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Figols
Dodge Dakota
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11/08/2004
15:42:45
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 Subject: RE: Snow Plow
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Kowalski, Thanks for the input. I just recently removed the mechanical fan and I did notice a nice improvement in power while towing. The temp. still seems to be just as it always was with both fans. I was plowing with both fans and it did run higher up in the temp range on some days. I guess I should just keep the fan in the back just incase the electrical fan can't keep up on it's own. I think it just has to do with the lack of air flow with a solid plow blade blocking the grill.
To the rest, the Dakota has been the best all around plow truck I've used. It's smaller than the full sized trucks I've had so it's easier to manage, but has just as much, if not more power to push the big storms. The s-10 blazer I had had a much better turning radius, but it didn't have nearly enough power AND it alwasy got stuck!.
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Kowalski
GenIII
11/08/2004
16:02:39
| RE: Snow Plow
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Do you have a deflector mounted on top of your plow for a bit more height ? The one I have adds about 6" and helps to keep snow from coming over the top; can plow much deeper snow that way. Could snow be blowing over the top of your plow and blocking radiator ? Also, if you're just running a bit warmer but not overheating you might be fine. With older style trucks we used to have to keep the blade angled traveling over the road to avoid overheating; but the cooling system on newer trucks seems to work fine even with the blade straight, so I'm not sure that's what's causing your temp to rise unless its just a bit and not overheating.
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Figols
Dodge Dakota
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11/09/2004
10:46:09
| RE: Snow Plow
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It never has overheated, it just runs a little past 210 witht the plow on. angling does help a little as does keeping the blade low. I don't want to use a lower temp thermostat because as it is it takes forever for the engine to get hot enough for good heat on cold mornings. I do notice that it starts to ping when it gets in to the 210 degree range, but not enough to damage anything, I don't think. I run only 87 octane. I'm sure it would be fine with 89. I'll see how it goes this year with the new coolant and freshly Auto-rxed engine.
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Kowalski
GenIII
11/09/2004
16:45:04
| RE: Snow Plow
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Probaby fine, worth running the higher octane if you have to. I only have to run the good stuff towing though, even with my extra spark advance its never pinged plowing. Pinging can be harmful even at below audible levels, worth avoiding.
I won't run lower thermostat for similar reason, want all the heat I can get on the windshield in an ice storm.
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fastpastor
Dodge Dakota
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11/11/2004
10:25:31
| RE: Snow Plow
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Figols, did you do a standard install of your plow? I have a 2004 and was told that i could not put a plow on my truck.
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Figols
Dodge Dakota
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11/11/2004
17:25:44
| RE: Snow Plow
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Fastpaster, I'm not sure what you mean by "standard install". I bought the plow and had the plow dealer install it. I should've done it myself, but that's another story! Snow-way, and I think others as well, has a list of front axle ratings for different trucks and which plow will work with them. The Dakota has a front axle rating that is higher (if I remember correctly)than the Ram 1500. With Snow-way I got the medium duty plow since it is all metal and also taller and wider than the light duty plow. I see a lot of Dakotas with plows on them around here. Besides, if you can put a plow on a Cherokee, s-10 or Ranger, there's no reason why a Dakota can't handle it.
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Siver
Dodge Dakota
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11/14/2004
10:46:08
| RE: Snow Plow
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I have a 2004 and I've read the same things in my owners manual but decided to go with a SnowBear plow anyway. I am new to the whole plowing scene but am wondering if anything has to be done with the Air Bags before i hit that first snow bank. I am only planning on doing light duty plowing, not the whole neighborhood. Also, if anyone has any experience mounting a Snow Bear Manual plow I would appreciate help to how easy it is.
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Kowalski
GenIII
11/14/2004
11:53:34
| RE: Snow Plow
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Never heard of an airbag deploying while plowing, you should be fine.
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Don
Dodge Dakota
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11/19/2004
16:55:17
|  RE: Snow Plow
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I have a 2001 DD QC 4x4 Mounted a Meyer TM-6.5, No problems so far, Also I pull a 27ft TT in the summer. Temp raises a little when towing, but not while plowing. I spoke to Meyer direct and they make a mounting carton for the DD, but it is really for a broom attachment...same hook up as the plow. If inserested let me know I have a great contact to get these.
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Frank
Dodge Dakota
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1/02/2007
16:02:43
| RE: Snow Plow
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I just bought a cherry '92 with 4 wheel drive. I plowed a long time ago with full size rigs. I got snowed in our last snow and decided my snow blower wasn't enough, Anyone think I will have a problem? By the way it is a V-8.
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Sean Toothill
Dodge Dakota
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1/25/2007
18:25:38
| RE: Snow Plow
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I had a 93 dd rc with the v-6 & a 6.5 steel meyers and had no problems at all. Great plow truck. I've used full size p/u before and it was so much nicer to plow driveways with the dak. I now have a 99 dd cc w/ 5.2 A/t and I'm debating if I should put a plow on it. I've heard that the 97-99 v-8 A/t combo is not rec. you install a plow.
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Kowalski
GenIII
1/26/2007
08:09:48
| RE: Snow Plow
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Frank - you should be fine if you set it up right - decent tires that aren't too wide and a light duty plow. Like I've said before, a deflector helps with the deep stuff, so it doesn't come over the top and pack up beneath your truck. I plowed for years with mini Toyota 4 bangers - the smaller the truck, the more important it is to "plow with the storm". Just don't let it build up too deep. If a foot and a half or 2' is forecast, you don't want to wait til the end of the storm to start. Sorry I seem to have missed your question a few weeks ago.
Sean - I've never heard that it was the v8 A/T combo that wasn't recomended, did you hear that anywhere reputable ? Dodge doesn't recomend plowing my truck either ('00 RC), nor did they recomend it for the half ton Rams at the time. Fisher has done the math on the engineering though, and told me I would be fine since front end is rated for 3600 lbs; I'd check with them. I know some cab configurations would put you over that, but I think maybe it was just the quad cab ? This is my seventh year plowing this truck with a heavy regular duty plow with no plow related problems at all. It might be your CC that limits the weight, if so you might still be able to run the light duty, that carries over the road better anyway if you have to go any distance with the plow. Cranking up your torsion bars will help. I'd check with Fisher to see what they recomend for your truck. BTW, they don't have the same recomendations for the similar year 1/2 ton Rams; in some ways our trucks are more rugged than the full size trucks.
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Frank
Dodge Dakota
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1/26/2007
11:35:13
| RE: Snow Plow
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Thanks for the info. Now I need to find someone with the ability to install one.
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Sean Toothill
Dodge Dakota
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1/28/2007
18:43:10
| RE: Snow Plow
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Thanks for the info Kowalski. I did price out a fisher and they wanted 4100 + tax, way to high . I never really cared for fisher because there so heavy. I've been looking at western and meyers. I'm just trying to find a reasonable price and a plow combo that doesn't exceed 500 lbs.
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Kowalski
GenIII
1/29/2007
08:47:30
| RE: Snow Plow
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While my regular duty plow is fairly heavy, Fisher makes lighter models too. Heavy plows clean up better, but dig into unfrozen ground much easier. Lighter plows carry easier over the road, but don't clean up as well; and are not as durable - I've blown the welds out of them before. Those are basically the trade offs involved, each has it's virtues. I think the days when you could get a decent plow for around $2000 ended almost a decade ago - let us know how you make out.
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Sean Toothill
Dodge Dakota
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1/29/2007
18:40:55
| RE: Snow Plow
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Kowalski, what size fisher is on your truck in the pic.? That looks huge.
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Kowalski
GenIII
1/30/2007
09:30:43
| RE: Snow Plow
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A lot of guys will run a 7' light duty plow on trucks smaller than full size; while mine is the taller 7 1/2' regular duty, with a deflector shield that further increases the height. A lot of the size appearance is just due to camera angle and perspective though. I've been able to plow 2' snow with it in severe blizzards; but don't recomend letting the snow build up that much before you start plowing.
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Colin
Dodge Dakota
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12/16/2007
23:56:22
| RE: Snow Plow
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There are several people around here in CT that plow driveways with Dakotas. According to the build tag on my 1995 ext cab V8 my truck actually has a plow package,This may have only been available in New England I know in maine at least one dealer still sells 1500 rams with plows installed through a special arangement with Dodge. My truck dosen't have a plow yet but Im thinking about going with one of the full trip models (meyers, western, or Blizzard)
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Mikew
Dodge Dakota
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1/25/2008
14:19:03
| RE: Snow Plow
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I have an '04 reg cab short box (v6) that I am considering a light duty fisher on but am blown away by the price! AND the dealer says I don't need Timberens. I think I would raise the torsion bar AND install Timbrens though. I had a '92 I plowed with that had a Western 6.5 on it and I loved it! Just didn't carry it over the road a lot. Would still have it had I not killed the tranny.
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Kowalski
GenIII
1/28/2008
18:14:32
| RE: Snow Plow
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Dealer is right, you don't need the Timbrens. All I'm using for a regular duty is cranking up the torsion bars; that's definitely all you should need for a light duty.
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