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WARN INDUSTRIES  *  BASIC GUIDE TO PLOWING

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GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

MOVING PARTS ENTANGLEMENT
HAZARD

Failure to observe these instructions could
lead to severe injury or death.

• Always  stay clear of moving parts and joints.
• Always  keep others away when operating or

adjusting plow.

• Always perform regular inspections and

maintenance on the plow mechanism, fasteners,
rope and related hardware.

• Always replace all worn or damaged parts before

operating.

• Never operate this WARN product with damaged

or missing parts.

• Always drive slowly over bumpy and rough

terrain. Driving at speeds that cause the plow to
bounce while in the up position may cause the lift
system to back-drive, lowering the plow down.
This may result in the plow impacting a stationary
object and cause damage to the vehicle and
operator injury or death.

• Always drive at speeds such that the plow does

not bounce and be aware of the plow position
while driving at all times.

• Never raise the plow to a solid (stall/lock) position

against vehicle, as it may damage the vehicle lift
device and plow.

• Always wear a helmet and appropriate riding

gear when operating the vehicle.

• Always store the plow system in a dry place

when not in use.

• Always lower the plow to the down position

before leaving the vehicle unattended.

• Never operate the plow near bystanders.
• Never be near or contact the plow or lifting

device while the plow is being raised or
lowered.

• Always operate plow vehicle with care.  Vehicle

weight balance and stability can be greatly
changed when a plow is attached and when the
vehicle is pushing a loaded plow.  With this
change, steering and vehicle control will be
different.

• Always use appropriate and adequate care in

lifting components into place.

• Always insure components will remain secure

during installation and operation.

• Always tighten all nuts and bolts securely, per the

installation instructions.

WARNING

WARNING

MOVING PARTS ENTANGLEMENT
HAZARD

Failure to observe these instructions could
lead to severe injury or death.
To avoid injury to hands or fingers:

• Never remove the hook from the end of the winch

rope.  The hook prevents the end of the winch
rope from being pulled into the roller-fairlead.
Removal of the hook increases the chance that
fingers or other extremities may be pulled into the
roller-fairlead causing personal injury.  Leave the
winch hook on and always follow safe winching
techniques as described in the Winching Guide
included with your winch.

• Never winch with the rope outside of the roller-

fairlead.  Doing so can result in severe vehicle
damage and rope wear that can cause the winch
rope to break suddenly and potentially cause
destructive vehicle damage and major injury or
death to riders and bystanders.  Always route the
rope through the roller-fairlead before winching.

• Always check the winch for back-driving and rope

nesting before plowing.  Failure to do so may
cause the plow to creep downward when in the up
position.  If the plow creeps down low enough, the
blade may hit a stationary object ejecting the rider
from the vehicle and causing serious injury or
death.

• Always check lift mechanism, straps or winch

rope integrity before plowing.  Failure to do so
may cause the plow to drop suddenly from the up
position and impact a low-lying object, potentially
ejecting the rider from the vehicle and causing
serious injury or death.

• Always replace winch rope if appears worn or

frayed before plowing.

• Always be sure the latch lever handle is fully

engaged before plowing.  In some instances it
may be necessary to push the handle to engage it
into the plow base.  Failure to properly engage the
plow may result in loss of vehicle control which
can lead to vehicle damage, personal injury, or
even death.

• Always operate the vehicle at a low speed with

the blade installed. Never exceed 5 mph (8 km/h),
even with blade up.  Use low range if vehicle is
equipped.

Summary of Contents for ProVantage

Page 1: ...015 8903 USA Customer Service 1 800 543 WARN 9276 Fax 1 503 722 3000 www warn com Every plowing situation has the potential for personal injury In order to minimize that risk it is important that you read this Basic Guide carefully familiarize yourself with the operation of your plow before having to use it and be constantly safety oriented In this Guide we will set forth many of the basic rules o...

Page 2: ... as directed in installation instructions Warnings and Cautions WARNING FALLING OR CRUSHING HAZARD Failure to observe these instructions could lead to severe injury or death Never use winch to lift or move persons Never use winch as a hoist or to suspend a load Never operate winch with less than 5 wraps of rope around the drum Rope could come loose from the drum as the rope attachment to the drum ...

Page 3: ...bolts securely per the installation instructions WARNING WARNING MOVING PARTS ENTANGLEMENT HAZARD Failure to observe these instructions could lead to severe injury or death To avoid injury to hands or fingers Never remove the hook from the end of the winch rope The hook prevents the end of the winch rope from being pulled into the roller fairlead Removal of the hook increases the chance that finge...

Page 4: ...e CAUTION MOVING PARTS ENTANGLEMENT HAZARD Failure to observe these instructions could lead to minor or moderate injury Winching Safety Always inspect rope hook and slings before operating winch Frayed kinked or damaged rope must be replaced immediately Damaged components must be replaced before operation Protect parts from damage Never leave remote control plugged into winch when free spooling ri...

Page 5: ...t Never submerge winch in water Always store the remote control in a protected clean dry area Always double line or pick distant anchor point when rigging This maximizes pulling power and avoids overloading the winch NOTICE CAUTION CUT AND BURN HAZARD Failure to observe these instructions could lead to minor or moderate injury To avoid injury to hands and fingers Always wear heavy leather gloves w...

Page 6: ...lled Never exceed 5 mph 8 km h even with blade up Use low range if vehicle is equipped The WARN ProVantage plow system is divided into four separate kits This allows the user to build a plow system per his her liking and for the specific vehicle they own A user must have one of each kit in order to have a working plow system A complete plow system is made up of four kits 1 PLOW BLADE 2 PLOW BASE A...

Page 7: ...material The ribs on the back and the structure on the bottom of the blade provide strength and rigidity 1 CA CA CA CA CAUTION UTION UTION UTION UTION Never operate or install a winch without reading or understanding the operator s manuals Always read and understand product manuals and warnings prior to installation and use 1 2 3 4 6 5 9 4 5 7 3 8 10 10 2 The Wear Bar is the rectangular metal bar ...

Page 8: ...replaced as needed The Plow Blade Return Spring restrains the plow blade in an upright position during plowing If the blade wear bar contacts a very low non movable object the blade will roll over forward against the force of this spring The Spring Tension Bracket is used to tension the return spring and secure the spring end to the swivel base assembly Be sure the left and right are on the same s...

Page 9: ...vot platform This platform supports the blade and allows the blade to pivot from side to side as selected by the operator It also provides lift points for raising the plow blade with a winch or plow lift 9 WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING Never remove the hook from the end of the winch rope The hook prevents the end of the winch rope from being pulled into the roller fairlead Removal of the...

Page 10: ...NING WARNING Always check the winch for back driving and nesting before plowing Failure to do so may cause the plow to creep downward when in the up position If the plow creeps down low enough the blade may hit a stationary object ejecting the rider from the vehicle and causing serious injury or death Always check winch rope integrity before plowing Failure to do so may cause the plow to drop sudd...

Page 11: ... fairlead This fairlead has a large bottom roller that will reduce rope wear Using a winch to raise and lower a plow will cause rope wear Always replace a damaged or worn rope Consult the WARN Basic Guide to Winching booklet A winch rope may be rigged single or double line A double line requires a pulley to be attached to the plow The winch rope is then routed from the roller fairlead around the p...

Page 12: ... front of the blade out of the operator s vision Plow lift is another method for lifting the plow This device is specifically designed to lift the plow blade and does not use a rope Plow Lift Rope is a durable synthetic rope that replaces the winch rope This rope stands up to the repeated sharp angle pulls used to lift a heavy plow blade Use this rope with the Plow Roller Fairlead for maximum rope...

Page 13: ...cks firmly to the mount Remove the pin and bend the bail wire as needed to insure that it fits tightly to the mount CA CA CA CA CAUTION UTION UTION UTION UTION WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING Always inspect rope hook and slings before operating winch Frayed kinked or damaged rope must be replaced immediately Damaged components must be replaced before operation Protect parts from damage Alw...

Page 14: ...l need to be rotated and set to the same position Use a 17mm wrench to loosen the lower M10 lock nut securing each bracket Use a 17mm wrench to remove the M10 lock nut and carriage bolt near the top of the bracket Insert a 3 8 drive ratchet or breaker bar into a square bracket hole that will not be used for the bolt Press the bracket down to align the holes in bracket and base Secure each bracket ...

Page 15: ...de of the plow base will need to be rotated and set to the same position Use a 17mm wrench to loosen the M10 nut Release the spring tension by placing a 3 8 square drive ratchet into the spring bracket loosen the bracket adjustment bolts and apply force to the ratchet to relieve the upper adjustment bolt Remove the bolt and allow the spring tension to go to zero Repeat on the other side Always wea...

Page 16: ...usting tire pressure and adding or removing weight from the vehicle Be sure to include the weight of the driver on the vehicle when setting up the machine WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING Vehicle weight balance and stability can be greatly changed when a plow is attached and when the vehicle is pushing a loaded plow With this change steering and vehicle control will be different Always oper...

Page 17: ...p your progress Too little may not get the job done Never plow side hills steeper than 10 degrees Step 1 PUT ON GLOVES INSPECT YOUR EQUIPMENT Look for loose hardware worn components and inspect for damage Correct issues before you plow Set blade pivot to straight position Step 2 POSITION THE BLADE ASSEMBLY AND VEHICLE Carefully move the vehicle and plow assembly to a flat level area and about 3 1m...

Page 18: ...ayers at a relaxed attack angle minimizing load on the plow and vehicle Finish the job with an aggressive attack angle to leave a clean surface Step 8 PLAN YOUR ROUTE AND WORK SCOPE Make sure you know what is under the material you are plowing Avoid impacting hidden objects Be sure bystanders are aware of your activities and that they stay clear It is usually best to plow the outer edge of the are...

Page 19: ...icle and place the blade face down so that the plow base and bushing are vertical Spray a light lubricating oil around the base retaining plate and then rotate the tube assembly a few times to either side Repeating this a few times will allow the oil to enter the pivot bushing area The base retaining plate may need to be removed for cleaning and thorough lubrication if the pivot assembly does not ...

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