For less than half the cost of a Frontier AF10F, and less than 1/4 the cost of an HLA1000, I give you the custom fandangled snow plow I identify as model WTF60M whipped up in a few hours for a whopping $450. The plow is a KFI 60" tapered blade. Manual angle with a pin. The mounting bracket was for a Kubota UTV, but was nothing more than angle iron with clevis tabs. How convenient! So I drilled some 1/2" holes in my pallet fork frame and bolted on the bracket. The geometry works out perfectly. Then I got a 4ft safety orange chain (so I don't lose it), looped it around the upper cross member of the fork frame, and shackled it to the plow frame's existing lift points. Normally a UTV would have a winch to lift it up, but I don't need that obviously. So the chain is there permanently in place of a lift winch. I plan to put one of Kenny's bolt on clevis tabs up top for the chain to go through rather than looping around the cross member. I also need to get some markings on the level indicator and other components to indicate height and angle.
So I think this will actually work better than a traditional loader mounted plow. Since the plow frame is hinged on those clevis tabs, pivoting up and down within the limits of the chain, the plow can follow the contour of the ground. A plow hard mounted to the loader can't do that, and we've all learned that putting the loader in float just makes it worse. As DonR pointed out, this will also make hitting a curb or chunk of ice much less traumatic.
I had given this concept some thought in the past, but moved on since I was assuming I'd need to buy a JDQA plate, and pay a welder to mount a plow frame to it. So by the time I found a used plow, bought the JDQA, and paid a welder, I might as well just buy an AF10F for about the same cost. @DonR reminded me I have a fork frame, and could use that rather than buying a JDQA plate. Then the next day I found this plow on craigslist with mounting that would not require any welding. It ended up taking me about 2hrs grand total.
So, now that I've done this, it probably won't snow at all for the rest of the year. You're welcome Maryland.
The only downside here is the notch for removing the forks happens to be in the middle of the bottom crossbar. So I currently have to take the bracket off to put the forks back on. So at some point, I'm going to cut, or have someone cut the notches into each end. In the meantime, 4 bolts is not a big deal.
Your right about Float being worse it will cause my Snow Pusher to just dig into the ground. I still need a better skid then the 3" angle because my HD Poly strip is lower then it! I did this for rocks and other things sticking up damaging the blade. So I have to add another skid or adjust the level more closely pushing snow. Might just get another piece of the strip of HD Poly and make one for it. I can heat and bend it to the shape I need. I like your springs on your set up no give to mine!!
Gave mine more thought and will add 2-1/2" thick 6"x12" skids made of High Density Polyurethane spaced down off my 3" steel angle iron. Then I can just drop my blade on them and head out. When they wear down I will bolt on 2 more at $24.00 a set. This will keep my cutting edges flush with the ground and not dig in. I will bolt the HD Poly to the Angle Iron in this close up picture. Will save extra wear to my cutting edges too.
My CTA came with float blocks they work great. On my old asphalt drive I left the float. Now on gravel I set so my rubber cutting edge is up a little and bolted them fast. I can flip them once when they wearband then order new ones.
My CTA came with float blocks they work great. On my old asphalt drive I left the float. Now on gravel I set so my rubber cutting edge is up a little and bolted them fast. I can flip them once when they wearband then order new ones.
View attachment 658534
I like that pusher! The Skids are nice the way they put them on. Last night I ordered a 12" x 24" x 1/2" thick skid to cut into 2-6" x 24" strips. Then I can heat them and bend up the ends so they do not grab but slide like skies. That is a heavy duty blade you have! One day I will make a new one after a few winters of use on this one to figure what I want. Biggest problem is hitting hidden unknown things on other people property not mine! Frozen Cow Pies are a problem but then I use my rear blade to scrap with much safer. I like that idea of just wearing out the skids and leaving my cutting edges up a little to just deal with the snow.
Plow guides are handy I put them on my Rear Blade and on my bucket during the winter to remind me of the end. Yesterday I looked back and watched while turning my up rear blade was 1 inch from tearing out the tail light on the Ranger! Glad it missed cause I would not have lived that one down on my first plowing of the year. I cut my box steel spacer for the skids and drilled it out to mount on my Pusher. Tomorrow I will pick up a new bottle of CO2/Argon gas for my welder plus the steel plates to go under the Poly Wear Skids. Figure the steel would be OK on my gravel but the Poly is easy to change out compared to cutting and welding up new steel skids. So I will only have to replace the bottom layer on them. Making the skids 6" x 24" and turned up ends bolted to 3/8" steel plate welded to 1 1/2" x1/4" box steel. All this goes under the 3" angle Iron on the sides.
I also pounded out the small dent in the angle iron with a sledge hammer from hitting the corner once last year bending it some. This stuff sure takes a beating when used off road so to speak!
For less than half the cost of a Frontier AF10F, and less than 1/4 the cost of an HLA1000, I give you the custom fandangled snow plow I identify as model WTF60M whipped up in a few hours for a whopping $450. The plow is a KFI 60" tapered blade. Manual angle with a pin. The mounting bracket was for a Kubota UTV, but was nothing more than angle iron with clevis tabs. How convenient! So I drilled some 1/2" holes in my pallet fork frame and bolted on the bracket. The geometry works out perfectly. Then I got a 4ft safety orange chain (so I don't lose it), looped it around the upper cross member of the fork frame, and shackled it to the plow frame's existing lift points. Normally a UTV would have a winch to lift it up, but I don't need that obviously. So the chain is there permanently in place of a lift winch. I plan to put one of Kenny's bolt on clevis tabs up top for the chain to go through rather than looping around the cross member. I also need to get some markings on the level indicator and other components to indicate height and angle.
So I think this will actually work better than a traditional loader mounted plow. Since the plow frame is hinged on those clevis tabs, pivoting up and down within the limits of the chain, the plow can follow the contour of the ground. A plow hard mounted to the loader can't do that, and we've all learned that putting the loader in float just makes it worse. As DonR pointed out, this will also make hitting a curb or chunk of ice much less traumatic.
I had given this concept some thought in the past, but moved on since I was assuming I'd need to buy a JDQA plate, and pay a welder to mount a plow frame to it. So by the time I found a used plow, bought the JDQA, and paid a welder, I might as well just buy an AF10F for about the same cost. @DonR reminded me I have a fork frame, and could use that rather than buying a JDQA plate. Then the next day I found this plow on craigslist with mounting that would not require any welding. It ended up taking me about 2hrs grand total.
So, now that I've done this, it probably won't snow at all for the rest of the year. You're welcome Maryland.
The WTF60M snow plow finally got some use today. about 5" of snow overnight. It worked flawlessly. The ability to pivot on it's hinged mount let it follow the terrain just as I had hoped. So as the slope of the driveway changed, the plow didn't dig in, lift the wheels up, or lift of off the ground. I believe this is a huge advantage over a traditional loader mounted plow that does not pivot vertically. The way I set the plow shoes, I could vary the loader curl back to ride up more or dump forward a bit to let the blade into the ground. For $500, I'm ecstatic.
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