# Help! western plow will not touch floor



## duranlandscaping585 (Aug 29, 2020)

hey everyone i am new to this site but i see everyone is so helpful! i have a western plow on a 05 silverado 2500hd. when i press the down button the plow goes down... but... it will not touch the floor completely, it is like floating maybe less than an inch off the ground, and yes, the chains have slack in them. also the remote seems to stay on float when i press down all the way because no mater how long i hold the down button or how many times.. the "float" light stays on! is there anyone that knows maybe what could be a possible issue?!


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Is the jack down and or bent?
Are the shoes , skidfeet , skis adjusted so the blade will not touch the ground ?
are you sure there is slack ?
If yes. then I would say the shoes are adjusted so the edge will not come in contact with the ground.

Does it swing in the air or is it touching the ground If it swings in the air it Has to be the chains, lift it up and set it down on some blocks and take a look at it .

Yes l,when you hit down it should stay in float you have to raise it up( tap up) to take it out of float


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

What model western?
Unimount or ultramount


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## duranlandscaping585 (Aug 29, 2020)

Hydromaster said:


> Is the jack down and or bent?
> Are the shoes , skidfeet , skis adjusted so the blade will not touch the ground ?
> are you sure there is slack ?
> If yes. then I would say the shoes are adjusted so the edge will not come in contact with the ground.
> ...


By jack. You mean the stands ? And also i have never had a western plow. So im not sure about the shoes. They are on. But, when i drive on the road and lower the blades, not even the shoes touch the ground. Its like an inch off. And yes when i lower rhe blade all the way there is still slack, can you tell me what jack you are reffering to? Maybe im overthinking it. And it is an ultramount i think, it has the 2 chains holding the plow


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## duranlandscaping585 (Aug 29, 2020)

dieselss said:


> What model western?
> Unimount or ultramount


Ultramount. Has the 2 chains


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

The chains won’t go slack unless it’s sitting on the ground, somewhere.
Lift it up remove the shoes and lower the plow again .

So you hit float, the plow goes down and you didn’t have to push down on the ram or the headgear to get slack in the chain?
Just asking.

It has to be sitting on something it just can’t “float “ there with nothing holding it up.
Lol

By Jack, I mean the stand it sits on when you’re disconnecting it from your vehicle ,
I guess, not every plow would have one.
some people might use a block of wood after they bent up the original,


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Take a picture and show us...the only way it could have slack in the chains is if its on the ground which you say it doesnt touch...


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

I have nothing to add that hasn't been said already but I am curious - you say this is your first "western" - but what plow(s) have you used before?


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## duranlandscaping585 (Aug 29, 2020)

I will take a pic when i get back home! And i toom the shoes off of it and now the left chain is tight as hell so maybe im going to have to loosen it up a link or two! I have all snow dogg plows and have worked pretty great!


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Whens the last time you greased the piviot pins?


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## Fourteen Contracting Inc. (Jul 5, 2019)

You happen to purchase it off a guy / company that did gravel driveways?


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

duranlandscaping585 said:


> I will take a pic when i get back home! And i toom the shoes off of it and now the left chain is tight as hell so maybe im going to have to loosen it up a link or two! I have all snow dogg plows and have worked pretty great!


So, does it sit on the ground now with the shoes off...?


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## Avalanche 2500 (Dec 31, 2015)

^^^^ For sure loosen up the leash, remove the high heels and she will be on the ground ? Thumbs Up


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## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

Mr.Markus said:


> Take a picture and show us...the only way it could have slack in the chains is if its on the ground which you say it doesnt touch...


Not true. If pivot pins are froze then Plow won't go down but lift cylinder can retract making chains loose. I've seen it a few times.


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## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

Most likely if nothing is touching the ground then the pivot pins are froze or they won’t allow Plow to drop all the way.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Western1 said:


> Not true. If pivot pins are froze then Plow won't go down but lift cylinder can retract making chains loose. I've seen it a few times.


You're probably right, its 27 degrees in Rochester this morning Canadian jorts weather. Our plows wait for winter to freeze up here.


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

It seams that it was the shoes .

That would be a lot of strong rust to freeze up the hinge pins... 

Anyway,If the pins were frozen, how would the plow be able to raise?


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

Hydromaster said:


> It seams that it was the shoes .
> 
> That would be a lot of strong rust to freeze up the hinge pins...
> 
> Anyway,If the pins were frozen, how would the plow be able to raise?


To be nit-picky, hydraulics could put more torque on the pins than gravity. However, in that case the plow would likely stick wherever the ram stopped.


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Aerospace Eng said:


> To be nit-picky, hydraulics could put more torque on the pins than gravity. However, in that case the plow would likely stick wherever the ram stopped.


Not to be nitpicky,,,,But 
If they are frozen it wouldn't go up or down.


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

Hydromaster said:


> Not to be nitpicky,,,,But
> If they are frozen it wouldn't go up or down.


Depends on how frozen.


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Either it is or it isn’t


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Hydromaster said:


> Either it is or it isn't


Is it?


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

No


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

Hydromaster said:


> Either it is or it isn't


It seems like the OP has solved his issue (shoes).

On our tangent, however, I disagree. I have not dealt with a plow, but have dealt with many aircraft that are operated hydraulically or electrically that will move fine (if you ignore the popping from the rod-ends, bearings, or bushings due to lack of lube) but that will not free fall or be able to be extended manually, depending on the system. Similarly, I have seen equipment that moves when hydraulically actuated, but you have to beat the pins out due to corrosion and lack of lube.

The amount of friction in a pivot has to increase over time, and if the resistance exceeds the torque due to the weight of the plow, the plow will not float. The hydraulic cylinder could still pick it up, due to the force available in the lift cylinder.


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

If it’s frozen, it’s Frozen .
If it’s Fozen it will not move.


Because I cannot pick up the blade of a D8 dozer manually, I would not call it frozen, as the dozers hydraulics will pick it up easily.


Ps, make no mistake, it’s your tangent.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Hydromaster said:


> If it's frozen, it's Frozen .


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## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

Well for what it’s worth I have had at least 2 different plows that sat for a couple years that would lift but not drop all the way to the ground. Even with my big fat ass on the front of it. Like Aerospace said. Had to heat up pivot pins to free it up because of the corrosion.


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

Western1 said:


> Well for what it's worth I have had at least 2 different plows that sat for a couple years that would lift but not drop all the way to the ground. Even with my big fat ass on the front of it. Like Aerospace said. Had to heat up pivot pins to free it up because of the corrosion.


I think Hydromaster would say that we are both wrong and our pins/bushings/trunnions were merely slushy, and not truly frozen.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I have never had a plow freeze up with corrosion, many (most) dont have bushings on the pivot pins, they are simply holes in the metal for the pin to slide through. The more you use them the sloppier these holes get...

Lost my point...

It'll come back to me.


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## Fourteen Contracting Inc. (Jul 5, 2019)

Mr.Markus said:


> The more you use them the sloppier these holes get....


Obligatory nevermind


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Mr.Markus said:


> I have never had a plow freeze up with corrosion, many (most) dont have bushings on the pivot pins, they are simply holes in the metal for the pin to slide through. The more you use them the sloppier these holes get...
> 
> Lost my point...
> 
> It'll come back to me.


V plow hinge?


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I run v plows, never...
Also metal hole with pin, granted with grease holes. Nothing to do with up and down..

Lost my point again...


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Mr.Markus said:


> I run v plows, never...
> Also metal hole with pin, granted with grease holes. Nothing to do with up and down..
> 
> Lost my point again...


Happy to help.


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