# How are you setting your blade angle when plowing with a skidsteer?



## jkski (Dec 29, 2010)

I put a plow on my skidsteer for this winter and I was curious how you guys are setting the angle of the cutting edge when pushing snow. Are you tilting the blade forward or back at all or simply trying to set it level?
Also, when doing large paved lots, are you putting the blade down to the point where "float mode" is activated on your lifting arms so that it follows the contour of the lot as it is pushing or are you just controlling the up and down manually?

Thanks in advance for any advice.


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## lawnboy2121 (Jan 25, 2007)

I build my attachment plates so with the arms down the plow A frames sit level with the ground so the plow is at the same angle as it would be on a truck


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## Spool it up (Oct 30, 2012)

jkski;1542285 said:


> I put a plow on my skidsteer for this winter and I was curious how you guys are setting the angle of the cutting edge when pushing snow. Are you tilting the blade forward or back at all or simply trying to set it level?
> Also, when doing large paved lots, are you putting the blade down to the point where "float mode" is activated on your lifting arms so that it follows the contour of the lot as it is pushing or are you just controlling the up and down manually?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any advice.


float mode wont always clear a heavy wet packed lot . each event , lot surface or obstacles will vary . you have to manuever to where it best suits your application . after some seat time you'll know exactly what to do


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## jkski (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks for the input guys I appreciate it. I will be firmly planted in my truck seat so my question is more to help my operator learn and at the same time help me so that if I need to leave the warmth of my heated seat, I can help him out!!!!

Thanks again.


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## snow game (Sep 28, 2008)

Amswer and question?
I think you are better off NOT using the float position, and depending on your plow set up, I would prefer seeing my guys runs the plow tilted forward as opposed to level. This will allow you to get a better bite, (the snow will force the plow down slightly more). Running level or tilted back towards the operator may cause premature wear, especially with Fisher. I noticed my guys would beat down the feet and bottom of the springs on my Fishers and wear them prematuraley, when level or tilted back. 
I run the old school fishers with two brackets welded into the bucket, power angle, if I need the bucket, pull two pins and drop the hoses, go from job to job with both, bucket and plow, this also allows the plow to trip up into the air if we hit something hard. 
Don't want to hi jack, but I Now have a question... Does anyone bother to install cushion valves on their skid steer plows?


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## lawnboy2121 (Jan 25, 2007)

have not run one on my blades in the 16 yrs we have been using shidsteers


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## rjigto4oje (Oct 27, 2010)

Ive thought about mounting one in the bucket any pics would be greatly appreciated


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## BladeBlowBucket (Feb 6, 2013)

snow game;1542655 said:


> ….... Does anyone bother to install cushion valves on their skid steer plows?


Nope, the system relief valve will protect the hydraulics



Spool it up;1542432 said:


> float mode wont always clear a heavy wet packed lot ….. after some seat time you'll know exactly what to do


I couldn't agree more, it's one of those things you could try and explain it to death, either the operator will get it or not (then stay home) ……..also tho some may not agree, but I have never run any skid shoes at all on my blades, with the skids bucket tilt hydraulics you can control depth unlike in a full floating p/u system … it's a feeling you get with lots of seat time … jmho …


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## lawnboy2121 (Jan 25, 2007)

When u build ur mount lower ur arms all the way down and set the plow in front of the machine so it sits level then mark the plate so u can weld ears on and that will be ur hieght. If ur arms r down the plow will be level


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## lawnboy2121 (Jan 25, 2007)

Not the best pic but u can see when the arms r down the plow is at the right angle. No guessing


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## rjigto4oje (Oct 27, 2010)

looks nice thanks


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## jomama45 (Dec 25, 2008)

BladeBlowBucket;1595643 said:


> Nope, the system relief valve will protect the hydraulics


You sure such a thing exists in the aux. hydraulics?? I can tell you for a fact Bobcats don't have them, as well as most, if not all, of the other makes. Bypasses are cheap insurance IMO, and I can tell you for a fact that I've had far less damage since installing mine..........



lawnboy2121;1595663 said:


> When u build ur mount lower ur arms all the way down and set the plow in front of the machine so it sits level then mark the plate so u can weld ears on and that will be ur hieght. If ur arms r down the plow will be level


Correct answer, you run it level, like it was designed to be run. When you start running it too high on the back end, you'll slowly where the cutting edge corners off, and destroy the pivots of the plow.

BTW, looks nice, the chain is the way to go IMO...............Thumbs Up


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## BladeBlowBucket (Feb 6, 2013)

jomama45;1596322 said:


> You sure such a thing exists in the aux. hydraulics?? I can tell you for a fact Bobcats don't have them, as well as most, if not all, of the other makes. Bypasses are cheap insurance IMO, and I can tell you for a fact that I've had far less damage since installing mine...…….


YUP ! …. when I was running the OEM 8' Bcat snow blade on my A-300 Bcat, if I was to tag something, on one corner of the blade, hard enough the blade would give away, BUT it was a good tag not light one, where do you think the oil went to ? … and the opposite cyl (because they are a single acting type) has huge air drawn in on the back side of the cyl, a few cycles and its gone … one of these days i'm going to put an inline pressure gauge in the aux hydraulics to see what the relief pressure is, its gotta be high because when it cracks it sure squeals in the cab ….……. I also modified a 4-n-1 8' bucket off of a JD 510 backhoe that I use year round, its great for bulk moves of material, loading trucks and landscaping, its struck cap. is 1.6yds now when you tag something with the clam part (hooked up to aux hyd) it'll make the thing chirp pretty good.

So, yah, I'm pretty sure the system has a relief valve built-in and that's what my shop manual shows too, otherwise there would be alot of blown lines under the cab.

To each his own wether you want to run an additional cushion or relief system


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## BladeBlowBucket (Feb 6, 2013)

Lawnboy 2121 …. on my first Skid-steer that set-up you have there is Identical to first snowblade I used … when I quit using a p/u for commercial plowing I modified my 8' Arctic Blade just like you have done, it worked really well but I soon found that the blade has a tendency to want to float over the ground leaving more snow behind than I cared to see…. The blade also would not cut compacted snow off of the asphalt either so a guy wound up raising the back a bit more than one would if it was on a p/u and remove the skid shoes ….… then I got more greedy and modified the adaptor plate by adding an arm that when you curled out the attachment plate it would put pressure on the a-frame causing the blade to cut "That's where a skid-steer really begins to shine" over the p/u plowers ......… I used that set-up for 9yrs and for a short time (like 1 mth) after I got the new Bcat I guess it was just too much for that blade, the A-frame virtually crumpled, that's when I first looked into a Blizzard 8611, but after the huge purchase of the new skid I made a deal and bought the Bcat blade with wings from the Bcat dealer …. 4yrs with that one but that'll begin another long story of that PITA OEM blade ...….. end of last season I purchased a new 8611 With NO Regrets ! …. Have fun with your set-up


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## lawnboy2121 (Jan 25, 2007)

If u look I have ears on the a frame so I can put down pleasure on the plow if I want to back drag or for peeling up hard PAC other wise it floats . Not a big fan of western plows but that one works really well . I have a fisher on my other skid steer and the western backdrags better. I also run a 8 ft box on it most of the time on it ,the plow is for clean up only


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## jomama45 (Dec 25, 2008)

BladeBlowBucket;1596679 said:


> So, yah, I'm pretty sure the system has a relief valve built-in and that's what my shop manual shows too, otherwise there would be alot of blown lines under the cab.
> 
> To each his own wether you want to run an additional cushion or relief system


Where does the manual show the thing located? Is it adjustable? I'm curious because my experience is completely different than yours. Are you sure the Bobcat plow didn't have the crossover relief valve, rather than the skid??


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## Rod (NH) (Dec 13, 2010)

jomama45;1596844 said:


> Where does the manual show the thing located? Is it adjustable? I'm curious because my experience is completely different than yours. Are you sure the Bobcat plow didn't have the crossover relief valve, rather than the skid??


He may have work port relief/anti-cavitation valves on his auxiliary spool. My Bobcat S650 does NOT have such port reliefs. When my aux spool is in the neutral position, as it would be during actual plowing, the aux ports are blocked. There is no path back to the skid reservoir from either aux port via the skid main system relief valve. That's why I use a dedicated crossover relief valve on my Fisher truck plow when it is attached to the skid. I consider that a worthwhile investment for equipment safety, at least in my particular case.


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## BladeBlowBucket (Feb 6, 2013)

Rod (NH);1597408 said:


> He may have work port relief/anti-cavitation valves on his auxiliary spool. My Bobcat S650 does NOT have such port reliefs. When my aux spool is in the neutral position, as it would be during actual plowing, the aux ports are blocked. There is no path back to the skid reservoir from either aux port via the skid main system relief valve. That's why I use a dedicated crossover relief valve on my Fisher truck plow when it is attached to the skid. I consider that a worthwhile investment for equipment safety, at least in my particular case.


Gotta say you got me thinking so I phoned up my dealer who sold it to me, sales said they ordered it in for someone else, which became a no-show, then we came along, demo'd it bought it. He explained that some of the machines had the work port relief valve on the aux ports, But is was an add on. It is preset what he thought at 3000psi. The Bcat brand blade was 2 direct lines, one off of each cyl.
He was not sure who or where it happened but they used to do it on request …… Who am I to question that  he explained a bit that the factory was playing with the idea for attachment like their grapples in the era of when mine was built, the part in the book was an addendum specific to it. Sorry, we assumed that because I had it, it was a default feature now. prsport


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## purpleranger519 (Jan 1, 2006)

jomama45;1596322 said:


> You sure such a thing exists in the aux. hydraulics?? I can tell you for a fact Bobcats don't have them, as well as most, if not all, of the other makes. Bypasses are cheap insurance IMO, and I can tell you for a fact that I've had far less damage since installing mine..........
> 
> Correct answer, you run it level, like it was designed to be run. When you start running it too high on the back end, you'll slowly where the cutting edge corners off, and destroy the pivots of the plow.
> 
> BTW, looks nice, the chain is the way to go IMO...............Thumbs Up


Couldn't agree more!!! I've never heard of such a thing and I know for a FACT the Bobcats, Cases and New Hollands I've owned did not have such a thing. Crossover relief valve is the cheapest protection you can buy!


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## jomama45 (Dec 25, 2008)

Cheap insurance..........................Thumbs Up

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=9-4019-50-H&catname=hydraulic


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