Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/93737
SNOWPLOWBUYER'SGUIDE who plow snow. Little to non- existent snowfall in many parts of the Midwest and Northeast made it rough on those who depend on Ma Nature's falling white powder to fuel their bank accounts in winter. Nevertheless, winter 2013 lies straight ahead and havng the I FOR WINTER n many parts of North America, 2011-2012 was tough going for the majority right equipent for the job will maximize profi t potential. Making the most of plowing time while minimizing down time is the name of the contractor's survival game. Although last winter was slow for snow, plow manufacturers looking for a competitive edge were still developing, fi ne-tuning and building plows to help contractor's be more profi table. DEALER'S CHOICE In speaking with commercial plow operators, no matter the size of their operation they all agree the dealer is as important – perhaps more so – than the plow itself. Benefi ts such as 24-hour service in the busy season, a healthy stock of repair and 40 PROPICKUP October 2012 replacement parts, knowledge- able "get-it-done" mechanics and a willingness to stand behind their products are just a few of the stand-out qualities good dealers have. Many noted that while price is important, especially in this economy, it's more important to have a dealer willing to go the extra mile than it is to save a few hundred bucks on a new plow. An owner-operator from upstate New York summed it up best: "If you're commercially plowing, when you need parts you don't want to wait three days … fi nd a reliable dealer that opens 24 hours during storms and has a large stock of parts inventory. That's more important to me than the brand of the plow or the price; they're all going to have problems at some point, don't believe anyone if they tell you diff erent." Duly noted! Here's the latest scoop: V = VERY EFFICIENT The V-plow continues to be the hottest setup due to its versatil- ity and effi ciency, with most of the major manufacturers either introducing a new model or mak- ing improvements to recently- introduced ones. The hot trends that continue into this season include more compact, lighter-weight models for new model pickups. Improved features range from fl ared blade wings that throw and defl ect snow further, to en- closed hydraulics that help keep snow and ice away from hoses and fi ttings to better-reacting trip edges and moldboards that don't fully transmit the potentially damaging jolts to the pickup frame when hitting under-snow hazards. V-plows are becoming so popular that many of the manufacturers are now fi elding models specifi cally for half-ton pickups. These smaller plows making these versatile plows are ideal for operators who use lighter-duty trucks for residential or light com- mercial snow clearing.