Popular Snow Removal Vehicles For Sale
Snow is a wonderful thing, especially for those who are into winter sports such as downhill skiing, snowboarding, sledding, or snowmobiling. It can be a pleasant scene to watch as it falls and blankets the immediate world around us in white.
However, for those who need to get to work—especially first responders, medical personnel, and other essential employees—or those who have other important appointments to attend to outside the home, snow is not always a welcome sight. This is why snowplow operators jump to the task, spending long, grueling hours trying to clear a path for others who have somewhere else they need to be.
When it comes to handling winter road hazards, keeping the traffic flowing, creating a place to park, or making sure businesses stay open, there’s a truck designed for the task. Here are some popular snow removal vehicles that keep things moving.
Shop for new and used plow trucks for sale online.
Heavy-Duty Trucks
Many of the trucks you see out on the highways and municipality streets (and those that keep airports clean) are big rigs with large plows. They also have spreaders on the back for disbursing salt or sand to help add friction to plowed surfaces after they have been cleared to keep ice from forming.
Most of these trucks start with dump truck bodies that are “winterized” by adding large front blades, optional side wings, and salt or sand spreaders. These beasts not only have the proven power and torque to push through difficult conditions, they also have the capacity to carry large amounts of payload to cover vast areas as materials get pushed through the spreaders. So, it’s not surprising to see the names of manufacturers that have proven records for brute strength and volume when comparing models on the market. Here are several you might recognize:
- International—known for durable work trucks, including models often configured for snow removal, specifically the International 7400 model.
- Freightliner—The robust Freightliner M2 and severe-duty models are more than suitable for heavy plowing.
- Peterbilt and Kenworth—both from PACCAR, these brands build heavy-duty trucks that are prime candidates for snow plowing, especially the Peterbilt 567 and the Kenworth T880.
- Mack—specializes in tough, durable trucks for severe applications, including highway maintenance.
- Sterling—A well-known commercial truck brand, particularly for construction and logging applications; the brand was discontinued by Daimler in 2009, though many remain on the road or for resale due to their durable, Ford-based design.
Medium-Duty Trucks
When a big, bulky snowplow is too much for off-highway surface streets and other applications such as clearing parking lots, some municipalities and plowing companies turn to amped-up versions of distinguished manufacturers such as:
- Ford—widely used for their strong frames and powerful diesel engines, Ford has a line of Super Duty trucks to get the job done, including the F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550. For the record, Ford also offers a heavy-duty truck option that is excellent for plowing, the F-600.
- Chevrolet/GMC—popular for their durability and capabilities in deep snow, the Chevrolet 2500HD and 3500HD models are a top choice for those who are loyal to General Motors brands.
- Ram—highly recognized for their powerful Cummins diesel engines, Ram’s heavy-duty vehicles—including the 2500, 3500, and 5500 models—are also praised for their rugged construction.
Plow Basics
If you have a truck or are thinking about purchasing one that you would like to convert to a plow machine, there are several items to keep in mind when buying a work vehicle for snow removal:
- Based on the weight you’ll likely be pushing, it is recommended that you use a half-ton truck or better for plowing, although a three-quarter-ton truck or better is highly suggested.
- Verify that your truck’s front axle weight rating (FAWR) can handle the weight of the plow blade you’d like to attach.
- You may need to boost your truck’s suspension (such as adding SuperSprings) to maintain ride height.
- If you will not be using a spreader and loading the bed of your truck with salt or sand, you should add sandbags in the back to counter the plow’s weight in the front. This will help with traction and provide better control of the vehicle.
Marketplace Inventory
Push It
If you are interested in doing some plowing and you need a new or new-to-you vehicle to get the job done, compare your options for vehicles from dealers and private sellers through the marketplace. You can shop for vehicles with plows attached, along with trucks that can handle the job once you choose which type and size of blade you’d like to add to keep pushing forward.
Barrett Baker
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