Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Using a pickup snow blade for my Mahindra

[alia176]

These two pictures are perfect examples of what I tried to verbally explain. The blade is held solidly in position in relevance to the Loader Frame.

So, to keep the blade in contact with the ground the Loader must be operated in the float position. This means the entire weight of the loader beams and blade is split in half between the blade shoes and the tractor loader frame. See how much weight that places on the blade shoes??

With a chain or chains the loader is operated with the beam held at a certain height. The blade is then free to pivot on it's bracket and float with the uneven ground conditions because of the slack chain. So the entire weight of the blade and it's angle bracket is split in half between the blade shoes and the hinge pins. Dramatically less weight on the blade shoes??

Interesting info, thanks for explaining. I based my design off the "rigid" design vs the "float with chain" design. I was under the impression that I'm suppose to have the loader in float mode while snow plowing. However, the pickup trucks don't have this option so they opt to use the chain method to have a "float" feature.

Having the plow float up/down using the chain or have the loader arm float up/down using the rigid method - those are the options. Seems like making the plow blade float on its own is easier than to make the entire loader arm float. Given how heavy a typical set of loader arms are, I'd be hard pressed to think that the snow in the Southwest (very little moisture) could make them float! I bet I'd dig down and move gravel if I let my loader arms float. I'll try it tonight after work.

 

[ovrszd]

Interesting info, thanks for explaining. I based my design off the "rigid" design vs the "float with chain" design. I was under the impression that I'm suppose to have the loader in float mode while snow plowing. However, the pickup trucks don't have this option so they opt to use the chain method to have a "float" feature.

Having the plow float up/down using the chain or have the loader arm float up/down using the rigid method - those are the options. Seems like making the plow blade float on its own is easier than to make the entire loader arm float. Given how heavy a typical set of loader arms are, I'd be hard pressed to think that the snow in the Southwest (very little moisture) could make them float! I bet I'd dig down and move gravel if I let my loader arms float. I'll try it tonight after work.

When your driveway is frozen solid and then you get snow the shoes will carry the weight of the loader arms and the blade. If not, your shoes would have to be twice the size they are to function properly.

As you stated, it can be done either way. You may find that your setup works fine. If not, then try chains. Either way it beats a hand shovel.

 

[zzvyb6]

I'd put another skid on the QA plate or on the A frame so you can float the plow at a level angle all the time. I personally don't use a chain because I want some down pressure if I am on ice and want to chip it off. Been using my truck plow up front for more than 20 years on a concrete and gravel driveway an my mushroom skids have negligable wear. I even do the county roads when I feel it does some good to get somewhere fast.

 

[ovrszd]

I'd put another skid on the QA plate or on the A frame so you can float the plow at a level angle all the time. I personally don't use a chain because I want some down pressure if I am on ice and want to chip it off. Been using my truck plow up front for more than 20 years on a concrete and gravel driveway an my mushroom skids have negligable wear. I even do the county roads when I feel it does some good to get somewhere fast.

Yep. Lots of blades built that way. Especially the farther North you go. More apt to be on frozen ground.

I've got a Meyer blade that I converted to fit my SSQA on the FEL or on the rear 3pt. Uses the Meyer hydraulic angle in either configuration. Built it rigid and strong so I can also push dirt with it. If the ground is solid or the gravel is thin, it works fine. On soft ground or thick gravel the shoes dig trenches because of the weight I'm trying to "float". If all I wanted to do was push snow I'd definitely want chains.

 

[Fallon]

Re: Converted a Meyer snowplow into a SSQA for my Mahindra

As others have said, chain is the way to go. All that weight of the loader arms on the plow & shoes is a major reason you are plowing dirt.

Somebody used 2 nested pipes instead of chain or your turnbuckles. It gets the nice float, but when the pipe bottoms out, you get down pressure. There is a thread here somewhere about it. Will probably copy it for my next build.

 

[alia176]

Re: Converted a Meyer snowplow into a SSQA for my Mahindra

As others have said, chain is the way to go. All that weight of the loader arms on the plow & shoes is a major reason you are plowing dirt.

Somebody used 2 nested pipes instead of chain or your turnbuckles. It gets the nice float, but when the pipe bottoms out, you get down pressure. There is a thread here somewhere about it. Will probably copy it for my next build.

I saw a thread where the OP used a chain going through a pipe for his rear 3 pt blade and it was a very effective. I replaced the large top link with a chain for my rear box blade and I thought it did a better job of smoothing out the dirt road. However, I'm going to weld on some means of piling on 45 lb barbel plates on the box blade and the drag blade for more effective scraping with the chain.

When the temp gets warmer and I get more motivation, I'll replace the two links with chains to see how the snow plow bade floats.

Thank you for the insight, very educational.

 

[skyhook]

Here's mine with a chain supported plow, if you look in the circle, when I angle the plow "down", the cross pin connects with the plate and the spring puts tension on the plow for down pressure.

 

[ovrszd]

Here's mine with a chain supported plow, if you look in the circle, when I angle the plow "down", the cross pin connects with the plate and the spring puts tension on the plow for down pressure.

Very cool!!!! Did you design that??

 

[devildog1]

Here is a link to the Horst, HLA snow blades, they do have lateral float from side to side to couture to driveway and have a cross over relief valve just in case you strike a un-moveable object. They are built like a brick s-it house. This is the second one over the years that I have purchased from them. I do plow blacktop drives and never had an issue of using the float with the tractor as shoes are heavy duty and I'm not plowing UN-frozen stone or dirt drive ways.I've been using these types of snow plows for quite a while and with the snow load we get in up-state N.Y. no chains needed.
DevilDog HLA Snow | Home

 

[Ivan49]

The one with the shock holding the blade down I am wondering in one or 2 snowmobile shocks would work? I have a blade which I am going to fix next summer. For now I welded 2 pieces of retrangle tube on each side so my loader forks go thru the tubes. I made it this way years ago and used it on my skid steer with good results