I'm wondering about the feasibility/wisdom of putting a snowplow on an F-150. This question actually stems from my friend's desire to put a plow on his 4WD GMC Yukon 1500 SLT (but since this is FORD Truck Enthusiasts, I figured I should pose the question as if I were putting a plow on my F150 - figuring that my truck is at least somewhat similar to his "1500" based SUV).

I've been trying to talk him out of it, but he seems to have his mind set on doing it. He doesn't have any plowing experience (and the only experience I have is doing my neighbors driveways with a garden tractor, so that doesn't really count either). My Dad, who did some plowing many many years ago, says that one of the biggest problems with plowing with an SUV would be the reduced visibility than that of a pickup (since in plowing your constantly backing up). Also, obviously with a pickup it's easy to add some weight to the bed, but harder with the SUV (though I suppose he could add some sandbags in the back). I understand that plowing can really do a number on a vehicle - especially suspension, but also transmission, etc. He isn't interested in plowing roads, only in doing driveways, so while I'm assuming that would be a bit easier on his suspension, it would still take its toll.

So, what do you think? And any advice that I can pass along about putting a plow on a half-ton truck (well, SUV)? What components (suspension or otherwise) would he be wise to upgrade? Being that it is an SUV, would that mean it's got softer springs/suspension, which wouldn't be as good for plowing? He is a good friend, and I don’t want to see him spend a bunch of money on something that he may regret shortly after. Then again, maybe I’m making a big deal out of nothing here. You tell me….

Thanks in advance for your replies. I wasn't sure just where to post this, but since I have a '93 F150 I figured I'd post it here. I hope no one minds that this question deals with a GMC...these forums are excellent, and I would think that putting a plow on a half-ton truck would be about the same no matter what make it is.

 

It really depends on what you are plowing, If you are just plowing your own driveway or doing it for hire. Bronco's and blazers work good for just around the house plowing because of the short wheel base. You can turn on a dime.

 

the 1,500 will be fine (if it were a truck), the suv will have a few things to think about, it is spring in the front by tortion bars, if he puts a full size fisher plow on the front he will have some issues with it sagging and bottoming out, the vehicle is already close to the bumps stops if not using them on a regular basis, my mother has a 95 chevy tahoe, it is at factory curb heaight, and it uses the bump stops regularly, so in his case in the winter if he carries it on the front alot, he would have to tighten the tortion bars, or well bottom out all the time, but the downfall to that is the fact that they then ride rough, and high on the street, without the plow. andother thing to think about is that chevy used to have a bad automatic tranny in the mixes of the 90's from late 80s, until do belive 98 or so, they didnt like to plow because of the fact that they didnt cool the reverse bands or something like that, so after a good amount of plowing the trannys would just give up the goose, I mean it takes awhile, maby years, maby never but ive seen it happen to a few local landscape companys that dont run a real truck (example, Ford). so i guess its all in how he wants to treat the vehicle. I have an 86 Toyota sr-5 pickup, it was my first truck and i put a plow on that, and it beat the snot out of it, and i even went easy on it, and i know what im doing, so i would let him think that through, hed be better off to by a $1,000 plow truck or something like that rather than putting a plow on his SUV.

 

For clarification (since I got a bit long-winded on my initial post) the vehicle in question is a '95 GMC Yukon SUV (I said 1500 since it says that right on the side, but it is a full-size SUV, not a pickup). It's a 4wd, auto, V8. He wants to snowplow driveways for hire - and he's not particularly mechanically inclined (i.e. he takes it in for an oil change, so he's not going to be making any repairs on his own).

Thanks for the quick replies, and keep 'em coming!

 

a regular f150 with the little plow from walmart is fine anywhere you have room to PUSH the snow... seen people do it with ATV's even

making a living clearing driveways is another matter. you'll be pulling the snow out 90% of the time. so you need a large enough blade and plenty of room between the blade and the truck. don't know if a small truck will stand up to that. hard on the suspension and the transmission.

better to check your by-laws too before you invest in any kind of equipment. in the city they use trucks cuz all the snow is pulled into the street. there's not enough lawn to put all that snow so the city crews pick it up when they clean the streets. tractors are common in the suburbs where there's big houses and big lawns to blow the snow

 

if he is doing it to money and it will be used for more than just a driveway, i wouldent reccomend he use an suv, if hes going to get into the business, i would have to reccomend him to get a 3/4 ton or bigger, he would have less problems while hes using it as a primary work vehicle. and what i said above was all for an suv, like i said my mother has a 95 tahoe, its close to the same thing, and i would never think about putting a plow on that, personaly i think it would suck to plow with, bad visibility and well its an suv not a truck.

 

hey i have a f 250 hd with a fisher angle plow on it, hope this guy makes lots of $$$$ cuzz he's going to need it to fix the front end on his suv.. hey the front end on them is not made to take an extra 500 pounds man. He will be better of buying an old truck with plow on it.. like the one in my gallery.. Its been panted since and im going to add a new pic off the paint job soon.......

 

I had a 1971 F150 4x4 with the three speed manual trans with creeper gear, a two speed manual transfer case and a 360 truck engine. It would plow with several friends F250s. I went from that to a 1977 Chevrolet Blazer 4 speed manual with 2 speed manual transfer case and a 350 4 bbl. Both did fine plowing with a 7' plow, I did some commercial work but not a lot. I had maybe 15 driveways, a halfway house and a Dunkin Donuts parking lot for a year.

Visibility in the Blazer was OK but then I am a truck driver and use my mirrors always. You can see better.

Dave / Believer45

 

i have been been told buy others that an atuomatic is best for plowing but to each there own.. if your going to plow make sure u have a trans cooler added

 

I've seen a 1/2-ton GM SUV plowing before--it's not pretty. I don't recall whether it was a Sub or a Tahoe/Yukon, but that front end sure dropped a BUNCH when he picked up the plow--at first I wasn't sure he was going to get the plow off the ground! It all depends on how much snow you get in your area, but plan on rebuilding the tranny every other year or so. I believe the reason that folks like an auto for plowing is that it's alot less work than rowing your own gears (and clutching, of course).

Jason

 

well, i guess its your own opinion, my toyota i use to plow with, is a standard, ive plowed with an automatic f-250, i think its about the same, after awhile though i would think the automatic would be less tireing.

 

ALSO I have seen some people that put inflatable bags of some sort in there coils to help the front end ,, but i dont now any thing about that where i have leafs on the front of mine

 

a chevy has tortion bars, but you can turn those up very easily, and even with leafs, firestone makes an air suspension, but, for that tipe of money i would deal with some sag.