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.