6 Tips to Help Your Snowplow Survive Summer Storage [Checklist]

It was long and cold, but you made it through another winter of snowplowing. Time to throw your plow into storage and enjoy the coming warm weather. Your work is done!

Well, kind of. Before storing your snowplow, you’ll want to complete final maintenance to help extend the life of your plow and limit the need for repairs.

If you’re not sure where to start, you can follow these tips to service your snowplow and prepare it for end-of-season storage.

We've also included a printable checklist to help you keep track of your steps. Get it here or at the bottom of the page.

1. Wash Your Snowplow

Plows can accumulate a lot of sand and salt buildup over the season. This can corrode your equipment, which means you’ll spend precious time and resources either touching it up or potentially replacing components.

To avoid this, be sure to give your snowplow a good wash before sending it into storage.

For bonus points, you can apply auto wax.

As you’re washing your plow, do an inspection for any problem areas—whether that’s a spot that’s starting to rust or a cutting edge that’s become too worn down.

2. Check Your Hydraulics

Without the hydraulic system, your snowplow becomes unusable. Go over the pump and its connections, looking for damaged or worn hoses and fittings.

The ROP Shop offers many of the necessary replacement parts so that you will be ready for the following season.

Be aware that if moisture builds up in the hydraulic system over time, it can lead to rust on your plow. As you’re preparing it for storage, you’ll likely want to change the hydraulic fluid.

Additionally, if possible, look at replacing the plow pump assembly filter to get rid of any foreign objects.

3. Apply Lubrication

Any moving parts on your snowplow can probably use some lubrication—including things like pins and joints.

Fully extend out the pistons on your plow to grease them, and then compress them to protect as much of the area as possible.

Don’t leave out the electrical components, either. Make sure they are clean and then apply dielectric grease to help protect against corrosion.

4. Reduce Spring Tension

After a long plowing season, it’s time to loosen up—the springs, that is.

During the year, you should be able to slide a business card between the coils of your springs. However, before storing your plow, you’ll want to reduce the tension.

5. Choose a storage space

Your best bet to protect your plow against the elements is to store it somewhere indoors, whether that’s a garage, shed, barn, or even a storage unit you’ve rented.

The ROP Shop's snowplow casters (Rol-A-Blade) can help you keep your plow off the ground and make it easier to move from one spot to another.

If you plan to cover your plow, use a material that won’t trap moisture and encourage rust and corrosion.

6. Consider Any Accessories

Beyond the core components of your plow, other key parts need a once-over before storing it for the season.

• Review your plow’s controller stick for wear or nonworking buttons.
• Check your plow shoes for excessive wear, and make sure your truck’s halogen lights don’t need any bulbs replaced (or perhaps the entire unit).
• Look at your blade marker guides to see if they need to be replaced.
• Consider adding Pro-Wings to the ends of your blade to add life to it and give you a little more reach when the “white gold” falls again.

It’s finally time to store your snowplow

Once you’ve completed the maintenance on this list, your snowplow should be ready for summer storage. You and your plow will be ready to pick up where you left off once winter rolls around again.

If you notice anything amiss during your snowplow maintenance, we may be able to help you out. Check out our selection of snowplow replacement parts and accessories.

[REVISED 12/2023]