# new pickup, home use / plowing



## Hoffman462 (Apr 15, 2012)

I'd like to purchase a full size pick up, with the intention to later put a plow on it.
I am considering many new models, Dodge 1500 / 2500. Ford F 150, F 250. I also briefly looked at the Toyota Tacoma.
I'm doing lots of reading, but would really like some thoughtful advice from experienced individuals on what to look out for.

Do I need to get a 2500 / F-250, Super Duty if I for plowing my home driveway? or will a 1500 / 150 suffice? 

What else should I pay attention to when ordering the pick up? 
thank you very much for any help.


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## 2006Sierra1500 (Dec 28, 2011)

If your just doing your own driveway, a Chevy 1500 or Ram would work. I do believe you can't put a plow on a new F150, but a GM or a Dodge will suffice.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

New f-150Fords no....unless you cab do fab work yourself if your just doing your own stuff and no comercial work with it a 1/2 ton should be fine of your thinking about going comercial then 3/4 or 1 ton all the way


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## 2006Sierra1500 (Dec 28, 2011)

Also, make sure it has a plow prep package.


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## Ngom12 (Nov 9, 2011)

I have a 2006 dodge ram 1500 I will sell you.


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## Hoffman462 (Apr 15, 2012)

I talked with Dodge recently. They said that a 1500 could support a lighter weight plow fine. But it would void the warranty.

Is there a thread or post around here that links to decent light weight plows?
I don't mind getting a 2500 at all. The trim packages on the 1500 basically put you at the same price point. I feel better knowing that this money goes into construction costs.

Thanks.


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## 2006Sierra1500 (Dec 28, 2011)

Well, a 2500 isn't necessary for it. I'd go Chevy because they can support a plow. GM shouldn't void the warranty because the 1500 has a plow prep package option.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

I'd recommend a Toyota Tundra or a Chevy/GMC 1500. You can't put plows on the new F-150s. I love the Tundra and the Chevy I use and overall I think the Tundra is the better truck.


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## Hoffman462 (Apr 15, 2012)

The chevy 1500 does seem to have the plow prep package. That's a big win for that. Thanks this is all very helpful.

I can't seem to get the Tundra build-your-own to work on their web page.


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## 2006Sierra1500 (Dec 28, 2011)

I'm a GM guy, but a Tundra can hold a heavier plow. Can. I plow with 3 GM half-tons, 2 are SUVs.


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## nepatsfan (Sep 16, 2004)

Hoffman462;1474453 said:


> The chevy 1500 does seem to have the plow prep package. That's a big win for that. Thanks this is all very helpful.
> 
> I can't seem to get the Tundra build-your-own to work on their web page.


The problem with the 1500 chevy is that it is a chevy. Go with a 3/4 ton Ford, it's a better truck, and your resale value will be way better than with the 1500 chevy.


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## 2006Sierra1500 (Dec 28, 2011)

Easy there....why an unnecessary HD when you don't need it.


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## 2006Sierra1500 (Dec 28, 2011)

Personally the only good half-ton plower is the Chev. I'd go with a 2012 Chev 1500 with a Fisher SD or HT


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

You can put a plow on any of the 1500 pickups. The Tundra will take a 29 series Snoway. You can put any of the Snoway 26 units on a 1500 including the 8 foot 26R

http://www.snoway.com/index.cfm/act/plow/s/40.

Tags/insurance are cheaper on a 1/2 ton and if it's your daily driver they have a MULCH nicer ride then the 3/4 ton.


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## Ngom12 (Nov 9, 2011)

Why can you not put a plow on the new F-150's? Just wondering?

I've had a plow on an S-10 before. It held up pretty good. 

Here's what I would suggest. If you can afford to get a 250/2500, do it. You never know. One day you might want to plow more then your drive and would feel pretty comfortable having a 2500 over the 1500. I wish I would have done that. It would take 75% of all my concern and worries away when plowing.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

Ngom12;1474618 said:


> Why can you not put a plow on the new F-150's? Just wondering?.


You can Snoway 26 series.

The issue at this point seems to be sacrificial loads. Snoway's systems have no sacrificial draws, no relays, isolation modules, headlight modules, etc to interfere with the electric power steering.


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## Stik208 (Oct 19, 2004)

2006Sierra1500;1474532 said:


> Personally the only good half-ton plower is the Chev. I'd go with a 2012 Chev 1500 with a Fisher SD or HT


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## Mabepossibly (Dec 12, 2010)

I have a BOSS sport duty on my Sierra 1500 for years. I bought it from a dealer that did the installation and go back for all services. No issues with the warranty.


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## jmac5058 (Sep 28, 2009)

Just get a 3/4 ton and you wont be pushing evferything to the max every time you put your plow on .Plus a 1500 rides like a mushmobile if you carry more than 3 or 4 bags of groceries at the same time. But I grew up driving F-350s in the 70s so I prefer a real truck.I never drove one but I cant see how a Tundra holds a plow better than a 1500 GM when you have 2 or 3 inches clearance max under the plow when mounted.It looks like it would bottom out on a bottle cap.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

There is no way I'd drive a 3/4 or larger truck as a DD unless I needed to. The new half ton trucks are like Cadillacs. Sure, I couldn't do what I do without a bigger truck, but for what he's talking, why recommend a larger truck just to ride worse and drink more fuel?! He's not looking for a "real" truck. New 1500 GM's hold plows just fine.........especially light weight plows. The question here is what's best for HIM, not what we each prefer for our own personal needs. 

And as for the comment about Fords (250's or not) holding their value more than GM's, what planet have you been on the last 20 years? Not trying to be an ass, but that's just simply not true and infact the exact opposite. I have my hands in the wholesale car biz, so trust me, I'm not just playing favorites. The only reason my fleet is now full of used Fords and Dodges is b/c they're cheap. I could care less about brands. Everything needs repair at some point or another.

As for the Tundra, I don't think you could go wrong. The only issue I see in comparison is fuel milage.


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

Hoffman462;1474407 said:


> I talked with Dodge recently. They said that a 1500 could support a lighter weight plow fine. But it would void the warranty.


That Dodge dealer is on crack. They can't "void your warranty" just because you have a plow on your truck. It's called the Magnuson Moss Act, and basically states that the manufacturer cannot deny warranty on a factory part due to an aftermarket add-on unless they can prove the aftermarket product caused the failure of the factory part being warrantied.

As for the brand wars, I'm no fan of GM having been burned in the past (not to mention the bailout nonsense), but the GM half tons do seem to hold plows pretty well, and they're easy to crank the torsion bars on them. The other option if you're looking at used, the 04-10 F150's seem to handle plows well. Ford shot themselves in the foot with the electric power steering on the 2011's, all in the name of fuel economy. I suppose they figured the fuel economy gains would outweigh the loss of the small percentage of buyers hanging plows on them. I have no personal experience with dodges plowing, but people on here talk all the time about putting 3/4 ton coils in 1/2 tons with good success. Biggest problem with dodges seems to be ball joints, transmissions, and rust.

Resale values have little to do with the quality of the vehicle, it's only one of many factors. A large affect on resale value is the number of them produced, and the bias towards Fords for fleet use, RV'ers, and farmers seems to flood the used market causing lower prices, the same can't be said about GM or Dodge. Simple supply and demand. Dodges resale values seem to be lower as they were never really popular until they came out with the "big rig" styling in 94, but that fad has worn off and they're once again not a very desirable vehicle for a whole host of reasons. I still believe that if it weren't for the cummins diesel, dodge trucks wouldn't still exist today.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

Good point on Dodge^^^. Also, from my experience at the sale's they pretty much give Dodges away b/c everyone is scared of the transmissions. Although that's old news and there's preventative maintenance to save a 47re, they would rather just walk away assuming it'll need a trans. Same goes for 6.0 Fords. Anyone at the sale bidding on a 6.0 Ford automatically assumes it'll need $3-4k in repairs. Although that may or may not be the case, it really affects the wholesale value. It's great for people like me though.


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## Lou Braun (Dec 23, 2006)

My .02 is that for occasional use, an F150 or equivalent truck will work just fine with a lighter weight plow.

Plowing requires usually requires the ability to maneouver around stuff that is in the way. For homeowners, a shorter, or smaller truck is easier to handle than a longer version. Some pros can do amazing things with larger and longer trucks, but this comes with experience.

Most plow manufacturers have web sites that allow one to match a plow with the truck of their choice. If a plow/truck matches, I would not hesitate to use that comination.

Lou Braun


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## tfapps (Jan 17, 2010)

Lou Braun;1482853 said:


> Plowing requires usually requires the ability to maneouver around stuff that is in the way.


Maneuvering around stuff is definitely something to think about. When I first got my plow I accidentally took out a section of fence. and by comparison to the rest of the folks on this forum I have a small truck. I plow with a 2005 Chevy Colorado Z71 with a Western Suburbanite. For a driveway, this is all you need. The only difference is, depending on the amount of snow, you may have to plow a couple of times rather than letting it pile.


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## jasonv (Nov 2, 2012)

For your own driveway, anything with 4 wheels and 4wd will be fine for plowing. The key is to research the plow manufacturers FIRST, make sure that a plow you like is available for the vehicle before you buy the vehicle.

At the moment, I'm partial to Toyota trucks. I've been through Nissan, Jeep (twice), and GM. The GM (S10, 2000) was the worst, at the time we bought it, NO plow maker offered a plow for it. Literally, not a single one. Their claim was "weak frame". A few have started making plows for those now, but I suspect that since those trucks are only worth about $500 now, they figure that it isn't a big deal to most people if the frame breaks and they need to weld/reinforce it.


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## eagle-eyes (Dec 15, 2011)

*plows*

check out fisher .com they show all the diffrent model plows for most trucks. the site show there plows on diffrent size trucks it should give you some idea of what you can have on diffrent trucks.


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