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Q: How heavy can a snow plow safely be?
A: The plow your vehicle can carry depends on many
things, such as:
• The options your vehicle came with, and the weight
of those options.
• The weight and number of passengers you intend
to carry.
• The weight of items you have added to your
vehicle, like a tool box or truck cap.
• The total weight of any additional cargo you intend
to carry.
Say, for example, you have a 700 lb (318 kg) snow
plow. The total weight of all occupants and cargo inside
the cab should not exceed 300 lb (135 kg). This
means that you may only be able to carry one
passenger. But, even this may be too much if you have
got other equipment already adding to the weight of
your vehicle.
Here are some guidelines for safely carrying a snow
plow on your vehicle:
• Make sure the weight on the front and rear axles
does not exceed the axle rating for each.
• For the front axle, if more cargo or passengers
must be carried, appropriate counter ballast must be
installed rear of the rear axle. Counter ballast
must be properly secured so it will not move during
driving.
• Follow the snow plow manufacturer’s
recommendations regarding rear ballast. Rear
ballast may be required to ensure a proper front and
rear weight distribution ratio, even though the
actual weight at the front axle may be less than the
front axle rating.
• The snow plow manufacturer or installer can assist
you in determining the amount of rear ballast
required, to help make sure your snowplow/vehicle
combination does not exceed the GVW rating,
the front and rear axle ratings, and the front and
rear weight distribution ratio.
• The total vehicle must not exceed the GVW rating.
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