Snow Plow on a Ranger

[CTYankee]

Whatever problems you're anticipating the transmission having with running a plow could not possibly be worse than a Wrangler. This is said with love - wranglers are great. However, they are significantly less capable as work vehicles compared to almost every other midsize truck available.

If a Wrangler could do the job, then your Ranger can almost certainly do it too!

The Wrangler was a manual transmission. I plowed my driveway for 5 or 6 winters without burning up a clutch.

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[got3fords]

The Wrangler was a manual transmission. I plowed my driveway for 5 or 6 winters without burning up a clutch.

Good thing you didn't try for a 7th. Kidding, probably just fine if you weren't hammering it.

 

[YaBoiNewton]

The Wrangler was a manual transmission. I plowed my driveway for 5 or 6 winters without burning up a clutch.

The six speed is nice, not without its flaws, but a good time nonetheless.

Spent a week with one up in North GA a few years ago. Had a great time and it climbed like a billy goat.

It was my brother's for a good while until it got totalled in an accident. Here it is getting towed home from the keys due to clutch failure ?

 

[CTYankee]

I got the install done today and am still working my way up the learning curve. The parking sensors started blaring at me as soon as I put the truck in drive and I couldn't immediately see how to turn off the sensors and the owners manual only said I could use the button if I had one. It just didn't tell me where to find it. I was home in the driveway before I found it, so every time I had to stop and start moving again the alarm blared at me.

Anyway, here it is. It doesn't drop the front too much when raised so I don't think I'll do a leveling kit.

The next thing I have to do is figure out how to deal with the climate control. The truck thought the outside temperature was 116 degrees so it was blasting the A/C and I couldn't turn off the Auto button on the panel. I was driving and didn't want the distraction of poking around the climate control screen, so I'll have to figure that out the next time the plow is mounted.

Basically, the truck handled the weight of the plow great. It drove well to get it home and, unless the plow needs service, that's the last road time it will see.

 

[got3fords]

I got the install done today and am still working my way up the learning curve. The parking sensors started blaring at me as soon as I put the truck in drive and I couldn't immediately see how to turn off the sensors and the owners manual only said I could use the button if I had one. It just didn't tell me where to find it. I was home in the driveway before I found it, so every time I had to stop and start moving again the alarm blared at me.

Anyway, here it is. It doesn't drop the front too much when raised so I don't think I'll do a leveling kit.

The next thing I have to do is figure out how to deal with the climate control. The truck thought the outside temperature was 116 degrees so it was blasting the A/C and I couldn't turn off the Auto button on the panel. I was driving and didn't want the distraction of poking around the climate control screen, so I'll have to figure that out the next time the plow is mounted.

Basically, the truck handled the weight of the plow great. It drove well to get it home and, unless the plow needs service, that's the last road time it will see.

How much work is involved to revert back to warm weather mode? What is left on Ranger?

 

[CTYankee]

How much work is involved to revert back to warm weather mode? What is left on Ranger?

There are two flat vertical push plates that come through the lower fascia below the bumper. Those are all that remain when the plow is dismounted. I'll put a picture up later today. The dismount operation isn't that hard once you've done it. Here's a video of an older model that has the same single-pull handle as mine.

 

[CTYankee]

This is all that's left once the plow is dismounted. The electrical cables are tucked in behind the lower grille opening.

 

[airline tech]

I would look into why the (OAT) was reading 116 Deg a little deeper vs only the Climate Control control.

What was the Engine Temp Reading?

Reason - Blocking the airflow across the Radiator, increasing the engine bay temp which the OAT (Sensor) is picking up.
So my thought is the engine bay temp is increasing and reaching this sensor, if this is true then so is the Engine Temp as well as Transmission Temps.
You are also stressing the Fan Clutch

Just a observation.


For Ref: Ambient Air Temp - Mounting Location

 

[CTYankee]

I would look into why the (OAT) was reading 116 Deg a little deeper vs only the Climate Control control.

What was the Engine Temp Reading?

Reason - Blocking the airflow across the Radiator, increasing the engine bay temp which the OAT (Sensor) is picking up.
So my thought is the engine bay temp is increasing and reaching this sensor, if this is true then so is the Engine Temp as well as Transmission Temps.
You are also stressing the Fan Clutch

Just a observation.


For Ref: Ambient Air Temp - Mounting Location

I'm not sure what the engine temp was because the digital cluster wasn't showing it (I bought the truck used a few months ago). I've since changed the display to show it but the plow won't be mounted again until I actually need to use it next winter.

I did take a look at the hydraulic unit and where it sits relative to the grille. It's very close and it's completely encased in a protective cover, so it's likely limiting air flow way too much if I were going to be driving around with the plow mounted.

My sense is that, in colder winter temps, and not running for long periods with the plow mounted, it should be ok. I'll just keep an eye on the gauge when plowing.

This is reminding me of a customer we had with a brand new GMC Denali HD. We installed an 8' commercial grade plow on his truck and the first time he plowed with it, the OAT caused the automatic climate control to turn on the A/C full-blast, which iced up the windows almost immediately. He ended up backing into a parking lot light pole and damaging the truck.

We had to install a relocation kit for the OAT. Fortunately, he didn't blame us. He'd told the dealer he wanted to use the truck for plowing and they sold him one without any kind of plow prep, which would have included the relocation kit.

It's his experience that made me realize I need to know how to shut off the climate control when I'm plowing.

 

[Partsmgr]

I'm currently working on putting a Fisher HS plow on my 2022 XLT. I have the plow already and are currently working on the second battery tray so the start batter is untouched. I'll keep you posted. Fisher makes brackets and harnesses for the Rangers.

 

[Dereku]

I am not a fan of auto climate control for reasons like this. Does yours not have a physical auto button on the dash?

 

[got3fords]

I'm currently working on putting a Fisher HS plow on my 2022 XLT. I have the plow already and are currently working on the second battery tray so the start batter is untouched. I'll keep you posted. Fisher makes brackets and harnesses for the Rangers.

You are smart for getting this all done before fall. Good luck on the install. Pics when you're done.

 

[Partsmgr]

Well still working on the plow for my truck. I fabbed up a stainless steel battery tray that mounts under the drivers side of the truck pretty close to the transfer casemotor. It's not pretty but it's pretty secure- I am using an AGM battery laid on its side so the terminals face in towards the driveshaft of the truck. I have more to do because I want to run the plow from the second battery and let the original battery run the truck and the rest of the stuff. Its not pretty- but it will be durable. And just a FYI- don't buy a battery tray for a Ranger from down under as their trucks don't have the same things running along the frame as US spec trucks do. This is just preliminary pictures of the initial battery tray. I will be moving the tray back a little farther to give the transfer case motor/harness some room, but I found it necessary to fab a cross vehicle brace to hold the weight of the battery as I don't want to put too much stress on the transfer case skid plate (where it is attached to also). I had to ream out a few holes in the frame and install stainless steel threaded nutserts in it so have somewhere to bolt the battery tray to the frame and the transfer case skid plate.

 

[Partsmgr]

This is all that's left once the plow is dismounted. The electrical cables are tucked in behind the lower grille opening.

I would be interested in seeing where they attached the power harness to on the battery. I have a second battery going in with a voltage sensing relay to charge the second battery when needed.

 

[CTYankee]

I would be interested in seeing where they attached the power harness to on the battery. I have a second battery going in with a voltage sensing relay to charge the second battery when needed.

The power harness goes straight to switched power at the fuse box. I only have the single battery.

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