Personal Snowplow Troubleshooting Tips
Outlined below are a few tips to help you troubleshoot situations you may be experiencing with your snowplow. If you require additional information, please contact SnowBear Limited’s Customer Service Department at 1-800-337-2327 and a Technical Support person would be happy to assist you.
Plow tips from side to side
The plow should rock from side to side approximately 8" allowing the blade to adjust to the contours of the surface being plowed. This is essential for proper operation and should not be adjusted with washers or shims.
Plow will not operate
Before conducting the following tests, make sure you check all of the wiring to ensure it is clean and tight. Please also make sure the collar on the winch is tight and not slipping.
* CAUTION must be taken to stand clear of any moving parts during this test. SnowBear Limited will not be held responsible for any damage to a vehicle, plow or person during these tests. *
Step #1: Check The Winch (do not skip any of the following steps as it could result in physical damage and/or personal injury)Make sure there is no power going to the winch. Unplug the grey connector from the winch cable to the extension cable.
Using a set of jumper/booster cables:
a) Connect the cables to the battery, positive-to-positive and negative-to-negative
b) Take the other end of the jumper/booster cables and touch the positive lead to one of the contacts on the end of the winch (note: try to touch the nut and NOT the thread on the winch terminal as this could result in damage to the terminal)
c) Take the negative lead and touch the other contact. This will engage the winch!
* W A R N I N G* If there is no response from the winch - DO NOT keep power going to it as this may cause damage to the winch or the vehicle.
d) To test and change the direction of the winch, simply switch the positive and negative leads on the winch. This will reverse the polarity and engage the winch in the opposite direction!
* W A R N I N G * When the plow is lifted to its highest point, do not attempt to lift it any higher with direct power to the winch for more than 1 second. Make sure to disconnect the jumper/booster cables at the battery when the winch is not being tested or the cables are not being used.
If your winch operates normally, there is nothing wrong with it.
Step #2: Check The Switch
a) With the plow in place and all of the wiring installed, make sure the power is disconnected from the battery to the control box. To do this, remove the RED connectors.
b) Remove the switch from the control box by removing the cover, knob, and holding nut.
c) Remove the orange and blue wires on the switch
Now you are ready to test the plow by bypassing the switch following these steps:
a) Reconnect the battery cable to the control box (red connectors)
b) Touch the terminal connector of the orange wire with the black connector. With the orange still touching the black, touch the terminal connector of the blue wire with the red connector. This will engage the plow!
c) If you want the plow to move the opposite direction, switch the blue and orange wires so that they make contact with the opposite colour - orange with red AND blue with black.
Step 3: Check The Circuit Breaker
a) simply bypass the circuit breaker by attaching the red wire from the circuit breaker directly to the battery
Here are a few more areas you can check if the above test/steps do not determine a problem:a) Check the charging system (battery and alternator) to ensure they are operating correctly, then remove and clean wire connections to winch and battery (note: use di-electric grease to ensure a good connection. Do not use harsh contact cleaners in the plugs).
b) A less common possibility may be a frozen winch caused by water leaking into the winch. Leaving the winch outside uncovered or unprotected will allow water to leak in and seize it. Drying out and cleaning the winch will alleviate this problem.
c) In an emergency situation, use the manual crank handle to raise or lower the blade accordingly.
Plow hesitates before moving
a) If you notice gradual and increased hesitation, it may be caused by a faulty or worn out switch
(replacement switch is part #00442).
b) Poor contacts on battery connection could also cause hesitation.c) Winch could have broken or worn out gears that would most likely be accompanied by a grinding or chattering noise. In this case, the winch needs to be replaced or repaired. Please contact SnowBear Limited's Customer Service team at 1-800-337-2327 for the closest repair centre.
Plow does not lift high enough
a) Check the direction of your winch operation. The strap should be wrapping up and over the front of the drum.
b) Check the condition of the vehicle mounting harness. If the mounting tubes are pointing down it will reduce the height to which the plow can lift. Bending the tubes horizontal with a jack will correct this problem. Plowing less aggressively and reinforcing the mount will also help alleviate the problem.
c) Check the mount fasteners and retighten if necessary.
Motor runs but the plow does not operate
a) If the drum is rotating but not the collar, simply tighten up the four nuts on the winch drum collar to stop the slipping.
* W A R N I N G * Make sure to disconnect power to the plow before working on the winch.
b) If the drum does not appear to be turning the winch will need to be repaired or replaced.
Plow is slipping down
(note: the winch collar is designed to slip under excessive load in order to protect the winch gears)
a) Make sure to use the safety hook for any transportation of the plow. This will protect against shock loading of the winch.
b) Tightening the four nuts on the winch drum collar should reduce slipping under normal operation.
Plow is coasting down
a) There is no brake or locking mechanism inside of the winch that locks the plow in place. Under normal operation the winch will allow the plow to roll down a few inches.
b) The switch causes an electromagnetic shunt across the terminals of the winch, which assists in holding the plow up. If the plow rolls down to the ground, dirty or corroded wiring connections or a faulty switch are the cause.
c) The winch is stronger in one direction and should only be wound in that direction. Make sure that the strap is wrapping up and over the front of the drum.