Converting Truck Snow Plow Hydraulics to fit a Compact Tractor or Skid Steer

Part 2: Working on hooking up hydraulics to the snow plow that will work with the 3rd function of a compact tractor or skid steer, and hit a few speed bumps on the way. Music “Triple Handled” written and performed by Josh Hovis.

[@billhalbert7955]

Great video. I have a pivoting snowplow mounted on my larger two wheel drive tractor too. Mine only has one larger hydraulic ram mounted on top. Wish I could include a picture. The 1950 Massey tractor has weighted tires and heavy duty chains. Good luck this winter. Thanks for the informative video!

[@oldfarmer9004]

Two single acting cylinders would work. Hook them up one to each side of your remote outlet connection. Moving the lever one way or the other would push the blade accordingly.

[@danielh4759]

Josh, great video! Hydraulics engineer here. The previous setup didnt work because the volume on the rod size is different from the volume on the opposite side of the cylinder. You now have the crossover hose hooked up to chambers of equal volume which is why it works. However, you now have both rod side chambers operating dry. This could lead to premature failure of the seals or cylinders as they were designed to run wet. A common way to run those types of cylinders on a snow plow application is to use two tee fittings, and 4 hoses. With the cylinders oriented in the same direction, rods forward. Have one cylinder with tee fitting (3 way) on both ends, fwd and aft. Run 3rd function hoses to those fittings on the one cylinder. Fix the other two hoses to the remaining ports on the tee fittings and cross them over to the other cylinder. Meaning, fwd rod end tee fitting hose connects to aft end of cylinder on opposite side. Aft end tee fitting hose to fwd rod end on ther side. Lastly, with this application, both cylinders are contributing to the strength of the system. In your application only one is contributing. Another option, though not ideal, would be to only install one cylinder. Good luck this winter!! I too just got my truck plow convertedto my tractor last year, and it worked great.

[@JoshHovis]

I'll to take that into consideration, may be change the way I have it hooked up. Thanks for the information and thanks for watching

[@andrewh5988]

Great video

[@fishhuntadventure]

Daniel H Thank you. My memories (of youthful days when I thought plowing snow for people was a good idea) were making me think I was losing it. Then I read your post and stopped feeling as stupid. IIRC I had a Datsun 4x4 with a Fisher that was articulated by pressure and waste- only one of the two cylinders received pressure to angle, the other cylinder was open to the reservoir. Once the control was released both cylinders were open or ‘float.” Only a single line to each cylinder. I can see the advantages of having both ‘sides’ of the cylinder wet.

[@pyobluebonus]

Can you draw a piping diagram to a kubota 3 function valve.

[@nickschingeck9994]

Josh, building similiar setup. Like Daniel H stated the 2 port Hydraulics are suppose to be run wet on both sides. Since I am not a Hydraulics engineer I might be able to explain in layman's terms. Your 3rd function operates as a push/open both ways, meaning it pushes fluid to one of the two ports on the 3rd function and allows the other to receive fluid. Depending on which way you operate your controls one of the two is pushing fluid, the other open to receive. Picture hooking up just one cylinder with the third function connected to each side, when you press/depress your 3rd function control its sending fluid to either port to move the cylinder in and out, and the opposite port receives fluid. To keep your two, two way hydraulic cylinders you would want to T off of your 3rd function to opposite sides of the ram thus extending one and retracting one at the same time. The other option is to get single port snow plow Hydraulic cylinders and hook one line off your third function to each, these are designed where the cylinder is only operated on a push and relies on the 2nd cylinder to close the opposing one on its push motion. Hope that helps.

[@JoshHovis]

Thanks. I appreciate your information. Since the making of this video I did change the way I have the hydraulics hooked up on the plow. This was my first experience working on hydraulic plumbing, and it's the only thing I've had hooked up to the third function. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and thanks for checking out the video.

[@onebadsavage26]

I think on those utility cylinders you can unbolt the one end and turn the barrel whatever direction you want the ports pointing.

[@JoshHovis]

Thanks for the advice. I’m sure you’re right. There are definitely some things I could have done differently on this project. I appreciate your comment and insight. Thanks again

[@teamstucker624]

Great video 👍 I'm glad you posted this video I was wondering how the Kioti third function hydraulic flow worked also. That plow will be a great help in the snow here in Arkansas snow is rare these days. I'm going Friday to sign and pay a big chunk of cash on our New Kioti CK3510 I pushed back the delivery date because I keep adding extra things to the tractor. My dealership knock a bunch off this tractor I wanted to finance 5-6K so when he hit me with the final price for the CK3510 I said let's add some extra things so here's what I got. Bad Boy Battle Armor Brush cutter 60inch with skids and chains Third function kit 1 set of Rear remotes hydraulic valves Lower extend links HST linked kit Cruise control Canopy Floor mate Arm rest Horn this is so crazy Kioti really I have to buy the horn as an add on. Thanks for sharing.

[@JoshHovis]

Thanks! It was a learning experience and still a little more to do on the plow before winter. Sounds like your getting all the bells and whistles. When I bought mine the “SE” version had all the “extras” and it was more cost effective for me than adding it all on to the regular 3510, so that’s the route I went. Are you getting rid of your Boomer? Congratulations on the new tractor! Thanks again for watching!

[@teamstucker624]

@@JoshHovis Thanks for commenting back and Hydraulic's can be a pain but when they work man life is good. Yeah the CK3510 SE was what I wanted but my dealership had a New 2018 left over CK3510 HST so I got all that add on stuff listed plus the brush cutter and a canopy for my Boomer installed for under $21,800. I felt that was a deal for that Kioti. The Boomer is staying it's my tractor the Kioti is for my wife/son in a few years to help me out with property projects. I spend my days off just barely getting jobs done I need help so I can work on the other side of my projects list. I need a clone most days one to weld and one on a tractor.

[@JoshHovis]

Sounds like a really good deal! Looking forward to seeing it at work on your channel!

[@kennethmcgovern3137]

Just need two hoses from your third function cap out the end of the cylinders two lines at the top of the cylinders just like it was on a plow the truck it’ll work perfect

[@roberthabel584]

If you look at the original setup the cylinders only have lines plumbed to the piston side. Pressure to one cylinder pushes the rod end back and vice versa no need for double acting cylinder. Those cylinders will work just remove rod end hoses and hook up pressure hoses to piston end only do not plug rod end ports, install air cylinder mufflers.

[@JoshHovis]

Good idea. Thank you!

[@kennethmcgovern3137]

I should make this a little more simpler hook it up as if it was from the truck I need to hold is coming from the left and right on the 23rd function that’s it that’s all you Gotta do

[@JoshHovis]

Thank you!

[@danielmeyer403]

How can I find part 1?

[@JoshHovis]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4uYamiIjbiGgJo

[@pyobluebonus]

Great video! Can you map out the way the cylinders are piped to each one and to the 3 function. Thank you

[@JoshHovis]

Thanks for watching! I have the cylinders plumbed so that the hose coming from my 3rd function (both lines) are hooked into the bottom of the cylinder, not the rod side, and my crossover hose that connects the cylinders is on the top or rod side of the cylinder. It seems to work fine that way but there have been several people in the comments that know more than I do about hydraulics that say this is technically not correct. If you look further down the comments there is a detailed description by Daniel H. Thanks