If a plow has been submerged in flood waters it doesn't necessarily mean that it is no longer functional. Snow plows are designed for an environment based on moisture. Because of this, the majority of components can handle direct contact with water. If your snow plow has been submerged because of a flood or other unfortunate event, consider the advice below.
DON'T IMMEMDIATELY TEST THE SNOWPLOW
It is safe to assume that the flood waters have penetrated every inch of the snow plow's electric/hydraulic system. When the flood waters recede, resist the urge to turn on your plow system to see if it works. Turning on the system immediately may cause damage to the plow.Before turning on your snow plow, follow the steps below to determine if there has been any damage to your snow removal equipment.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
The electrical system on the snow plow is one area that moisture can cause some havok. However, with some simple maintenance it can be cleaned and inspected to determine if there has been any damage. Follow these steps:
1. Completely disconnect all electrical connections from the snow plow.
2. Open up the harness loom and flush out any debris.
3. Clean and inspect all electrical terminals. Replace any that appear damaged or corroded.
4. Hang the wiring harness in a heated, dry location until completely dry.
5. Access the wiring schematic for your plow. Perform a continuity test on all the electrical circuits in the harness. If a circuit shows no continuity, repair or replace the wiring harness. If all the circuits show continuity, clean and grease any exposed terminals and wire ends. Then close the harness loom. BOSS SNOWPLOW electrical diagrams can be located here: http://www.bossplow.com/support/technical-information/electrical-system
6. Once the wiring harness is completely dry, the harness can be reinstalled on the plow.
7. Disassemble the headlights and directionals, if possible, and inspect and clean all internal connections. Allow the connections to dry. Grease the terminals and reinstall.
HYDRAULIC SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
The next step in maintaining your snowplow after a flood is to disassemble and flush the hydraulic system. Follow these steps:
1. Drain the hydraulic reservoir and remove the power unit from the snowplow.
2. Completely disassemble the power unit (reservoir, lines, pump, relief valve, fittings and motor).
3. Allow the electrical motor to completely dry out. Inspect the brushes and bearings for debris and clean if necessary.
4. Completely flush the pump, relief valve, breather cap, intake/return lines and reservoir tank. Allow the plow components to dry and then reassemble using new seals and gaskets.
5. Remove the valve manifold from the snow plow. Completely disassemble and remove every valve fitting. BOSS SNOWPLOW hydraulic manifold diagrams can be located here: http://www.bossplow.com/support/technical-information/hydraulic-manifolds
6. Flush the aluminum manifold block. Discard any debris and allow the unit to completely dry. Using an air hose, completely blow out the manifold block.
7. Clean all valve screens and fittings. Remove any debris and using an air hose blow out the components.
8. Reassemble the valve manifold.
9. Remove all hydraulic lines and flush. Blow the lines with an air hose.
10. Remove and hang all the hydraulic cylinders so they can drain. If no water has penetrated the cylinder (milky fluid), reinstall the cylinder. If fluid is present, fully disassemble the cylinder, clean, install new seals and reassemble.
11. With the hydraulic system fully assembled, fill the reservoir with a compatible hydraulic fluid. Turn on the plow. Lift and angle the plow several times in each direction. For additional information, view this article & video on changing the hydraulic fluid http://info.bossplow.com/Blog/bid/108591/How-To-Change-Your-Snow-Plow-Hydraulic-Fluid
12. Drain the fluid and inspect for debris or water. Repeat until the drained fluid is clean. Refill the resevoir. Once you have reassembled the hydraulic and electrical systems, simply inspect and clean any pivot areas and grease if neccessary. If you have additional questions about this process or for parts availability, please contact your local BOSS dealer by visiting http://www.bossplow.com/dealer-locator
