Adding Snow Plow- Switching Hydraulic Line Question?

[ldowney]

Hey guys. I'm adding a 7 ft. snow plow (pictured below) with the quick attach mount to my Kubota L4060 tractor. The plow has two hydraulic cylinders with two quick connect hose ends on it. What I'm wanting to do is connect the snow plow and set my curl angle of the blade. Then disconnect the two curl angle hydraulic lines. Connect with extension hoses, the two lines coming from the snow plow. This way I can still raise and lower my plow and also using the side to side motion of my stick, to turn the snow plow from left to right.

I called my local Kubota dealer today and they said that wouldn't work. I would need to add a $1,100 3rd function system for it to work. As little of snow that we get here in NC, I'm not wanting to invest $1,500 for the plow and another $1,100 for the 3rd function.

Is anyone out there, other than my buddy who told me this works just fine on his Kubota M series tractor, doing this method? Seems like it would work just fine to me. Suggestions? Concerns?

Thank you.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Have you a rear mounted spool valve on your tractor? If so, a rear spool valve is the least expensive way to hook up hydraulics and run hoses up to the front so as to be able to windrow your plow.

Losing your curl feature may have a cost as the curl feature can be used to get yourself unstuck by picking up the front of your tractor and levering yourself forward or backward.

 

[71bronco]

Hey guys. I'm adding a 7 ft. snow plow (pictured below) with the quick attach mount to my Kubota L4060 tractor. The plow has two hydraulic cylinders with two quick connect hose ends on it. What I'm wanting to do is connect the snow plow and set my curl angle of the blade. Then disconnect the two curl angle hydraulic lines. Connect with extension hoses, the two lines coming from the snow plow. This way I can still raise and lower my plow and also using the side to side motion of my stick, to turn the snow plow from left to right.

I called my local Kubota dealer today and they said that wouldn't work. I would need to add a $1,100 3rd function system for it to work. As little of snow that we get here in NC, I'm not wanting to invest $1,500 for the plow and another $1,100 for the 3rd function.

Is anyone out there, other than my buddy who told me this works just fine on his Kubota M series tractor, doing this method? Seems like it would work just fine to me. Suggestions? Concerns?

Thank you.

View attachment 491408

Exactly what I do on my L3240. To get it to go right I have to push the joystick all the way to the right because of the regen feature. I just ran 2 extra hoses to the front and switch them when the plow goes on. Someday I'll put a diverter valve on but this works good for the plow for now.

Jeff

 

[ldowney]

Exactly what I do on my L3240. To get it to go right I have to push the joystick all the way to the right because of the regen feature. I just ran 2 extra hoses to the front and switch them when the plow goes on. Someday I'll put a diverter valve on but this works good for the plow for now.

Jeff

Great. This is the feedback I'm looking for. Someone, other than my buddy, that is running a front end snow plow with hydraulics this way.

One questions- pushing the stick all the way to the right because of "regen feature"? What do you mean?

 

[ldowney]

Have you a rear mounted spool valve on your tractor? If so, a rear spool valve is the least expensive way to hook up hydraulics and run hoses up to the front so as to be able to windrow your plow.

Losing your curl feature may have a cost as the curl feature can be used to get yourself unstuck by picking up the front of your tractor and levering yourself forward or backward.

No. I just have the standard FEL mount inside the cab.

Good point about getting unstuck using the curl feature. Might be something I could just do without to not have to spend $1,100 on a 3rd function set for the front end. We don't get that deep of snow to get stuck here in NC. If we got 15+ inches at a time, I would worry more I guess about getting stuck.

Thanks

 

[Fallon]

I haven't built my plow for my L4060 yet & my old small manual one ran off with my L3200. Have a I think it's 84" old beatup truck plow to mount. I got a 3rd function on mine, but looked seriously at a diverter.

My L3200 & economy machines only have a regen dump on them & won't work with single acting cylinders on all truck plows. Skid steer plows often have a double acting angle cylinders so this might not be a problem.

My new L4060 has a 4 stage curl/dump valve, confirmed by the owners manual. All grands are that way I think. 3rd stage on the right is regen dump. But if you go all the way right it's power dump & would work for single acting cylinders with a diverter or stealing the bucket hoses.

Personally I used curl a fair bit on my L3200 when plowing to get unstuck or change the blade attack angle depending on conditions.

 

[LD1]

I would not want to be without curl. Curl is actually all I use to raise and lower the plow. Once my height is set with the loader, to ensure the A-frame is on a level plane (keeps the plow edge level when angling left and right), I no longer touch the height of the loader. Rather I use curl to raise and lower the plow. That way I can use my bucket level indicator to go back the "home" position every time and eliminate the guesswork.

I would double check the Regen feature though before you go to all the trouble. My L3400 had recently in first position, and power position beyond that, which is what you want. However, my MX....is Regen only. Found that out when installing the grapple.

I don't know your level of hydraulic knowledge or mechanical ability, bit I'd look at either a diverter or third function. And install it yourself. I have less than $250 in my diverter, which runs my grapple and plow. Uses the same valve as your loader, you just squeeze a trigger or press a button. IE: in your case....push joystick right, bucket dumps, pull it left, and bucket curls. Squeeze trigger or push button mounter on tour joystick, and push right...plow goes right. Squeeze button and pull left, blow goes left. And you still have curl function.

 

[71bronco]

I would not want to be without curl. Curl is actually all I use to raise and lower the plow. Once my height is set with the loader, to ensure the A-frame is on a level plane (keeps the plow edge level when angling left and right), I no longer touch the height of the loader. Rather I use curl to raise and lower the plow. That way I can use my bucket level indicator to go back the "home" position every time and eliminate the guesswork.

I would double check the Regen feature though before you go to all the trouble. My L3400 had recently in first position, and power position beyond that, which is what you want. However, my MX....is Regen only. Found that out when installing the grapple.

I don't know your level of hydraulic knowledge or mechanical ability, bit I'd look at either a diverter or third function. And install it yourself. I have less than $250 in my diverter, which runs my grapple and plow. Uses the same valve as your loader, you just squeeze a trigger or press a button. IE: in your case....push joystick right, bucket dumps, pull it left, and bucket curls. Squeeze trigger or push button mounter on tour joystick, and push right...plow goes right. Squeeze button and pull left, blow goes left. And you still have curl function.

Since I still use the chain on the plow once I set the curl before switching hoses, the plow works just like it did on a truck. Going up and down sets the level of the plow.

Jeff

 

[LD1]

Lowering back down to the exact height Everytime is my issue when using the loader lift. There is no reference on just how high the loader is.

But I do have a bucket level indicator. So if I curl back to raise the plow, uncurling back to the exact same place every time is easy

 

[ldowney]

I haven't built my plow for my L4060 yet & my old small manual one ran off with my L3200. Have a I think it's 84" old beatup truck plow to mount. I got a 3rd function on mine, but looked seriously at a diverter.

My L3200 & economy machines only have a regen dump on them & won't work with single acting cylinders on all truck plows. Skid steer plows often have a double acting angle cylinders so this might not be a problem.

My new L4060 has a 4 stage curl/dump valve, confirmed by the owners manual. All grands are that way I think. 3rd stage on the right is regen dump. But if you go all the way right it's power dump & would work for single acting cylinders with a diverter or stealing the bucket hoses.

Personally I used curl a fair bit on my L3200 when plowing to get unstuck or change the blade attack angle depending on conditions.

I just called my local dealer again and spoke with someone in service. He confirmed that the L4060 has the 4 stage valve and would work just fine swapping out the curl hoses for the snow plow angle hoses. I will probably just go that route as little of snow that we get here in NC, just doesn't make sense in spending the money on a diverter or a 3rd function. Thanks again for your info.