Deere 855 snow plow

[RoyJackson]

I wonder if I could adapt one of these to my bucket mounts, if I'm going to use the loader for pushing. Either modify the blade mount to fit my loader bucket points, or modify the loader to use this quick-attach system?

72" Snow Plow Attachment Compact Tractor Blade Bobcat Kubota John Deere Montana | eBay

Hmm... just found another option. The possibilities seem endless!

Untitled Document

Yep, a lot of possibilities...and take your time determining which would be best for you.

BTW, there's a company in PA (around Mechanicsburg, IIRC) makes a QA set up very similar to the one shown in the eBay link. I can't recall the company name, ******!

 

[techwrtr2]

THe correct plow for the 855 is a 380. I don't know about the 52 loader, but with the 70A you have to removed all the loader mounts to make room for the 380 mounts which makes it a pain to switch between the two. With the subframe of the 380, it actually is a larger piece of equipement to store when removed from the tractor. Although you could stand it up on the blade to take up less space. My personal choice would be the 59 blower.

There is another plow for the 855 though I don't know the model. I have seen the 380 blade referred to as a dozer blade and you have to admit it is pretty heavy duty. The one I'm thinking of isn't quite so heavy and I would consider it for snow only. The mount looks like this

You can see in the bottom of the mount where the PTO for a snow thrower would go through. I rather think you could leave the mount on and switch out for your loader without too much work though since I do not own one I cannot say for certain.

If I could find one near to me, I'd grab it.

There is a 59" thrower for sale to the west of Chambersburg here in PA if he'd want to go for a drive

This is the mount:

Same part number as the one above.

John Deere 59 Snow Blower 670 770 855 955 Dual Stage Blower w Brackets | eBay

I'd buy it if my wallet allowed.

Now having babbled all of this,

I'd lean toward using loader and maybe picking up a rear blade. They usually don't have shoes as they are intended more for moving dirt than snow. Attach them at will, wouldn't be hard. I haven't used the rear blade in a number of years as I have the ATV with an electric lift.

 

[zzvyb6]

I've been using this setup for a dozen years or so: two drop beams from the loader/mid mower mounts that hold a truck plow mount eyelets. Raise/lower cylinder lines from loader connection. Also loader curl lines to the truck plow cylinders. Since they are mechanically connected, the two truck plow cylinders work together as a double acting cylinder. No problem with movement or overpressuring the truck plow cylinders. I recommend weighted rear tires. I have ag tires. I can do my gravel driveway and my entire dirt road in high gear down and back. 45 degrees on the plow. If the County has the other roads done, you are out and about. 8' blade nice and close to the front axle so there is very little steer turning or crabbing moment. Plow has trip springs in case you hit a curb. When you have it in road gear, the snow flies away from the blade enough to keep a high edge buildup from developing. It will go 4 - 6 feet off the road. Front weights recommended, too. I don't need chains on this snow puppy. Only caution is to keep the truck arms level so it doesn't try to dig. Skid shoes are set about 1" down or so.

 

[WinterDeere]

I know your loader is QA...is your bucket QA too? Or, is it a bolt on bucket?

Sorry... missed this earlier. My bucket is held on with pins. It could be pulled in about 5 minutes, but it's not a drop-and-go quick-attach type system.

Nice rig, ZZVYB6! That's along the lines of what I'd like to do, long-term. Just moved, and got a million things falling apart around me at the moment, so it's just not in the cards right now... unless I can pay someone to do it for me!

techwrtr2, I did see a lighter 59" plow and the thrower you posted both listed today. Both possible options. I had it in my head a plow is a better option for me, but maybe I should give the thrower more serious consideration. Primary apprehension, again, is ability to quickly swap with the loader. The lighter plow may be a good option, if I don't break it with the 855.

edit: just looked at the parts catalog, and figured out there are enough differences between the 420 plow and the lighter 54 inch front mounted blade for the 855 that they're not compatable.

 

[JD755]

There is another plow for the 855 though I don't know the model. I have seen the 380 blade referred to as a dozer blade and you have to admit it is pretty heavy duty. The one I'm thinking of isn't quite so heavy and I would consider it for snow only.

You are correct about the 380 being heavy duty. It weighs 500 pounds and as I recall the serial tag called it a Dozer. Also takes a lot of space to store.

 

[WinterDeere]

It blows my mind that the folks at Deere didn't have even marginal foresight in making the attachment points for the plow and loader the same, given they're designed to fit the same tractor. Using the same subframe for both would not exactly take a lot of thought on their part.

That said, it looks like that particular blade frame has been set up with mostly quick pins, not bolts and nuts. Maybe not a huge deal to change over?

I was looking at the new AF11 snow plow with quick-attach. Maybe I'm best off just converting my loader to a quick-attach bucket, and buying an AF11? Not sure what that would set me back, and I'm a little apprehensive about tweaking the loader arms (the Deere 52 loader seems very flimsy compared to the Johnson loader I had previously), but maybe my fear is unjustified.

 

[JD755]

It blows my mind that the folks at Deere didn't have even marginal foresight in making the attachment points for the plow and loader the same, given they're designed to fit the same tractor. Using the same subframe for both would not exactly take a lot of thought on their part.

That said, it looks like that particular blade frame has been set up with mostly quick pins, not bolts and nuts. Maybe not a huge deal to change over?

I was looking at the new AF11 snow plow with quick-attach. Maybe I'm best off just converting my loader to a quick-attach bucket, and buying an AF11? Not sure what that would set me back, and I'm a little apprehensive about tweaking the loader arms (the Deere 52 loader seems very flimsy compared to the Johnson loader I had previously), but maybe my fear is unjustified.

The blade does attach with several pins and getting those thick pins to align with the holes can be a very frustrating experience, but that is not the real problem. After removing the loader you must remove that long loader mount bar that goes through the tractor frame from side to side. That requires first removing the loader mount on one side of it. Then the wing pieces on the front sides of the tractor that the loader attaches to must be removed. Then different brackets are installed onto the loader bar mount holes on the frame, and a cylinder lift bracket is installed on the front of the tractor. Only after all that can you begin the process of trying to align those mounting pins.

 

[RoyJackson]

That said, it looks like that particular blade frame has been set up with mostly quick pins, not bolts and nuts. Maybe not a huge deal to change over?

I was looking at the new AF11 snow plow with quick-attach. Maybe I'm best off just converting my loader to a quick-attach bucket, and buying an AF11? Not sure what that would set me back, and I'm a little apprehensive about tweaking the loader arms (the Deere 52 loader seems very flimsy compared to the Johnson loader I had previously), but maybe my fear is unjustified.

Buddy of mine uses the Deere front blower (same blower, probably) on a 4310. He's stated the biggest PITA is hooking up the mid-PTO to the tractor.

As far as tweaking the loader frame...well, lots of folks do use loader mounted plows. Deere has a QA plow (replaces the bucket) for $1200 (manual angling).
It's more a matter of using some sense when operating...and, as long as you stayed on your drive, I doubt it would be an issue for you.

 

[WinterDeere]

Can't take too much time... while not typical, last year we had a good snowstorm in our forecast for this week!

 

[RoyJackson]

Can't take too much time... while not typical, last year we had a good snowstorm in our forecast for this week!

I really didn't think that one was too bad...about 8" or so.
Now, February 2010...there were some serious storms!!!

 

[techwrtr2]

You are correct about the 380 being heavy duty. It weighs 500 pounds and as I recall the serial tag called it a Dozer. Also takes a lot of space to store.

Ugh. That's something that wouldn't be useful to me unless I had a second 55 series not needing a loader. My loader is the most used tool and I use it all year.

Seems a good reason to buy another tractor. Now if only I'd had the cash to buy that 955 TLB I saw a while back......

 

[WinterDeere]

I really didn't think that one was too bad...about 8" or so.
Now, February 2010...there were some serious storms!!!

Last October's storm was bizarre in every way. I was in the middle of moving at the time, only about 10 miles away. At my old house, we had 8" by noon, and it kept coming down at the same rapid pace the rest of the day, but never got deeper... just heavier! At the new house, we barely got 3". I'd guess we'd have had 16" or more at the old place, if it were 3 degrees colder.

Still managed to get a moving truck stuck in my driveway.

 

[techwrtr2]

I think we had maybe 6-8" at my parent's place, about the only plowable snow of the winter.

 

[WinterDeere]

I've been emailing my local Deere dealer since the weekend, trying to get some pricing and availability info on some various options, but no reply yet. They're usually pretty responsive, when it comes to selling me something. I'll plan a visit there on Saturday, but since my tractor has been out of production for a number of years, I wanted to give them a chance to research some options before blindsiding them with a bunch of questions on Saturday. The salesman I usually deal with there is third generation, and likely knows his stuff about their current tractors, but he was still in diapers when my tractor was made.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

WD......
I also have an 855 (1987) with a #52 loader, and I have the JD front snow blower also. The mounting hardware in the picture in post #22 is what you need for the blower and front blade type mount.

I mount the bracket for the blower and pto shaft on the tractor and mostly use the FEL and a 5' rear blade. Like you said, I can pop the FEL off and on in 10min flat. That way I can use the blower easily when I need to.

I built a pair of skid shoes for my 5' rear blade and quite frankly use it to move the bulk of the snow I get. Using the FEL to pile, and clean corners around stuff. And use the blower only as needed.

Dedicated JD attachments for some of the older models can be harder to find and expensive.

Good luck
Have fun with your tools

 

[WinterDeere]

I mount the bracket for the blower and pto shaft on the tractor and mostly use the FEL and a 5' rear blade. Like you said, I can pop the FEL off and on in 10min flat. That way I can use the blower easily when I need to.

Waitaminnit... you're saying I can keep the front blade / blower brackets installed, and still use the loader? You can switch from loader to blower without getting out the big wrenches? I was somehow under the impression one must remove the loader brackets from the tractor to install the front blade or blower brackets, and vice versa.

 

[techwrtr2]

Waitaminnit... you're saying I can keep the front blade / blower brackets installed, and still use the loader? You can switch from loader to blower without getting out the big wrenches? I was somehow under the impression one must remove the loader brackets from the tractor to install the front blade or blower brackets, and vice versa.

Remember there are two different blades for the 855. There's the 380 blade that JD755 posted a picture of and the lighter weight snow blade. Compare his post above to this blade.

 

[WinterDeere]

Yeah, but I thought the snow blower used the same mounting brackets as the 380...

 

[JD755]

It looks like the small yellow 54 inch blade or the blower could be attached without removing the loader brackets. From what I see, those simply hang from the front end of the tractor with a bracket that replaces the one used to hang the mid mount mower. Compare the bracket in post 22 by techwrtr2 with your mower mount bracket.

 

[Mechanos]

I believe JD755 has it right. The smaller snow blade and the 59 snow blower use the same front mount which can be installed without removing the loader mounting brackets. The beastly 380 blade has front mounts that use the same holes as the loader mounts. The 380 rear mounts use the same cross tube through the frame that the rear loader mounts use, so that would have to come off as well.