# Tow or plow **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [February 4, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tow-or-plow/26000 "2009-02-04T03:05:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joecode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b38774/32.png) [@joecode](https://community.cartalk.com/u/joecode)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tow-or-plow/26000/1 "2009-02-04T03:05:32Z")
which is worse on a car or truck I think plowing is awful for a tranny and towing is bad on brakes ive got money on this any input ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tow-or-plow/26000/2 "2009-02-04T03:33:56Z")
In general, plowing by far. But it really depends upon the frequency, your set up etc. Can loose a tranny in one bad storm on a new truck if you’re not careful. The front end really gets a beating as well with ice build up and those hidden “obstacles”. Towing doesn’t seem to involve anywhere near as many different potential problems. Would never buy a used plow truck unless it were dirt cheap and going to be used only for plowing… ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tow-or-plow/26000/3 "2009-02-04T03:53:53Z")
How much weight are we talking about towing? Larger trailers have electric brakes or surge brakes, which mitigates wear on the tow vehicle’s brakes. If the truck doing the towing has a towing package, it is probably has a robust radiator, thansmission cooler, and alternator. In this case, plowing would cause more wear than towing.