States that experience Winter weather extremes leave their residents in a strange conundrum. Residents must decide if they are going to rely on the municipality or local contractor to clean their streets or driveway, or they have to decide to do it themselves. A few other decisions must be made for those who choose to clean out their own driveway. Should they shovel, use a lawn tractor with a plow attachment, or go full-blown snowplow on a pick-up truck or SUV? Well, did you know that there is another option? A modification to the rear of the vehicle?

Advantages of a trailer hitch snowplow 

Not many people are aware of this, but there is a such a thing as a trailer hitch mounted snowplow. Trailer hitch snowplows have a few advantages over other plows. First, there is no need to get a dedicated machine for plowing. Since many trailer hitch snowplows will attach in a standard two-inch hitch receiver, almost any crossover, truck, or SUV will be sufficient.

Second, no longer will there be a disappointment when the lawn tractor equipped with the snowplow attachment runs out of power moving heavy snow. It’s true! Many lawn tractor owners are surprised to find out that their lawn tractor doesn’t have enough power or traction to do the job. As excited as they may have been to have the snowplow attached and ready to clean off a driveway, that excitement quickly fades when a small snowbank created by plowing is enough to make the tires spin.

The third advantage of a trailer hitch mounted snowplow is that they pay for themselves over time. If your area only receives significant snowfall two or three times a year, this may not be for you. However, suppose you’re in a state where Winter means snow on the ground from October to May (I’m looking at you in the northeast). In that case, this contraption will save on paying neighborhood kids or contractors coming to dig your driveway out. 

The basics of the trailer hitch mounted snowplow

The trailer hitch mounted snowplow is exactly that. It is a snowplow device mounted on the trailer hitch of a vehicle. Since one uses their own vehicle for the device, there is more power at the disposal of the operator versus a typical lawn tractor. Also, the device is easily mounted and removed. So, it can stay in the garage when not in use. There are also no hand controls that need to be wired inside. The unit is gravity fed. Take a look at the video below for an example.

The idea of a trailer hitch snowplow is intriguing in its ease of usage. One could open the garage, attach the plow to the back of their car, in the hitch, and then simply back the car out to complete the first pass at cleaning the driveway. Easy peasy. 

A word of caution

A word of caution, however. The trailer hitch snow plow may seem like a great idea, but the cost has to be factored in, not just the novelty. Suppose one lives in an area where plowing is done often during a week, regularly during the winter season. In that case, a purchase of the hitch-mounted snowplow may make sense. Also, there is the opportunity to do a side job clearing driveways once a plow is in hand. If, however, snow’s appearance is not that regular, and a side business is not a consideration, then the plow’s purchase may not be financially wise. So, before making this type of investment for your vehicle, consider both the pros and cons. Don’t forget to enjoy some time in the snow with friends and family too.