Plowing with a Truck Issues / Effect on Truck's Value

[OrangeAgain]

I am curious what impacts plowing with a truck has on a truck's mechanicals and resale value. Alignment? Tire wear? Frame? ...?

 

[Ed of all trades]

I don't think it would effect it in any way if you don't beat it up or just abuse it trying to plow mountains of snow in parking lots ect. In other words always trying to do what the truck can't do all the time. That would take it's toal but if you act like you have some sense it should have no effect. Ed

 

[Bota4me]

Lets see
As far as mechanicals- frame, control arms, alignment, wheel bearings, ball joints. Tie rods, sway bars, bushings, brakes- pads-rotors- calipers- lines. Battery, transfer case, cv axles, universal joints. Shocks, springs, leaf springs.
Transmission, engine, torque converter or clutch... Flywheel , throw out bearing.... As far as resale value you can do the math on that...
Im sure i missed some parts but you get the idea. Maybe our members can come up w some i missed....

 

[dave1949]

I guess it depends on the plowing, like Ed said. For a commercial plow truck that has to hit 100+ driveways every storm plus hauling a loaded sander in the back, they wear out a lot of parts.

I see trucks advertised in private sales as "never plowed" if that tells you something.

 

[LD1]

As far as mechanical, you are working the truck. Any time you use a truck for more than just a grocery getter, it is going to be harder on parts. U-joints, wheel bearings, ball joints, tires etc. Just got to keep up with the maintenance and chalk it up to cost of doing business. But it really is no different than a truck that spends it life towing, or hauling, or with a service body spending it day out in fields fixing tractors, etc.

As far as value, I think every case is different. IT all depends on how the truck was used, and how it was cared for. I think a 1-ton truck that has a plow isnt gonna be effected as much as a 1/2 ton unless the 1/2 ton had a small light plow and was used for personal use only.

I dont view plowing as being "hard" on the truck. I plow commercially. There is nothing I do that is "damaging" my truck in any way. Sure, carrying around the extra weight up front and using 4wd alot, I wear out tires and ball joints and wheel bearings faster. As well as brakes since plowing is alot of stop and go. But all that stuff can be rebuilt or replaced and made like new again.

IMO, the bigger damage to the typical plow truck is those with salt spreaders rotting out the back end of the truck.

 

[brown40]

I would have to say there is nothing harder on a truck than plowing. Always an extra dose of salt and sand, huge leverage out front when its up on the front steering, brakes and suspension, shifting the transmission hundreds of times per storm, lots of extra braking, front and rear wear on everything instead of normal up & down road wear. All happens on 'wear items' but they wear out way faster than on a normal truck. The frame and corrosion would be the issues that can't be so easily overcome.

 

[LD1]

I would have to say there is nothing harder on a truck than plowing. Always an extra dose of salt and sand, huge leverage out front when its up on the front steering, brakes and suspension, shifting the transmission hundreds of times per storm, lots of extra braking, front and rear wear on everything instead of normal up & down road wear. All happens on 'wear items' but they wear out way faster than on a normal truck. The frame and corrosion would be the issues that can't be so easily overcome.

All wear items.

The extra dose of salt and sand isnt any more than any other non plowing vehicle on the road if its just a plow truck only.

I dont salt. The only salt my truck sees is between lots driving on the same roads as non-plow vehicles.

So, take a plow truck like mine, after a season, and replace the wheel bearings, ball joints, u-joints, brakes, tires if needed, etc. And give it a good underside bath and how is it any different than a truck that dont plow?

 

[Bota4me]

All wear items. The extra dose of salt and sand isnt any more than any other non plowing vehicle on the road if its just a plow truck only. I dont salt. The only salt my truck sees is between lots driving on the same roads as non-plow vehicles. So, take a plow truck like mine, after a season, and replace the wheel bearings, ball joints, u-joints, brakes, tires if needed, etc. And give it a good underside bath and how is it any different than a truck that dont plow?

the truck that didnt plow should Not NEED ball joints, wheel bearings, u joints etc... Lol

 

[Ed of all trades]

A lot will also depend on who is driving the truck. some people are just harder on equipment than others. I used to plow my mile long driveway and had about 10 others i did. drove that scout for all that time and then some and never replaced anything but brakes.

 

[murphy1244]

If I am looking at buying a 1/2 ton truck I would pick the unplow over the plow truck for sure.