I know the truck isn't heavy duty, but can a 8' plow be used on this truck to>plow driveways? I'm not talking about doing big parking lots just residential>drivewa­ys. This truck has the Hemi in it & a manual 4X4 shift lever, none of>this automatic stuff that fails. It also has limited slip rear end & the 20">wheels.>

On Mon, 02 May 2005 06:35:24 -0400, Kurt <mrwizard@comcast.n­et> wrote:>

If you want to plow you should get a 2500 with a HD drive train.>

You might be able to get a light duty 7.5 foot plow but that is>intended for very light duty homeowner use. See for example:>http://www­.fisherplows.com/>un­der plow selection.>

Your truck does not have the front GAWR for an 8" regular duty plow>and that 1500 auto trans may not like plowing. The 20" tires don't>help either.>

Woody; 95FXDS

Yup! This is going to be ugly! But I am not selling my truck that I just got 2 months ago, so I can buy a HD version. I'll just have to kill what I got & use the 7 1/2 foot plow.>

Thanks for the input & the Fisher plow link.>

Kurt>

BTW, I plowed my own driveway (gravel 650') for three years with a '97> Ram 1500 manual trans and a Fisher 7 1/2 regular duty plow. Fisher> guidelines said that I could only mount the light duty plow but the> composite cutting edge and lack of shoes would not do well on the> gravel.>

The reg duty plow maxed out the front GAWR so I did not drive on the> road with it except to get home from the dealer the 1st time.>

In three years I went through 3 sets of front axel U-joints, 4 front> stabilizers, both tie rod ends and both front axel seals. I have> upgraded to a 2500 both for plowing my driveway and for manual trans> towing capacity. (I just don't like an auto trans).>

So if you plow with a 1500, expect the front end to take a beating.>

Woody; 95FXDS

BTW, I plowed my own driveway (gravel 650') for three years with a '97>Ram 1500 manual trans and a Fisher 7 1/2 regular duty plow. Fisher>guidelines said that I could only mount the light duty plow but the>composite cutting edge and lack of shoes would not do well on the>gravel.>

The reg duty plow maxed out the front GAWR so I did not drive on the>road with it except to get home from the dealer the 1st time.>

In three years I went through 3 sets of front axel U-joints, 4 front>stabilizers, both tie rod ends and both front axel seals. I have>upgraded to a 2500 both for plowing my driveway and for manual trans>towing capacity. (I just don't like an auto trans).>

So if you plow with a 1500, expect the front end to take a beating.>

Woody; 95FXDS

My experience has been different. I have a '95 1500 automatic trans and put >a 7 1/2' Meyers on it when I got it in '98. I did put the quadcab springs >and a set of timbrens on the front end after I put on the plow. To date >(knock on wood) I've had no drivetrain breakage. I do change axle, >transmission and t-case fluids every year. The only problem with the truck >that I can blame on plowing is that I tend to cook the power steering fluid. >I even put a cooler on the return line out of the gear and it still gets >hot. Now that I think about it, I did put a track bar on it a couple of >years ago.>

I plow a commercial route and it usually takes about 6-7 hrs to cover it on >an average snow. If you use a bit of common sense when plowing you'll be ok. >Just remember you got a light duty truck and not a road grader.>

Denny>