Snow Draft control using back blade to plow snow

[carlhwv]

I've got my m7040 with a Wood 3496, without feet, on the back.in MD for the Winter. Only had the opportunity to use it twice this year to clear snow. I've got a good run of blacktop. My neighbor has gravel. My last go I did only mine and notice I did a pretty good job of scalping a few high spots. Not really what I wanted to do. If I would have been doing the gravel I think he would have gotten a bad grading job along with clearing the snow. Not the desired outcome. I've got the top link of the hitch on the middle hole.

Any suggestion in positioning on the hitch...should I move to top hole to get better feedback?....and use of draft, if applicable, would greatly help speed up the trial and error phase I'm in right now.

As always, thanks for the help in advance.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I've got my m7040 with a Wood 3496, without feet, on the back.in MD for the Winter. Only had the opportunity to use it twice this year to clear snow. I've got a good run of blacktop. My neighbor has gravel. My last go I did only mine and notice I did a pretty good job of scalping a few high spots. Not really what I wanted to do. If I would have been doing the gravel I think he would have gotten a bad grading job along with clearing the snow. Not the desired outcome. I've got the top link of the hitch on the middle hole.

Any suggestion in positioning on the hitch...should I move to top hole to get better feedback?....and use of draft, if applicable, would greatly help speed up the trial and error phase I'm in right now.

As always, thanks for the help in advance.

I'm not sure that snow will put a big enough load on the system to be able to take advantage of the draft control. I guess set it to be as sensitive as it can be and try it out. Typically the top pin location allows the implement to be raised basically level instead of in an arc.

You probably should read your operators manual to understand exactly how YOUR hitch works. All hitches are not the same and do not have the same geometry.

Good luck

 

[carlhwv]

I'm not sure that snow will put a big enough load on the system to be able to take advantage of the draft control. I guess set it to be as sensitive as it can be and try it out. Typically the top pin location allows the implement to be raised basically level instead of in an arc.

You probably should read your operators manual to understand exactly how YOUR hitch works. All hitches are not the same and do not have the same geometry.

Good luck

Thanks. Got the tractor from my cousins estate without the manual. Ive gotten by with what I've been able to find on line and experience, with a little help from my friends.... I've got a basic understanding just wondering if anyone has any practical experience with it. Wondering if setting level o it just barley touches will trigger a lift if it drags.

 

[RjCorazza]

I have no first hand experience with draft control, but I always thought it was used for heavy ground engagement like plowing and box blade use. When my driveway was gravel I spun the blade around and lowered if all the way down with satisfactory results. On my current driveway (500' paved) I pull the blade forward as intended with it lowered all of the way (floating).
You may want to check out the "edge tamers" that clamp on to the bucket edge for gravel drives. I bought a set just this past spring for my small snow plowing operation (10-20 driveways). Haven't tried them in snow yet, but they run fine across grass, and don't require precise leveling of the cutting edge to work. Perhaps I'll get to try them out Saturday!

 

[CobyRupert]

What do you mean by "get better feedback"? I think the only feedback you're going to get is if your neighbor complains.

Here's an interesting discussion on top link attachment holes and draft control. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/71760-top-link-attach-hole.html

I didn't read the whole thing. And I'm not an expert. But my 2 cents are:
Draft control is really for ground engaging equipment, like plows. Not really applicable for snow blades.
I think the top link attachment holes are more to adjust the "range/sensitivity" of forces that the draft control sensor experiences rather than to level attachments. (Note that the top link connection is probably not "fixed" mounted to the tractor but probably goes into a mechanical arm (draft control). Chances are if you look at the top link holes, you can see they basically magnify or reduce the leverage that the tractor's top link exerts on the draft control sensor. Sort of like a low/med/high range connection into the draft control sensor. So if you're going to try to use it on a snow blade, I think you'd use the most sensitive hole.

That being said, which hole you choose effects the angle of your attachment. But adjusting the length of the top link has more of an impact.
How you adjust the length of the top link will determine the angle of the blade as it contacts the ground. This angle may determine how aggressive the blade is and what happens when you catch an immovable object (will it slide/pop over it or will it catch and bend blade or stall tractor?)

 

[Shaneard]

Personally I think if your draft did work properly while scraping snow on gravel by the time it works like it's sposed to it will be to late. The damage will have already been done, gravel moved. I scraped our driveway Saturday and I have some gravel here and there in the yard, I don't care though, it gives me a reason to go outside, to put it back where it belongs. I don't know that there is a way not to move some gravel while removing snow. Even with skid shoes you will have high spots etc. in the driveway and the blade will hit them.

 

[carlhwv]

Moving between the hole definitely changes the angle of the blade quite noticeably. On the blacktop I want to 'float' without any additional down pressure. The blade is quite heavy and simply pulling it along should work fine. What I don't want is the effect I get on the bucket when. Putting too much into it lifting the front wheels off the ground. I'm good with a 1000 pounds dragging on the drive, but don't want an additional 5000 pounds on it.

 

[CobyRupert]

Oh, from the above picture, I guess the bottom hole is the most sensitive input into the draft control.
Are you sure you can exert down-pressure with your 3 pth? I suspect not. Most tractor's 3 pth's can only lift and will float up when lowered (i.e. they can't exert a down pressure).

 

[MtnViewRanch]

View attachment 494916
View attachment 494917

Moving between the hole definitely changes the angle of the blade quite noticeably. On the blacktop I want to 'float' without any additional down pressure. The blade is quite heavy and simply pulling it along should work fine. What I don't want is the effect I get on the bucket when. Putting too much into it lifting the front wheels off the ground. I'm good with a 1000 pounds dragging on the drive, but don't want an additional 5000 pounds on it.

With your tractor, the ONLY down pressure is the weight of the blade and hitch arms. There is no down pressure, as can be exerted with the loader. The hitch arms can always float up until they have reached the upper limit of their travel.

 

[carlhwv]

With your tractor, the ONLY down pressure is the weight of the blade and hitch arms. There is no down pressure, as can be exerted with the loader. The hitch arms can always float up until they have reached the upper limit of their travel.

Will they always float up or only do so when completely lowered? So on the gravel I should probably set it to leave a bit of snow, defer to someone with a bit more skill, or plan on getting the spring re-grade job as well.....