# Plow Height Issues



## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

I have a meyer undercarriage, with a western plow.

the issue i am having is that if i mount the undercarriage at the height that puts the a frame of the plow perfectly level, (which is where it is mounted now) that i do not have enough clearence to even drive into a newer driveway without scraping the ground.

if i put the plow on the ground as it normally will sit, i have 3" 3/4" from the top of the a frame to the ground.

i have had this concern ever since i started to put this setup on my truck and do not seem to be able to get any help. i understand that they are low, but from what i see they are all around 8 inches, not 4.

the driveway i went on today had a few inches up from the pavement, driving as slow as i could i still scraped the driveway, no plow attached.

with the a frame level it is just doesent seem like enough clearence to drive. going as slow as i can i still scraped the ground simply driving into a driveway.


what is wrong here?

thanks for your help


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

PIctures!! Of the jeep, the plow, and the jeep with the plow mounted on it.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

I think I mentioned it on the last thread-your cutting edge is too worn. If you mount the plow with the a frame level, it sits too low, because the cutting edge should add 4-5+ inches of clearance on the bottom edge of the plow. But post some more pictures so we can be sure.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

3 3/4 inches gound to A frame... I wonder if you are missing the whole trip edge?

Pictures please


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## toby4492 (Dec 28, 2005)

birddseedd;1102020 said:


> I have a meyer undercarriage, with a western plow.
> 
> what is wrong here?


Pretty sure you have answered your own question.


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## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

toby4492;1102302 said:


> Pretty sure you have answered your own question.


good one. i know its gonna be fonkey, but what can i do.

i called a shop today and they told me that the a frame should not be level, i was told that it would be at a slight angel goig up tward the truck side. by a few inches.

i really dont know how tall the cutting edge should be, but it is possible it could be warn. it is an old plow to say the least.


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## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

the cutting edge goes 4 inches above the bottom edge of hte plow, and about an inch below the plow


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

Should be a lot more than 1 inch below the plow. You need a new cutting edge. Bolt it on instead of welding like the previous owner. I will try to take some pictures of the edge of mine tonight with measurements to give you some numbers to work with.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I hope that is a full trip plow, It looks like you have 2 3/4 inch of cutting edge below the mold board. 

Mount the A frame higher on the plow. do you have a pick of the A frame on the plow, with the A frame parallel to the ground. Pick from side showing A frame to plow hookup.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

It is a full trip plow-he said it was a western. Plus, there is no pivot point shown. And there is not even 1" of cutting edge, because the lower brace is angle iron. Looks like 3/4" or less from the edge of that angle iron to the the worn cutting edge. First thing is to buy a new cutting edge, bolt it on, then readjust all the measurements to keep the a frame parallel to the ground. Should bring the 4" clearance to 9-10".


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I know there was no pivot point that does not mean some one didn't cut it off. 
I do not know if westerns are full trip or edge trip that is why I asked. 

now I see the angle iron (sorry missed it when I first looked at the pic)


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## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

i cut off the undercarriage and will mount it as high as it will go, that will give me somewhere around 9ish inches of clearence. 

atm the a frame will be at an incline, when i i get a new cutting edge it will raise it up and it will only an inch or two inclined.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

I saw my neighbors x blade v once after a storm. The edges were worn down so far that the bolts were mostly gone (I would guess about 1" of cutting edge left). That plow is a trip edge. He is lucky he didn't find a manhole cover. 

So you are right to be concerned with people not being careful or concerned with how those mechanisms are supposed to operate.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

The reason that the a frame should be parallel, is that when you angle the blade, if it is at an incline, It will force one edge of the blade into the ground, and raise the other edge in the air. Not only is this bad for the plow, it can cause one corner to gouge things that it would normally ride over.


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## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

jb1390;1102639 said:


> The reason that the a frame should be parallel, is that when you angle the blade, if it is at an incline, It will force one edge of the blade into the ground, and raise the other edge in the air. Not only is this bad for the plow, it can cause one corner to gouge things that it would normally ride over.


maybe i have misunderstood what you ment by level from the beginning.

the plow and cutting edge is level from one side of the plow to the other, and the a frame from the left to right along the plow blade is level as well.

the level that I was thinking was from the front of the a frame where it hooks up to the plow, to the back where it hooks up to the undercarriage.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

No, you understood correct at the beginning. The a frame should be parallel to the ground (level) from front to back on a relatively flat surface. if it isn't you will get the sideways stuff I was talking about whenever you angle it. if you only ever plow straight, then having it level doesn't matter. But you will angle it, so it does matter.


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## ddb maine (Dec 4, 2009)

birddseedd;1102646 said:


> maybe i have misunderstood what you ment by level from the beginning.
> 
> the plow and cutting edge is level from one side of the plow to the other, and the a frame from the left to right along the plow blade is level as well.
> 
> the level that I was thinking was from the front of the a frame where it hooks up to the plow, to the back where it hooks up to the undercarriage.*This is the "level" he is talking about.*


 side to side level is relative to the ground. If the ground is out of level side to side so will be your truck and plow. Also if the ground is out of level front to back your truck and plow will be as well. The distance between the ground and the frame at both the truck side and plow side need to be in the ballpark. Forget about "level" if you go out there with a level and put it on the driveway and its perfect then go for it. But measuring and keeping everything in the same line is what you want. What is the height you have from the truck mount to the ground. Toss a pic of that up, just like you did with the plow, stand back and hold the tape up so we can see a good amount


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## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

the bottom of the frame to ground is 20".

from the mount to the ground is what im making.

but the highest i can get without doing more mods will give me about 9" of clearence


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## ddb maine (Dec 4, 2009)

9" on your truckside. ok


birddseedd;1102633 said:


> i cut off the undercarriage and will mount it as high as it will go, that will give me somewhere around 9ish inches of clearence.
> 
> atm the a frame will be at an incline, when i i get a new cutting edge it will raise it up and it will only an inch or two inclined.


on my 350 I have 12" to the bottom of my blizzard frame. on the plow I have about 9.5-10" to the bottom of the A frame.

So since you have 9" truck side and plow side definitely need a new cutting edge bringing you up to that 7-9 range. Id say your setup is good with a new edge. If i remember correctly this is going on a half ton. Since you don't need to spend time modding the crap out of the plow and frame, I'd focus on beefing the front suspension a bit.


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## birddseedd (Jul 12, 2010)

Unfortunately (prob. wouldn't have bought this truck if I had realized) I have a crappy torsion nbar suspension. adjusting the bar and spring assisted shocks is all I know that can be done to the suspension.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

birddseedd;1103021 said:


> Unfortunately (prob. wouldn't have bought this truck if I had realized) I have a crappy torsion nbar suspension. adjusting the bar and spring assisted shocks is all I know that can be done to the suspension.


The truck suspension is not the problem. The problem is the plow.


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## ddb maine (Dec 4, 2009)

2COR517;1103209 said:


> The truck suspension is not the problem. The problem is the plow.


did I miss something...


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