Detail K2 (DK2) Avalanche Snow Plow Kit 1st Snowfall & Plowing Impressions | 2020 Chevy Colorado Z71
Vložit
- čas přidán 29. 12. 2020
- Testing the Detail K2 (DK2) Avalanche snow plow during the first snowfall of the season. While the snowfall was light, it was the perfect test environment for a rookie behind the plow to better get a feel for its capabilities.
Plowing starts at 8:36
Overall I'm satisfied with the plow and, with a little practice, I am looking forward to testing out this plow in deeper snow. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I started snow plowing couple years ago, I felt the same way when starting out. You will learn as you go. Beautiful truck and plow and be safe. We all have to learn sometime.
Great video and content !! Been thinking about a plow myself and this helps.
For a first timer you did great!
Just take it slow and easy. All snows are different. Only use enough speed to move the snow and to keep it moving. Don't worry about cleaning to the exact edge of the driveway. It is not as important as you may think.
Good luck and happy plowing!
Thank you!
You do not need 4 low for plowing. Use 4 high and keep your RPM under 2k and you will push all the snow you need to
Haha, was about to say the same thing!
You do. You won’t fuck in the trans in 4 low
You done good young man the thing to learn now is to relax and enjoy the rest you will learn as you go
Thanks!
I ended up putting a rubber cutting edge in front of the steel blade and adjusted it an inch lower. That way it will clear off the driveway like a squeegee and slide right over the grass without damaging anything. Slick as snot on a doorknob!
I usually end up stopping short of the grass because I’m afraid to tear it up, and end up running a pass with a 2-stage blower to clean the edges. The rubber cutting edge is a really good idea!
I thought I'd give some feedback on mine I bought a year ago. I have 2003 Dodge Dakota extended cab 4x4 with 4.7 V8. I've owned it for years and it only has 100,000kms. Frame is mint and its been babied all its life except for my hunting trips. I ordered the Dakota kit for it and this exact plow. I was concerned I was too light as I have 1800 feet of gravel driveway. I've used my TYM 293 tractor for years with front blower and back blade. That thing is a beast. Heated cab etc. It'll take on any storm no problem. But I wanted something to do the quick hits with 6 inches or less for speed. I had 300lbs of salt bags centered over the back wheels and that made a HUGE Difference in steerability. Do it.
I put a set of Timbrens on the front and that was huge!! The plow never affected the front height at all. I had to re-do the front end this spring but it's a 20 year old truck that needed it anyway. So next year it'll be fully ready.
I have to say this thing worked perfectly except for the markers. Pure crap. I'll figure out something for those this summer. I didn't use the shoes as I don't use anything with my tractors either so I just went to ground. In 4x4 I used 2nd gear and simply drove to push snow I never went above 20kph - didn;t need to except for one slight hill I have to climb.
These things work superbly if you accept what they are. I see alot of guys beat the living crap of these blades then complain. STOP! They are homesteader blades. Nothing more. 1800 feet of driveway 12 storms - never turned the tractor on once and had 4 storms of 2 feet or more. NO problem as I plowed with the storm going out in the middle of them and keeping it under a foot. For you property these things work great. I would have two things as spares though. The wireless control wiring kit and a an extra pulley motor. I see these as the most breakable on these plows. All in all they are steal imho when full plows in my area are 10K plus installed.
You did fine , you should be able to plow in high range most of the time . I plow with a Meyers plow . Just make sure you allow your plow to float over the ground . You only get better doing the deed . watch for curbs and culverts
I always hook my plows up the night before a snow.
i have an older snowbear plow which is similar to what you have. new ones use that front receiver mount, mine uses a different bracket with two mounting points. used it on a couple vehicles, latest one being an 07 wrangler which i sold, keeping the plow but i also have a plow for my tractor which is what i currently use.
When plowing heavy snow always put the truck in low gear. It’s easier on automatic transmissions if they aren’t trying to shift if you got your foot into it. I’ve plowed shopping centers for years with pickup trucks
Are you using sometime after truck city pass and throw the snow in front of the driveway and snow get super hard to remove??? If you try let me know if that work ok thanks in advance
Looks like it sticks out pretty far in front of the vehicle. What’s the distance from the bumper to the plow?
Nice job not to bad also nice truck 👍
Thank you!
Can you adjust the angle from side to side on that plow? I have been wanting to pick one up but im interested in that before I do
Would the diesel Colorado be better for plowing? It's has more torque
Well only advice plow in high and on paved driveways I would lower the skies all the way to the bottom. Unless you have lots of ice mid season or raised cracks.
I agree 4Hi has been the best for plowing so far. My driveway is relatively smooth and crack free. I’ve adjusted the shoes lower so that the blade is pretty much on the pavement 99% of the time. (I keep a little bit of a gap just as a safety measure) Thank you for the tip about the mid season ice! I’ll need to keep my eye on the level and keep the ice-melt going on warmer & sunny days.
would love to see how the colorado does with some real snow! have been curious if the mid size trucks are strong enough for 6-12 inches of snow
We had 9 inches of snow this past week, and the Colorado handled it like a champ. Over the longer stretches it helped to angle the blade of the plow, but other than that nothing to complain about. 4Hi and low gear were all I needed.
With a universal plow, I’d only stick to doing my own driveway and neighbors. But if you had a professional plow with a vehicle-specific mount, I don’t see how you couldn’t plow with a midsize.
@@GrazGarage really appreciate the reply. I have a 19 Colorado z71 and I’ve been real curious to if I could. Glad to see I can!! Thank you. Just looking for personal use.
Don't use 4 low.
Did you ever figure out why it wasent scarping the snow too good?
I never plowed with shoes on the plow. We liked to get as much cut off the pavement as possible. But it’s up to the individual
My driveway is pretty smooth, and I have the shoes so low anyways, I might as well take them off. (One less part to collect snow and prematurely rust lol)
Bring the shoes up a bit ( clearance should be very little ) mark your driveway , it’s illegal to plow across a road in many areas so plan a spot to push your snow and hold or you’ll run out of space , a good spot is in the back yard but a straight push is definitely better also I start at the road working towards the house and if you want clean edges use your snowblower after plowing . Angle plowing is a bit more complicated, plan your pushes ! I removed my shoes because I have a concrete driveway and it cleans really nice without last but not least I only plow if there’s more then 2” ! I’m in Minnesota so we do get our share of the white flakes from hell ! Lol
I plow with my 2021 zr2 with a western defender!
You did fine for first time. You’ll get the hang of it. 4 high and stay out of overdrive.
Also please plow in 4hi, when you start piling up your snow banks, push the snow up by lifting your plow when getting to the snow bank
I would suggest always plowing In 4 hi to avoid overheating or transmission issues I’ve always plowed in 4 hi same with the companies I’ve worked for. Just a tip great video though
Thank you! For sure, 4 hi is the way to go. I could feel that the truck was not happy at all in 4 low 😅
Cheers!
Graz's Garage i have one of those plows but I don’t use the remote I use the plug in switch but I was wondering if I just left it plugged it all the time would my battery die or not? I can’t find a straight answer online. Just thought I’d ask you get your 2 cents
@@dewugye4669 If the switch is well built, I would hope that there wouldn't be any parasitic draw on your battery while not in use. (Only while you activate the switch in and out) With that being said, I am not 100% sure about the switch that they provide with the kit.
One thing you could do is run a test with a multimeter, if you have one. Take a voltage reading across your battery and jot it down. Then after a few hours or so, with the switch plugged in, take another reading. It should hopefully be around the same voltage. If not, then you have a bad/cheap switch and you should unplug it when not in use.
If the voltage looks the same as the initial reading, that's a good sign. Wait for a little longer (a few more hours) and check the voltage again. Repeat this process and increase the time interval (once a day, every other day, once a week, etc...) just to be safe to make sure your battery doesn't drain.
There may be an easier way to check, but that's the way I'd go about checking it... Hopefully that helps!
Graz's Garage didn’t even think of that, thanks man I appreciate it
@@GrazGarage I would use 4 low. this type of work is what 4 low is for. A lower gear is always better for pushing or pulling something heavy. An automatic transmission heats up when its in a higher gear not a lower gear. That is why you don't use overdrive to pull a trailer. I would also put the transmission in low or second so it doesn't shift. All trucks are happy in 4 low that's my opinion anyway.
I think you can bolt the battery cable on that stub hanging out without removing the cover.
I tried, but the nut on the end of the positive battery terminal won’t come off. Even had the terminal in a vice to hold it steady while trying to undo it, and got nothing. Must be some liability thing over at GM, not wanting people to connect accessories to their truck battery too easily. Luckily the work-around isn’t too difficult...
Best way to learn is just to do it. Plowed commercially for years. Every lot is different and if you're just doing your driveway it all depends on where you can put snow. 4hi is all you need and personally I'd just take the shoes off and lift the blade before you push into the grass. That's a light plow but it should still scrape nice.
Guess I should've read the comments lol. Pretty much everything I said was already out there. Only other thing I'd recommend for a light duty setup is with heavy/wet snow always try to straighten the blade before you go into a pile.
Lol, no worries man, thanks for the tips! I always keep the blade straight when I plow, but sometimes push into the pile on an sight angle.
This messes up my banking line, as I can’t push all of the snow to the edge on an angle. With each plow though, I’m learning more and refining my passes to clear more efficiently.
ok i got a couple tips when u put the plow down give it a little bit of slack so it can move freely across the ground and idk about you law but where i am it illegal to push snow a cross the street.
Both really good tips, thanks! I agree, with a little more slack in the line, I was able to get a cleaner pass compared to when I didn’t.
A few neighbors have professional services and they all plow across the street. Plus the city comes by depending on how much snow falls to do additional cleanup. With that being said, I do try to be courteous and make sure I clean any overflow from my plow out of the street. I don’t want to leave any mounds in the street to freeze and rip off bumpers of passing cars.
@@GrazGarage Yeah it’s kind of weird with those winch type plows cause they don’t really have a float mode compared to the hydraulic commercial grade guys. But like another comment or say a lot better than shovel😂
It looks like it pivots ? Liked the Vid!
Coooooooooollllll
I have a 265 foot asphalt drive way - it's steep. Snow blower or plow? Im new at this. Thanks for any suggestions
My driveway is personally not that wide, so if I could go back, I would probably spend a little extra for a 4x4 quad with a plow attachment. (It would be a little easier to maneuver and I’d get an extra toy out of it 😉)
Overall though, if given the choice between my current plow setup and my old 2-stage snowblower, I’d keep the plow.
...... Dude, anytime you can get the driveway done without having to be out in the elements, dealing with the cold, ice,ect. You’re doing good👍... Even operating a really nice snow blower is Very Exhausting.... so what if you don’t have a 80k truck, and a 12k plow... You’re moving your snow in the comfort of your truck, and the amount of time and effort you save is something you can’t put a price on... I would try and get really good at mountings and dismounting that plow, because that seems to be the hardest part..... This seems to work for your purpose, so as long as you don’t abuse, or treat it like something it’s not, just clean it and lube it, and it should last a good amount of time👍...
question: what did you do with those 2 stabilizers once you got the plow into the hitch receiver? it would have been nice to see what the underside looks like with the plow hooked up. but i really appreciate the video anyways, i've been looking at this very plow, and i also have never plowed.
The stabilizers get bolted to the plow and when the plow is mounted in the hitch receiver, they fit up against the receiver for added support.
Not all vehicles may be able to use these supports (depending on the geometry of the truck and reviewer combo) but the manufacturer says they are optional and you can just use the receiver pin to hold everything together.
Do you remember the brand and model of the hitch you use?
Plowing is easy guys tend to act like you need a degree to plow. Your pushing snow? Seems easy enough!😀 and u did fine! Was the plow worth the purchase price? Its between this and the snowsport plow for me just cant decide
Haha yeah I agree. Like anything, the more you practice, the better you get and the more detailed and technical you can take it. With 3 passes under my belt since this initial video, I will say that the quality of snow clearing gets better.
For the money, I would for sure get this plow as opposed to the snow sport. When you get it from Costco, the DK2 is very price competitive. I was also looking at the snow sport and here was my logic behind picking the DK2:
-With this guy, you can backdrag snow from up against buildings. With the snow sport, you can’t do that, it only plows forward. (This was probably one of the biggest factors for me)
-Think about the long term and what vehicles you’ll be using to plow. With the snow sport you can attach to pretty much any vehicle’s rear receiver hitch and plow in reverse (in case you don’t always have a truck or suv with a front receiver) You can’t do that with the DK2, but it feels more comfortable and robust using a front hitch. (So if you’re planning on using a truck or suv with a front hitch, I’d go with the DK2. But if you don’t know if you’ll always have something like that, the snow sport may be better)
-While not commercial grade, the DK2 still feels like a more traditional plow with the flexibility of the universal mount (if you decide to switch vehicles) The snow sport just seemed cheaply built / too simple for the amount that it costs. (Just my opinion, I’ve seen good reviews on it, but didn’t have a good gut feeling)
Hope that helps! It’s not currently on sale at Costco, but I got mine before the holidays for $200 off. Maybe keep an eye out once spring comes for a similar deal at the end of the season. Good luck!
@@GrazGarage thats more info then you get from the manufacturer lol thanks im leaning more for the dk2 thanks again!!
You definitely don't need 4 wheel drive low..I don't often leave auto 4x4 when I plow
Do you think it REALLY cuts down on your total time out clearing the drive with a snowblower? I mean if you have to attach and then unattach that blade rig every time it snows (assuming this is also your commuter vehicle), then I don't know if this would be worth it. I have a 2021 Z71 that I bought this past year and was considering a light blade for it (live in the midwest, harsh winters, decent amount of snow) but I really don't need it for my house or my neighbors because I already blade with my John Deere select series lawn mower and it works great. I'd really want a blade to go blade out around town for my various friends and family members. I don't think I'm going to get one but was half curious if anyone had done any blading with their z71. I will say the thought of blading in a warm cab with my steering wheel and heated seats sounds so much nicer then being bundled up on the John Deere freezing my face off lol. Thanks for the video!
Do you think this plow is good enough for doing parking lots?
Good question. For starters, I am not a professional (just some guy sick of cleaning my driveway out in the cold).
I’d say it would depend on the size of the lot you are clearing, the type of contract you have with the lot owner, and what truck you are using to plow with… If you are plowing as a source of income, I’d use a full-size to HD truck with a frame-mounted plow. (It’ll make your life easier)
If it’s like a church lot you are cleaning as a volunteer, and there isn’t too much lot to clean, it would be great! (The manual angle adjustment is slower than a dedicated in-car remote, since you have to get out and change the angle when you want)
This is definitely a lighter duty plow for homesteads and lighter work. At least with my setup… (Midsize truck, and universal receiver hitch mount up front)
Not sure if that helps or not, but that’s just my opinion after owning it for a year to clean my driveway.
No need for 4 low that’s really hard in the truck... always plow in 4 hi
4 low is not hard on the truck, if anything its easier since you have a far better gear advantage
2007 F150, looking to buy a plow… any recommendations????
I’m just a homeowner w/ a midsize truck, so take my advice with a grain of salt…
For homeowner or light duty commercial, this plow is great. For a more commercial application where you have many clients, and with a larger truck, I’d go for a frame mount professional plow. One with hydraulics so you can angle the plow from inside the cabin as needed. You’ll save time and be able to get more jobs done.
your gonna want to back up a litttle before lifting plow the weight of the snow can snap your winch line
Were did you buy your snowplow.
I got mine from Costco’s website.
pretty good for first time bud i would put the shoes right down your on a paved driveway
Thank you!
With only an inch of snow, I’m guessing you were just eager to use your new toy eh? I waited to try my DK2 until we got a 5” snow fall. It worked well for me. Video is up on my channel if you want to check it out.
Haha yeah, it’s been pretty mild over here and I’ve been itching to test it out! Solid video, on your channel, really informative on the banking technique 👍
@@GrazGarage Thanks again. I received some good advice from my father-in-law with regards to leaving some space to push snow later in the season.
If your plow angles, should angle your plow away from the house.
The receiver system sucks. My first system didn't have the stiffeners. the receiver broke off twice at the cross member when hitting some frozen ice piles under the snow.
I’m glad they’ve added the stiffeners for sure. A frame mount would be more secure, but for the universal fit, I can make that compromise.
Also, make sure your springs in the plow aren’t set too tight on your new set up. That way the plow has some flip-ability if the cutting edge catches on something like ice again.
@@GrazGarage That didn't come with the plow when i bought it. Improvements as they go along.
What's the chain for?
The chain is for when you are driving with the plow attached. Rather than rely on the winch strap to support the weight of the plow, the chain acts as a rigid safety support.
Where can this be bought
I ordered mine from Costco.
It's illegal to put snow in the right of way in most places.
Plow in 4 high not low
Good afternoon sir, have a plan of action of the property that you're plowing whether it's your own home or a client's, know the layout know how far back you can go where the driveway ends where the grass begins know how far back the client want you to go as far as pushing the snow back use good judgement follow your tradelines you will do great have faith and you won't have to go over two or three times. But knowing your property having a plan of action you will do fine, I have faith in everyone at plows even though you are first-time flower I've plowed for over 20 years it's snowing your properties knowing where to put the snow and if she ring your goal what your client and or your wife and yourself would like for your property Etc. Be safe keep your clients happy, be safe yourself but also keep your wife happy in terms of how you plow your home because in the unwritten rules of the man book, as everyone knows cough cough:-), we all know happy wife happy life but also less stress on your vehicle less stress on you which creates a happy wife and a happy vehicle maintenance if you would like to respond back to my comment I would appreciate it thank you very much sir have a good afternoon period.
I agree, planning your passes and just overall practice will help minimize the amount of work you have to redo. Luckily I am not taking this on commercially, so I am pretty familiar with the layout. Plus after each pass, I learn just a little bit more to make the job that much more efficient.
Way to light duty for anyone that is doing this more than just a short blacktop driveway. Motor, light steel bracing and welding ain't going to last. Spend the money on a Henniker, Boss or a western V plow
Good video but remove your gravel skid shoes. You have black top asphalt. Don't need gravel drag skid shoes.
You shouldn’t plow in 4 low 4 high is for plowing.
I cringe lol I would probably just be careful about those positive lead connectors that are connected to the breaker they will likely short your electrical or set that truck on fire if it grounds itself to the body or hood.
You don't want shoes unless you're plowing gravel and you don't want for low you'll burn your transmission up did way too hot at idling
lol where do you people come from? How will 4wd low burn up the transmission?
1) don’t plow in four low
2) don’t push snow off of the property
3) you want to let more slack out
4) if you’re only plowing your driveway that plow is fine but you plan on plowing for a business get rid of that plow!
All great pieces of advice, thanks!
I agree, this plow is not made for commercial use at all. If I ever want to clear snow on the side, I’ll definitely want to invest in at least a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton truck and vehicle-specific mounted, professional grade plow (like a Boss or Western, etc.)
CRAP PLOWS! Unreliable since second season! Broken electrical actuator- no help or replacement from DK2