First time plowing with SSQA plow, float mode just digs into the driveway

[olenjohn]

Be gentle, this is my first time plowing with my tractor as well as my first time with a fullsize plow. All noob jokes are expected.

I have an L3560HTC that I've added a 7-foot quick-attach plow to. She looks like this:
View attachment 843057

Yesterday was the first snow and I attempted to use the FEL's "float" mode where the plow is supposed to just glide smoothly over bumps and things like a happy little pillow. Only in my case it just shoved into the driveway and tried to dig up what little asphalt I have left. I have a couple theories as to why but wanted to ask the experts before I do something horribly (yet hilariously) wrong.

My thoughts are that perhaps it's related to the angle of the plow, or the lack of plow shoes, or some combination of the two? I figure that since it has such a large forward protrusion off the SSQA attachment that I just need to angle it more upward than level to make everything happy, but I worry that I'll end up just digging some other part of the plow into my driveway and not notice till it's too late. Does anyone have advice or a tutorial on the proper way to make this all work? So far I've only found generic "how to plow" videos on Youtube.

J)

Be gentle, this is my first time plowing with my tractor as well as my first time with a fullsize plow. All noob jokes are expected.

I have an L3560HTC that I've added a 7-foot quick-attach plow to. She looks like this:
View attachment 843057

Yesterday was the first snow and I attempted to use the FEL's "float" mode where the plow is supposed to just glide smoothly over bumps and things like a happy little pillow. Only in my case it just shoved into the driveway and tried to dig up what little asphalt I have left. I have a couple theories as to why but wanted to ask the experts before I do something horribly (yet hilariously) wrong.

My thoughts are that perhaps it's related to the angle of the plow, or the lack of plow shoes, or some combination of the two? I figure that since it has such a large forward protrusion off the SSQA attachment that I just need to angle it more upward than level to make everything happy, but I worry that I'll end up just digging some other part of the plow into my driveway and not notice till it's too late. Does anyone have advice or a tutorial on the proper way to make this all work? So far I've only found generic "how to plow" videos on Youtube.

Be gentle, this is my first time plowing with my tractor as well as my first time with a fullsize plow. All noob jokes are expected.

I have an L3560HTC that I've added a 7-foot quick-attach plow to. She looks like this:
View attachment 843057

Yesterday was the first snow and I attempted to use the FEL's "float" mode where the plow is supposed to just glide smoothly over bumps and things like a happy little pillow. Only in my case it just shoved into the driveway and tried to dig up what little asphalt I have left. I have a couple theories as to why but wanted to ask the experts before I do something horribly (yet hilariously) wrong.

My thoughts are that perhaps it's related to the angle of the plow, or the lack of plow shoes, or some combination of the two? I figure that since it has such a large forward protrusion off the SSQA attachment that I just need to angle it more upward than level to make everything happy, but I worry that I'll end up just digging some other part of the plow into my driveway and not notice till it's too late. Does anyone have advice or a tutorial on the proper way to make this all work? So far I've only found generic "how to plow" videos on Youtube.

Put a pipe on the bottom of the blade. It takes some fabrication / welding skills but well worth it. Get rid of the skid show if you have them. Use an 1-1/2” to 2” diameter pipe the length of the blade. Cut a slot in the pipe - full length - just wide enough to fit over the blade edge. Take out four or five bolts and install 2” wide steel tabs bolted back thru the removed bolts. Then weld the tabs to the pipe to keep in in place. The blade will now glide over the ground and not gouge into the gravel or sod. You won’t get a “clean” sweep down to the roadbed, but you won’t tear your yard or driveway up either. Do a Google search for pipe edge on snow plow and you will get lots of insight.

 

[wallymortar]

Be gentle, this is my first time plowing with my tractor as well as my first time with a fullsize plow. All noob jokes are expected.

I have an L3560HTC that I've added a 7-foot quick-attach plow to. She looks like this:
View attachment 843057

Yesterday was the first snow and I attempted to use the FEL's "float" mode where the plow is supposed to just glide smoothly over bumps and things like a happy little pillow. Only in my case it just shoved into the driveway and tried to dig up what little asphalt I have left. I have a couple theories as to why but wanted to ask the experts before I do something horribly (yet hilariously) wrong.

My thoughts are that perhaps it's related to the angle of the plow, or the lack of plow shoes, or some combination of the two? I figure that since it has such a large forward protrusion off the SSQA attachment that I just need to angle it more upward than level to make everything happy, but I worry that I'll end up just digging some other part of the plow into my driveway and not notice till it's too late. Does anyone have advice or a tutorial on the proper way to make this all work? So far I've only found generic "how to plow" videos on Youtube.

Other respondents pretty much covered recommended fixes. Front scrapers are the hardest to manage & I prefer rear blades for snow removal, especially for uneven or unpaved surfaces. I covered my rationale in a post about a month ago & one post covered crowned driveways well. It looks like your blade is more a dozer blade than a snow blade & the lack of skid paddles is definitely your primary problem - dozer blades are designed to cut, while scraper blades are meant for skimming the surface. That's a pretty big blade for an L-series Kubota, even a 3060 because of the relatively small diameter front wheels as compared to say a 50-series John Deere. I note that you have a rear-mounted box scraper that will provide some counterweight but looking at the blade mount it appears to be 2.5-3' forward of the loader mounting point, so there's considerable leverage forward that contributes to gouging into the driveway surface unless you angle the blade cutting edge upward to compensate for the weight and leverage that is going to make the cutting edge dig in. In addition to skids, I would consider a heavy (1/2") rubber strip bolted to the cutting edge to prevent cutting into the driveway surface.

 

[YNORUM]

Are you plowing that blacktop in the picture? I'd like that.

I plow the blacktop and some of the yard at the new house. Old house I did 3 gravel driveways between 300' and 700' each and a 1/4 acre of grass in front of the barn for easy access. Worked really well in not tearing things up. Works well on the asphalt, could be better, but if I get to it before it's driven on, it'll get down to bare fairly well.

 

[tracdoc]

Lots of helpful input and advice has been provided! I skimmed through the 7 pp of posts, and if I missed it I apologize. But I didn’t see anything about using caster wheels instead of shoes/skids. On a much smaller platform, I plowed a curvy 1200 ft paved driveway w/ elevation using Power-Trac PT-425 w/ factory snow blade and fitted w/ the factory-optional casters and corded rubber blade lip. Unfortunately, the only picture I have is my avatar w/ chains on, but you can’t see the casters and blade lip . That setup was confidence inspiring, since I, too was a complete beginner when I got that plow.
Some general pics for perspective: Snow-Wheel Pictures
The casters can be solid rubber, or even pneumatic. I’ve seen some bigger plows modified with casters by owners skilled in welding. I would think the bigger/heavier the plow, the more advantageous casters could be. You can buy caster kits that can be adapted to existing shoe mounts, too.

 

[Helogabals]

Lots of helpful input and advice has been provided! I skimmed through the 7 pp of posts, and if I missed it I apologize. But I didn’t see anything about using caster wheels instead of shoes/skids. On a much smaller platform, I plowed a curvy 1200 ft paved driveway w/ elevation using Power-Trac PT-425 w/ factory snow blade and fitted w/ the factory-optional casters and corded rubber blade lip. Unfortunately, the only picture I have is my avatar w/ chains on, but you can’t see the casters and blade lip . That setup was confidence inspiring, since I, too was a complete beginner when I got that plow.
Some general pics for perspective: Snow-Wheel Pictures
The casters can be solid rubber, or even pneumatic. I’ve seen some bigger plows modified with casters by owners skilled in welding. I would think the bigger/heavier the plow, the more advantageous casters could be. You can buy caster kits that can be adapted to existing shoe mounts, too.

I wold say - wheels will works very well on smooth, solid surface - asphalt, concrete

On roads which becomes better with the snow (gravel or asphalt with potholes) would be better to use shoes. I don't know theory behind this, but that's what I have noticed, how big boys here are working

And more - it depends a bit on how cold there is. On frozen pavement everything will work great, even bucket will do the job


I have similar setup / geometry as author of this thread and I can say that for me works safety springs on blade lip. + that lip is made from some kind of hard PVC.
And my blade have few deg. play of inclination, to compensate wrong position of rotating pin

Have not wheels; shoes; tamers But I am plowing only hard surfaces

 

[MiserableOldFart]

Just to reiterate what has already been said: Shoes, shoes, shoes. I use a rear blade to keep my loader available and would never be able to do the job without shoes on a quarter mile of gravel path, unless the snow is so deep I need the thrower instead, but working in reverse is slow and tedious and tough on my old spine, lol. The other alternative might be, if available, or even in addition to shoes, one of those plastic edges that are available for some equipment, but they are pretty expensive.

 

[Glue Guy]

Be gentle, this is my first time plowing with my tractor as well as my first time with a fullsize plow. All noob jokes are expected.

I have an L3560HTC that I've added a 7-foot quick-attach plow to. She looks like this:
View attachment 843057

Yesterday was the first snow and I attempted to use the FEL's "float" mode where the plow is supposed to just glide smoothly over bumps and things like a happy little pillow. Only in my case it just shoved into the driveway and tried to dig up what little asphalt I have left. I have a couple theories as to why but wanted to ask the experts before I do something horribly (yet hilariously) wrong.

My thoughts are that perhaps it's related to the angle of the plow, or the lack of plow shoes, or some combination of the two? I figure that since it has such a large forward protrusion off the SSQA attachment that I just need to angle it more upward than level to make everything happy, but I worry that I'll end up just digging some other part of the plow into my driveway and not notice till it's too late. Does anyone have advice or a tutorial on the proper way to make this all work? So far I've only found generic "how to plow" videos on Youtube.

You need "float" with a snowplow but NOT the float position on the loader, just the plow. Rigid mounted plows work very poorly in almost any terrain on any surface.. Consider the plow on a pickup truck. Two push points on the plow's A frame and a chain top link along with nondirectional (round) skids lets only the plow follow the ground contour. Convert your plow to use the same type of mounting. I t will let the plow float, adjust the skids based on the surface you are plowing and all the weight of the loader will be on the front wheels so you can steer!

 

[bunchgrass]

I plow the blacktop and some of the yard at the new house. Old house I did 3 gravel driveways between 300' and 700' each and a 1/4 acre of grass in front of the barn for easy access. Worked really well in not tearing things up. Works well on the asphalt, could be better, but if I get to it before it's driven on, it'll get down to bare fairly well.

I saw elsewhere guys were bolting strips of heavy rubber belting or even cut up stall mats to their cutting edge. I'd be willing to try the pipe thing

You need "float" with a snowplow but NOT the float position on the loader, just the plow. Rigid mounted plows work very poorly in almost any terrain on any surface.. Consider the plow on a pickup truck. Two push points on the plow's A frame and a chain top link along with nondirectional (round) skids lets only the plow follow the ground contour. Convert your plow to use the same type of mounting. I t will let the plow float, adjust the skids based on the surface you are plowing and all the weight of the loader will be on the front wheels so you can steer!

Skids have never worked well on my gravel (some) driveway. They just dig in rather than ride on the surface. Even the skids on the ATV plow do the same.

Using the loader hydraulics to set the blade down without adding the weight of the loader frame itself, works but mostly good for making long runs down the drive. Not so easy when you're pushing into piles going back and forth. The pipe might be worth a shot.

 

[JB Good]

Be gentle, this is my first time plowing with my tractor as well as my first time with a fullsize plow. All noob jokes are expected.

I have an L3560HTC that I've added a 7-foot quick-attach plow to. She looks like this:
View attachment 843057

Yesterday was the first snow and I attempted to use the FEL's "float" mode where the plow is supposed to just glide smoothly over bumps and things like a happy little pillow. Only in my case it just shoved into the driveway and tried to dig up what little asphalt I have left. I have a couple theories as to why but wanted to ask the experts before I do something horribly (yet hilariously) wrong.

My thoughts are that perhaps it's related to the angle of the plow, or the lack of plow shoes, or some combination of the two? I figure that since it has such a large forward protrusion off the SSQA attachment that I just need to angle it more upward than level to make everything happy, but I worry that I'll end up just digging some other part of the plow into my driveway and not notice till it's too late. Does anyone have advice or a tutorial on the proper way to make this all work? So far I've only found generic "how to plow" videos on Youtube.

May be silly for me to say but I found 4-wheel drive really balances out the tractor, especially with a heavy front load.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Those of you who suggest using pipes or rubber at the bottom of the blade, how do you deal with frozen bumps and such?