No frills

Pete Robison, vice president of marketing and development for Meyer Products calls straight blades the staple of the industry. “They’ve been around for 80 some years,” he says. “From a units-in-the-market standpoint, there are more straight blades than anything else.” Here’s what to know about them just in time for the snow season.
 

The right fit.

Straight blades are known for their efficiency and simplicity says Mark Klossner, marketing director for Boss Snowplow. “Their controls are simpler. You don’t have to worry about positioning the wings independently and for some people, that simplicity is key,” he says. There are also times when the versatility of the v-plow is unnecessary. This is the case if you find the majority of plowing your company does is straight windrowing.
 

Straight blades are also less expensive.

The lower cost, Robison says, can be extremely appealing for those just looking to get into the industry. Scott Moorman, director of engineering for Buyers Products, agrees, emphasizing that contractors need to match their equipment to their business needs. “A straight blade is much less expensive and much simpler. So it’s a matter of using the tool that’s appropriate for the job,” he says.

Straight blades weigh less than v-blades, and according to Moorman and Klossner, the lower weight of a straight blade is one of their main selling features. Most contractors purchase their truck first and their plow second, Moorman says. A contractor should look at the weight capacity of their vehicle before investing in a plow. Some trucks may not be capable of carrying the heavier weight of a v-blade plow.
 

Aesthetics combined with durability.

“When it comes to snow plowing, down time is just not an option for contractors,” Robison says. “The plow has to be well-made and able to work under pressure.”

As far as robustness is concerned, Moorman suggests looking at the structure of the plow, including the electrical connectors and whether there is good chrome on the cylinders.

“You can tell from looking at the construction. Mechanically, you want a solid beefy plow that can take some abuse, “he says.

Klossner says that the best way to tell the difference between the good and not-so–good snowplows is by looking at what happens to the plow during bad weather. “The manufacturer has to know exactly where to put the steel and find that balance between the right amount of steel in the design of the blade to make it durable and reliable, but keep it within the weight constrictions or restrictions of the vehicle manufacturer,” he says.

Appearance of the plow is now also becoming a deciding factor, with stainless steel becoming increasingly popular. “Folks just like the way stainless steel looks and they like the fact that it is corrosion resistant,” Klossner says.

Polypropylene is another material that is in demand, Klossner adds, with contractors gravitating towards this material for its ding resistance and the fact that snow seems to simply slide off of the material.

One other item to consider is how easy it is to attach and remove it from the vehicle. “Boss designed their plow to be easy to attach when it’s snowing, dark and things may be frozen. We want that individual to be able to attach that plow as easily as possible, not just as quickly as possible,” Klossner says.

Before shopping for your plow, take a visit to the dealership and look at the brands that you’re interested in. Klossner stresses that contractors should pay attention to all the details from the design of the frame to the type of steel used and even the headlight system.

“They’re going to see that some of the brands are a notch or two above the others and those features are put on the products to make their lives easier, to help their businesses grow as snowplow contractors,” Klossner says.
 

Simpler design means less to maintain.

Straight blades have fewer moving parts and the design is simpler. The simplicity of straight blades remains one of their best-selling features. “Straight blades are much simpler with much fewer moving parts,” Moorman says. “Electronically they have half of the connections, so there’s just half of the things that can go wrong. “

However, if something does go wrong, a contractor should make sure that they will receive fast and efficient service. “Choose a brand and a distributor or dealer to buy it from that you can get good service from,” Klossner says. Moorman agrees emphasizing that it is the after service that is often more important than the sales.

“Try to get a feel, before making that investment, what your cost down the road is going to be,” he says. “Talk to the dealer on how warranty concerns are handled and how quickly. Does the dealer have the discretion to just do it? Or do they have to call the manufacturer?”

Overall, the simplicity, lower weight and robustness of a straight blade make it an extremely appealing option in today’s market place. This plow is ideal for those new to the market place or contractors that require a robust plow for open areas.

The author is a freelance writer based in Ontario, Canada.