Back blade on front 3-point hitch -- Good idea or stupid?

[EdwardL]

Has anyone ever tried putting a 3-point hitch on the front of a compact tractor and using it to mount a back blade to plow snow? -- I know there won't be any springs to dampen the blade hitting something, but my drive way is short and there are no curbs to hit.

Just wondering if this is a stupid or practical.

 

[LouNY]

I have a quick hitch mounted to an SSQH plate. I use it for moving and setting things in place it also has a trailer hitch receiver in it.
That said I seldom use it, the most often use is to put 3 pt implements into my little shop that only has a 7 ft high door, when I'm going to work on them.
I was going to use it with my york rake for cleaning debri off my yard, didn't work worth a damn.
It would put your back blade way out in front of your tractor and make it difficult to control.

 

[CalG]

A VERY COMMON set up in Europe. They don't really go for FEL. Practical people! ;-)

Type "Hurlimann Prince" into google foo.
Select images from the menu bar.

Enjoy many images of front mount 3pt.

 

[oldnslo]

I modified a western truck mount snow plow to mount on frame of my tractor. I use the hydraulic connections for loader to operate the plow. Pull two pins and disconnect four hoses and drop plow and can then attach loader. Even mounted that close it Still pushes front of tractor sideways in heavy snow. I have cross port relief valves on swing cylinders but no spring trip.

I have blower on the 3 point so this option works well for me.

 

[CalG]

Inspiration

Front Hitch | Frontlink Inc

FRONT LINKAGE The Front Hitch comes standard with a lift frame, cylinders, 2 arms, Toplink, multivalve, 2 hydraulic lines and all bolts, nuts etc. The Front Hitch Can be ordered with Cat 1 and or Cat 3 arms as well (This is an additional order/customer order). The cylinders are double acting...

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[redman135]

Make sure you have sturdy cross bracing on the front mount linkage as you can bend the lower links going around corners. At a previous job the owner user a blade directly mounted onto the 3ph and bent the lower links(sideways) . There are no stabilisers on his front 3ph. Also he was blading dirt not snow.

 

[chim]

I wouldn't try it. A plow needs to be able to float (and NOT by using the FEL "float" position). It would be way too Rube Goldberg. If you want to have a front plow here are much better ways to do it.

 

[Runner]

I made a front quick hitch for my JD 2520 and have used it for a rear blade, but not for plowing snow. My situation is that I have a poorly designed compost pile that is surrounded by railroad tie walls on three sides. I use my setup to reach over the pile and pull compost from the rear to the front when turning the pile.

That being said, I am aware that the loader is not really designed to be used in this manner and I am, therefore, extremely careful when doing it. I don't think it's going to hurt using it like this for moving loose material. I would be uncomfortable using it to do very much snow moving, maybe just for pulling it away from buildings/garage doors.

Attached pic is using the QH to move my box blade, but you get the idea.

Edit: It just hit me that you might not be intending to mount the quick hitch to the loader? If you are actually thinking of installing a three-point hitch to the front of the machine (ala European equipment) I will be interested to see it.

PS Edit: I also use my subsoiler on the front quick hitch for turning the compost pile.

 

[chim]

One of my back burner projects is a 3PH attachment for the QA on the loader. The primary use will be for a landscape rake to pull junk out of a fence row. With a bit of care it doesn't scare me to pull it. I wouldn't attempt to push it though.

 

[Runner]

One of my back burner projects is a 3PH attachment for the QA on the loader. The primary use will be for a landscape rake to pull junk out of a fence row. With a bit of care it doesn't scare me to pull it. I wouldn't attempt to push it though.

For mine, I just welded a couple of pieces of 11" channel to the sides of a cheap HF quick hitch, then welded the JD hooks and pins to the channel.

 

[ruffdog]

Installing a 2" receiver on the front and using a Snowsport plow is quick, safe, and lower cost than installing a front 3-pt. You can even use the plow on anything else with a receiver, like your truck. There are plenty of videos showing how these plows work too.

 

[chim]

For mine, I just welded a couple of pieces of 11" channel to the sides of a cheap HF quick hitch, then welded the JD hooks and pins to the channel.
View attachment 885014

Nice! And a big DUH from me - I've had a HF QH in the one shed for over 10 years and never used it. I'd need to do something a bit different at the bottom for standard QA pins since mine isn't a Juan Deere. Wish I'd have seen this before starting on mine.

 

[ptsg]

I think I would still want the springs in the blade, just in case you hit something.

The beauty of a front 3 pt + PTO is that you can just use regular 3 pt implements, instead of getting stuck with very expensive proprietary front hitch system and attachments that some big brands offer.

 

[LouNY]

Nice! And a big DUH from me - I've had a HF QH in the one shed for over 10 years and never used it. I'd need to do something a bit different at the bottom for standard QA pins since mine isn't a Juan Deere. Wish I'd have seen this before starting on mine.

The one thing I did wrong with mine as shown on post #2 of this thread is that I just welded the quick hitch to the SSQA plate I should have spaced the bottom of the quick hitch out 4-6 inchs with the top being flat to the SSQA plate as I don't have as much curl back as I like some times when moving things around.

I do wish the actual add on front 3 points weren't so outrageously expensive.