John Deere 400 Garden Tractor Snow Blade Rebuild and Action

#snowplow #snowremoval #tractorsnowplow
In this video I repair and rebuild a 54" hydraulic John Deere Blade for our John Deere 400 Garden Tractor. In this video I replace the cutting edge, install 2 new hydraulic cylinders, hoses, and fittings. Repaint, and put into action.
Note: Towards the end of the rebuild portion of the video you may notice the position of the tilt cylinder hose closest to the tractor. This is not how that hose remained. Shortly after installing I learned that the hose will hit the tractor frame and break the fitting. I installed another fitting there to bring the lift hose parallel to the cylinder to avoid contacting the tractor frame.
Also you may notice a go pro on my plow blade during the use portion of the video. There is no go pro footage in this video because I plowed the go pro into the snow bank by accident. The go pro is still missing in action.
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[@davidfeinberg5599]

Appreciate you putting these vids up..... and that 400 moves some snow !!! I had the same plow on my 318 and loved it. Found a 47 2 stage and it's ready to go but no snow here yet !! Again.... appreciate the vids and the time you take.

[@dominique4822]

Salut Norman, merci pour tes vidéos. 😉

[@oldironsfury]

Love those heavy leaning trees, all over our property in Penobscot county , great video, keep the old iron working 👍😁👍

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

The blade looks and works as good as new even in the heavy wet stuff!!! Nice job!!!

[@paradoxdea]

It's being pushed by a beast; the John Deere 400.

[@andrewesposito7573]

Nice job Norman!

[@BNSFGP38]

Another great video! Short of real nor' easters that thick cement snow is what we usually get here cause were close to the water in Mass. Another reason to love having a loader.

[@fordtruck193]

Wow Norman...that power angle is pretty fancy schmancy. Some of us are just coming out of the stone age and putting the $50 Harbor Freight winches on to lift our plows. Not enough snow yet here in Detroit...got up to the mid 50's today.:-( Thanks for posting;-)

[@FromSteelToWood]

Nice job Norman! I got the same slush here! Very nice to clear! Better remove it with a plow! Thanks!

[@matthewheeke4377]

Looks nice brother, that 400 is a beast of a machine.

[@servihomestead4324]

Great video. I know snow is a problem in some places, but we hope for it down here in Louisiana!

[@PhatboyHD88]

Hey Norman a tip for ya ,, you know when you were putting the blade on tractor and picked up the blade to get the top lock pins to go in ... no no no my brother easy tip,, hook bottom pins in there spot then hook up hydraulics then start tractor and move the up down lever and it will move the top pins and snap in all by itself no lifting necessary,, just push the lever like you wanted to push blade down and the mount will move right into place and snap in .. i have same blade and i never lift a finger lol.. i keep it on some wheeled moving carts from harbor freight roll it up to front of machine get bottom pins in and let machine do the rest.. them dam things way to heavy to be lifting... hope this helps..

[@Isavetractors]

Thanks I figured that out after! I wish I could do that with the snowblower I nearly break my back every time!

[@RustyZipper]

There’s something about watching your videos when I’m having a lousy day that turns it around almost immediately 🤷‍♂️

[@Isavetractors]

Thanks for your comment. Comments such as this keeps me motivated to keep doing these.

[@justinellingson4908]

Great video could have been longer. hope to see more videos of snow removal

[@Isavetractors]

I am going to use the plow for the next storm! I lost some footage because I plowed my go pro into the snowbank. :(

[@jhurley12]

Awesome video. Ive got a JD420 and ive got the 54 blade and model 46 snowthrower. I start out the year with the wetter snow with the plow, and switch to the blower once the ground is really frozen and the snow is more powdery. Just 20 mins with a wire wheel grinder and that paint would actually last a long time. Im a sucker for these “vintage” tractors. They just don’t build them like they used to. More action footage please! Sub’d

[@LouCFur90]

That paint job should last half a winter, lol.

[@Isavetractors]

It's a plow not a trophy and I'll post a video of it at the end of the season you'll be surprised at how long it'll last

[@LouCFur90]

@@Isavetractors I wouldn't be the first guy to tell you that a good paint job on a plow goes a long way.

[@Isavetractors]

If you check our other videos with the backhoe and loader builds. All use the same paint and all have last for years digging into rock, dirt, and gravel

[@LouCFur90]

@@Isavetractors But you just painted over wire brushed rust this time.

[@Isavetractors]

True but I think it will do alright but we will see. Keep watching and I'll do updates in the future. Not the end of the world if I have to re paint the blade. I also put a teflon spray on my snow equipment so stuff just slides off of it

[@diyhgg8674]

Is there a way to lock the blade in with a pin so it will not pivot and keep pressure off the cylinder?

[@benmoroz3278]

Where did you source the blade edge material ? Thanks

[@Isavetractors]

I got it off of eBay. It's the poly cutting edge

[@benmoroz3278]

1/2 inch or 3/8 Thick ?

[@Isavetractors]

1/2"!

[@jessegreco6818]

You sell those cylinders? I am using old ones that bleed pressure and would love some fresh ones. Is that pavement or gravel? I have all gravel to deal with so I just installed a 52” single stage blower on the Powermax.

[@Isavetractors]

Hey Jesse, I bought these from eBay from Flip Manufacturing. My driveway is pavement, but I pave a lot of gravel pathways on our property too. I would love to see videos of your Powermax snowblower in action!

[@jessegreco6818]

isavetractors you got it! We have only had one substantial snow fall and I wasn’t ready for it 🙃. Now, I have been hoping we get hammered with snow ❄️ and nothing yet! 😌 I’ll definitely send you a video!

[@jessegreco6818]

isavetractors that’s a way better price than NOS Simplicity (the cylinders)! Thanks!

[@johnpyle8027]

Did you wing the loaders you built or did you get plans from somewhere. I want to build one for a 1984 JD 430 with the Yanmar diesel.

[@NilsKall]

Almost took out your camera while plowing! Can you write in your description the products you use? Regards Nils

[@Isavetractors]

Yes! I did lose my go pro :( I'll find it in the spring! Good idea on listing the products. I'll do that tonight

[@NilsKall]

isavetractors hope you don’t find it with a snowblower!

[@RustyZipper]

Casey Neistat would be proud! Camera Equipment is second priority to getting the shot!

[@whitezcamaro]

I need to find a replacement scrapper for my plow, it is a 42" on a '74 allis chalmers 710. Any suggestions?

[@jonhelm5218]

I see you have a snowblower for the JD 400 as well. I watch that video. What do you prefer for snow the blade or the blower? Is there a specific instance where you prefer one over the other?

[@Isavetractors]

I prefer the snowblower most of the time. For really wet slushy snow the plow works better, but if just wait until it gets cold like early morning or after sundown the blower will throw the frozen slush better

[@rydplrs71]

I should have plowed that storm. It looked like a slumpie coming out of my snowblower. another great video

[@nickwilliams1021]

Can you adapted a 318 snow blade for the 400

[@Isavetractors]

Yes you just need to widen the mounting points

[@richardsmith-io2is]

do you know if a snowblower from a jd 318 will fit a jd 400 thanks

[@Isavetractors]

No it will not. The mount is wider on the 400. It could easily be modified to fit though

[@richardsmith-io2is]

@@Isavetractors thanks for the info

[@Canis_Lupus_Rex]

Also depends on the blower, a JD 47 Will if you change the mount and have the do shaft, the 49 single stage Will not.

[@bigwheelsturning]

Why waste the time if you don't do a "full" overhaul; with sand blasting, and primer?

[@Isavetractors]

Time is not wasted and weather doesn't wait. I do this to present a video for your viewing pleasure.

[@jimbrent8151]

Yeah I am a perfectionist and fall into the trap of having to make it perfect ... However, refurbishing a tool or piece of equiptment has noteworthy benefits (making it useble again) ... So I am thinking that a full restoration is not the best solution in all cases - and Norman makes a good case for refurbishing verses fully restoring this plow in his response below...

[@guyina4x499]

We had that snow here a week or so ago, very wet under, glad I have 2 old tractors with plows to keep things moving

[@paulleone8386]

nice job just subscribed will follow you. i am trying to put foot controls on my jd 400 and still be able to use the mower deck

[@TheFarmallfarmer]

Uhhhhh my guy why didn't you knock any of that rust off?

[@JD-tl7ld]

Heavy wet snow is my nemesis.

[@corbysherman4710]

What the HP rating on that bad boy? What year is it?

[@Isavetractors]

20 hp. I believe late 70's. I have not yet dated it

[@66Oliver]

isavetractors So you have the serial number?

[@usapatriot4513]

The paint won’t last long but the plow will. Maybe the next time you take the plow off to give it another once over you can powder coat it if possible it would last longer than paint and would make a good video.

[@Isavetractors]

Paint will last several years. I know from experience. Powder coat is unnecessary

[@Isavetractors]

Check out my Ford LGT loader videos. Bucket paint has been there for 8 years or there abouts. Digs dirt. Rocks, manure. Just Rustoleoum Rattle Can. Fancy paint processes on working equipment is not my style. Thanks for watching

[@matthewheeke4377]

I would love to see that power ax do some heavy plow work also.

[@elil5678]

Hey Norman. What are the dimensions of crankshaft on a Kohler k321

[@Isavetractors]

Crank journal is 1.500" at STD