The Most Popular Snow Plow Accessories of the 2024 Season
A snowplow when operated by a skilled driver can accomplish a lot. However, who doesn’t enjoy buying gadgets and gizmos to breathe new life into the winter season? The snow and ice removal industry comes with its fair share of toys to experiment with.
We’ve done the work of narrowing down the must-have accessories and snowplow attachments for the coming winter. Our focus was on improving your efficiency, boosting your productivity, and making you sweat a little less under the strain of the job. Let’s take a look.
Plow Wings: add a little more width to your plow
Think of plow wings as extensions to the blade of your plow. They install quickly to give your plow blade extra width and can be removed just as fast.
Check with your local plow dealer for name brand stock or try your luck with this pair of wings we found on Amazon. It will add 20 inches to your blade and comes with plow markers already installed at the edges.
Snow Deflectors: move snow away from your windshield
If you’ve ever plowed snow with a large blade attached to your truck, then you understand that sometimes visibility is decreased due to snow being thrown into your windshield by the blade.
A snow deflector will channel that snow to either side of the blade keeping it from being thrown into the air and your field-of-view. Boss is one of the leaders in snowplow equipment and their snow deflector is one of the best in the industry. Find it on Amazon or get a quote via their website.
Curb Guards: protect your blade and your client’s property
Your plow blade will always take a beating; it’s part of the job. However, a good-quality plow blade should be able to withstand an average amount of wear-and-tear. Make your blade even more durable with a curb guard (otherwise known as a “plow cover” if it covers a wider area). A curb guard does exactly what you’d think by covering and protecting the edges of your blade from the protuberance of cement curbs and other obstacles that you might otherwise not see.
Curb guards serve to protect your client’s personal property as well. Using a guard is a win-win. Winter Equipment makes a variety of guards so you can find the one you need regardless of the size and shape of your blade.
Plow Shoes: ensure the only thing you plow is snow and ice
You drive a snowplow, not a bulldozer! The last thing you want to do is dig up a client’s gravel parking lot or damage their pavement because your plow blade is too eager to dig into the surface you’re plowing.
What you need is known in the industry as a “plow shoe”. It’s a shaft of metal with a rounded piece at the bottom that raises the blade of your plow just enough that it happily digs into soft snow and ice while leaving things like dirt, gravel, concrete, and pavement alone. You can find an inexpensive yet durable option at Amazon.
Ballast Retainer: keep your inventory from sliding around
“Ballast” is a fancy word for the stuff sitting in the back of your truck like bags of salt, ice melt, or whatever else you need to carry with you. As a plow driver, it’s expected that you’d be moving around a lot. One of the most useful truck equipment accessories is known as a “ballast retainer”.
Keep your inventory from sliding around by investing in a ballast retainer kit. To put it simply, it secures your things from sliding around while you do your work. We especially like the one that Boss sells on their website.
Backup Camera: know what you’re reversing into
Maneuvering your truck when your plow is attached can be tricky even on a clear day. When you’re in the middle of a raging blizzard it’s even more important to know what is happening around you, especially when you’re backing up.
A backup camera is a must-have accessory for anyone in the snow removal game. Seeing what’s behind you even in the worst conditions ensures that both you and your client’s property are safe. While any generic camera might work, we’re especially fond of this snowplow specific camera, which you can find on the Tadi Brothers website. Our favorite feature is its heated lens, which clears the camera of snow and ice even in the worst weather.
Lighting Kit: light up your surroundings even in the worst weather
The stock headlights on your vehicle more than likely won’t quite cut it when you’re out in the weather in the middle of the night trying to plow.
You’re much better off investing in a rugged lighting system made especially for a truck.
Once again, Boss ranks as one of our favorite lighting systems, especially because their plow lights are resistant to ice and snow, which can cover and decrease the effectiveness of your headlights in the middle of a storm. When it comes to snow truck accessories, extra lighting can do you no harm.
Accessorizing: Both Fun & Effective
Admit it; it’s fun shopping for snowplow truck accessories. Decking your truck out with a few bells and whistles makes your job easier while also making you look good when you’re driving around town. It tells people that you’re invested in your job. We suggest you make a list of pain points you have when driving your plow. With that list, find a few great accessories that would serve to minimize those challenges. You’ll be surprised by how much easier your job is when you’ve got the right tools at your disposal.
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