[Stevex64]

Glad I found this forum, looks like there's tons of good info here.

I just bought a pick up with a Western plow. This has the basic hand-held straight blade controls. I've been looking at manuals and researching things, but still absolutely new to this.

I just dropped the blade on my cement drive. Pressing the 'Lower' button once the blade made contact with the ground, it felt like it was actually raising the front of my truck up. I don't know if that's really what's happening or if just getting the weight off the front of the truck makes it feel like that.

So my question is, what's the right way to lower the blade all the way down? How do you know it's all the way down?

Thanks for helping an absolute newbie.

 

[seville009]

The front of the truck lifting indicates the weight of the plow is now on the ground.

Your controller might have a light that comes on indicating that it’s in float, which is what you want (so the blade will float on the ground contours as you plow).

Assuming it is a chain lift, there should be some slack in the chain when it is on the ground

Go to the Western website to get the manuals

 

[Mark Oomkes]

Well....if it's not down all the way, you won't be plowing any snow or making any noise.

That's stretching the limits of my correspondence classes from Buzz's people skills course.

 

[cwren2472]

Well....if it's not down all the way, you won't be plowing any snow or making any noise.

That's stretching the limits of my correspondence classes from Buzz's people skills course.

Wait, I'm confused. So how do I know when the plow is UP? Cuz when I raise the plow I hear this loud whirring noise. But you said noise=down

 

[Mark Oomkes]

Wait, I'm confused. So how do I know when the plow is UP? Cuz when I raise the plow I hear this loud whirring noise. But you said noise=down

Yes

 

[cwren2472]

Yes

Thank you. That makes sense now

 

[Mark Oomkes]

Thank you. That makes sense now

K

 

[Randall Ave]

Glad I found this forum, looks like there's tons of good info here.

I just bought a pick up with a Western plow. This has the basic hand-held straight blade controls. I've been looking at manuals and researching things, but still absolutely new to this.

I just dropped the blade on my cement drive. Pressing the 'Lower' button once the blade made contact with the ground, it felt like it was actually raising the front of my truck up. I don't know if that's really what's happening or if just getting the weight off the front of the truck makes it feel like that.

So my question is, what's the right way to lower the blade all the way down? How do you know it's all the way down?

Thanks for helping an absolute newbie.

Should be a float light on the controller. There should be a few inches of the lift piston visible.

 

[Mark Oomkes]

Should be a float light on the controller. There should be a few inches of the lift piston visible.

Do you need to visually check the piston every time you lower it?

 

[DeVries]

Now's probably a good time to pack it in. At the rate your going you'll be posting a different question every time you go out .

 

[LapeerLandscape]

Now's probably a good time to pack it in. At the rate your going you'll be posting a different question every time you go out .

The best advice ever.

 

[Too Stroked]

Getting back to the OP's original question and some sanity:

What is the right way to lower the plow? Push the "Down" button on the controller.

How do you know it's all the way down? There will be a loud bang. (Not to be confused with the Volvo you just hit whilst looking for the "Down" button.)

 

[Dogplow Dodge]

The way I tell, is when I look in the rear view mirror, and I see a cleared pathway behind me.



But then again, I'm a simpleton.

 

[jonniesmooth]

If its a chain lift make sure you have enough chain for the plow to reach the ground when going over approaches, but not too much slack that it doesn't come of the ground fully raised.

 

[prezek]

I usually exit my truck prior to each pass to ensure I have solid plow to ground contact. That banging noise could be coming from elsewhere.

 

[Mark Oomkes]

I usually exit my truck prior to each pass to ensure I have solid plow to ground contact. That banging noise could be coming from elsewhere.

Gunfire???

Popping balloons???

 

[prezek]

Gunfire???

Popping balloons???

Exactly. Unbalanced drive shaft. Loose transmission mounts??...endless possibilities.

 

[LapeerLandscape]

I cant believe that 99.9999 percent of us watch the plow drop below the hood of the truck and here it clunk that we assume its all the way down.

 

[Mark Oomkes]

I cant believe that 99.9999 percent of us watch the plow drop below the hood of the truck and here it clunk that we assume its all the way down.

I know from now on I'm going to get out and check every time...

 

[cwren2472]

I cant believe that none of you has thought to rule out a welded lift chain downpressure issue