New(ish) member with questions

i don't think the frame is strong enough for a plow. hit one good speedbump and you could bend the frame.

 

Plowing with a Tacoma is not ideal, that said, I seen plenty of small trucks with plows on them. If it’s for personal use, and a quality product, installed professionally, I see no problem. I live in Michigan, people put plows on all kinds of rigs, just don’t beat on it. Brother in-laws neighbor in Traverse City plowed the 1/4 mile drive with a Four Runner , did it for years

 

Here is a recent thread showing a few models.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/lets-see-your-plow-setups.740824/#post-26374777

Consider deleting clutch accumulator, and maybe, eventually, throw in a more durable clutch.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/mt-accumulator-delete-mod-adm-and-bs-thread.568303/

 

I'm not exactly a professional snow plow driver so everbody chime in if I'm wrong but I have been going plowing city streets with my father since my mom would let me go with him. He has been plowing for I think about 30 years. From everything I can remember my dad teaching me (research everything for yourself of course and make the best decision based upon what you think is best. I'm just a guy on the internet) you want heavy enough plow so it gets down to the ground better but not to heavy or you put a lot of stress on front end components and frame. They make poly plows which would most likely be lighter but I have never been around them before so this is what I know off the top of my head. They will be lighter so they might want to glide or ride up over snow sometimes. Also if you go poly the blade wont rust so it should stay nicer looking longer. If the plow you choose has the option for adjustable wings get them if you can justify spending the money on them or find it necessary. That is my dads major regret on his current one because if you angle them in it makes more of a push box which helps with cleaning up lines and increases your plow width so you can do more in one pass. Also when you do have a plow on, some manufacturer's recommend a certain amount of weight in the bed as a counter balance so look into that. Dont be afraid of Western snow plows. I believe my father has only had that brand and pretty much all the pickup truck plow trucks around me use Western which includes all the landscapers and contractors. We have never had any major issues with them except the plug sometimes gives us a hard time on the current one. The newer Westerns hook up quick and easy and the shoes come off for summertime driving. I dont know if you've ever heard of Boss snow plows but they are pretty good I heard ( never worked with one ). Tacomas are pretty light so good tires and weight will help. You mentioned you dont get a lot of snow so a light truck should do hopefully okay with light stuff but it will be a challenge when it is a wet, heavy, or deep snow. Hopefully this helps. But again, RESEARCH ALL OF THIS AND THEN DECIDE. TAKE EVERYTHING WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I'm not liable for any decisions YOU make.

 

I’m leaning towards a front hitch as well for easy install/removal. My parking lot is roughly the size of a large side entry garage. How maneuverable is the snow sport? Is it a fixed, straight blade? Or can it be moved side to side?

 

Gen 1 tundra frames are like Swiss cheese here…

 

Thank you!

 

Thank you, that is valuable information for me.

western does recommend ballast when using their plow. I looked at boss, they’re expensive!

I’d say we get maybe 1 big snow dump a year where it’s 6+ inches, otherwise we get maybe an inch or two of light fluffy snow and blowing snow. Our winters are colder than Midwest, but our snow is a lot lighter. Usually the first and last snowfall are the wet/heavy variety.

 

Are you storing the plow in a garage

 

If you are plowing just your personal drive and or parking area, did you consider a quad with a front mounted plow? Just a thought.

 

Mine is a straight blade, but they do make one that angles.

Here’s a link to their site: https://www.agricover.com/snowsport/

 

that’s the plan!

I did, but if I buy a quad with a plow it can only be used as a plow, whereas the truck I can use for multiple things, plus I’ll be warm.

 

Thanks, lots of great info here!

 

Idk if you've seen these yet but some of those plows can have wheels put on so they can be shifted around without needing to hook it up to the truck. Also are you thinking about running a salt spreader. I don't know anything about them but was just wondering. Also do you have a lot of curbs. If you do and plan on cleaning right up against them then a good set of curb guards will help reduce the wear on the blade edges. The guy who led the crew my dad was on instructed them to scrape along the curbs and it just wore away blade edges like crazy and due to that they had to get new blades even when there was still a good amount of meat left on the bottom of the blade.

 

‘we do more of a sand mix here instead of salt these days. Because it’s too cold for the salt to do its trick, the sand is a traction aid.

but I am considering a spreader also… I’m just debating if I’m going to do a hitch mounted version or hand pushed.

curb guards, I’ve never heard of those and will investigate

 

Good morning. This is what my dads look like. They might be different for other brands. The one with the rounded edge is what rides along the curb and if I remember correctly the other piece is to help keep it on.

 

With a parking lot that small wouldn't a $1500 walk behind snow blower with a 30" swath work better? That is what I use on a 300' drive way. A pass up and down, a second pass up and down the driveway and I am done. Takes 15-20 minutes.

Or if the OP just has to buy a new truck and the plow is what rationalizes the purchase, then fine, but get an OFF ROAD that comes with a rear locker or budget for an aftermarket rear diff locker for a Sport. Also you might want tire chains (every plow that I have seen has 'em) for all wheels except aren't there clearance issues with front chains on front tires with the Taco?

 

I'm not trying to say anything is wrong with chains because I have absolutely no experience with them due to laws where I'm at in the US but is that maybe a little overkill for him. Hes said he doesnt get much where hes at and has his tires. I've never been in Canada for a winter but pretty much all plow trucks I've been in dont have rear lockers. I'm not trying to say you are wrong or anything like that but just discussing everything so the OP gets multiple inputs. I will say the blower isn't a bad idea at all. It would be easier to store in a garage than a 6 or 7 foot plow and be easier to shuffle around if needed. One plus is the truck wouldnt require any modification so that makes it much more convenient and possibly cost effective and keeps wear and tear off the truck. The only down side is the OP would be outside and depending on how big his parking lot is it might take a little longer than he might anticipate or like.

 

Removable racks are abundant. Common brands are Thule, Yakima....

Sounds like your parking lot is small. AS an alternate, consider a 4WD ATV with a plow. You say the snow in your area is light. I've seen many ATVs with plows pushing 4-6" snowfalls here in central Iowa. The snow is not the light fluffy stuff, usually its pretty wet and heavy.

Only downside is you'll be exposed to the weather and the family won't be able to ride along. A basic snowmobile suit would be sufficient to protect you from the weather. I doubt if you will need more than 30-45 minutes to clear the parking lot

 

I had a SnoWay poly blade on my old truck. It was very light, easy to re and re and had a ‘Down Pressure’ feature which forced the blade down with the push of a button (great feature considering how light weight the blade was)
After debating and researching for my current needs (personal use only) I decided to buy a 28” snowblower instead, but I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another SnoWay for my Tacoma if needed.