If you’ve lived through a massive snowstorm or you’re anticipating some major storms in your area, you might be weary from shoveling – or even thinking about shoveling. And if you’ve tried to find somebody to plow your driveway and come up short, you just might consider doing it yourself. So can you throw a plow on your SUV and call it a day? Or is there more to think about before turning your crossover into a snowplow?

Can I plow with an SUV?

Technically, yes, you can plow with an SUV. Whether it’s a good idea may be another question. Plowing with any vehicle can be tough on your vehicle’s engine and transmission. Plowing with an SUV – especially a small one – may be something you retreat down the road.

The larger your SUV is, the better chance you’ll have at being able to plow with it. SUVs that are built on car chassis – and a lot of them are these days – are going to have an even harder time working as a plow. Crossover SUVs are barely bigger than a sedan, and if you wouldn’t plow with a Toyota Corolla, you probably don’t want to plow with a Toyota Corolla Cross, either.

What SUV can you put a plow on?

There are a variety of SUVs that you can use as a snow plow. However, the best way to know whether your SUV can be used as a snowplow is to read the owner’s manual. These tend to offer the best advice and have information about your vehicle’s ability to withstand use as a snow plow.

Snow Plows Direct says that the Jeep Wrangler is one of the most popular SUVs that you can put a snowplow on. That’s at least partly because of the Jeep Wrangler’s ruggedness. It is built as an off-road SUV and therefore it can handle a lot of tough terrain and work.

Truck-based SUVs are also good options for SUVs with a snowplow. As stated before, that’s because an SUV like a Chevy Suburban is large and able to handle a high workload. The Chevy Suburban has a V8 engine and with four-wheel drive, it’s the perfect SUV to put a snowplow on.

Does snow plowing run your SUV?

Snowplowing is definitely not good for any vehicle. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it, though. If the money you stand to earn outweighs the potential damage to your SUV, you may find it worth the risk.

The biggest problem when using your SUV (or pickup truck) to tow is damage to the transmission. Transmissions often overheat when being used to plow snow. If you do use your SUV as a snow plow, you’ll want to drive carefully. Try to plow so that you are going forward as much as possible. Only lift and raise your plow when you are at a complete stop. These simple tips can help prolong the life of your engine and transmission.

If you decide that the money you’ll make snowplowing is worth the potential downfalls of putting so much wear and tear on your SUV (or the money you’ll save from not hiring a service), then research and shop carefully. Try to be as gentle as possible with your SUV so that it will las longer without need for any serious repairs .And above all, check your owner’s manual to make sure that your SUV can handle the work of snowplowing.