Hiniker SSQA Big Ox blade questions

[Ford850]

I noticed they came out with those plastic blades some time after I bought mine. I'd say the selling point of the plastic blade is this from their site "Slick HMW poly moldboard is dent-resistant and corrosion free." But you give up 4" of blade height and 60 lbs of weight with the plastic model. I still like the skid steer model better for my use.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I have a Big Ox too. I don't have any issues with the SSQA. I drive up to the blade curl my loader under it and pick it up easily, and then hop off and lock the levers. I try to get it centered relatively close, but it doesn't seem to matter if I don't. I think there's about 1/2" of free space on each side on mine. I can see the sides of the plates from my tractor seat, if I lean over a bit to either side. That's probably what makes mine easy to attach compared to Eric's issues. Part of that is due to my loader's curved arms, but it could be easier for me to see since I always detach the blade on top of casters so I can roll it out of the way in the barn. That raises the blade a few inches and might give me a better view.
It does have a lot of vertical float, which is a must for my undulating driveway. I keep the FEL arms raised enough to let the blade float on it's own and that keeps the weight of the FEL on the front wheels for traction and control. It also floats side to side like you said, again a must for me. I keep the shoes set at a point that allows me to raise the FEL slightly which rocks the blade edge down (since it is floating) for a clean scrape, or lower the FEL slightly which rocks the blade edge up above the gravel as is rests on the shoes. I make adjustments as I drive depending on conditions and how much gravel is exposed. Once I get a good hard pack in the winter I can drop the blade and fly without worrying about the gravel.
I've had mine for 10 years. If I was buying a plow today, I would get the same thing.

I can see the sides of my SSQA, but I have zero tolerance. The sides of the SSQA plate are touching the sides of Hiniker's SSQA plate and I need to lever it on every time with a steal bar. Hiniker's SSQA plate is right angles with no taper built in whatsoever. None of my other attachments are tight, just the Hiniker plow.

 

[Ford850]

I can see the sides of my SSQA, but I have zero tolerance. The sides of the SSQA plate are touching the sides of Hiniker's SSQA plate and I need to lever it on every time with a steal bar. Hiniker's SSQA plate is right angles with no taper built in whatsoever. None of my other attachments are tight, just the Hiniker plow.

That's right, I remember we talked about this before. Either my plow's plate is built wider than yours, or my tractor's plate is narrower than average.

I don't remember if I measured mine last time we discussed this, so I did now. My tractor's plate is 43 5/8" wide. The inside of the Hiniker blade plate measures 44 1/2" wide. I looked up the SAE specs for QA plates, and it is 44 1/2" minimum width inside. So my blade appears to be made to industry standards, and gives me close to 1/2" of lateral play on each side on the plate. Maybe yours is not the same width, or your FEL's plate is a little too wide? I can't imagine needing a lever to hook it up, especially in the cold and snow.

 

[Fallon]

UHMW poly is great stuff. Ultra high Mollecular weight polyethylene if I recall. Incredibly slick & durable. It's what "plastic" cutting boards are made of. It's often used as a low speed bearing surface & abrasion resistant surface. No corrosion issues, less weight (could be a bad thing for implements at times). The slick surface combined with less thermal transfer means less snow melting & sticking in borderline conditions.

4shorts has a well over decade old UHMW moldbord truck plow he converted to SSQA. Looks new.

I paid $100 each for my former & current doner truck plows. First one was small & light, current one is beefy but beatup. Both are rusty. I'd look hard at a polly moldboard plow if I got a new one or wasn't 1 step up from dumpster diving for mine.

 

[Ford850]

4shorts has a well over decade old UHMW moldbord truck plow he converted to SSQA. Looks new.

Everything that 4Shorts has looks like new.

 

[Ford850]

UHMW poly is great stuff. Ultra high Mollecular weight polyethylene if I recall. Incredibly slick & durable. It's what "plastic" cutting boards are made of. It's often used as a low speed bearing surface & abrasion resistant surface. No corrosion issues, less weight (could be a bad thing for implements at times). The slick surface combined with less thermal transfer means less snow melting & sticking in borderline conditions.

4shorts has a well over decade old UHMW moldbord truck plow he converted to SSQA. Looks new.

I paid $100 each for my former & current doner truck plows. First one was small & light, current one is beefy but beatup. Both are rusty. I'd look hard at a polly moldboard plow if I got a new one or wasn't 1 step up from dumpster diving for mine.

If the HMW sheds ice then that would definitely be a benefit. When you get a storm that dumps a lot of wet snow while hovering at the freezing point, followed by a dramatic temperature drop, it causes problems on a steel blade. The wet snow is thick and wet, insulating itself from the cold temps above it. The plow blade is at the new low air temperature, lets say 15 or 20 degrees. As you plow, the wet snow sticks instantly to the cold blade, and you cannot get it off. That layer of frozen snow/ice on the blade really affects how it rolls off. If you are just pushing straight runs, it's no big deal. But if you need to make long runs with the blade angled, the added friction really messes up the normal routine. If it stays cold, the ice remains on the blade until you get warmer temperatures or you melt it off with heat. This scenario doesn't happen often for me, but probably a couple storms a year are like this. I spray the blade with Fluid Film on days like that, which helps somewhat. HMW might be able to shed the ice better in these cases.

 

[oldafretired]

I noticed they came out with those plastic blades some time after I bought mine. I'd say the selling point of the plastic blade is this from their site "Slick HMW poly moldboard is dent-resistant and corrosion free." But you give up 4" of blade height and 60 lbs of weight with the plastic model. I still like the skid steer model better for my use.

I'm looking for a blade with a light weight so the skid shoes won't dig into the gravel as much when the ground is still soft. Right now though, with the skating rink ice from the melt due to the recent warm temp, weight wouldn't be a factor at all. The ice is pretty much bullet proof. Absolutely need cleats on my shoes to walk around.

I called the closest store that sells Hiniker and he's supposed to find out how much the plastic ones are. Looks like the design is different from the Big Ox with the trip springs set up to trip with spring extension and not compression like the Big Ox.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I'm looking for a blade with a light weight so the skid shoes won't dig into the gravel as much when the ground is still soft. Right now though, with the skating rink ice from the melt due to the recent warm temp, weight wouldn't be a factor at all. The ice is pretty much bullet proof. Absolutely need cleats on my shoes to walk around.

I called the closest store that sells Hiniker and he's supposed to find out how much the plastic ones are. Looks like the design is different from the Big Ox with the trip springs set up to trip with spring extension and not compression like the Big Ox.

If you're doing that, look into V plows as well. Hiniker Snowplows - Skid Steer - V-Plow Series 29860/29960

Here is a price list from Big Rig where I got my plow in 2014.

http://www.bigrigtruck.com/v/bigoxskidsteer.pdf

 

[oldafretired]

If you're doing that, look into V plows as well. Hiniker Snowplows - Skid Steer - V-Plow Series 29860/29960

Here is a price list from Big Rig where I got my plow in 2014.

http://www.bigrigtruck.com/v/bigoxskidsteer.pdf

Thanks for the link.

Just got a call from the local store. Their distributor quick handling Hiniker. Too bad a place like Everything Attachments doesn't carry Hiniker.

 

[FatTire]

If you're doing that, look into V plows as well. Hiniker Snowplows - Skid Steer - V-Plow Series 29860/29960

Here is a price list from Big Rig where I got my plow in 2014.

http://www.bigrigtruck.com/v/bigoxskidsteer.pdf

That v plow looks great. I think if it were available (or I'd known about it) I would have liked that one even more than the one I have.