Panhard bar plowframe setup

[linrick1]

Hey all, I managed to wind up with a sweet liitle plow/frame rig off some sort of garden tractor and decided to mount it on our Honda Foreman. While the rear mounting brackets were fairly straightforward, the front was a bit trickier. What I ended up doing was making this panhard bar arrangement to control the side to side movement but still allow vertical travel and was curious to hear what you all might think about this solution. Thanks, Rick
P.S. The lift system is next

 

[zzvyb6]

Very nice setup. Good way to "recycle" older but still useful attachments. I've used some electric actuators for lift assistence. Got them from eBay and also old satellite dish (C-band 7' style) linear actuators. One comment: Since most plowing pushes snow off the blade to the right, this forces your Panhard bar into compression which will tend to lift the front of your ATV and reduce traction and steering control. Setting the Pan.bar more level helps a bit. The other way to address this is to move the ATV frame mount to the other side which will put the bar in tension. This setup will also tend to reduce plow blade chatter which happens when the downforce varies in the high front view angle Pan.bar.

For all you oval track fans, a Cup car needs the Pan.bar in tension, too. Otherwise the bar compression cycling gets you into the so-called "Death Wobble".

What steps did you take to keep from hurting the ATV electricals when welding? I'm paranoid about welding on my tractors and ATV even though I disconnect everything from the battery terminals..

 

[linrick1]

zzvyb6, Good eye! I should have caught that before I went bezerk with the welder-you are exactly right about wanting the Panhard Bar in tension and I just missed it....we'll have to see how it works the way it is set now and I'll reverse it if it gives me trouble.
As far as welding on vehicles goes, I disconnect both the positive and negative battery leads and try to place the ground clamp as close to where Im welding as possible, dont know if this is recommended procedure but works for me
Thanks again, Rick

 

[JB4310]

Good work, I like the fact that there is minimal hardware on the machine when you don't have the plow on.

Never heard the term panhard, heard of hardpan referring to soil conditions. But I'm assuming it's the swinging bar in front which looks very sturdy compared to the one on my little garden tractor and this plow cost over a Grand. Must be a good design as it's the only thing holding the plow on the front of the tractor, about midway back on the undercarriage there's the lifting point and then it's anchored at the rear.

As far as welding on vehicles I've been doing it for ever without removing battery connectors, but considering what could be at risk now a days I think I'll start, was just recently welding on my $60,000. truck, the huge PCM is mounted on the side of the engine and must cost a pretty penny.

JB.