INSTALLING A PLOW ON A VEHICLE THAT
CAN’T HANDLE ONE
This kind of vehicle abuse often occurs in parts of the country that get a lot of
snow. In recent years plow makers have come out with what they call “personal
plows” for regular-duty vehicles such as small or mid-sized SUVs. Usually these
plows are made of lightweight materials such as Plexiglas, aluminum, or a
synthetic material that the maker claims will not overtax the vehicle. So what’s
the problem? Although these types of plows are not too heavy for the vehicle,
they are intended for light use. The problem is that people tend to overwork
them.
Often a driver will plow so hard into a snow bank that the air bag deploys. In
addition, although the driver is not aware of it, the vehicle also sustains frame,
suspension, steering linkage, and some body damage that can be attributed
directly to the plow installation.
In this scenario, let’s say this guy gets away with using the personal plow for a
couple of years. During year three he notices a high-pitched whine coming from
the transmission; then it quits altogether. He takes it to the shop. The diagnosis?
The transmission is burned up due to excessive plow use. What happened? The
transmission in his light-duty truck was not intended to push several hundred
pounds of snow and ice around. It gave up the ghost after just three years of
plow work. The damage was a result of the hard impacts of the plow into snow
banks, ice, and other obstructions hiding under the snow. Had he installed the
plow in a vehicle capable of handling it, there would have been no damage.