# Fisher vs Western which is better?



## Bigmurph

Fisher vs Western plows, which is better? I was thinking either a Fisher HD 7'6 or a Western Midweight 7'6 steel or the Pro 7'6.


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## mercer_me

I like Fisher better becouse of the trip edge. Besides that they are almost identical.


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## markknapp61

*Fisher vs Western... Are you kidding?*

And so the great debate begins ... I have used both and personally will never go back to fisher... so many problems with them (argh)... You pretty much answered your own Q & A ... A 7'6" heavy duty fisher against a 7'6" western Personal use plow... The fisher is not really a heavy duty and get ready to replace a lot of parts EVERY SEASON... I use the Western 7'6" and have yet to replace any parts 6 years and running. I fluid flush bi yearly and that is it nothing else has gone wrong....


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## plowguy43

What model Fisher did you own and what parts needed to be replaced? Other than fluid and a control PC Board (which is the same for both Western/Fisher) I haven't had to replace any parts on either of my Fisher plows. Whoops I forgot about the Solenoid which is also the same between the two. 

Comparing the build of my Fisher to other plows, including the Western, the Fisher's always seem to be a much heavier built plow. Not saying its built better than others, just much heavier in most aspects- even compared to a brand new Superduty Boss that we use at work. But I like that plow better for a couple different reasons.


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## markknapp61

*Western vs Fisher*



plowguy43;1124304 said:


> What model Fisher did you own and what parts needed to be replaced? Other than fluid and a control PC Board (which is the same for both Western/Fisher) I haven't had to replace any parts on either of my Fisher plows. Whoops I forgot about the Solenoid which is also the same between the two.
> 
> Comparing the build of my Fisher to other plows, including the Western, the Fisher's always seem to be a much heavier built plow. Not saying its built better than others, just much heavier in most aspects- even compared to a brand new Superduty Boss that we use at work. But I like that plow better for a couple different reasons.


I told you the great debate will begin...lol... I have yet to replace any parts on the western, the fisher 7'6" HD was a constant headache... hoses , solenoid, motor, relays... almost rebuilt the whole dang thing in two years. I am about to replace my hoses to be fair... they are showing cracking and best to replace now and not in sub zero weather... 
P.S. I have a friend who will argue with me on this, he has just taken his setup in to see why it won't work... silly guy... a Fisher...I will bet my last dollar he will call to borrow my truck this season. There are die hard Fisher, Boss and western fans. With due research you will come to a point and decide what best suits you...  )


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## plowguy43

Hmm interesting, but you do realize that everything you replaced on the Fisher is 100% identical to the Western?

Believe me I'm not a diehard Fisher Fan, I'm probably getting a Boss or Snowdogg for next season, just trying to see your side.


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## markknapp61

*Western vs Fisher*

I agree that all plows are inherent to problems... it has been my bad luck to have a lemon of a fisher, the western is in this mans opinion " an excellent plow for the winters here in MI... now in all fairness I have not tried the Boss angle plow and really would like to get the V... TOO MUCH MONEY.... ahhhhh...lol


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## cubicinches

plowguy43;1124586 said:


> Hmm interesting, but you do realize that everything you replaced on the Fisher is 100% identical to the Western?


Ha! Exactly what I was thinking.

We run all Westerns. But not because I don't like the motor, relays, hoses, etc. on a Fisher. :laughing:


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## plowguy43

Right- I understand if you like a full trip, and easier mounting. Does the western have a different attack angle than a Fisher HD?


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## cubicinches

plowguy43;1124634 said:


> Right- I understand if you like a full trip, and easier mounting. Does the western have a different attack angle than a Fisher HD?


Absolutely... A much better attack angle. They backdrag far better than a Fisher.


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## plowguy43

Oh then I can definitely understand that. That is probably what I dislike most about my plow, it needs a better attack angle to scrape down easier.


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## rocksolid-5

go with a fisher.....they are solid and easy to fix


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## Chalk

I had a Xtreme V, same angle as the westerns, definitely liked the way it plowed, very nice and clean forward and back, much better than than the HD series plows. If I didnt want the stainless look I would probably have gone with the western just for the plowing quality. Awesome plow though, never had any issues.


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## jgsxr750

to me it didn't matter which plow i got for my truck. the most important thing i was focusing on was what repair place was open 24/7 during a storm and how close he was to my accounts. If that guy perferred to work on western (which he did) i got a western plow. 
you can argue color and trip edge all you want but the bottom line is who is gonna help you when its zero degrees out and snowing and your plow will not do a darn thing because of whatever happened and you don't have a spare parts. We all have been in that situation one time or another and if you haven't then your over due. 

Thats my 2 cents.


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## FisherVMan

I guess its according to where you live and what you are going to do with it. When I lived in Alaska the distributor in Anchorage ;handled Western Plows. So 90% of the plows you used to see up there in the 80s-90s on trucks; were Westerns, that sorta blew me away ,as I had only ever seen a couple of them back in Maine as a kid????? We had a 7 1/2' Fisher HD in the 70's so that was all I knew about plows at the time. My next door neighbor in Alaska had a new 1982 Dodge 1/2 Ton with a 7 1/2 foot Western on it. And he used to hunt with us; so every storm he would tell me to come grab his truck, and plow my yard [I lived it Willow Alaska and they get 200-300" every year!} I imeadiately noticed that the Western Plow, was so much lighter and the spring set up to let it flop over was VERY different, than what I was used to . I then started wondering if the snow in Alaska, was denser than back in Maine?? As I seamed to have a terrible time trying to move it around when we got bad storms. And found out that I could only take 1/2 a blade or 1/3 of a blade as the plow was constantly riding up; and flopping over dumping the snow .................................. in light snow falls were you were only trying to plow 4-6" on snow, it worked fine. And we didnt have alot of problems with it; as I remember but you certainly had to know its limitations ............. I was back in Maine a few years later in the mid 80s and bought a Two year old Heavy Duty Half ton with the 7 lugs wheels and bigger bearings and picked up a brand new Fisher 7 1/2 ft HD for it[I paid $1600 for it in 1986] and slid it into the body and drove it to Alaska . People were constantly asking me about it; and were amazed how heavy it was and ruggedly made. My next door neighbor with the Western would watch me plow and always was amazed how much snow the Fisher plow would go with before it rode up on the snow. Years back there was a BIG difference in them as to how they plowed ............ now that the same outfit owns both of them from what I can see they have changed the Western Plow over to most of the same stuff as the Fisher design but IMO if you live where they get ALOT of SNOW [More than 150" a year] with normal amounts of a foot or more [2ft at a time was common in Willow with 3fters every month] a Fisher Plow had a big edge on a Western.
As for how well they are both made the Western Plow he had got traded away so I cant say. But I can tell you this much the Fisher Plow, that was new in 1972 [has been on 4 trucks]is still on a 1991 Dodge D100 and I can see it from my back window; over at a friends house and he just finished plowing the 16" we had here on Monday!
I looked it over last season; and asked him about it and he told me that since his father and law got it back in 1981 they have put 3 cutting edges on it and one pump so that isnt bad for something 30 years old in my book. 
I am NOT against Western Plows and if I lived in a place that only got less than hundred inches of snow[4-6"avg snowfalls, and was plowing on asphalt; and they were less money [I assume they still are] I wouldnt be scared of one; but because I dont have that sorta conditions here; I still run a Fisher and when we get storms like the one we just had "Mashed Potato" style wet cement snow......... I will assure you; when folks we dont normally plow ;call and ask for a "one time push" because their snow blowers wont digest it as its so heavy . That trying to plow "16" of cement snow" because it had never been touched the whole storm, with a plow that flops over the way a Western used to for me is NOT an option................
Gosh I just read this and am going to have every W plow owner upset with me; and the rest will think I own Fisher Stock ?????


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