New Jersey residents love their Ram trucks, as these powerful pickup trucks provide the traction and horsepower necessary to move heavy New Jersey snowfall using a snow plow in the winter months. The Ram is a nearly ideal platform for a snow plow, but proper installation and maintenance are key to getting the most use from your Ram and snow plow.
Whether you’re using it to clear your own property, or are operating a snow plow business, Ram trucks are an excellent choice for snow plows. The Ram’s high clearance and powerful standard Pentastar V-6 makes even the most stubborn accumulations of snow easy to move.
Preparing Your Snow Plow and Ram Truck
Properly preparing snow plows for Ram trucks is essential, to avoid damage to the plow and the truck, and to ensure they work properly for plowing through snow banks.
When getting your vehicle and snow plow ready for the winter months, be sure to:
· Check that the truck has proper tire pressure.
· Top off all fluids, including oil, transmission fluid, coolant, washer fluid, and brake fluid. Checking the oil is particularly important, as the hard work the truck will be doing will likely consume lots of oil. Keeping adequate oil will help reduce wear and tear to the engine.
· Check your battery. Make sure it has a sufficient charge, and clean all corrosion off battery terminals.
· Check your wipers. Windshield wipers are often overlooked, but they’re an important part of a working snow plow truck. Snow plow operators can’t safely operate their equipment if they can’t see ahead of them.
· See that all headlights, tail lights, and turn signals are working.
· Check the plow itself to ensure that all bolts connecting the plow are fastened tight.
· Check for any hydraulic fluid leaks, or cracks in the plow’s welding.
· Carry extra hydraulic fluid, edge bolts, a pump solenoid, and other spare parts in the vehicle.
Snow Plow Safety
Snow plow safety should be a major concern for all operators. A snow plow is a heavy piece of machinery, and can do great damage to both property and people. Operators of snow plows should adhere to the following safety tips when operating their equipment:
· When taking a snow plow to a work site, be sure to angle the blade toward the curb. This will help to prevent it from getting hung on a curb or snow bank, causing an accident.
· Don’t operate the plow while moving it to or from a work site. Keep the plow control turned off to keep from accidentally activating the plow while traveling.
· Make sure the plow doesn’t block your headlights or your vision while driving.
· Before plowing an area, check for obstacles such as fire hydrants, large walks, fences, etc. Hitting obstructions could damage your Ram truck and your plow.
· When turning on a snow plow, don’t just rely on mirrors. Turn to look to make sure your path is clear.
· If you’re plowing in dirt or gravel, be sure to drop the plow shoes. This will help to elevate the plow blade and ensure that you don’t scrape the surface. For plowing on cement or concrete, raise the plow shoes if you’d like to scrape close to the surface.
· Lower the blade when you’re not using it, to reduce wear and tear on the plow’s hydraulics.
· Take care of your Ram truck’s transmission by keeping it topped off with transmission fluid. Also allow the vehicle a cool-down time after a job.
Storing Your Snow Plow
When the winter season is over, you’ll need to store your plow until the next season. Properly storing the plow will help prevent damage that can impair its operation next year. The following are a few tips for off-season snow plow storage:
· When putting away your snow plow for the winter, be sure to give it a thorough cleaning. Snow plows caked with dirt, grime, and salt will corrode. Over time, this could impact the snow plow’s effectiveness.
· Think about where you choose to park your plow. A garage or storage building is your best option, to avoid rusting or other damage. If you must store the snow plow outside, store it on an elevated platform to avoid exposing it to the ground.
· Be sure to change the hydraulic fluid before putting your plow away for the spring. Not changing the fluid increases the likelihood of rust, as moisture can build up during the off months.
· Cleaning and replacing the filter on the snow plow’s pump assembly is also recommended. This will dislodge any debris that may have gotten stuck in the assembly during the busy season for your snow plow.
· You will also want to grease the plow for added protection from corrosion.
By properly maintaining and operating your Ram truck and snow plow, New Jersey winters will be no challenge for homeowners and snow plow entrepreneurs. New Jersey residents in search of a reliable Ram truck can visit Precision Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Butler. With a wide selection and friendly staff, Precision Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram can help car consumers find just the right Ram for their plowing and heavy duty truck needs.
