Love your set up Im makin one like yours but what did you do about the support arm in between the loader arms the gold one that goes all the way accross did you cut it off?? thanks dongoodin@gmail.com
Snow My answer to the FEL snow plow debate
- Thread starter bobsphotos
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foggy1111
Elite Member
I have been gleaning through snow plow build threads before beginning my own.
After looking at the pics closely.....I also wonder with this one......the solid rod that is normally found between the JD loader mast ends is missing in this installation. I'm not sure how you keep the pins from falling out. Anybody have an answer?
I have been debating whether to "hang" the plow as in this installation.....or, to mount it solid to the QD frame as in 4Shorts and Kubota Tee's designs.
:confused2:I think the later design(s) require use of the loaders float function for the plow to follow the ground contours.....while Bob's design allows the plow to float AND / OR the loader to float. Can anyone offer some "words of wisdom" here?
I've gone back and forth on this issue over the years. I had a 2720 with the front blower and it was superb. When I got the 3320 I almost got the rear blower which I think runs around 2k. I figured that I'd be using this thing for the next 20 years or so and that's a lot of snow.
A blade is tough here. I have a 600 foot plus driveway that runs into a county route. Once the snow starts to build up I would have to put on the loader to move it out of the way to make a place to put the new snow. Once i get to the end of the driveway I'm virtually stuck as there is no place to push the snow that needs a good run to move.
Short story, a blade won't work and I bough the front blower, no wrenching my neck, no problems with moving snow, just blow it out of the way.
Looks like you did a nice job and glad it works for you.
Rob
A blade is tough here. I have a 600 foot plus driveway that runs into a county route. Once the snow starts to build up I would have to put on the loader to move it out of the way to make a place to put the new snow. Once i get to the end of the driveway I'm virtually stuck as there is no place to push the snow that needs a good run to move.
Short story, a blade won't work and I bough the front blower, no wrenching my neck, no problems with moving snow, just blow it out of the way.
Looks like you did a nice job and glad it works for you.
Rob
radioman
Super Member
Foggy- I "hard mounted" mine to my FEL arms. It makes it nice I can either use float or keep a steady plane when plowing to smooth out the bumps or lift plow couple inches off the grass area. FEL float is bad for this. with a chain mount- you can lift and still have float, but what if you have a hard area of snow and need to push back or lift to break it when pushing back for more room? Thats why I like hard mount with FEL float.
I think you may need to think about how much power and weight your tractor is as mine isconsidered lightweight so I can do less damage to my tractor if any. For your size tractor, you might want to think along line of chain mount lift.
I think you may need to think about how much power and weight your tractor is as mine isconsidered lightweight so I can do less damage to my tractor if any. For your size tractor, you might want to think along line of chain mount lift.
foggy1111
Elite Member
Thanks for the input Radioman. This is exactly my dilemma. Good thing is......I got time to think about the build.....and there is allot to read on this topic here on TBN. Day by day it becomes clearer on what I plan to do. At this point I am thinking a floating plow....with the hinge point about 16" behind my QD connection (and lowered hinge point).
The other issue is that I will be plowing some trails over some fairly rough ground with this plow. It's not like I will be doing paved roads or even gravel driveways......rather they are semi-graded trails, meandering through the woods. Sometimes a bit rough....but then I don't need to do a great job either.
I don't plan to even put the hydraulics on the plow until after I see how this instal goes. (the plow I bought doesn't have any cylinders) I will just manually adjust the plow.....and mostly will just plow in one direction on the way "out" and the same direction on the way "back". It's a fairly low-need, low-budget approach to clear some trails on my deer property. (On some winters I can get in to do some logging and other timber work - if I can move a little snow. Drifting isn't much of an issue in the woods.)
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OP
bobsphotos
Silver Member
Tom,
The beauty of my setup is that, just like a plow on a truck, the only weight on the ground is the weight of the plow. The fel has no bearing on the weight, with regards to having steering issues.
Bob W
The beauty of my setup is that, just like a plow on a truck, the only weight on the ground is the weight of the plow. The fel has no bearing on the weight, with regards to having steering issues.
Bob W
4shorts
Elite Member
With my set up I very seldom use the float. I operated heavy equipment for many years and even back then I seldom used the float feature. If you have your FEL pressure on the blade just right you'll have full control of your steering. I find using the float feature you loose some of that control. I've had three winters with my set up and I wouldn't change a thing. My driveway is 600' plus and I have to clean that before I go out to do my commercial clearing. If I had to use a blower I'd give up snow clearing, to slow for my liking. The blade is super fast and it works for me .
As for the design of the original poster, this design wouldn't work for me. You've lost the ability to apply down pressure which was the very thing I mortally hated about the 13 years I plowed with a pick up truck.
. As for the design of the original poster, this design wouldn't work for me. You've lost the ability to apply down pressure which was the very thing I mortally hated about the 13 years I plowed with a pick up truck.
With my set up I very seldom use the float. I operated heavy equipment for many years and even back then I seldom used the float feature. If you have your FEL pressure on the blade just right you'll have full control of your steering. I find using the float feature you loose some of that control. I've had three winters with my set up and I wouldn't change a thing. My driveway is 600' plus and I have to clean that before I go out to do my commercial clearing. If I had to use a blower I'd give up snow clearing, to slow for my liking. The blade is super fast and it works for me
As for the design of the original poster, this design wouldn't work for me. You've lost the ability to apply down pressure which was the very thing I mortally hated about the 13 years I plowed with a pick up truck.
The trouble is that there are many factors to snow removal. The type of ground under the snow for one. Is it black top, hard packed stone, etc. Use a blade on hard pack and you invariably push rocks especially during those times when you get a thaw in the middle of the winter and you're riding on soft roadway. Even the commercial machines scrape up the road here in the winter. A blower can handle greater variations in snow and surfaces and when you have 4 and 5 foot drifts a blower is a lot quicker than a blade. Once again it depends on what you're trying to move. Some places a blade is fine and some places it's slow and awkward.
Rob
foggy1111
Elite Member
OK.....I have been over-thinking this for a few days now.
Considering this idea to get the best of both worlds: (a) Make a hinge point about 16" behind the JDQA point (similar to the OP plow above) in order to get the plow mounted closer to the tractor. Then....use a chain to suspend the plow and provide plow "float" (also similar to the OP post). (b) AND provide a "pad" where I could apply down pressure to the plow via the FEL QA "custom-made pads" when wanted / needed. Also, the operator could let the loader frame "float" on the plow frame to apply a minimal added down pressure OR use the full force of the loader/tractor to press down when wanted. Seems I could have the best of both worlds.....IF this was carried out properly.
(US Patent # JD1....all rights reserved TM 2011) :thumbsup:
inventive foggy
edits: I suppose that if a hanging design such as the OP shows was wanted to be converted to a rigid mount......a top-link or other support rod(s) could be added to do so.
Also, I can see that some rear skid shoes would be needed as there are lots of possible angle combinations with a design like this.
Considering this idea to get the best of both worlds: (a) Make a hinge point about 16" behind the JDQA point (similar to the OP plow above) in order to get the plow mounted closer to the tractor. Then....use a chain to suspend the plow and provide plow "float" (also similar to the OP post). (b) AND provide a "pad" where I could apply down pressure to the plow via the FEL QA "custom-made pads" when wanted / needed. Also, the operator could let the loader frame "float" on the plow frame to apply a minimal added down pressure OR use the full force of the loader/tractor to press down when wanted. Seems I could have the best of both worlds.....IF this was carried out properly.
(US Patent # JD1....all rights reserved TM 2011) :thumbsup:
inventive foggy
edits: I suppose that if a hanging design such as the OP shows was wanted to be converted to a rigid mount......a top-link or other support rod(s) could be added to do so.
Also, I can see that some rear skid shoes would be needed as there are lots of possible angle combinations with a design like this.
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fatboyinmaine
Member
very nice set up, i might have to come down and take some closer photos. I have read all sorts of posts on here concerning FEL plows. i have wanted a set up like this for a while now. I plow with a C-70 dump with a 12 ft plow on my camp road, and wanted a more reliable backup. I was wondering about putting steel caster wheels in place of the shoes. The shoes dig and gouge the gravel during early and late season plowing. i think a plow that rolls a few inches above the ground would work better? any thoughts from the group. thanks
