Tacoma suggestions

[ThePusherMan]

Hey Everyone...let me start by just saying thank you. Everyones posts on here has answered a lot of questions for me. I'm buying a plow for the first time, mostly to do driveways for friends and family and possibly to make a few extra bucks this winter since my job is seasonal and i hate sitting on my ass! Anyway..I was wondering if anyone could recommend a set-up for me. I have a 1999 Tacoma, regular cab, 2.7L 4-cyl dohc efi engine with 4x4. The dealers around here in central NJ seem to be offering only 2 plows. The SnowSport, which is nice cause it's so light but sucks because I don't wanna get out everytime to raise/lower and angle it, and the SnowBear PolarPro Flexblade, which I'm leaning towards. It's 290 lbs. I'm not sure if that includes the hitch and light assembly though. Would this be a good way to go?? Is it gonna put a lot of strain on my truck?? Will I need a ballast?? How much of one?? Is there a better way for me to go all together?? I appreciate any and all answers! Thanks!:help:

[Frozen001]

What do you plan on doing with it?? Plow your driveway...How big is it, gravel, paved... tell us more info and we can make better reccomendations

[dmontgomery]

www.snoway.com. ST model.....

[ThePusherMan]

Thanks frozen....I'm only gonna be plowing driveways. So, the distances and surfaces are gonna vary, but around here it's mostly pavement and the driveways are probably around 60 ft, street to garage.

[Frozen001]

Well Since you said driveways (as in more than one) I will not recommend the Snow-bear, but that is just my opinion. Look for a smaller 6.5ft Plow with hydraulics, lights, etc. Check out the import truck forum on here. Plenty of guys there have plows on Tacomas.

The snowpear, although good for what it was built for, doing multiple driveways I would think getting out to angle the blade would get old after a while. Again my opinion...

[sixspeed]

Welcome!

I would try Western and Fisher! We have lots of Suburbanite/Homesteader fans here. Many folks here love theirs and few have bad things to say about them.

I'd consider something a bit heavier too. Here's some other lighter duty plows:

Blizzard 720LT (Baby version of Blizzard's HD plows.).
Curtis Home-Pro (Excellent, quick mounting system and poly moldboard)
Maybe even Meyer 6.5tmp (baby poly moldboard version of larger plows)

These 3 have some parts interchangeability with their heavier duty brothers and that always helps out.

Fisher and Western have stopped selling light duty or standard duty plows for these trucks if you wanted to go that route. I run one and have for years. They are heavy but they're not all that bad either.

Consider the dealers, their locations, and their service in your purchasing decision. Around me, we have few sno-way dealers so I cannot comment on their plows...

For the front end, adding timbrens to replace the bump stops will work just fine. Ballast is a must - 250 to 400 pounds will do fine.

All in all your truck is fine for what you want to do!

[ThePusherMan]

Thank you guys! Tons of help, i appreciate it. A little discouraged over the prices. The snowsport and snowbear were pretty inexpensive. $1,300 to $1,750 installed...The ones you mentioned sixpeed are in the $3,500 to $4,500 range, but I guess you get what you pay for! About the timbrens, I'm getting prices in the $160-170 range, does that sound fair? I've been researching them but would love your guys opinion. Do they change the ride of the truck when unloaded? Any bad experiances with them? This truck is also my day to day get around truck, so i have to be carefull with it.
Thanks again everyone.

[ThePusherMan]

thanks frozen!

[sixspeed]

Hi pusherman!

Wow those prices seem a bit steep. They do go up after August though.

I would try looking at prices at central parts (they have a link at the top of the site) just to see what the prices are there... Then you can tell how much higher yours are...

The Timbrens price seems about right. They will stiffen up the ride a bit in the front. I wouldn't know if you would think it too stiff as the stock Tacoma ride is sweet... If you go timbrens do a search on this site for install issues!

[go plow]

i plowed with a western on a 2000 tacoma, worked great!!!!

[Mowerpan]

Ya I would definetly look for better prices. I know my boss's auto repair center sells 6'8" blizzards for like 2700 installed.

[dmontgomery]

You may want to hold off on the Timbrens.........My truck only sags about 1 inch with 360 lbs. of ballast in the back.....I don't use them ...no need

My Snoway cost $4000 installed........

With these lighter plows the down pressure that Snoway offers is invaluable. It makes a plow act about twice as heavy as it really is.... I mainly do driveways and it works great for backdragging...

Derek

[sixspeed]

You may want to hold off on the Timbrens.........My truck only sags about 1 inch with 360 lbs. of ballast in the back.....I don't use them ...no need

My Snoway cost $4000 installed........

With these lighter plows the down pressure that Snoway offers is invaluable. It makes a plow act about twice as heavy as it really is.... I mainly do driveways and it works great for backdragging..
Derek

Derek you're right about the Timbrens - judging by the problems we have had getting the old bump stops off without breaking something, it's worth waiting till you get the plow on to see whether you really want timbrens or not...

[S-10 Plower]

I might have a plow that will fit your needs E-mail me at MDSLawnandSnow@aol.com and i'll send you the info.

Mark

[ThePusherMan]

well after careful research i've decided to go with the Curtis Home-Pro 3000.....$3,400 installed and I'm gonna wait on the tiberons untill it's seems absolulty necc. It looks like a good strong plow that will last and no getting out of the truck to move it around! Noone around here offered the blizzard for my truck and the Meyer is no longer made to fit the Tocoma. I love this truck, but man, what a paint in the ass to get a plow on. But it runs the same way it did the day i rolled it out of the dealership and its got 120,000 miles. Not to many trucks you can say that about. Thanks for all the help everyone! :)

[sixspeed]

well after careful research i've decided to go with the Curtis Home-Pro 3000.....$3,400 installed and I'm gonna wait on the tiberons untill it's seems absolulty necc. It looks like a good strong plow that will last and no getting out of the truck to move it around! Noone around here offered the blizzard for my truck and the Meyer is no longer made to fit the Tocoma. I love this truck, but man, what a paint in the ass to get a plow on. But it runs the same way it did the day i rolled it out of the dealership and its got 120,000 miles. Not to many trucks you can say that about. Thanks for all the help everyone! :)

You're welcome! I know you'll like plowing with the Tacoma. Get yourself a good set of severe snow service rated tires, throw in the ballast, and you'll be set...

Let us know how it goes for you when you use it!

Like I said if you think you need Timbrens search this forum (both import and truck repair at least) because the Timbrens replace the factory bump stops and it is real easy to screw up the control arm when doing what should be a 5 minute install of the Timbren and that is a real headache...

Good Luck!

[dmontgomery]

My 4 Runner has 97000 on it and it still runs great. I am planning on upgrading to a larger vehicle next year. I sure hope Toyota comes out with the 3/4 ton truck....That is what I really want......

I may keep the 4Run as a backup for plowing.......

Happy plowing.....
Derek

[ThePusherMan]

just a little update for any interested. I finally got the curtis homepro 3000 installed on friday. It looks great, works great and super easy to get on and off. But god daaaaaammmmmn the front is sagging big time. theres maybe 1 1/2" clearance between the road and the hydraulic lift that sits on the bottom. And thats with 450 lbs in the bed. Scraped twice just getting it home! So, i see a future with Timbrens in it. But overall very happy, but of course now theres no snow in sight. Life is cruel. Thanks again for all the advice, I'll try to get a picture of the truck on here if anyone wants to see.

[ThePusherMan]

Some pictures of the set-up...this is without timbrens on of course...watta think? too low right.

[Stik208]

From the picture it doesnt look to low but deffinatley get timbrens in. I scrape the jack on a driveway or two going in and mine isnt sitting low at all. Oh yeah welcome to the club, I have some pictures of mine up here somewhere. Another suggestion is pull the poly edge and get a fisher steel edge for it scrapes much better.

[ThePusherMan]

I forgot to mention, in those pictures, thats with 480 lbs of salt and sand in the bed...without that the truck looks like the brakes are being slammed on at a high speed. Maybe im just not use to all the weight and it is fine. almost 900 extra lbs on the truck, i use to hop into the truck, now it's just a tiny steup up. Stik208, tried to find ur pictures but couldn't. Your curtis plow came with a poly scraper instead of the rubber?

[Stik208]

Do a search for Whelen Guardian and theres is a full pic of it pushing snow. Here is the steel edge I put on.

[sixspeed]

Some pictures of the set-up...this is without timbrens on of course...watta think? too low right.

Seems low to me - dunno about the Curtis but my truck with timbrens, 450# of ballast, tiny skinny 215/85-16 tires and a 500+ pound Western on the front has 6 3/4 inches of clearance between the ground and the bottom of the mount frame and 6 1/4 inches between the lowest part of the a-frame channel and the ground with the plow all of the way up... and unimounts are known for dragging the ground...