Snow Plowing With A Sierra Truck

rocknrobby · January 17, 2009

I have a 1/2 ton extended cab pickup with a 6.5 feet bed. The truck is a 4X4 with a 5.3 liter engine and a 3.73 rear end.

I need to start plowing my (700) feet long driveway and am trying to determine if that is possible with my current truck and no snow plow option.

Some manufacturers demand the GM snow plow option on a truck being fitted with a plow and some don't even mention it. If I use the plow for personal use only, is the snow plow option required?

If a snow plow option is required, can my truck be retrofited with the snow plow option? If yes, what parts are involved in this upgrade?

Does GM design their Sierra truck for a certain manufacter's plow? If so, which one?

Does the shop get allot of trucks with snow plows coming in with the same problems? If so, which ones?

Any information you have would be appreciated.

Thanks.

builderpaul · January 18, 2009

I have a 1/2 ton extended cab pickup with a 6.5 feet bed. The truck is a 4X4 with a 5.3 liter engine and a 3.73 rear end.

I need to start plowing my (700) feet long driveway and am trying to determine if that is possible with my current truck and no snow plow option.

Some manufacturers demand the GM snow plow option on a truck being fitted with a plow and some don't even mention it. If I use the plow for personal use only, is the snow plow option required?

If a snow plow option is required, can my truck be retrofited with the snow plow option? If yes, what parts are involved in this upgrade?

Does GM design their Sierra truck for a certain manufacter's plow? If so, which one?

Does the shop get allot of trucks with snow plows coming in with the same problems? If so, which ones?

Any information you have would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Hi

Your truck will be fine for your personnel use.

Get a 7.5' plow. Trucks are not designed for certain plow manufactures. All manufactures will make truck side mounts to match your truck with there plow.

Liability is what the plow installers are concerned with. No plow prep and something breaks they can be held responsible.

Plow prep options can be added but without the VYU option on the RPO sheet an installer is not going to know you have plow prep so you will be in the same situation.

I bet you will be able to find someone to install this.

If you do get it installed some plow prep items that may be useful are:

Higher (145amp) power alternator. Plows use a lot of power

Skid plates. Protects the bottom side when stacking

Instead of the bigger torsion bars you could go with a set of timbrens. Helps carry the extra weight. (Front and back since you will

have ballest in the bed.)

Probably not needed, for your use, is a transmission cooler that is not that big a driveway (If you have the factory tow option you already have the trans cooler.)

I don't know about your year but some years used a different fan clutch for better cooling. This will not effect you if you are not transporting the plow at highway speeds.

Z71kris · January 27, 2009

this is what I wanted to ask. How many guys are plowing with their 1500's? Have any issues come up from doing so?

pagerboy · March 15, 2009

Timbren's are a must for a 1500 with a plow and lots of weight in the back to keep from spinning.

Depending on the mileage you shouldn't have any problems.

I am having an issue with ABS not working correctly.

sonjaab · March 15, 2009

I ran a 8 ft. Western straight blade on my 1/2 ton gmt-400s

with no issues. Some had the VYU plow prep. some didn't.

They all DID have the trailer tow pkg and either z-85/z-71

suspension pkgs too.

Same deal with my 3/4 gmt-800s that all did have the vyu

plow prep.

If you have at least the trailer tow option you will already

have hd suspension and a trans. cooler (in most cases).

Sure I smoked a tranny, transfer case, a u-joint/driveshaft

or 2 while under warranty. But live and learn and take it

easy and you should have no problems.

Look this summer for a used straight blade set up and make

sure its YEAR/vehicle specific for your truck cause new wiring harnesses are spendy at $250 a pop x2 and a new mounting carton (push bar) is almost $500 bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With these new trucks esp. GMs you can't just cobble any old plow harness to your truck without causing other problems.

But anything is possible tho is you have the knowledge to

tackle it!

So if you have to buy these parts that good deal used blade that came off a ford or mopar ain't such a good deal anymore since you will need new stuff to mount it on your GM truck!

Heck it cost me $1500 to swap my plow from my 04 to my 07 gmt-900 cause the push bar and wiring harnesses were different.

Check out http://www.letstalksnow.com/forums

Those guys can help ya oout and they have a for sale section!

jro909 · November 19, 2009

boss is the the big brand around here, alot of people them installed on their 1500s Extcabs, just don't expect alot of pitty when it comes to warranty work, long as you don't beat it or ask too much of it, it will be fine for your driveway