RedNeckRacin
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2008
- Messages
- 2,505
- Location
- Western PA
- Tractor
- John Deere 5083E MFWD, Kubota L3400 HST
SO I don't start new threads very often, but since I completed another project, I'll post up some pictures.
Short version. I made a quick attached loader plow! With pics!
For the back story:
I have two tractors that I use for snow removal. I mostly rely on the Kubota L3400 for the primary snow removal duty. The HST and frame mounted plow make for very tight maneuvering and quick work of clearing any reasonable snow fall. I run 2 link v-bar's on the front tires only. WEll, last year, I was pushing snow out the driveway up hill with an existing 20"-22" alongside the road. (fence on both sides so it can't be pushed back.) Anyways, I was having trouble keeping my speed up to get the snow to roll up the plow and over the edge of the bank. I began thinking about adding tire spacers and rear chains to the tractor when It hit me. Why in the world am I upgrading the smaller tractor when I have a bigger one with a HEATED cab and all 4 tires chained up? (I got the chains for all four corners so I can get out in the winter to feed round bales on the hills.) Since I didn't have any good mounting options for the larger tractor, I decided to take the cheap/easy way out and make a loader plow. I went and found a 9' plow for cheap after stopping to ask about an expensive western contractor grade 9 footer that was sitting alongside the road. I asked the guy how much for the plow and when he said "$2800" I nearly fell over. I explained that I was looking for "cheap and tough" since a 10klb tractor was going to be wailing on the blade. I didn't want to be heartbroken if it folded into a pretzel. Well, I found a snowplow graveyard in the back of his shop. There were atleast 18 straight blades stacked out back! BINGO! So, off to the steel supplier, I got some 1/4" wall 2x4's for the main frame and some 1x1 for a brace. (the design evolved along the way.) I also found a place not to far away that makes quick attach plates for $125 bucks. So the 110v mig got fired up and I started burning some wire.
The interference from the quick attach on the loader.
And here is what I ended up with. I wish I could have kept the drag arms tighter to the bottom of the plate, but due to the design of my loader and the quick attach, I had to drop them down to clear the structure. The idea of attaching the plow to the front of the plate didn't sound like a very good idea to me since the turning radius would be absolutely atrocious with a 9' plow and keeping the plow as close to the front tires as possible was one of my main goals, I think it turned out all right. We'll see if my welding will take the abuse!
I just realized that I don't have a finished picture with the brace in front of the rear tabs or the Kubota orange paint job. My apologies!
I threw in the picture of the welding. 110V Flux core with no gas.
And a pic of the rear tire chains for the John Deere. I also run v-bar duo's on the front tires!
Short version. I made a quick attached loader plow! With pics!
For the back story:
I have two tractors that I use for snow removal. I mostly rely on the Kubota L3400 for the primary snow removal duty. The HST and frame mounted plow make for very tight maneuvering and quick work of clearing any reasonable snow fall. I run 2 link v-bar's on the front tires only. WEll, last year, I was pushing snow out the driveway up hill with an existing 20"-22" alongside the road. (fence on both sides so it can't be pushed back.) Anyways, I was having trouble keeping my speed up to get the snow to roll up the plow and over the edge of the bank. I began thinking about adding tire spacers and rear chains to the tractor when It hit me. Why in the world am I upgrading the smaller tractor when I have a bigger one with a HEATED cab and all 4 tires chained up? (I got the chains for all four corners so I can get out in the winter to feed round bales on the hills.) Since I didn't have any good mounting options for the larger tractor, I decided to take the cheap/easy way out and make a loader plow. I went and found a 9' plow for cheap after stopping to ask about an expensive western contractor grade 9 footer that was sitting alongside the road. I asked the guy how much for the plow and when he said "$2800" I nearly fell over. I explained that I was looking for "cheap and tough" since a 10klb tractor was going to be wailing on the blade. I didn't want to be heartbroken if it folded into a pretzel. Well, I found a snowplow graveyard in the back of his shop. There were atleast 18 straight blades stacked out back! BINGO! So, off to the steel supplier, I got some 1/4" wall 2x4's for the main frame and some 1x1 for a brace. (the design evolved along the way.) I also found a place not to far away that makes quick attach plates for $125 bucks. So the 110v mig got fired up and I started burning some wire.
The interference from the quick attach on the loader.
And here is what I ended up with. I wish I could have kept the drag arms tighter to the bottom of the plate, but due to the design of my loader and the quick attach, I had to drop them down to clear the structure. The idea of attaching the plow to the front of the plate didn't sound like a very good idea to me since the turning radius would be absolutely atrocious with a 9' plow and keeping the plow as close to the front tires as possible was one of my main goals, I think it turned out all right. We'll see if my welding will take the abuse!
I just realized that I don't have a finished picture with the brace in front of the rear tabs or the Kubota orange paint job. My apologies!
I threw in the picture of the welding. 110V Flux core with no gas.
And a pic of the rear tire chains for the John Deere. I also run v-bar duo's on the front tires!
