What is the best snowplow for my half-ton truck? Here at Central Parts Warehouse we get the question all the time. What is the best snowplow? Unfortunately, the answer to that question has a lot to do with what manufacturer, the make/model of your truck and finally personal preference. Nowadays with some of the half-ton trucks utilizing electronic assisted steering and manufacturers making their trucks lighter to improve gas efficiency they have made it harder to choose the right plow. However there are some general advantages and disadvantages from one brand to the next and to help you make a better-informed decision we decided to give a brief overview of the snowplows available for half-ton trucks and give our expert insight to help you make a good decision. Snowdogg - Snowdogg has two snowplow models available for half-ton trucks including the MD series and the VMD series Snowdogg plows are all stainless steel, which has two advantages. For one you do not have to worry about your moldboard rusting out which is a common problem especially if the plow is stored outdoors in the elements. The second advantage is that snow will slide/roll off the blade easier than with steel blades reducing the weight carried on the front of your truck and keeping your engine and transmission from being overworked. Another cool feature about all Snowdogg plows is the come standard with a snow deflector. This does not seem like much but a snow deflector can set you back $150-$250, which is a shock to some customers. Meyer - Meyer has three snowplows available for half-ton trucks the Drive Pro, the Lot Pro LD, and the Super-V LD. Meyer plows by far have the best warranty with a standard 3-year warranty that extends to 5 years when you register your snowplow. We have actually seen some commercial contractors replace their Meyer plows every 5 years and never pay for any major replacement parts, which can get expensive. The other brands have a standard 2-year warranty. Meyer powerpacks have improved significantly since they switched to Monarch as a supplier. With Meyer’s EZ-Mount Plus mounting system, your fleet is ready for any mishaps that may happen because the Super-V LD and Lot Pro LD moldboards and controllers are interchangeable. Super-V LD moldboards can also be attached to Meyer’s older EZ-Mount Classic mounting system. Finally, unlike their competitors that have up to three plugs, the EZ-Mount Plus system comes with just one plug to connect/disconnect. Boss - Boss has two snowplow models available for half-ton trucks. The HTX straight blade and the HTX V-plow Boss plows have a good name in the industry and their v-plow design is a good example of nice engineering. Boss plows utilize a hydraulic cylinder for lifting their plows, which makes lifting the plow faster than a chain-lift system. However, one major drawback with the hydraulic lift system is you need to keep ratchet straps in the truck just in case your cylinder quits. Additionally, Boss plows now have restrictions on where you can buy your plow and parts. For example, we have a longtime customer who uses several brands, including Boss, and he always purchased from us online because of price and his closest Boss dealer is 300 miles away. Therefore, if you live in or around a major city you should be fine, but if you like to shop online or your local dealer does not stock parts you might think about considering a different brand. Fisher - Fisher has three types of snowplows available for half-ton trucks. The Homesteader, the HT series and the SD series One reason I really like Fisher plows in general is they rarely if ever breakdown. Because they were specifically designed to withstand the heavy, wet snow and strong Nor’easter snowstorms, which is, why they are so big in New England. Fisher plows can usually take a good beating. Now of course all plows will eventually give you a problem (hopefully not at 3am!) but from my personal experience with taking plow orders for several years, the Fisher plow people seem to buy fewer parts for their plow than contractors using some other brands. For example, Fisher trip springs seem to last forever but with other brands, you will replace them every 2-4 years. SnowEx - SnowEx has two models of snowplows available for half-ton trucks. The Light Duty and Regular Duty SnowEx (the old Blizzard) plows have been totally redesigned are now built with high-strength steel that is stronger and lighter than conventional steel. The SnowEx line of light truck snowplows provides all the features of their professional grade plows in a package designed specifically for smaller vehicles like Jeeps, SUVs, and compact pick-ups. By meeting vehicle weight requirements without sacrifice performance SnowEx has actually come up with some very nice plows. I also like the ground clearance SnowEx plows have. Some truck and plow combinations require a leveling kit or Timbrens to help from bottoming out. For 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 snowplows. Finally, SnowEx just recently released a “Down Force” kit that applies down pressure when activated similar to SnoWay plows. Western - Western has three types of snowplows available for half-ton trucks. The Suburbanite, the HTS, and the Midweight Western plows are reliable and have a good name in the industry. A great plow for half-tons that still gives the commercial feel is the Western Midweight snowplow. This plow is lean and nimble, but still provides the muscle needed for commercial snowplowing. Delivering rugged, pro performance without the extra weight, the Midweight is built for light commercial use. The sturdy 7' 6" moldboard is 27" tall and comes in 14-gauge powder coated steel or 1/4" high-density polyethylene. The poly blade version provides a slick surface for enhanced snow-rolling action and a maintenance-free surface. The steel blade features a high quality powder coated surface. Both feature a 70-degree attack angle for a clean scrape, and come standard with a high carbon steel cutting edge that reduces wear and extends the life of the blade. CONCLUSION: Meyer, Fisher, and Western each have three models while Boss, Snowdogg, and SnowEx only have two options. While this does not matter much, it is nice to have more options. The third model from Meyer (Lotpro), Fisher (SD Series) and Western (Midweight) while still technically a personal plow can handle light-duty commercial applications. Meyer, Snowdogg, and Boss all have a V-plow version that works with half-ton trucks. Because V-plows give the operator, so much more versatility these types of plows have become more and more popular with commercial contractors over the last five years. This popularity with V-plows in the full-size truck market is what most likely prompted the manufacturers to accommodate several customer requests for a lighter V-plow that could work on today’s smaller trucks. In my personal opinion and all things considered I would rank the brands as follows regarding half-ton trucks: · Meyer - Longest warranty and has V-plow · Snowdogg - Stainless Steel and has V-plow · Boss - Has V-plow but restrictions on where to purchase · SnowEx - No V-plow but has Down Force · Fisher - No V-plow but well built · Western - No V-plow but good reliable name brand
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