Snow Blade Quick attach hydraulic snow blade temp modification

[Retired LE]

I recently purchased a quick attach mounted snow blade for the front of my tractor with hydraulic angle capability.

I will eventually run a hydraulic circuit to the front of the loader so that I can plug in the quick disconnects to allow for angle adjustment from the seat - but in the meantime I want to rig something up so I can lock the blade hydraulically in a set position.

I am thinking of installing a control valve in between the two hydraulic hoses on the blade's single hydraulic angle control cylinder.

Has anyone done this and if so, what components were utilized?

I know that you can't simply install a valve to block flow without having some way to release pressure should the blade strike something. If that were the case I would use a simple 90 degree water shutoff style valve available at the local hardware store and add quick disconnect fittings compatible with the plow hydraulic hose attachments.

Any ideas suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Stonehaller]

Do not use hardware store or big box water valves in hydraulic systems as they are not rated for the pressure. Do not use black or galvanized pipe from the hardware store either in the pressure side of hydraulic circuits either. Get high pressure fittings and hoses. You want a double relief also known as cross over relief or cushion valve to protect the system from overload. Use a ball valve rated for the peak pressure of the relief valve on the opposite side of the cross over relief from the cylinders. Open the ball valve to angle the blade by hand and close the valve to hold in place. The cross over relief will bleed oil from one cylinder to the other if pressure in the cylinder exceeds the relief setting. You can use the cross over relief when you eventually connect the plow angle to the tractor hydraulics.

Cross over relief:
1/2 NPT 3 GPM 15-3 PSI HYD CUSHION VALVE

7250 psi ball valve:
1/2" NPT CARBON STEEL 725 PSI BALL VALVE

 

[RNeumann]

Most SSQA blades with angle have the hydraulics as an add on. Without the add on their are pin holes at a few angles. If that's an option just take the 2 cylinders off and pin it in position. You can also adjust the angle manually but fairly easily.

Stonehaller is correct and the parts purchased now will be uses when you add the third function or rear remote anyway...except the ball valve.

 

[LD1]

Not sure I understand you correctly, but if I do....it wont work.

If I understand, you are wanting to hook the two cylinder hoses to EACH OTHER, and nothing tied to tractor hydraulics? is this correct? And a single Double acting cylinder?

What do you think hooking the two cylinder hoses to each other with a valve is going to accomplish?

Oh, and the above linked crossover valve wont work on a double acting cylinder

 

[Retired LE]

Thank you for the detailed reply AND the links. Only question I have is how to install the cross over relief valve. Would I need to have a second line that bypasses the ball valve and allows pressure to travel from one side of the cylinder to the other in the event of an over-pressure situation? See rough drawing below.

 

[Retired LE]

Not sure I understand you correctly, but if I do....it wont work.

If I understand, you are wanting to hook the two cylinder hoses to EACH OTHER, and nothing tied to tractor hydraulics? is this correct? And a single Double acting cylinder?

What do you think hooking the two cylinder hoses to each other with a valve is going to accomplish?

Oh, and the above linked crossover valve wont work on a double acting cylinder

That is correct. At this point I just want to hook the two hoses together for a closed circuit. I want to install a valve in between the hoses to prevent movement of the cylinder but I want to be able to adjust the blade. So I thought a valve would do the job. But I also know you have to have some way to relieve pressure should the blade edge strike something solid to prevent blowing a hose or blowing the seals in the cylinder.

 

[RNeumann]

The pillow valve is for double hydraulic cylinders. Most plows have 2 for that reason. If you don't have 2 cylinders you will need to skip that device (without a more involved install) and hope your trip springs trip before something blows!

 

[LD1]

It is not gonna work. You need a plow with a pair of cylinders (either a pair of single acting or even a pair of double acting cylinders ) for this to work.

Its not a simple matter of letting fluid go from one side of the cylinder to the other. The volumes are different. How do you account for the space occupied by the cylinder rod entering the barrel of the cylinder?

 

[bcp]

How do the manually adjusted hydraulic top links work? Air in the system to make up the difference? Do it yourself version possible for this plow?

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200512264_200512264

Bruce

 

[Retired LE]

It is not gonna work. You need a plow with a pair of cylinders (either a pair of single acting or even a pair of double acting cylinders ) for this to work.

Its not a simple matter of letting fluid go from one side of the cylinder to the other. The volumes are different. How do you account for the space occupied by the cylinder rod entering the barrel of the cylinder?

I would assume the cylinder on the plow is double acting since it operates to angle the plow left or right. If it was single acting, there would be a spring or other gizmo on it to retract or extend it when pressure is released. Sort of like a hydraulic jack or an engine cherry picker. It only powers one way (up) and retracts via gravity and weight.

The two hydraulic hoses on it current have a male quick disconnect on one end and a female quick disconnect on the other to facilitate hooking up to the tractor hydraulics.

 

[RNeumann]

2 cylinders....

 

[Retired LE]

How do the manually adjusted hydraulic top links work? Air in the system to make up the difference? Do it yourself version possible for this plow?

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200512264_200512264

Bruce

I thought about adapting one of those top links as well. I think they are more of a snubber with some sort of internal cushion effect. But you might have something there......

 

[Retired LE]

2 cylinders....

View attachment 494412

The unit I have has only one cylinder. There is no manual or parts breakdown that I can find and the company tells me the item is too new and there isn't a manual for it yet. I didn't think that was smart given the litigious nature of our society.... But it is what it is.

 

[Shaneard]

the company tells me the item is too new and there isn't a manual for it yet..

If it's new it should have came with a manual. Why would anyone produce something and ship it with no manual........yet. That makes no sense.

 

[RNeumann]

If it has trip springs then skip the pillow valve. Even my double cylinder set up didn't have the pillow valve- I'm adding it though.
So with that said you will need 2 hoses and the ball valve. The cylinder will have either have SAE o-ring style fittings or NPT and the valve will likely be NPT.

I will make no comments about a fireman helping "LE". I'm sure you have already tried shooting it!! Lol

 

[Retired LE]

If it's new it should have came with a manual. Why would anyone produce something and ship it with no manual........yet. That makes no sense.

Agreed. I assumed there would be a manual that came with it. I just got off the phone with them. They're going to research and see if there is a manual and email it if they find one.

Time to go outside and start moving snow.....

 

[Retired LE]

I will make no comments about a fireman helping "LE". I'm sure you have already tried shooting it!! Lol

On a side note, I was saddened to find out later in my career that firemen refer to cops as blue canaries. Perhaps you are aware of the story behind this?

Anyway, I found a small blue glass canary in an antique store some years later and it now sits proudly on my mantel as a reminder..... Said with a smile on my face of course so no hard feelings. ;p)

 

[Retired LE]

So with that said you will need 2 hoses and the ball valve. The cylinder will have either have SAE o-ring style fittings or NPT and the valve will likely be NPT.

Why would I need two hoses? Couldn't I use the hoses that are already on the angle cylinder? I could simply remove the quick disconnects on the ends and attach the hoses to each side of the ball valve correct? Or am I missing something?

 

[LD1]

How do the manually adjusted hydraulic top links work? Air in the system to make up the difference? Do it yourself version possible for this plow?

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200512264_200512264

Bruce

They are an air (or nitrogen) over hydraulic. Similar to a car shock with an external adjustment.

I would assume the cylinder on the plow is double acting since it operates to angle the plow left or right. If it was single acting, there would be a spring or other gizmo on it to retract or extend it when pressure is released. Sort of like a hydraulic jack or an engine cherry picker. It only powers one way (up) and retracts via gravity and weight.

The two hydraulic hoses on it current have a male quick disconnect on one end and a female quick disconnect on the other to facilitate hooking up to the tractor hydraulics.

Fill the cylinder full of oil, couple your hoses together, see if you can move the plow. If you can, you still have air in the system. It aint gonna happen. Once that cylinder is full of oil, you CANNOT compress that cylinder. Where do you suppose the oil that is being displaced by the rod will go?

If you retract the cylinder fully, and only fill the rod side with oil leaving the cylinder partially full of air, Then things will work as you want as air is compressable. But would result in a very spongy plow that wont hold an angle. And what would be the point of even putting oil in the cylinder. Just use it like an air cylinder.

Some plows, have a manual place to pin and hold an angle. If yours has that, it would be a whole lot easier just to take the cylinder off and use it like a manual plow. Or just get the right hydraulics and be done.

If it has trip springs then skip the pillow valve. Even my double cylinder set up didn't have the pillow valve- I'm adding it though.
So with that said you will need 2 hoses and the ball valve. The cylinder will have either have SAE o-ring style fittings or NPT and the valve will likely be NPT.

I will make no comments about a fireman helping "LE". I'm sure you have already tried shooting it!! Lol

Still a good idea to us the CRV. The springs protect the cutting edge, but its limited in its effectiveness if you catch something with a leading edge. And does nothing it whatever you hit is above the ~6-8" height that the plow pivots (trips) around. Like if you were to clip the edge of a solid snow bank, or even craze a tree along side your drive.

And he needs more than two hoses and a ball valve, because what he want wont work.

 

[RNeumann]

OP was asking for a temporary solution to "lock" the blade with the cylinder. Blocking the flow of fluid from one side of the piston to the other would do that - no? The hope would be a hose would fail before the cylinder, if the blade impacted something, which is why just capping the cylinder wasn't recommended.

The hoses you have are fine. Didn't realize you already had hoses.

Of course having the pillow valve is best. The easiest way to set this up is with two equal sized cylinders which allows the "relief" to flow from one cylinder to the other.

The plumbing would be more complex with one cylinder as you would need a way to add and subtract fluid from the cylinder side of the control valve. OP states he has one cylinder though.

I think (hope) we all understand this setup isn't ideal. I'm assuming OP needs or wants to move some snow ASAP and understands the risks.