Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Pictures of your snow weapons

[TractorTYMe]

I didn't get a written report over what was done, mechanic that was on it was off today. But they readjusted somethings after what the counter lady said. I will mount it up to make sure there is no more vibrations on the PTO shaft.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Anyone have a SSQA plow? I have been using a rear blade but like the idea of a FEL plow.

 

[RoyJackson]

Anyone have a SSQA plow? I have been using a rear blade but like the idea of a FEL plow.

Not a SSQA type...Deere type attach


Works pretty good, trips too much, but that's adjustable tightening up the springs. This blade is a manual angle, but a hydraulic package is available
I use the in conjunction with a 72" 3PH snow blower.
Sold the tractor, BTW...so, I'm either going to sell this blade or get another Deere to rig it to...

 

[TheFarmerInAdell]

Anyone have a SSQA plow? I have been using a rear blade but like the idea of a FEL plow.

I built one out of an old Western plow. Used the blade, a-frame, and cylinders. I cut the a-frame off just after the cylinders and welded the pin brackets back on. I cut the truck side pin mounts off and welded those onto the SSQA plate. I then welded the chain lift arm onto the SSQA plate. The lift arm has since tore apart (after a violent bounce-back from blade trip) so I just welded the chain onto the SSQA plate. I originally made this for my skid loader, but have since sold the skid loader and now use this on my tractor. I am thinking about adding weight to the plow because it doesn't scrape as well as I'd like.

You can kind of see the set-up in this picture.

 

[Fallon]

Anyone have a SSQA plow? I have been using a rear blade but like the idea of a FEL plow.

I like the idea as well, but it has some drawbacks. Mostly that loader float doesn't work & commercial blades don't have blade float.

Plow #1. Cheap garage sale plow off a Jeep or something. I welded a 3pt quick hitch to a SSQA plate. That made a good mount with float. The OEM plow frame had maybe 15 degrees of rotational float (by design, not wear). Probably to much float in my mount as I could bounce the plow frame past vertical if I tried. It was lighter, manual angle, stick out way to far & attached to an open station tractor. So it got sold with the L3200.

Plow #2. I got a decent deal on a new SSQA Snow Dawg. Much heavier, hydraulic angle, pre-built unit. Just like every other commercial one I've seen its a solid mount with no float. I figured I could rebuild it with float if needed. 2? 3? Winters later I'm very much of the opinion I need to rebuild it with float, but it barely doesn't make my urgent to do list.

I guess a solid mount works well for a compact skid steer on flat parking lots. But a longer tractor on less smooth gravel roads, not as much. You end up plowing a lot of gravel. Float let's the blade follow contours. Floating your loader doesn't work just like digging with your loader in float doesn't work. You end up with your front tires 2' off the ground.

Your plow hanging way out also sucks. The further out your plow the more leverage it has. Angle the plow in big snow & you just get pushed to the side. If the plow was on tighter, there would be less push sideways. Also the more compact the more maneuverable.

Several people have posted SSQA plow builds that are really compact & have float. I'll likely poach some of their design ideas when I finally rebuilt mine with float.

I recently got a rear blade again (for dirt work the SSQA plow & box blade couldn't do or do well). It has some advantages, but I like the visibility of the SSQA despite the disadvantages.

Stay away from the cheap light SSQA plows with a double acting cylinder for angle. They are more compact, but are pretty weak. You can't put a crossover relief valve to protect your cylinders or loader on 1 double acting cylinder. They also usually don't have a trip edge.

 

[LouNY]

I have a power angling SSQA plow for my loader.
It does stick out way to far for easy use, once the driveway has frozen hard it works OK.
If I was going to do it again I would under sling mount a pickup plow, preferably a large adjustable V style.
View attachment tractor n blade1.jpg View attachment tractor n blade2.jpg
There are several threads on mounting blades to the loaders.

 

[Rustyiron]

I built this one with both l/r tilt to follow the ground and a telescoping top link type connection (see the tube in a tube).

For the lateral movement I came up with this, the 1" bolt in the middle is the pivot point and the outside of that "beam" rides against the framework to bear the pushing forces along with stops that limit the movement (rotation).

Those series of holes are where the plow pins on. I put a hole above and below the middle hole, that's where the A frame is level with the boom against the frame stops. It might be nice to adjust the attack angle of the plow.

It tilts either direction this much and I need that around here, plus it's better for the plow and does a better scrape at strange grades.

The trouble with a tractor loader arm mounting Falon described above, but if you don't have a lot of turning to do it's a cheap date and a simple chain for a "top link" will work. The setup here allows for down pressure and float. there's about 6" of travel with this setup and I found that to be too much. On the SS I only use the "bucket tilt" to lift the blade unless I'm stacking piles, and the 6" just kinda wasted time taking all the travel out before the blade lifted.

 

[Rustyiron]

Ignore the Harley pic, I'm trying to sell it. I screwed up and don't know how to delete it.

 

[airbiscuit]

Here is a good thread about an underslung mount that floats or can do down pressure.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/408923-setback-underslung-ssqa-snow-plow.html

 

[joeyd]

Here's my set up. 7' blade and 68" rear mounted blower. The blade does not stick out excessively but I make sure I am aware of it when I am plowing. I don't want to tweak a loader arm.

 

[grsthegreat]

Here's my set up. 7' blade and 68" rear mounted blower. The blade does not stick out excessively but I make sure I am aware of it when I am plowing. I don't want to tweak a loader arm.

View attachment 671315

you must be from down under. I hate it when my pics show upside down.

 

[metalbender]

Have a generic Chinese ssq type plow. Works ok, trips too easy, did the pipe mod to the cutting edge, works better now. Heavy built but loose in linkage for the hydraulic angle. Does tick all the boxes for the price. Currently working on a fel mount pto powered blower to be used in conjunction with a rear blade for my snow clearing.

 

[ArlyA]

just for the reference, here is snow machine/weapon I operated this past winter. :laughing:

 

[fruitcakesa]

8 foot PA ssqa front blade with center pivoting and the BB for rear pushing in winter.

 

[beenthere]

joeyd
Is that on a SSQA mount to the FEL?

For various reasons (many listed above), I went directly to fab'ing a QA for the front of the tractor (close, FEL removed, floats, less storage room, tighter turns, more robust, etc.)

 

[Gordon Gould]

Here is a good thread about an underslung mount that floats or can do down pressure.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/408923-setback-underslung-ssqa-snow-plow.html

Thanks airbiscuit. Here is a short video my wife took plowing 9" of heavy wet snow in late March with that plow. You can see the gravel was soft and not frozen any more. I did turn up some gravel but not too bad. The flow was floating with just it's own weight on the road. Since it was spring I stayed inside the banks to keep the gravel in the road. Easy to fix later.

M5640 Tractor Plowing 9" of Snow - YouTube

gg

 

[joeyd]

Thanks airbiscuit. Here is a short video my wife took plowing 9" of heavy wet snow in late March with that plow. You can see the gravel was soft and not frozen any more. I did turn up some gravel but not too bad. The flow was floating with just it's own weight on the road. Since it was spring I stayed inside the banks to keep the gravel in the road. Easy to fix later.

M5640 Tractor Plowing 9" of Snow - YouTube

gg

I hate plowing when the ground isn't frozen. Staying "inside the lines" does make it easier to clean up after the snow melts.

 

[joeyd]

you must be from down under. I hate it when my pics show upside down.

:thumbsup:

 

[srs]

Roy, just curious why did you sell the tractor?

 

[RoyJackson]

Roy, just curious why did you sell the tractor?

Couple reasons:
Curtis Cabs are OK...better then nothing and factory cabs weren't too common when the 4520 was sold in 2005
However, if you have to do work behind the instrument panel, the cab has to be removed or, at least, partially disassembled. For example, I needed to replace the fuel tank sender and the cab would require removal (per the dealer. My "fix" was just keeping the tank full
The Curtis cab had a lot of openings to the outside. In defense of Curtis cab, there may have been pieces (gaskets, corner pieces and such) installed initially (in 2005). Even with a heater, it was pretty cold and drafty.
So, a better cab was one of the reasons
No AC available (at time of installation), but the doors could come off and both the front and rear windows could be opened...
So, lack of AC was one of the reasons

Mechanically, the 4520 was great. The Deere Powertech engines are cold natured, but it did have a block heater which was used anytime the temperature was less then 30-35 degrees. So much easier on the engine. Deere uses a Yanmar engine in the newer 4xxx series tractors. I've had three Yanmar powered Deeres over the years...all started easy, even below 30 degrees...but those were all garage kept too. The 4520 (and soon to buy 4052) are too big for may garage
The 4520 was showing it's age, cosmetically...which didn't bother me. Problem was, I'm showing my age (almost 71) and comfort is a bit more important now.

If I could have kept the 4520, and bought a newer cab tractor, I would have had the Curtis Cab removed