How to Set Up for Mounting a Snow Plow on a 1997 Ford F-250

Keep the road open with your snow plow equipped F250.

Mounting a snow plow on your Ford F250 adds four-season versatility to your truck. The F250 is designed from the factory on a more robust chassis than the F150 trucks. This means that the frame, suspension and tires are all designed to handle the extra weight of accessories such as snow plows. A heavily built vehicle, such as this, will give a much longer service life behind a snow plow than will a lighter duty vehicle.

Things You'll Need

• Tire pressure gauge
• Wrench set

Instructions

1. Inspect the tires and suspension on your truck. Use the tire pressure gauge to ensure that the tires are properly inflated. Under-inflated tires will not properly support a heavy snow plow. Faulty shock absorbers and weak springs will be over taxed when more weight is added to the vehicle.

2. Check the steering components for excessive looseness. Once the snow plow is in place, any play in the steering system will be amplified.

3. Mount the snow plow sub-frame to the truck frame, under the front of the truck. The sub-frame will sit directly under the front end and will become a solid piece of the frame, when attached tightly.The sub-frame is heavy, so if necessary, have a friend help hold it in place. Place the mounting bolts through the frame and sub-frame and tighten them by turning them clockwise with the wrench.

4. Route the wires and electrical connections up into the engine compartment. The easiest way is to run them through the grill and over and around the radiator. Avoid routing them near any sharp edges. Do not let the wires lay against the radiator. Follow the manufacturer's directions when connecting the electrical connectors to the battery. If your plow has an in-cab control, which will allow you to control the angle of the plow while driving, route this into the cab, through the firewall, and mount it in a convenient location.

5. Mount the snow plow to the sub-frame and check that all controls are working properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Treat all metal surfaces of the snow plow with a rust preventing spray. This will make the snow plow and it's components last much longer.

• Never drive at excessive speeds when a snow plow is mounted on your vehicle. The handling characteristics of the vehicle change when the extra weight is added to the front end.

• Never use momentum to plow through deep spots. This can cause damage to the vehicle's drive-line.

References

• Western Plows: Suburbanite Installation