Bmaui24 38 #1 Posted January 19, 2019 Does or has anyone installed an electric lift on a 312-8 tractor for the snow/dozer blade? I'd like to do this but need info on it. HMU Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,277 #2 Posted January 19, 2019 I've thought about it as well. I've considered mounting a winch to the front of the frame of the tractor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #3 Posted January 19, 2019 24 minutes ago, Bmaui24 said: Does or has anyone installed an electric lift on a 312-8 tractor for the snow/dozer blade? I'd like to do this but need info on it. HMU @richmondred01, put it on his 520-8 maybe he'll chime in to help give you perspective, personally I'm a hydro/hydralic fan... 9 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: I've thought about it as well. I've considered mounting a winch to the front of the frame of the tractor. Like this Eric? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,505 #4 Posted January 19, 2019 I was thinking of trying some thing like this. They make them in many different capabilities and dimensions. Would be a matter of hooking up the actuator then wire up the relays & switch. https://www.surpluscenter.com/Electrical/Linear-Actuators/DC-Linear-Actuators/4-Stroke-900-lbs-12-Volt-DC-Linear-Actuator-5-1907-4.axd 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,277 #5 Posted January 19, 2019 @WVHillbilly520H Yes Jeff, that's just about exactly what I was thinking. I have a plow frame here that has been cut down so that it would mount in the mid mount saddle of a horse for whatever reason of a previous owner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,667 #6 Posted January 19, 2019 Most electric lifts are painfully slow compared to a hydro. I have a linear actuator on my sweepster and it makes Heinz Ketchup look fast. 3 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,277 #7 Posted January 19, 2019 1 minute ago, pfrederi said: Most electric lifts are painfully slow compared to a hydro. I have a linear actuator on my sweepster and it makes Heinz Ketchup look fast. Quite true. Trina works in a hospital. She says the newer hospital beds use a type of electric motor that's so fast the CNAs have to be aware to not raise the bed Too fast. Some of those are rated with a VERY high weight capacity. I wonder how that setup works.... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,667 #8 Posted January 19, 2019 I am sure there are ways to come up with an electric lift...but for snow plowing a hydro is the way to go. Once you try one you will never go back to a gear drive for snowplowing. The high speed reverse and quick directional change plus the fast blade lifting make it a whole bunch better. 4 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #9 Posted January 19, 2019 17 minutes ago, pfrederi said: I am sure there are ways to come up with an electric lift...but for snow plowing a hydro is the way to go. Once you try one you will never go back to a gear drive for snowplowing. The high speed reverse and quick directional change plus the fast blade lifting make it a whole bunch better. 110% , that's how I felt and still do when I went from my CC 106 to the 520H 20 years ago. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
midpack 862 #10 Posted January 19, 2019 53 minutes ago, pfrederi said: Most electric lifts are painfully slow compared to a hydro. I have a linear actuator on my sweepster and it makes Heinz Ketchup look fast. I disagree. While hydro is faster electric lift is no slouch. I prefer 8spd tractors and having a lift on (2 now). Its all I want Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KC9KAS 4,741 #11 Posted January 19, 2019 If you use a winch you may want to put a spring between the cable and the frame of the snow plow. If the plow frame hits the tractor frame and "bottoms" out, it may damage the winch or something else! The folks at work have a "Mule" and had to do this to keep from damaging things! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
McGrew 460 #12 Posted January 19, 2019 The speed of an electric lift is dependent on many things, the rated rpms of the motor, the gear ratio, and the load applied. You can buy linear actuators with different gear ratios depending on the application. FWIW, I consider the electric lift on my Raider 10 to be TOO fast! I have the lifting points adjusted to give the shortest stroke, hence slower movement, but it moves so quickly, fine adjustment is difficult. I have considered going back to the manual lift... Danny 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richmondred01 2,237 #13 Posted January 19, 2019 (edited) I put a factory wheel horse electric lift on the 520-8. The lift works very well. Is it slower then the hydro lift, yes. Im not a real fan of the hydros in the winter months. That’s just my opinion. I put that 520-8 in gear and nothing stops it until the wheels spin. Unlike the the hydro units that tend to wimp out when the pushing gets tough. However, i believe the 8 speed has more power then the hydro so it’s a trade off and the electric lift certainly beats the hand lift. The only thing better for plowing for me would be an 8 speed with a hydro lift like the older IH cub cadets had. Edited January 19, 2019 by richmondred01 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPINJIM 1,981 #14 Posted January 19, 2019 I have an electric lift retrofitted to my 417-8, and use it for a snow blower where I don't mind it being very slow to lift, because I don't have to lift it often like I do with my plow blade. I would only use a hydro lift for that. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,028 #15 Posted January 19, 2019 3 hours ago, ebinmaine said: Quite true. Trina works in a hospital. She says the newer hospital beds use a type of electric motor that's so fast the CNAs have to be aware to not raise the bed Too fast. Some of those are rated with a VERY high weight capacity. I wonder how that setup works.... Eric, a lot of the newer beds are hydraulically lifted using a large DC motor powering a pump and the fluid direction controlled by servos. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #16 Posted January 19, 2019 Check u tube.. It's on there... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bmaui24 38 #17 Posted January 25, 2019 On 1/19/2019 at 9:19 AM, ebinmaine said: Quite true. Trina works in a hospital. She says the newer hospital beds use a type of electric motor that's so fast the CNAs have to be aware to not raise the bed Too fast. Some of those are rated with a VERY high weight capacity. I wonder how that setup works.... Yes, I don't want the snow to melt before I plow it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bmaui24 38 #18 Posted January 25, 2019 Thanks everyone for your help. Not sure what to do. Hand lifting the blade is a chore. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,277 #19 Posted January 25, 2019 5 minutes ago, Bmaui24 said: Yes, I don't want the snow to melt before I plow it. Hahahahahaha No but on the bright side it would be gone. You just have to be very very very very very very very patient. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bmaui24 38 #20 Posted January 25, 2019 On 1/19/2019 at 7:46 AM, WVHillbilly520H said: @richmondred01, put it on his 520-8 maybe he'll chime in to help give you perspective, personally I'm a hydro/hydralic fan... Like this Eric? Would work. I'm just concerned about having enough down pressure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bmaui24 38 #21 Posted January 25, 2019 (edited) Here is my setup. Edited January 25, 2019 by Bmaui24 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,277 #22 Posted January 25, 2019 2 minutes ago, Bmaui24 said: Would work. I'm just concerned about having enough down pressure. On my snow plow tractor I do occasionally use down pressure to bite into harder snow or places where it has been driven over by a vehicle. I have no real way of measuring how much extra pressure is being exerted but I wonder if, considering you are going to be using a winch, you could put some free weights on the plow or something along that line? 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bmaui24 38 #23 Posted January 25, 2019 1 minute ago, ebinmaine said: On my snow plow tractor I do occasionally use down pressure to bite into harder snow or places where it has been driven over by a vehicle. I have no real way of measuring how much extra pressure is being exerted but I wonder if, considering you are going to be using a winch, you could put some free weights on the plow or something along that line? Could do that. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 16,985 #24 Posted January 25, 2019 How about something like this if you're not concerned with using the cable on the winch. You get more speed and down pressure. Remove the cable and weld an arm onto the winch drum. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
