# New Plow Need Help



## gravelyguy (Oct 17, 2008)

I just finished hooking up my Powertach hydraulic blade for my Gator XUV. The instructions say to always transport it with the blade staight, not angled.

I noticed right away that the blade doesn't want to stay straight when it's in the raised position. It slowly creeps to the right even when sitting still. It seems to go about halfway and then stop turning. This takes a couple of hours or faster if you take it for a drive. 

Is this something I should worry about? Does this mean the hydraulics have an internal leak or something?

Thanks for the help, I'm a newb with snowplows.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

sounds like a leak to me


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

Ya you have a leek or you need to rebuild you hydrolic cilinders. My 1977 Allis Chalmer 50hp tractor has hydrolic problems the bucket wont stay up and there aint no leaks so I'm geting the hydrolic cilinders rebuilt so that will fix it.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

Internal leak in the cylinders IF you have 2 way cylinders (push - pull) else its in the valve body, pressure relieve valve or control valve leaking.


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## gravelyguy (Oct 17, 2008)

I guess I didn't say, the plow is brand new. I called Powertach today and you guys aren't going to beleive what they said!

The guy said, "yeah this is a known problem that we consider normal. We haven't had enough complaints to come out with a fix yet" 

I was like WTF, but the conversation went nowhere. I'm think about calling Deere corporate since the blade is sold under their name.

Anyways I left the plow in the raised position all day today while I was gone and when I got home it had turned to the right 3 or 4" and dropped a couple of inches as well. That seems to be as far as it will go since it hasn't moved any more the rest of the evening.


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## Vraz (Nov 13, 2008)

Curious if there were any more developments with your PowerTach plow? I have a Gator HPX and was considered getting one, but your experience did not fill me with confidence. Did you install it yourself or have it installed? If the former, can you comment on how easy or difficult it was? 

My local JD dealer had not sold any of them, though he would happily order one for me. For the HPX I apparently also need heavy duty front shocks (but that is minor). The idea of a fully hydraulic blade is appealing. Right now I plow with a back blade on my old Ford tractor so a front hydraulic blade on the Gator would be a massive improvement... if it works!


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## gravelyguy (Oct 17, 2008)

Vraz,

I never took the time to call and file a complaint with Deere. Their is a problem and I don't agree with the way Powertach handled it at all, but I don't think the problems are going to affect the way the balde operates. It will just make things a little bit annyoing. 

We haven't had any snow yet here in Indiana, so I haven't had the chance to use it yet

I installed the blade myself and it wasn't too bad at all. It probably took around 5 or 6 hours with the HD front shocks. The XUV also requires these. The only problem that I had was putting the brush guard back on with the plow mount. The plow mount slides over the bumper and brushguard with a U shaped piece of metal and then is held on with pins. I had to bend the U apart a little bit to make it fit around the brushguard on one side.

I think it should work pretty well. My fingers are crossed because I'm really screwed if it decides not to work on me.


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## Vraz (Nov 13, 2008)

No snow in MN yet (at least in the cities) but flurries this weekend so need to figure out my plan. Three additional questions if you can:

1- Does the slow settling of the blade to the right/down happen just when powered-off or also when the Gator is running? 

2- I saw the video showing the hookup on the Powertach website and it showed a couple of what looked like cables plugged into the plow after its attached (or disconnected when its detached). What are those? They look like electrical cables but could not tell if they are actually hydraulic lines.

3- Is the hydraulic pump electric or does it get mounted to the engine?

Thanks!


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## gravelyguy (Oct 17, 2008)

1. Happens slowly running and not running.

2. They are the hydro hoses. There is two of them and they are the only thing that you have to plug/unplug to hook up the plow.

3. Electric

Looks like possible 1-1.5" for us this weekend


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## gravelyguy (Oct 17, 2008)

Hey you say that you watched the vid on the Powertach website, notice that they don't show the blade turning to the left only to the right.

It drops down slightly everytime you turn it to the left. They said that it is due to a single solenoid or something.

I'm not trying to pursade you away the from the PT blade because it should work out pretty well, I'm just making you aware.


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## davidkr (Apr 22, 2009)

*PowerTach Blade*

I have the 72" PowerTach blade on front of my Gator 620i. Don't waste your time telling John Deere about the problems. I already did that and all they did was turn it over to my local dealer. Johns Deere has forgotten how to manufacture so they slap their name on products build by others, even if they do not work.

Here is the facts on the PowerTach blade - confirmed by my John Deere dealer and by PowerTach, who no longer responds to my emails;

1. The blade does in fact drift to the right by itself. They claim it is NOT a fault. I claim it is aa internal leak and poor engineering. Hydraulics should not move by themselves.

2. If you raise the blade and move it left, it drops about 3 inches - again, they claim this is in the design (a real crock).

3. This is the ultimate - I used the blade to push a mulch pile. As the pile got to the end, I started to raise the blade to push the pile higher. Just like I did on my old John Deere 430 tractor. The blade moved up, but also FULLY to the right. AGAIN, powertach say, as designed!!!

I paid $2700 for this blade and it is useless. John Deere sold it as their own. Personally, I would not go near another John Deere product for the rest of my life. If I want poor quality, I can pay a lot less money.


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## Vraz (Nov 13, 2008)

What ultimately discouraged me was the report in another thread from the guy who had the pins snap off two different PowerTach units. That made the hydraulic issues pale by comparison. I managed to limp through the winter with my tractor+back-blade (thanks to my neighbor who would plow me with his Bobcat when he was in town).

While I really wanted something with full hydraulics that my wife could use if I am out of town, I will probably look at the V-Plow with electric lift. Seems like there is lots less to go wrong and you can just drive back and forth to clear & widen a path. Not optimal, but reliability is key.


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