jacksonpt

Anyone ever put a snow plow on their 4runner? We are probably going to have to plow our driveway every day or every other day this winter (once there is snow on the ground). It's ~325' long, so shoveling is not an option. I know the plow would have to be on the small side to keep the weight down, but that's fine with me.

The plow would be easier and faster than a snowblower, but about 3 times the cost. Any thoughts?

rwmorrisonjr

Personnally, I'd get a small ATV with snow plow attachment for your application. The 4Runner wasn't designed to accomodate a plow attachment, so the added weight and mods needed for one would probably equal or outwiegh the cost of an ATV plow. Also, you'd be driving around with the plow attachment mount all year long. Plus, with the ATV option, you get to have a toy for the summer months!

gwhayduke

Hmmm...Isn't that a little redundant? My 4Runner is my snowplow!

Rick F.

I considered the same thing at 1 point since I have a 250' driveway with an additional 1200 sq ft. parking/turnaround area. My problem is that 1 side of the driveway and 2 sides of the turnaround area have a high embankment, limiting me to where I can push the snow off. The 4Runner doesn't have the weight needed to push heavy snow fast enough to be able to move or throw it up on the embankment or to clear the opposite side of the driveway. Plus, about 1/3 of the driveway is uphill on a curve. I settled for a large snowblower.

hillbilly

JacksonPT-

No real help with your 4Runner/plow question, sorry, but I do recall someone asking this before. I don't believe anyone currently makes a plow kit for a 4Runner. I believe it was also mentioned that the 4Runner's frame would need to be heavily modified to support a plow setup.

Some personal input with regard to plows vs. snowblowers:
My driveway is 165'x20' with a 45'x25' landing at the top. I chose a snowblower over a plow for one reason. "Shrinkage". A hard winter with lots of snow, like this past years, makes it difficult to repetitively plow the driveway once it becomes compacted/frozen from previous plowings. This is especially true when the snow never melts. Some of my neighbors end up blowing 30'+ into the yard on each side of the driveway to make room for future snow falls. By spring, that part of their yard is destroyed. With this past winter being particularly long/cold, many of their driveways were barely wide enough for one car at the end of winter because of blowing/drifting snow.

Will you need a tractor to cut the grass in the summer?? If so, I'd recommend you consider a snowblower as an attachment.

With a snowblower, you can cut through snow many inches, to a foot or two deep, and blow it 10, 20, 30+ yards depending on the consistency (wet/powder). On the flip side, a plow attached to a tractor can quickly become out weighed by a heavy/deep snow and no longer push it.

My .02...

jacksonpt

Thanks for the reply guys.

Drifting snow is my main concern... we live on the top of a huge hill where it's ALWAYS windy. Last winter out builder had to plow our driveway virtually every day just from the snow drifts.

The draw to a plow is the convenience (easier and faster), but also the fact that I don't have to start up a loud tractor/snowblower in the garage while my family is still sleeping. But I guess the plow scraping on the driveway might be just as loud... I dunno.

We are going to need a riding mower for the yard, but we were hoping to borrow one from my father this year to spread out some of our expenses.

The thing I don't like about snowblowers is that if I get one big enough to handle big snowfalls and high drifts, it won't work very well when there are only 3-4 inches of snow. If I get one that's smaller, it will take forever to clear the high drifts.

I work on a college campus, and they use large brushes on the front of tractors that "sweep" the snow out of the way. They do an awesome job getting the ground nice and clear, but I can't imagine they'd work very well on larger snow falls and drifts.

PirateFins

Jackson,
I have a side buisness in the winter with snow removal. I would recomend the following. If you have a tractor a snow blower or plow attachment. You can find some at auctions and in the paper or ebay. Even if it is not the exact fit for your tractor they can be easily modified to work.

If you are set on putting a plow on your truck you can get a cheap poly-plow from Lowes / Home Depot, I believe the company's name is "Bear". These are light and no frills. You can angle them manualy and do a good job. You just need some place to push it.

MODZILLA

I would start a 2 pronged approach. Figure out what will handle the job best and try to aquire that set up slightly used, then canvas your immediate area and find out who uses what service in liew of doing it themselves. make a competitive offer to a few places ie churches retirement home or funeral home in the area. things of that nature and try to earn a bit of side money to make the equipment pay for itself. either that or see if you can trade services with a neighbor who has the setup. offer to help build a deck with him next summer or repaint his garage or house or whatever to get you by this year and save money.

leebee

great idea modzilla!

#1: you get to meet and greet your neighbours and help them out to help yourself out. just be prepared to be up at 2 or 3 am when the snow comes if you are 'contracted' to clear someone elses snow!

#2: 3-4 inches of snow shouldnt require blowing or plowing, you own a 4runner!! get the tractor from your relative, get a blower attachment and have some fun this winter. just remember, blow down wind if at all possible, the drifts will form away from the driveway. just my thoughts.

lee

96LtdYota

what is snow

914runner

Rick F.

I live on the noth face of a hill and my driveway doesn't see the sun. Hence, whatever lands, stays. If I don't tend to even a 1" dusting, it will partially melt and re-freeze with ruts that are small to the 4Runner but make it tough to snowblow the next snowfall. I have a large walkbehind and I often blow 1" or 2" from the driveway. Since it can handle a lot of snow, I put it in high gear and get done rather quickly as compared to those 18"+ snowfalls.

My money is on a snowblower, either a stand-alone or tractor attachment. Why beat up your 4Runner?

TechWrench

I also would agree that putting a plow on the 4Runner would be difficult and maybe impossible. So either get a snowblower or look for an old jeep with a plow to keep just for plowing. As for the drifting problem, maybe a snow fence placed upwind from the driveway would keep some of the drifts from forming or reduce their size.

BigBallsMcFalls

snowbear makes a 4runner fitment....just saying

you can get some plowing done for personal use. don't expect to make a commercial
income from it. if you go that route, you'll kill the 4runner. better get a pickup to do that


holy thread-from-the-dead batman