbroerse

K5 Jimmy/Blazer is excellent and durable.

S10/S15 trucks and SUV's are also excellent

Jeep

Depends on what you want, age range, price range, etc. Lots of options, all with plusses and minusses.


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## doubleedge

The Dodge Dakota supposedly comes with 1/2 ton axles/transmission, so it would probably hold up well.


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## theplowmeister

Tommy10plows;934367 said:


> Well, you guys who know me know what I am going to say:
> 
> JEEP.
> 
> Jeep CJ 5, or CJ 7, with real leaf springs, belt driven hyraulic pump, and a manual transmission. Dependable, simple to fix, unstoppable and easy to get parts for.
> 
> By the way, real Jeeps only come with leaf springs.....


WOW so..... rectangular head lights are areal jeep?


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## 2COR517

Tommy10plows;934367 said:


> Well, you guys who know me know what I am going to say:
> 
> JEEP.
> 
> Jeep CJ 5, or CJ 7, with real leaf springs, belt driven hyraulic pump, and a manual transmission. Dependable, simple to fix, unstoppable and easy to get parts for.
> 
> By the way, real Jeeps only come with leaf springs.....


I hate those fake leaf springs. They look the same, so you have to be careful......


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## Lux Lawn

I always liked the Chevy S10 ZR2, got a little more beef to it then the regular S10 and they are sporty.


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## MileHigh

Jaguar xj220


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## derekbroerse

Lux Lawn;934712 said:


> I always liked the Chevy S10 ZR2, got a little more beef to it then the regular S10 and they are sporty.


Just remember that these take a special plow mount and may be harder to find!


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## ajman21

derekbroerse;934833 said:


> Just remember that these take a special plow mount and may be harder to find!


I had to customizes my mount it was a pain but it saved me a lot of money


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## derekbroerse

ajman21;935008 said:


> I had to customizes my mount it was a pain but it saved me a lot of money


I meant a ZR2 has a different mount than a regular S10/Sonoma... or at least thats what I read. Wider to clear the suspension or something.


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## Lux Lawn

derekbroerse;934833 said:


> Just remember that these take a special plow mount and may be harder to find!


I did not know that, what do they take.Thats good to know. When I need something I just go to my dealer, he is pretty good.

I was just throwing this truck out as a good small truck for plowing. You can actually pull a small trailer with it in the summer time, I have seen it done before.


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## mriddlesr

We use a Ford Ranger 4x4 with snoway model 22 and salt dogg .75 yard v-box. The sno way is nice with poly edge and down pressure


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## KMBertog

my jeep does just fine


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## 05250059HO

*Zr2!*

A reg cab ZR2 is the only way to go! The ZR2 package gives you the high HP 4.3L V6 (10 more hp than the reg 4x4 v6) and all the heavy duty frontend, heavy duty rearend (same as 1/2 ton) , hd shocks, hd torsion bars, HD frame, 3.73 gears w/factory rear locker.

Only 2 downfalls, first the reg cab ZR2 is next to impossible to find and 2 the zr2 is 3 inches wider than a reg 4x4 so you have to have a 6'9" blade (meyers did offer this for a few years, im sure its not available anymore...) to clear a path at full angle...

Mine is a 96 with a 7' blade, E60 and Slick Stick mounted in the console. I used a setup off a F150 (larger loop, easier to install pump) and the bracket modified very easly to the S-10 frame.

The only upgrade I've done to the truck is to add a 200 amp alternator. The only mod I would do to this truck, if I did alot more driveways, would be adding a back drag edge to the blade...

Handier than a pocket on a shirt for doing driveways, bank or atm drivethru lanes, and that crazy small drive thru lane at Taco Bell!

I have used this truck to plow snow ( and grade the driveway a couple times a year in the summer ) for 5 years and it has given me no problems!


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## plowguy43

doubleedge;934516 said:


> The Dodge Dakota supposedly comes with 1/2 ton axles/transmission, so it would probably hold up well.


Bingo - I'd go with a Reg Cab Short Bed Dakota with the 4.7 and 5 speed or auto. Same front and rear differential as the 1500's, along with the same engine and trans (545RFE - also in the 2500/3500 HEMI's). Frame is stronger than all other small trucks, has a very tight turning radius, and you can't beat the V8 for pushing power. I ran a crew cab for years with a 7'6" plow and it was excellent for driveways even in that longer style.


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## pooleo8

I like the ranger. I would go with 95-97. They have TTB which IMO is stonger than the newer IFS. The 4.0's are bullet proof motors and will run forever. I would get a manual tho. I dont think the autos can handle it. Spend some money and put in leveling spacers, and go thru the u-joints/ball joints.


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## snocrete

We retired a K5 blazer w/ front and rear plows after last season(ran it for 6 seasons). Was an awsome rig for driveways and small comm lots.....but limited by not having a "bed" to utilize. I have tossed the idea around of a short bed reg cab 1/2 ton, with front and rear plows. I think that would be a great driveway/small comm lot rig.


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## IMAGE

snocrete;1421055 said:


> We retired a K5 blazer w/ front and rear plows after last season(ran it for 6 seasons). Was an awsome rig for driveways and small comm lots.....but limited by not having a "bed" to utilize. I have tossed the idea around of a short bed reg cab 1/2 ton, with front and rear plows. I think that would be a great driveway/small comm lot rig.


I was just looking at small half tons yesterday for sidewalk crews. Didn't realize you can buy a new 1/2 ton 4x4 for only 20k. I'm sure at other times of the year (not winter) the price is even cheaper. Sure it's a stripped base model. But that's all they need anyways.


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