Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/150744
SNOW PLOWS Meyer's Super VLD plow is expressly designed for lighter-duty half-ton pickups; it features a straight blade with extendable, adjustable-angle wings for an infinitely-adjustable configuration. New pickup plows make pushing snow for a living an easy cruise By John Tiger Blizzard's Power Plow is an adjustable-wing plow with adjustable angles for highly efficient operation and reduced plowing time. T hough it's warm outside now, winter 2013-14 is just around the corner. If you're reading this, you're already in the right frame of mind. Making the most of plowing time, minimizing down time and having the right equipment to make jobs go quicker with fewer issues is the name of the contractor's survival game. Although last winter was slow for snow, many of the manufacturers we contacted for an update on what's new didn't have much to show us. But we found the true players are always looking for a competitive edge, developing and building something new, or at least perfecting what they have and adding features and benefits. Here's the latest scoop on pickup snow plows that can make the coming season very profitable: V = VERY EFFICIENT The V-plow continues to be the hottest setup due to its versatility and efficiency, with most of the major manufacturers either introducing a new model or making improvements to recentlyintroduced ones. The hot trends that continue into this season include more compact, lighter-weight models for new model pickups. Some of the new plows also have Improved features such as flared blade wings that throw and deflect snow further and enclosed hydraulics that help keep snow and ice away from hoses and fittings. They also have improved and better-reacting trip edges and moldboards that don't fully transmit the potentially damaging jolts to the pickup frame when hitting under-snow hazards such as curbs and manhole covers. V-plows are becoming so popular that many of the manufacturers are now fielding models for smaller half-ton pickups, making these versatile plows available and viable options even for operators who use lighter-duty trucks, such as for residential or light commercial snow clearing. IN THE WINGS Plows with adjustable wings are also rising to the top when plowing efficiency and speed are paramount concerns. Fully adjustable wind plows can be used in just about any degree of any configuration, making the plowing results infinitely customizable for each operator's situation and plowing preference. In short, these plows make for quicker work of just about any job because they can be configured on the fly, from the cab, to match the boundaries and parameters of any lot or driveway layout. Operators can adjust width in straight-blade mode, then adjust to use as a scoop or containment plow. Extending the wings can cut plowing time dramatically by effectively moving a lot more snow with each pass. And though the added weight of these plows may cause concern for some pickup frames, it also aids in reducing plowing time because the weight causes the plow to scrape the pavement cleaner than a lighter-weight unit would. 82 PROPICKUP Big Book 2013 ProPickup_2013BB_Snow Plows.indd 82 8/6/13 10:22 AM