I was being serious about it - if you are wanting to start up a small business plowing snow, I wouldnt do it in the Ranger - its not a big truck at all and eventually your going to miss having an extra 3000 lbs of real truck to do the plowing.. a driveway isnt a bad thing, but anything else and your asking for some major trouble and will probably jsut end up getting rid of the little truck for a bigger one with a business like that.

 

I would, simply because the tranny in a ranger isn[t as heavy duty as one from a 1 ton...

 

Get one of those new 2011 Chevy Heavy Dutys. Totally redesigned, Allison tranny, Duramax diesel, and a full box frame. The only problem is it has IFS. Nothing a swap from an earlier 3500HD couldn't fix.

 

Um, how early? They've had it since the late 80's early 90's. And the Allison's in the older Chev's were nothing to brag about.

 

I said swap in a solid front axle, not the tranny. Plus, Allison is a good tranny.

 

The earlier duramax's had allison trannys too

 

It's an ok transmission. And what front axle did you mean to swap in?

Yea, and it's nothing but a name. A Torqueshift will handle way more power before an Allison.

 

Hell I don't know. Whatever old heavy duty Chevys run for front solid axles. A big Dana would probably so it.

 

Dude your in quebec, plowing commercially with ranger is no-no. this is not michigan with 2 inch snowfall. if ist your daily driver dont do it.the price of the truck and the plow you have 10000 invested+ 2000k and more every winter in repair... your gona pass tire like hell and kill a front end every year...sherbrooke gets alot of snow. to go effiencitly youl need a poly blade with downpressure, like a snow way...if ist just to make money in the winter push snow with a blower and shovel, youl make more money.....you dont plow part time, you jump into it and make it a full time job.

 

thers a difference between putting larger tires and adding 300 pounds to a front end....big difference. ranger are not made for plowing

 

sas it like you said and you can still blow axle... which are way more expensive... straight axle is not always the best

 

Why should he sink a ton of capital into something that he can't even guarantee that he will be successful in? There's no reason that as the business grows he can add a better truck later.

But now he can keep cost low, build a base of customers, and learn without having to place huge financial risk on his shoulders.

You'd be surprised how tough Rangers really are. I wish I had video for all the stuff I've done with mine the past year.

 

lol i know ranger are good truck...just not heavey duty, and that guy lives in canada like, so there is lots of snow.... d you even have snow were you live? and with a ranger he isnt gona keep cost low are plow for small truck tend to be more rare and need to be buy new most of the time, specially if ist is DD, hes gona have to invest alot in repair few time soon....my 3/4 ton ram needed a full front end after 2 good years of plowing...plus ranger frame arent really done for this,by the time he sop plowing with is ranger the thing is gona be all torn up...if you wants to start in snow business and dont have the capital to buy the right equipment. you rather buy a good snowblower and shovel....or a quad with plow on trailer pull by the rangers....but plowing just a bit with a DD ranger is not a good idea....+ plow truck in run in salt all winter long. so they rust down faster..and normally a work truck gets dents and scratche often...not good idea...

 

Thread from July is from July

 

lol my bad dint look at the date..

 

^^^ ban him havent seen one thing good he said about a ranger yet lol

 

I live in Wisconsin. We get a decent share of snow from time to time.

Your truck needed front end work because its a Dodge (especially of that year/style). Seems most people know that around here.

How is a 600 pound fourwheeler going to push snow better than a 4500 pound truck?

I'm not saying he should do a Walmart parking lot or anything, but it's not a bad way to start building a base of customers.

That's all I have to say.

 

yea . the reason why i told him in is case not to do so is because he asked if he should put a plowed on is DD driver ranger... if you wanna plow with a ranger get a old who your not scare to beat. and yea i know those dodge have had front end issues geez i change 2 full front end in 160k.....;( the thing is in 45k which include 2 winter of plowing i had to change everything from u-joint, hubs,tie rd, ball joint track bar and steering damper, i just did tie rod and bolt jint + 1nubs 5k ago..... so my second front end last about 110k... so ist not just the truck, plowing with a truck, any kind even a 1 ton, it puts a lots of stress on parts and transmission...Ranger are awesome truck just not really made for plowing commercially..and sorry man i just check the average snow fall in wisconsin for 1970-06.... you have a average of 47.7 inch of snow each winter...with a average of 14 inch in the biggest snow month which is january...man we can get 47 inch in 1 big snow fall...... and we average on almost 14 feet of snow every year in quebec city....so you cant really compare and understand how a ranger is underpowered for big plowing. rather get a old truck and keep the ranger clean for a good DD

 

Just to upate, the cooler in the rad blew, mixing the ATF and coolant.

Switched rad, waterpump, thermo, and added a trans temp gauge (sender installed in pan), second cooler (about 2x the size of the OEM but still kept the OEM). HUGE PITA, but it's now my backup plow truck....

Lessons learned:
#1 Auto trans just plain suck. 175 rad costs 4-500 in repairs/upgrades. I freaking hate autos.....

#2 RBVs are NOT meant to plow hard reliably. That said, I have beat on this Ex and it's still ticking, but I would not count on it. I would NEVER start a business with this thing. It's only me and my neigbors but if customers relied on me, I'd be out of business soon.

#3 I bought a 89 F250 7.3 diesel with the MANUAL ZF trans. This is how plowing was meant to be!....of course we have only gotten less than 2' so far, but it's coming.....

 

honestly, I would not plow anymore than driveways with a RBV or any IFS vehicle for that matter. like Carl said.

even cedrik said his 1 ton has had issues. at the end of the day the front end of those types of truck just isn't meant for that type of weight and abuse. now hook it up in the back and plow in reverse, now we got something......

 

true, i dint think about... a small back blade can be a good option...specially for driveways, and they dont put anything near the same stress on the truck.. not as good as a front plow for sure, but once you get used to it is pretty nice...when i stop plowing for myself the next winter and went out of job, so i took some hour with a local plowing company who is own by a high school bud...he pass me a 2wd dually sander with a 12 feet back blade....first i tought it was a joke and never tought a 2wd could plow even if i only did mall parking lot.well let me tell you it went pretty good even for a 2wd.was really impressive. has go back to rangers, you cant get pretty neat plow for personal use. that dont need no frame on the truck you just put it in your trailer hitch and take the controler in the cab....could worth it in your case..way cheaper 2. and even 2wd can use them with weight in the back. and maybe chains in bad weather...

 

I was being sarcastic :/

 

For some lolz I googled "back snow plow"

Here's the two funniest pictures for sure:

 

and they actuallly work very nice for personnal use.. no frame or anything and cheap...nice little plow.. you could even take few neighbours fr extra money....would not do more then 2-3 driveway but still, you can make her wrk just enought to pay her back....

 

eeeeeeeeewwwww..... i think i just threw up in my mouth a little bit...lol