Snow Plowing a Gravel Drive - Problem Solved!!!

[RaydaKub]

Nice. I used ABS pipe for 2 years, but it keeps falling off and doesn't last all that long. One mat like this may be the only one I every have to buy.

 

[RaydaKub]

Got my mat yesterday and cut it very easily with a utility knife. I spent over 2 hours drilling out one of my plow bolts. I broke 2 bits off and wore out 3 more. Man, is that grade 8 stuff hard.

So you made a sandwich with the rubber in between. My mount appears to be shorter than yours. I'm concerned that the rubber won't even help hold the blade off the surface, but will fold over too far. If that happens, I can try to remount it out front. My thought is to put a 2 inch bar across instead of washers. Then my concern is how well will the snow scour off the rubber. Anybody have a feel for that?

 

[outoftractorluck]

2 heavy seasons and my rubber strip is still good. With 2" of rubber below the plow, the plow never hits the ground. As you move forward or back the rubber folds under often but that doesnt seem to matter, the rubber is sandwiched between the blade and the ground so the plow never touches the ground. I used 2" of rubber but others have used less which, I think, makes the scrap harder since it is more likely to stay upright and not fold over. Dont know if that helps.

 

[RaydaKub]

2 heavy seasons and my rubber strip is still good. With 2" of rubber below the plow, the plow never hits the ground. As you move forward or back the rubber folds under often but that doesnt seem to matter, the rubber is sandwiched between the blade and the ground so the plow never touches the ground. I used 2" of rubber but others have used less which, I think, makes the scrap harder since it is more likely to stay upright and not fold over. Dont know if that helps.

Have you observed any difference in the stiffness of that mat as the temperature drops? I cut mine to a foot high, but with the short back end, I probably have 2 inches below the cutting edge, but closer to 4 below the blade mount. I tried it yesterday and found the blade still drags on the driveway. I was debating drilling new holes to shorten it to 1 and 3 inches hanging down or cutting an additional layer of mat to put in behind it to stiffen it up. But it was also 60 degrees yesterday, so I'm not sure if that will be the norm once winter hits.
The BX 3ph isn't real precise on movement, but the last option is to try to lower it "just enough".

 

[RaydaKub]

2 heavy seasons and my rubber strip is still good. With 2" of rubber below the plow, the plow never hits the ground. As you move forward or back the rubber folds under often but that doesnt seem to matter, the rubber is sandwiched between the blade and the ground so the plow never touches the ground. I used 2" of rubber but others have used less which, I think, makes the scrap harder since it is more likely to stay upright and not fold over. Dont know if that helps.

Have you observed any difference in the stiffness of that mat as the temperature drops? I cut mine to a foot high, but with the short back end, I probably have 2 inches below the cutting edge, but closer to 4 below the blade mount. I tried it yesterday and found the blade still drags on the driveway. I was debating drilling new holes to shorten it to 1 and 3 inches hanging down or cutting an additional layer of mat to put in behind it to stiffen it up. But it was also 60 degrees yesterday, so I'm not sure if that will be the norm once winter hits.
The BX 3ph isn't real precise on movement, but the last option is to try to lower it "just enough".

 

[outoftractorluck]

Not that I've noticed. Never had to do anything significant to get it to work. Cant figure why you are having problems. When the mat folds beneath the blade (as you move forward) it has to get trapped bettwen the blade and the ground stopping the blade from touching ....... unless you blade isnt vertical ???? Dont have mine on yet or I'd send you pictures.

 

[RaydaKub]

Not that I've noticed. Never had to do anything significant to get it to work. Cant figure why you are having problems. When the mat folds beneath the blade (as you move forward) it has to get trapped bettwen the blade and the ground stopping the blade from touching ....... unless you blade isnt vertical ???? Dont have mine on yet or I'd send you pictures.

I don't have a picture of mine either. I'll point at one from the first post in the thread.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...now-plowing-gravel-drive-problem-dscn1843-jpg

So the cutting edge on this blade is about an inch lower than the back frame of the blade and the mat extends down a few inches. On my blade, the cutting edge is about 2 1/2 inches longer than the back frame. The mat bends over too far and doesn't support it enough that the cutting edge still scrapes the pavement.

My ideas so far are to put a 2nd layer of mat there or get a 3 inch tall steel bar and bolt that on between the mat and the back frame so that it extends further down like the one I pointed to. Or buy a new blade. :confused2:

 

[jambx]

I don't have a picture of mine either. I'll point at one from the first post in the thread.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...now-plowing-gravel-drive-problem-dscn1843-jpg

So the cutting edge on this blade is about an inch lower than the back frame of the blade and the mat extends down a few inches. On my blade, the cutting edge is about 2 1/2 inches longer than the back frame. The mat bends over too far and doesn't support it enough that the cutting edge still scrapes the pavement.

My ideas so far are to put a 2nd layer of mat there or get a 3 inch tall steel bar and bolt that on between the mat and the back frame so that it extends further down like the one I pointed to. Or buy a new blade. :confused2:

I cant believe my thread has 43,000 hits LOL!

Ok - so I see Rays confusion - this was my rear blade set up (which I have now migrated to a front blade with the same rubber mat) - on my rear set up the rubber and the edge of the red steel frame of the blade extended much farther down than the cutting edge itself partly because of the angle I set the blade and the rubber took up almost a inch when folded so the edge never made contact with the ground. For my front mounted set up I took the cutting edge right off and used a thick "L" piece of steel shelving leg and sandwiched the rubber to the plow blade itself - this way there is no cutting edge to get in the way. I have to admit the rubber seemed to worked the best for my back blade set up and while it did work well for the front blade (last year was my first time using it) I am thinking of now using a 3 inch steel pipe welded to the cutting edge just to see if that too has merit.

This pic isn't the best but what you see is my rubber blade attached with the steel channel - worked well - but I think a steel pipe edge for a front blade set up will work even better

 

[outoftractorluck]

View attachment 448122

I cant believe my thread has 43,000 hits LOL!

Ok - so I see Rays confusion - this was my rear blade set up (which I have now migrated to a front blade with the same rubber mat) - on my rear set up the rubber and the edge of the red steel frame of the blade extended much farther down than the cutting edge itself partly because of the angle I set the blade and the rubber took up almost a inch when folded so the edge never made contact with the ground. For my front mounted set up I took the cutting edge right off and used a thick "L" piece of steel shelving leg and sandwiched the rubber to the plow blade itself - this way there is no cutting edge to get in the way. I have to admit the rubber seemed to worked the best for my back blade set up and while it did work well for the front blade (last year was my first time using it) I am thinking of now using a 3 inch steel pipe welded to the cutting edge just to see if that too has merit.

This pic isn't the best but what you see is my rubber blade attached with the steel channel - worked well - but I think a steel pipe edge for a front blade set up will work even better

Yeah now I see Ray's problem also. Sounds like you are on the right track though Ray. I'd go for the bar approach. If its secure to the blade it shouldnt need to be too strong. Maybe just a thin piece of steel or thicker piece of dural. .... good luck. Snows a comin...

 

[skyhook]

Snows a comin...

NO!It's members like you that make it come....