Snow Plowiing Snow - PT425

[pajoube]

Today I purchased the horse stall mat and plan on cutting it for the snow blade lip. Really heavy duty material 3/4 inch thick.
In past storms this winter I have had trouble getting the angled blade to be level. With the help of MossRoad and others I finally achieved it but took time. Part of the problem I feel is that the pavement is not level and the gravel sections are rutted. So this brings me to installing the horse mat lip.
Now for my long winded question. Do all of you use the guide wheels or do many of you have just the blade without wheels? Any pro or cons with or without the wheels?
PJ

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Paul:
I have the rubber lip, which protects both blade and road. I generally leave the wheels on (except when one went flat.)
I have pretty smooth pavement generally, and try to plow fast with the wheels rolling. It took a little adjustment, as you know. Sedgewood took the wheels off and installed pucks much closer to the blade, which he likes better.

 

[Sedgewood]

<font color="red"> Sedgewood took the wheels off and installed pucks much closer to the blade, which he likes better.
</font>

Actually, I don't know if I like pucks better - it hasn't snowed enough for a test yet! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Anyway, the idea was to get rid of the "springiness" of the tires (and the frequent flats) that I felt were making it hard to keep the blade from bouncing and digging in. I also think having the pucks closer to the blade will make it easier to adjust - less sensitive. I too have the rubber lip. And a rough gravel road. Last winter we had tons of snow and I ended up bending the right corner of the blade a bit on iced up snowbanks. I had it straightened and reinforced when the pucks were put on. There's a thread here somewhere that describes what I had done.

Sedgewood

 

[Sedgewood]

<font color="red"> Actually, I don't know if I like pucks better - it hasn't snowed enough for a test yet!
</font>

Wow, now I know! They are much, much better than wheels. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

It's now easy to keep the plow set parallel to the ground and angled / tilted just so. No more bouncing. No more digging in. And, surprise, with the plow just barely touching the ground (so the weight stays on the tractor and so the sliding resistance is minimized) the crabbing which was such a problem last year is nearly eliminated. I can even plow uphill now! I have a couple of 15 - 20 percent slopes with a good crown that I could barely manage to fight my way up last year - now they are almost easy.

I ordered a pair of tire chains from Gempler's to put on the front wheels specifically to deal with the crabbing - traction has not been a problem but the sideslip that causes the crabbing certainly has been. Maybe I should cancel the order.

If I apply enough $$ this thing might someday equal Bubenberg's CSP! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Sedgewood

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> If I apply enough $$ this thing might someday equal Bubenberg's CSP! </font>

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

<font color="red"> Actually, I don't know if I like pucks better - it hasn't snowed enough for a test yet!
Wow, now I know! They are much, much better than wheels. </font>

We got about 6" so I dug my plow out Saturday morning. One of the tires was flat, so rather than spending the time to get it back on the rim, I took the wheels off. In float, with the rubber lip, I found I can do better than with the wheels, after minor tilt adjustments to get the plow fairly level. It probably wouldn't be good on gravel, but for smooth pavement it's fine.

 

[johara1]

i also did a mod to the blade, i added angle to mount the feet on it, they have a 1"shaft to rotate on and a hole drilled through the shaft to swivel the other way.so no matter what angle or tilt the blade is the feet a are flat the mount on the feet is one inch ahead of center that way the turned up front section always points foward (like a ski) even when you back drag withit the rotate to the rear.
i still would like to use float but that doesn't get it, the feet still dig in. but on pavement they work GREAT!!!i had it out on the road in front of the drive and i can take the snow off right down to the paint. the problem is the down pressure of the arms that is why they crab, loaders don't work in float,i guess you have to live with it unless you have draft control like the big ones /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[bubenberg]

like the brushhog situation, with wheels on the blade you are going you encounter lots of flat tires. this is good practice to learn the fine touch of the stick .... but i still want Charlies red button ...PLEASE /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Sedgewood]

<font color="green"> you are going you encounter lots of flat tires. </font>

Not me - I've had enough of that. Those handcart wheels are history.

Sedgewood

 

[RegL]

sedgewood, if you do try those chains, please post how you make out. I'm considering a set for the 1430 but don't know if there's enough clearance on inside of tires. Maybe one could make up some spacers to move the tires out just a little. Actually, I was pretty happy with the traction I got in this past snow with just the turf tires. Just as good as my CUT with ag tires. Although, I'm working with the large bucket so when I get to much piled up to push I pick it up and dump it. The driveways I do are small and that bucket holds a lot of snow so I don't think I'll bother rigging up a plow for the PT for now.I did have one little problem devolope, the screw on hyd. fittings on the locking cylinder loosened up and would not stay tight after tightening them a couple times. Leaked fluid and and would not stay locked. actually lost the bucket one time. No big deal with the bucket but I would not want to be there if the brush hog or stump grinder fell of at full speed. Anyway, I wrapped the threds with teflon and cranked them down tight and hope that solves the problem.
By the way, I believe we are in the same neighborhood. I,m just over the border in Northwest CT.