Snowplow Operation Using Third Function Front End Remotes

[TheOldHokie]

The cylinders on my snow blade have a 2" bore and 1-1/8" rods so the push/pull ratio, based on surface area of the piston face front and back is around 1.5 to 1.

I don't consider my blade to be commercial grade, merely high-end residential grade at a listed weight of 625lb. It would be interesting to sit down with the engineers who designed the STB15 series and ask them why they offer the blade with two double acting cylinders.

The same conversation with HLA engineers would also be interesting. HLA's 96" 3000 series is 1,130lb and HLA states that the blade is rated for Ag tractors ranging from 4,000lb to a max of 13,000lb operating weight so appropriate for either of my tractors given FEL ratings. HLA has a good reputation and are certainly thought of as being snow removal experts and no doubt know what they're doing. Why the two double acting cylinders on blades with widths ranging from 72" to 120"?

I never said they are inappropriate - just unnecessary for most users.

While you are consulting ask the Buyers engineers why they went with 3" SA angling cylinders on their Class 7 municipal and highway plows.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

just follow the money !
maybe some son-in-law needed a job, so spec a 'custom made' cylinder that ONLY his company can supply....

 

[mcmxi]

I never said they are inappropriate - just unnecessary for most users.

While you are consulting ask the Buyers engineers why they went with 3" SA angling cylinders on their Class 7 municipal and highway plows.

It would be interesting to talk with the engineers who do this stuff day in and day out to get a glimpse into the decision making process. Often times decisions are made by product managers who don't know why something is the way it is, but they consider it to be a positive feature that will increase sales.

My blade angles very quickly and I'm often making adjustments on the fly. I would think that the majority of municipal and highway plows (based on the ones I see up here) are running at near constant speed making very few adjustments on the fly. They're plowing graded, smooth and clear surfaces unlike farmers or snow removal contractors that deal with a lot of fiddly stuff where lots of blade adjustments are the norm.

With a pair of double acting cylinders you get power applied to the blade both pulling and pushing. Is this a waste of money? I have no idea, and without running a similar sized blade with two single acting cylinders under similar conditions I'll never know. If you order an STB15 and want hydraulics the only choice is two double acting cylinders with or without the cushion valve. A single acting option is not available.

Regardless, I've learned a few things from this thread and couldn't be happier with my snow blade.

 

[BAP]

Running on about double acting cylinders is muddying the waters for the OP. If you don’t have information that is pertinent to the OP’s question then go start your own thread to hear yourself talk. It’s not helping the OP to solve his problem.

 

[mcmxi]

Running on about double acting cylinders is muddying the waters for the OP. If you don’t have information that is pertinent to the OP’s question then go start your own thread to hear yourself talk. It’s not helping the OP to solve his problem.

When you're a moderator you can delete all of my responses.

MOD EDIT: OR edit them....

 

[GreensvilleJay]

It'll be interesting to hear WHAT was the problem and HOW it was resolved.

 

[BAP]

When you're a moderator you can delete all of my responses.

MOD EDIT: OR edit them....

Well, little boys like to compensate by buying big toys then bragging about them.

 

[g_man]

OK.. you CAN make it simpler.......

replumb to bypass the 'fancy block on the blade'.

ELIMINATE it and test. You cannot hurt anything with it gone.
Heck I plowed 1,000s of lots without one of them ! 6'" Meyers blade on a CJ-5, pure hydraulic setup.

If the joystick controls turns the blade, it's the 'fancy block on the blade', or how it's connected.

If the joystick doesn't move the blade, it's probably 3rd function wiring or plumbing.

Another consideration concerning the cross-over relief valve is the pressure rating of the cylinders verses the pressure the tractor can produce. In my case, the cylinders on the older Fisher plow I used have "2000 psi max" stamped on them. My tractor will produce 2600 psi when the cylinder ram reaches the end of its stroke. With out the cross-over relief I would over pressure a cylinder every time I fully angled the blade. My reliefs are set at 1800 psi which protects the cylinders.

gg