Rear blade chatter when moving snow/slush?

[aa777888]

Photo of my setup below. JD3520 with Frontier 60" mid-PTO driven blower on a front hitch, and Frontier 72" rear blade on the back.

The last couple of years have thrown a lot of ice, freezing rain and slush at us, and of course the blower can't deal with any of that. So for this year the 800lb weight box came off and the 400lb blade went on, along with 200lb of wheel weights.

Today was the first opportunity to use the blade. I had a about 1.5" of heavy, wet slush to move off my 1000ft paved driveway. In general the blade and machine combination performed well, I just need to refine my driving to keep it closer to the driveway edge. However, I did run into one unexpected issue, which was blade chatter on drier parts of the driveway. My initial reaction was to slow down, but that was very inefficient. Eventually I found that if I took just a little weight off of the hitch, not enough to pick up the blade, just enough to pick up some slack, rather than just pushing the hitch lever fully forward (full down), that cured the problem. But that seemed to be a very fussy way to solve this issue.

Is there anything else I can do to minimize the chatter problem? I guess I could put a UHMW edge on it but that's another $300-ish down the drain . Maybe put some washers/spacers behind the blade on the top mounting bolts to tilt the blade a little further forward?

What say you all?

 

[Engineer42]

Adjust your upper link, shorten it, rather than put washers behind the cutting edge. Chatter would occur with the poly edge as well in dry areas. Either way it will make some noise.

 

[crashz]

That's what I was going to say as well. Change you attache angle of the blade. Sometimes it helps to pitch it forward (more aggressive down force) others up and back.

BTW - nice looking setup. I'm jealous!

 

[aa777888]

Good idea, Tom, except that the upper link works perfectly for all my other attachments as is, so I'd rather not adjust it, i.e. I'd rather carry any adjustments on the implement itself, if possible.

Noise is fine, chatter is not. Perhaps I should have said the thing was frankly hopping, which it was.

 

[aa777888]

BTW - nice looking setup. I'm jealous!

I've had it for ten years now. For the winter I wish I had a 4000 series, but for everything else I do the 3520 is a much better size. Plus when I bought it the budget said "4000 conventional or 3000 with a cab". Obviously I'm glad I got the cab!!! There are 6" wheel extenders on the back so the blower is not quite as wide as the tractor, but it's a worthy trade-off for stability as I've got quite a few slopes I need to deal with in the summer.

 

[jmc]

I've got the same problem on a lighter blade- I thought it needed more weight but looks like it's more complicated... Maybe a softer edge than UHMWPE, like a strip of stall matting?

 

[Rockbadchild]

my though is once the ground will be snow covered you won't get this ''issue'' if you can call it that...

 

[Rockbadchild]

Good idea, Tom, except that the upper link works perfectly for all my other attachments as is, so I'd rather not adjust it, i.e. I'd rather carry any adjustments on the implement itself, if possible.

Noise is fine, chatter is not. Perhaps I should have said the thing was frankly hopping, which it was.

you make it sound like adjusting the top link for implements is a big deal?? I have to adjust it for each of my implements its part of the game ... you have this adjustment link right ?

but yes too much friction so reduces it and the hopping will stop but I think it will be a first snow fall issue only...

 

[gstrom99]

I need to adjust the top link often, the different 3 pt attachments are, well, different... You may get less chatter if you turn the blade backwards.

 

[Engineer42]

Good idea, Tom, except that the upper link works perfectly for all my other attachments as is, so I'd rather not adjust it, i.e. I'd rather carry any adjustments on the implement itself, if possible.

Noise is fine, chatter is not. Perhaps I should have said the thing was frankly hopping, which it was.

Maybe get an upper link for just the blade. Or are you using a quick hitch? Better yet, get a top and tilt setup.

 

[aa777888]

Running an iMatch setup, not that that matters. I just like to be efficient I might adjust the top link to find the right angle, but then it's going back to where it was and spacers will be cut to match that.

And not just "No", but "Hell, no" on plowing backwards!!!

 

[seville009]

Good idea, Tom, except that the upper link works perfectly for all my other attachments as is, so I'd rather not adjust it, i.e. I'd rather carry any adjustments on the implement itself, if possible.

Noise is fine, chatter is not. Perhaps I should have said the thing was frankly hopping, which it was.

Buy a second top link just for the blade - adjust it, and leave it hanging on the blade when you use other implements.

 

[gstrom99]

And not just "No", but "Hell, no" on plowing backwards!!!

You wouldn't be plowing/driving backwards, you can just turn the blade 180 degrees (assuming it will swing completely around - most do). That switches the blade angle from leaning back to leaning forward. Much less aggressive. Keep the quick hitch, they're great - I love mine too.

 

[Cycledude]

Hydraulic top link would be very handy.

 

[aa777888]

Hydraulic top link would be very handy.

Cool idea! I've got no circuit for it, though. However I've been wanting an extra rear circuit for a while, now. Maybe two circuits. Ok, that's going on the project list for next year!

 

[oosik]

Adjusting the top link should not be a big thing. I have several 3-point implements and make multiple adjustment on each one. There is no such thing as one set point on my top link.

Your rear blade chatters because it's light. A heavier blade would eliminate most of the chatter. Shorten the top link and get the rear blade to tip forward at the top. That should help.

 

[leonz]

I will sell you my brand new unused pneumatic casters and drilled angle iron with
all the mounting holes that I was going to mount on my 10 year old JD snow blower
but did not because it went to the scrapper.

 

[LD1]

Agree with others. Combination of light blade and a hard surface = chatter.

Alot of people quickly suggesting changing the toplink to change the attack angle of the blade, and that would be good but ONLY if you leave the blade straight.

IF you ever angle the blade to move material left or right.....there is only ONE length of the toplink that will work. And that is when your rear pivot pin is a perfect vertical. If you angle the blade and it remains flat/even with the ground then the toplink is set right. IF when angled the front edge contacts the ground before the rear, the toplink is too SHORT. And vice versa if its too long.

But.....if you are plowing with the blade straight only, try angling it some. Angled is alot less likely to chatter.

Not familiar with i-match.....but general quick hitches have alot of slop. If there is any slop in the i-match....shims/washers/bushings. Tighten it up because that adds to chatter

 

[Engineer42]

Agree with others. Combination of light blade and a hard surface = chatter.

Alot of people quickly suggesting changing the toplink to change the attack angle of the blade, and that would be good but ONLY if you leave the blade straight.

IF you ever angle the blade to move material left or right.....there is only ONE length of the toplink that will work. And that is when your rear pivot pin is a perfect vertical. If you angle the blade and it remains flat/even with the ground then the toplink is set right. IF when angled the front edge contacts the ground before the rear, the toplink is too SHORT. And vice versa if its too long.

But.....if you are plowing with the blade straight only, try angling it some. Angled is alot less likely to chatter.

Not familiar with i-match.....but general quick hitches have alot of slop. If there is any slop in the i-match....shims/washers/bushings. Tighten it up because that adds to chatter

Then it comes down to adjusting the lift arm height to level the angled blade side to side

 

[ruffdog]

I need to adjust the top link often, the different 3 pt attachments are, well, different... You may get less chatter if you turn the blade backwards.

On gravel or early in the season, most of my rear blade plowing is done with the blade "reversed".