Warn plow conversion from ATV to RTV

[timswi]

The preponderance of evidence presented here has convinced me to re-install the safety feature; thanks gents.

Cool--Your teeth, nose, plow and mounting assembly will thank you...Amazing how stubborn a frozen baseball size pile of limestone or dirt can be until you hit one...

 

[SpudHauler]

After 4 years of plowing snow with my 900 and then 1100 I have some thoughts on your mods. I modified my Curtis plow extensively and had a setup much like yours on my ATV with a winch years before.

Not being critical, just constructive ideas.

Seems your blade is tipped back too far, generally the top edge of the bade is directly above the bottom edge. This helps to roll the snow out front of the blade. Yours many let the snow spill over the top and back in between it and the front of the RTV.

I like the blade to be farther away from the front tires. Reason being you can push snow into a ditch without running the tires into the ditch. A good 18" to 24" inches out front allows the plow to be out over the ditch with your tires still on pavement. Safer, less getting stuck equals more fun.

The blade issue is one I had trouble with too. The pivot plate must be dead level when everything is attached and the blade resting on the level ground that the RTV is also sitting on. Otherwise it swings up on one end and digs in on the other when you swing left/right.

Extra width is better on the blade because you get yourself jammed in with a narrow blade. Hard to explain but running your tires into the snow bank when trying to turn a little left or right or when backing up will soon show you what I mean.

As for the winch, a 10 ft line is all you need and it's easier than having 50' of line all messed up and bunching and jammed up. Cut 10' off your 50' line and just use that. In the summer run the 40' line back on.

I would run the line from the winch up to a pulley where you have the shackle and then down to the plow. This way it will lift and lower faster because the way you are doing it now is doubled up which also doubles the pulling power but takes twice as much line to wind in.

I eventually geared up a switch on the frame that contacted the arm when the plow was at it's highest point. The switch cut the power to the lift side of the winch switch stopping the winch from winding up. It would go down on the down button but lift no higher. On my ATV I ruined 2 winch mounts over winding the winch thinking the plow was not up all the way. It was trying to pull the winch right out of its mounts.

Hope this helps.

Plowing snow is so much fun!!!

Merry Christmas

 

[Tkblacktail]

99.99999% done.

I welded longer mounting points (6"LX8"HX10"C2 triangles) onto the back end of the assembly and the blade stays perfectly level in all positions; an 8" drop from the mounting-point under the bumper. I also adjusted the attack angle, re-installed the safety springs, added new blade skids, and re-routed the cable as recommended.

I gave all the moving parts a shot of wool-wax.

All I need now is a 60" strip of conveyor belt (following a lead), to find that 8' piece of 1/4" cable I dropped somewhere on the woodlot, and some snow.

Much thanks for all the help!

I have time to go angling for steelheads.............

 

[SpudHauler]

We need pictures as proof you know.

Just kidding, hope it all works out, was thinking I had said too much and you were upset.

Great news!!!

 

[Tkblacktail]

We need pictures as proof you know.

Just kidding, hope it all works out, was thinking I had said too much and you were upset.

The exact opposite my friend!

I shed my appreciation for complete-congruence and "group-think" a few years ago.

I'll get some pics of it today; have to remove the blade because all I have on my driveway are fir cones, needles, and moss.

 

[Tkblacktail]

Well here are the pics;

View attachment 353083View attachment 353085View attachment 353086View attachment 353087View attachment 353084

I'll post the final pics when I finish the 6" extensions on either side.

Thanks again for all the help :thumbsup:

 

[SpudHauler]

Now all you need is snow!!!

One thing I would do is unhook the end of the cable from up on the cross frame at the top and just hook it to the bottom mount on the pivot plate.

You don't need to double up the cable like that. The winch is plenty strong and it will lift and lower quicker.

Enjoy!!!

 

[madmax12]

Now all you need is snow!!!

One thing I would do is unhook the end of the cable from up on the cross frame at the top and just hook it to the bottom mount on the pivot plate.

You don't need to double up the cable like that. The winch is plenty strong and it will lift and lower quicker.

Enjoy!!!

That would prevent any potential slipping of the cable off the reduction pulley, as well. One less potential headache. Looks really good. Great job!

 

[Tkblacktail]

That would prevent any potential slipping of the cable off the reduction pulley, as well. One less potential headache. Looks really good. Great job!

Thanks for all the compliments and ideas,

Building on the idea to eliminate the lower pulley, and on the idea to use a shorter cable; I could simply make a more permanent 10' cable-attachment to the blade through the pin where that lower pulley currently is, run the free-running end of the cable up and through the snatch block, then into the blank winch spool. That way, the entire assembly is always all together (on a pallet) when I need it.

That is what I call synergy friends! :dance1:

Dragging the cable out (greasing, sliding on the winch-saver, and rewinding it) every time I dismount the blade may be good training and good PM, but it is getting old; I cannot squeeze the cable or kneel down that long any more.....:ashamed:

Thanks, I'll upload pics if it snows.

This project compelled me to fix my flux-core mig welder; the spool was too tight and the wire sleeve needed repair.

 

[SpudHauler]

Yes I like that idea of a short cable. That 50' cable will soon get bunched up on the winch spool after a month of use. Then it binds on the cross bolts that hold the winch together making it very hard to get free. Been there done that.

The other point would be the 6" extensions. I found my last mode to my plow left the plow close to the front bumper and hard to see the corners. Wished after it was another 6" out further.

So, remove your 2 attachment bolts and simply slide the blade out the 6" you are expecting to add and see if your line of sight is good and you will be happy with that. Then try another 6" to see if it improves. At this point going 6" or 18" farther out is not big difference to the operation of plowing but could make it easier for you.

Remember the pivot has to be level, as you now know, when you add your extensions. So get the level out again and check.

Fun eh!!!

Here is a link to some of the fun I had getting my plow closer to what I wanted.

https://picasaweb.google.com/118373...authkey=Gv1sRgCMTUq9ii5dznlAE&feat=directlink

And here is a 2004 picture of my Honda 450 with a Moose snowplow. Rubber flap keeps snow from blowing back. And the extra cable you see is a clothesline cable used to remotely pull the locking pin so I could bump the corner of the plow against the snow bank to change the angle. Too lazy to get off and do it. ha ha ha


This switch cut the power to the lift side of the winch when the bar on the plow arm came into contact. I was bending winch mounting plates trying to lift the plow too high.