FEL Frame Damage From Snowplow Use.

[bdhsfz6]

Back in the 1980's, there were few commercially available FEL mounted snow plow attachments for small compact tractors. I used a 60" front frame mount snow blade on my B7100 HST for a couple of seasons but found I wasn't able to pile snow high enough to get it out of the way. I eventually built a snowplow attachment for the tractor's FEL. I modified an old Jeep plow by cutting it down to a 66" width. I added brackets to attach the plow frame to the loader arms and made up a 3rd function valve for power angle. The setup worked very well until the second season when I broke several welds on the FEL frame.

The "shop talk" back then was that FEL's on compact tractors weren't strong enough to handle the side load generated by an angled snow plow blade. Based on this, and my own experience, I stayed away from FEL mounted plows. I really miss the convenience and versatility of that FEL plow though. I used to be able to pile snow 15 feet high with that little 17 HP tractor. I could clear my 1/4 mile driveway in half the time it took with my pickup.

Now, 35 years and four Kubota's later, I see FEL plows are quite popular. I assume FEL designs now take side load into account and I'm considering one for my MX5800 and LA1065 FEL. With the large number of our members here who use them, I'm curious if any have experienced FEL damage from snowplow use.

 

[mike69440]

This is my setup,
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/snow-removal/184041-pictures-your-snow-weapons-364.html Post #3637
Beats the snot out of the bushings and pins, especially catching boulders along my drive.
8' Fisher commercial on FEL
I've blown hydraulic lines, but the L39's TL1000 is tough.
Always have a trip edge.

Float with a chain link is safer, especially on a removable loader, but I like the rigid plow for pushing big piles of snow and manure.

 

[nybirdman]

With a trip edge and cross-over relief valve and floating plow;I believe a FEL mounted plow is safe for loader use.I have had no problems with my FEL mounted plow(at least the FEL part).I had converted an old truck plow and broke part of the plow frame itself but repaired and have not had further problems.

 

[Grandad4]

There's more to it than that, I think. In the 1960's I did quite a bit of plowing with a Jeep. A constant problem with the plow back then was tagging unseen curbs, parking guides, etc. with the plow, usually snapping the blade angle pin (hydraulic angle plumbing was pretty new back then). If you do any commercial work, it's hard to avoid such impacts. I've often wondered how those with FEL-mounted snow blades avoid hitting immovable objects buried under the snow. With the blade so far out in front, such hits have to send an extreme shock load to the FEL frame.

 

[Thomas]

I had B7100HST w/72" plow frame attach to bucket for 14 years plow snow work great no damage.
Float and trip spring most important.
7th winter same setup with 7' 6" plow on L2800 does great.

 

[FatTire]

FEL damage is certainly possible, but its not like these FEL's are made of glass. I've been running a heavy FFC 8ft V-plow (over 1,000 lbs) for several winters in a rocky environment on an MX5100 with no damage. It has a trip edge and float, but I've hit rocks out on the end of the blade above the trip edge hard enough to either 1) swing the entire back end of the tractor around by a couple feet or 2) Push the blade back, which means the sequencing valve had some cross-over function (intended or not, its not clear to me). No detectable damage.

 

[FatTire]

Loader is LA844.

 

[mike69440]

Loader is LA844.

View attachment 502366

Pretty Photo, nice day, tractor is in the way.
PS nice plow!

 

[DK35vince]

I've been running snow plow on my DK 35 loader for the last 16 years with no issues.
Running a 9' converted Western truck plow.

 

[ray66v]

Damage is possible anytime you use your tractor, especially moving snow, no matter what setup you use.

If a FEL mounted plow is properly sprung, you know your area well, have mitigated potential hazards, and can exercise some degree of control, you will probably be fine.

Someone who tears stuff up all the time should probably hire someone anyway.

I have used my FEL mounted plow for many years without damage.

I chose to remove the bucket, and made a mount to go directly on the arms with the plow.

I would never want a frame mounted plow, after seeing how much more versatile a FEL mounted plow is.