Snow plow

[DocMT]

A pull plow attaches to the rear hitch, which is attached to the frame. A front plow attaches to the plow mount which attaches to the frame. Not a whole lot of difference.

Actually, there is a huge difference. A front-mounted conventional plow is very hard on the front end components. That's why you can't put a plow on the front of an F-150 without voiding your warranty. It has nothing to do with the frame itself.

A pull plow doesn't put any stress on the front end components, as it is carried by the frame and rear suspension.

And if you didn't know, our 4Runners have fully boxed frames, just like those Super Duty pick-ups you mentioned earlier. Our frames are very robust and adding a simple pull plow is no problem at all. I've actually used a pull plow on my 4Runner and it worked perfectly. In fact, you can use a pull plow on much lighter duty vehicles than a 4Runner.

 

[DocMT]

I have a snowblower too.... but I only have about a 30' driveway.

A snowblwoer verses a plow usually equates to the length of your driveway and the time difference to clean the driveway using one or the other (and cost of purchase for a snowplower verses a plow).

And if I lived off the road a decent amount, those trailer hitch models would be a great idea and pretty economical, considering how much you would have to pay in just one winter to have someone plow it for you.

The driveway at my old house is about 140 ft long. So a pull plow was the perfect choice for me. Before the 4Runner, we actually had a small 4wd Ford Ranger pick-up that worked fine for using a pull plow, but we had to put a few hundred pounds of weight in the back of the truck to weigh it down. The weight of the plow itself wasn't enough, plus it has springs that push down on the blade for clean scraping. That means it is pushing "up" on the vehicle's rear end.

Some of these guys are just speculating that a pull plow is hard on the vehicle or will cause damage/wear. That's just not true. It doesn't take a heavy-duty vehicle to run a pull plow. So everyone can think whatever they want. For the price of a decent snowblower, you can buy a pull plow and clear your driveway in a matter of minutes while sitting in a warm vehicle, sipping coffee and listening to the radio. To me, that beats the hell out of multiple passes of a noisy snowblower, while standing out in the cold with the wind blowing snow in your face. Like I said, it's a no-brainer.

 

[DocMT]

Here ya go. Watch the video below. Does this look rough on the SUV?

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[Jerrydog]

A pull plow is not an option I need to push and manuever snow around and dont have tons of room to do it in. thanks for the option though, I hadnt seen those before.

I have two tractors with plows, a Simplcity 3314H and a 1964 Allis Chalmers B10, both move snow well, I have a simplicity 5008 tractor with a 36" snow blower and a walk behind snow blower. We got 14 inches of snow yesterday and I used my homemade plow on my 303k mile nissan pathfinder to move it all. It was easy, I was warm and it was faster than a snowblower. I built this plow and attached it to the front frame where the tow loops attach. Sure I could destroy it but im easy with it and it will never hurt my Nissan nore would a small plow on the front of my new 4runner which is why I'd like to get a nicer one than the one I made for the pathfinder for the next 10 years.

The reason they wont warranty an F150 with a plow is they are junk and made so cheeply they know they will fail if a conventional plow is used for more than a driveway or two.

As for babying any SUV....why? Buy a car if you want a baby. Buy a truck (suv) if you want versatility but USE IT FOR EVERYTHING!!!! We have an SUV to haul trash to the dump, get lumber from Home depot, pull logs out the woods for firewood, move snow, move the family, drive in the worst weather imaginable, go on vacation, pull the 20' bowrider, haul the dock out, get rocks at the quarry for the new rock wall. Ive done all that and more with my Path for the last 13 years and will, if it lasts, do that and more with the 4runner. I wore my path out and Im proud of her. I hope to where out the 4runner also. So..anyone have a small fornt mounted plow on there 4 runner they want to recomend?

 

[chaz]

how bout this. can be used on front or rear. SUV and Car Snow Plow | Snow Sport Plow that Fits all Vehicle Types

 

[Glock_19]

As for babying any SUV....why? Buy a car if you want a baby. Buy a truck (suv) if you want versatility but USE IT FOR EVERYTHING!!!! We have an SUV to haul trash to the dump, get lumber from Home depot, pull logs out the woods for firewood, move snow, move the family, drive in the worst weather imaginable, go on vacation, pull the 20' bowrider, haul the dock out, get rocks at the quarry for the new rock wall. Ive done all that and more with my Path for the last 13 years and will, if it lasts, do that and more with the 4runner. I wore my path out and Im proud of her. I hope to where out the 4runner also. So..anyone have a small fornt mounted plow on there 4 runner they want to recomend?

I baby my 4Runner because I'm 22, it's the first car I've ever bought with my own money, and at this point in my life spending 20 grand on something doesn't leave me much money to make repairs...

 

[DocMT]

A pull plow is not an option I need to push and manuever snow around and dont have tons of room to do it in. thanks for the option though, I hadnt seen those before.

I think you'd be very surprised just how manueverable a pull plow can be, even in a relatively tight driveway. You can use the plow going forward or reverse. My old driveway was long and straight, but then got much wider up by the garage. I used to drop the plow and clean the straight part on a single pass, then I'd back up and drop the plow to push the snow on the wider part of the driveway. It took me about five forward/reverse cycles to clear the whole thing. I don't think I could have plowed the driveway any quicker or more efficiently with a conventional front-mounted plow.

 

[DocMT]

I baby my 4Runner because I'm 22, it's the first car I've ever bought with my own money, and at this point in my life spending 20 grand on something doesn't leave me much money to make repairs...

That's understandable. You should also realize that a 4Runner is like a tank compared to the average sedan. It has a full ladder frame (like fullsize pick-up trucks), a solid rear axle (instead of more fragile independent suspension), and is body-on-frame. The ladder frame is fully boxed formuch greater strength. If you have 4wd, then you also have low range gearing.

When you add it all up, the 4Runner is a much tougher vehicle than people realize. I don't baby mine at all and it's been absolutely perfect for me since the day I drove it home from the dealer. Not only have I used mine to plow my driveway, but Ive also put it in low gear and pulled stumps out of my yard. I've pulled cars out of ditches in a snow storm. I've towed utility trailers full of stone, etc. Never once do I think I've ever don't anything that could possibly hurt my 4Runner.

 

[airforceabbott]

Get a snowman pull plow. There is a trip feature for the blade.

 

[DocMT]

Get a snowman pull plow. There is a trip feature for the blade.

I looked at the Snowman plow, but it doesn't back plow like the Superplow does. To me, that's a major disadvantage.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Here ya go. Watch the video below. Does this look rough on the SUV?

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Wish I had $2500 bucks to blow

 

[DocMT]

Wish I had $2500 bucks to blow

Yeah, well you can find these pull plows used for a decent price. I sold ours when we moved out of the house with the long driveway.

Another thing to consider is that having a plow like this is likely to pay for itself faster than you might think. I had a few people who lived nearby that offered to pay me to clear their long driveways whenever it snowed. I didn't buy the plow to start a business, so I just did those driveways for free.

 

[scottm]

That's understandable. You should also realize that a 4Runner is like a tank compared to the average sedan. It has a full ladder frame (like fullsize pick-up trucks), a solid rear axle (instead of more fragile independent suspension), and is body-on-frame. The ladder frame is fully boxed formuch greater strength. If you have 4wd, then you also have low range gearing.

This truck is body-on-frame, but I'm skeptical about how robust that frame is. It's more like unibody-on-frame when I crawl under and look around. Guys have had the frame collapse at the V8 engine mounts. It's a big selling point to have a frame like full-size trucks, but I suspect it's partly marketing and partly engineering to continue building them with a frame.

 

[DocMT]

This truck is body-on-frame, but I'm skeptical about how robust that frame is. It's more like unibody-on-frame when I crawl under and look around. Guys have had the frame collapse at the V8 engine mounts. It's a big selling point to have a frame like full-size trucks, but I suspect it's partly marketing and partly engineering to continue building them with a frame.

Seriously? Our 4Runners are a fully boxed ladder frame. And that means the body is bolted onto the frame, just like a heavy-duty truck. I'm not saying a frame like that can't fail because it obviously can, but how many other midsize SUVs can you think of that uses a fully boxed ladder frame like our 4Runners? These things are definitely overbuilt for what most people use them for.

 

[chayos00]

my suggestion? move to AZ. havnt seen snow here in over 8 years. solves that problem REAL quick. haha

I have to correct you on that, when I moved to AZ in 2006 I saw snow here that basically shut down this city in the early part of 2007, at least till about noon or so. lol

 

[scottm]

Seriously? Our 4Runners are a fully boxed ladder frame. And that means the body is bolted onto the frame, just like a heavy-duty truck. I'm not saying a frame like that can't fail because it obviously can, but how many other midsize SUVs can you think of that uses a fully boxed ladder frame like our 4Runners? These things are definitely overbuilt for what most people use them for.

My point exactly. You are impressed that this truck is body-on-frame, it probably was a selling point for you just like it was for me. But did you investigate how thick-walled the frame is or what kind of steel? Me neither, nobody will and Toyota knows that. After spending some time under this truck I think the frame is pretty light. I'm sure it's functional and adds some stiffness, but it's no pickup truck frame.

 

[M1911]

My point exactly. You are impressed that this truck is body-on-frame, it probably was a selling point for you just like it was for me. But did you investigate how thick-walled the frame is or what kind of steel? Me neither, nobody will and Toyota knows that. After spending some time under this truck I think the frame is pretty light. I'm sure it's functional and adds some stiffness, but it's no pickup truck frame.

Having spent some time under my 4th gen, I'm also not that impressed with the size and strength of the frame. Particularly my badly rusted transmission crossmember.

 

[DocMT]

My point exactly. You are impressed that this truck is body-on-frame, it probably was a selling point for you just like it was for me. But did you investigate how thick-walled the frame is or what kind of steel? Me neither, nobody will and Toyota knows that. After spending some time under this truck I think the frame is pretty light. I'm sure it's functional and adds some stiffness, but it's no pickup truck frame.

You do realize that a boxed frame is quite a bit stronger than a C-channel frame, all else equal, right? So even if our boxed frame was formed from thinner gauge steel than, say, a competitors C-channel frame, ours would still be stronger. The only qualifier to that claim is if there’s a very considerable difference in the gauge of the steel. But as we all know, that’s not the case. An insignificant difference in the gauge wouldn’t change a thing. That said, there’s really no comparison between boxed and C-channel frames. One is inherently stronger and more rigid than the other.

I’m not sure what would make you think the frame is light. You can clearly see the thickness of the steel used to form the frame. Just look as the cross-section in any of the multiple holes in the frame. You can also clearly see the size of the frame rails. They are not small by any means. Still though, if you think the frame is light then answer this question: Why don’t we ever see any of the 4Runner owners here complaining that they bent their frame or broke their frame? Surely there are guys here who put their 4Runners through more than I do (pulling out stumps, towing, plowing, etc…), yet nobody ever complains that his frame is damaged/bent/broken. Knowing that plenty of guys use their 4Runners like a truck should demonstrate to you that the frame is plenty strong and probably much stronger than you seem to think it is. The rear axle is another component that seems very robust. You never hear of people breaking axles or blowing up their rear diffs. Think about it. The 4Runner is no crossover or unibody chassis vehicle. You can treat it like a truck and it will perform like a truck.

You should probably spend some time under other midsize SUVs and you'll quickly appreciate the foundation that Toyota built the 4Runner on. Try a Jeep Grand Cherokee (any model year) and tell me what you see. I'll tell you this---it won't be anything nearly as strong or robust as what you see under your 4Runner

 

[scottm]

Still though, if you think the frame is light then answer this question: Why don’t we ever see any of the 4Runner owners here complaining that they bent their frame or broke their frame? Surely there are guys here who put their 4Runners through more than I do (pulling out stumps, towing, plowing, etc…), yet nobody ever complains that his frame is damaged/bent/broken. Knowing that plenty of guys use their 4Runners like a truck should demonstrate to you that the frame is plenty strong and probably much stronger than you seem to think it is.

Most modern production vehicles use unit-body (or unibody) methods for distributing strength through the body structure, rather than relying on a frame. This technology has become very sophisticated, and with bigger stamping and pressing machines has become the norm on bigger vehicles. Subframes carry and distribute forces to the drivetrain. A complete frame running the length and breadth of the underbody isn't absolutely necessary, some trucks like the Ridgeline are pure unit-body. Our trucks are more like a unit-body on frame vehicle, a massive frame is unnecessary weight to build and haul around.

I haven't done a complete finite-element analysis of the T4R body and frame, so I can't really say how sturdy it is, but people do offroad them and haul large trailers, and I haven't heard of any failure of structural integrity. Although there are many accounts of the V8s collapsing the frame at the engine mounts on the T4R and FJC. I trust Toyota has built these trucks well, and I think the body structure is carrying more of the forces and the frame has been lightened to take advantage of this construction technique.

 

[DocMT]

Most modern production vehicles use unit-body (or unibody) methods for distributing strength through the body structure, rather than relying on a frame. This technology has become very sophisticated, and with bigger stamping and pressing machines has become the norm on bigger vehicles. Subframes carry and distribute forces to the drivetrain. A complete frame running the length and breadth of the underbody isn't absolutely necessary, some trucks like the Ridgeline are pure unit-body. Our trucks are more like a unit-body on frame vehicle, a massive frame is unnecessary weight to build and haul around.
.

Unibody chassis were developed primarily because they are lighter weight and therefore allow for greater fuel efficiency. And I’m not just talking about trucks and SUV either. As recently as the 70’s, a lot of regular passenger cars were built on a body-on-frame chassis platform. Eventually, the people who design new vehicles realized that they could build their vehicles without a conventional frame and a body that bolted to it. So the unibody chassis was created. Look at the picture of a typical unibody chassis.



As you can see, there is no frame. The structure itself (including the door pillars and roof) becomes an integral part of the chassis. This is terrific for saving weight, but it’s not exactly ideal for strength or rigidity when it comes to torsional loads (typical in a variety of situations, including offroad driving). I realize that unibody structures have improved as the technology as evolved, but nobody can say with a straight face that a unibody chassis is anywhere near as durable or strong as body-on-frame. That’s why you don’t see full size pick-ups built on unibody chassis. Vehicles designed for hard work still utilize ladder frames, with bodies that bolt on to them. And when those vehicles have a fully boxed ladder frame, they are typically even stronger and built to handle even more abuse.

The Ridgeline isn’t really a truck. Sure, it has a bed like a truck, but it’s more of a car than anything else. I mean, seriously, the Ridgeline is about as much of a truck as the old Subaru Brat. Vehicles like that aren’t meant for any kind of serious work and people who own them know that or learn very quickly if they don’t.

When it comes to our 4Runners, they are absolutely body-on-frame. You can unbolt the body and remove it completely from the frame. I’m not sure what makes you think we have “a unit-body on frame vehicle”. That’s simply not true. Interestingly, the Jeep guys will tell you that their beloved Grand Cherokees (which have always been built on a unibody chassis) isn’t a typical unibody vehicle because it has lateral support rails built into it for greater strength. They like to call it “uniframe” and claim that it is stronger and more durable than a typical unibody chassis. There may be some truth to that, but at the same time everyone knows that their so-called “uniframe” is a poor substitute for a true ladder frame.