Quick Attach Plate Thickness, which one?

[TractorNH]

When you're planning to build a quick attach loader implement how do you decide which plate thickness to go with? They sell them anywhere from 3/16" all the way to 1/2" thick for the backing plate. Right now I'm working on an 8' truck snowplow modification using a 5/16" thick quick attach plate and plan to reinforce it but how do you all decide which thickness of plate to go with? Has anyone done a project with a thinner plate and later regretted it?

 

[TractorGuy]

I would think it should depend on loader force, temper of the steel used, and how it gets reinforced. That said the plates housing the pin bushings on the loader bucket of my NH 575E is 3/8". It claims a lift capacity at maximum height of 6978 LBS. Apparently 3/8" high tinsel steel can take a lot of force.

 

[stuckmotor]

I had similar questions when I built Quick Attach for my MF 3 or 4 years ago. I used 3/8 mild steel. So far so good. If I'd been building for a smaller tractor I might have used lighter material.

 

[Rustyiron]

You should be fine with the 5/16 you mentioned. You'll still need a stout horizontal "member" the full width of the plate to attach the plow to. Your plow attaching points will be well within the width of the ssqa points and there is no strength there.



Notice the width difference and where the plow "land's" in relation to the loader arms, the flat plate offers little strength once off the ssqa area.

I would suggest a 3x3x1/4" sq tube minimum (full width of your plate) welded on the front side of your ssqa plate for the attachment point of the plows a frame.:thumbsup:
Don't forget, pics or it didn't happen

 

[George2615]

I went with the 1/2" QA plate to adapt my truck plow. The 5/16 or 3/8 would have worked just fine but the 1/2" wasn't that much price difference.

 

[stuckmotor]

Correction: I used 3/8 inch mild steel not 2/8. Sorry for the mistake.
Stuck

 

[Groo]

I went with the 1/2" QA plate to adapt my truck plow. The 5/16 or 3/8 would have worked just fine but the 1/2" wasn't that much price difference.

steel is generally sold by the ton in quantity, so I'd expect 1/2" to be a bit over 1/3 more than 3/8". It is 1/3 more steel. Obviously retail pricing is a bit more complicated than that, but it should remain close.

 

[Aquamoose]

My bigger concern would be the top lip. Some manufacturers make them differently than others and it’s the first place I look at.

 

[jmc]

My bigger concern would be the top lip. Some manufacturers make them differently than others and itç—´ the first place I look at.

Bingo. That top lip needs to be supported from above, like with some gussets to the implements main structure, for example. (Sadly, I learned that the hard way.)

 

[petegoud]

I've been adapting my 3 point attachments to a skidsteer adapter in the back of my tractor. So far, I've been using 5/16" plates. They've been working fine. One of the things I was trying to accomplish was reducing the weight of the attachments. Even with using the skidsteer plates, I still find myself sometimes lifting an attachment to get it positioned properly. It takes me about 5 minutes to switch from a box blade to a rake. Most of that time is maneuvering the tractor.