Understanding how Tractor Hydraulics Work for a Front Snow Blade

[lostcause]

I'm going to convert a light duty truck plow to my tractor (JD 3039R) and I want to make sure I understand how to hook up to the tractor's hydraulics. I am going to use a frame mount, and not loader arm mount - I will remove the loader for the winter season. The plow will be a Fisher Minute Mount and I intend to hook up to my tractor's loader hydraulics and not use the plow's electric pump. I may convert to a plow electric/hydraulic pump eventually, but not now - current plow pump is non-functional. Here are my questions:

1. Hydraulic angle - plow cylinders are single acting as opposed to the dual acting loader controls. Even factory built plows for tractors appear to use single acting cylinders - can I just hook the right side cylinder to the curl up function and the left to the curl down in order to angle the blade? When fluid is pushed to one side's cylinder, does the other side automatically bypass to allow that cylinder 's fluid to flow back to the reservoir as the rod is pushed back by the opposing side?

2. Relief valve - I don't see them on the commercially available snow blades, but the older design JD 366 frame mounted plow appeared to have one. Should I include something similar to this: Prince Manufacturing Corporation > Products > Hydraulic Valves > Relief > Model DRV

3. Up / Down - The plow will float with the terrain because it hangs on a chain, but it will still need to be raised and lowered. Here's the question: since I have a single acting cylinder to lift the plow, could I hook up that to the loader down port so that it lifts as I push the control forward. Then, to lower I would be able to push further forward into float and have the plow weight drop the blade into plowing position? Will this work?

Again, I'm not versed in hydraulic terms and principles, just trying to apply common sense to what I visually see. If anyone can confirm or contradict what I am saying (with small words please) it would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[dstig1]

Overall, what you are saying should work. The relief valve you are looking for on angle is a Crossover Relief valve, and Surplus Center or many places will have them. Your link is a very common one. I would make sure to remove all old fluid in the plow circuits and then it won't contaminate your tractor fluid.

I would recommend you just try hooking up the hydraulics from your loader to it first and see if it behaves like you want before you go to too much trouble to come up with a mount, as the mount is probably going to be the challenging part...

 

[CalG]

I'm going to convert a light duty truck plow to my tractor (JD 3039R) and I want to make sure I understand how to hook up to the tractor's hydraulics. I am going to use a frame mount, and not loader arm mount - I will remove the loader for the winter season. The plow will be a Fisher Minute Mount and I intend to hook up to my tractor's loader hydraulics and not use the plow's electric pump. I may convert to a plow electric/hydraulic pump eventually, but not now - current plow pump is non-functional. Here are my questions:

1. Hydraulic angle - plow cylinders are single acting as opposed to the dual acting loader controls. Even factory built plows for tractors appear to use single acting cylinders - can I just hook the right side cylinder to the curl up function and the left to the curl down in order to angle the blade? When fluid is pushed to one side's cylinder, does the other side automatically bypass to allow that cylinder 's fluid to flow back to the reservoir as the rod is pushed back by the opposing side?

2. Relief valve - I don't see them on the commercially available snow blades, but the older design JD 366 frame mounted plow appeared to have one. Should I include something similar to this: Prince Manufacturing Corporation > Products > Hydraulic Valves > Relief > Model DRV

3. Up / Down - The plow will float with the terrain because it hangs on a chain, but it will still need to be raised and lowered. Here's the question: since I have a single acting cylinder to lift the plow, could I hook up that to the loader down port so that it lifts as I push the control forward. Then, to lower I would be able to push further forward into float and have the plow weight drop the blade into plowing position? Will this work?

Again, I'm not versed in hydraulic terms and principles, just trying to apply common sense to what I visually see. If anyone can confirm or contradict what I am saying (with small words please) it would be appreciated. Thanks.

I will not clutter your ideas on tractor integration with my ideas, but......

I did mount a Western snow plow with it's self contained hydraulic power pack onto my ancient Fordson E27n.
The Fordson has just a single hydraulic tap, and the use of fluid pressure from it means the hitch lift arms need chaining down.

The self contained unit came with a cable style control box that I mounted to the near side fender.
UP/Down, Left/right.

It takes the Lucas generator about 30 seconds to top up the battery after a full "L/R, UP/Down" exercise.
The setup is very easy to use, and way "cheaper" than hydraulic hoses and fittings.
Still, I wish you well in your integration efforts!

"as many ways as there are MEN!"

 

[lostcause]

It takes the Lucas generator about 30 seconds to top up the battery after a full "L/R, UP/Down" exercise.
The setup is very easy to use, and way "cheaper" than hydraulic hoses and fittings.
Still, I wish you well in your integration efforts!

Let's just say my next plow will probably use the electric-hydraulic pump setup. For this one, the donor plow I am buying is very reasonably priced, partly because the pump is advertised as "broken". I wanted to go with a v-plow, but decent v-plows are much more pricey, and would be easier with the electric pump, especially to use the "v" and "scoop" modes.

 

[lostcause]

I would recommend you just try hooking up the hydraulics from your loader to it first and see if it behaves like you want before you go to too much trouble to come up with a mount, as the mount is probably going to be the challenging part...

Yeah, first plan will be to make sure all the donor parts function, but amazingly, the mount will likely be pretty simple. I've been creating .DXF files to support CNC plate burning machines since the 90's. Everything was preliminary measured and drawn up months ago. I'll just mock up the plow in front of the tractor and make a couple checks before i have someone cut all the plate part files. Before I got too far in I just wanted someone to validate what's in my head - make sure I'm not totally off the rails.

 

[oldnslo]

For the swing function yes you can use curl dump if repeat if you do not have regen dump feature. I set my western plow up so that curl function or moving joystick to left swings to the left and dump swings to the right. Yes I would install a cross port relief on the swing cylinders.

The lift lower yes you can use lower to raise and then go to float for lower. Will just take some getting used to how it operates.

 

[BlueKnife]

3. Up / Down - The plow will float with the terrain because it hangs on a chain, but it will still need to be raised and lowered. Here's the question: since I have a single acting cylinder to lift the plow, could I hook up that to the loader down port so that it lifts as I push the control forward. Then, to lower I would be able to push further forward into float and have the plow weight drop the blade into plowing position? Will this work?

If it were me, I'd just replace the single acting cylinder with double acting. Simpler controls that way, and a little cylinder like that isn't particularly expensive.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I'm going to convert a light duty truck plow to my tractor (JD 3039R) and I want to make sure I understand how to hook up to the tractor's hydraulics. I am going to use a frame mount, and not loader arm mount - I will remove the loader for the winter season. The plow will be a Fisher Minute Mount and I intend to hook up to my tractor's loader hydraulics and not use the plow's electric pump. I may convert to a plow electric/hydraulic pump eventually, but not now - current plow pump is non-functional. Here are my questions:

1. Hydraulic angle - plow cylinders are single acting as opposed to the dual acting loader controls. Even factory built plows for tractors appear to use single acting cylinders - can I just hook the right side cylinder to the curl up function and the left to the curl down in order to angle the blade? When fluid is pushed to one side's cylinder, does the other side automatically bypass to allow that cylinder 's fluid to flow back to the reservoir as the rod is pushed back by the opposing side?

2. Relief valve - I don't see them on the commercially available snow blades, but the older design JD 366 frame mounted plow appeared to have one. Should I include something similar to this: Prince Manufacturing Corporation > Products > Hydraulic Valves > Relief > Model DRV

3. Up / Down - The plow will float with the terrain because it hangs on a chain, but it will still need to be raised and lowered. Here's the question: since I have a single acting cylinder to lift the plow, could I hook up that to the loader down port so that it lifts as I push the control forward. Then, to lower I would be able to push further forward into float and have the plow weight drop the blade into plowing position? Will this work?

Again, I'm not versed in hydraulic terms and principles, just trying to apply common sense to what I visually see. If anyone can confirm or contradict what I am saying (with small words please) it would be appreciated. Thanks.

A new 12-volt pump and reservoir are about $250. So, if the rest of the hydraulics on the plow are working, it may be far easier to just install a new electric pump and reservoir.

 

[zzvyb6]

I've done this. Pretty easy using the 'fish plates' from a mid-mount mower attachment dropped from the frame and 'arms' reaching forward for mounting the plow frame. Loader is off. Single stalk control gives left/right to swing left/right. Back is up and forward is down with float. I prefer a double acting up/down cylinder to crack and crape ice in both directions. Leave room for plenty of front weight(s). My plow is mounted as close to the front axle as possible so there are no steering or yawing problems. The left/right swing is best understood as the two single acting cylinders acting as a double via their push/pull mounting positions. If you have left/right brakes, you can have some fun making spin turns at a turn-around point. I used brake hoses from a car to lower the response speed, but I can still 'sweep' snow to the side because it turns pretty fast. I can run down the road in deep snow in high range 3rd gear.

 

[lostcause]

A new 12-volt pump and reservoir are about $250. So, if the rest of the hydraulics on the plow are working, it may be far easier to just install a new electric pump and reservoir.

I think a new Fisher insta-act pump is like $1500+ - might be able to find a working used one for $250+. Probably easier and cheaper to buy a plow with a working one if i had wanted to go that route, but then i still need the hand-held controller and those are always $200 used, then tractor side and plow side wiring harnesses for power and controls/lights... and then i still have to figure out how to wire it in. I would easily be in the $500-1000 range, not to mention having to source some of the big ticket used parts. Hoses, fittings, and a relief valve and I should still be around $300 max between surplus center and Ebay, and simpler to hook up.