Winter is right around the corner and for most of us, that season brings along a snowstorm or two to deal with. Your local municipality will plow the main roads but if you live on a side street or out in the country, you’ll have to wait for them to eventually get around to your neighborhood or take matters into your own hands.

Shoveling your driveway might be tempting, but it can also be time-consuming and dangerous if you have a lot of snow. According to one Canadian study, there is a 34 percent increased risk for death in men due to heart attacks on days after 20 cm or more of snow has fallen.

What's the solution? If you have a truck or an SUV, the best option is to get a snow plow. Snow plows aren't just for commercial-size trucks. In fact, there are many snow plows that can be used with Jeeps, SUVs, regular half-ton and three-quarter-ton trucks as well as ATVs.

Buying Considerations

Before you start looking at snow plows for sale, it's important to know a few things about the types of plows available and what you need for your situation. Start by asking what kind of plowing you plan to do. If you only need to plow your own driveway and perhaps some neighborhood streets, then a light-duty plow should suffice.

These typically run less than $10,000 and are easy to remove out of season. However, if you need to plow a large area and are looking more at commercial applications, then you'll need a commercial-grade plow. These typically cost over $10,000.

When looking at a specific snow plow for sale, you should also look at whether the plow includes everything needed for installation. Some plows might require additional accessories.

You will also need to consider whether your plow setup will install on a dedicated vehicle for plowing, or whether you'll need to remove and reinstall the plow on a frequent basis. If the latter is true, you'll want a plow with pre-installed casters.

Personal Plows vs Commercial Plows

There are two basic types of plows on the market and then some subtypes.

• Personal snow plows are best used for small areas such as your own driveway or a small parking lot.

• Commercial snow plows are best suited for large plowing jobs such as a big parking lot or an entire neighborhood.

Whether you need a commercial plow or a personal plow, you'll generally be looking at front-mounted plows. However, wing plows are another type that's usually used in commercial applications.

If you're looking at a front-mounted plow, you'll generally choose between a V-shaped plow or a straight-blade plow. Both have some advantages and disadvantages:

• Straight plows generally cost less than V plows and are easier to install and maintain. They are more difficult to place the snow where you want it which results in longer plow times.

• V plows work better for snow that has partially turned to ice. The arrowhead shape easily slices through hard snow. V plows are better at directing, stacking, and angling snow.

Type of Vehicle

The type of vehicle you have will also play a part in your snow plow decision. Whether you're buying a snow plow for a truck, an SUV, or an ATV, you'll need to know the front gross axle weight rating for your vehicle.

This determines how much weight your front axle can hold. You don't want to exceed this. Most SUVs and trucks are fully capable of plowing snow. The most common vehicle used as a personal plow is a half-ton truck like the Ford F-150.

However, there are also plows available for light pickup trucks and Jeeps, such as the Meyer Drive Pro for Jeeps. It's even outfitted with Jeep branding.

Snow Plow Types

There are many different snow plow types, but in general, most fall under a handful of categories depending on what type of vehicle can use them. Let's take a look at snow plow types you can find at Action.

Half-Ton and Light Pickups

If you have a half-ton pickup or a light pickup, there are several options of Meyer snow plows to choose from. The Wingman plows come in 6'8" and 7'6" sizes and feature the Quick-Link™ mounting system, which allows you to get the plow on and off quickly. This is ideal for anyone with a personal vehicle that they want to use for occasional plowing.

Another option is the Meyer Drive Pro, which is quite a bit lighter than the Wingman plows and is made especially for light pickups and full-size SUVs. This model also comes in either 6'8" or 7'6" sizes. The Meyer Super V3 LD plow is also made for light-duty trucks.

Three-Quarter-Ton Pickups and Larger

If you have a three-quarter-ton pickup or something even larger, you can purchase a larger plow to complement it.

The Meyer Super-V3 plow has all the advantages of the V plow mentioned above and comes in 8'6" and 9'6" sizes in either carbon or stainless steel. If you'd rather have a straight plow, then the Meyer Lot Pro or Meyer Super Blade are powerful options.

9,300 to 26,000 GVW Trucks

The Meyer Road Pro 32 Series plow is designed especially for commercial trucks that need to plow municipalities, side streets, large parking lots, and cul-de-sacs. This plow comes in 8-foot, 9-foot, or 10-foot lengths, and features flared wings to better throw snow. If you're looking for a commercial-grade plow for a big truck, this is the one to get.

Ram and Jeep Plows

Meyer also makes plows specifically for Ram trucks and Jeeps. The Ram truck snow plows include options for Drive Pro, Lot Pro, and Super V3. The type of plow you need will depend on your model of Ram truck.

For example, the Super V3 is made for Ram trucks three-quarter-ton and larger. The Jeep snow plow only comes in a 6'8" size with a straight blade. It also comes standard with a snow deflector and lights.

ATV Snow Plows

One quick and easy way to clear snow from small areas like driveways is to attach a plow to your ATV. The Black Boar snow plow mounts to your ATV with a 48-inch straight blade that can angle to the right or left. These plows are easy to install and use with most ATVs.

How To Attach A Snow Plow

You should always check the product description on your chosen plow to see if it comes with everything needed to install it. Otherwise, check out snow plow accessories like adapter harnesses, hitches, and control modules.

You can get these installed at any Action location. In most cases, attaching a snow plow to your vehicle is relatively straightforward. For example, Meyer snow plows for personal use boast a quick and easy connection system.

Most snow plows for non-commercial use install pretty easily using a front receiver hitch. Generally, you should purchase this hitch when you get the plow. The hitch itself is pretty easy to install, and once it's installed, it's a simple matter of sliding the snow plow attachment point into the receiver. If installing the hitch seems a bit tricky, you can have it professionally installed at any Action location.

Whether you need a snow plow for your commercial truck, personal truck, SUV, Jeep, or ATV, Action Car and Truck Accessories offers a solid model selection from the Meyer snow plow line.