Custom Rear blade sides

[ericher69]

I was getting frustrated by the snow spilling past the blade all the time so I measured and made templates for the rear blade contour. I then transfered this to a sheet of 3/8 steel plate and cut out.

I then took a piece of 2" 3/8 thick flat bar and bent to the countour of the blade (2 per side)

Welded these on with my trusty Lincoln SP175 MIG and painted black.

I adjusted the rear blade angle with the top link and banged these on (tight fit)

I then drilled 1 hole with a 1/2 inch bit and installed a bolt and nut.

The following pics and video link are the result.

YouTube - ericher69's Channel

ericher69

 

[dcyrilc]

Nicely done.

 

[600rider]

I like it! I have seen them in Northern tool and thought they would work great for snow removel. Then I sold my rear blade and built a box blade and got a front mount blower!! but nice job and just the way I like it home built and inexpensive!

 

[600rider]

Nice video eircher69, I just watched your youtube videos. I hate when I am blowing snow and forget to turn the shoot back and blow it at the house!! Nice rig to get the job done and in comfort too!

 

[ericher69]

Thanks to all for the kind words.

The old b2920 with Sims cab gets'er done nicely. T-shirt weather inside the cab!

Just need a real snowfall now to try those new sides out.

I do realize that the snow will still spill over but it should allow me to pull it far enough from garages and cars so that I can back over it and then blow it forward with the blower

ericher69

 

[dcyrilc]

Thanks to all for the kind words.

The old b2920 with Sims cab gets'er done nicely. T-shirt weather inside the cab!

Just need a real snowfall now to try those new sides out.

I do realize that the snow will still spill over but it should allow me to pull it far enough from garages and cars so that I can back over it and then blow it forward with the blower

ericher69

Nice build.

I'm planning on doing the same thing to my JD rear blade this summer. My only complaint I have had with the blade is loosing too much material off the sides. JD makes sides for my blade, but I thought the price was excessive and that I could do it myself. I plan to make mine longer (about 2 ft) and add a diagonal top brace for support.

 

[Coolnorth]

Very nice touch - lets the snow removal happen all from the cab. I like your 3PH toolbox and snow-shovel holder!

 

[mcd176]

Nice work!

 

[mjncad]

I have end-plates for my JD/Frontier/Woods 72" rear blade and those are the best things I bought for the blade. A lot of times I only use one to help direct dirt towards the other side to spill out when I have the blade angled. You did a nice job making your end plates and they will be very useful. I also like your toolbox and fuel can mounts on the rear blade.

Cyril:

I don't know what size blade you have; but I wouldn't go much longer than the factory end-plates. If you angle the blade a lot, the plate may negate what you want it to do; plus add possible undo stress on the attachment. Also, if you make the end-plates too long, rotating the blade 180-degrees while on the tractor may be difficult because mine barely clear my rear tires, even with a quick-hitch.

 

[Low Bucket]

ericher69- that's a nice job!- It looks better than most factory jobs!

The video showed how great it works.-Very nice!

I thought about adding sides on my 72" rear blade but didn't know how good it would work.- Now I know.

 

[jimmyj]

Again, NICE!

Thanks for sharing this great project.

 

[dcyrilc]

Cyril:

I don't know what size blade you have; but I wouldn't go much longer than the factory end-plates. If you angle the blade a lot, the plate may negate what you want it to do; plus add possible undo stress on the attachment. Also, if you make the end-plates too long, rotating the blade 180-degrees while on the tractor may be difficult because mine barely clear my rear tires, even with a quick-hitch.

On my JD65 (8 ft) blade, the end plates attach with 3 bolts. I'll have one additional for the diagional brace on top. Sections of my drive have about 2" of soft material which has built up over the rock over the years. When I drive on it it turns to mush in the winter. I tried dragging it off now that I have the tractor and blade, but after about 10 feet of dragging, it just starts slidding off the ends of the blade. My intent is to drag it to a pile that I can scoop up and remove with the FEL. I cleaned off about 40 feet of drive, but it took around an hour with all the passes I had to keep making. The plates will be easily removable and can be shortened later if need be.

 

[ericher69]

The reason I only made them about 12 inches is that the longer they are the more chance of diggin a groove into somebodies nice new ashpalt driveway. Since I do quite a few drives in the winter I wanted to stay on the conservative side.

Also I only need the extra capacity to pull snow away from a building or car so that I can back up over it and blow it forward.

Any longer and the 3/8 steel plate would have needed a brace (again wanted to avoid)

Also with wet sticky snow and the b2920 not being overly heavy I was a little concerned about traction (didn't want to go to chains because of the paved driveways again)

The b series fits my needs nicely and gets in and around objects like cars without being too cumbersome and without giving up too many comforts and hp.

This modification would work fine for top soil/sand/gravel but probably would not use for anything heavier like grading since I would not want to bend or warp the blade itself.

 

[dcyrilc]

The reason I only made them about 12 inches is that the longer they are the more chance of diggin a groove into somebodies nice new ashpalt driveway. Since I do quite a few drives in the winter I wanted to stay on the conservative side.

Also I only need the extra capacity to pull snow away from a building or car so that I can back up over it and blow it forward.

Any longer and the 3/8 steel plate would have needed a brace (again wanted to avoid)

Also with wet sticky snow and the b2920 not being overly heavy I was a little concerned about traction (didn't want to go to chains because of the paved driveways again)

The b series fits my needs nicely and gets in and around objects like cars without being too cumbersome and without giving up too many comforts and hp.

This modification would work fine for top soil/sand/gravel but probably would not use for anything heavier like grading since I would not want to bend or warp the blade itself.

For what you are using yours for, you have a great design. If you are worried about the chance of diggin a groove into somebodies nice new ashpalt driveway, you could add 2" wide strips along the bottom as shoes or slides. That would prevent cutting a groove into the asphalt.

 

[mjncad]

Cyril:

Since your blade is wider than mine, you can probably get by making them longer.

I'm looking forward to seeing your end plates when you get them built.

 

[dcyrilc]

Cyril:

Since your blade is wider than mine, you can probably get by making them longer.

I'm looking forward to seeing your end plates when you get them built.

Should be sometime this summer.

 

[ericher69]

OK after a few minor snowfalls and about 1.5 months since my last post on this subject I have to report a few minor glitches;

1. Side plates do not dig in to asphalt when going forwards but when I turn the blade around and push snow it does dig in and leave a nice groove in the drive.

Fix; 1. Either ease up on the turnbuckle to raise the blade or
2. Make some skid shoes like somebody has suggested?

Just don't know if I will still experience the same problem with the skid shoe that I do now just on a wider scale?