Snow Plowing this winter
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,947
Likes: 63
From: in the woods of MA
You mentioned 850 pounds - that's way past for ballast needed for handling - recommended ballast for the 8' HD plow on my 350 is around 350 pounds, IIRC. But I've never run ballast in any pickup I've plowed with. Yes I've been stuck a couple times, but I've never broken a single piece of drive line while plowing. Had to replace u-joints as maintenance, bit never 'cause they failed outright.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Lynnfield,MA
W1 - so you'd rather be dead in driveway #3 with an exploded u-joint than just stuck? I'll take stuck, thanks...
You mentioned 850 pounds - that's way past for ballast needed for handling - recommended ballast for the 8' HD plow on my 350 is around 350 pounds, IIRC. But I've never run ballast in any pickup I've plowed with. Yes I've been stuck a couple times, but I've never broken a single piece of drive line while plowing. Had to replace u-joints as maintenance, bit never 'cause they failed outright.
You mentioned 850 pounds - that's way past for ballast needed for handling - recommended ballast for the 8' HD plow on my 350 is around 350 pounds, IIRC. But I've never run ballast in any pickup I've plowed with. Yes I've been stuck a couple times, but I've never broken a single piece of drive line while plowing. Had to replace u-joints as maintenance, bit never 'cause they failed outright.
For what it is worth I have never replaced a u-joint on either truck and have found through experience ballast works.
You are entitled to your opinion and so am I.
Last edited by winged1dur; Nov 6, 2008 at 04:43 PM. Reason: spelling
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,296
Likes: 1
From: muskegon mi.
OK heres the scoop when you put that plow on a PSD 99-03 you need to ballest the rear because you will be nose heavy and tippy I sub contract to a guy thats got 2 PSDs he uses a 2yd salter in the back of his and he had a spring shop make him extra leaf for the front on each side every season he will need to change those front wheel bearings I have seen it the last three seasons ouch so when you aint plowin put that big thing down and unhook it from your truck
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 561
Likes: 2
From: Indianapolis, IN
Surf to www.letstalksnow.com.
Your truck will do fine.
I'd suggest:
higher capacity springs
timbren helper springs up front
1000 lbs of ballast over the rear wheels
higher output alternator
Strobes are fine, so are LED's. Stay away from the rotator, and halogen warning devices because they drink electricty and that truck does not have a fully fielded alternator.
Lastly, you need Fluid Film for the plow and fittings.
Your truck will do fine.
I'd suggest:
higher capacity springs
timbren helper springs up front
1000 lbs of ballast over the rear wheels
higher output alternator
Strobes are fine, so are LED's. Stay away from the rotator, and halogen warning devices because they drink electricty and that truck does not have a fully fielded alternator.
Lastly, you need Fluid Film for the plow and fittings.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,947
Likes: 63
From: in the woods of MA
Jim, lets start over. The guy started the thread asking for advice on HIS truck. Your truck is very different than his so comparisons are useless. I ran his truck in the Fisher plow ematch and the ballast recommendation is 970 lbs. His truck is much more front heavy than yours. Ballast will even this out.
For what it is worth I have never replaced a u-joint on either truck and have found through experience ballast works.
You are entitled to your opinion and so am I.
For what it is worth I have never replaced a u-joint on either truck and have found through experience ballast works.
You are entitled to your opinion and so am I.
Right you are on the fisher recommendation, I stand corrected. That particular setup does sound like it could use some, but a 1/2 ton of ballast? Wow, that's a lot. I've run 6 wheel dump trucks with about that much...
But, me personally? (Yes, my opinion.) I'd never put that much extra weight in a pickup truck just to plow. Plowing can be tough enough, that's just asking to break something...
And I do stand by my opinion that I'd rather be stuck then broke...
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,082
Likes: 93
From: VA/NH
Personally I've never run ballast. I've heard the arguments both ways and it would probably be better, but I use the bed of my truck. I don't want to have to remove 1/2 ton of cement etc to put something back there after each storm. I can count the number of times I've gotten stuck on one hand and I've been plowing for quite a while.
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