Cheap dedicated plow truck?

[IHDiesel73L]

In about two months we'll be closing on a property at the end of a 1/4 mile gravel road that I'll be responsible for maintaining. We're coming from a half acre lot on a public road so I have some equipment (lawn tractor, chainsaw, other OPE, etc...) but I don't have a CUT yet and and will probably need to get by without one for a little while. A buddy has an old 2.8L V6/Automatic 4x4 S-10, similar to this one (body is in much rougher shape):



He'd have to dump $2000 into it between an O2 sensor, new catalytic converter, exhaust, etc...in order to get it to pass NJ inspection, so he's willing to just give it to me. I'm thinking of doing the following:

-Weld up spiders in the rearend
-Fill all four tires with liquid ballast
-Fit v-bar chains to all four tires
-Build a weight box out of lumber that I can load with rocks, concrete, etc...that would be secured between the cab and the rear axle
-Fit/adapt a cheap plow

The idea would be to just keep it as a dedicated plow truck that will never leave the property, plus I'd probably find some other odd jobs like pulling, etc...to do with it. I think I'd certainly have enough weight and traction, but would the 2.8L give me enough power for snowplowing? We're in Northwest NJ, so most of the time I'll be pushing off 6-8" at a clip. If I know we're going to get feet of snow I'll be out there during the storm to get ahead of it. Not to mention it would be nice to have heat and windshield wipers

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Liability is a big concern when plowing, people run into each other all the time. Just because you're on your own property doesn't protect you. Most homeowner's policies won't cover you when operating a motor vehicle. On the other hand, they often cover landscaping equipment used on the property. So read your policy before you start.

I've toyed with the idea of having a farm truck for jobs like this. What deters me is the thought that old vehicles tend to be unreliable when they sit unused for a long time, I worry that every time I wanted to use it it wouldn't start. I think of a friend of mine who has a 1960's Mustang convertible that he only drives on nice sunny days in the summer. Every time he goes to start it he ends up paying $500 or $1000 by the time he gets it out of the garage.

But only you know your situation. Do this though: price out all of the modifications you list above. Price out paying someone to plow. Price out a used tractor that could do the job. I think you might be surprised when it all is added up how expensive your "free" truck is.

 

[IHDiesel73L]

Liability is a big concern when plowing, people run into each other all the time. Just because you're on your own property doesn't protect you. Most homeowner's policies won't cover you when operating a motor vehicle. On the other hand, they often cover landscaping equipment used on the property. So read your policy before you start.

That's really no issue-I say "road" but really its my driveway, so anyone else who is on it is trespassing. I suppose I could have an issue once I get out to the county road, but care and common sense should take care of that.

I've toyed with the idea of having a farm truck for jobs like this. What deters me is the thought that old vehicles tend to be unreliable when they sit unused for a long time, I worry that every time I wanted to use it it wouldn't start. I think of a friend of mine who has a 1960's Mustang convertible that he only drives on nice sunny days in the summer. Every time he goes to start it he ends up paying $500 or $1000 by the time he gets it out of the garage.

It's not really an apples to apples comparison-keeping a 2.8L TBI V6 running is pretty simple, and cheap. Granted, the CEL will always be on, it will be burning oil, etc...but so long as I keep topping it up with whatever oil is cheap on the shelf at Wal-Mart it will keep going.

But only you know your situation. Do this though: price out all of the modifications you list above. Price out paying someone to plow. Price out a used tractor that could do the job. I think you might be surprised when it all is added up how expensive your "free" truck is.

A good used CUT with FEL goes for about $8000-9000 around here. As far as modifications to the truck?

-Weld rearend - Free (I'll be doing it myself)
-Chains - Probably about $60 per set, so $120
-Liquid ballast - I use the blue windshield washer fluid in my tractor tires, maybe $50 all said and done?
-Weight box - Basically free-I have most of what I need to build it and fill it now
-Plow - $500? There are various kinds of plows for sale in the local Treasure Hunt paper all the time

It's not really the economics of it that I'm questioning, it's the power. At 125HP or so, a 2.8L V6 has a lot more power than the average CUT, but it doesn't have half the gearing, so I'm just wondering how these little trucks do when pushing a plow, especially with a lot of weight on them to make sure the tires hook up.

 

[dieselcrawler]

I have a 1988 s10 with the 2.8, 5spd, 4x4. For what you're planning, running low range most of the time, I think you're on the right path. You can crank up the torsion bars in the front to compensate for plow weight, and an old beater truck with chains comes in handy on the farm, all year round. Drop the plow and weight box for the summer and it's a handy tool. Look into 'farm use' tags, in my state, you get a sticker for the windshield, carry very cheap insurance, and be covered for short trips on-highway, for farm use reasons. Worth looking into.

 

[muddstopper]

I would question the s10 front suspension ability to carry a plow. I cant answer that, but plows are pretty heavy hangin out front of the truck

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

If you want to go to all that trouble just to get one season out of it....

Read a few plowing forums. 3/4 tons are okay for light duty. Half tons are laughed at.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Liquid ballast would be overkill, the weight of the plow and the frame itself will be adequate for the front end and fill the back up with junk and you'll have enough weight. Air your tires down for more grip and you'll be able to handle a plow the width of that truck.
What was said about the front suspension is true, it isn't designed for alot of weight on a compact truck. With the wear I've seen on my F 250 that I bought used with a plow on it with a much heavier suspension I wouldn't do it on a small truck. granted a plow for an S10 vs my F250 will be much smaller, but when figuring the ratio of plow and frame weight vs what the suspension can handle I don't see your S10 doing well. For $2000-2500 you're already talking about spending you could get an old tractor and a blade to do the same job.

The university I work at uses Ford Rangers with plows to work in small lots and sidewalks (wide sidewalks) and it seems to do well, they load the bed down with salt bags and buckets of sand with a spreader mounted in the hitch.

 

[Clint S]

Where do you live and how much snow do you get??? The overall weight of the truck and car like suspension will be what does you in. We get up to 300 inches of snow here and an S10 just will not handle pushing a lot of snow and forget about slush.

 

[franklin2]

The guys that say the truck is not going to hold up are comparing your setup to a commercial plow setup. You are not going to plow commercially, just your own driveway. That makes a big difference. I plowed my own stuff and a couple neighbors driveways with a f150 for years with a 7.5ft plow. Never had a any problems except I had to turn up the idle speed so it would pick the plow up. It had the stock battery and stock 60 amp alternator. Upping the idle speed is all it took.

For that truck you are going to be looking for a 6.5ft plow. The better ones are not very cheap. I got my Meyers cheap but it needed work and was well worn.

 

[Weedy Fields]

We have bout a 1/4 mile drive way. I have it plowed by a local excavator. It costs approx $300-$400/yr to get it done. We don't have him plow everytime it snows, just when we get over 2-3 inches.

I don't see why you'd waste your time and money plowing yourself. Especially if you have to buy equipment that you don't have. If you already had equipment that would be different.

 

[coss]

I live in the mid-Hudson valley, and we get somewhat more snow than you do in NW NJ, but as a ballpark comparison, the areas are close enough. I agree with other posters that you have 2 options:

1. Build up your free truck: I would guess you will spend $700-1000 to get up and running. It will probably last 5-8 years, after which time it'll be worth only what you can get for the used plow. It should work fine for 8" of dry snow and 4-5" of wet stuff. You might need to get up in the middle of the night to plow the first portion of a storm so you don't get snowed in. Every 3 years or so, you might need to hire someone with a bigger rig to bail you out or move back the banks when you get multiple storms without a melting spell in between. You will be warm and toasty inside the truck. I don't know anything about NJ law, but unless your homeowners policy covers your liability, you should buy an insurance policy.

2. Buy a used tractor with a back blade on a 3 point hitch: You can expect to spend $1500-2500, with maintenance costs of, say, $200/year, coming in bursts after you get lulled into a false sense of security because nothing has broken in awhile. It will last pretty much forever, and it will never decline in value unless you trash it. It will be more reliable and will hold its value better if you store it under a roof, so it would be wise to include that expense in your calculations. You can freeze you butt off. It will handle about the same snow depth as your truck, so ask yourself how you will feel getting up at 3:00 am to sit on an open tractor in 31F freezing rain or -5F heavy wind. You probably won't need an insurance policy.

If I were you, I think I'd try the "free truck" option, and if you have a fatal event like a blown transmission, you will hopefully be a few years down the road and you'll have enough money saved up for a reliable tractor or replacement truck.

 

[LD48750]

I live in the mid-Hudson valley, and we get somewhat more snow than you do in NW NJ, but as a ballpark comparison, the areas are close enough. I agree with other posters that you have 2 options:

1. Build up your free truck: I would guess you will spend $700-1000 to get up and running. It will probably last 5-8 years, after which time it'll be worth only what you can get for the used plow. It should work fine for 8" of dry snow and 4-5" of wet stuff. You might need to get up in the middle of the night to plow the first portion of a storm so you don't get snowed in. Every 3 years or so, you might need to hire someone with a bigger rig to bail you out or move back the banks when you get multiple storms without a melting spell in between. You will be warm and toasty inside the truck. I don't know anything about NJ law, but unless your homeowners policy covers your liability, you should buy an insurance policy.

2. Buy a used tractor with a back blade on a 3 point hitch: You can expect to spend $1500-2500, with maintenance costs of, say, $200/year, coming in bursts after you get lulled into a false sense of security because nothing has broken in awhile. It will last pretty much forever, and it will never decline in value unless you trash it. It will be more reliable and will hold its value better if you store it under a roof, so it would be wise to include that expense in your calculations. You can freeze you butt off. It will handle about the same snow depth as your truck, so ask yourself how you will feel getting up at 3:00 am to sit on an open tractor in 31F freezing rain or -5F heavy wind. You probably won't need an insurance policy.

If I were you, I think I'd try the "free truck" option, and if you have a fatal event like a blown transmission, you will hopefully be a few years down the road and you'll have enough money saved up for a reliable tractor or replacement truck.

If you don't need insurance for a tractor, why would you need insurance for a truck that never leaves the property?

I have been running a dedicated plow truck on my property for the last 25+ yrs and recommend it over an open station tractor.
I have both & the tractors are for warm weather use & mowing the grass. ( & getting firewood from out back)

 

[3930dave]

-Weld up spiders in the rearend
-Fill all four tires with liquid ballast
-Fit v-bar chains to all four tires
-Build a weight box out of lumber that I can load with rocks, concrete, etc...that would be secured between the cab and the rear axle
-Fit/adapt a cheap plow

I think this truck will push what you want, as long as 4 Low is available. Stick to a narrower plow if you can.

I'd actually start out with less traction. My guess is the transmission will be the weak link; if you want/need more than one season out of this setup, you don't want to be able to push 3' of wet snow with this truck. If it doesn't already have a good sized Aux transmission cooler, add one, they aren't spendy.

Unless you've driven a spooled truck before, I'd hold off welding the spiders. With the ice we get here, an always-locked rear may give you too much push under certain conditions, even with 4wd. If ice-storms are rare, or you don't have close quarters/narrow roads to navigate, Spark On.

For that truck I'd start w/o chains and go with the tallest, narrowest, cheapest ZigZag snow tires I could find - typically what you'd see on an old off-road work/plow truck in Vermont. I'd add ballast weight to the bed, and start plowing with that.

Rgds, D.

 

[dieselcrawler]

I agree with not welding the spiders... until using it a bit, an open diff with chains on all 4's will be a good start. Welding spiders makes them brittle, and they can break. (Been there, done that, mud truck adventures...)

X2 on the extra Auto trans cooler too... Trans temp gauge would be cheap insurance, 210° and up is killing your trans. Ask me how I know... more BTDT!

 

[Groo]

I am thinking I need to beef up the front end of the 1 ton I plow with. better be some tupperware nothing plow on that truck.

how about a 4 wheel with a blade or blower?

 

[Tomtint]

For a small 1/4 mile driveway it will be fine. Provided you are only moving 6" of light snow and it's not 12" of heavy wet snow. Look for a light weight Polly blade and not a heavy steel one. I think you will be fine.

 

[LouNY]

An S10 used with a bit of caution will do the job, chains are a great asset on a plow truck. I have maintained a 1/4 mile steep hill driveway for many years, I've always had a tractor or two to use,my Oliver 1550 on chains with a loader had more difficultly plowing or using the back blade than my plow trucks, going down hill couldn't stop without using the loader bucket as a brake as well aas the tractor brakes. I used every thing for plow trucks from scouts to K30's most of mine where K20's with chains ( V- bar reinforced). on all 4 wheels. My current setups I end up using my new tractor with a 8 ft blade on the loader frame the most ( Branson 8050 cab and heat, chained on the rear all winter, all four if ice storm forecast), my plow truck is an K2500 with a sander in the bed and rear chains the 2000 Chevy hasn't got room for front chains.
Chain that S10 use a 6 1/2 foot plow, use low range, add weight to the bed and it will just walk right thru the snow, be sure to mark out any places you don't want to get into with snow on the ground as it will look a lot different snow covered, push back further than you think you need to.
Luck Lou

 

[RjCorazza]

I have an old f150 that I have considered using as a dedicated plow truck (on property) in the past, but I have 20 driveways that I plow now. As others have commented, keeping an unregistered plow truck running may prove problematic. I'm sure you can find a light 6.5' plow that will work, a little weight and chains and you're good to go.
Running a blade on gravel is not my favorite activity, and tractors have a definite advantage. My "go to" implements are a reversed back blade and clamp on skids for the loader bucket.... but we're not talking tractors...

 

[joeu235]

Being from Texas, it took me some time to figure out what you meant by a plow truck. I was originally thinking you were talking about pulling a disc or grader blade and I was thinking you were crazy.

 

[GLyford]

I like the light-duty truck idea, but I have only this additional comment...any vehicle that sits here accumulates yellowjackets.

Either keep it in a shed where they won't go, or park it where you won't need to go near it in the warm months, and hope they stay out of the cab where the heat gets turned on.