Ordered a snow plow, questions.

[Hombre]

As stated, I just ordered a new 94 inch hydraulic quick attach snow plow. Branson 4020R tractor. I've been reading quite a bit about "proper" usage while plowing snow. Some say that using the float on the loader places to much down pressure and can cause steering issues. I understand the principle there but there doesn't seem to be much down pressure on "float" to me, I use that setting quite a lot when using the bucket cleaning the barn area from "stuff" and a snow removal "finish" around my shop. I need to add I have an 84 inch snow blower on the rear right now but want the plow for "initial" road clearing of snow. My drive is right at a mile long, mostly downhill from the house with a couple steep spots and is all gravel. I've read where using a chain as a float for the plow is a better option. I'm assuming (I know) that the chain is used to limit the drop angle of the plow to "hold" it above the ground a bit, chain being tight at that point. This doesn't really make sense to me as the weight of the implement will still be on the loader arms. What am I not seeing here? Perhaps when the plow arrives (probably right after all the snow is gone) it will make sense to me. The plow weighs 650 lbs. The snowblower is a bit over 900 and will remain on the tractor also. Kinda rambling I know but I'm still on my first cup of coffee. Oh, snow amount right now is about 2 ft on the ground with more coming but the driveway is good as I've ran the rear blade down a couple times, built up the edges then cut back with the snow blower. The front plow will eliminate changing implements, that blower can be a bear to hook up if all isn't just right.....you're experiences or expertise would be appreciated.

 

[450]

The chain is there so you can pick the plow up and the chain allows the plow to float on the ground (up/down). With out a chain it would have to have a solid mount to be able to pick it up and then it would dig into the driveway or not touch it in a lot of places. Unless you have a perfect level driveway. Hope this helps you.

 

[Hombre]

The chain is there so you can pick the plow up and the chain allows the plow to float on the ground (up/down). With out a chain it would have to have a solid mount to be able to pick it up and then it would dig into the driveway or not touch it in a lot of places. Unless you have a perfect level driveway. Hope this helps you.

So what you're saying is that using a chain type plow (hinged attachment point somewhere on plow frame) that the plow "floats" using it's own weight as far as plowing is concerned? The chain being loose allows for following the contour. I had a five yd dump truck with plow that used that system but the plow weighed in the neighborhood of a ton. How do you keep a 500 ish pound plow from riding up as you're pushing the snow. Gonna be a learning experience for sure....Thanks for the reply, I'm sure I'm gonna need help with this. When pushing snow with my International TD 9 crawler, it had a 8 1/2 ft blade that weighed more than the plow on the truck and if I set the blade about 2inches above the snow, (had BIG adjustable feet under the blade)when I saw snow moving out in front about 50ft I knew I had to shove to the side cause' the blade was riding up. ....man you could still tear stuff up with that thing. Stopped using that for snow work.

 

[atsah]

What about using shoes on the plow, set them the height you want and use the joy stick float?

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

That would be my preference, if I was going to run a plow blade off my FEL.

 

[Hombre]

What about using shoes on the plow, set them the height you want and use the joy stick float?

That is my plan. Hope it works.....:laughing:

 

[atsah]

That is my plan. Hope it works.....:laughing:

Do you get any frost in you're location? If you don't get much you could have a problem with the shoes ripping up the gravel, maybe not, try it and see, if you do have trouble you might need to weld or bolt a round piece of tubing the length of the cutting edge and use you're float.

 

[zzvyb6]

Float is all I use except when pulling back to crack any frozen buildup in front of the garage area. I don't use (or need) a chain. I have the plow (an old 7-1/2' Western) mounted to drop arms directly off the tractor frame. At this very moment, I am installing a 1-1/2" x 8" by 7-1/2' rubber strip in front of the steel scraper blade as an experiment to give me better clearing and friendlier contact with my new concrete driveway. The rubber strip is for snow plow use over brick or paver surfaces where a steel scraper blade might dig or scratch the surfaces. Think of it as a squeegee. I will still be using 2 steel mushroom slider pucks to set a blade height. Some of the guys are taking bets on how long the rubber will last. The mounting holes will be slotted so I can drop the rubber strip as it wears. If it lasts just 3 seasons I will be delighted.

 

[XSKIER]

Force vectoring. If you place the loader boom in float, your single push point is the loader boom mounts. This point is about five feet off the ground. The loader boom will be fully pushed back/lowered when attempting to push snow. When you keep your boom lift cylinders in neutral or static position, your push point is now the bucket hinge pin. Low enough to not upset the force of the tractor which is higher. A snow plow doesn't need to be held down against the snow because of the angle of the cutting edge. Once the moldboard gets full of snow, there is a decent amount of force down on the cutting edge. It's the reason that so many struggle with the first wet snow of the year on in frozen ground. The plow lift chain is your best bet.

 

[ruffdog]

Force vectoring. If you place the loader boom in float, your single push point is the loader boom mounts. This point is about five feet off the ground. The loader boom will be fully pushed back/lowered when attempting to push snow. When you keep your boom lift cylinders in neutral or static position, your push point is now the bucket hinge pin. Low enough to not upset the force of the tractor which is higher. A snow plow doesn't need to be held down against the snow because of the angle of the cutting edge. Once the moldboard gets full of snow, there is a decent amount of force down on the cutting edge. It's the reason that so many struggle with the first wet snow of the year on in frozen ground. The plow lift chain is your best bet.

Bingo!

 

[450]

Without the chain setup, you will spend a lot of time fighting the plow trying to find the right spot. Plus with the plow mounted so for out in front on the loader going over uneven terrain with the tractor will make the plow dig in/ come off the ground. The chain setup takes care of that problem.

 

[LD1]

Float doesn't work well going forward. It's made for going backwards

 

[Cougsfan]

I have a 2-1/2 mile private road to plow in Eastern Washington (similar terrain and weather to that of Goldendale). I had at one time planned to use my Branson for plowing. I don't know how steep your road is, but mine has some pretty steep sections. Under certain conditions when there is packed snow that has partially thawed and turned back to ice, my Branson won't even make it up the hills in 4 wheel drive with the FEL raised, and will scare the livnig **** out you sliding out of control down the hills. Just not enough traction with the R4 tires. If it is just fresh snow it goes OK, but I am still limited with how much snow I can push with the FEL (I know that isn't a plow, but I am sure I couldn't push all that much with a plow, especially up hill). If I wanted to use it for plowing snow over a few inches deep I would definately have to install chains all around. I have found my 4 wheel drive truck (with 4 chains on) and plow works much better in most circumstances than my tractor ever would. One would have to work at getting my truck stuck, and I can go much faster than I could with the tractor. I still use the Branson and the FEL to carry snow away when the drifts get too deep to plow. (We have had 4 foot deep drifts a couple times). I have given up on the idea of buying a plow for the tractor. I do wish I had a snow blower for the Branson though. Cause at times the snow gets so deep the plow has nowhere to throw the snow.
We just got a bunch of snow and I am on my way out to plow.

 

[Branson Bob]

I guess it's never a bad time to talk about safety.

The vast majority of tractors only have brakes on the rear wheels so if you happen to be going downhill with a lifted load in the FEL and you find you can't stop, dump the FEL.

If that doesn't stop you, you should push the FEL lever down to lift the front axle of the tractor off the ground so that the majority of the weight shifts to the rear axle where the brakes are acting.

As a general rule with few exceptions if your tractor loses control, drop the FEL... and particularly if you lose braking while carrying a load downhill.

 

[ruffdog]

I guess it's never a bad time to talk about safety.

The vast majority of tractors only have brakes on the rear wheels so if you happen to be going downhill with a lifted load in the FEL and you find you can't stop, dump the FEL.

If that doesn't stop you, you should push the FEL lever down to lift the front axle of the tractor off the ground so that the majority of the weight shifts to the rear axle where the brakes are acting.

As a general rule with few exceptions if your tractor loses control, drop the FEL... and particularly if you lose braking while carrying a load downhill.

Actually, in 4x4, your brakes should act on all 4 tires.

 

[PILOON]

Actually, in 4x4, your brakes should act on all 4 tires.

Not many tractors that I know of have frt wheel brakes. Might stand to be corrected but certainly not on small CUT's.

 

[ruffdog]

Not many tractors that I know of have frt wheel brakes. Might stand to be corrected but certainly not on small CUT's.

If your fronts and rears are locked together when using 4x4, how many wheels stop when you jump on the brakes?

 

[Branson Bob]

Actually, in 4x4, your brakes should act on all 4 tires.

Correct. I should have said, when going downhill with a lifted load first make sure you are in 4 WD.

 

[Cougsfan]

If your wheels have zero traction, doesn't really matter how many brakes you have or where they are. In fact brakes become a detriment.

A few days ago my wife and the neighbor lady were at the bottom of one of our hills watching and waiting for a contractor to come down the freshly plowed hill with with a Bobcat skid steer. (He couldn't get his truck up the hill to carry the Bobcat away, so he decided to bring the Bobcat down to the truck). He was going frontwards, backwards, sideways, and everything but upside down, bouncing from the snow bank one one side of the road to the snow bank on the other (without the snow bank he might have gone off a cliff.) He was trying to use the FEL to slow down, and it was just throwing him into more violent spins. He would come to a stop in the snow banks and would start sliding down again if he tried to go up or down. Fortunately it was all in slow motion. The ladies backed down the hill to get out of his way. He finally did pinball his way down to the bottom. Don't know who was more terrified, the ladies or the contractor. An AWD car with studded tires (a necessity where we live) will go up down that same hill without spinning a wheel. You can even stop in the middle and take off again (not advised though).

 

[450]

I have a 3725ch and it does really good with a plow on the front. I do have all 4-wheels chained up and loaded back tires. Where I live in Alaska, people have some steep/crazy driveways. I also have a plow truck but the tractor will do driveways that my plow truck want. The truck is faster if I can use it but the tractor will cut down deeper leaving less hard pack.