Anyone Bent Their FEL Using a Snow Plow

[Rustyiron]

You must know some other "hillbilly" near you that welded up an older truck plow to fit a SS and chances are he made it like a truck plow that only the plows weight is on the blade and the loader arms only push. Very little to no learning curve with this type. Coyote machine makes some very valid points but do you keep it to the point it's not returnable to the dealer?
I'm sure you've seen them here, but if not here's a couple I made.

This is a "Diamond" 9'6"

Here's a 8' Fisher

Both have a "top link" type thingy that I make for true blade floating of about 8-10" before it hits one of the stops. This allows for down pressure if you "roll" your bucket mount forward.

This should explain how the one on the JD works.

The yellow one on the first pic I did a little differently to allow for the horizontal rotation I built into the plow to follow the ground better. That tube just telescopes with the same action but within it's length with top link type balls on the ends.

 

[George2615]

I went to my daughters place to try the plow some more. I already plowed everywhere at my place and in some areas several times, just trying to get the feel of this thing.

Her place has a short driveway of about 100' then an open area of about 150' x 100'. All of it gravel but fairly uniformly graded. I found that to be easier to control and without using the loader float there was less stress on the loader. For me, so far anyways, it seems this plow and my operation of it, are better suited to uniformly graded areas. When I got back I lowered the skid shoes ( to me lowering them means dropping them, by adding spacers under the bracket). Same result as you describe Coyote, just a different perspective I guess. Anyways I tried that for a short distance on my already cleared area in front of the house and still have the same issues, albeit the loader arms are a bit higher off the surface, which is good.

I have a question. Is it necessary to always use the skid shoes and have them riding on the surface. I ask because my son in law has a truck mounted plow and only uses the skid shoes until there is a solid base for the plow to ride on and then removes the shoes. The plow rides nicely on the hard surface without shoes. I wonder if that would work with this plow, if it had a float system like the truck plow or is it due to the geometry of the plow. I note this plow has a very shallow angle of approach and seems to be designed to slice the snow rather than scrape it. I'm going to take a closer look at the son in laws plow tomorrow.

The HLA series plows don't use a chain like a regular truck plow. I looked on their site at different models and don't see any way it could float up / down. They do have some lateral float but not the former. IMO the HLA would be perfect for plowing a flat surface like a parking lot or paved (or level) driveway.

On the truck plow style the bottom A frame would connect to the QA plate with 2 pins and have a center lift chain. When used on a tractor the operator lowers the loader arms until the A-frame is level to the ground with plow shoes touching the ground then use the curl function to allow the chain to have slack. That way the plow is riding on the shoes allowing it to float up or down due to terrain. Your SIL leaves the shoes on because the ground isn't frozen in the beginning of the season then removes them when ground is frozen. I leave my plow shoes on the whole season because the ground thaws on days like we had today (50 deg F)

In your case with your HLA it appears that without a floating plow blade and not having a level driveway what happens is when the rear of the tractor goes up the plow blade in front digs down. If the blade floated it would not do that.

When I first added a truck plow to QA plate my blade was fixed solid to the plate and no float and did the same digging. I quickly modified mine to allow it to float.

I've attached pics of my first attempt fixed and later modified into a floating blade.

 

[Coyote machine]

I went to my daughters place to try the plow some more. I already plowed everywhere at my place and in some areas several times, just trying to get the feel of this thing.

Her place has a short driveway of about 100' then an open area of about 150' x 100'. All of it gravel but fairly uniformly graded. I found that to be easier to control and without using the loader float there was less stress on the loader. For me, so far anyways, it seems this plow and my operation of it, are better suited to uniformly graded areas. When I got back I lowered the skid shoes ( to me lowering them means dropping them, by adding spacers under the bracket). Same result as you describe Coyote, just a different perspective I guess. Anyways I tried that for a short distance on my already cleared area in front of the house and still have the same issues, albeit the loader arms are a bit higher off the surface, which is good.

I have a question. Is it necessary to always use the skid shoes and have them riding on the surface. I ask because my son in law has a truck mounted plow and only uses the skid shoes until there is a solid base for the plow to ride on and then removes the shoes. The plow rides nicely on the hard surface without shoes. I wonder if that would work with this plow, if it had a float system like the truck plow or is it due to the geometry of the plow. I note this plow has a very shallow angle of approach and seems to be designed to slice the snow rather than scrape it. I'm going to take a closer look at the son in laws plow tomorrow.

You're right we are on the same page about the lowering/raising. I realized after I wrote it and chose not to go back. Anyway, try whatever you think might work for your specific situation. Read the specs on HLA's web site regarding how the plow's curve is designed to 'roll the snow off the blade' rather than pushing it per se.
Here's what works for me: try to get the loader arms as high off the ground as possible, by doing what you need to. I NEVER use the FEL's 'float' function with my plow, only slight adjustments by bumping my loader's stick, gently.
IF you can find a position to keep the frame of the plow as close to level as possible regardless of everything else, loader arms, etc., I think you will have even better results.
If someone could just remove your thinking that floating this plow will make it better, I really think you could focus on what needs to be done with the way it is designed. BTW, it HAS float - so what are you talking about when you speak of adding float to it?
I was suggesting you ride along with a pro to see what he could do to help see your drive from his perspective, in addition to maybe having some ideas about how your new plow could be used to it's best use.

 

[Hilbilly]

Rustyiron, I like that system you came up with and might use your idea, If I keep this plow.

I wish I knew someone that has a tractor plow that floats but we don't know many people around here.

I'm still on the fence with this plow but if I can make it work well, even if that involves cutting the mount off and making a float system, I'd keep it. I'm fine with altering it, as long as there is a good possibility that I will get what I'm after when done. There's my dilemma. If I return this plow I will only take a $500 hit but if I keep it and and alter it, I would loose the taxes ($400) plus take a hit of at least $500 if I try to sell it privately. The dealer is not going to take it back if I alter it. I got a pretty good deal on this one, as I've seen a bunch on Craigslist or Kijiji for the same or slightly more money for a used one. There's a used Bobcat plow for $3300 and a well used Meyers for $3000 and a used Western for $5000. So I'm better off to alter a new one vs an old one, as long as the end result works. When I bought this one I was pretty sure it wouldn't give me what I'm after, based on all the comments here, and I was mentally prepared to make a float for it. I still am but would like some confidence that I will get what I'm after. Have you ever used a fixed plow, not liked the performance and then altered it to make it float?

 

[Rustyiron]

Have you ever used a fixed plow, not liked the performance and then altered it to make it float?

I have a "Snow Wolf" that is fixed, I use it on my SS without any trouble, that is after everything is froze up.

I "lock" the boom down against the frame stops and "roll'' the plow forward to put as much down pressure on the blade without lifting the front tires. I'll run the skid shoes level with the edge and let it all wear down together. I didn't care for it on the tractor loader, but now I have that frame mounted V blade anyway.

Those wings are the best thing since sliced bread for large areas.

 

[Peter 315]

I have a "Snow Wolf" that is fixed, I use it on my SS without any trouble, that is after everything is froze up.

View attachment 540116

I "lock" the boom down against the frame stops and "roll'' the plow forward to put as much down pressure on the blade without lifting the front tires. I'll run the skid shoes level with the edge and let it all wear down together. I didn't care for it on the tractor loader, but now I have that frame mounted V blade anyway.

You have all the cool toys

 

[Hilbilly]

Boy I'm slow at typing. While I was typing, both George and Coyote replied.

George, I look at the angle of the cutting edge on your blade and it appears to be a lot more vertical than the HLA, which leads me to think the HLA may not respond well to a float system. But maybe it would.

Coyote, by float I mean a vertical float as opposed to the lateral one the HLA has. Basically a float like the truck mounted ones. I have tried bumping the joystick to curl or raise / lower the loader and that worked better at my daughters place, where the ground is more evenly graded but on my driveway it is a constant battle and I need to go very slow for that to work. I think my driveway is the problem as there are very few sections where it maintains a relatively uniform grade. It is constantly rolling up and down. I guess the only way to know for sure if the chain float system would be better for my situation is to try it. It would be nice if I could try someone else's, at least then if it proved to be futile I could still return mine and if it proved to be what I'm after, I could alter mine and know it will be what I want.

 

[Rustyiron]

Not to be a smart azz, but how about just grading your drive next summer.

Put a landplane on your SS and go to town.

Skid Steer Models | Products | Roadrunner Construction Equipment

 

[DK35vince]

Rustyiron, I like that system you came up with and might use your idea, If I keep this plow.

I wish I knew someone that has a tractor plow that floats but we don't know many people around here.

I'm still on the fence with this plow but if I can make it work well, even if that involves cutting the mount off and making a float system, I'd keep it. I'm fine with altering it, as long as there is a good possibility that I will get what I'm after when done. There's my dilemma. If I return this plow I will only take a $500 hit but if I keep it and and alter it, I would loose the taxes ($400) plus take a hit of at least $500 if I try to sell it privately. The dealer is not going to take it back if I alter it. I got a pretty good deal on this one, as I've seen a bunch on Craigslist or Kijiji for the same or slightly more money for a used one. There's a used Bobcat plow for $3300 and a well used Meyers for $3000 and a used Western for $5000. So I'm better off to alter a new one vs an old one, as long as the end result works. When I bought this one I was pretty sure it wouldn't give me what I'm after, based on all the comments here, and I was mentally prepared to make a float for it. I still am but would like some confidence that I will get what I'm after. Have you ever used a fixed plow, not liked the performance and then altered it to make it float?

Why not try something more simple first. Like a pipe on the cutting edge before altering the blade.
Or a pipe on the cut edge and remove the skid shoes.
If those don't work you can always alter the blade later if you feel its needed.

 

[Rustyiron]

Yeah, I'd have to be talked into cutting up that pretty new plow!