front snowplows

[Anonymous Poster]

Has anyone out there had any experience with snowplows attached to front end loader. I have a JD 4300 and local dealer has different snowplow setups that attach using bucket quick attach brackets. About $1200 for manual angle model and $2200 for full hydraulic. Like the Idea of being able to add and remove as needed. I have about 3/4 mile of road to plow and using back blade gets very tiresome. I have concerns about loads and impact on fel frame. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[John_Mc]

There was a thread here a while ago that said you were right to be concerned about the loads on the FEL frame. If I recall, it boiled down to the feeling that the big difference between snow plowing and digging in the dirt was that you are moving much more quickly when plowing snow and hitting an obstacle could mangle something. If your dealer is selling it to you, is he going to stand behind this usage of it if something gets bent or broken, or is he going to claim "abuse".

On the other hand, there are several people here who have the set-up you describe and are very happy with it. Being able to lift the plow up really helps when you need to push back a tall snowbank, or pile more snow on top.

John

 

[beenthere]

hermit
I have a plow on the front, but not attached to the loader. It quicktach's to the mmm brackets and the weight bracket. Works like a charm, and is quick to remove, for the switch to the FEL if needed to bucket snow or something else.

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

When I bought my 4300, the dealer told me I'd be better off with a real front blade, because it's mounted directly to the frame with a nice straight push.

 

[gordon]

I would think that as long as it's a snow blade with trip springs it would put no more stress on the loader frame than if you were digging with the FEL in hard dirt. Another option rather than the steel cutting edge on the bottom is a rubber or a urethane cutting edge. The urethane also works real well on gravel drives I'm told. Never used one personally so I cant say on that matter. But I would think that as long as you didn't have the springs tightened down to the max on the plow you would have no problems.

After all it's a tractor
Gordon

 

[Thomas]

Indeed you do have a driveway to plow.

You may want to check out..thread photos..reFB..Plow to bucket..Muhammand..12/24/01..12:24pm,for there might be an idea or two.

I thought of purchasing a plow setup from my dearler,but between the cost..unhooking the plow and installing the bucket and not able to push the snow way back also high,I decided to make my own setup.
I believe when all was send and done I didn't have $300.oo invested..oops except for our mail boxes in which I keep knocking down. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

If I can help just let me know.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks for the input. This setup looks like it might work. Is it a bolt-on or did you have to fabricate part of it and approximate cost?

 

[TonyC]

<font color=blue>Another option rather than the steel cutting edge on the bottom is a rubber or a urethane cutting edge.</font color=blue>

I've always wondered if such a thing was available. I'm tired of stressing out about damaging my high dollar black top. Does anyone know of a supplier for these?

 

[snowman]

Best bet would probably be at any snowplow dealer or shop.

May end up having to buy an edge for a truck plow blade and cut it down to size (not sure, but I think the smallest truck plow blade is probably 6.5')

 

[ronjhall]

Tony
Check out this <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.discountsnowplowparts.com/Cutting_edges.htm>LINK</A>. They have rubber edges.

 

[beenthere]

I had the quicktach hitch fabricated for around $200, and purchased the Western plow parts new. There could be some cost shaving if shopping around for a used blade. I'll attach a pic of the quicktach hitch taken when the primer paint was on, along with some of the plow parts. Its one of several options you have.

 

[hermit]

Beenthere:

Thanks for the info and the pictures, will have to explore this option some more. Looks like a real slick setup. We've had a dry winter so far here in N.W. Montana but is trying to catch up in the last 2 days.

 

[gordon]

Here is a link for the urethane edges
http://www.j-thomas.com/Catalog%20Pages/Page%20256.htm

Gordon

 

[Youare]

I had a manual angle Meyers 7 1/2 foot plow on the front loader of my old 8N. Because of the trip feature of this plow I found this didn't shock the tractor as much as digging in rocky ground, actually it was quite smooth. The blade still pushed snow even when it would tip foward.

My neighbor has the M series Kubota, around 53 H.P. with a snow plow mounted on the bucket of the FEL. It pushes snow like crazy. He has broken the plow a few times pushing into some hard snow banks but not the tractor.

I think the way a snow plow trips makes a big difference in the shock to the tractor.

Randy

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I noticed on the www.easternfarmmachinery.com specials page a couple of tractor mounted spring trip plows. I guess with the spring trip they would protect the tractor.The one is a v-plow so you could use it as a scoop as well.

 

[beenthere]

Hermit
Curious as to which way you went with the snowplow plans? So far this year, we have not had any snow, so no plow on the tractor yet.
Beenthere

 

[Green_in_MI]

I installed a Deere loader mounted plow to push snow. It is so much easier to push snow looking forward instead of backwards. I recommend the front blade to push snow, but I would not use it for any earth moving besides LOOSE gravel, topsoil, or sand. I did not buy a regular front blade because it is imcompatible with the most valuable accessory on your tractor(loader). It also interferes with the mower. The loader mounted blade takes 1 minute to switch between the blade and the bucket. And does it move the snow - wow!.

 

[OkieG]

Beenthere,

Nice looking frontblade! From your picture I can't quite tell...do you have one or two cylinders to angle your blade left to right?

I do see that you have a couple cylinders to adjust front to back tilt of the blade. Do you use that function much?

I am attempting to build a blade and am considering including front to back tilt capability. It seems to me that snow, dirt and clay might all blade best with a different angle of front to back tilt. I haven't seen any manufactured backblades with front to back tilt, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be useful. I have seen roadgraders with it. I plan to use my blade for both snow and dirt work. What do you think?

OkieG

 

[Green_in_MI]

My dealer quoted me over $700 to install the hydraulic option for the loader blade. I spent about $350 to fabricate my own setup. I only spent that much because I bought Deere parts though not the same parts as the plow kit. The Deere parts were more expensive than the TSC but they are much better quality.
The front loader blade is an excellent setup to remove snow. So far the stress on the loader arms is much less than the digging I have done with it.

 

[beenthere]

OkieG
This is a conventional Western plow with two one-way cylinders to angle the blade (one on each side). Also, there are no cylinders to tilt the blade back and forth, as what you see (I had to go back and look at the pick) are actually the springs that are used to let the plow trip. Now your thought that they might be cylinders certainly brings up an interesting option. In years past, if I want to tip the blade a bit (digs into the ice better because the worn edge then digs into the ice) I just put wedges in to do do that.
This blade is not bad for grading dirt, although it is not easy to keep the blade from tripping, unless one would fashion something (like hyd. cylinders or chains) to keep the blade from tilting forward. Keep us posted on how your blade develops.