Front Snow Plow - To hydro or not.

[Avery11]

Evening,

This season I am contemplating adding a front plow blade to my B2320. I have a rear blade but would like the front option as well.

I want to keep the cost down so I'm searching Craigslist and have come upon many light truck blades which include pusher tubes (is that the right term) and hydraulic cylinders. For a solid blade that I can cut down I'm looking at around $200 and I would fab a bracket to attach to my QA.

I have also looked at the more simple 5' Moose blades which lack the hydraulic option.

Assuming I have decided I want a front blade, should I go with the simple Moose or the light truck model with the potential for hydraulic angling later on. I don't have a third function valve but will likely add one next year for a grapple.

I have a 60 foot paved driveway with a single lane leading to a 3 wide parking area.

Is power angling really that important? Do those who have it use it enough to justify the added cost and complexity?


Thank you for your time.

A.

 

[George2615]

Yes, you could use your curl / dump function to control a power angle plow. You can easily adapt a manual angle blade to a QA plate and just manually change the angle. Having power angle is not really important unless you don't want to get off the tractor to manually change the blade angle.
For your $200 about all you can do is adapt a manual blade to a QA plate.

I went with PA so I don't have to get out of the nice warm cab. My tractor has rear remotes so I ran a pair of hoses up to the front and use the remote to angle the blade. I have about $600-700 in my plow and that's just for the QA plate, extra steel bracing, hoses, hyd. fittings, relief valve, misc. welding materials and paint. I already had the used truck plow sitting in the yard.

 

[Duke460]

I just bought a 7-1/2' Western Plow for $300. Removed he truck mount and brackets. Welding two pin mounts on the lower edge of a quick disconnect plate and hook on the top for a chain. Loader will raise, lower and tip forward and back. Removed the hydraulic Rams. Western plows have a series of holes in the rotator segment. Will just have to get off the tractor and rotate by hand then insert a lynch pin.

 

[ray66v]

I plow 325' of driveway. And, I have come to realize, that if I plan it right, most of the time, I don't have to change the angle.

Even when, the weather gets real ugly, I only have to change it a few times.

While I would like to have power angle, it's not that big a deal to me at this point.

 

[nybirdman]

Not a lot of area to plow so a non-powered blade should work.I plow about 3 miles of drives,parking areas and woods road and couldn't be without power angle.
The Moose plows are designed for lighter weight vehicles but should be o.k. for a "B" series.Make sure the trip springs are working.

 

[PILOON]

While it sounds good to have an angle blade you will soon find out that the more snow you load up front the more you slide sideways.
That is mainly because with a tractor we plow slowly while a truck plows at speed thus flinging the snow.

I say this so that you consider seriously the need for power angling that you would not really use.
Angle plowing with a CUT is probably only valid in minor events like 2" or so (which in reality don't need plowing).
When U have 6-10" events a blower is your friend.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I'm in the power angle camp but I'd suggest looking at a subframe mounted plow if you can do some fabrication. Much much stronger setup than a QA plate on the loader. Plus you can use the loader hydraulics to run all the plow functions.

 

[JCByrd24]

Given the size and description of your driveway you may find that instead of a power angle plow that more of a box pusher would be better. So a straight plow with box ends. Starting with a manual blade would allow you to go either way eventually. Box pushers are very popular when the snow has to be moved to a specific location (one big pile in a parking lot). I found that even with a 7.5' plow on my truck that box ends would be nice to clear my parking area and also for the main driveway once the banks got big some winters because I just ended up pushing all the snow down to the end where I piled it in my yard. I used my 186d with turfs to move snow with the FEL bucket sometimes and it will push a surprising amount of snow straight ahead. The fact that compacts can get pushed around when angled adds to this advantage. One way to prevent that though is to make sure the plow can flow separate from the loader frame, so the weight of the loader frame remains on the front tires.

 

[ray66v]

While it sounds good to have an angle blade you will soon find out that the more snow you load up front the more you slide sideways.
That is mainly because with a tractor we plow slowly while a truck plows at speed thus flinging the snow.

I say this so that you consider seriously the need for power angling that you would not really use.
Angle plowing with a CUT is probably only valid in minor events like 2" or so (which in reality don't need plowing).
When U have 6-10" events a blower is your friend.

I wish you could see what I can do with mine. You would be quite surprised.

I have no problem pushing a 6' loader mounted plow, on a gravel drive, through deep snow, with the plow angled.

I have turf tires, (no chains), 4wd, and I keep the backhoe on for ballast.

The secret, is to not angle the plow all the way. The more you angle, the more sideways, and turning forces you put on the tractor.

Mine works well, angled half way.



I have had both frame, and loader mounted plows. I believe, the loader plow is superior in every way.

A loader mounted plow, would give you the ability to make the first pass at 6-18", if the snow is too deep. (I never have to).

And, you can push the tops off the snow piles, if you need to. My wife drives a civic, so, I have to do that all the time for her to be able to see over them.

 

[Avery11]

Thank you for the advice, Men. I realize this subject has been talked out so I appreciate your input.

I have 2 choices narrowed down:

1) 5' Moose County Plow with a bracket made to mount to a Kubota bucket the same size as mine - $125

2) A 7.5' Fisher Speed Caster with frame, cylinders, lights, pump, and all. $200

Both solid with no need for repair and both prices firm. I would need to fab a pin mount for the Fisher, cut to length, and fit the hydraulics (no TFV so would use dump/curl).

I recently came into a Harris torch with cylinders and Miller Passport Plus but have no time or experience with either so I'm not sure I would be ready for snow with all the other projects I have going.

Anyone think I should grab that Fisher too for a spring project? I'm sure I could get my money back from either setup.

So, I can go with K.I.S.S. or Buy Once, Cry Once and a project, or both.

Decisions...

 

[nybirdman]

A 7.5 wide plow is way too much for your sized tractor.I had a 6.0ft.on a L3130 HST,sub-frame mounted and that was all that it wanted for sure.The Moose plow should serve you well and it will be a lot lighter.We have put them on several ATV's and had good luck with them.

 

[Avery11]

I agree. The plan would be to cut it to 5 or 5.5 feet.

A 7.5 wide plow is way too much for your sized tractor.I had a 6.0ft.on a L3130 HST,sub-frame mounted and that was all that it wanted for sure.The Moose plow should serve you well and it will be a lot lighter.We have put them on several ATV's and had good luck with them.

 

[ray66v]

I agree. The plan would be to cut it to 5 or 5.5 feet.

I Though I would have to cut my plow down when I first made it. I am glad I tried it first.

My GC is about the same size as your tractor, and it pushes my 6' plow with no problem.

Each property is unique. And, my land is flat.

 

[Fallon]

Yes, you could use your curl / dump function to control a power angle plow. You can easily adapt a manual angle blade to a QA plate and just manually change the angle. Having power angle is not really important unless you don't want to get off the tractor to manually change the blade angle.
For your $200 about all you can do is adapt a manual blade to a QA plate.

I went with PA so I don't have to get out of the nice warm cab. My tractor has rear remotes so I ran a pair of hoses up to the front and use the remote to angle the blade. I have about $600-700 in my plow and that's just for the QA plate, extra steel bracing, hoses, hyd. fittings, relief valve, misc. welding materials and paint. I already had the used truck plow sitting in the yard.

Maybe, maybe not. If your dump circuit only has regen or fast dump, it won't run a pair of single acting cylinders. Regen applies full pressure to both ends of a double acting cylinder. As the but end is bigger than the rod end (that rod takes up space) it overpowers the rod end & extends. The extra fluid from the rod end makes the cylinder extend faster. Useful when dumping & gravity is trying to extend the cylinder already. If the pump couldn't keep up you'd get air in the cylinders.

As a pair of single acting cylinders are equal, regen will just push on both equally.

My Kubota l3200 & a lot of others are setup with only a regen dump.

 

[DK35vince]

While it sounds good to have an angle blade you will soon find out that the more snow you load up front the more you slide sideways.
That is mainly because with a tractor we plow slowly while a truck plows at speed thus flinging the snow.

I say this so that you consider seriously the need for power angling that you would not really use.
Angle plowing with a CUT is probably only valid in minor events like 2" or so (which in reality don't need plowing).
When U have 6-10" events a blower is your friend.

With chains on all 4 I have no problem sliding sideways with the plow angled.
A 6-10" or more is no problem.

 

[Fallon]

With chains on all 4 I can push snow running over top of the plow when angled without sliding sideways.

My L3200 would get pushed sideways with moderate ease with loaded R4s using either my SSQA plow or a 72" back blade. I now chain up the front (and sold the back blade) & don't have to much problem with sideways push depending on how wet & heavy the snow is. I can often push more than the blade can & get some snow coming over the blade. I can now turn when plowing where I couldn't before chains.

I have rear chains, but can't fit them without wheel spacers.

 

[Avery11]

Fallon, I've never heard of regen. How do I know if my 2013 B2320 has it?

 

[Fallon]

Fallon, I've never heard of regen. How do I know if my 2013 B2320 has it?

Look in manuals or Google. Somebody here may know.

 

[FatTire]

If you have a very simple set up to plow, like a narrow driveway, a small parking area, and an easy place to put the snow, you might not mind the manual angling. If more complex, or if you need to plow fairly often, go for the power angle. As mentioned above, tire chains will solve any issues of being pushed sideways when angled.

 

[Avery11]

Thanks all for the replies. FatTire, I have NOTHING like your spot. I went ahead and made the deal on the plow below. The shabby mount will fit my bucket if I don't get a bracket made in time and for $125, its a cheap way in to see if plowing is my thing.

Gonna give it a bath and put the right color on it. Will post when I'm done.