# homesteader and back blading



## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

Hey everyone, 
Im new to plowing and i got a 7'4" homesteader plow on my nissan frontier. Now Is it normal for the plow to ride up like an inch when back blading or do in need to adjust the scrape lock?? Also there is about and inch or so of up and down play with frame and the mount, is that normal ? the plow is a few years old and bought second hand.. Any advice would be appreciated !!!


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## MikeD (Dec 8, 2007)

*frontierboy - backdragging*

Hey, I am new to plowing as well however it is my understanding that what your describing is a plow weight / down pressure issue. Light duty plows give up weight for the ability to be used on lighter duty trucks. Sorry I can't tell you how to resolve it. Some plow manufacturers have down pressure kits ! good luck


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## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

Thanks mike, I know that the plow has something called scape lock. When the plow is dropped, and if i lift up on the plow frame, removing all the slack, the hydrolics lock down the blade. That helps, but its a pain in the [email protected]# getting out of the truck everytime..


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## MrBigStuff (Oct 4, 2005)

Is the plow solid to the left or right when you push against it? The way these plows sit on the truck, it can be hard to purge all of the air from the rams. I had to hang mine over a drop off to get the lines at the highest point and then raise/lower it a few times to get all the air out. Might not be your problem but worth a shot.


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## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

yeah its sold left to right, it only move if i hit a sold pile of snow or 6+ inches.. Plowing forward is not the problem, just when back drag it, in front of garages. If your plow is down on the ground,is there still play on the plow frame and where it mounts?


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## MrBigStuff (Oct 4, 2005)

I have very little play once all the air was purged out of the rams. Scrapelock works as advertised.


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## MrBigStuff (Oct 4, 2005)

I downloaded the manual and there is a section on adjusting the scrape lock pressure. Do you have the manual? If so, see page 24.

Although the scrape lock system comes preset from
the factory, it may be adjusted if needed. The relief
valve stem in the top of the lift ram adjusts this setting.

1. Attach the plow to the vehicle.
2. Raise and lower the blade several times to purge
air from the lift ram.
NOTE: If blade will not raise or raises too slowly,
the setting is too high. Decrease the setting until
blade will raise easily. Likewise, if backdrag
performance has decreased, the setting is too low.
Increase the setting until optimal backdrag
performance is reached.
3. The recommended pressure setting is
1000–1200 psi. To check the pressure setting,
install a T-fitting with a pressure gauge in the rodend
hydraulic line, and observe the pressure
reading as the blade is raised. If a pressure gauge
is not available, increase the scrape lock setting
as high as possible without severely limiting the
blade raise speed.
4. To gain access to the relief valve stem, remove
the 1/2" x 3" cap screw that attaches the lift ram to
the top of the plow gear, and remove the plug
covering the slotted head of the relief valve stem.
5. Adjust the scrape lock pressure setting by using a
slotted-head screwdriver. Turn the relief valve
stem IN (clockwise) to increase the scrape lock
pressure; turn the relief valve stem OUT
(counterclockwise) to decrease it.
NOTE: Adjustments should be made in 1/8-turn
increments.
6. Reattach the lift ram to the plow gear after
adjustment.
7. Remove the 1/2" x 3" cap screw that attaches the
lift ram to the top of the plow gear, reinstall the plug
over the relief valve stem, and reattach the lift ram

If the air is purged and the pressure set correctly, I don't know why you're having so much play in the mount. You'll just have to look it over while moving it around to see where the play is coming from.


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## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

i will try adjusting the scrape lock a little more, but i thought it didnt give any down pressure, just locks the blade at the lowest point. When i drop the blade down and lift up on the frame where the lights are mounted, the ram locks down and i loose all the play. I looked at where the frame piviots and noticed that the holes are ablong up to down. are yours the same??


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## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

*back drag*

The holes that are ablong are on the A frame, the others on the plow gear frame are fine 
http://www.homesteaderplows.com/pdf/27551.03_012307.pdf



MrBigStuff;458801 said:


> I downloaded the manual and there is a section on adjusting the scrape lock pressure. Do you have the manual? If so, see page 24.
> 
> Although the scrape lock system comes preset from
> the factory, it may be adjusted if needed. The relief
> ...


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## xl1200c (Sep 18, 2007)

I have a suburbanite and the scrape lock works great on level ground. Sometimes I plow forward a few inches then back drag to make shore the plow is on the ground. This little plow is really great.


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## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

I helped going forward and backing up likes you said and that seems to help out alot, but there is still some play. Besides back draging the plow works great.


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## MrBigStuff (Oct 4, 2005)

I don't remember ANY holes being oblong. I'll have to look at it tonight when I get home. If those holes got wallowed out, it might be obvious looking at the circumference- it would be rolled into a ridge along the edge.


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## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

yeah i noted a the hole is a little wallowed out towards the front. I might have my freind fix it with the mig, later this week. That might help out too


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## IAMSPIN (Dec 20, 2007)

*back blading with a homesteader*

Hello everyone, I just had a Homesteader installed on my 2006 Avalanche. When I try to back blade driveways, the blade just rides on top of the snow without good results. On the hand held controller, should I hold it down for float mode or just drop the blade with no float mode ? Any ideas with what would help me with the back blading ?

Thanks !


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## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

Once, you press it to go down and it hits the ground your in float mode with the scrape lock feature is activated. if you lift it up a hair or turn if off then on then it cancels float mode. Your probley having the same problem as mine. Drop you blade, physcally see how high you can pick up the blade. then lift up on the frame where the lights are located. Once you do that, you will noticed that hydrolic ram locks down and removes slack. I learned from an earlier post, that if you go forward like a foot then backdrag, this will get ride of any slack.. Try it and let me know. How old is your plow??


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## IAMSPIN (Dec 20, 2007)

Thanks , I'll give it a try. My plow is just a week old. I'm starting to wonder if I should have gone with a Fisher LD plow.


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## MrBigStuff (Oct 4, 2005)

IAMSPIN;462912 said:


> Hello everyone, I just had a Homesteader installed on my 2006 Avalanche. When I try to back blade driveways, the blade just rides on top of the snow without good results. On the hand held controller, should I hold it down for float mode or just drop the blade with no float mode ? Any ideas with what would help me with the back blading ?
> 
> Thanks !


If you hold the down button for at least 3/4 of a second, the hydraulics will go into float mode. A green light should illuminate on the controller indicating it is in float mode. The blade will then follow the contours of the ground.

If you press the down button until the blade hits the ground and then release, the blade will be locked in that position (the float mode light will not be on). This is the mode I use for back dragging snow.


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## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

Mr big, if you dont have the fisher stick and the regular joy, there is no green light on it how can you tell??


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## MrBigStuff (Oct 4, 2005)

http://www.homesteaderplows.com/pdf/27817_061202.pdf

Page 2 says it similar to your prior post. Lower automatically goes into float mode. You have to bump the raise to cancel float and lock the blade or simply turn off the controller. At least that's my interpretation.


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## plow150 (Oct 29, 2004)

I just lower the blade to the ground, then "tap" the joystick UP to CANCEL FLOAT and lock blade in place for backdragging. What's all this stuff about getting out of the truck and lifting the blade & plowgear? Sounds like too much work...


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## blueline38 (Dec 22, 2007)

*scrape lock*

i have had the suburbanite for over a year now. i have the hand held remote so i don't know how the joy stick works. on the remote if you hold down the down arrow it will go into float and it will not back drag, the scrape lock is not on. push the plow down but don't hold it down. when you back up tap the down arrow. it will keep the plow down but keep it out of float. i have to do this because my driveway is gravel and not completely level. as the truck changes levels the plow will loose contact with the ground in one position. just a thought. usually i plow forward as much as possible for this reason.


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## IAMSPIN (Dec 20, 2007)

I tried just about everything to back drag properly. I am leaving so much snow behind. Plowing forward is great,but most of my small jobs are 50' driveways. I'm thinking of trading in my Homesteader for a Sno-Way with down pressure. Any Sno-Way owners out there ?


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## frontierboy (Nov 12, 2007)

how much snow are you trying to back drag at once?? Im have the same type of problems, let me know what the dealer tells you


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## IAMSPIN (Dec 20, 2007)

I'll even have problems with an inch or two of snow. Like you said in an earlier post forward plowing is great. I just want the same results while backblading. I even had the wife and kid sit on the plow while backblading and it still rides up. I just want the blade to lock in the down position while back blading without rising at all. I'll talk to the dealer after Christmas and post what he says.


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## blueline38 (Dec 22, 2007)

it's going to ride up. with the plow in scrape lock i can pick it up off the ground several inches due to the slack in the mounting.......... I dont do alot of back blading with the design of my driveway. good luck while were on this topic anyone have pics of a homesteader or suburbanite mounted on a new body style 1500. and if so how much did you need to modify the air dam?


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## xl1200c (Sep 18, 2007)

Something is wrong with your plow. My Suburbanite is a dream to backblade with. Bring it to the dealer.


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