What about hydraulic float for front mounted snow blade?

[TooCents]

The Bonatti plow that I have does not float like the ones shown first page of their website. Really neat design though. I have a lot of steep and uneven terrain where I live (and plow) so the float has worked well on the 3pt and I know I would miss it. I think the plow will get abused and I will have a lot of gravel on the lawn if I don't make it float. The side to side oscillation (basically a larger opening at the bottom of the pivot pin) accomodates fair amount of float. Pics from the reversible tractor and now on the Toolcat.

 

[TooCents]

MossRoad, thanks for sharing the pic of the Power Trac with the rollers under the boom. Before I saw your pic, I was eying-up something similar with a heavy duty roller under the boom. The weight of the TC boom is also too heavy for the flail mower. A roller (or 2) under the boom might also be an option.

 

[ruffdog]

Another way to float the plow without having to float the loader arm: Use a ssqa to 3pt adapter first on the toolcat. Then, attach the plow with the original 3pt to the lower pins and use a short chain for the top link. The plow would pivot on the lower 3pt pins and the top chain would supply the float action. When you curl back or lift, the chain gets tight and you lift the plow.

 

[Rustyiron]

Until everything freezes, plowing snow on gravel is just no fun.
Maybe some funky, long skid shoes could be fabricated for use until you have a good snow pack.

 

[MossRoad]

MossRoad, thanks for sharing the pic of the Power Trac with the rollers under the boom. Before I saw your pic, I was eying-up something similar with a heavy duty roller under the boom. The weight of the TC boom is also too heavy for the flail mower. A roller (or 2) under the boom might also be an option.

To be clear, the wheels are casters and attached to the plow.

 

[MossRoad]

Until everything freezes, plowing snow on gravel is just no fun.
Maybe some funky, long skid shoes could be fabricated for use until you have a good snow pack.

That's why I like my gauge wheels. I can curl the plow back and have it ride on the wheels an inch or more above the gravel.

 

[dstig1]

Having been there done that and got the t-shirt, on a regular FEL of the larger sized CUTs, you cannot get away with just floating the FEL with a snowplow. It will just dig in and you will start to ride up over it. There is just too much weight in the FEL arms. Your best bet will be to modify it to be like a truck plow and float it separately hanging from a chain like truck plows do. Then the only weight to deal with will be the plow blade itself.

I think Moss gets away with it due to the very small size and weight of that tractor and FEL.

 

[4Liberty]

I found an old truck mounted plow that has all the hydraulic controls inside the pump. I discarded the lift cylinder and retained the power angle part. Controlled by a switch on the FEL lift lever. The whole thing attaches to a skid steer plate so all I’ll have to do is the skid steer quick attach and a plug in for the power angle. Chain goes in place of the lift cylinder for “float”.

 

[oneal hicks]

If you are using a front end loader most tractors front end loaders have a float setting. When you lower the bucket down push the lever future forward if you have this setting you will feel the engagement on the lever, This will allow the bucket to float.