When buying a snowplow, remember you are buying a tool that requires a truck heavy duty enough to carry the load of the plow system.  The truck needs a heavy-duty alternator to deliver the electricity for the hydraulic pump, a reliable engine with four-wheel drive, and adjustable front suspension to raise the nose when the plow is mounted.  Avoid dual rear wheels that distribute the weight over a larger contact patch since the traction comes from cutting through the snow to the ground rather than floating on the snow.

 

Automatic transmissions are well built and should stand up to the rigors of forward-and-reverse manipulations.  However, manual transmissions are designed for the ordeal of plowing better than automatics.  You need a 3/4 -ton class truck such as the Ram 2500, Ford-F-250, Chevy Silverado 2500, or Toyota Tundra.  New trucks come with a warranty that must cover design and defect issues for three years or 50,000 miles and cover certain high-cost emissions-related parts such as catalytic converters for seven years or 70,000 miles.

 

Used trucks already fitted with a snowplow are a high steaks gamble.  The owner may have beaten it like a rented mule for years.  Transmissions and transfer cases are not cheap to replace and break down around 80,000 to 150,000 miles.  Shaking and jerking are good indicators of transmission trouble. Gear grinding is a common symptom in manual transmission vehicles. Automatic transmission failure often begins as slipping or with some hesitation during gears shifting.

Putting a new plow on an old truck is a bit like putting earrings on a pig.  New plows cost about $3000 and used plows cost $1500.  If you don’t know what to look for in a snowplow, you save significant money in the long run having all the parts and warranty of the new snowplow.   Lastly make sure everything is designed to be disconnected and stored in the off-season to save added wear and loss in fuel economy.

Snow Prep Packages

 

Snow Prep Packages beef up the front end of the truck to accommodate stiffer suspension parts, added wiring, oil coolers, and transmission coolers.  Commercial applications for heavy-duty use of larger plow blades cost $5000 and residential packages run $2000.  With a Snow Prep Package, the powertrain and drivetrain will endure added stress and will need periodic maintenance.  The gross axle weight rating will indicate the plow type, hitch mounting hardware style, and in-cab controller needed for your truck’s snowplow.

 

Plow

 

The plow is the oldest farming equipment.  All plows are designed to meet the labor-intensive workload with five components: height regulator, frame, mold board, attach point, and share. 

The blade is either a fixed straight mold board or V-shaped with optional wing accessories that pivots to help direct the snow. The share is the cutting edge of the moldboard plow. Its configuration is related to snow type, particularly in the down suction, or concavity, of its lower surface. Don’t plow with missing trip springs or other parts. Don’t wrap a tow chain or tow strap around your blade. Inspect your plow often, looking for cracks in the moldboard, cracked hoses, leaky fittings, etc. Don’t let cracks in metal go unattended; repair or weld them immediately. Check the adjustment on the trip springs often.  Change the blade’s cutting edge when it is worn.  Paint your steel plow when it needs it to prevent corrosion.  Rinse the salt off your blade and truck as often as possible.

Don’t transport your blade at speeds faster than 45 mph and plow at speeds of more than 20 mph.  Don’t abuse your plow or plow anything other than snow. The blade should be 6.5 to 10 feet wide and weight 200 to 1000 pounds.  The weight is dictated by the truck requirements, but the material is personal preference.  

• Weight of the blade must be compatible with the truck brand. Most standard trucks are compatible with 6.5-foot blades, half-ton trucks use 7-foot blades, and ¾ to 1-ton trucks use 8-foot blades.  The heavier the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the truck, the wider the plow blade the truck can handle.  Overloading the front of the truck with a plow that is too heavy puts stress on the front axle, damages the suspension, and diminishes braking effectiveness.
• Material of the blade will determine snow removal efficiency. The mainstay of the industry is steel.  Steel is durable.  Steel is heavier weight and has greater downward thrust.  Polyethylene gives the blade a full trip or edge trip mechanism for collision with hidden, immovable objects to protect the truck’s suspension and frame.  Polyethylene allows the snow to roll off the blade with greater efficiency.  The moldboard of the polyethylene blade will resist rust and corrosion without the seasonal painting that steel requires.  Plows will not stand up to the abuse of a bulldozer blade.

 

Hitch

 

The hitch is the brackets that attach the plow to the truck.  Manufacturers’ quick mount-and-release systems are designed for trucks, suburban utility vehicles (SUVs), Jeeps, and riding lawn mowers.  A whole host of heavy-duty plows, such as box plows, pusher plows, are available for use with heavy equipment, such as skid-steer loaders. Oftentimes these larger plows can be more efficient at removing snow and are a great option for large properties.

 

Controllers

 

Controllers can be handheld, or joysticks used from inside the truck cab.  Controllers can be moved or stored when not in use.  Basic requirements include that the driver can move the blade up and down and angle the blade from side to side. 

 

Hydraulics

Most hydraulic systems fall into two types. One is a self-contained, 12-volt unit, the other being a hydraulic pump under the hood driven by a belt and powered by the vehicle’s engine.

The 12-volt design uses an electric motor to turn a hydraulic pump. The motor and pump are typically mounted on the lift cylinder as one large assembly. The control valves are part of this unit, too. There are toggle switch controls in the cab, touch pads or mini joysticks to move the plow up and down and left to right. Most new plow models are completely removable from the vehicle when the plow is not in use. The headgear, plow lights and plow pump all come off the vehicle by removing pins.

The engine-driven systems are mounted on the vehicle’s engine, which drives the pump. The hydraulic fluid flows through hoses and lines to the lift and angle cylinders. A drawback to this unit is that it is pumping all the time, whether you are plowing or not. Some of these pumps have an electro-magnetic clutch that engages the pump. This helps some, but the shaft is still turning and wearing. Many owners remove the drive belt for the pump every spring and put it back on every fall.  Check your hydraulic fluid often and change it after every season. Don’t mix hydraulic fluid types.

Consider the Dealer

The next most important factor when choosing a plow is considering the dealer. Dealer service is very important when choosing a plow.  Pantanos Nursery and Landscape Supply offers full service and installation.

Keep in mind that no matter how heavy duty the plow is, sooner or later it will break and need parts. Pantano keeps extra mechanics on duty for snow events.  Pantano does extend its hours during snowfalls, and you can sign up for text alerts during snow events.   

For more information contact Pantano nursery and landscape supply at 143 County Road 522 Manalapan, NJ 07726  PH: (732) 786-8503   https://www.pantanonursery.com/wholesale-perennials/

 

Inventory

SnowEx

 

The history of SnowEx is a long list of innovations. Low-maintenance motor/transmission drive systems, v-box spreaders with corrosion resistant poly hoppers, a wireless-controlled utility spreader, the job-tracking Salt-Traxx^™ system for hopper spreaders to give you more productive, longer lasting, easier to use equipment solutions.

 

We believe SnowEx equipment is the most reliable on the market. In 2001, we became the first to include a 2-year parts & labor warranty on all equipment. We’re doing much more than just claiming reliability … we’re guaranteeing it.

 

Regular Duty – 7600RD – 8000HD

For personal plowing or light-duty commercial snow plowing jobs using half-ton pick-ups, the SnowEx^® 7600RD and 8000RD are engineered to meet vehicle weight ratings and deliver excellent performance. Built with stronger and lighter high-strength steel, the units are ideal for tough conditions while putting less stress on your truck than heavier straight blade snowplows.

 

Heavy Duty – 8000HD – 9000HD

For commercial contractors outfitting larger vehicles, only a heavy-duty straight blade snowplow will do…and the aptly named SnowEx^® Heavy-Duty Series fits the bill. Powering ahead and rolling heavy snow farther with a 31″-tall steel blade, these plows feature a formed base channel that delivers extra stability. While vertical ribs, two angled Power Ribs and massive quad design provide added strength to prevent the blade from twisting, even under the most punishing winter conditions.

SPEEDWing – 8600SW

Move more snow with a snowplow that thinks for itself – the SPEEDWING 8600 from SnowEx^®. Intuitive mechanical wings automatically adjust from scoop mode to windrow position as you angle the plow. By combining the ease of straight blade operation with the productivity of a winged snowplow, SPEEDWING clears big jobs fast to enhance your profits.

 

Power Plow – 8100PP

The SnowEx^® adjustable-wing POWER PLOW offers the versatility to expand plow width by moving the wings outward (WIDE PASS) or increase capacity by angling the wings forward (BUCKET BLADE™) to match plowing conditions. A snowplow in compact mode for transport and narrow areas can quickly be expanded for extra wide plowing passes by simply pushing a button.

Check out Pantano Nursery & Landscape Supply Today for Quality Snow Blowers in the Monmouth County, NJ Area

Searching for a great selection of snow blowers in the Monmouth County, NJ area? Contact Pantano Wholesale Nursery and Landscaping Supply today. We are a full-service Ariens & Husqvarna snow blower dealer with sales, parts, and on-site service options. Pantano is the largest landscaping provider in the United States. We sell a full line of landscape and building stone. We also have a large supply of mulch and garden products. Come and visit us today! For more information, you can give us a call at 732-786-8503, or explore our website.