Snow blade learning curve

[Stmar]

B2650HSDC with SSQA and R4 tires, B2673 72" snow blade, manual adjust. Used it first time for snow this morning, by the way those front and rear work lights are great. When I angled the blade one side is lower than the other, is there any way to adjust that? The feet dug into the gravel/roadbase so I had to feather the blade up. Am I doing something wrong? Truthfully I have never had good luck with feet on snow plows.
I could tell the difference in starting tractor at lower temps but it smoothed out quick and ran great. May have to go with chains, have a curve with an incline that taxed the 4wd, slipped and steering was not positive.

 

[85Hokie]

You are gonna have to get those "feet" right....they are the key, unless of course it is just flat concrete or asphalt.

Might need to change out the feet to something else, like a ski or something that will ride on rather than dig in.

Should be a way to get the angle parallel to ground and then angled correctly.

 

[Stmar]

I will play with it today in the light, may raise the feet to be closer to the blade edge and angle so that they ride flat on the gravel/roadbase. Did not have feet on my Meyers plow on my 8N.

 

[RCW]

Did you have it in float at the time?

 

[Stmar]

Did you have it in float at the time?

I tried it both ways and it dug in regular or float. I think the ground/gravel/road base is not frozen enough and is too soft underneath the snow. I shortened the feet to be about even with the blade but I found the best result just keeping the blade a fraction up and watching the rise and fall of the driveway. I think when it freezes it will be better, something to look forward to???? LOL
I got it looking decent by putting it in float and back dragging the blade to smooth out the ridges and humps. The heated cab makes it a better morning plowing, in the 20's so not too bad but still a nice luxury, plus a little rock and roll to drown out the whine.

 

[sheepfarmer]

If my front snowblower is any criteria, couldnt use the skids until the ground froze.

There were places in the subframe to get it level, but also don't forget to check tire inflation on the rear tires. Is it level when perpendicular and only crooked when you angle it?

 

[Stmar]

If my front snowblower is any criteria, couldnt use the skids until the ground froze.

There were places in the subframe to get it level, but also don't forget to check tire inflation on the rear tires. Is it level when perpendicular and only crooked when you angle it?

Seems to be only when angled. I had better luck with using it perpendicular since we didn't get much snow. When we do get a lot I will need to angle it. Will check tire pressure, have not changed it since I got it so may have drifted a bit. What places in the subframe?

 

[sheepfarmer]

To detect small effects of tire pressure on angle of front implements, measure from the top center of the wheel rim to the ground on both sides.

IHopefully someone who has fiddled with angling a front blade will log on and give you better help. To level snowblower we fixed tire inflation and adjusted some bolts at the front of the subframe, that hold the blower.

The problem is reminiscent of the problem with leveling a rear blade and having it stay level when angled. In that case the 3 pt hitch had to be adjusted when angled so plow frame was horizontal. Do you have any means of changing tilt on the plow?

 

[jajiu]

I use to use a GMC Sierra Diesel with a plow and before that a Ford F250 and no matter what you use the plow will dig in on the angle. I have been using my Kubota since I dumped the plow trucks since they all rot out fast plus now I don't get that call asking me to come over an plow a friends driveway or help out the relatives that only see me when they need a driveway cleared. The worse two storms of the year with a gravel driveway are the first and the last ones because the ground isn't frozen yet. When it freezes the plow will settle down when you angle it and lay flat to plow.

 

[Stmar]

" Do you have any means of changing tilt on the plow? "
I don't know, will have to work with it when the weather improves. Glad this was a light snow so that I am able to do a shake down cruise and get familiar with what I need to do before the big one. I guess it is going to be difficult to get the blade exact, I have a crowned road and I am sure it is not consistent from middle to side. Colder temps and more snow should mitigate the issues.

 

[jajiu]

I have never heard of any plow that you can adjust the tip when you angle the plow. I play with the 3rd function valve to angle left and right and tip forward and back with the joy stick as well as lift and lower. It takes a lot of practice and there are times I swear I'll never get it right, but then the ground freezes and all works great.

 

[G.rid]

We're a ways off from plowing this year, I hope. I'm also going to have to learn to use the plow vrs the bucket like last year. I'm thinking you just need to roll the ssqa forward or back.
Angle the plow to one side, lift it about 2 feet off the ground, then roll forward and back. That's the easiest way I could think to exaggerate the slope you're describing. You just need to play with the roll to find the sweet spot. I'm thinking that could work to your advantage in times also.
I've seen some plow mounts that have a third skid shoe in the middle near the ssqa. My guess is that one would be adjusted to the sweet spot.

 

[mpham]

Mine digs in like crazy when the grounds not frozen. I just use the bucket with the edge curled up till it gets cold, then I mount the plow. I notice when mine is angled it has quite a bit of tilt also.

 

[Quicklx]

forget the skis/shoes until the ground is frozen. get a piece of 2.5-3" diameter pipe, split it and tack it on the cutting edge. you can also use a piece of PVC (wears out quicker obviously). this will help keep form digging in until the ground is frozen.

 

[chim]

With regard to the plow digging in, it should be a matter of adjusting the hardware that connects the blade to the tractor parallel with the ground. That could be raising / lowering / curling / dumping if your blade is on the SSQA. The bottom edge of the blade needs to be flat on the ground at all positions of rotation.

Looking at it from the tractor seat with the blade angled to throw snow to the right - If the connection tilts up at the front, the tip of the blade nearest the tractor will dig in.

If the hardware is tilted down, the tip of the blade farthest from the tractor will dig in.

 

[Stmar]

forget the skis/shoes until the ground is frozen. get a piece of 2.5-3" diameter pipe, split it and tack it on the cutting edge. you can also use a piece of PVC (wears out quicker obviously). this will help keep form digging in until the ground is frozen.

That is an interesting concept. How do you attach the pipe, any way to do it without drilling holes in the blade? PVC would be slick if you can install and take off easily.

 

[MadMax31]

My plow would trip angled or straight until the ground was frozen enough. I just ran my bucket with lip a touch in air. My drive is 300' long so that sucked.

Running a rear blower and snow pusher this year. See how that handles it?

 

[skeets]

stmar,, for the steel pipe,, chuck it in a vice take your angle grinder with a cut off wheel and mark a line down the pipe from one end to the other.... and cut a gap from one end to the other... The take your plow and lay it down where you can wack the snot out of the pipe. Make a V notch on one end it eh cut you just made so it will start over the BLADE not the cutting edge,, And then wack the snot out of it to drive it on,, really it will go one easyer than that,, but you get the picture,,, for PVC, use your table saw or sawsall or even your grinder but that gets really nasty,, lots of smoke and nasties you dont want to breath and then do the same thing. Folks that have use the PVC and I guess CPVC heavy wall says it works good but not real long,,stones eat that stuff up. There ya go,,my self I just dont put the blade all the way down untill everything has been run over a few times packing the snow down and maybe iceing it up a bit

 

[Stmar]

Thanks, I always think of things in absolutes, build it like a tank, lol. Temporary PVC may work good before the solid freeze. Enjoy playing with new concepts just for the halibut and if I can use scrap materials that have been laying around for years then all the better. Plus get to show the wife it is not just a bunch of junk, lol.

 

[olekid]

Greetings Skeets, Olekid here, what diameter and thickness pipe do you use? Thanks