# Grizzly 450 frame damage from plowing?



## dcf1999 (Dec 12, 2016)

Hello all:

I have a 2014 grizzly 450 I use for plowing my driveway and some rentals. My plowing rig is the warn provantage front mount. Last night, after I got done plowing, I noticed the frame members that the plow's front mount bracket are attached to are starting to flatten where it meets the bracket (toward the lower part of bracket). They are not bent, just flattened. It looks as if the bottom of the bracket made an indent in the tube. The bottom U-bolts were also missing on one side and loose on the other. Top U-bolts are tight. It's the same situation on both sides. 

When I plow, sometimes the blade will catch on the ground (transition from pavement to grass) and trip the blade forward. This causes the machine to annoyingly jar and stop but I'm not going that fast when it happens and I would think the blade tripping would be enough safeguard from frame damage. Every time it happens I cringe and think about the forces transferring to the machine. 

Anyone else notice this? Could it be from catching the ground? Too tight of U-bolts? I don't remember this happening when I installed it. Should I worry? Is the blade tilted too far forward or rearward? I fear I may be damaging my frame. I feel like the "crushing" of the tubes have contributed to the loose / missing U-bolts... they could have vibrated loose but I'd think the upper bolts would have done this as well. 

I just don't want to continue plowing with it and risk it flattening that tube to the point of allowing it to bend. 

Any help or insight would be great!

Thanks.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Post a couple of pictures of the area you're referring to, it'll help to see what exactly you're talking about.


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## dcf1999 (Dec 12, 2016)

lol I knew I was going to get asked that and forgot to take pics last night. I'll take them when I get home from work and post them.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Damage could be from the loose/missing u bolts. Mount constantly banging against frame.


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## dcf1999 (Dec 12, 2016)

Here are pictures. For some reason they got rotated when I uploaded them. They look fine on my phone. In the photos, the bottom of picture is front of machine. This is a view of the left side of machine. The bottom U-bolt is missing.

I feel like it has to be damage from plowing. Reason I say this is because the bottom U-bolts were loose or missing. When the mount crushed the bottom part of the tube it must have loosened up that U-bolt. The upper bolt is still tight (and the tubing in that section isn't crushed)

When i bought the system I was nervous about frame damage as compared to the belly mount system. After doing a bunch of research, I decided on the front mount because everyone loved it and I didn't see anything about machines frames being messed up from using it.


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## dcf1999 (Dec 12, 2016)

kimber750 said:


> Damage could be from the loose/missing u bolts. Mount constantly banging against frame.


Mount is still tight against frame. The actual mount isn't loose


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## airshot (Dec 13, 2016)

I have heard that from people that have used their plows for a number of years. My previous atv had a mid-frame mount and I plowed for 16 years with it, with no problems. Last year I moved up to a UTV and a bigger plow but I did some research on front and mid mount snow plow mounts. My reading convinced me to again choose a mid mount plow and so far no issues. It seems there are others that have experienced frame damage from heavy plowing with front mounted plows but I find no comments about mid mount frame damage. I use a Quad Boss Pile Driver with quick mount (mid frame) easy on and easy off unit. Very heavy duty !!


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## dcf1999 (Dec 12, 2016)

Yea I cringe whenever I impact something and the safety trips or it stops the machine. I don't plow fast and I slow down when I know there is a chance of it getting hung up (transition from pavement to grass). 

It seems like there are a lot more forces impacting the frame with a front mount than a center mount. Front mount, any force will hit the frame at a perpendicular angle while center mount, the force is more longitudinal with the frame. But... I like the advantages of the front mount (easy on/off, no reduction of ground clearance, higher lifting). 

Anyways, I don't think there is any major risk going on here as of now. I'll put new U-bolts in with locknuts and inspect it often. When it warms up a bit, I'll take the whole front end apart and inspect what's going on. Maybe I'll need to fix some issues and/or beef some things up.


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## dcf1999 (Dec 12, 2016)

My ultimate goal is to get a larger plow for my John Deere. Kinda pricy (and I don't really "need" it) so it may have to wait a little bit.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

dcf1999 said:


> Here are pictures. For some reason they got rotated when I uploaded them. They look fine on my phone. In the photos, the bottom of picture is front of machine. This is a view of the left side of machine. The bottom U-bolt is missing.
> 
> I feel like it has to be damage from plowing. Reason I say this is because the bottom U-bolts were loose or missing. When the mount crushed the bottom part of the tube it must have loosened up that U-bolt. The upper bolt is still tight (and the tubing in that section isn't crushed)
> 
> ...


I have a 60" Front Mount Warn Provantage on a 660 Grizzly and have had no issue's. I used it as a dozer to move/spread road base, pile manure along with plowing snow.
You said even through you're missing a U bolt and one was loose the mount was still tight on the frame.
When I mounted my plow mount the mount didn't lay/rest against the atv frame. When the U bolts were tightened the mount was pulled against the frame tube and there was full contact. The reason was the mount was slightly tweaked from being formed and welded on during the MFG process but should be within a set tolerance. The frame tubes should have a tolerance for perpendicularity and parallelism, When you take into account these factors you can have the mount be tight like you say.
So when putting pressure on the mount while plowing the gap between the mount and frame tubes is closes and the mount will hammer/damage the tubes.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

^ 
I supose you don't add any weight to your ATV to aid in traction?


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

SnoFarmer said:


> ^
> I supose you don't add any weight to your ATV to aid in traction?


Don't have too, I will shift my weight to the back if needed which is rare.


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