adding a snow plow to a tractor

[vtsnowedin]

I'm right in the centa of things. I can see the VTC water tower from the back field looking down towards Killington. I'm all set with my own plow set up using a plate I had made up with the Fisher push beam welded to it and I use the third function on the loader for the angle pistons. Just wanted to see another way to do it.

 

[Willie B]

I set up a 9' Myers to pin in the bucket of a Case 580K 4x4 tractor/backhoe/loader while the machine is very heavy, with tire chains on all 4, it still was difficult with blade angled. The plow tended to push the front of the tractor sideways. Even when it wasn't shoving me sideways, turning was difficult as I was always driving through the bank on the edge of the road. I believe they work best if the pivot from push frame is low, and as far back behind the front wheels as practical.

My old farm tractor (International B275) had a non angle blade that pinned in place of loader bucket. If I allowed the loader to float pressure came from a pivot point too high, the cutting edge was constantly digging in. By the time the cutting springs released, the front wheels were in the air. It seemed the tractor was trying to climb over the plow. Mr. Fisher (god rest his soul, drowned in a fishing accident) designed his plows to pivot low. When they catch on something, the bottom of the plow hinges rearward providing a ramp for the plow to hop over the rock. None of that works if the pivot point is 5 or 6 feet in the air.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Your old B275 setup sounds like it was designed for dirt moving like a bulldozer blade. My set up lets me put the push beam from the Fisher plow at the same height as it was when mounted on the F250 it came off of.
I plow this hill with it. I use the split brakes to help steer around the corners where it banks the wrong way. Other then that I haven't had any problem with the snow pushing me sideways and I don't have any chains on the front.

 

[Willie B]

Your old B275 setup sounds like it was designed for dirt moving like a bulldozer blade. My set up lets me put the push beam from the Fisher plow at the same height as it was when mounted on the F250 it came off of.
I plow this hill with it. I use the split brakes to help steer around the corners where it banks the wrong way. Other then that I haven't had any problem with the snow pushing me sideways and I don't have any chains on the front.

The B275 was notorious from its introduction in 1959 as too lightweight on the front. My initial experiments showed early on angling the plow wasn't helpful. I was plowing a neighborhood of short driveways where a snow pusher would work well. Often I was back dragging to move snow away from a garage. The Fisher 8? foot worked pretty well except it often dug in like a pole vault. I experimented with a number of shoe designs, none being a total success.

The Case 580K, a heavy machine, suffers from a similar problem. The 3000 Lb. backhoe is more than enough to lift the front wheels off the ground, a 900 Lb. cast iron counterweight over the front wheels is barely enough to hold them down. I found the plow mounted where it pivoted in the bucket placed it too far forward, any angle at all pushed the tractor sideways. I was always fighting this with brake, hampering forward motion. Also the machine was as long as a freight train.

Lately I just use the front bucket, it takes longer, but frees up the bucket for firewood duty.

 

[vtsnowedin]

I would think a backhoe on the back would be a big disadvantage being stuck out in the way and taking weight off the front wheels when you need some on them for traction. I have rim guard in my rear tires plus the weight of the ice chains and I keep three log chains and a cross bar on the 3PH which all adds up to close to 2000 lbs all compact and out of the way. It works for me real well but other arraignments might suit other tractors as well or better. My old 880 David Brown 2WD was helpless without a set of Canadian style ring chains on if there was any snow or ice in sight.

 

[Willie B]

A close cousin to Chevy Chases flying saucer, it can't be steered, goes where gravity wants it to be. My former backhoe was a JD 410 4x2 I reasoned that all that weight, chains shouldn't be necessary. My first ride to the bottom of the hill taught me otherwise. For snow removal it's hard to beat a 4x4 pickup with good plow. I've always had an old one dedicated to that purpose, but grew tired of the annual overhaul it needed to prep it for its job. I have a heavy tractor, those snow pushers I see at the mall look tempting.

 

[vtsnowedin]

A close cousin to Chevy Chases flying saucer, it can't be steered, goes where gravity wants it to be. My former backhoe was a JD 410 4x2 I reasoned that all that weight, chains shouldn't be necessary. My first ride to the bottom of the hill taught me otherwise. For snow removal it's hard to beat a 4x4 pickup with good plow. I've always had an old one dedicated to that purpose, but grew tired of the annual overhaul it needed to prep it for its job. I have a heavy tractor, those snow pushers I see at the mall look tempting.

I think my setup beats a 4x4 pickup hands down as the loader arms allow me to raise the plow up a foot or so and wing back snow another four feet in a single pass anywhere there is not a drop off. Also I can push snow up into piles twelve feet high or so with ease. The pickup would be better if I had a lot of drives with distance between them I didn't need to plow. The travel speed when not working is a killer but once on site the tractor will do a lot more then a pickup can with a lot less chance of getting stuck.

 

[Willie B]

Nice unit, I cant tell the exact model, in any case a very versatile machine. I'm a little jealous of the quick tatch bucket mounting. I would love to have a big light material bucket, hard service bucket, dirt blade, and forks I could see.

 

[vtsnowedin]

She is a 5045E. It is just the right size for my needs. Very stable with the rears set wide with 4.1 inch spacers and the wheels dished out all the way. Goes like a skidder in the woods. The plate for the plow I had welded up by the local mechanic from steel plate and angle iron I bought at Capital steel. The pins and hooks to fit the loader mount came from Trottier's and they had them in stock. About $225 all said and done. I'll pick up a set of forks when I can find them used reasonable but what I most need now is a set of 3PH harrows and perhaps a middle buster point.

 

[Willie B]

The guy at Otter Creek Campground in Danby always has a number of things beside the road to sell. Usually this includes fork lift forks. I don't pay enough attention, something about his out of state brother in law being a fork lift mechanic. As I recall they are bare forks, you would need fabricated quick mount. I find mine very handy they see constant use. Mine are attached over the bucket, drive up, lift and drive away. The down side is I need a spotter as I can't see the tip of the forks.

Years ago I converted a set of Farmall Cub "Landside" plows to make a middlebuster, I think I still have it.