By Ron on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:01 am: Edit

Can I safely transport a 6ft snow plow on my roof rack.

Ron

By Leslie on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:09 am: Edit

Uh....

It depends!

Which roof rack? How heavy is the plow blade?
HOW FAR are you talking about, over what terrain? At what speed?

And, if I was looking for an answer for the same, I'd have asked 'you'... ;-)

-L

By Ron on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:14 am: Edit

~300lbs

500miles

speed about 70mph

terrian NYS thruway

Safety devices LR Genuine rack

I am thinking about it but I am not sure. Looking for other thoughts

Ron

By Ron on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:16 am: Edit

PS safety questions are not my specialty.

I more of a where do I find these question person.

Ron

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:34 am: Edit

Its a 6 ft blade? can you break down the mount to get it in the back of the disco so that only the blade is up there laying flat?


Kyle

By Ron on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:38 am: Edit

Sort of,

There is some crap attached but its not much, just an arm, not big at all. The mount is detached and seperate with the ram etc.

Ya its only 6ft (for a series rover) but it is really heavy as it is thick steel and pretty tall.

Ron

By Leslie on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:40 am: Edit

First: I'm not saying that it'd be what I call "safe".

But if "I" was going to try it....
I'd first put the blade face-down, and then sure as heck make sure that it's overly-lashed to the floor of the rack.

And, I'd plan on dropping the speed way down... once you get it up there, 50 may be tops, but you'd have to see how it felt. I'd take the side roads, and cruise along.

"IF" I chose to do such.


What I'm thinking, though, given distance and speed, is that a small trailer would be MUCH better. Maybe a little flat open trailer, or even a little Uhaul box trailer... whichever's cheapest. OR what you can borrow from someone.


IMHO....

-L

By Askeered of having that plow up there! on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:42 am: Edit

Now remember, the factory roof load limit is 110 pounds & Ron will no doubt make Alyssa drive some of the way... Alyssa is wholly opposed to this plan...

By Ron on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:47 am: Edit

I was going to sneak it up there after you got in.
I figured I could ballast the lower portion of the truck with series parts

Ron

By Leslie on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:48 am: Edit

Which is EXACTLY why I'd encourage the bumming of or renting of a little trailer....

Gotta keep her happy, Ron! I knoe I don't like to sleep on the couch.....

-L

By Ron on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:51 am: Edit

I don't like riding 500 miles sitting on top of the plow either.

LOL

Ron

"I swear it only weighs 100lbs" as Ron gets the cherry picker designed for aircraft engines out to lift the plow

By pjkbrit on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:51 am: Edit

300 pounds!!!!! no way. 100 pounds is about the limit even then you could roll the Disco faster than you can say Mitsubishi Montero!!!!
Pete

By Leslie on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:54 am: Edit

You "could" roll it... but maybe you'd make it.

So, do ya feel lucky, punk? Do ya?

-L

By anon on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 09:59 am: Edit

If that plow weighs 100 pounds, I must REALLY need to beef up my arms!

By Joshua Bova (Jbova) on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:13 am: Edit

Not a completely accurate comparison, but I moved a 650 lb storage shed (dissasembled) about 25 miles. What I did notice is that there was no way in hell I was stopping without thinking ahead, and if I'd had to steer and stop, I'd be in the market for another disco. The difference is, the plow weighs less then half of the shed, and is a whole lot lower profile. So I have basically said nothing, so I'll conclude with this.

Yeah man what the hell, it should be fine, just make it as light as you can and remember it's up there. Actually the rack you have is worlds stronger then the wilderness crate on top of my truck, and I have proven that the gutter can handle the weight. Don't sweat it.

-josh

P.S. Also, a 6 foot plow will adequately distribute the weight, another plus.

By Ron on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:15 am: Edit

see alyssa thats one vote.

Josh,
you have a picture of this?

Ron

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:16 am: Edit

Well ROn , I have had over 500 pounds on mine and it really wasnt all that bad. I would do it and not think twice. You want to situate the blade face down and so that it is under the front lip of the rack. Sliding off under hard braking is the only worry I would have and that will prevent it. Ofcourse lash the shit out of it as well..And drive like you have some wieght up there,,,,obviously

Kyle

By Ron on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:22 am: Edit

Thanks Kyle,
Thats what I thought you had said in the past.

I will lash with ropes and a few tow straps as well, that is if I can convince Alyssa.

Ron

PS I drive slow anyway I will make sure to take pics

By alyssa on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:23 am: Edit

Ok, but was this on an 8 hour trip on the turnpike and the NY State Thruway? These rife-with-construction roads are not my cup of tea even WITHOUT a plow on the roof!

...and besides, it IS Buffalo. There's bound to be 10 feet of snow on the ground, even in July.

By Ron on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:25 am: Edit

There's bound to be 10 feet of snow on the
ground, even in July.

Then we can take the plow down, attach it to the disco and make our way through

Ron

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:26 am: Edit

Does doing poison/spike/bar in Moab with 350-400 up there amount to about the same? Those pics from 2000 are of just that. THis year we were lighter but not by a whole lot...

Kyle

By Leslie on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:28 am: Edit

Good luck!

I'd still fork over the cash for a 1-way U-haul from Buff to Philly.... might save enough gas by not reducing the aerodynamics... it's having enough trouble from the get-go.

Hmmmmm... I think I'm seeing why I'm easier on the Disco and use the Series for 'thrashing'...

-L

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:33 am: Edit

Man , a rack is for carrying shit. It will carry much more then advertised. They keep that number down so some bone head doesnt strap 500 pounds up there , drive it like a sprts car , and then bitch when it rolls. Racks arent just expensive light bars and I dont consider it "Thrashing" I consider it using your truck for what you need it for. You just adjust your driving apropriately.

Kyle

By Joshua Bova (Jbova) on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 10:41 am: Edit

Pics are in the camera still. All in all, I too wouldn't think twice about it, 300lbs is nothing, hell, I have a couple friends who are pushing that and they (though they are not on the roof) don't seem to affect braking. Again, it will be well distributed weight, and you got HDs under there, you'll be fine.

-josh

By Scott H on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 07:58 pm: Edit

um...how are you going to get it up there?

Scott H

By askeered on Saturday, July 14, 2001 - 05:20 am: Edit

yah!! I'd be more concerned trying to jockey 300 lbs into position over my head than driving with it!

By Rob Davison (Pokerob) on Sunday, July 15, 2001 - 03:49 pm: Edit

i have done 400+#'s of lumber and drywall without a problem.

go for it...

-rd

By Anonymous on Sunday, July 15, 2001 - 03:58 pm: Edit

You can if you have a Hannibal roof rack. According to Charles at Rover Acessories, you can put more than 2000 pounds of gear on a Hannibal roof rack without damaging it. That's really impressive stuff.

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Sunday, July 15, 2001 - 04:14 pm: Edit

And with the hanibal you have no worries that all the crap up there will make it ugly. Its already as ugly as it can get...


Kyle

By Chris Browne on Sunday, July 15, 2001 - 04:15 pm: Edit

Do it the easy way, attach the darn thing to the front of the Disco as its meant to be!

And how the heck do you plan to get it on the roof without a visit to your orthopedic surgeon on Monday....

I vote for the trailer

By Wes Legaspi (Wes) on Sunday, July 15, 2001 - 06:21 pm: Edit

"I swear it only weighs 100lbs" as Ron gets the cherry picker designed for aircraft engines out to lift the plow.

I believe this is what Ron will use...(or something similar)

By Scott H on Sunday, July 15, 2001 - 08:34 pm: Edit

well...I guess that works. :-)