Understanding Wing Plows in Snow Removal: A Comprehensive Guide

When winter blankets roads in snow and ice, municipalities and highway departments as well as private snow removal companies deploy fleets of snowplows to keep roadways, parking lots and driveways clear and safe for travel. Among the most effective tools in their arsenal are wing plows, specialized attachments designed to enhance the efficiency and coverage of snow removal operations. Wing plows come in different configurations, including front plows with hydraulic wings, plow wings that attach to the side of municipal plow trucks and less commonly – rear mounted snow blades for tractors. Understanding how these tools work and their advantages can shed light on their crucial role in winter road maintenance.

What is a Wing Plow?

A wing plow is a plow blade mounted to the front of heavy equipment or an extra angled blade for a snowplow truck or tractor mounted on the side or rear. These wings allow for increased snow-clearing width, reducing the number of passes required to clear a given area. They are particularly useful for highway and municipal road maintenance, where covering large expanses efficiently is critical.

Wing plows can be broadly categorized into three types:

1. 1. Front plows with hydraulic wings
   2. Side Mounted Plow Wings
   3. Rear Mounted Plow Wings

All three configurations significantly improve the efficiency of snow removal efforts by maximizing the plowing width and ensuring that roads remain clear during heavy snowfall.

Front Plows with Hydraulic Wings

Front plows with hydraulic wings are an advanced type of snowplow that features extendable wings on either side of the main front blade. These wings can be hydraulically adjusted to expand or retract as needed. When fully extended to the sides, they significantly increase the width of the area being plowed, making them ideal for clearing highways, major roads, and large parking lots. When the wings are angled forward, they convert the plow into a snow pusher. When angled backwards, they increase snow containment for back dragging.

Advantages of Front Plows with Hydraulic Wings

• Increased Efficiency: By extending the plow’s width, these systems allow a single machine – generally a wheel loader, tractor or skid steer – to clear more snow in fewer passes, reducing overall fuel and labor costs.
• Versatility: Operators can adjust the wing angles settings depending on road conditions, improving maneuverability in tight spaces.
• Enhanced Control: Hydraulic systems give drivers precise control over the plow’s configuration, making it easier to adapt to varying snow accumulations and road layouts as well as adjusting the direction in which they’d like to move the snow.
• Compact for Transport: The ability to fold the wings when not in use makes driving and storing the truck more convenient and safer.

These types of plows are particularly useful for departments that need to clear multi-lane roads and other large spaces quickly and efficiently. The ability to change the width of the plow on the go allows for seamless adaptation to different roadway and parking lot conditions.

One great example of a front wing plow is the KAGE SnowDozer Wing which is available with anywhere from a 10- to 18-foot center section and 4- or 5- foot wings on either end of the center section that pivot a full 180 degree and operate both independently and together. This beast of a wing plow is 48 inches tall and is designed for 300+ horsepower tractors and 30k to 50K-pound wheel loaders.

Side-Mounted Plow Wings

Side-mounted wing plows, also known as wing blades or wing extensions, are additional plow attachments mounted on the side of municipal plow trucks. These wings help push snow farther off the road, widening the cleared path beyond what the front plow can achieve alone.

Advantages of Side-Mounted Wing Plows

• Wider Clearing Path: These wings significantly expand the plowing width, enabling the truck to clear more of the road with each pass.
• Reduced Snow Pile-Up: By moving snow further off the road, side-mounted wings help prevent snowbanks from encroaching on lanes, improving visibility and road safety.
• Increased Efficiency: With both a front and side plow working simultaneously, a single truck can perform the work of multiple trucks, reducing overall operational costs.
• Ideal for Shoulder Clearing: Side-mounted wings are particularly effective for clearing highway shoulders, ensuring safe pull-off areas for vehicles.

Municipalities and highway departments often rely on these side-mounted wings to maximize plowing efficiency, especially during heavy storms where keeping roads clear is a continuous challenge.

Rear-Mounted Plow Wings

Rear-mounted wing plows, also known as back blades or rear snow blades, are plow attachments mounted on the rear of an ag tractor – generally to a three-point hitch. Like side-mounted wings for plow trucks, these wings help push snow farther off to the side, widening the cleared path beyond what the front plow can achieve alone.

Advantages of Rear-Mounted Wing Plows

• Wider Clearing Path: These wings significantly expand the plowing width, enabling the tractor to clear more snow with each pass.
• Reduced Snow Pile-Up: By moving snow further to the side, rear-mounted tractor wings help prevent snowbanks from blocking visibility.
• Increased Efficiency: With both a front and rear-mounted plow working simultaneously, a single tractor can perform the work of multiple machines, reducing overall operational time and labor expenses.
• Ideal for Under Semi Trailers: Rear-mounted wings are particularly effective for clearing highway shoulders, ensuring safe pull-off areas for vehicles.

Municipalities and private snow removal companies are able to make use of less expensive high horsepower tractors with these rear-mounted wings to maximize snow moving capabilities.

One great example of a rear mounted plow wing is the KAGE ShadowBlade, which mounts to the rear 3-point hitch of 9,500-lb ag tractors. This wing can be deployed on either side of the tractor and switched to to the opposite side when needed without leaving the cab. At 33 inches tall, the 9 foot blade and optional 18-inch extension, easily fits under the front of semi trailers

The Role of Wing Plows in Snow Management Strategy

Effective winter road maintenance requires careful planning and the right equipment. Wing plows play an integral role in a broader snow management strategy that includes:

• Pre-treatment of Roads: Applying salt or brine before a storm to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the pavement.
• Strategic Deployment: Assigning plow trucks with wing plows to key routes where expanded clearing width can make the most impact.
• Snowbank Management: Using wing plows to push snow further off roads to avoid excessive snow buildup that can reduce lane width over time.
• Efficient Plowing Techniques: Training operators to use hydraulic wings and side-mounted plows effectively for maximum road coverage and minimal fuel consumption.

Challenges and Considerations

While wing plows offer many advantages, there are also challenges to consider:

• Operator Training: Drivers must be trained to handle wider plows safely, especially in tight urban areas or near traffic.
• Maintenance: Hydraulic systems and moving parts require regular maintenance to ensure reliability during winter storms.
• Vehicle Stability: The additional width of side-mounted wing plows can affect the machine balance (both positively and negatively), especially when pushing heavy, wet snow. 
• Visibility: Extra caution is needed to ensure the wings do not interfere with other vehicles or roadside obstacles.

When using snow plow wings that are positioned behind the machine operator, it is often helpful to use a laser snow plow guide – like KAGE’s Wingline product – which projects a laser light in front of the cab to show the projected path of the wing. This serves multiple purposes, including alerting the driver that the wing is deployed, assisting in precision plowing and saving strain on the operators neck from having to look behind him or her to check for the wing.

Wing plows, whether in the form of hydraulic front plows or  side- or rear-mounted extensions, are indispensable in modern snow removal efforts. Their ability to clear wider paths in a single pass increases efficiency, reduces operational costs, and ensures safer travel and parking spaces for motorists. 

Municipalities, highway departments and other snow removal operations continue to invest in these technologies to improve winter road and outdoor property maintenance, ensuring that communities remain functional even in the harshest winter conditions. With proper training, strategic deployment, and regular maintenance, wing plows will remain a critical tool in snow management for years to come.