my father just purchased an mx6000 last year, wants a snow plow with angle. prices are insane like everything else. i have an old western 8' and planned on welding a SSQA to it and putting new cylinders on it. everything i can read online people are back and forth if i should mount it like a truck with the pins and floating chain, or just weld it solid and be done with it. most skid steer plows you can purchase are all solid mounted. (no floating) but was wondering anyone that has used one or the other on a actual tractor might be a different story. my father is adamant to keep it floating like on a truck but its honestly gonna add a decent amount more fab and id rather just weld it solid and be done with it. any opinions are appriciated!
Skid Steer snow plow, Fixed or Floating?
Fallon
Super Member
32hp L3200. I picked up a yellow manual angle plow & dabbed up a mount using a 3pt quick hitch welded to a SSQA plate. Loved the float, but it stuck out way to far. To much leverage to push me to the side. Sold that plow with thel machine when I upgraded to the cabbed L4060hstc (40hp).
I now have a stainless hard mount hydraulic plow. Beefier & a bit closer to the tractor, but still hangs out a ways. I really miss float on my old plow, but it does the job. I keep dreaming about building a hinged mount under the SSQA plate to get me float & pull the plow in tighter. Somebody else has a thread on here about a build like that & keeps taunting me with his good engineering & competent fabrication skills. For the past 5? Years the hard mount has been ok enough to keep the float project at bay.
I now have a stainless hard mount hydraulic plow. Beefier & a bit closer to the tractor, but still hangs out a ways. I really miss float on my old plow, but it does the job. I keep dreaming about building a hinged mount under the SSQA plate to get me float & pull the plow in tighter. Somebody else has a thread on here about a build like that & keeps taunting me with his good engineering & competent fabrication skills. For the past 5? Years the hard mount has been ok enough to keep the float project at bay.
bdhsfz6
Elite Member
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I have a hard mount Landpride 8' SSQA plow on my L6060. I added a third plow shoe under the center of the frame to keep the FEL arms off the ground and use the FEL float setting. Not quite as good as a floating blade but it does the job.
cool setup, yes i plan on cutting the a frame down as short as possible as the length overall is what ive heard is the biggest issue...
Rustyiron
Super Member
Your terrain pretty much dictates to float or not. Pretty paved driveway without drastic "rolling" surfaces, rigid will be fine.
Undulating dirt/gravel you'll want float. Floating is also more friendly to your loader and without float it will take much more influence from obstacles, the ground, etc before it actually raises the loader to clear that resistance as compared to the intended design.... hanging on the front of a pickup.
Undulating dirt/gravel you'll want float. Floating is also more friendly to your loader and without float it will take much more influence from obstacles, the ground, etc before it actually raises the loader to clear that resistance as compared to the intended design.... hanging on the front of a pickup.
mrmikey
Veteran Member
I'd prefer floating.
I'd seen a pic of a setup somewhere, can't remember where but the snow plow was mounted to the front of the tractor below the loader arms directly to the frame thru two pivot pins, same setup as a truck mounted plow. The lift for the plow was a chain from the bucket to the push frame of the plow. Plow still had angle, the chain gave it the float and less than 5 minutes you could unhook the plow and have the loader only. If I remember correctly, the angle was bucket curl system thru a quick connect, either bucket curl or plow angle. it looked actually better than it sounds.
I'd seen a pic of a setup somewhere, can't remember where but the snow plow was mounted to the front of the tractor below the loader arms directly to the frame thru two pivot pins, same setup as a truck mounted plow. The lift for the plow was a chain from the bucket to the push frame of the plow. Plow still had angle, the chain gave it the float and less than 5 minutes you could unhook the plow and have the loader only. If I remember correctly, the angle was bucket curl system thru a quick connect, either bucket curl or plow angle. it looked actually better than it sounds.
Gordon Gould
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For my long gravel road that is not always frozen float like a truck plow is way better. I used a standard old Fisher truck plow and mounted the push plate below and behind the SSQA plate to get the blade close to the tractor.
More work but in my situation well worth it
gg
More work but in my situation well worth it
gg
rScotty
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More work to float it, but worth it.
ruffdog
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This guy makes them short and floating. You can also pin it if you need down pressure too. I like the design.
Rustyiron
Super Member
Here's one that I made almost 10 years ago.
Note the tube in tube that has limited travel for float. Tilt far enough and hit the bump stops and you have down pressure.
www.tractorbynet.com
Note the tube in tube that has limited travel for float. Tilt far enough and hit the bump stops and you have down pressure.
Snowplow design with float & d/p.
I've been making converted p/u truck snowplows for tractors & SS's for a while using this design that allows for float (normal) action along with down pressure. Notice the tube in tube with the welded stops on what could be called the "top link". If you can't see in the pics, you curl in the...
www.tractorbynet.com