A. Not all vehicles are manufactured with
sufficient capabilities to carry the weight of a standard snowplow.
This is usually done by the vehicle manufacturer in an attempt to
increase ride comfort as more small truck-type vehicles and SUVs
are used for personal transportation.
Q. Will the OEM warranty on my vehicle be void if I mount a snowplow?
A. Our understanding is that if the warranty issue is not related to the aftermarket accessory (snowplow), it will be covered by the OEM warranty.
Q. Will WESTERN® Plows warranty my
vehicle if it is damaged while plowing?
A. No, WESTERN® Plows warranties the
product that it produces. It is up to the vehicle manufacturer (OEM)
to warranty the vehicle.
Q. Will the airbag deploy when I’m plowing?
A. No, as long as you plow according to the
owner's manual recommendations of 10 mph or less, airbag deployment
will not be affected by snowplowing.
Q. I'm pretty handy mechanically. Is this something I can install on my truck myself?
A. Detailed installation instructions are
provided with the purchase of a Suburbanite plow; however, WESTERN®
recommends distributor installation to help ensure proper setup.
Q. Can the poly blade crack when it's really cold?
A. Like most materials, including steel,
polyethylene does get more brittle as temperatures decrease. However,
the moldboard of the Suburbanite™ has been designed and tested
to perform satisfactorily under the same temperature and
conditions that standard steel plows operate in.
Q. Why are there three "elastomer trip springs" - one on one side,
and two on the other?
A. During development of the Suburbanite™
plow, many different trip spring configurations were tested. Feedback
from our field test users helped us determine that three trip springs
provided the most desirable trip performance.
Q. What are the pros and cons of the handheld control versus joystick?
A. The handheld control is ergonomically
designed to comfortably fit in the palm of your hand at all times
while plowing. It can be easily removed and stored in the glove box
when not in use. It also contains several programmed features, including
a soft glide stop, a "power on" and float LED, and a 20-minute auto
shut-off feature. The joystick control is smaller and just as simple
to operate. It does, however, require drilling in the dash for mounting
purposes, and becomes semi-permanently mounted to the dash.
Q. What are the optional shoes for?
A. The optional shoes are made of an Ultra
High Molecular Weight (UHMW) Polymer material, and act as shock-absorbing
skid plates. They assist in preventing the plow blade from digging
into soft or unfrozen ground. If plowing paved surfaces, the shoes
are not needed.