F-150 Lightning Snow Plow!

[CyberBill]

I am pondering a modification to your design and am interested in your thoughts. My idea is to leave the 3" square tubes attached all the time but add holes for a pin and use them as 2.5 inch receiver mounts. I'm wondering if you think there is enough room to get a pin in and out with the length of tube you used, I think it is a really good length from the picture.

This would lead to endless options for mounting all sorts of things to the front. For example we could mount a bar straight across and weld the plow mount under that. It should be easy enough to attach the tow hooks to a receiver mount to use when nothing else is attached (I've seen this done IE F150s). So many options...

Wish I had the tools (and time) to do what you are doing, it looks great!

The length I used is 9", however the back 5" or so needs to be clear (at least at the top) because the bolts are inside of it, where it connects to the truck. Also, I'm using 3" (Outside) square tubing and the tubing for a receiver is 2". You could attach a 2" receiver tube (probably 2.5" OD?) inside of it and add pins! Tons of options.

My first design was going to be for a front mounted hitch, and I was going to have my 3" tube stick out an extra few inches, then run a 3" square tube under them across the front of the truck, then weld a 2" receiver tube on top of that in the middle of the truck. Then you can attach whatever you wanted to the hitch. Snow plow, winch, whatever.

If a company like Draw-Tite or Curt wanted to make a front hitch mount that attached to the tow hooks, they could EASILY do it, and could use plate steel rather than tube, making it smaller, lighter, and more sleek than I can do in my shop.

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[V8BoatBuilder]

This is brilliant - I plow with an F250, but am really loving the idea of making a front hitch for the Lightning for a fishing rod rack.

Thanks for the details on using the tow-hooks!

 

[CyberBill]

Update video showing the truck plowing snow for the first time! Handled it great.

 

[Ecstatic]

Very nice, but I’m waiting for the next update when you plow 8” of wet snow on a gravel road at 30 mph.

 

[GarageMahal]

Update video showing the truck plowing snow for the first time! Handled it great.

I want, I want, I want!

Wonderful work! Thank you very much for sharing.

 

[MyTH]

You know, there are two types of people in the world:

1. Those who tell you why it can't be done
2. Those who tell you how they did it

As a Day One F-150 Lightning reservation holder who thinks a "real" truck should be able to plow, I spent two years searching the Internet for any clues on how to hook up a plow. All I found were dozens of people explaining why it couldn't be done. I even asked a couple Ford reps (at a Demo Days event) about snow plowing, and they too said it wasn't possible. The Electrified Garage said they could do it, but only in a complex way that made attaching a plow prohibitively expensive.

Bill, thanks for being a Type 2!

Now I'd like to find a shop in New England that's willing to watch your video, ignore the nay-sayers, and Just Say Yes.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Congrat's Bill, I am looking forward to how this works through the winter!!

 

[Smokewagun]

Any concerns with Ford voiding your warranty?

 

[GarageMahal]

Had much more snow @CyberBill ? Wondering how this setup is working out.

 

[CyberBill]

Had much more snow @CyberBill ? Wondering how this setup is working out.

I've plowed 4 times now, but always just a couple of inches. Typically we get more than this, so I'm waiting for something at least >4". I can tell you that so far it handles everything great! It's honestly a pleasure to plow. Takes about 15 minutes, all from the comfort of the heated cab, and only uses a few % of battery power. This is to plow our large drive way, circle drive, and 1/4 mile of road.

btw, 'Now You Know' on YouTube will be dropping a video soon (maybe this week?) showing them adding a plow to their F150 Lightning that was inspired by my work. They said they got some decent snow this past week, so I'm excited to see how it works for them!

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