Plow Trucks

[The Shooters Apprentice]

Picked up a 83 Ford F250 IDI over the summer with the intentions of getting it running and using it for a wood truck. Track has a nice 10' flatbed on it with sides. I actually got the truck for free, but had to change injectors and fuel lines to get it running.

Last three years I've been plowing driveways in the winter with my 4 wheeler and making decent money at it. Ive been looking at plow trucks, and the other day a Meyers 8' plow with a E47 pump popped up cheap and I jumped on it. The truck came with a mount which I was told was for a 85 F250. Its nowhere close to fitting on my truck, so now I'm gonna have to do some welding and fabricating to get it working. No big deal.

Anyone plow driveways with a truck as a side business? Anything I should know before I get into it?

Also, does anyone have a plow on this generation ford truck? If so, would you mind sharing a photo on your plow mount?

 

[capetrees]

I used to plow highways for the state and it beats the hell out of your truck. Lots of friends plow driveways but many got out, lots of headaches. Plenty of money to make but headaches. Keep a lot of spare hydraulic hoses on hand. A light weight truck like that, chain the tires too and some ballast weight in the rear like a concrete block tied down or a bucket of dirt.

Starting out, just take on the flat driveways and plow them consistently when 6-8" of snow falls, even if you need to go back 2-3 times when a 20"+ storm is coming. You won't be able to plow all 20" at one time.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Be sure to change the fluid frequently... A friend has a Meyers E47 pump on his plow and it constantly is icing up even though he changes the fluid once a year. Its not a question of IF it will ice up but when.... If your hydrauilic chrome rods are pitted or scratched you may experience this worse. I'd reseal everything and replace any damaged rods if you are working paid accounts...

The factory Meyers plow lights suck badly, even the newer Nite Sabre ones (discontinued) I haven't seen the nite sabre 2's in action yet. I see alot of guys running the Buyers universal halogen ones ($250) I was impressed with those. You can get them wired I think with the right harnesses already if you order right on ebay maybe.... splicing them is a pain and the correct info for wire colors is hard to find for the older plow.

 

[The Shooters Apprentice]

Be sure to change the fluid frequently... A friend has a Meyers E47 pump on his plow and it constantly is icing up even though he changes the fluid once a year. Its not a question of IF it will ice up but when.... If your hydrauilic chrome rods are pitted or scratched you may experience this worse. I'd reseal everything and replace any damaged rods if you are working paid accounts...

The factory Meyers plow lights suck badly, even the newer Nite Sabre ones (discontinued) I haven't seen the nite sabre 2's in action yet. I see alot of guys running the Buyers universal halogen ones ($250) I was impressed with those. You can get them wired I think with the right harnesses already if you order right on ebay maybe.... splicing them is a pain and the correct info for wire colors is hard to find for the older plow.

My plan for lights was to go with a set of LED auxiliary high/low beams and then a set of LED apps along with that, and a light bar. We are allowed to run lights like that on the roads up here in Alaska, and they are cheaper then any of the plow lights anyway.
Photo is the LED lights on my main truck.

 

[The Shooters Apprentice]

Be sure to change the fluid frequently... A friend has a Meyers E47 pump on his plow and it constantly is icing up even though he changes the fluid once a year. Its not a question of IF it will ice up but when.... If your hydrauilic chrome rods are pitted or scratched you may experience this worse. I'd reseal everything and replace any damaged rods if you are working paid accounts...

The factory Meyers plow lights suck badly, even the newer Nite Sabre ones (discontinued) I haven't seen the nite sabre 2's in action yet. I see alot of guys running the Buyers universal halogen ones ($250) I was impressed with those. You can get them wired I think with the right harnesses already if you order right on ebay maybe.... splicing them is a pain and the correct info for wire colors is hard to find for the older plow.

My plan for lights was to go with a set of LED auxiliary high/low beams and then a set of LED apps along with that, and a light bar. We are allowed to run lights like that on the roads up here in Alaska, and they are cheaper then any of the plow lights anyway.
Photo is the LED lights on my main truck.

 

[capetrees]

My plan for lights was to go with a set of LED auxiliary high/low beams and then a set of LED apps along with that, and a light bar. We are allowed to run lights like that on the roads up here in Alaska, and they are cheaper then any of the plow lights anyway.
Photo is the LED lights on my main truck.

keep in mind LED lights don't create heat and lights can tend to ice over with the blowbye. Typical lights create heat and melt the snow as you drive.

 

[The Shooters Apprentice]

I finished my plow mount today. I mounted it pretty high up on the frame because I will be using this truck for firewood as well and don't want a plow mount hanging low and getting caught on stuff.

Next up will be mounting the pump. The factory bumper was screwed up from someone hitting a tree or a post at some point in the past, so I decided to just build a new bumper with the pump as part of the new bumper. I may make it removable but haven't made up my mind 100% yet.

 

[arathol]

Just how high is that mount? If the push frame geometry is wrong you are going to tear that plow up quick. Set the plow on the ground, block up the push frame so its level, and thats where the ears should be at on the header frame. When you are pushing snow the forces should be transmitted straight through the A frame into the truck frame. With the push frame too high at the rear it will bend.

In addition, unless the push frame is level it won't float over the pavement irregularities, rather it will have a ton of downforce which will tend to tear things up and can lift up the front end of the truck.
Also, with the push frame attached too high the angle of the blade on the pavement will be wrong. It won't scrape as well, and when you rotate the plow L/R one corner will dig in and rip up the asphalt.