Front snowplow bracket help

[hazmat]

Hey gang,

Well After craning my neck & hiting the fence again, I've decided that the rear blade has got to go.

I've located a 6.5' plow & A frame at the junkyard for $100. I'm picking it up tonight.

I plan on mounting it to the tractorframe ala <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/5-102270-plowpic1.JPG> Beenthere's Western Front Plow </A>

Here's a close up of his<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/5-102372-Snoplow.JPG> mounting bracket </A>

Question for Beenthere or others:

How high off the ground should the pins for the A frame be? Should the A frame be parallel when the plow is on flat ground? Or at an angle? (plow side down?)

I assume it should be close to parallel so that when the plow is angled, it keeps better contact with the ground.

Another question, how much lift & "drop" should I try to get? I've noticed that most truck plows don't lift off the ground very much, 6-8". How much should will they drop below grade when cresting a hill?

Thanks in advance for your help. I'm looking forward to this "engineering exercise"

 

[Marko]

Haz ,

Did you fab the mounting bracket yourself ?? or did you purchase it somewhere ?? I am in the process of getting a 7' plow with A frame and can not decide whether to fab a mount inside the bucket for the plow or take the approach you did ....

Mark

 

[Anonymous Poster]

What you're calling the "mounting bracket" is technicly called the "Quadrant" in the snow plow business.
Proper mounting height is determined by setting the plow on a flat surphace, with the pushing machine, and orienting the A frame so it is level. This will give you the best pushing orientation for the blade.
If the A frame runs downward from the Quadrant to the blade, the blade will dig into the pavement, and is more apt to tip unnecessarily.
An A frame that runs upward from the pushing machine to the blade will work almost as well as an A frame that is level.
Naturally, no A frame will ever stay level when plowing, but if you start out with a level install, chances of proper blade orientation to the snow & pavement are best.

 

[hazmat]

Mark,

I haven't fab'd anything yet. The picture is a quadrant that Beenthere had fabricated.

I'm working out the details on mine now & am going to have a buddy weld it up for me in exchange for a case of frosty beverages.

The reason I am mounting to the tractor frame instead of in the bucket is to keep the overall length of the machine down. I've got a fence that runs along part of the driveway near the garage, protruding tractor implements have a bad habit of hitting it. Also I should be able to add power angling in the future.

Too bad this project won't be done by Thursday. 6" of snow is predicted.

 

[hazmat]

Franz,

Thanks for the info. I'm a big fan of proper terminoligy, just didn't know what it was in this case. Saves alot of aggravation if the person you are communicating with has a different opinion as to which part is the doo-hicky.

I'll lay the plow out on the garage floor & base my measurements on that.

 

[hazmat]

Here's a pic of my quadrant. It is a work in progress.

 

[MikePA]

How will you deal with the trip springs? I assume they are sized with the idea that a truck will be pushing the blade or doesn't the vehicle doing the pushing matter?

 

[hazmat]

<font color=blue>How will you deal with the trip springs? I assume they are sized with the idea that a truck will be pushing the blade or doesn't the vehicle doing the pushing matter?</font color=blue>

I hadn't thought of that. I just got a lead on another plow: 6' off a geo tracker. I'm going to check that out tonight. It may be a better match for little blue.

I'd assume that the springs are matched to the plow. The rear blade I'm using now is fixed, so I shouldn't do anymore damage to the tractor than the rear blade. I'm mounting to the frame & not the FEL. I have a gravel drive & no curbs which also minimizes impact potential.

 

[Marko]

Haz ,

I hear ya when it comes to welding everything together. I do not have any welding equipment and will have to work out the same "work for beer" situation as well.

Is it a matter of using the existing hydr for the lifting and lowering of the plow ?? Just as you would the loader , as well as the power angle just like you would curl and dump ???

I heard of that same amount 6" for the Southern NH area as well.

Mark

 

[hazmat]

<font color=blue>Is it a matter of using the existing hydr for the lifting and lowering of the plow ?? Just as you would the loader , as well as the power angle just like you would curl and dump ??? </font color=blue>

Thats the plan. I'll probably hold off on the angle for now to save some $$$.