"Float" releases the hydraulic pressure in the front lift arms, so that the downward force of the attachment is effectively just the weight of the attachment itself. If you are dragging a bucket in reverse, float may be what you want. If you float a bucket and move forward, the bucket's front edge will dig in on soft surfaces. The effectiveness/benefit of using float with an attachment is a combination of the downward force of the attachment (how heavy it is), the hardness of the surface (dirt, gravel, pavement), and whether the front edge of the attachment will dig into the surface (many attachments with skids are designed to be floated while moving forward).
Since floating the attachment means that the weight of the attachment is resting on the ground/pavement and not on the front wheels, this can cause the front wheels to loose traction. This is true when floating a snowblade or snow blower, especially when going uphill. If you need more traction/steering control, lift the blade/blower so that the weight of the front attachment is now on the front wheels. On the Toolcat, be sure to place the attachment on the ground/road before going into float mode, since this quickly drops the attachment.
