Putting a plow on the CDT... What do I need to know?

[flagmanruss]

I can't get up on the backhoe to plow snow anymore. "We" (mostly she) has been plowing snow with a 650 ATV... But in a big storm, she has to plow several times. (Just seems really dumb to be out in the snow when we have a truck with a heated cab.) I have 400 feet of driveway to the road, 3 turn out spaces off it, a turn around space opposite. I might plow the neighbpor's mailboxes but that's it.Truck came with a "plow package". What else does it need? Probably mount a narrower taller winter tires on spare rims for change over. I'd like one of the newer set ups that don't have a bunch of stuff on the front when not in use.

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

dont know what the plow package comes with but if it doesnt have extra cooling for the tranny i would put one in.

[Rogan]

Hey, Russ. You'll have plenty cooling capacity for the transmission, already. I run an Arctic plow (http://www.arcticsnowplows.com/english/index.php) I run the HD-96P on my 2500. It's a poly blade with a carbide cutter. They're really decent plows, and leave minimal parts on the truck when disconnected (only the spreader bar is visible under the front bumper.) I plow commercially and residentially with it, and have had no issues. I run a leveling kit (2") and 235/85-16s. If you have any questions, or want pictures of anything, let me know. Oh, I haven't gotten them yet, but the Timbrens should be on your shopping list, as well, if not already in possession.

[flagmanruss]

I'm just beginning to research this... Yes, I have a big transmission cooler. Dunno if it came with the plow or trailer packages (have both). Also 8800 gvw. Is the poly plow enough lighter to matter? Just for my driveway... How wide a blade do I need? I'm seeing a used V plow on the flea. Several straight blades 7.5-8' MM's. Did you need the leveling to clear the tires? I'm pretty high stock... high enough that I have trouble getting into it with my bad leg. Timbrens?? What is this? (I'm thinking you're talking about tie rods ends? Mine seem tight at my low miles.) Thanks guys, Russ

Hey, Russ. You'll have plenty cooling capacity for the transmission, already. I run an Arctic plow (http://www.arcticsnowplows.com/english/index.php) I run the HD-96P on my 2500. It's a poly blade with a carbide cutter. They're really decent plows, and leave minimal parts on the truck when disconnected (only the spreader bar is visible under the front bumper.) I plow commercially and residentially with it, and have had no issues. I run a leveling kit (2") and 235/85-16s. If you have any questions, or want pictures of anything, let me know. Oh, I haven't gotten them yet, but the Timbrens should be on your shopping list, as well, if not already in possession.

[Rogan]

I'm just beginning to research this...

Yes, I have a big transmission cooler. Dunno if it came with the plow or trailer packages (have both). Also 8800 gvw.

Is the poly plow enough lighter to matter? Just for my driveway... How wide a blade do I need? I'm seeing a used V plow on the flea. Several straight blades 7.5-8' MM's.

Did you need the leveling to clear the tires? I'm pretty high stock... high enough that I have trouble getting into it with my bad leg.

Timbrens?? What is this? (I'm thinking you're talking about tie rods ends? Mine seem tight at my low miles.)

Thanks guys,

Russ

Russ, the poly and steel 96" blades are the same weight; Arctic 96" HD units are around 640lbs. I went with the poly, just because of rust. Snow doesn't seem to stick to the poly blade as much, either.

Go with a chain-style lift pump. The hydraulic up/down style is nice, because you can add downward pressure in situations that may need it. BUT, if it's down, and the pump takes a crap, you're screwed. With the chain style lifts, and the plow stops working in the down position, it's a simple as getting a jack, jack the blade up off the ground, change the chain position to support it in the lifted position, and move to a repair area or facility.

A 96" blade is about 83" plow width at full angle.

A V-plow is heavy as hell. usually 850+ lbs and more. It would also likely be too large for what you're wanting to do with it. They're usually 110-120+" wide when extended.

As for wiring up my Arctic, it was quite easy. All the connectors (lights, controller, pump control, battery/ground are modular weatherpac-style plugs. The only truck connection is a battery 12V and Ground connection with supplied 4gauge wiring, the plow solenoid to the supplied wiring, and a 12v controller power wire to the battery. The lights have plug-in jumpers (no cutting required) for the factory headlight harnesses, as well as a toggle switch to be mounted in the cab, to transfer headlight output from stocks to plows. It's really simple; I had the entire wiring portion done in about an hour.

The truck-side plow mount is straight-forward, and contains 4 pieces: spreader bar (what plow connects to), cross bar (uses existing bumper bolt holes), and 2 torque arms (goes up the framerail on each side, and is all bolted together.) A couple frame holes need opened up a little to clear the large bolts used to hold it all together, and the rest is all bolted up using existing holes. Took me and a friend about 3 hrs to put it on using hand tools. Retains swaybar, and still clears a steering box brace, if you have one of those.

Here's mine..

in the below picture, everything to the right of the 4 shiny bolts, is not there when the plow is removed as an assembly (in this pic, I was working on a height issue of the plow with my 295s on... The plow frame (disconnected) is at the angle is should be, and you can see on the truck where it's corresponding mount point was. Changing tires fixed this issue, when I went to the 235s.

I don't need the leveling kit for my 235s. They are stock dually height tire version (as is the 215/85s.) I had it on the truck from back when I was running the 295/75-16s.

Timbrens are bump-stop replacements. They are about $200/pr, and are longer than stock. They're designed to aid in the front end suspension support of heavy loads. Mike and many others on here run them. They do not interfere with normal suspension travel when no plow is mounted. But when you mount and lift the plow, the nose dives a couple inches. The Timbrens help carry the load and reduce the nose dive. They are also designed to be soft when loaded, so it doesn't feel like you're really bottomed out.

[flagmanruss]

Everything is making sense.

What years push frame interchange?

What years rims interchange? Mine is 01.5 with rear discs.

Agree on the chain lift. Many years ago, I had a Jeep Wagon which I was working on a plow for. I never got the hydraulics straightened out. I could lift it with a come along to the plow frame.

[Rogan]

From what I understand, wheels have to be from a rear disc-equipped truck, if your truck is rear-disc equipped, but I'm not 100% on that.Frame-wise, I believe all 2gens are the same.Oh yeah, when I'm pushing, I throw about 400# of weight in the back, by the tailgate (I use a 2x6 board in the bed slots to keep the weight from sliding around.)I generally use 60# readi-mix concrete bags, as they're cheap. I also put them inside of commercial-grade trash bags, just so if the bag breaks, it's still contained.

[flagmanruss]

I'm not sure what I would ballast with.

I grew up ballasting the rear... we used double bagged sand in a box in my Mom's 64 Chrysler.

My 68 RoadRunner... in college... I had 2 dynamite crates filled with sand. I foolishly let them go in a prank. (Campus cops went kind of nuts though when they found them along with tel wire strippings... things were different in the early 70s).

My (Jap) Challenger wasn't worth a toot in the snow... until I put a row of sand filled bleach bottles, wheel well to wheel well over the rear axle. They were the cleanest. I used beach sand (free) & funnel, screwed the cap on. Off season, I stuck them in the garage.

I have a couple of tons of lead bricks in the barn from my bullet casting biz. Guess that's anchor the rear!

[Rogan]

I had about the exact same car as above ('83 Plymouth Sapporo)AKA: Dodge Challenger, Mitsubishi Galant, etc. Below, you can see my Arctic spreader bar mount. It's fairly unobtrusive.

[flagmanruss]

Those Mitsubishi's were great little cars... and decent priced too. Considering my L-O-N-G truck, and what the snow will do on turns... Would you hold out for 8' or go with more readily available 7.5'? My inclination is to buy the right one, the first time, rather than roll stuff over. (I never seem to make out on swaps & sales.)Sooo,8 foot plow VS 7.5 foot plowMinute Mount type.edit:After surfing CraigsList... I found a lot of plows... but no 8' with the frame to fit my truck.I checked with a couple of local dealers. The Pathfinder dealer just offered me a NEW 9' left over $2500 cash, installed. He says this 9' "Regular Duty" model was a poor seller... so willing to make a deal to move it. Sounds like a deal.

[Rogan]

I don't know anything about that brand. I bought my plow 2nd hand, for 700$, and another 1200 for the truck side of things. I couldn't be more happy. A 7.5 will be about 60-65" at full angle. Your truck isn't much narrower than that. per Tapatalk on my EVO

[flagmanruss]

So you are into yours for 1900... and you had to put it together.If I bought a used one, then had to hunt up the truck side, then get someone to mount it. This is complete working and warenteed. I think I need to go see it. This dealer is closest to me, right in town & has parts & service. I bought the (old used highway plow from him) that I have for the backhoe. I think Pathfinder is a local brand... about the same as Fisher... I'm going to need winter tires & ought to put them on winter rims... maybe steels.

[Rogan]

So you are into yours for 1900... and you had to put it together.

If I bought a used one, then had to hunt up the truck side, then get someone to mount it.

This is complete working and warenteed. I think I need to go see it. This dealer is closest to me, right in town & has parts & service. I bought the (old used highway plow from him) that I have for the backhoe.

I think Pathfinder is a local brand... about the same as Fisher...

I'm going to need winter tires & ought to put them on winter rims... maybe steels.

Yes, I'm into mine for around $1900. But consider this: it's 5 yrs old, and was $5200 new.

I looked at the pathfinder plow website, and the website is cheaply done. Not saying that this reflects their product, but it definitely raised some concerns for me, as well as did their prices. By that, I mean $2500-3000 for a new 8 or 9' plow setup seems quite.. "cheap", for lack of a better word.

Just keep that in mind, Russ. Other plows of the same dimensions and such are twice that price.

[flagmanruss]

What I have learned is Pathfinder is a local company, located in an industral park near me. They manufacture plows there as well as direct sales & service. So there is no middleman to mark it up. Locally, they & their products are well thought of. Yup, the web site is down & dirty... it is that kind of place... where the boss gets his hands dirty too.

[Rogan]

that's cool. Any idea what the weight of a 8.0 setup is? I know price doesn't depict quality, always, but with many things, it can give you a general idea. So can overall weight of similar materials for like items.. So if company A has a 9' plow assembly for $2500, all metal, and weighs 400lbs., and Company B has a 9' plow assembly that's $5000, all metal, and weighs 700lbs., that would raise an eyebrow for me.

[flagmanruss]

Pathfinder offers both a standard duty line with a trip blade & a heavy duty line with a trip edge. The 7.5' standard duty is 2695The 8' standard duty is 3600The 9' stardard duty is 2500... these are left overs, poor sellers & he wants to move them. Commercial plow operators want the HD model... That part does make sense. I'm thinking the wider blade will be an advantage when plowing turning into the parking spaces with my long wheelbase. Wife is now waffling on the idea... she's worse than I am... She was all for it when she came in all snow covered.

[Rogan]

Russ, I'm not knocking on them, by any means.. :)I run an HD model, and that's a big difference in price/weight over the SD units. I think no more than you'll be using it, it'll most-likely be fine. A 9' is quite wide to maneuver, and will take a little getting used to, as well any blade sticking 3' out front. Definitely go with a curved deflector. your visibility will thank you.