Input welcomed....Truck snowplow conversion.

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sawdust

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Jan 8, 2007
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I'm going tomorrow to pick up a 7'6" Western Pro-Plow that I bought cheap enough to chop up and mount on my 751. All I want to do with this is plow snow.....no 'summer bulldozer' duty for it. I know better. Questions.....and I know some of you (Ken in particular) have BTDT.... Do I mount this so I can put down pressure on it with the bucket 'roll' cylinder....or do I suspend it loose with a chain and let gravity do it's work? Next question....hydraulic restrictors. I know can make these outta' something laying around here....but has anyone else 'home-brewed' them where they can give me some sort of idea as to beginning orifice size? Also....which vendor out there sells the nicest Bobtach blank plate (for a fair price)? Again...this ISN'T for commercial use. I've got three looooong driveways....and there's a better way to do it than the standard bucket. As usual...Thanks! Jim
 

skidsteer.ca

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Jan 20, 2006
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Mine is a meyers, I shortend the push arms as much as I could and still have the plow clear the loader by a few inches when angled.
I welded my own quick attach plate right to the push arms, so I can lean on it if I wish. I seldom do, When back blading snow away from building etc, it helps keep the plow from riding up. (it like a ski in that direction) I hooked a piece of wood frozen in the ground once doing this and ripped the partially cracked (unknown to me) pivot for the mold board trip out of the moldboard, no big deal if you have a welder. Other then that I have had no trouble.
I did add a 3rd trip spring as the plow "layed down" pretty easy with just 2.
As for orifices I used 2 $20.00 1/8" pipe size, hyd flow restricter valves from www.surpluscenter.com If you don't angle your plow more then once a minute, the oil will cool enough in the hoses (use something small, 1/4" say) to keep things under control.
But go back and forth a couple times and the only way to get the plow to stop where you want is to idle the engine.
I'd say about a 1/8" orifice would work, in the colder months I open my valves fully, but if it gets to + 10 f then I chokeing the flow back down.
Figure on keeping the plow push arms near level when operating, if you deviate from this too much the corners (one or the other) of the blade will dig in and carry the rest of the blade off the ground. My plow is quite loose where the moldboard pivots on the push arm and this helps this problem.
Truck blades (at lest the std duty meyers) is somewhat light duty compared to the commercial plows, but with care they can be used sucessfully imo.
www.perhammachine.com makes the least expensive 1 piece bracket I know of, $78.00 I believe, there are 2 piece onces on ebay for 65.00 from time to time.
Ken
 

sterlclan

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May 1, 2004
Messages
528
Mine is a meyers, I shortend the push arms as much as I could and still have the plow clear the loader by a few inches when angled.
I welded my own quick attach plate right to the push arms, so I can lean on it if I wish. I seldom do, When back blading snow away from building etc, it helps keep the plow from riding up. (it like a ski in that direction) I hooked a piece of wood frozen in the ground once doing this and ripped the partially cracked (unknown to me) pivot for the mold board trip out of the moldboard, no big deal if you have a welder. Other then that I have had no trouble.
I did add a 3rd trip spring as the plow "layed down" pretty easy with just 2.
As for orifices I used 2 $20.00 1/8" pipe size, hyd flow restricter valves from www.surpluscenter.com If you don't angle your plow more then once a minute, the oil will cool enough in the hoses (use something small, 1/4" say) to keep things under control.
But go back and forth a couple times and the only way to get the plow to stop where you want is to idle the engine.
I'd say about a 1/8" orifice would work, in the colder months I open my valves fully, but if it gets to + 10 f then I chokeing the flow back down.
Figure on keeping the plow push arms near level when operating, if you deviate from this too much the corners (one or the other) of the blade will dig in and carry the rest of the blade off the ground. My plow is quite loose where the moldboard pivots on the push arm and this helps this problem.
Truck blades (at lest the std duty meyers) is somewhat light duty compared to the commercial plows, but with care they can be used sucessfully imo.
www.perhammachine.com makes the least expensive 1 piece bracket I know of, $78.00 I believe, there are 2 piece onces on ebay for 65.00 from time to time.
Ken
I used a fisher 7.5 on mine and had to add a brace from the top of the plow to the attach plate it has to br realtivly sloppy on all the piviot points on the plow or it dosent work too good ive found that the push frame to attach plate is the weak point look at some plows made for skidsteer use and try to copy them somewhat if I can post some pics later i will try as for flow reducers my machine dosent need them I can control the speed of the plow with the handle but if your machine uses electric over hydralic controls you will need them Good luck Jeff
 

skidsteer.ca

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Jan 20, 2006
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3,853
I used a fisher 7.5 on mine and had to add a brace from the top of the plow to the attach plate it has to br realtivly sloppy on all the piviot points on the plow or it dosent work too good ive found that the push frame to attach plate is the weak point look at some plows made for skidsteer use and try to copy them somewhat if I can post some pics later i will try as for flow reducers my machine dosent need them I can control the speed of the plow with the handle but if your machine uses electric over hydralic controls you will need them Good luck Jeff
More pics and info in Snow Plow Meyers pickup conversion to skidsteer folder, under media
Adjustable restrictor
IMG_0571.JPG

Push frame 3/16 wall 1 1/2" by 3" box
IMG_0572.JPG

Top and lower QA hooks are 3/8" flat bar
IMG_0573.JPG

Tripple trip springs
IMG_0575.JPG

Pivot that I broke on Rh side of pic.
Failed at weld from boss to angle iron
IMG_0576.JPG
 
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sawdust

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
20
More pics and info in Snow Plow Meyers pickup conversion to skidsteer folder, under media
Adjustable restrictor

Push frame 3/16 wall 1 1/2" by 3" box

Top and lower QA hooks are 3/8" flat bar

Tripple trip springs

Pivot that I broke on Rh side of pic.
Failed at weld from boss to angle iron
Thanks, Ken!
Like they say..."a picture is worth a thousand words". I appreciate you taking time to post them and help me out.
Jim
(sitting in the warm shop watching the snow drift...)
 

skidsteer.ca

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Jan 20, 2006
Messages
3,853
Thanks, Ken!
Like they say..."a picture is worth a thousand words". I appreciate you taking time to post them and help me out.
Jim
(sitting in the warm shop watching the snow drift...)
Yes me too. :)
its -20f with a 18 mph wind = not nice out
Ken
 
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sawdust

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Jan 8, 2007
Messages
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Yes me too. :)
its -20f with a 18 mph wind = not nice out
Ken
One of my Dad's old lines...."I felt sorry because I had no shoes....until I met a man with no feet".
It's +9F...with 30+gusts here.....so you, not me, truly know COLD. Us people in MI aren't as hard-core as we think we are.
I was supposed to be at Sault Ste. Marie tuning a sled for todays I-500. Glad I said "no"....
Back to designing plow mounts....it's warmer bending over and welding. I've got this telescoping 'spring-cushioned' top strut half built (out of an old coil-over offa' drag car). If it ultimately works...I'll take pictures. If it doesn't.....I'll shutup and redesign.
Been there....

Jim

Jim
 

sterlclan

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May 1, 2004
Messages
528
One of my Dad's old lines...."I felt sorry because I had no shoes....until I met a man with no feet".
It's +9F...with 30+gusts here.....so you, not me, truly know COLD. Us people in MI aren't as hard-core as we think we are.
I was supposed to be at Sault Ste. Marie tuning a sled for todays I-500. Glad I said "no"....
Back to designing plow mounts....it's warmer bending over and welding. I've got this telescoping 'spring-cushioned' top strut half built (out of an old coil-over offa' drag car). If it ultimately works...I'll take pictures. If it doesn't.....I'll shutup and redesign.
Been there....

Jim

Jim
I posted a picture showing the brace on the top of the plow I used a soild backing plate and tried to keep the push arms realtivly straight .Jeff http://www.skidsteerforum.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=52&gallerypage=1&currentitem=3&path=Community%20Image%20Storage
 

500K_773

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Mar 5, 2004
Messages
342
I posted a picture showing the brace on the top of the plow I used a soild backing plate and tried to keep the push arms realtivly straight .Jeff http://www.skidsteerforum.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=52&gallerypage=1&currentitem=3&path=Community%20Image%20Storage
I like the spherical bearing idea. If I made it similar to the dozer blades which have a pivot bearing on bottom with a long shaft that allows side to side movement in a slot above, what do you think the minimum diameter of the shaft should be? This would only be used for snow, not dozer use with dirt.
 

skidsteer.ca

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I posted a picture showing the brace on the top of the plow I used a soild backing plate and tried to keep the push arms realtivly straight .Jeff http://www.skidsteerforum.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=52&gallerypage=1&currentitem=3&path=Community%20Image%20Storage
fisher%20plow.JPG
 

skidsteer.ca

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Messages
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My meyers use a 1/2 or 3/4 bolt and the 2 angle cylinders.
I'd say 1 1/2 would make a good heavy duty pivot.
ken
 
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sawdust

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Jan 8, 2007
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My meyers use a 1/2 or 3/4 bolt and the 2 angle cylinders.
I'd say 1 1/2 would make a good heavy duty pivot.
ken
I had the brilliant(???) idea of using a replacement cat II or cat III 'weld-on' three-point repair end. I've got one around here *somewhere*....
I'm done for a coupla' days, anyway.....ran outta' argon/CO2. Tried the 'straight' argon I keep for spoolgun and aluminum....UGLY welds. Can't have that. Guess I have no choice but to keep the 'stock' in the shop refrigerator fresh by consuming it....
Tomorrow it's back to creating bathroom cabinets for a customer. Not as fun as creating stuff for the Bobcat....but pays lots better.
Jim
 

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