Front end coming up while plowing snow with FEL mounted snow plow

[bdhsfz6]

I have an l3301 with a heavy 7' blade /gravel driveway in the Catskills. I lift the loader until the blade just skims the surface. Also angle is important. blade wants to be perpendicular to the surface That's what works for me

This also puts weight on the front tires adding traction.

 

[stantonovitch]

Good work on limiting the "jackknife" effect. I agree it's too difficult to keep adjusting the loader to a fixed height.
I found out (the hard way of course), that tractor weight matters. I found the jackknifing effect hugely problematic when I had the backhoe mounted. When you're in float mode, the tractor (and front axle) doesn't get the benefit of the big heavy bucket way out front. When you're in float mode, the bucket weight doesn't help keep the front end down any more, and because the loader hinge is so high, any pushing resistance takes even more weight off of the front axle. Reducing the weight behind the rear axle, and adding LOTS of weight to the front keeps my front wheels on the ground, and keeps my ability to steer while pushing in float mode!

Having said all that, I now used a rear blade to plow snow

 

[saxtonhill]

I gave up on using the loader to gather snow unless the ground/gravel was frozen solid and flat. I use the bucket to move snow when needed. I use a box blade to plow snow both forward and backward as needed. Works great except when the snow is wet and packs up in the box. When it's wet I use a ice scraper that I keep in the loader cross tube to bang the packed snow out.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I gave up on using the loader to gather snow unless the ground/gravel was frozen solid and flat. I use the bucket to move snow when needed. I use a box blade to plow snow both forward and backward as needed. Works great except when the snow is wet and packs up in the box. When it's wet I use a ice scraper that I keep in the loader cross tube to bang the packed snow out.

Keep a can of cooking spray handy as well. Spraying the blade surface every so often really helps keep the snow from sticking.

 

[grsthegreat]

Speak for yourself. If you have shoes on the bucket, it works fine. I run in float almost the entire time on my gravel driveway.

Same here. Been doing it for 14 years.

 

[Notforhire]

I have a Curtis plow that was a pin on loader mount. I converted it to SSQA with a floating/ chain mount blade.
It works pretty much like a truck/frame mounted plow.
The PVC pipe is for storage so the SSQA plate remains upright. I'll remove it before doing any plowing.

 

[dstig1]

Yep. That's the best way to do it.

 

[mike paulson]

Yep. That's the best way to do it.

It probably is but when you have a solid mount Kubota blade you work with what you got.

 

[Notforhire]

It probably is but when you have a solid mount Kubota blade you work with what you got.

My Curtis blade was originally a solid mount. I modified it to a floating blade.
I helped convert other solid mounts. It usually isn't that hard or expensive.
If you post a photo of your setup I'm sure the folks on the forum could help you redesign it if you want to.

 

[chim]

I used a regular FEL on three different tractors without issues. I DID run into trouble a few times when trying to skim some topsoil. The edge of the bucket grabbed and the front wheels wanted to come off the ground.

With a snow blade, the only way to go is with a chain so the blade only floats. An exception is if some more down pressure is needed for packed snow.

 

[Notforhire]

With a snow blade, the only way to go is with a chain so the blade only floats. An exception is if some more down pressure is needed for packed snow.

If down pressure is needed put a piece of pipe over the chain.

 

[chim]

If down pressure is needed put a piece of pipe over the chain.

When I designed the mount for the blade on the Kubota, the QA plate can be dumped into the plow frame hard enough to lift the front of the tractor if necessary.

 

[Tom Pritchard]

Yea I was here a week ago and couldn't get any real answers in how to plow my property in float and not have the tractor jackknife up. Couldn't be simpler and works splendidly View attachment 1962552View attachment 1962553

I can't tell you how much I appreciated your post Mike! I recently put a Kubota front end loader mounted snowplow on my B2301, and attached a 1 1/2" pipe to the cutting edge of the plow, however whenever I left the plow in float, it would dig in and lift the front end of my tractor just as you described. I purchased the spacers and then noticed that you put a collar on the shaft so the spacers wouldn't get jammed...smart move! I have the collars on order and can't wait to try out this setup...it makes perfect sense! Here's a couple pics of my plow with the pipe attached.