First Use of FEL Snowplow

[5picker]

I dont understand why you need a chain at all as long as the loader arms are set to float.???

So only the weight of the plow blade is 'floating' on the plowing surface.
Using a chain and lowering the loader arms enough to have slack in the chain removes the floating weight of the loader arms, loader cylinders, etc.
On hard surfaces the additional weight of the loader isn't really a problem but on gravel, less weight = less work in the spring. (clean-up)

 

[radman1]

So only the weight of the plow blade is 'floating' on the plowing surface.
Using a chain and lowering the loader arms enough to have slack in the chain removes the floating weight of the loader arms, loader cylinders, etc.
On hard surfaces the additional weight of the loader isn't really a problem but on gravel, less weight = less work in the spring. (clean-up)

I am with you. I don't know why manufactures make most snow plows on the front ridgid mount to the loader arms. I have homemade snow blade made from a Meyer pickup snow plow and has a chain to lift the plow. Much nicer to use the just the weight of the blade. Follows the contour of the road better. With the FEL in float and rigid snow plow, the weight of the loader arms + the weight of the blade is just way too much for most conditions unless working on cement or asphalt. Even then if the surface is not smooth, with all that extra weight you catch a crack or uneven surface and have potential road damage.

Observe all the pickups iwth snow blades. Just the weight of the blade does the job. There is no down pressure.

 

[grsthegreat]

well i see your points here, and i have only limited experience with loader mounted plows.


I have used mine only 3 times on frozen gravel roads this season and found that they did not dig into the surface at all....as a matter of fact i left about 1" of snow by setting my shoes. Now i have 1-1/2 mils of gravel roads and there are no major whoop-de-dos to worry about so maybe thats the difference.

it didnt dig in or even try to dig in at all while on float mode.

 

[DK35vince]

I never use float with my loader mounted front blade.
I set the blade down till it touchs the ground and put a small amount of weight on the plow and go.
Follows the contour of the road just fine this way.
Float position never worked for me. I tryed using float in the past and it added to much weight to the plow causing it to dig in, and I lost too much steering control.

 

[grsthegreat]

I never use float with my loader mounted front blade.
I set the blade down till it touchs the ground and put a small amount of weight on the plow and go.
Follows the contour of the road just fine this way.
Float position never worked for me. I tryed using float in the past and it added to much weight to the plow causing it to dig in, and I lost too much steering control.

well i believe you, but i just wonder why you would lose steering control in float mode, but not with positive down pressure???

with mine, i had to apply down pressure a few times to dig thru some ice...and thats when i lost the steering control .

This was before i put on the front chains, so i don't know how it would work with chains. I know on float mode with chains i get absolutely no front steering issues at all.

 

[jdonovan]

well i believe you, but i just wonder why you would lose steering control in float mode, but not with positive down pressure???

with mine, i had to apply down pressure a few times to dig thru some ice...and thats when i lost the steering control .

In float mode when the loader is against a object that provides sufficent resistance the front wheels will lift. Now they don't have to come all the way off the ground to cause loss of steering, just get enough weight off them that they can't counter the side forces from plowing, and off to the side you'll get pushed.

This was before i put on the front chains, so i don't know how it would work with chains. I know on float mode with chains i get absolutely no front steering issues at all.

Chains add sufficient traction, that you're probably able to overcome the reduced front end weight.

 

[5picker]

@radman...

clip... Observe all the pickups iwth snow blades. Just the weight of the blade does the job. There is no down pressure.

Right. And you could certainly add down pressure if you want with a chain set up. Most folks I know have designed their FEL-to-plow frame adapter so that a cross bar or some other significant part of the FEL can contact the plow frame when down pressure is needed. (such as back-bladeing in front of a garage door, etc.)

Also, keep in mind the up/down pivot point for a FEL is much higher and way farther back. (usually just outboard from your hands on the steering wheel) I think this causes some problems as well when the plow is mounted rigid. Decades of trucks equipped with a plow frame pivot point low to the ground can't be a mistake.



@gsrthegreat...

I have used mine only 3 times on frozen gravel roads this season and found that they did not dig into the surface at all....as a matter of fact i left about 1" of snow by setting my shoes. Now i have 1-1/2 mils of gravel roads and there are no major whoop-de-dos to worry about so maybe thats the difference.
it didnt dig in or even try to dig in at all while on float mode.

The key word here is frozen. Unless your plow shoes are HUGE they WILL dig in on gravel. That's why most folks leave a skim coat on a gravel surface to run in/freeze and harden up so the shoes won't dig in.



@jdonovan...

In float mode when the loader is against a object that provides sufficent resistance the front wheels will lift.

I don't understand this statement? If you are truly in 'float mode' it should not lift your front wheels. And yes, I understand in sub-zero weather there could be enough hydraulic resistance from cold fluid to make things a little stiff but still... I can't imagine it lifting the wheels. Mine doesn't when in float.

 

[jdonovan]

@jdonovan...

I don't understand this statement? If you are truly in 'float mode' it should not lift your front wheels. And yes, I understand in sub-zero weather there could be enough hydraulic resistance from cold fluid to make things a little stiff but still... I can't imagine it lifting the wheels. Mine doesn't when in float.

In float mode the loader lift arms are free to move up and down.

If the plow is against something that is fairly solid, and the rear wheels have traction the rear wheels will continue to move forward. If the plow has more load than the front end of the tractor has weight then the front wheels will lift, as the rear wheels and the plow get 'closer' together.

 

[slowzuki]

Yup, if you float the loader and it digs, the tractor will climb and lift the front tires. Its self sustaining as when the front end lifts it makes the cutting edge steeper and it will grab harder.

This is a big reason why I dislike plowing with the bucket.

 

[RoyJackson]

Yup, if you float the loader and it digs, the tractor will climb and lift the front tires. Its self sustaining as when the front end lifts it makes the cutting edge steeper and it will grab harder.

This is a big reason why I dislike plowing with the bucket.

Yeah, it can dig in...if you curl the bucket back a bit (cutting edge 1-2 inches off the ground), it won't dig in.