2003 GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual - Page 340

Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment Before installing a snow plow on your vehicle, here are some things you'll need to know: Notice: If your vehicle doesn't have the snow plow prep package, adding a plow can damage your vehicle, and the repairs wouldn't be covered by warranty. Unless your vehicle was built to carry a snow plow, don't add oneto your vehicle. If your vehicle has the snow plow option calledRPO VYU (snow plow preppackage), then the payload your vehicle can carry will be reduced when a snow plow is installed. Your vehicle can be damaged if either the front or rear axle ratings, or the GVW, are exceeded. Q: How heavy can a snow plow safely be? A: The plow your vehicle can carry depends on many things, such as: The options your vehicle came with, and the weight of those options, e The weight and number of passengers you intend to carry, The weight of items you've added to your vehicle, like a tool box or truck cap, The total weight of any additional cargo you intend to carry. Q: How do I know if my vehicle can handle a snow plow? Say, for example, you have a700 Ib. (318 kg) snow plow. The total weight of all occupants and cargo inside the cab should not exceed 300 Ib. (135 kg). This means that you may only be able to carry one passenger. But, even this may betoo much if you've got other equipment already adding to the weight of your vehicle. A: Some vehicles are built with a special package, called RPO VYU (snow plow prep package). If your vehicle has this option, you can add a plow to it, provided certain weights, such as the weights on the vehicle's axles and the GVW, aren't exceeded. 4-59