Snow Attachments How Important is Blade Curl?

[wvpolekat]

Let me start this by saying I don't want to hear about how I should just look on Craig's List or whatever for all the $50 truck plows. They may be there in some places, but nowhere near me. I have been looking for months.

That beings said, I am going to fab up a mount to put my rear blade on the front of my loader arms in place of the bucket. (Let's not turn this into a discussion on bending loader arms or whatever).

My blade is relatively "flat" with very little "curl". In using it as a rear blade with snow, I have never had a problem with snow coming up over the top. I almost always plow with it angled and windrow it.

In looking at other plows, some have a much more pronounced curl to them.

I could see this being an advantage in heavier snow than we get here, but a normal snowfall here is less than 10".

Should I expect this perform any different when the blade is in front of me instead of behind me?

 

[LD1]

Should I expect this perform any different when the blade is in front of me instead of behind me?

I wouldn't see their being any difference. As long as you have the angle of attack roughly the same as when you were using it on the rear.

The only thing I will say is: With the blade on the front, you might not be able to run it on as much angle as you did out back. It might want to push you to the side if you have a sharp angle. Of course this depends on many factors including how big the blade is, how big the tractor is, how much snow, etc.

And the $50 C-list plows do NOT happen this time of year. maybe in the spring or summer, and they are usually the little 42" and 48" garden tractor/atv plows. I rarley see truck plows under $200, and that is for a real POS and in the middle of the summer to boot.

 

[Gizmo2]

I have learned many things this year plowing snow, good year for knowledge for me.
I replaced my homemade 66 inch snow blade of 20 years without power angle this year. I bought a brand new Meyer TM 72 inch with power angle. I figured if I have to modify the blade hookups I may as well do it on a plow blade that will last.
1) The Meyer has a lot more curl to it than my old blade and the idea is to keep snow moving along the blade. In heavy snow using my old blade snow would just sort of slide along it. Not so with the Meyer and tighter curl. Snow does not build up in front of the blade near as bad.
2) I really cannot live without power angle, although I did it for 20 some years.
3) 72 inch blade works really nice on the JD2320.
4) I do like the crossover relief valve function, works really well.
5) All kinds of stuff in reducing the hydraulic oil volume supplied to the plow cylinders.

 

[slowzuki]

The more curl, the better it rolls snow. This matters more when angled as it helps move material off the end. A tractor doesn't always go fast enough to make it roll right anyways so I wouldn't worry about it. Edit. a shiny moldboard helps too, a rusty one doesn't like to roll wet snow.

Oh and get a cheap truck plow! Actually, once you get a smooth base built up you should be fine. Before that, go slow.

 

[wvpolekat]

Our snow doesn't hang around long enough to build a base. I scrape down to pavement each time.

It is about as I suspected, it won't matter much to me. My little bota can only hit about 8 MPH downhill, so, it doesn't really throw the snow. On occasion, I can "roost" some a foot or so off the road. Generally the wet, slushy stuff.

 

[Scooby074]

Curl is good.

got to keep the snow turning once you start makes for an "easier" plow. Dont think you need to go highway speeds to get the effect as i get it on my four wheeler and i plow in first-second. Probably about the same speed as you do. Plus when you angle, it will throw it off to the side much better.

If your going to build, check local steel fab shops.

One local here, has rolled plate for blades and rolled sq tube for ribs. Each year they roll up several pieces of various sizes for people to build plows.

I bought my stock there when i built mine. Usually they charge like $60/hr to run the shears/rolls, but because they did a bunch at a time, cost wasnt much more than the steel itself. I couldnt have rolled them myself for that and the finished product was much nicer.

 

[JohninCT]

... I am going to fab up a mount to put my rear blade on the front of my loader arms in place of the bucket.

Does your loader have a skid steer quick attach? If so, then get yourself a Harbor Freight 3 point quick attach and weld it to a skid steer quick attach plate - Instant 3 point mount to go in place of your FEL bucket for your blade or any other 3 point attachment.

... Should I expect this perform any different when the blade is in front of me instead of behind me?

Only difference I can think of is potential affect on ability to steer due to the push in the front.

 

[Diamondpilot]

No trip springs will equal a broken tractor. Get the right plow. I have seen guys crack bell housings using a FEL the wrong way.

Chris

 

[radioman]

I noticed that with the right conditions, not wet snow, not fluffy, I actually can see snow fly in curl when pushing snow at max angle. If I curl my FEL arms so it digs more, the snow seems to pile more but it flys in the front more but more to the front and pile more. This is what starts to slow and then stop my itty bitty little tractor with truck plow on it. (notice, I am not changing the curl shape, but the angle of attack at top).

This leads me to beleive that the more pronounced the curl with plow angled, You litterly can deposit more snow AWAY from plow at the end.

On the other hand, it allows me to push more snow up the bank instead of something like a pusher. (beleive me I tried that too)

 

[crazyal]

Curl isn't going to make a difference when using a tractor. I doubt you'll ever go fast enough with a tractor where the degree of the curl is going to make any difference what so ever.