Snowplow/Dozer Blade Pivot Repair

[Lane Ranger 10,516]

I have a 42 inch snowplow that I am repainting and repairing.     The Model No is   06-42BC01  (a 1980 plow) .

 

 The pivot pin that adjusts the angle of the blade in the front end of the frame has a problem.

 

This plow sat outside exposed to lots of water and rust formed inside the pin housing at the front of the frame.   The compression spring is still good but it is not compressing or holding the pin when the plow handle is released,   

 

I looked up the drawing for this model on partstree.com and I see there is a cotter key or pin which goes thru the pivot pin and holds the compression spring in place on the pin.

 

I know this larger pivot pin is suppose to return in place when the plow handle releases the pin and places the plow in one of the three holes in the front of the plow for the desired angle.

 

 

I took the metal cap off the top of the hole in the front of the plow frame to see if I could determine how the compression spring and small pin is suppose to go in the larger pin.   I could not see one yet my pivot pin is not returning in place in one of the three holes like it is suppose to do.

 

Anyone know how to replace the small pin on the larger pivot pin ?    Where should the smaller pin go relative to the compression spring ?    

 

The larger pivot pin on my plow does not come completely out and I think it still has some remains of the original small pin on it and the rest rusted away.

 

I have a few pictures and  as you will see the area to work in is very small and mostly covered with the two welded "plates" on the front of the plow.

 

 

If you have replaced or repaired one of these pivot pins let me know how you did it!

 

Thanks

Edited October 28, 2013 by Lane Ranger

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,513]

Not that it makes a lot of difference but this is the 06-42BC01 blade I think

Looks like Toro has all the 1980 blades on one page.

 

Garry

[Lane Ranger 10,516]

Ok it was almost like gall bladder surgery (which ain't pretty sometimes -at least in my case it was not) but I finally got the Wheel Horse 42 inch snowplow/dozer blade pivot pin to work properly again.

 

The pin has a cotter key in it about one inch from the outside end of the pivot pin.    In the old snowplow/dozer blades (like the BD-4264 I have)  the plow pivot pin is exposed and open so you can easily change the compression spring and/or cotter key that holds it in place.   The pivot pin when moved by the plow handle ( or foot pedal in the case of the BD-6261,62, 63 and 64 plows)  moves the snowplow right to left to center position.

 

Here is s good picture of that set up on the BD-4264 plow :

 

 

 

 

A snowplow I bought which sat outside several years at the previous owner's place had a problem.  The pivot pin did not return into position and I had to determine if the spring and/or the cotter pin holding the spring were rusted away.

 

I finally figured out the compression spring was still good and the cotter key had largely rusted on each end of the pivot pin.   However the pivot pin would not come out of the frame and all I could work with was two holes on each side of the front end of the Snowplow/Dozer blade frame.

 

 

 

I had to move the pivot pin back and forth quite a few times to wear down the remains of the cotter key to get it out of the holes the pivot pin rests in in the frame.  The compression spring stayed in place without the pivot pin inserted in the frame.    There are small indentations for the spring to rest in place.

 

Here are photos of the pivot pin removed from the plow frame with cotter key remains in pin, cotter key remains removed, new cotter key inserted in pivot pin cotter key hole -one inch from the end , etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To install new cotter pin it has to be inserted in the cotter pin hole at the end of the pivot pin through the hole in the frame of the Wheel Horse Snowplow/Dozer Blade with the compression spring held back (to the wider end of the Snowplow/dozer frame).    You only have two approximately 1 1/8 inch holes on top and bottom of the snowplow frame to work in.   

 

You need good light to see , something to hold the spring out of the way of the cotter pin hole and a way to insert the cotter pin in the hole.  

 

Also the cotter key also has to be opened up the other end to keep the compression spring in place which holds the pivot pin in place on the frame.

 

 

 

I used a high intensity flashlight, a screwdriver and a pair of needle nosed pliers to do this.

 

Here are some photos of that operation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I have never seen another pivot pin have this problem before and hopefully it does not happen to many folks but I think it explains why greasing a plow should be done to keep the pivot pin, compression spring and cotter key that holds the spring in good working condition.  Water and rust are the enemies of this type of equipment but not using proper maintenance like greasing can also lead to repairs.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2013 by Lane Ranger

[stevasaurus 22,237]

Holy Cow Lane!!!  That is major surgery for a small concept.  I have an extra frame in the garage that I was about to tear into to try and help you out yesterday.  Looking at your pictures, I am glade you got it and I do not have to mess with it yet.  Thanks for sharing Lane.    Great pictures.

[Lane Ranger 10,516]

I posted it as a tutorial for the next guy who has to have this "surgery" on his plow.  I  still don't know who I held the flashlight, screwdriver and needle nose pliers and pushed the cotter pin in !

[dlaw90 14]

Thanks for the post. I had the same exact problem with my plow. It would have taken me forever to figure it out.

[R. L. Addison 299]

I've been there, except I broke my shot-pin and replaced it with a grade 5 bolt, and never a problem since.