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snow plow set up
- Thread starter 05rammer
- Start date
movindirt
Senior Member
For hydraulics all you'll need is some 1/4" NPT fittings, a couple of swivel 90's and probably 6' or 7' of hose for each one, I just use the NPT flat faced couplers they carry at the Farm store. You can use most any quick attach mounting plate on Ebay, make sure its fairly heavy construction. We put a couple tabs for the bottom mounts so its bolted to the skid plate, giving you the flexibility to unbolt if needed. Also, we run a stiff link on the top instead of the chain, the down pressure is very nice to have, and you still have the springs on the plow should you hit anything. Here is a picture of a Western we did, also have done a Meyer, just don't have a picture. We used some 3/8" wall angle lental steel from a brick ledge on a house we demo'd to stiffen up the top and bottom.
If you have any other questions I'm sure I can probably answer them, we've done a number of these over the years.
If you have any other questions I'm sure I can probably answer them, we've done a number of these over the years.
movindirt
Senior Member
Forgot to mention, but you'll need to put some flow restrictors in line after the flat faced couplers so you don't blow out a hydraulic cylinder on the plow.
digger doug
Senior Member
No cross over relief on the swing ?
movindirt
Senior Member
Does it need one? Been running them like this for 12 years and never had a issue.
movindirt
Senior Member
We use what they have at the farm store, 1/2" NPT thread with a 1/8" hole, I think..
Bumpsteer
Senior Member
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Converted a 6' Western for my 743 Bobcat back in the 90's......wasn't happy with the results. Didn't stiff arm it, used a chain so it would float on rough surfaces, that worked ok. Had to remove the springs and weld solid, the Bobcat would trip the plow constantly. Didn't need flow restrictors as I had a pressure relief on the aux circuit for my 4in1 bucket.
Biggest problem was not being able to "cast" the snow with a top speed of 5 mph. 1 or 2 passes in an area was fine, try to clear a larger area and you were there forever.
Sold it to friend, he used it to push feed back to the cows in the dairy barn.
Besides, the plow truck was much warmer.
Ed
Biggest problem was not being able to "cast" the snow with a top speed of 5 mph. 1 or 2 passes in an area was fine, try to clear a larger area and you were there forever.
Sold it to friend, he used it to push feed back to the cows in the dairy barn.
Besides, the plow truck was much warmer.
Ed
digger doug
Senior Member
Well on my skid loader, when your not actively swinging, the ports are blocked, and when I catch the leading corner, it wants to swing back.
The original Meyer pump had a cross over relief built in the pump block (I was told) so to protect the swing cylinders, I installed a cross over relief
on the plate. It will swing when hit hard.
movindirt
Senior Member
I see, with our Cat loaders once you angle it in any position it holds it there pretty solid, can't say as though I've ever had a spot where whatever I was pushing overcame the cylinders enough to move the plow.
movindirt
Senior Member
This Western has 3 springs on it, we keep them pretty tight so they don't trip very often. Does get aggravating though if you break a spring and try to finish up with it tripping on the slightest ridge :Banghead Speed does help if you want to be very efficient with a skid and plow, the Cat 247's we run go 7mph, and the tracked ASV's are 9mph and 12mph, I've plowed with a Takeuchi that only went 5.5mph before, wouldn't recommend anything slower than 7mph IMO You can roll the snow pretty good going 12mph.
You really ought to have that crossover valve. Without it you risk at minimum blowing a hose or at worst destroying an angle cylinder. Cheap insurance.
What brand of cross over relief are people using? Because I set up some farm tractors with plows that did not have the lock on the power angle so I figured I better put the cross over relief on them got two from my local shop put them on everything worked parked in the barn snow started tractors went out within a hour both called plows wouldn't angle. I couldn't get them to angle until I removed the cross over relief and everything has been fine since. I took them back and the guy that sold them to me couldn't figure out what went wrong even took them apart still couldn't figure it out. I figure a spare cylinder is about the same price as the relief and the plows work so I am running without them but would feel better if they were on there. I cant remember the brand but know the were made in the USA.
movindirt
Senior Member
Well, I like the plows to hold the angle they are set at, as I said earlier, haven't ever had any issues in 12 years of running a half dozen plows set up like this. Smacked plenty of curbs and broke plenty of springs, only time a cylinder came apart was from not having flow restrictors because it puts too much pressure on the cylinder too fast. I would NOT recommend running one without flow restrictors, that will not end well. I'm not saying this is the best way, just saying as someone who has built them and ran them it works and works pretty darn good. YMMV