Snowplow preparation

From an NTEA member We are a truck equipment distributor preparing for snowplow installations on pickups. Can you explain the associated certification requirements? While numerous Federal/Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (F/CMVSS) can be affected by adding a snowplow — particularly for trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less — most compliance guidance needed is available in each OEM’s body builder information. Specific sections of body builder offerings from Ford, GM and Dodge are dedicated to snowplow installations. Pickup-snowplow compatibility As a first step to compliance, review chassis manufacturer snowplow guidelines to determine which pickup models were developed to accommodate plows as well as conditions/limitations for weight, minimum OEM option features, etc., before agreeing to an installation. Since plows and mounting hardware add weight and structure to the front of a vehicle, crash compliance, airbag deployment, braking, ride/handling, engine cooling, lighting, and other performance measures can be affected. Such factors have been taken into account with models and required options represented by OEMs through these guidelines, so staying within chassis manufacturer limits can help you in meeting certification requirements. Whether a customer starts with a particular pickup model or the plow itself, these parameters can be used to determine a suitable pickup model/plow combination. Guidelines typically list minimum option content for front gross axle weight rating, suspension, tires and other key features corresponding to the truck model’s ability to accommodate plows up to a certain weight. These features are included in snowplow prep option packages and may be available as separate, retrofitable options. More details on matching a plow to a customer’s pickup that meets chassis manufacturer guidelines can be found on snowplow manufacturers’ websites. In conjunction with determining a suitable pickup model/plow combination, perform a detailed weight analysis to ensure the upfit vehicle will meet all applicable limitations. Ballasting weight at the rear of the truck to offset a portion of the detachable plow blade system is allowed in some cases (conditions for doing so may be available in OEM or plow manufacturer guidelines). Determining the amount of weight needed for ballasting a specific vehicle configuration — and, just as important, where it should be located — can also be done through weight analysis. Check with your plow manufacturer to ensure you’re using the latest weight information, and see if they offer other tools and resources to help match equipment to the application. For more weight calculator information and resources, visit ntea.com/weightcalculator. It’s important to note, chassis manufacturer warranty coverage can be affected if a plow is used on a pickup model not equipped with the OEM snowplow prep package or equivalent minimum options. These situations may occur when customers purchase a new pickup for upfitting with a plow without being presented with these considerations. Truck dealers can be well-served by working with upfitters that routinely review OEM and snowplow manufacturers’ guidelines and limitations, and perform weight analyses as a standard operational process. Labeling Since pickups are completed vehicles, a truck equipment distributor installing a snowplow on a pickup before the first retail sale is considered a vehicle alterer — and the corresponding altered vehicle certification label must be applied. If the pickup model has a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds, no additional labeling requirements are affected for F/CMVSS compliance. However, if the upfitted pickup has a 10,000-pound or less GVWR, two other labeling requirements could potentially be impacted. The vehicle placard, and A supplemental label to the “Stars for Cars” rating required for vehicles tested under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). These labeling considerations depend on vehicle and upfit specifics, but it’s possible to determine if one or both will be affected and necessitate additional labeling upfront in the bid process. The vehicle placard contains a weight limitation following the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo must not exceed…” This value, which represents the difference between the pickup’s GVWR and its as-built curb weight, serves as a consumer aid to avoid overloading the vehicle. When permanently attached equipment is added to a vehicle, thus raising its curb weight, this capacity is reduced and may need to be corrected, depending on the amount of net increase to the curb weight. If the total weight of the permanently attached equipment (e.g., snowplow mounting hardware, non-removable hydraulic system components, electrical attachments, etc.) is more than 100 pounds or 1.5% of the GVWR (whichever is the lower threshold), you will need to correct the capacity for the combined weight of occupants and cargo listed on the vehicle placard. For vehicles in the U.S., there are several options for accomplishing this, but if you’re also changing tires or wheels, you must replace the entire placard. For vehicles in Canada, options for correcting this capacity are limited to replacing the entire placard with the reduced capacity value, even if there are no tire changes. Note, the removable plow blade is considered cargo, so its weight is part of the “combined weight of occupants and cargo” for which the capacity limit is provided. That said, the weight of the removable blade must still leave enough capacity for the driver and any other occupants. If the particular model has been tested under NCAP, an additional label will be needed to indicate that as altered, the “Stars for Cars” rating may no longer be applicable. If the specific model has not been tested, it would not have a rating, and no supplemental labeling is required. A list of models rated under this program (and, therefore, requiring this label, if altered) is available at safercar.gov. You can search models assessed on this site, as well as a list of upcoming the agency plans to test. If the new vehicle is already on-site, check to see if it has a star rating on the Monroney Label (also known as the MSRP label or window sticker).

Snowplow preparation

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