# Warn Provantage plow pins



## KQBigJ (Jan 7, 2010)

Hey folks, long time reader, first time posting.

I have searched a bit on here and have seen where folks have a similiar problem as mine but no great solution.

I recently put a warn front mount plow on my kingquad and lost both pins that first time using it. Does anybody have any advice on alternatives to these shotty pins?

Thanks.


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## BruteForce750 (Nov 20, 2009)

KQ, are you making sure they snap on when you put them on? Mine seem to need a decent amount of negotiating simply to get them to snap onto the "hook". Otherwise I'd switch it to a pin and cotter key combo.


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

KB, if that's the case the plow would fall off. Is that what happened? Pins shouldn't just fall out. They use a clip that latches to the end of the pin. They look like this.


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## BruteForce750 (Nov 20, 2009)

ALC-GregH;947945 said:


> KB, if that's the case the plow would fall off. Is that what happened? Pins shouldn't just fall out. They use a clip that latches to the end of the pin. They look like this.


If the his mount is the same or similar to mine, you can not use those pins. The provantage system has a different pin that actually hooks onto the plow mount itself as it has a weld that acts like a hook to hold it on.

The pin is therefore blocked from the back and I don't think he would be able to hook the pin back onto itself as the mount will be blocking it.










This is the best pic I can find of the mount but normally the pin "hooks" onto the back side of the mount. There should be a place for him to latch it onto and I cant see how it could wiggle loose on it if it is similar to mine. The reason it takes me 20 seconds instead of 5 to hook up the plow is trying to stretch the damn pin to reach the hook :laughing:


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## MtnCowboy (Dec 20, 2009)

Given the "proper amount of abuse" and the pins break apart. The spring metal clip breaks free from the pin at the swivel end and the pin works free. Been there ... twice. I picked up a couple of pins at the hardware store and so far so good. If those break I'll switch to bolts/lock nuts. I've got a belly mount but I assume the pins on a front mount are similar. I imagine losing both pins simultaneously would be a bit tragic, especially if the blade is down and there's some slack in the winch cable.


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## MtnCowboy (Dec 20, 2009)

"The provantage system has a different pin..." Brute Force750.

I assumed wrong. When I read the part about "snotty pins" my broken pins immediately came to mind.


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## BruteForce750 (Nov 20, 2009)

MtnCowboy;948221 said:


> "The provantage system has a different pin..." Brute Force750.
> 
> I assumed wrong. When I read the part about "snotty pins" my broken pins immediately came to mind.


I may have misunderstood the OP, but I thought he was simply losing them due to them falling out...


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## KQBigJ (Jan 7, 2010)

Hey folks, thanks for the posts....

The pins were secured on the back of the plow base....all was ok for about 30 minutes...I got off to check since this was a new install and all was well, pins in place and still latched. I went to rearrange some old icey piles of snow and as I went to back up/raise the plow it swung over to once side and low and behold, both pins had poped the tab and came out. Couldn't find them anywhere....

I've got about 10 inches of snow coming down right now so off to lowes to see if I can find something to use.

Let me know of thoughts guys.

Thanks again!


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## KQBigJ (Jan 7, 2010)

Brute, I think that is the route I'm going to go, pin and key.

Thanks!


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## BruteForce750 (Nov 20, 2009)

My only thought while at work would be to use a similar pin but drill a bolt through so you can secure the pin to the bolt sticking through. It would be a relatively simply fix if you have a drill and bit to drill through the steel.

Just drill a hole around where the existing clips were (maybe slightly further down to secure it tighter) then take a small bolt and nut and thread it through so the pin would now slip onto the thread on the bolt.

Thanks for the heads up too... I've plowed quite a bit with mine and haven't had them fall off, but I'll be sure to watch them in the future.


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

KQBigJ;948308 said:


> Brute, I think that is the route I'm going to go, pin and key.
> 
> Thanks!


Why not go even farther and use grade 8 nuts and bolts in place of the pins? Lowes sells them as well. MtnCowboy mentioned switching if the pins break/come apart.


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## BruteForce750 (Nov 20, 2009)

ALC-GregH;948317 said:


> Why not go even farther and use grade 8 nuts and bolts in place of the pins? Lowes sells them as well. MtnCowboy mentioned switching if the pins break/come apart.


I thought of the bolt nut combo as well, but I myself purchased the front mount for easy on and off... it would take me 10 seconds to put a pin through, but for the bolt I'd have to grab a wrench and socket to take apart.

You can buy pins that are almost equally as strong as a grade 8 bolt. I think MtnCowboy was referring to something else... not sure


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## MtnCowboy (Dec 20, 2009)

BruteForce750;948254 said:


> I may have misunderstood the OP, but I thought he was simply losing them due to them falling out...


The belly mount uses the pins shown at ALC-GregH's reply. The first time I lost one I assumed I hadn't secured the clip properly, but later I found the spring clip, sans the pin. The same happened later to the other pin; once again I found the clip but no pin. They effectively had fallen out due to separation of the clip and pin at the "hinge." I should note that I push the ATV/plow to the max and as noted elsewhere I've busted off skid shoes, trashed the blade, etc. Not a surprise to lose a pin or two, I guess. Fortunately the Grizzly has shown itself to be a champ at taking abuse... knock on wood.


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## sublime68charge (Dec 28, 2007)

KQBigJ;947554 said:


> Hey folks, long time reader, first time posting.
> 
> I have searched a bit on here and have seen where folks have a similiar problem as mine but no great solution.
> 
> ...


I have lost a pin also, After I lost the first one I bought 4 extra's as spare's and keep 3 in the tool box of my ATV Still have 2 new spares left and a old bent one that got changed out for a new pin when the plow when on the next year. Figured the Old bent one is better than having no spare at all if I ever get back to that point LOL so far I still have the 2 new spare and its been 3 years since I lost the first pin.


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## MtnCowboy (Dec 20, 2009)

Here a photo of what I was trying to describe. The yellow arrow points toward a collar that keeps the spring clip held to the pin. If that collar slips down, as is shown in the photo, the clip opens, separates from the pin, and the pin works out of the mount hole. So the pins aren't breaking, just failing. (The bolt in the pic is there simply to hold the pin upright for the photo ... and to replace the next pin that goes south. I put the plow on Oct and don't take it off until Mar, so bolts won't be an inconvenience... and won't fall off )


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## BruteForce750 (Nov 20, 2009)

MtnCowboy, have you ever thought of using some JB Weld to hold the collar in place? I think it would easily prevent it from sliding down and would solve your troubles.


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

MtnCowboy;948404 said:


> The belly mount uses the pins shown at ALC-GregH's reply. The first time I lost one I assumed I hadn't secured the clip properly, but later I found the spring clip, sans the pin. The same happened later to the other pin; once again I found the clip but no pin. They effectively had fallen out due to separation of the clip and pin at the "hinge." I should note that I push the ATV/plow to the max and as noted elsewhere I've busted off skid shoes, trashed the blade, etc. Not a surprise to lose a pin or two, I guess. Fortunately the Grizzly has shown itself to be a champ at taking abuse... knock on wood.


I knocked both skids off in the last storm. I found them but I'm just going to leave them off. I don't do any gravel driveways so I want the blade scraping clean. I changed the attack angle so now the skids are about 10 degrees leaning forward. I can't see losing the pins on the mid mount. As hard as they are to get the clips over the pin, I can't see them ever coming out. I have one hell of a time getting the clip on or off the pin.


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## MtnCowboy (Dec 20, 2009)

I'm a JB Weld fan and have even used it on an engine block. Actually I don't think the collar slips, as I earlier wrote. Some sort of impact is probably forcing the collar down and I don't know that JB has the strength to not shear under such stress - but it might. Still, the bolts/nuts are half the cost of the pins and I don't think they'll come off. I'd hate to be ripping down the road and lose both pins. At best, I could run over the plow, if there's slack in the winch line, and probably lose control of the ATV.


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## MtnCowboy (Dec 20, 2009)

ALC-GregH;948798 said:


> I knocked both skids off in the last storm. I found them but I'm just going to leave them off. I don't do any gravel driveways so I want the blade scraping clean. I changed the attack angle so now the skids are about 10 degrees leaning forward. I can't see losing the pins on the mid mount. As hard as they are to get the clips over the pin, I can't see them ever coming out. I have one hell of a time getting the clip on or off the pin.


I agree they are tough to put on. I use channels locks and profanity. But as you can see in the photo of the clip I found, something forced the collar down, and it's that collar that holds the clip to the pin. I don't know the correct terminology but when the collar is down the two sides of the clip pop out of the pin and then there's nothing to stop the pin from working free. Maybe my pins are different than yours.

Yes, the skid shoes are worthless. The bottom 1700 feet of my road is blacktop and I agree it's best to leave the shoes off on blacktop. The rest of the road, almost 4000 feet, is clay-based soil with 1-1/4 minus basalt. It's so rough there's little point to using shoes, so this year I stopped. But I'll be turning the wear bar over soon because it's taking a real beating! The road freezes solid and you know what it's like plowing frozen rock- like plowing a railroad track. I have to take the snow down to rock; if I leave a bed of snow on the gravel it ices up and then I must chain my Jeep all the way around, or chain the front when going up the road and the rear when going down.


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## KQBigJ (Jan 7, 2010)

Hey folks;

Update, I went and got some grade 8 bolts as sombody mentioned ealier. I live in Iowa and the winter has been a b*tch to us so far, so the plow will be on without much pleasuer riding for a while. I plowed for about 2 hours tonight and all went great. I guess that's pleasure riding in some sense as I had a lot of fun. I love the front mount being able to move snow so high.

Thanks for all of the help and great advice. You guys rock!​


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## MtnCowboy (Dec 20, 2009)

"Winter's a B*tch"

It's all relative. We've had an average winter here, near Blewett Pass, WA. (But I get it: I've lived in Burlington, Iowa and KC, MO.)


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## KQBigJ (Jan 7, 2010)

Yeah, that makes sense. I have some friends in Quebec and some of the pictures they send me are crazy with snow up to the roof.


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## MtnCowboy (Dec 20, 2009)

The first year I had snow to the roof - the second year I put on roof snow brakes to keep the snow from sliding off the roof - the third year I started shoveling snow off the roof for fear it would collapse under the weight. Now I just might be ready to move to a trailer or 5th wheel in the Arizona desert - at least for wintertime.


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

why not take the snow brakes off so you don't have to shovel?


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## MtnCowboy (Dec 20, 2009)

ALC-GregH;949443 said:


> why not take the snow brakes off so you don't have to shovel?


It's damned if you do/don't. Without the brakes, the snow slides off and piles high, which leads to moisture around the foundation -- the house is built on shrink/swell clay soil. With the brakes, the roof holds the snow, but the weight becomes an issue if we get rain on top of heavy snow, which happens sometimes. The trusses are rated for 65lb/sf but we've seen 85lbs of load. The short story is that the brakes are the lesser of two evils: shrink/swell of the clay soil has caused more damage than weight on the roof. The house itself is concrete (ICF) from foundation to gables, heated acid stained concrete floors up and down. The roof is FRT wood truss/steel roofing. The house is fairly new (started construction late 2003) and I'm still trying to figure out the best way to leave it unattended during winter. I actually do have a little trailer in Arizona, in a "resort park," where I'll someday spend my winters.

But not for the next 2-3 years.


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