Well I finally got to use my plow today wheew heew! Getting around 20" in our area today. I got out there late afternoon and worked on the back half of my driveway and figure I better get this done in a few passes before it turns hard and into ice underneath. See my short video here but I was having problems trying to get the Glacier 2 (with 60" straight blade) all the way down to surface level to have the scrape effect. Seems like the best I am doing is leaving about 2-3" on top. Is this normal? What I might be doing wrong? I have to look at the feet adjustment on bottom of blade too. All and all it was a great time playing in the snow today but I did realize that plowing is NOT as easy as it looks when you constantly switch in low and rear gear, in-out with winch etc. etc. a skill I hope to acquire with time...8-)

Thanks!

R'

Ref: 100_7171.MOV videos from outdoors videos on webshots

 

No, that's not normal. Blade should easily make direct contact with whatever the base material is. Your problem could only be a couple of things....winch not releasing, or the steel feet are not adjusted correctly. I don't own a Glacier plow, but the operation can't be too complex.

 

Make sure the height adjustment feet are not set too high. Is the snow packed down from vehicles? That makes a big difference. These plows are not heavy enough to scrape down to the pavement if it is packed down. You can also adjust the angle of the plow face forward or back. That may help. Add a sandbag or two to the blade if all else fails. Get out there and work the neighborhood and make some money. Only to practice for your own driveway of course. Dont ever tell the wife it is fun.

 

If you pause your vid at 19-20 seconds it looks like your blade isn't all the way down, the cable looks tight.

If you set your plow down in the snow it will feel like it's bottomed out and the weight is off the machine, at that point it is but there is snow holding it up. Once you move forward the plow will dig and "settle" a bit. It also looks like your suspension is coming up, that'll lift the blade as well. My plow is a manual lift, the handle is "telling". I can set my blade down, as soon as I move forward the blade will drop a few inches and handle will drop a few inches...I don't have a cable to hold it up. Judging by your vid I think you need to let more cable out.

There's a learning curve, took me a few snowy days to get everything how I needed it. I had to tighten the springs on mine, the blade wanted to release without much pressure.

 

Cool all good info. Yea I had let the winch out all the way where there is sag in the winch rope and pushed it. I thought about that too. I have the HD springs in the front so it does help with the lift effect. I will look at the feet later today. What you said about the packed snow makes sense as well. It was fluffy powder snow but sticky if that makes sense so as you walk or ride over it with your wheels it packs a little, can't avoid that I have no other way to plow but firt start on top of it (make sense?), had no dry patch to start underneath unfortunately.

I did do what others have said in the past threads to raise the blade above several inches and make multiple passes that worked well! Now its just trying to get underneath and give me a clear driveway. All and all NO REGRETS! This plow has saved alot of hours of shoveling, back and hernia pain! lol....lol

Thx,

R'

 

This is my second year using the quad for snow removal, and I gotta say it's a blast!
I too had the problem of not quite getting down to the surface, and found I was able to raise the feet up another inch, which should help (I'll find out later today)

I'm trying to find a switch for the winch that can be used on the left handlebar, so I can still steer while raising and lowering the plow.

And speaking of adjusting the plow face forward or back, what exactly would that do? I noticed on mine it's set up pretty much perpendicular to the road surface, but I have about 5 positions to tilt the plow face back. Would this be if you didn't have the power or traction possibly? Or another reason all together?

 

Like the other said, check the feet adjustment. I have the Glacier system also and I have the feet adjusted so the blade is just barely off the ground and that works good for me..


I just bought a new switch for mine. I got a champion switch set up from Tractor Supply.. Works great. It does come with a kinda big solenoid box though. My ATP has a front rack/box so I was able to mount it in there..
Here's a link to the switch.

Champion ATV Winch Remote Rocker Switch - 1834143 | Tractor Supply Company

 

Take the feet off and put them on the shelf in the garage.

 

Rick,

Don't worry... you'll get it set up correctly, and with a driveway that size, you'll be able to get it done in 10 minutes or so.

Not sure how much snow you get where you live, but you want to make sure you push the snow as far as you can to leave yourself room for the next storm.

 

It looked to me like very sticky snow. That's tough to plow no matter what. I think the problems is that you had limited room there and the plow was gliding over the snow because it was getting packed. The feet on the plow are nice because then you won't tear up your grass with the blade.
Looks like you were having fun though.