Installing a hydraulic cylinder/ram for angle of 48" snowblade

[ampa]

I have a metal vice gripe type clamp holding that bracket in place....nothings been welded up to now...you say make an L bracket from the one I have....that bracket is 1/4" thick.....thats pretty heavy stuff to work with. I'd best go to the metal supply warehouse grab a 1/4" piece of flat stock.

I'll only need a small piece they may even have a scrap layin' around and give it to me..I do have my torches handy...not too sure how much gas/oxy I have left.....I've let them go down pretty close to zero..might have enough to heat a small piece of 1/4" stock cherry red. to bend it....

I have a large vice.. should be no problem... is lift cylinder is fine where it is?..... if so ....maybe I should remove it so as to get a better picture where the second cylinder(angle) should be mounted and to and then where to mount a type of swivel bracket point to the adjustable angle plate with the holes for the pin lock that I removed..I'll get those pics posted soon as possible..still workin' on the hydraulic issues such as fittings/hoses etc. lots of work to be done yet.....Thanks everyone.....Ampa

 

[Argosy]

For the lift cylinder I would block the blade up to what you wanted for the maximum height. Extend the cylinder and move it to the point where it and your bracket touch the lift arm. Tack it there, and I wouldn't slot the arm.

How much height difference between the top of the A arm and top of the pivot plate? I'm guessing those are 1/2" bolts in the clevises? You also need clearance between the cylinder and pivot plate.

So you've got a few things to consider before making the mount. Eventually you're going to hit something pretty solid with this and the weight of the tractor will act on whatever you build for a mount. A 1/2" bolt bends pretty easy, especially if you have a couple of inches of it hanging out there. So that is important. A L bracket made out of 1/4" is probably going to be weaker than the bolt, and most likely will fail by tearing the weld out of the A arm, because it will be thinnest. Probably same for welding the bolt directly to the A arm, it will eventually rip out.

You will probably have to build up the A arm with some heavier plate, maybe even a piece on the pivot plate if it's relatively thin to take the stress.

 

[SpudHauler]

Ampa,
I had a thought that might help.

Remove the springs and the snow blade itself. Remove the a-arms from the tractor. And put the a-arms and pivot up on your bench and fit things up there.

Might be easier on your back.

When everything is looking good, remount. You don't need the big blade on, it's just getting in your way. So leave it off until the angle and up/down work the way you want, then put the blade back on.

You know this has to be really strong! When you hit one end of the blade into hard snow or whatever, there will be a ton of force on that little cylinder and it's pivots.

 

[SpudHauler]

Look at post "options for a bx2200 snow blade"

options for BX2200 front blade - TractorByNet.com

And this is his original post. just found it.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/155390-bx-54-blade-hydro-angle.html

And another.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/112442-snow-plow-mount-kubota-b7510.html

And lastly, those springs look like they are too long or should be mounted farther away. You have no adjustment on the eye-bolts, so the blade will trip very easy. Or at least that is the way it looks.

I may be shot for this one, but here goes;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQu5YIEeDOU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezUyTSnThuo&feature=related

You know there is nothing you can't find on these forums if you look long enough! amazing!

 

[ampa]

I redrilled the cleaves out to accept 5/8 bolts....I think I'll be readin' up what was sent to me...it includes all info.I been lookin' for....kind of strange it's all there somewhere just need someone find it for you....'wow" just great...even covers the hydraulic issue...and the setup... and only uses one single double acting cylinder....SpudHauler that's the way the blade came brand new....I only installed them...if you think those two look weak....you should have seen my old 42" Craftsman with only one spring...it always tripped I ended up chaining it........"yep"..almost got it back to it's original shape... sold it along with my little lawn tractor.....thanks ever so much...SpudHauler....Ampa

 

[SpudHauler]

Now Ampa don't take me wrong. I just thing it is so neat, all the stuff you can find. Amazing :thumbsup:

 

[ampa]

I'm replyin' back to let everyone know that I'll be usin' 2"x 1/4" flatbar steel for my new cylinder brackets...instead of 1/2".... for the simple reason the new snowblade is only made of 1/8" steel maybe a bit over 1/8"... I'm no good when it comes to measurin' in small segments....I know and and can see 1/2" steel used on this OP fabrication....because it is 3 to 4 times heavier built than mine.....I have used in the past and really abused... a small little 42" snowblade that was designed only for and came off a small lawn tractor....it was used when I bought it....but looked like it was only used a couple of times....I guess it didn't work too well on this guys LT...
anyhow it didn't work any better with my LT either.....so I removed it and put it away for the time bein'...

When I bought this BOLEN 4x4 compact tractor and it was for sale as is with no implements included....I decieded to install the same 42" snowblade on this tractor.....I found out after the blade was way too light for this BOLENS 4x4 3 cyl. diesel...I didn't really didn't care too much.... since I paid someone to weld and frabricate a front bracket mount and bolted it to the front of the tractor.... I had already since removed the manual lift handle/lever and modified it and installed a 12 volt DC winch to lift and lower it... I used it this way on and off for about 3 years(broke the winch cable quite a few times)..used this front blade along with a brand new 48" 3 pt rear graderblade I had bought after....

I only paid $250.00 for the whole thing including the mounting bracket which I had modified to fit my little LT and this BOLENS...so if I broke it...I figured it owed me nothin' in return from this point in time.....I don't know how this ATV 48" blade will survive.... but I'll try to be a little more carefull with it....if I start breakin, or bendin' parts

I guess I'll have no choice than to beef it up stronger....I can't see usin' steel 3 -4 times heavier than the original structure....any comments on my thoughts are welcome as always....I'm just goin' by the structural strength of a blade designed only for a small B&S one cylinder lawn tractor..the only thing that bent a few times was the snowblade... and I broke the the winch cable lots of times...when I sold this old 42" blade this past spring of 2010 .... the main frame was in the very same condition as when I first bought it more than 3 years previous....thanks in advance....Ampa