What Do They Cost & Which Pickups Will Work?

By News Update On Jan 22, 2025

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There is a certain magic to the year’s first snowfall. You get to watch the world transform as familiar terrain gets blanketed in a beautiful layer of crystalline white. But it starts to feel a lot less magical the first time you have to get in your vehicle and drive somewhere — especially if you don’t live in an area that provides snowplow services.

Those who live in remote areas or on private roads probably don’t get the same road maintenance as those who live in cities. This often means that keeping their roads and driveways clear is a matter they must take into their own hands. Even the best snow blowers can only be expected to do so much.

One of the best ways to clear a whole lot of snow from a large area quickly is by attaching your own plow to the front of a truck. But there are a few things you should know about how these plows work before you start shopping for one. You’ll need to know whether your truck is compatible with a plow, and you’ll probably want to know how much money the plow, attachments, and any associated accessory systems are going to run you.

Full-sized trucks are best suited to snowplows

Can you attach a snowplow to any truck? The answer is a bit complicated. Different-sized plows are made for different-sized trucks, which means that it’s unwise to pick up a used plow from someplace like Craigslist or Facebook Market without verifying that the model is an exact match for the vehicle you plan to attach it to. Many companies, like Boss Plow and Western Plowhave compatibility search features on their websites that let youlook up which of their plows will work with your truck.

A majority of the most popular plows are designed for larger, full-sized trucks that weigh 6,000 pounds or more. These are usually from 7.5 to 10 feet long and are designed to be pushed by vehicles such as the Ford F-250 and the Chevy Silverado 2500. Of course, the larger models will do even better, but any trucks smaller than that aren’t going to be compatible with a lot of the larger plows.

This is likely because trucks that are Class 2 or larger typically have wider frames and offer higher weight capacities, better traction, and more torque for pushing snow. Some of these trucks even come with stock plow prep packages that reinforce the front end where the plow attaches and also include more powerful alternators to regulate the extra electricity needed for hydraulic plows. This makes them ideal for efficiently driving a heavy piece of machinery and the weight the snow will add to it.

Compact trucks and SUVs can use smaller snowplows

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Those with small to mid-sized pickup trucks and SUVs aren’t completely out of luck, though. A handful of plows have been designed specifically for vehicles like the F150, Ram 1500, and Silverado 1500. Half-ton midsized pickups should be able to push a plow that’s up to 7.5 feet wide, while to get a plow on a Jeep Wrangler or other, littler trucks will likely mean settling for something in the 7-foot range or smaller. These plows might not be ideal for clearing out your entire neighborhood, but they’re usually sufficient for making the roads and driveways leading to your home usable.

Technically, you can hook up a plow to just about anything, assuming the plow is the correct size and weight for the vehicle it’s being attached to. Amazon sells plows for ATVs while John Deere even makes snow blades you can attach to a riding lawn mower.

That said, these smaller vehicles don’t share the robust frames, weight, traction, and power of their larger counterparts. So while you can attach a plow to them, you probably shouldn’t expect them to be as effective. You’ll also want to make sure these smaller vehicles have four-wheel drive and a sufficient front-end suspension system to bear the extra weight. And you’ll want to be sure your truck’s battery and alternator can handle the excess power requirements.

What do snowplows cost?

Now that we’ve gone over snowplows’ compatibility issues, it’s time to take a look at how much they cost. There are several other costs relating to attachments, installation, and added accessory systems, but let’s start by taking a look at the price tags on the plows offered by some of the most popular brands. It’s worth noting that most plows are not sold directly, so prices may vary depending on the retailer.

Most of the full-sized models from Boss Snowplow cost somewhere from $4,500 to $10,000. Western’s low-end models start out more expensive, but they don’t go as high. These primarily occupy the $6,000-to-$9,000 range.

The small truck and SUV plows are significantly cheaper. You can get a DK2 snowplow for 1,699.99, a Snow Bear Home Series snowplow for $2,229.99, a Meyer Drive Pro for $2,720.52, or a Boss HTX for $5,495.00.

Most of the difference in cost comes down to the design, features, and materials of the plow in question. Straight-blade models tend to be the cheapest, while dual-trip and loader-box ones are more expensive. On top of that, you can find really affordable plows for smaller trucks that are made of plastic, but the more resilient metal options are typically going to cost a bit more.

What do snowplow mounts cost?

You can’t just hook up a snowplow to your car’s front bumper and call it good. As mentioned above, some trucks come with the option to have a snowplow mount built into the vehicle when you buy it, but those that don’t have this will need an attachment kit.

There are a few different kinds of them. The best are usually the ones specifically designed for your truck’s make and model, as they will be custom-fit to your vehicle’s dimensions, though there are also some that claim to be universal. A wide range of mounts are available across a spectrum of prices, but it’s worth taking a look at a few of them so you can get a ballpark idea of what you should expect to spend.

Most standard mounting kits cost in the neighborhood of $200 to $600. You can install the mounting kit yourself if you’re mechanically inclined and have the appropriate tools — there are plenty of guides that will walk you through the process. It’s worth noting that doing your own installation can save you a fair bit of money. Professional installation services are available, but the labor costs vary depending on the service center you use and will likely drive the overall price up by a significant margin.

What do optional accessories cost?

Several accessories are available in addition to the mount. Specialty cutting edges, rubber deflectors, curb guards, back drags, lights, plow winches, down pressure kits, and electronic controllers can all be purchased separately to customize your plow. These aren’t a requirement for starting to move snow around, but they may be necessary in certain circumstances. That’s why it’s worth taking a look at what some of them cost, so those who need them can get a rough estimate of how it will affect their bottom line.

Starting out with one of the bigger retailers, Boss sells a variety of accessories for it’s plows. It doesn’t list prices for the larger add-ons, but you can get individual plow shoes and kits for $64.34 to $464, bumper trim kits for $165 to $391, snow deflectors for $227 to $391, lighting kits for $484.67 to $1,143, back drag edges for $196 to $227, and controllers for $329 to $360, along with several other, more niche add-ons.

Snowsport sells a plow winch for $797 and a down pressure kit for $50. Warn sells plow blades for $278.2 to $699.99, plow wear bars for $96.03 to $138.64, skids for $95.43, and an electric plow lift for $374.72.

Other major companies like Western also make many of these products, but as with the plows, they are not sold directly, but are priced by the retailer. You can find a lot of them on sites like Plow Parts Direct and Snowplows Direct.