C-125 snow blade mods for easier lifting

[Handy Don 12,174]

@Gregor are you looking for downforce?  Putting a winch (or IMHO better) an electric actuator directly on top of the plow frame under (or on a frame extension behind) the tractor could solve this. 

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

2 hours ago, Handy Don said:

easy to just block up the blade and measure it!

 

Acksherlly, I did do that!  It's almost eggzackly 4" at the front tach-a-matic and 2" at the point that the rock shaft connects.

 

2 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Example for front-ish lift: 

96 lbs = 80 lbs x 60" ÷ 50"

 

Example for mid-hitch-ish lift:

200 lbs = 80 lbs x 60" ÷ 24"

 

I'll take some actual distance measurements tomorrow and also verify with the bathroom scale and some blocking.

 

2 hours ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

I have no idea why the pictures are so d_ _ m big.

 

They look fine in my browser!

 

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

trigger the plow upward while pulling away in reverse. 

 

I would actually trigger the "UP" while approaching my 'dump bank' so as to push it over the top and further back.  When I used the hydro lift with the plow on the 175 I would start the lift of the blade about a foot from the bank.  Then it was already UP when I reversed to get back to the start for the next push.

 

1 hour ago, Gregor said:

go back to the 12V winch

 

My thinking too.  A smallish ( 1500 lb ) ATV winch would fit under the machine on top of the plow frame and the cable could go out, up, and over the pulleys as in my crude sketch earlier.

54 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Not under the tractor

 

I see!  Get it now.  Would have to be careful backing up then!

 

[Gregor 4,846]

28 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

@Gregor are you looking for downforce?  Putting a winch (or IMHO better) an electric actuator directly on top of the plow frame under (or on a frame extension behind) the tractor could solve this. 

I don't have a dog in this hunt. I'm not looking for anything. If I wanted a plow on a tractor, I would choose one of my hydros.

[ebinmaine 67,328]

4 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

I would actually trigger the "UP" while approaching my 'dump bank' so as to push it over the top and further back.  When I used the hydro lift with the plow on the 175 I would start the lift of the blade about a foot from the bank.  Then it was already UP when I reversed to get back to the start for the next push

 

Aye. 

I normally push - plow down - into the pile.  

Every few smuushes I raise the blade a tad early to push back a little more. 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

When... did we get on page 5...? 

 

 

Don

[Gregor 4,846]

A little off topic ,but since we are talking plows and tractors.............   I use to have a plow on my Massey Ferguson 14, a hydro. The lever for the implement lift had 3 positions. Up, Down, and Float.  If you wanted, you could force the blade down. I didn't do that much, it seemed rather hard on the tractor. Do any Wheel Horse have the same feature?

 

Got to thinking about this. With a chain on the lift mechanism, I guess not, huh,,,,,,

Edited December 16, 2021 by Gregor

[ebinmaine 67,328]

5 minutes ago, Gregor said:

A little off topic ,but since we are talking plows and tractors.............   I use to have a plow on my Massey Ferguson 14, a hydro. The lever for the implement lift had 3 positions. Up, Down, and Float.  If you wanted, you could force the blade down. I didn't do that much, it seemed rather hard on the tractor. Do any Wheel Horse have the same feature?

I can't speak for the newer Eaton transmissions. I have a Sundstrand. 

This one has no float position. 

It's connected to a chain which would be the float. 

 

To use down pressure we have a solid link from the rock shaft to the plow.  

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,503]

6 posts ago… 

 

On topic: I have held off commenting To see where this went… all over!!!

 

I just lift mine with the arm. Have both blades set very light because I plow two brand new concrete drives… no scarring desired! The net effect though is like having a lift spring - no major down weight… have plowed twice so far and works ok, but definitely not scraping…

 

I would suggest a HF winch off front as mentioned above. Remote control or wired. Up is all you need. Blade weight takes it down…

 

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

8 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Blade weight takes it down…

 

???

 

They don't lock when you stop paying out cable?

 

If that's true wouldn't the blade drop hard?

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,503]

Poor choice of words… meant you only need up force… let blade weight provide down force when plowing… like a chain lift would do…

[Handy Don 12,174]

1 hour ago, Gregor said:

A little off topic ,but since we are talking plows and tractors.............   I use to have a plow on my Massey Ferguson 14, a hydro. The lever for the implement lift had 3 positions. Up, Down, and Float.  If you wanted, you could force the blade down. I didn't do that much, it seemed rather hard on the tractor. Do any Wheel Horse have the same feature?

 

Got to thinking about this. With a chain on the lift mechanism, I guess not, huh,,,,,,

All the "Arm Strong" (manual) lifts and most of the hydros are up or down. GT14 and C-195 and, I believe, the D series have float on the mid-hitch cylinder (on the C-195 a second cylinder was an option and pretty sure that was up down only).

Plows with chain connecting the frame to the rockshaft gain float via chain slack. Plows with a solid link and manual can let the lift arm float; with hydro its down or up and finessing the control.

Edited December 16, 2021 by Handy Don

[KrazeyOlDave 860]

19 hours ago, Gregor said:

@KrazeyOlDavesaid:

I used a 400lbs actuator at the time, worked flawlessly for doing a 3 car driveway. PROGRESSIVE AUTOMATIONS Electric Linear Actuator 12V

 

i set it up using a solenoid and a rocker switch. 

 

Once I started plowing the road (private drive, county doesn’t plow it), I had to modify my battery box for a marine starting battery, because I was depleting my normal battery. 

 

Did you incorporate any type of limit switch, or simply run the rocker switch by hand?

The actuator I listed, has built in limit switch. Most of them do I believe.

[KrazeyOlDave 860]

On 12/14/2021 at 8:25 PM, Snoopy11 said:Thirdly! The correct linear actuator for the application would need to be IP-65... right @KrazeyOlDave...?

 

Don

Correct, IP-65 is water proof value 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

Hey guys, 

 

I was pilfering around the web... and found this, a manual winch for snow blades. It does appear to be a discontinued part, but there is one available on Ebay:

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224730988423?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=224730988423&targetid=4580496732614416&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=418233788&mkgroupid=1230353745471221&rlsatarget=pla-4580496732614416&abcId=9300542&merchantid=51291&msclkid=c61701ca328b193273396071baf09c05

 

Check this out:

 

 

 

Now, whether you like that idea or not... it does get me thinking about manual winch ideas... like this from the jungle.

 

 

30$

 

https://www.amazon.com/VZCY-600lbs-Capacity-Portable-Trailer/dp/B08KG1YJP2/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Manual+strap+Winch&qid=1639681068&s=automotive&sr=1-4

 

 

Or a cable type:

 

 

27$

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093VQT2WL/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1p13NParams&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyM09CRVdQVEpHOTA1JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzM1NzE1MzNUSEZMMkJBQVRKUCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjA0NzMyMVlJQVNLN1RERktQTiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbDImYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

4 hours ago, Snoopy11 said:

manual winch for snow blades

 

That's basically the same thing as the manual lift on the machine now though.  And the others... well, no.

 

Here's my thing, PARTIALLY because it's so darn heavy to pull the handle back, but MORE the fact that while I'm plowing I want to keep one hand on the wheel, and one hand on the motion control lever.

 

Even when I had the plow on the 175 which had the hydro lift, I wished for a control I could operate with a "third hand".  

 

When I started thinking about this it was to maybe help out @tractorbeast but has morphed into me looking for a way to control by foot.  That's my ultimate goal, to not have to take hands off the wheel or the motion control.

 

My ideal would be to have a single 'stomp box' button mounted forward on the right footrest.  One stomp for up, one stomp for down on the same button.

 

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,297]

@Jeff-C175 Cut a hole in your shoe and train your big toe to use a toggle switch.

[ebinmaine 67,328]

36 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

One stomp for up, one stomp for down on the same button

Old school dimmer switch?

 

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

3 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Old school dimmer switch?

 

 

Yes, that's the idea.  I don't know if they can be found in 'momentary' though.  

 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

You need to get an agri-fab blade, Jeff... 

 

Don

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

32 minutes ago, Snoopy11 said:

You need to get an agri-fab blade, Jeff... 

 

Don

 

Not familiar with them, what's the difference?

[Snoopy11 5,714]

1 hour ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Not familiar with them, what's the difference?

A handle to raise and lower... this is what I have. Works incredibly well. 

 

 

Don

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

1 minute ago, Snoopy11 said:

handle to raise and lower

 

But there's a lift handle on the tractor.  Works fine if a bit heavy, but a third arm would be needed for either.

[Snoopy11 5,714]

4 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

But there's a lift handle on the tractor.  Works fine if a bit heavy, but a third arm would be needed for either.

The difference is with the Agri Fab plow, when you pull the handle down, you are just moving the blade into a slot... not pulling the weight of the blade back.

 

Don

[Snoopy11 5,714]

4 minutes ago, Snoopy11 said:

The difference is with the Agri Fab plow, when you pull the handle down, you are just moving the blade into a slot... not pulling the weight of the blade back.

Basically, you push the handle down, and it moves the blade into a position that allows it to go up and into a slot. I think... a kindergartener could maneuver the agrifab blade. 

 

Don

Edited December 17, 2021 by Snoopy11
typo

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

1 hour ago, Snoopy11 said:

kindergartener

 

That's me!  Six years old... With sixty two years of experience!  Can you say 'arrested development' ?