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Fisher, Western and SnowEx (formally Blizzard) are all owned by Dougles Dynamics. So, most of the electronics and hydraulics are used on all three brands.
I like Fisher. IMO, the Minute Mount 2 mounting system is as easy and quick as it gets for putting on and taking off. I also like "trip edge" over "full mold board trip". I also like the chain lift.
ETA; IIRC, you can swap back and forth between Western and SnowEx plows by swapping the mounting brackets.
I have had a Boss 8'2" DXT Poly fully articulating plow since the truck was new. (2017 F250 6.2L CC) The plow weighs about 950lbs. I don't have the snow prep package and had the extended warranty on the truck. I have only 1 alternator. I have never had battery problems or warranty problems, and the plow is on the truck more time than it is off (in the winter).
I also believe you should buy a new plow.
I am going to look at a Western plow next, as I don't really like the Boss coupling method. Some days it takes me 6-8 tries to get it lined up.
Western mid-wight 7.5ft plow with chain lift and LED lights - DW made me buy it for the 2020 F250 6.7 KR SBCC last year. When the unexpected upgrade to a LBCC F350 Lariat HO6.7 for the larger RV, I kept the plow, removeable brackets for the Ultra Mount and the hand controller. Truck included the plow prep package.
Truthfuly - not a big fan of hanging a plow on these high-trim trucks - especially long wheel base units. But my driveway was getting away from me in terms of ATV plow unable to push much and snow thrower not able to throw it far enough to make it in one pass. The chain lift does not back-scrape worth beans but it does stack better for a novice like me. I'll likely snow-throw near the house and use the plow to move the resulting thicker layers to the sides, away from the house. Will also help grandpa out at his house and keep an eye on my son's place... but he has teenagers who do a pretty good job in manual mode.
Match the plow lights to your truck lights - LED for LED and Halogen for Halogen, said the installer.... fewer issues in the future. Also, read the manual. The recommended annual maintenance is not trivial.
Had it been totally up to me and no feelings hurt, I would hire a plow guy/gal and put up with the occasional delay/no-show.
By the way - scored some small vehicle dollies (four caster steel platform with a lengthwise depression) on buy-sell-trade. Plow rides on these during the summer so I can push the plow around if I need access around where it is stored.
I have a Western Prodigy, "the poor man's v-plow" It's great and does what I need for the driveways I do which isn't many. I think the current Western mounts are the best and easiest I have ever used. You can see what 1Olddogtwo was saying, the truck side push plates can be removed in seconds and you are left with the frame attachment points which are flush with the truck. I looked at used and at least around here they are pretty beat coming off bigger trucks so i bought new. It was a previous year leftover that nobody bought so they dropped the price $1000, it had been sitting outside in their yard since the previous summer.
I have a Western Prodigy, "the poor man's v-plow" It's great and does what I need for the driveways I do which isn't many. I think the current Western mounts are the best and easiest I have ever used. You can see what 1Olddogtwo was saying, the truck side push plates can be removed in seconds and you are left with the frame attachment points which are flush with the truck. I looked at used and at least around here they are pretty beat coming off bigger trucks so i bought new. It was a previous year leftover that nobody bought so they dropped the price $1000, it had been sitting outside in their yard since the previous summer.
I really like the Western Prodigy and SnowEx Speedwing plows. Fisher has their version, the XRS with trip edge. However, they only make it for skid-steers right now.
I'm going to have all new truck side plow stuff (mount and electronics) installed on my current truck this fall and use my current Xtreme V plow this coming season. Then I'll buy a new plow next off season. I'm more than likely going to go with a 8' HDX straight plow. If they start making the XRS plow for trucks, I'll definitely consider it for sure.
Thank you everyone for helping! I have a plow on my ATV currently. It's getting up there in age, it's not EFI, and on heavy snowfalls, it's a real pain. As I said, I'm not 100% sold on the idea yet, but wanted to explore the thought, especially with my lack of knowledge.
Some of these plows are 10k+. I don't really want another ATV, but at that kind of cost, I could be looking at a used SxS that could do the job better than what I have.
Let's just say I went and got a new 8' Western. Nothing super fancy. Ballpark, what am I looking at cost-wise? Are these like trucks with a huge markup to catch the low-information buyers (like me)?
Let's just say I went and got a new 8' Western. Nothing super fancy. Ballpark, what am I looking at cost-wise? Are these like trucks with a huge markup to catch the low-information buyers (like me)?
Yeah, a pretty much like that. That's why you can't really see pricing online.
A 'proper' plow will set you back ~$5000 to $6000. Those are the cheap pro ones.
A 'home' plow is about half that.
If you can find a [good] used one locally, that would be your best bet, but they're not easy to come by, and oftentimes come attached to a truck!
Thank you everyone for helping! I have a plow on my ATV currently. It's getting up there in age, it's not EFI, and on heavy snowfalls, it's a real pain. As I said, I'm not 100% sold on the idea yet, but wanted to explore the thought, especially with my lack of knowledge.
Some of these plows are 10k+. I don't really want another ATV, but at that kind of cost, I could be looking at a used SxS that could do the job better than what I have.
Let's just say I went and got a new 8' Western. Nothing super fancy. Ballpark, what am I looking at cost-wise? Are these like trucks with a huge markup to catch the low-information buyers (like me)?