FINAL MOD. Rubber Edge - Home made plow - looking for feedback

[Al C. 1,428]

I’ve been wanting to put a snow plow on my SK-486 for several years.  The problem is, I don’t have much space in the garage and I don’t want to remove my 42” mower (take advantage of the added weight).  So here it is.  A 48” snowplow made of pressure treated plywood, lumber, and a little bit of metal.  Clearances are tight, but everything works. It is sturdy enough to stand on and it bears the pressure of the rear wheels spinning in first gear on textured dry concrete.  I’m interest in feedback on the design - is it likely to damage the tractor.  In particular, I’m interested in whether pressure on the braces between the plow and the front axle might damage some aspect of the axle attachment to the frame of the tractor.  The driveway I’m plowing is flat, level concrete with no cracks - about 100’x15’.    Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. 

Edited September 8, 2019 by Al C.

[Stormin 9,981]

 Errr! How do you steer to manoeuvre ??  

Also I don't think it will do the deck any good. After mowing is finished that deck needs taking off, cleaning and the underneath given a coating of oil. Otherwise it could soon rot.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Stormin

[Al C. 1,428]

Steering is no problem. My mistake, the braces are against the front “beam” that the axle hubs are attached to.  With respect to the mower.  It is clean an oiled. I do not use it for mowing - another Wheel Horse for that purpose.  I don’t want to take it off because I have no room to store it and I figure the added weight will improve traction.  

[Stormin 9,981]

22 minutes ago, Al C. said:

Steering is no problem. My mistake, the braces are against the front “beam” that the axle hubs are attached to.    

 

My mistake also. Not sure what I was think of there.

[Ed Kennell 38,024]

It  may work, but if you don't use the deck, why not trade it for a WH plow  that you can lift and angle.    You can add wheel weights or fill the tires with washer fluid.

[Al C. 1,428]

Ed, that might be the best solution in the long run.  The deck on the tractor with the plow is in like new shape.  I’d like to hold onto it for the day when my older deck on my mower Wheel Horse (1067) craps out.  In the meantime, I have no room to store it and I want a plow on the SK-486 to help with the driveway on those days when there’s not enough snow to use the blower.  Keeping the deck on the tractor with the plow has the side benefit of giving me an additional 200lbs to offset not having wheel weights.  Lastly the wood plow is slightly shorter than a standard Wheel Horse plow, it weighs much less, and it rides a quarter inch above the driveway so there is no scraping against the new concrete.  As long as I haven’t created something that will damage the tolerances of the tractor, I’m kinda interested to see whether this concoction will solve all of these variables.  

[SylvanLakeWH 25,493]

 

I like it!

 

What the heck - give it a go and if it works it works!!!

 

Love the door hinge!!!

[857 horse 2,581]

33 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

 

I like it!

 

What the heck - give it a go and if it works it works!!!

 

Love the door hinge!!!

YHIS COULD BE COOL/////YOU'LL NEVER KNOW,,,,UNLESS YOU TRY.....BEST OF LUCK !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JAinVA 4,619]

Do not hit anything solid.The axle is supported front and back by only a 1/4" thick plates and will handle a large verticle load. The rear 1/4" plate is the only thing to locate the axle from a horizontal thrust load your plow will impose on it.The snap ring holding the front part of the axle pin in place will not do much if you seriously shock load the axle.What you have should work well but in my opinion you need to be very careful not to hit any obstructions.

Edited August 30, 2019 by JAinVA

[Burnerman 758]

It’ll push snow on a flat surface. Push the snow way back though because it won’t push back piles.   I saw a video of a guy using a flat screen tv box pushing light snow. 😲 

a real plow on a Wheelhorse is great!

[Al C. 1,428]

Thanks!  Excellent info!  I was afraid there was some limitation to the front axle.  Just didn’t know where it would be and what to expect.  I’ll be careful.   Ha!  Flat screen TV box to push snow ... leave the TV in the box with a long electric extension cord ... now that’s shoveling !!!!!      Thanks!

[ebinmaine 67,285]

I'll add that the plow needs it have a concave shape or a lip at the top to curl the snow over.

Otherwise... If careful... It looks good.

 

[Achto 27,507]

3 hours ago, Burnerman said:

I saw a video of a guy using a flat screen tv box pushing light snow

 

Thought that I'd share that video.

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

The blade should be allowed to float, follow the contour of the land. Fixed solid first ice ball to hit is going to stop you dead in your tracks

[WildHorses 382]

You can find a complete wheel horse snow plow for $100-150 with ease (and probably cheaper) in Ohio... there's absolutely no reason to build your own with wood that's going to wear and break easily. 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Found the idea great to build it yourself.

3 things i see

 

1. You snowplow just flaps,

at extremely Wet snow, you will maybe get troubles to clean it up.

 Here is a lift system technicaly ahead.

The result is you have to drive sometimes more to get it clean ( not an really issue)

but if thid didn‘t care - have Fun👍

 

2. to use the Axle as support, if you never hit a ice block or something similar it will be workin,

but i never would use the Axle as a Support on pressure forces.

The Bolt will last, but the wear is the other issue. I see you build a added support to frame,

but if you plow, wood can and will work. At least scratching of color can be result.

Try it, but if you do, set a rubberline as shifting Part to bottom.

once if ice or snow is frozen, you will have troubles with traction because of stiff wood plow

 

3. the weight, you telled you like to spare that Mower.

i don‘t know, if your property is attached to main road where saltened.

Salt is a high agressor, if you like to keep the Deck in spare, dont leave it in Winter on the Machine,

or if you do, clean it after every contamination with salt with clean Water.

 

In conclusion

please install first a rubber lip where it touches the Bottom, and then give it a Try.

 

don‘t know how high your snow level is if it was to high, fill the tyres with some fluid.

[Al C. 1,428]

I was thinking the same thing about the rubber lip.  Considering using a 2 inch wide commercial squeegee insert for the bottom 1/2 inch of the plow (wood will ride 1/2 inch off the driveway).    

[Al C. 1,428]

Salt is not a problem.  I do not intend to use the plow for the bottom of the driveway and the deck will be sealed off at the bottom with heavy plastic sheet.  I expect to use the plow only for up to three inches of snow (which I would normally use a shovel).  Beyond that, my snow blower handles the deeper storms.  

[Pullstart 62,799]

I had a buddy who put a folding table in front of his old F-150 to plow his driveway... it worked so well he never did anything different... until he moved to San Diego!

 

I bet this will work quite well, considering it’s only use is for light snowfall!

[Tractorhead 9,064]

I‘m all in.

 

With rubber lip you can also touch a bit ice and it will not stop immediately or rip parts out of the Wooden Shield.

so you‘re on the right Way.

 

i was also just searching for an alternatives, who‘s have more fun Factor while Plowing.

Normally i hate that job, but with a Wheelhorse it becomes a like.

Kati my Wife, told me, she didn‘t see me that much Time with so much Fun at Snowplow in any Winter before,

since i do it with my Wheelhorse.. 😂

 

Normally we can shovel it by Hand, but in this Year, we had 4 Times Blizzards, with at least 30cm Snow,

so i‘m honestly thankful to build the FEL ahead. I did this just as a Fun Project, just to see if i‘m able to do or not.

It was unbelivable, what this little Aluminum Lifter can do.

I never imagine or expecting that, even it was anyway not realy designed for. 😎

so try your Shovel, if it‘s last you’re fine, if it fails, improove it, that simple.

 

Have a lot of Fun and while you have also a snowblower, you be best prepared.

but i bet, the Seattime on the Horse give more Fun than shovel by Hands.

👍

 

greetings over the Big Pond

Stefan

[cafoose 3,354]

Back in the mid seventies right after I got my first car, a 1963 corvair, I found an old piece of plywood and strapped it to the bumper to push most of the snow away. It fell apart till I was done but I was able to accomplish my mission! Rear engine, rear wheel drive helped alot with traction. Not my actual car, at that time I didn't take any pictures of it.

[Al C. 1,428]

I took everyone’s feed back and came up with a better solution!   See the attached pics.  Now all pressure points from the plow go directly to the frame.  (I had an extra Christmas Tree stand in the garage.).  Extreme pressure will cause the tractor front end to deflect sideways instead of against the front axle to deflect backwards.  Clearances for all belts, the mower, and the attachmate are all still good.  What do you think?

[SylvanLakeWH 25,493]

Wrong color on the Christmas Tree stand legs... 

 

other than that... love it!

[Pullstart 62,799]

Necessity is the mother of invention.... along with spare parts!

[Ed Kennell 38,024]

A Christmas tree stand repurposed into a plow frame.

     Let's see   could we make old plow frames into Christmas tree stands.