Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

[kenb1023]

Here is my new Extreme Metal Products Snow Plow for my T293. I had to make the mount myself since EMP does not make it for a Skid Steer QA system, just the John Deere QA System. So what I did was buy a 5/16" QA plate form Titan Distributors (Via eBay) and two Reese 2.5" Reducer Sleeves. Set up the sleeves on the plate using the plow's 2' square cross member tube to align it. Welded it up, sprayed some RUST-OLEUM spray on bed liner and presto, I have a Skid Steer QA for the plow. I bought the Plow kit that came with the bucket mounts since it was $150 less than the JD QA mount kit. Reducer sleeves came from Lowes for $11 each. I could have just gone to a steel supplier and bought 2.5" square tubing for much less but the Reese sleeves already had the hole in them and cut to perfect length. more of a time saver for me. Still came in less than the JD set up. I also got the power blade angle actuator so I don't have to get on and off the tractor to change blade angles.
Hope you like

 

[kevin37b]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Nice work . Actually those sleeves work much better . Regular 2.5" tubing will have a seam in it and not fit near as well . Nothing like power angle , you will use it a bunch .

 

[kenb1023]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Nice work . Actually those sleeves work much better . Regular 2.5" tubing will have a seam in it and not fit near as well . Nothing like power angle , you will use it a bunch .

You make a good point. I was thinking more in the line of strength and didn't think about that seem causing clearance issues.

 

[Tractor Tom]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Nice looking set up!! Does your electric hydro cylinder have a bypass or breakout valve? If you are plowing a heavy load or hit something solid with a corner, something is going to give. Your cylinder may be the weak link and most vulnerable to damage in your set up. Just an FYI..

 

[kenb1023]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Nice looking set up!! Does your electric hydro cylinder have a bypass or breakout valve? If you are plowing a heavy load or hit something solid with a corner, something is going to give. Your cylinder may be the weak link and most vulnerable to damage in your set up. Just an FYI..

The Electro/hydro cylinder has a breakaway valve when hitting solid objects. That was one of the selling points. I figured it would release and save both the blade and loader arms.

 

[larry1965]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Nice job on your modification. I have been looking at that blade for my JD. Keep us posted on how it works.

 

[kenb1023]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Nice job on your modification. I have been looking at that blade for my JD. Keep us posted on how it works.

No snow yet. My wife says now that I am ready for it the snow wont come. I like the construction of it. It is not as stout as a truck plow but then again I want the blade to fail before the loader arms. As soon as I get some snow to test it I will get it posted.

 

[larry1965]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

We have only had one snow this winter that I cleared with my ATV. Just put a loader on my tractor this spring and looked at the EMP blade and a Hiniker. I don't have the third function on my loader so the EMP looked good. But I was a little concerned it might be light for my tractor. Good luck with yours.

 

[kenb1023]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

We have only had one snow this winter that I cleared with my ATV. Just put a loader on my tractor this spring and looked at the EMP blade and a Hiniker. I don't have the third function on my loader so the EMP looked good. But I was a little concerned it might be light for my tractor. Good luck with yours.

Your are right, this one is only recommended for tractors up to 30HP. You can use it just be careful not to place the full weight of the tractor on it. If you have the money I would go with a heavier plow.

 

[Tony H]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

I see you got the TITAN 'open' center Quick attach Blank. I hoe that will be strong enough for pushing the plow.
I bought 2 of their Closed ones. One for a Log splitter ( see my AVATAR) that I adapted to the front on my tractor and another for Forks that I had. Had just the forks alone, needed to adapt to my tractor.

 

[kenb1023]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

I see you got the TITAN 'open' center Quick attach Blank. I hoe that will be strong enough for pushing the plow.
I bought 2 of their Closed ones. One for a Log splitter ( see my AVATAR) that I adapted to the front on my tractor and another for Forks that I had. Had just the forks alone, needed to adapt to my tractor.

All the force is applied at the ends and the 2x2 cross member keeps the ends from trying to fold in. It is very close to how their JD attachment works.

 

[Tony H]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Took another look at your pics, Sure, the 2 x 2 takes the brunt of the force and carries it out to the mounting area. That should be fine.
Nice, simple,and functional. Not to mention the power angle.
I like the idea of possibly unhooking the Plow from the Titan QA by pulling the Pins for other attachments. Any reason you did not want to just weld the 2x2 direct to the Titan QA? just curious.
Let us know how it works for you in bigger snows.
I have a friend with a 32Hp Kubota. Currently has a Truck plow welded to a blank QA. His plow is manual Angle, he would love Power angle without having to Plumb in Aux Hydraulics. Was that harness hookup as easy as finding 12V on the tractor?

 

[kenb1023]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Well we got a 4" snow so I went and plowed the drive and the neighbor's drive. What took me over 5 hours on the little garden tractor I did in about 1.5 hours. My drive has a hump in the center so the plow dug into it pushing gravel to the sides but that is not the plows fault. I need to get a box scraper and dress the driveway gravel and lay some fresh gravel down. Will do that in the spring. All in all I am happy with how the plow performed. The power angle was great and I love not having to get off to change the angle.

 

[kenb1023]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Took another look at your pics, Sure, the 2 x 2 takes the brunt of the force and carries it out to the mounting area. That should be fine.
Nice, simple,and functional. Not to mention the power angle.
I like the idea of possibly unhooking the Plow from the Titan QA by pulling the Pins for other attachments. Any reason you did not want to just weld the 2x2 direct to the Titan QA? just curious.
Let us know how it works for you in bigger snows.
I have a friend with a 32Hp Kubota. Currently has a Truck plow welded to a blank QA. His plow is manual Angle, he would love Power angle without having to Plumb in Aux Hydraulics. Was that harness hookup as easy as finding 12V on the tractor?

The reason I did not weld it directly to the QA plate was so I had the option of pulling it off. I can then get a 2" square tube and weld a ball to it so I can use it to move my trailers around.

The 12V power was taken directly off the battery to the supplied relay that I mounted right next to the battery. The relay power is tapped of the ignition switch lead so it only can be operated with the switch in the Run position.

 

[larry1965]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Thanks for keeping us updated on the EMP snow plow. Sounds like it is going to work for you. Can you change the blade angle while in the snow or do you raise it and angle, then continue?

On your gravel drive you might try a length of pipe on the bottom of the blade. Some members have had success using them and I used one for 8 years on an ATV before getting asphalt.

 

[kenb1023]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

Thanks for keeping us updated on the EMP snow plow. Sounds like it is going to work for you. Can you change the blade angle while in the snow or do you raise it and angle, then continue?

On your gravel drive you might try a length of pipe on the bottom of the blade. Some members have had success using them and I used one for 8 years on an ATV before getting asphalt.

I can change the angle on the fly but if there is a bunch of snow already in the blade I back off just a bit to take the strain off of it.

How does the pipe help? I have been trying to picture it but don't see it.

 

[larry1965]

Re: Extreme Metal Products 72" Snow Plow Modified to Work With Skid Steer QA System

My drive is about 1/4 mile with some curves and a downhill section at the main road. I tried my 6' rear blade on the tractor but it moved too much gravel as the ground seldom freezes hard enough. I switched to an ATV with a snow blade. At first I used a pvc pipe slightly longer than the blade and cut a 2" wide section the length of the blade, not to the pipe end. I then put the pipe onto the cutting edge of the blade and attached it with turnbuckles to the top of the blade. It worked very well for me. The blade would still roll the snow when angled but the pipe would not dig into the gravel. It would leave about a half inch of snow with some gravel showing through. The only problem was the pvc pipe wore too quickly. So I switched to a 4" diesel exhaust pipe and used that for several years. Got asphalt this spring. There have been several threads about using a pipe, it has worked for some members.