Mark in Colorado

Get yourself a ProEagle Big Wheel 2 ton and never look back.  

Tug, I appreciate you.  That’s not a bad idea at all considering the button head bolts are just laying around out in my shop, likely.  Will go find a pair.  

If I ever wear out the CanAm blade I’ll go to a Western full hydraulic.  For now I’m ok with the winch lift.  

Did you ever figure this out?  Good to know there may be power up front if I need it.  I’m going to look for them on mine right now.  I’m in an HD10, but they ought to be similar. -Mark

StarvinPilgrim - what kinda blade did you end up with?  

I had a similar issue with the machine not starting after not properly “seating” into PARK.  Sometimes, it just won’t until you get out an shove your machine and hear the ‘click’.  Then it started just fine.  Another remedy was to shift to NEUTRAL - also started fine from there.   Good luck!  -Mark

Imitation - the finest form of flattery...  can’t wait to get mine wired up.  Great job on yours, and thanks for sharing!  

My stock CanAm/SuoerWinch 4500 came with a Synthetic rope that failed after about 3 hours of plow use.  It doesn’t help that my Defender had been a demo unit and the shop used it to recover a rental Commander once.  Anyway, my rope was shot (and I let Lake City Motorsports know about it).  Went with a Warn 8’ plow rope (red!) and - to further mitigate undue rope wear - I installed a Warn Plow Roller Fairlead with a substantially oversized lower roller that really relaxes the bend turning down to the plow.  I found my stock lower roller to be seized and with a bent throug-rod.  Bum deal.  You folks with a plow ought to check yours.  A seized roller will chafe a rope quickly.  I use the heaviest plow CanAm makes - the ProMount 72” Steel, so I figure this to be a decent long term investment.  $118 (rope and Fairlead).  I’ll let you know if it goes bust again.     -Mark

PBRDef19, for me the chains are a must.  Our drive is 318’ long and has two 20% pitches.  Lots of snow and ice.  I worried about not having front chains but it handles the hill just fine with just the rear set. -Mark

Hello - wheels and tires for $650?  Where are you located?  -Mark

We got 10” of snow last night here in Colorado Springs and I wanted to share a real-usage report on how the Defender XT Cab with ProMount 72” Steel plow did.  These were tough conditions: 13F, 10”, very steep (20% grade in spots):

- CanAm 27” Chains: Excellent.  Used 4WD but not the lockers.  Great engine-hold down hill, superb traction uphill.  Work Mode seemed ideal (I tried them all).  I did hit the rear lockers once with it in 2WD just for the fun of it - I swear it would climb a tree.  What an amazingly capable machine.  Fun!

- ProMount 72” Steel - Good, but the stock paint would not shed snow or allow for a good blade roll (see picture).  It loads up badly and sticks.  I’ll be painting the with a Meyer Plow blade paint.  My wife suggested Pam spray!  No issues with the power angling hydraulics at all (even when frozen).  

- Heater / Defroster - AWESOME!  With the winter radiator front it stayed warm (hot really) and fog free under horrible conditions.

- Brakes - Hmmmm, had to mention this: as the machine began to freeze up outside after about 45 min, the brakes required about 3x the foot pressure to stop.  I’ve got a heated garage and I’m thawing then now.  Will research... wrong fluid DOT rating maybe?

- Wiper - Almost Perfect... I’d pay cash money for a wiper delay relay of some kind.  Anyone know of an upgrade?  I found myself constantly reaching up to turn it on/off.  Never once had to use the washer.  The windshield stayed warm to the touch even at near-single-digit temps and blowing snow.

- Headlights - GREAT, but need A Roof Light Bar - a classic plowing problem, but won’t put that CanAm unit up there: ugly, too expensive, too high.  Will wire up a 52” LED bar shortly.

The Can-Am runs circles around my old Bronco plow rig!

- Mark

Mine reads “G” all the time in any gear or mode.  No clue what it’s for.

If you’re in an enclosed cab, and you breathe (most of us do), then your windshield WILL fog - it’s only a matter of time.   The heater defroster will save your bacon.  Without heat, I’d probably just dress warmly and loose the doors to keep the fog down..!  

My only ‘problem’ with the XT Cab heater is that, on warm days, I’ve noticed that the cold setting still pumps out heat.  The settings ought to indicate “hot” and “less hot”.  The blue area in the temp knob is misleading.  It’s not a fan for warm days at all.

Can anyone tell me what “LGS” means? Couldn’t find anything in the little comic book-like Owner’s Manual and I can’t seem to get it to change when switching modes (work, lockers, 4WD, etc...) thanks! -Mark

My XT Cab is the same way.  Purrs outside / noisy as all get-out inside.  This is one area where Polaris has us beat.  The Northstar is like a car inside in terms of noise.  I’m not going back to Rangers though, having lived through the troublesome XP800 era...

Yikes!  Thanks Tug Hill.  Sorted it out.  My dealer flashed-in the latest (something - I don’t know what) on 9/2 and must’ve left it there. 

I purchased a 2nd UTV 30A/hr battery from Napa + some 18” cables, drilled my passenger under-seat box and the battery cover (3/4” holes) hooked up pos. to pos. / neg. to neg. (to keep it 12V, but now a double 60A/hr).  Keep the secondary battery on a Battery Tender 1-2 nights a week - it charges both batteries.  The defender does not have an alternator - it is some sort of old-school VW-like “generator” that requires high rpm’s to provide any kind of real chargeback (and plowing is low RPM, slow going).  Result is that it starts stronger and your blade doesn’t get sluggish / lights don’t go dim when you run lights + plow (and winch) +  heater + etc... for any length of time.  -Mark

Winter is already ON in Colorado Springs so I installed PN 715005108 “Radiator Winter Front” ($39.99) and must say it makes a great improvement.  Cab heats up quicker, defrost works better - happiness when it’s 5F outside.  I plowed for about 1 hour and the coolant temp never exceeded 4 bars (bounced between 3 and 4 depending on speed).  Without the plate it ran between 2-3 bars.  Very easy, neat installation, but you’ll probably want to remember to pull it out come Spring... -Mark

All I know is that the first thing my wife said about our XT Cab was, "Darn - it's so loud in here!"  If you step out side, the machine (an HD10) just purrs - but it's a full cacophony in the cab.  Drop the plow and you need ear phones!  Still love it though.  

Hey Dragoon - It's a 4-D sized MagLight LED light with a standard D-sized MagLight mount kit.  I got them both at Ace Hardware.  Both together cost about $44 out the door.  I used tapping screws (4) and screwed them directly into the dash flat section under the grab rail.  You could probably get a 6-D sized light if you wanted to - it would fit.  I'm out at night, in the cold, running chains... a light is always handy!  Looks cool too!

My brother had Rangers for a long time and they were GREAT, but they don’t have the Can-Am X-Factor..!  If I could get front lockers on my XT Cab, the rig would be complete.  

Agree: mirrors are great.  I also added a second 30A/hr battery.  Here’s a few upgrade pics showing what I did to my 2019 XT Cab so far: 

Bed Rails

MagLight Mount

Chains 

ProSteel Plow

I can tell you this - as someone very experienced with plowing snow: you’d be better off with a defroster and NO doors than full doors and no defroster.  Heck, I’d rather ride a quad and wear goggles than try to plow without a wiper and defroster.  It’s just a reality of snow removal.  It flies up and sticks and you go blind in an instant without support on your windshield.  

Brian - its a Can-Am ProSteel with the hydraulic angling system.  Standard SuperWinch 4500 lift though.  I’ve got a soft cord winch (not a cable).

I’m new here but was happy to see a Defender-dedicated forum.  I’m in a 2019 XT Cab (Camo) that I use for plowing and hunting.  Working on light installation, switches now.  May need help with wiring harness, etc.