# transporting a snowbear plow



## SnoRunner (Nov 17, 2004)

First I would like to say this is a great site & I have found it very informative. Now I know alot of people are against the snowbear but I think it will work fine for what I need. It is on a '88 4Runner which is my only vehicle & I only do my driveway. What I would like to do is drive the 5 miles to my mom's place & do her yard as well BUT I am wondering if the mounts can handle transporting the plow (other than just backing up).It comes with a hook to take the weight off the winch but Snowbear does NOT recommend highway use. Does anyone drive with theirs on or has anyone made some sort of support to take some weight off the main brackets? Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Roger.


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## Crumm (Nov 5, 2003)

Although it is a bit too much truck for a snowbear I see a Chevy dually driving around town all winter long with his snowbear attached. I always remove my plow when not in use but this guy leaves it on all winter long. I would think if his can stand up to our rough roads all winter long you should be fine driving five miles down the road to your mom's.


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## bolensdriver (Oct 12, 2004)

Crumm said:


> Although it is a bit too much truck for a snowbear I see a Chevy dually driving around town all winter long with his snowbear attached. I always remove my plow when not in use but this guy leaves it on all winter long. I would think if his can stand up to our rough roads all winter long you should be fine driving five miles down the road to your mom's.


Jeez. Is his truck wider than the plow?


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## Crumm (Nov 5, 2003)

Like I said "Although it is a bit too much truck for a snowbear ".


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## millratf250 (Nov 15, 2004)

i had snow bear for 10 yrs now i have a 8' fisher now
i would keep the snow bear at home the one time i plow a Friends drive way i had to come home with the snow bear in the bed of my truck


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## SnoRunner (Nov 17, 2004)

*millratf250*

millratf250, did the snowbear break from plowing or just from driving there? Thanks again guys!


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## millratf250 (Nov 15, 2004)

i was plowing had to go get it welded


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## Frozen001 (Oct 20, 2004)

could you be any more vague on what actually happened, not that I really care, but come people would actually like to know what failed and the circumstances that lead to the failure.....


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## Personal Plow (Nov 1, 2003)

I keep my snow bear plow on while i go to plow with a friends fisher plow. I use the hook and have had no problems. If you use the plow for what its intended for its GREAT.
I think they dont recommend transporting it because some trucks or SUV's the head lights may be covered and if you dont HOOK IT you could break the strap and the plow will drop.

Good Luck!!
PP


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## SnoRunner (Nov 17, 2004)

*Thanks everyone*

I think I'll take the chance & drive down to my mothers & do her drive. After all, what's the worst that could happen,lol. I have a welder, so I wont have to take it somewhere to have it fixed,payup.Thanks again for all the input. Roger.


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## 68 bullitt (Nov 3, 2004)

*Snowbear clearance etc.*



Personal Plow said:


> I keep my snow bear plow on while i go to plow with a friends fisher plow. I use the hook and have had no problems. If you use the plow for what its intended for its GREAT.
> I think they dont recommend transporting it because some trucks or SUV's the head lights may be covered and if you dont HOOK IT you could break the strap and the plow will drop.
> Howdy! I just bought a snow bear sb300.When you say hook, are you referring to the chain that is attached to the winch, or the 2 clips that go on the plow crossmember?I noticed that the plow bracket with the two male ends that is on the truck which the plow gear attaches to is very low to the ground.I wouldn't want to drive too fast because of this clearance.Thank's...
> Good Luck!!
> PP


68 bullitt only in the summer


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## 68 bullitt (Nov 3, 2004)

Personal Plow said:


> I keep my snow bear plow on while i go to plow with a friends fisher plow. I use the hook and have had no problems. If you use the plow for what its intended for its GREAT.
> I think they dont recommend transporting it because some trucks or SUV's the head lights may be covered and if you dont HOOK IT you could break the strap and the plow will drop.
> 
> Good Luck!!
> PP


What do you mean by the hook as a prevention,are you referring to the chain??? sorry can you be more specific?Thank's


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## MR PLOW (Jan 1, 2005)

*Bear Transport*

I have the older snowbear (10 years old) and travel about 20 miles while doing my route and never had a problem.

www.mr-plow.com
[email protected]


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## schnitz (Dec 3, 2004)

I leave mine on my truck when snow is predicted. Now I've only had it not quite a month, but it does what I need it to very well. It seems to block the turn signal lights a bit in the all the way up position. I just got back home with it on, and it did just fine with the safety hooks on a 20 mile found trip.


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## ymerejsregor (Jan 10, 2005)

Does everyone who does transport it use the hook and then take the slack off the strap? I did that the first couple times I ran it between home and my office, but then the plow bounces side to side since it pivots in the middle. Now I just raise it until its all the way up and that eliminates the movement while I'm on the road. Do you think this is better, or would you still recommend letting it drop all the way to the hook?


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## bolensdriver (Oct 12, 2004)

ymerejsregor said:


> Does everyone who does transport it use the hook and then take the slack off the strap? I did that the first couple times I ran it between home and my office, but then the plow bounces side to side since it pivots in the middle. Now I just raise it until its all the way up and that eliminates the movement while I'm on the road. Do you think this is better, or would you still recommend letting it drop all the way to the hook?


The idea for the hook is, when driving long distance, put it on, so in case the winch fails, it'll still be up and not drop to the ground. You arn't supposed to let it take the slack off the strap.


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## jbok19 (Oct 1, 2004)

*ymerejsregor*, I have an '03 Silverado too how does the bear work on your truck? What size plow did you get? Where did you get it at?


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## SnoRunner (Nov 17, 2004)

*Using the hook*

hello everyone, I have now used my snowbear about 6 or 7 times & it works great for what I need. I drove the 5 miles to my mom's & did her drive twice with no problem.I have tried keeping the strap tight & the hook on but the winch slips on the bumps & eventually the hook is doing the work anyway. It seems to me that the side to side bouncing is better than the stress on the winch,so I now use the hook & raise the plow to just tighten the strap.I'm not sure if this is the best way but it also lets me use my headlights which are blocked when the winch is up all the way. Thanks for everyones input.


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## PhantomRacer (Dec 27, 2004)

SnoRunner said:


> hello everyone, I have now used my snowbear about 6 or 7 times & it works great for what I need. I drove the 5 miles to my mom's & did her drive twice with no problem.I have tried keeping the strap tight & the hook on but the winch slips on the bumps & eventually the hook is doing the work anyway. It seems to me that the side to side bouncing is better than the stress on the winch,so I now use the hook & raise the plow to just tighten the strap.I'm not sure if this is the best way but it also lets me use my headlights which are blocked when the winch is up all the way. Thanks for everyones input.


You should be able to tighten the clamp on the winch to stop it from working down. I have driven many miles with the plow all the way up with zero drop. I do find I have to tighten the clamp every year.

Does every SB owner have a strap? My plow uses a chain to raise the plow.

Paul


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## Drottlawn (Jan 14, 2005)

*I have chain*

Phantom,
Mine also has a chain and have never had a problem with it dropping at all  .

I drive over 20 miles at a time and not one time has it dropped over the 4 years I have had it. I do not have the hook that everyone is talking about??


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## dunedog (Oct 30, 2004)

I think the new plows are using a web strap,chain for those a year or two old and steel cable was use before that.......


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## PhantomRacer (Dec 27, 2004)

Call SB and get the hook. It is a Very heavy C hook that will catch the plow if the plow falls on the winch. I have never had it fall while driving...but every year I have to tighten the bolts on the winch hub to snug it down again. 

Paul


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## PhantomRacer (Dec 27, 2004)

dunedog said:


> I think the new plows are using a web strap,chain for those a year or two old and steel cable was use before that.......


Not sure if I like the strap idea...I can see how it would snug the plow up and give some shock value instead of the dead stop the chain gives..but the chain has got to have a greater breaking force.

Paul


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