Time to hook-up the snow plow UGH!

[PineRidge]

Won't your hydraulics dump far enough to match the new angle that the QA now rests in ?

Close but no match. Beside, every time the plate fell it landed on the hydraulic hoses. The plate is heavy and I figured it was just a matter of time until the hoses were damaged the way things were going.

 

[cuoffroad]

dolly the snowplow? if you can't square the tractor to the plow, square the plow to the dolly

I was thinking the same thing. Add maybe a bungie cord to keep the plate from tipping over.

But, that being said, I do also enjoy welding.

Good fix to the problem.

 

[slowzuki]

I suggust at some point replacing the link with a gas shock. They only push with about 20 lbs force so it would hold the plate up but not affect float. That way it saves hooking up the arm. On the other hand, if you need down force, you could leave your arm on for scraping.

 

[Ford850]

Pineridge,
Nice idea. I had the same problem when hooking up my plow. I did as someone else suggested... I drop the plow on dollies when I disconnect it. I roll it back to the tractor to line it up and it works fairly well, but I like your idea since you can push into it while on the tractor.
My plow came with small skids similar to where you modified yours. Mine are too small to hold the load of the FEL though (gravel drive), so I keep them barely off the ground and let the plow itself float to the contours. Is your drive all paved?

 

[PineRidge]

Pineridge,
Nice idea. I had the same problem when hooking up my plow. I did as someone else suggested... I drop the plow on dollies when I disconnect it. I roll it back to the tractor to line it up and it works fairly well, but I like your idea since you can push into it while on the tractor.
My plow came with small skids similar to where you modified yours. Mine are too small to hold the load of the FEL though (gravel drive), so I keep them barely off the ground and let the plow itself float to the contours. Is your drive all paved?

No, my drive is all gravel. Thought about the dolly idea but I'm the kind of guy that overbuilds. Have you ever seen my BH dolly, it's a monster.

 

[Ford850]

No, my drive is all gravel. Thought about the dolly idea but I'm the kind of guy that overbuilds. Have you ever seen my BH dolly, it's a monster.

You are correct, that is a monster! My dolly solution consists of a stack of Harbor Freight furniture dollies that I pull from. I buy them then they are on sale, stack them so they only take up 2sf of space, and have enough to use under most things in my barn when needed. The snow plow gets 3 although it would probably push easier with 4 under it. Cheap, but they work fairly well.

 

[PineRidge]

I think the HF wood dollies would do a good job for most applications and I use them myself. However a BH is big & heavy and for that fact I wanted something with a low center of gravity that would not be apt to tip over when moving the BH around. The one I put together works great.

 

[Ford850]

No, my drive is all gravel. Thought about the dolly idea but I'm the kind of guy that overbuilds. Have you ever seen my BH dolly, it's a monster.

Mike,
Since your drive is gravel like mine, do you have a problem with the blade gouging into the gravel and rolling it off the drive with the snow? I do, especially when the ground is not frozen. My skid shoes on the blade look just like yours, and the sink into the soft drive and are worthless. I came up with an idea for a long skid but don't have a welder yet to make it. By the looks of your blade, my idea would work on yours too.
I plan to get a length of 3" schedule 40 steel pipe and weld a couple 10" long rods to the ends. The rods would be the same diameter as the skid shoe bracket holes on the back of the blade (1" ?). They would be welded perpendicular to the pipe. It would look something like this l==============l The pipe would probably need to have caps welded on first and then weld the rods to them. The finished skid would be the same length as the distance between the skid shoe bracket holes. Drill a couple pin holes at the top ends of the rods, and use washers or nipples as spacers just like the shoes use. You could add or remove the skid in seconds. By curling the blade back, the pipe would drag on the gravel (skid over it) instead of the cutting edge. Dump the blade slightly forward to raise the skid and use the cutting edge when needed.
I'd love to make one for my blade some day. I tried to get a local welding shop to build it, but they were too busy to take my order. Please let me know if you decide to build it, and if it works. Or maybe you don't have the same issue with the loose gravel like I do.

 

[lhfarm]

I think the HF wood dollies would do a good job for most applications and I use them myself. However a BH is big & heavy and for that fact I wanted something with a low center of gravity that would not be apt to tip over when moving the BH around. The one I put together works great.

It does work great. I built mine from Mike's plans and my BH fits like a glove. It was my first major welding project and having Mike's detailed plans gave me the confidence to even start such an undertaking.

I've got the rest of my stuff on wood dollies and that is better than nothing. I need to get up the nerve to design some made out of steel.

 

[PineRidge]

Mike,
Since your drive is gravel like mine, do you have a problem with the blade gouging into the gravel and rolling it off the drive with the snow? I do, especially when the ground is not frozen. My skid shoes on the blade look just like yours, and the sink into the soft drive and are worthless. I came up with an idea for a long skid but don't have a welder yet to make it. By the looks of your blade, my idea would work on yours too.
I plan to get a length of 3" schedule 40 steel pipe and weld a couple 10" long rods to the ends. The rods would be the same diameter as the skid shoe bracket holes on the back of the blade (1" ?). They would be welded perpendicular to the pipe. It would look something like this l==============l The pipe would probably need to have caps welded on first and then weld the rods to them. The finished skid would be the same length as the distance between the skid shoe bracket holes. Drill a couple pin holes at the top ends of the rods, and use washers or nipples as spacers just like the shoes use. You could add or remove the skid in seconds. By curling the blade back, the pipe would drag on the gravel (skid over it) instead of the cutting edge. Dump the blade slightly forward to raise the skid and use the cutting edge when needed.
I'd love to make one for my blade some day. I tried to get a local welding shop to build it, but they were too busy to take my order. Please let me know if you decide to build it, and if it works. Or maybe you don't have the same issue with the loose gravel like I do.

I have the same issue as you until the gravel freezes then it's smooth sailing. I think your idea has some merit let me take a good look at the plow tomorrow and I'll get back to you later.

 

[PineRidge]

It does work great. I built mine from Mike's plans and my BH fits like a glove. It was my first major welding project and having Mike's detailed plans gave me the confidence to even start such an undertaking.

I've got the rest of my stuff on wood dollies and that is better than nothing. I need to get up the nerve to design some made out of steel.

Barry glad the design worked for you too.

 

[PineRidge]

Mike,
Since your drive is gravel like mine, do you have a problem with the blade gouging into the gravel and rolling it off the drive with the snow? I do, especially when the ground is not frozen. My skid shoes on the blade look just like yours, and the sink into the soft drive and are worthless. I came up with an idea for a long skid but don't have a welder yet to make it. By the looks of your blade, my idea would work on yours too.
I plan to get a length of 3" schedule 40 steel pipe and weld a couple 10" long rods to the ends. The rods would be the same diameter as the skid shoe bracket holes on the back of the blade (1" ?). They would be welded perpendicular to the pipe. It would look something like this l==============l The pipe would probably need to have caps welded on first and then weld the rods to them. The finished skid would be the same length as the distance between the skid shoe bracket holes. Drill a couple pin holes at the top ends of the rods, and use washers or nipples as spacers just like the shoes use. You could add or remove the skid in seconds. By curling the blade back, the pipe would drag on the gravel (skid over it) instead of the cutting edge. Dump the blade slightly forward to raise the skid and use the cutting edge when needed.
I'd love to make one for my blade some day. I tried to get a local welding shop to build it, but they were too busy to take my order. Please let me know if you decide to build it, and if it works. Or maybe you don't have the same issue with the loose gravel like I do.

Today I gave the snow plow a closer look and I'm thinking in your case you might want to add a piece of flat steel where each original shoe was mounted. The idea is that they would act like ski's on the front of a snowmobile to keep the plow from digging into the soft gravel. Once the gravel froze you could then take them off. Naturally they would couldn't stick out forward from the plow face itself or you might be hitting the garage doors with them.

Look at my drawing and see what you think. I'm thinking your idea might have a tendency to push soft gravel.

 

[Ford850]

Today I gave the snow plow a closer look and I'm thinking in your case you might want to add a piece of flat steel where each original shoe was mounted. The idea is that they would act like ski's on the front of a snowmobile to keep the plow from digging into the soft gravel. Once the gravel froze you could then take them off. Naturally they would couldn't stick out forward from the plow face itself or you might be hitting the garage doors with them.

Look at my drawing and see what you think. I'm thinking your idea might have a tendency to push soft gravel.

I'll have to play with that idea some. The rebar might get in the way when the blade folds forward. I like the idea of something to tie them together, but maybe a loose pinned connection would work so the skis could track straight in tandem when the blade was angled.
Another idea I had earlier was to use the 3" pipe, cap the ends, and put an axle through so it could roll like a anti-scalp roller on a lawn mower. I think it would still roll even with the blade angled.
But maybe I just need to weld an old disc blade to the bottom of each skid I have now. That would create huge dinner plate sized skids. If I had scrap laying around I would play more with these ideas.
Thanks for your help.

 

[PineRidge]

Let us know what you come up with in any case. Good Luck to you!

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Mike,
That plow arrangement came out very nice !

We have white out conditions here, your welcome to come try out your new setup up this way !

 

[PineRidge]

Good Afternoon Mike,
That plow arrangement came out very nice !

We have white out conditions here, your welcome to come try out your new setup up this way !

Scott thanks for the compliment and the kind offer. However I think I'm just gonna sit here in Ohio and wait for the snow to come to me.

 

[JASTN70D]

Nice idea.. If you need to test it out I have the perfect testing grounds..

Nice to see you posting.

Now that somebody taught me how to weld I may have to try some more projects like yours

 

[PineRidge]

Glad to be back John. I sent you a PM

Merry Christmas to all!

 

[LBrown59]

Glad to be back John. I sent you a PM

Merry Christmas to all!

Marry Christmas to you too.

 

[PILOON]

Basically the ski idea is good, however having tried that myself I can say that it is not as easy to do as it sounds.

If we were to plow always 'squared off' OK, but when angling the blade the trick is to get the skid or ski to track foreward and not skid sideways.
That is why all plows basically use the dish or mushroom shaped skids.

Larger dishes would do the trick.

Around here what we do is 'back blade' eg pull the snow backwards to compact a base which when frozen now supports the skids.
Then again once you have a good base of compacted snow you don't need skid shoes.

Last week we got 5-6"s followed by a good thaw as well as rain!
Then a sudden cold snap.
What a mess!
Bases melted, deep ruts formed so you needed to quickly push that mush aside otherwise you had deep frozen ruts impossible to remouve.

The best drives were the ones whereby the folks were away as after the freeze you'd simply scrape away whatever came and had a great base.

Those used became skating rinks and sand/gravel needed to be added as even walking was impossible.

Joys of winter!

Our city roads contractor took out his grader equipped with carbide toothed grader blade to scrape down to the pavement and then plowed all that mush high and clear back as we still have another 200 inches to expect before winter's end and then comes "where do I push that stuff"?