Early fall, I visited a junkyard with TJC, bringing my son along. We found a snowplow sitting in a pile for ATVs, which is about the same size as my riding mower, so after simple negotiations, I purchased it for $25.

Then it sat around for a month

But each week I spend an hour or two working on it... my other thread about making a lathe steady rest is really for this project - so I can turn the ID of a pipe to make air cylinders. Anyway...

Riding mower and Plow:
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM001989.JPG

Modification to mower deck's front bracket to attach plow to:
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM001991.JPG
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM001992.JPG
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM001994.JPG

Almost looks intentional:
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM001995.JPG

To determine the size of the air cylinders, I have to determine how much weight will be at the mounting point, which of course is not at the blade, but further in. I used a bathroom scale and a 2x4 to determine what that weight is:
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM001997.JPG

75 lbs of force from the air cylinders will be required to hold the plow in a raised position, steadily. More force will lift the plow, less force will lower the plow.

I was going to mount the compressor and the air tank inside the mower's stamped/hydroformed body, but taking it apart was just too much work so instead (and this is what I did today) I'll make something that fits into the grass catcher mount so it's easily removed in the summer.
Mount:
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM002199.JPG

A lot of cutting and grinding and I managed to convert a chunk of rectangular tubing into a piece of oddly shaped c-channel, and it fits perfectly:
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM002201.JPG

Then I made a bracket out of some flat steel I had lying around. I actually had big pieces too, cool:
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM002203.JPG

hacked the rectangular tubing closer to the mount, then welded my homemade bracket onto that:
http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM002204.JPG

And here is a picture of the completed bracket/mount, with the locking pin installed, with the air tank and compressor resting in the positions they will be clamped in. The air compressor is out of a lexus, and the fire extinguisher, well, was lying around uncharged. The fire extinguisher tank is rated for 300lbs maximum, but underneath that it said it was pressure tested to 500psi before filling. So, this is better than a disposable propane cylinder.

Also, the fire extinguisher will be mounted upside down, so any water that collects in the tank from the compressor, will be exhausted into the lines immediately so standing water doesn't collect. I've also installed a 1/4-NPT ball valve at the bottom of the modified valve body, for drainage. Added quick connect fittings, one male, one female as well. The male one will connect via a short hose to the compressor and the valves that control the air cylinders at the front of the mower, and the female quick connect is for utilizing the compressor and tank for other purposes, like filling up the tires, and other minimal tasks like that. Certainly, there isn't enough volume in the compressor or the tank to do much else. But it's nice if I notice a tire is low while at the back of the property, I could just get off the mower and refill it without having to drive all the way around, dig out my air hose, fire up the compressor, run the hose through the garage, stepping over piles of junk that's everywhere.

All that's left at this point is to prime/paint the bracket/mount, bolt on the compressor and strap on the tank, connect the two together, run a hose to the front of the mower, and make two air cylinders.

It's actually progressed nicely for about 6 manhours total so far.

Anyway, another boring "monkey grade" project of mine

 

Nice rig!

 

Hopefully I can finish the steady rest, which would allow me to make the air cylinders, which would allow me to plow snow, BEFORE it snows

 

Is the electric car finished?

 

Good Work !

 

I agree nice rig

 

Mechanically, electronically, yes. Just need to install the two batteries when they arrive (any day... any day...) and finish the body.

The temperature hasn't been suitable for fiberglassing... so if I don't get a break by the end of this weekend come monday it's going to be made of plywood, or pine, or whatever.

 

Is that scrap blade on the plow metal or rubber? If metal you should design the plow to fold over in case you hit something solid. Most people use heavy springs.

 

The plow blade is metal, but replacable.

There are two existing heavy springs as part of the plow already... I guess the pictures I posted didn't really show that. This one does:

http://frederic.midimonkey.com/yard/...w/IM001995.JPG

One for each side of the support shaft.

 

OIC, I think some video in action would be nice! I bet that would be awesome for sidewalks.

 

I believe that you will definitely need weight in the back of the tractor if you intend to push snow. Chains are also helpful.
Not too hard to add significant weight by taking off each rear wheel and breaking the bead on one side of the wheel. Then fill the tire as full as possible of RV anti-freeze (non-toxic) If you can get 3 gallons per tire, that will be over 20 lbs of weight pushing the rubber tire onto the pavement. It does make a difference.
I push snow with a 16 hp Wheel Horse with tractor style, liquid filled, rear tires, bolt on wheel weights and tire chains and I can still spin the tires from time to time.

 

Run the tires with a bunch of Neverleak and run about 1000/tire #10 sheet metal screws thru from the inside so they extend about 1/4" like an ice racer.

Weight is a real plus! Haul some of your scrap around in the rear but weight aft of the rear axle will make the front light. A nice fabricated donut filled with lead or concrete bolted inside the wheels will add some weight.

 

I will definately be adding weight. The motor is a 11hp B&S and if Iet the cluch (which is a belt/pully system - bleah!) on the driveway I can pop the front tires off the ground in 1st and 2nd. If the lawn is wet they spin.... and this is without a plow attached. So you're all right that I have traction problems as it is even before plowing duty.

Since both tires leak fairly bad as it is (which is why I put a quick disconnect fitting for tire filling on the tank, so I can fill them up wherever the mower is, rather than having to go to the garage every time), maybe what I'll do is when I install the pair of inner tubes, I'll put the non-toxic anti-freeze in the inner tubes to start, see how traction is effected, then address it again with wheel weights of some kind if necessary.

This is actually why i put the tank, compressor, and bracketry on the back of the mower rather than the front - trying to balance things at least a little bit.

But it's not a whole lot of weight that I added in the back!

Just this:


Today, assuming I can get my butt into high gear, I'm going to run the hose on the inside of the three piece stamped steel chassis from the rear to the front. I just have to make either an aluminum or brass block that I can bolt to the steel chassis with a male quick connect (I have a set of NPT taps so not a big deal) so the ends of the hose inside the mower's chassis can be permanently mounted, and not flap around This way setting up for plowing, I simply have to attach the front assembly with six bolts, pop the compressor/tank assembly into the catcher mount and put the 1/2" diameter pin in, and connect both to the chassis and i'm good to go.

Dug out the dual 4-way valve, spring loaded joystick last night, so hopefully I'll get to plumb that today as well. Then all that is left is to finish the steady rest and use that to make three cylinders. One big one for lifting the plow, two for rotating the blade angle.

At this point I've realized it probably would have been less aggrevation to buy a used meyers or western plow for my crewcab. LMAO

 

but then you would have missed out on all the fun of building that contraption.

 

I shall keep working on the mower plow today... just in case... since it's at least slightly warm.