Snow blade pivot placement ?

[Digger 66 3,476]

I'm thinking of adding a blade to my Raider , I will probably buy an older blade & fab the lift , frame & linkage myself  .

My question is , all of the pics i'm seeing put the fulcrum towards the rear of the machine . Is this done for a mechanical advantage / leverage reason only ?

Seems to me one would gain a more useable amount of up/down travel by locating the fulcrum ( maybe ? ) just rearward of the front axle .

I understand this would increase the effort needed at the end of the lift handle dramatically but ( until i get everything laid-out ) seems there should be a way to compensate for this .

Thoughts ?  

[doc724 924]

My understanding is that the pivot is at the rear axle to keep the blade from riding up over the snow or dirt and maybe to attach to a real sturdy part of the tractor.  Unfortunately, this also limits the height to which you can lift the blade.  Other manufacturers (John Deere for instance) pivot off the front, however many JD machines have hydraulic lift with maybe down pressure.  I also understand that if you had a hydro WH, there was a long link to the plow lift hole so that you could have down pressure (instead of just gravity alone) holding the plow blade down.  I think there are lots of creative ways to do what you suggest.  Take a look at how some of the snow blowers mount to the later model tractors (of course blowers weigh more than a plow).  At the end of the day with enough money and time one can do almost anything.  Just give a look at the December Tractor of the Month entries for examples of the creativity of other RS members.

[Tim 97]

_{making the pivot point the rear axle does the following;}

 

_{the blade does not tend to ride up when pushing piles}

_{it takes stress off of the frame of the tractor-puts the stress in a stronger area(cast rear end)}

_{puts the plow assembly in an area where the lift mechanism works- with a simple design}

 

_{very simple}

_{very effective}

Edited January 4, 2014 by Tim