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

[John_Mc]

As some have already noted, part of your problem is trying to use the loader's float function. You are putting all of the weight of your loader fame on the plow. (Another part may be the wieght of your plow blade itself: it does look rather beefy - like a dozer blade rather than a snow plow, but hard to tell from the picture.

I suggest looking in the Snow Removal for threads about underslung snow plow set-ups. This puts only the weight of the plow and it's attachment frame on the blade. I know @Gordon Gould has posted a number of pictures of his set up.

This thread might be a good place to start. The first posts includes links to threads of several other members builds:
Another Underslung Story

 

[Too many Kubotas]

It's very hard to get the front end loader to be at the right height to make sure the angle is right on the plow. If your loader is quick attach I would take it off. Your plow and attaching frames are to big, to heavy and to hard to control.

My driveway has several mild ups and downs, making it more interesting to keep the loader mounted blade at the correct height. I start with making sure that the pivot on the blade is vertical, so it won't matter which way the blade is angled.

Keeping a close eye on the shafts on the skids lets me know how high, or low, the blade is relative to the gravel below. Yes, it requires near constant adjustments, but when even I can do it, it can't be that hard to learn.

And not to make it too easy, I also run a heavy rear blade. It's wider, and usually in full offset position, to get the snow some five feet outside the edge of the driveway.

Yes, that one really demands attention, so my plowing is mostly done at very low speeds or I wouldn't be able to adjust both blades quickly enough. Of course, once it's cold enough and there's a layer of hardpacked snow things are much more forgiving and the speed can be picked up a bit.

But not by all that much as the tractor tires are right on the edge, and the ditches a bit deep in places. But it can indeed be done.

 

[SnagDump]

I plow with a skid steer and often use float. It's misery when the ground isn't frozen hard. I had this guard built and keep it on my plow all the time. It helps some.

A friend built some custom plow shoes for his and they look to be helpful. Rather than a simple disc his shoes are rectangular and are probably a foot long with 2/3 of the length behind the pin so they stay oriented correctly. (like a caster wheel works). They have short angled plate on the front to help with digging in.

 

[Willie B]

I built a homemade rig with a Fisher snow plow. It took the place of the bucket. The pivot point of the float is forward of the steering wheel 5' above the ground.
It was not a great success! It seemed the tractor had a lot in common with an 8000 LB pole vaulter.
In a later rig, My son took same tractor, same plow, but rigged a push frame attached low under the tractor. This was a success. Float needs to pivot low, I'll say 8 to 12" above the ground. Steeper push angles tend to cause the cutting edge to dig in.

 

[Willie B]

Try a pipe sliced to accept the cutting edge, might help. Shoes must be very large to help with your rig.

Any way to lock your loader boom near the ground & float only the bucket curl?

 

[dvcochran]

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.

7’ is a pretty heavy box blade. It is simply more weight than float mode can handle. Maybe (big maybe) you can max out the drag lever to help, but I doubt it. This to the age old problem with 3-point mounted gauge equipment. Most people learn to get good enough with the lift lever or get a wheeled box blade.

 

[YNORUM]

I added a 2" steel pipe that a cut a slit in with a plasma torch, tapped it onto cutting edge, and tack welded it every foot. Cut truck mount down and welded to SSQA. I rarely don't plow with my loader in float. L3560 open station. Live in mid michigan so I'm moving plenty of snow and I do just fine. Adjust my roll angle as needed if the plow seems to try to trip, but I also only run 2 springs as I don't want a ton of pressure to suddenly catch on the loader but I go slowish anyways.

 

[CH4Ohio]

I get the feeling that we're spinning our wheels on this one. The OP hasn't posted here for a couple weeks . . .

 

[bunchgrass]

I've been plowing with various tractor/snowblade setups over the years, always on a soft surfaced drive (graveled at best). We almost never get a good freeze before it snows so the ground is rarely hard when you plow. Regardless of which setup I used, the blade always wanted to dig in if you set it down completely. The weight of the plow is pretty significant on its own. Surely enough to tear up soil. I'm not sure I understand the underslung plow benefit other than shortening the distance the thing sticks out and aiding in steering (never been a problem for me).

 

[bunchgrass]

I added a 2" steel pipe that a cut a slit in with a plasma torch, tapped it onto cutting edge, and tack welded it every foot. Cut truck mount down and welded to SSQA. I rarely don't plow with my loader in float. L3560 open station. Live in mid michigan so I'm moving plenty of snow and I do just fine. Adjust my roll angle as needed if the plow seems to try to trip, but I also only run 2 springs as I don't want a ton of pressure to suddenly catch on the loader but I go slowish anyways.

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