Snow plow down pressure

[Wayne0 925]

So, I currently use a 3' piece of rail road track on top of the blade for down pressure.

WH made a special link so the plow wouldn't "float". Following specs I found online, I made one, as they are no longer available.

My question, is, where does the link attach to the tractor? The original lift arm has a chain. Does it attach to the rock shaft instead of the chain? Pics would help.

[8ntruck 7,380]

The solid link replaces the lift chain.  

[ebinmaine 70,700]

We put ours from the outermost hole of the upper rock shaft to the plow frame.  

[Racinbob 11,720]

[Wayne0 925]

Thanks all for the info!!

[daveoman1966 3,807]

Here it is on my C-160 Auto...  

[wallfish 17,485]

The thing with a solid link on hydro lift is that it won't allow the blade to float or at least as much. With a manual lift the handle will still move with the blade and allow it to float with the terrain.

IMO it's better to use weight and a chain on a hydro. The holes for a solid link can be slotted to allow for some float and you can see the slotted hole in the pic above but it's not being used.

Of course everyone's situation is different whereas a nice flat concrete surface is much different than a crowned bumpy gravel driveway.

[peter lena 9,087]

@Wayne0  added a solid link to my plows years ago , also detailed in the  connection bolts , washers , lubricant , elastic lock nuts . regular for me , was to lubricate , make the rust run out on every movement spot . amazing to me to see some ones  plow set up , solid rust , nothing moves easily , front of blade , rusty / scratched , steering  quadrant , what's that ?  never serviced , dragging rust at every , connection point . that plow lever  squeeze handle , for blade swing , can / should move like a rifle bolt , solid / smooth .  eliminate , sloppy function , verify what its saposed to do . have a good Christmas , Pete

[ebinmaine 70,700]

21 minutes ago, wallfish said:

The thing with a solid link on hydro lift is that it won't allow the blade to float or at least as much. With a manual lift the handle will still move with the blade and allow it to float with the terrain.

 

IMO it's better to use weight and a chain on a hydro. 

 

I'll second that ^^^^^

Because that:

21 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Of course everyone's situation is different whereas a nice flat concrete surface is much different than a CROWNED BUMPY GRAVEL DRIVEWAY.

 

Our whole dooryard area is gravel/stone/aggregate with a decent but not perfectly flat surface.  

Trina compensates by using a small plow (42“) and a manual lift. 

I compensate by using my C160 Automatic with Hydro lift and a @wallfish built 60"+ wide plow plus I have a VERY heavy cutting edge. 

 

If your plowed area has any rises or crowns to it a solid bar on a Hydro tractor would be a detriment at times.  

 

[Wayne0 925]

I just had my driveway repaved last year. It's nice and flat, so I imagine the solid link on the hydro will be OK?

[Wayne0 925]

40 minutes ago, peter lena said:

@Wayne0  added a solid link to my plows years ago , also detailed in the  connection bolts , washers , lubricant , elastic lock nuts . regular for me , was to lubricate , make the rust run out on every movement spot . amazing to me to see some ones  plow set up , solid rust , nothing moves easily , front of blade , rusty / scratched , steering  quadrant , what's that ?  never serviced , dragging rust at every , connection point . that plow lever  squeeze handle , for blade swing , can / should move like a rifle bolt , solid / smooth .  eliminate , sloppy function , verify what its saposed to do . have a good Christmas , Pete

Pete, this blade is brand new, so every thing is sweet. Gonna' keep it lubed though.

[ebinmaine 70,700]

1 minute ago, Wayne0 said:

I just had my driveway repaved last year. It's nice and flat, so I imagine the solid link on the hydro will be OK?

Absolutely.  

The only consideration is that you'll have to get accustomed to exactly where the optimum point of up/down travel in the plow linkage is. 

 

All the way down will lift the front axle off the ground.  

[Wayne0 925]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Absolutely.  

The only consideration is that you'll have to get accustomed to exactly where the optimum point of up/down travel in the plow linkage is. 

 

All the way down will lift the front axle off the ground.  

Good point! Hadn't though of that! Might make it hard to steer.

[ri702bill 8,963]

Using the long link, like I do with the C81, you have 2 choices as to what to do with the upper rear pivoting lift arm - it gets in the way of the plow frame.

I used a large zip-tie to hold it up and left it there . . so-so.

Now I remove the arm - real easy with one C-clip - no issues.

 

Using the short link to replace the chain you still have the arm to deal with...

Edited December 24, 2023 by ri702bill

[peter lena 9,087]

@Wayne0  did not pick up on a new blade / brain fart , glad for you ! was just out  on a horse check out , great start , plow , ready , did some up the road driving , mushroom / cheeseburgers  , onion rings for lunch . up to Vermont , Tuesday , marine grandson home , holiday , family  get together . have a good one , Pete   

[wallfish 17,485]

32 minutes ago, Wayne0 said:

Good point! Hadn't though of that! Might make it hard to steer.

Use the slot hole on the plow frame if you try a solid link. The slot can be made longer which will allow for a bit more float and adjustment.

 

Pretty easy to make a solid link. Raise the lift all the way up. Support the plow blade in the up position and measure the distance between the 2 holes. Cut a piece of flat bar and drill the two 5/16 holes at the distance you measured. Use bolts and nuts to secure it. In order to not pinch it tight and allow for those parts to move easily, use 2 nuts per bolt pinched tight to each other and leave the link a loose fit on the rockshaft and the plow frame.

 

[Racinbob 11,720]

1 hour ago, ri702bill said:

Using the long link, like I do with the C81, you have 2 choices as to what to do with the upper rear pivoting lift arm - it gets in the way of the plow frame.

I used a large zip-tie to hold it up and left it there . . so-so.

Now I remove the arm - real easy with one C-clip - no issues.

 

Using the short link to replace the chain you still have the arm to deal with...

 

 

I always use the long so I can control downforce and the lift arm is a bit of an issue. It doesn't hit the plow frame but it's kinda in the way of the long link. It rubs it pretty hard. It would be an easy fix if I just made another long arm with 1/4" spacers and there would be plenty of clearance. I could either weld one up (but no welder)  or just use bolts and spacers like John mentioned. Every year I tell myself I'm gonna do that but every year I end up removing the lift arm since it's so easy. 

[ebinmaine 70,700]

2 hours ago, wallfish said:

Pretty easy to make a solid link. Raise the lift all the way up. Support the plow blade in the up position and measure the distance between the 2 holes. Cut a piece of flat bar and drill the two 5/16 holes at the distance you measured. Use bolts and nuts to secure it. In order to not pinch it tight and allow for those parts to move easily, use 2 nuts per bolt pinched tight to each other and leave the link a loose fit on the rockshaft and the plow frame

 

Heim joints and threaded rod are another way to make a bull strong solid link... But only if you want the ends to be bolted in. 

The heim ends make a great solid nearly no movement connection. 

This eliminates the possibility of the plow frame or rock shaft holes wearing to an egg.  

 

 

[Handy Don 13,340]

5 hours ago, wallfish said:

solid link on hydro lift is that it won't allow the blade to float

Yep, really quick way to either grind your driveway and shorten the life of the blade’s wear bar or not get all the snow/ice scraped!

Of course, I know of at least ONE exception--the GT14 DOES have a float position on its hydro control! 

[Racinbob 11,720]

For decades I've always had a solid connection to the blade pushing snow, dirt, gravel, etc. and couldn't really understand why it shouldn't be that way. But I've always had manuals and it never hit me until this thread that it would be an issue with a hydro. 

[c-series don 9,425]

I’ve always had hydros and never had an issue. You just have to be ready to adjust the blade at any given time, just like you would a dozer. I did use the slotted hole with the blade tilted forward for plowing leaves in the fall. This way it’s less likely to dig into the grass. 

[lynnmor 7,557]

I have seen many plows on this forum that have the blade tilted far forward, doing that will cause the blade to ride over the material you want to move.  I would suggest adjusting that setting before adding weight or down force.   I keep my plow in the second hole, that is suggested in the manual, and never had an issue.

[Wayne0 925]

23 hours ago, peter lena said:

@Wayne0  did not pick up on a new blade / brain fart , glad for you ! was just out  on a horse check out , great start , plow , ready , did some up the road driving , mushroom / cheeseburgers  , onion rings for lunch . up to Vermont , Tuesday , marine grandson home , holiday , family  get together . have a good one , Pete   

Hats off to your Marine!!

[Wayne0 925]

1 hour ago, c-series don said:

I’ve always had hydros and never had an issue. You just have to be ready to adjust the blade at any given time, just like you would a dozer. I did use the slotted hole with the blade tilted forward for plowing leaves in the fall. This way it’s less likely to dig into the grass. 

Plowing LEAVES? you must have some big ass trees!

[ebinmaine 70,700]

4 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

I have seen many plows on this forum that have the blade tilted far forward, doing that will cause the blade to ride over the material you want to move.  I would suggest adjusting that setting before adding weight or down force.   I keep my plow in the second hole, that is suggested in the manual, and never had an issue.

 

I see the logic.

We find it depends on the hardness of the substrate. 

Our dooryard is a mix of different types of aggregate. 

Some places are hard as rock. Others a constant variation depending on temperature and moisture content.  

In the softer areas having the plow blade tilted forward greatly decreases the tendency to dig in. 

 

It also keeps the snow rolling sideways a little better which decreases the likelihood of having snow come over the top burying the plow. 

 

That's not normally an issue because we use the walk behind snowblower to clear deeper snows most of the time.