hi there, i mentioned this in the 4X4 board as well, but just in case I don't get a response there: i have a '86 F150 I would be interested in plowing with. (nothing commercial-grade or anything like that, just driveways and parking lots) My concern? My truck is 2WD!! i have heard of guys plowing with 2wd trucks, and i was wondering if anyone has any experiance in this area or can tell me if this is at least a feasible idea. If it is possible, what mods should be made outside good tires and A LOT of weight in the back and what plow setup is recommended. thanks,

Captain Tim Bland
'86 F150 2WD LWB
300 I6 1bbl
3.08 geared 9"
three speed w/od

 

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 18-Nov-00 AT 07:14 PM (EST)[/font][p][font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 18-Nov-00 AT 07:13 PM (EST)[/font]

Hey capt Tim;

I have been there and done that. We had a large storm years ago and our primary plow truck was over-worked. We had a 6'6" meyer rig sitting in our warehouse that had come from an 82' Ranger. In a pinch, we did a little welding and cutting to the harness and mounted the rig to an 83' f-100 pickup. We used this setup for approx 9 years. The truck was a two-wheel drive with 4.9 6 cylinder with automatic trans. It was a good working set up.
Tips:
1: Always get the truck moving before you drop the blade and push snow.
2: Keep trans in low gear.
3: We used Firestone snow tires size 235. They worked very well.
4: Yes, use plenty of weight in the bed. Helper springs are a plus. We had a simple over the counter set already on the truck.
5: You may not want to take a full swipe if the snow is heavy.
These are basic rules that even 4x4 trucks normally follow.
Most city dump trucks are two-wheel drive. This will just be a reduced version. One more thing, the plow size and weight may be a variable. The meyer we used was on the small side of the spectrum, but it did the job very well. My landscaper has a 3/4 ton utility truck that is two-wheel drive that he has been plowing with for the past 3 years. Good luck.


Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
When the wind is just right you can hear those Chevy's rust.
Just listen............

 

thanks for the advice...atleast i know where to start now and that the idea isn't crazy. I didn't want to try to convert to 4X4 as it is a big, expensive project that most of the time i would never use.

Thanks,
Tim