Snow Equipment Owning/Operating FEL Snow blade questions

[Professor Marvel]

Once again I am turning to you guys for help
After guidance from this forum I have decided that I will want to put a remote on my tractor so I can hydro angle the blade I buy. But I am not in a position to put out all that money yet so I decided to get a manual angle blade that can have the hydro option added later. I am down to 2 blades. one is 400 lbs and the other is 650 lbs. Pricing similar.
My question is what are the lighter/heavier weight advantages? Does one plow better? Is one less likely to tear up my FEL arms etc?
Tractor NH TC45D QA FEL

 

[JB4310]

Once again I am turning to you guys for help
After guidance from this forum I have decided that I will want to put a remote on my tractor so I can hydro angle the blade I buy. But I am not in a position to put out all that money yet so I decided to get a manual angle blade that can have the hydro option added later. I am down to 2 blades. one is 400 lbs and the other is 650 lbs. Pricing similar.
My question is what are the lighter/heavier weight advantages? Does one plow better? Is one less likely to tear up my FEL arms etc?
Tractor NH TC45D QA FEL

650 pound snow plow ? how big is it?

The heavier plow would clean down to the surface better, not sure which one would be less wear for your FEL but am guessing the lighter one, which is not light by my standards either.

JB

 

[grsthegreat]

My 84" snow blade weighs in at 635#. I think they need to be heavy to stay on the ground and not float over the snow berm.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I am not familiar with the NH nunbers. If it is a compact/sub-compact putting a snow plow on your FEL bucket pins does not sound like a good idea. If the NH is a heavy duty FEL that will lift and push a lot you are probably OK. The smaller tractor manufacturers offer a a snow plow that attaches to a proprietary front quick hitch that puts the load direct to the frame not the FEL arms. You then use the FEL Hydraulics. Just priced one for my Kubota BX 25. The 60" blade is $1200 and the QH is $600 plus shipping. The Kubota blade assembly comes equipped with cylinders to lift and angle. The QH also accomodates their Snow blower and Broom units. I think I will buy the QH first as it will be a correct fit to the tractor and I will not have to adapt. Then I will look for a used blade that I may have to adapt to the QH. The dealer was quick to point out that the capacity of the blade is limited to snow, sand, loose gravel and loose soil and not to used as a bulldozer. Here again that is a function of the frame capacity and the HP available. I have seen some large tractors that bull doze pretty well but not with the FEL unless it is a 4 in one type.

In the interim I have set my BX25 FEL up with clamp on with skid shoes (home made) and will use that if we get 6" or more snow at once. Less than that and I would not plow anyway. Big mistake folks here in Puget Sound make is scrape down to nothing and then wonder why the remaining ice layer is slicker than a pack of snow. After I get the QH I bet I find other ways to hook something to it. Thinking maybe adapt a junked forklift mast to it as that puts the load on the frame not the bucket arms. Some more winter projects.

Ron

 

[Professor Marvel]

They are 8' blades. I think the heavier one is also designed for moving dirt which I am not interested in for my FEL arms.

 

[JB4310]

My 84" snow blade weighs in at 635#. I think they need to be heavy to stay on the ground and not float over the snow berm.

Wow, I never weighed mine but I cut down a Myers truck plow from 7.5ft to 6.5ft or 78" so I could mount it to the frame of my tractor, I can muscle it around by hand. And this plow was designed to be pushed by a 3/4 ton truck.

I don't think it weighs more than 3 to 400 pounds, where are these 600 pound plows coming from? I know Fishers are heavier.

JB

 

[grsthegreat]

Wow, I never weighed mine but I cut down a Myers truck plow from 7.5ft to 6.5ft or 78" so I could mount it to the frame of my tractor, I can muscle it around by hand. And this plow was designed to be pushed by a 3/4 ton truck.

I don't think it weighs more than 3 to 400 pounds, where are these 600 pound plows coming from? I know Fishers are heavier.

JB

Mines made by "Quick Attach" and theres alot of 1/4" steel on it.

 

[scrappy isb67]

Wow, I never weighed mine but I cut down a Myers truck plow from 7.5ft to 6.5ft or 78" so I could mount it to the frame of my tractor, I can muscle it around by hand. And this plow was designed to be pushed by a 3/4 ton truck.

I don't think it weighs more than 3 to 400 pounds, where are these 600 pound plows coming from? I know Fishers are heavier.

JB

these plows are HEAVY! the biggest one for a LD truck(3/4-1 Ton) is 924lbs + mounts@~90lbs for around ~1014lbs total weight. Their 7'-6" HD model is ~700lbs. And their smallest blade(a 6'-8" model) for a UTV is 308lbs.+mounts!

Snow Plows, Spreaders, Snow Removal Equipment | Blizzard

 

[scrappy isb67]

Wow, I never weighed mine but I cut down a Myers truck plow from 7.5ft to 6.5ft or 78" so I could mount it to the frame of my tractor, I can muscle it around by hand. And this plow was designed to be pushed by a 3/4 ton truck.

I don't think it weighs more than 3 to 400 pounds, where are these 600 pound plows coming from? I know Fishers are heavier.

JB

these plows are HEAVY! the biggest one for a LD truck(3/4-1 Ton) is 924lbs + mounts@~90lbs for around ~1014lbs total weight. Their 7'-6" HD model is ~700lbs. And their smallest blade(a 6'-8" model) for a UTV is 308lbs.+mounts!

Snow Plows, Spreaders, Snow Removal Equipment | Blizzard

 

[wolfpack2]

My 8' blade weighs in at 635 lbs. My TC40D handles it with no problem. If you hit any chunks of ice or heavily packed snow you might tear up the lighter weight plow. I would be afraid of the light weight blade not surviving more than a couple of seasons depending on how you use it.

Kwik-Way Manual Angle Blade 8Ft. Wide, Model# 35-12910 | Snowplows + Blades | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[Professor Marvel]

Thanks
Is that Kwik way capable of adding a hydro angle later if you want?

 

[grsthegreat]

My 8' blade weighs in at 635 lbs. My TC40D handles it with no problem. If you hit any chunks of ice or heavily packed snow you might tear up the lighter weight plow. I would be afraid of the light weight blade not surviving more than a couple of seasons depending on how you use it.

Kwik-Way Manual Angle Blade 8Ft. Wide, Model# 35-12910 | Snowplows + Blades | Northern Tool + Equipment

yeiks...mine sais it weight 835# also.....
it has the hydraulic angle adjust and a right and a left snow gate. Hardened shoes. Im all ready for the snow.... but really dont want to see it yet. too early

 

[wolfpack2]

Thanks
Is that Kwik way capable of adding a hydro angle later if you want?

They do offer the option. I don't have any remotes on the current tractor, so I don't have a need for it at this time. I am looking at a new tractor for next year that has the third function on the loader, so I will be ordering the kit when/if I pull the trigger on the new machine.

 

[Bigturk]

I wouldn't hesitate to put the heavier plow on your NH tractor. The manual angle should work well for you. I have a power angle and seldom have it angled too much either direction. Too much angle will push my front end around. So just adjust your plow for a slight angle left or right and have at her. One advantage of the hydraulic cylinder would be some relief(via the cylinders relief valve) from hitting a solid object.

 

[Professor Marvel]

Thanks for the input guys. I was just about committed to a Worksaver 90" 575 lb that ends up about 2700 delivered. Wolfpack present a less expensive alternative for me. The Kwik way ends up about 1900 delivered. I am normally skeptacle about a Northern product but a blade is a fairly low tech product and Wolfpack speaks well of his. The lead time is about the same on both.
They can both have optional hydro angle added later if desired. The Worksaver has oscillation that helps it stay with the surface but now I have to decide if it is an 800 dollar value. I am kinda thinkin not.
I sure hope I decide what I want before snow arrives.
Any thoughts? I will probably only ever buy 1 front blade and it will be with me as long as I have a need for a snow blade and just do not want to have any regrets. I know - I am a dreamer.

 

[wolfpack2]

Northern also carries a Kwik-Way with oscillation (float).

Kwik-Way Heavy-Duty Manual Angle Blade with Float 8Ft. Wide, Model# 35-28004 | Snowplows + Blades | Northern Tool + Equipment

You can find out more about the manufacturer at the link below.

DOZER BLADES | KW Manufacturing

They are made for skid steers and pushing dirt / stone. So I figured snow should be easy on it. So far so good.
Beware that the photos in Norther Tool show the optional top extension that they do not offer. They also list a rubber cutting edge that is actually steel.

 

[Professor Marvel]

Thanks Wolfpack. That looks like exactly what I want but at almost 1000 lbs I am afraid that it might be too much for my tractor. From their website I see they might have a lighter one for less than 50 hp tractors. I sent them a note requesting more info.