Advice for 2N front blade hyds?

[3000OH]

I"ve built a front blade & frame for our 2N for my folks to use to push snow this winter (Dad had a hard time turning around to watch a back blade). Everything is done and mounted except for the hydraulic lines - I put a single-acting cyl out front to lift the blade - and I"m wondering if anyone has any advice about which way I should go on this.

I"m going to tap off the hyd test port under the right footrest (yes, we"ll chain down the lift arms). I have that hard-to-find fitting already. But how fancy should I get with this after that fitting?

Some say to just hook the line straight from that port to the cylinder and use the 3-pt"s control to raise/lower. A couple of guys have told me it"s been done for years like that and it sure sounds simple. But I remember Zane cautioning against this, saying that the N"s internal relief valve isn"t designed for that kind of use and its seals will erode & start leaking. I don"t think anyone has been into the hyds except to flush & fill the system, so I"m concerned about stressing an already-old part (the 3-pt works just fine now) and I sure don"t want to have to pull the top cover in the wintertime to fix it . On the other hand, how much is "lots of wear?" Dad will be pushing maybe 500" of snow, and here in SW Ohio, we"ve been getting only 2-4 decent snows each winter.

The two other choices I see are:
-- Plumb in an adjustable relief valve, set at a lower pop-off pressure than the N"s internal valve (I believe another Wise One on this board said that"s around 1200 psi). The relief side of that valve would dump back to the trans/hyd sump, either thru the fill plug or the side cover.
-- Use a single-acting cyl valve (open center) with dump to the sump just like a relief valve would do. The 3-pt"s control lever would then be left in the up position, to provide pressure all the time (except when the clutch is pushed in ). The SA valve should also be one with a load check. (Or use a DA cyl valve & just use one side of it).

Any thoughts or advice? We"re normally on the newer Ford board (for our 3000) but we started out here years ago when we got our 2N, our first tractor. Sure have learned a lot from this site"s forums. Thanks in advance.

 

[souNdguy]

1, you wouldn't be poping a top cover to work on an N pump or relief valve.. the pump is at the bottom of the cavity.

The relief costs less than 30 bucks.. IMHO.. it's a simply device.. not much more than a ball, seat and spring.

For limited use.. i don't forsee a problem using your 3pt control as the main hyd valve.. I have a trip loader on my 951 and do it that way.

That said, havinf a plumbe din aux valve that has better 'feather control' will give you more precise controll of the blade.. having a built in relief with a drastically lower pressure.. like 800 psi could be added as well.

All your call... just chain the 3pt arms to the axles and go as fancy or not as you want.

A couple of my later 00/01 fords have the expensive top cover remote valves on them to run loaders.. those valves cost from 300$ used.. to 700$ new..

a simple log splitter valve and relief will likely be around 120$ or so... and running it straight will be practically free.

It takes a lil getting used to tu runt he 3pt control as the main spool.. but it's VERY doable.

so far the small lack of precision on my 951 vs my 660 / 851 has not been enough to lead me to spend another 300-700$ to get a valve for that tractor... etc..

soundguy

 

[lonestarjeff]

3000:

I'd either plumb it straight to the cylinder or do it like the old days & come sstraight up out of the test port w/ a standpipe & gate or ball valve to control the blade height.

Jeff

 

[3000OH]

Thanks!

 

[3000OH]

Thanks! It helps to know your 951 hasn't been any worse for the wear with the simplest setup. Dad doesn't need fine grading control, pretty much just up or down, so the 3-pt control would probably work just fine. The blade is chain-connected to the cyl so it will float as the skids ride on the driveway.

 

[3000OH]

Soundguy - also, thanks for reminding me that the relief valve can be replaced thru the side ports. I'd forgotten that. Still, not something I want to do in a below-freezing garage.

 

[souNdguy]

IMHO.. dropping hte pump will be the easy way to replace the relif valve.. but if you got monkey hands and stubby / bent tool.. it can go thru a inspection port especially if the pto shaft is out.. etc.

soundguy

 

[souNdguy]

Yep.. here's my 951.. has a single hose from the the fitting in it's option cover over to the cyl... pullt he 3pt up to get the loader comeing up.. when you get hear near where you want her.. drop the 3pt control about an inch and the bucket stops.. etc... once you play with it a few minutes.. it's -almost- as good as a SA spool.

soundguy

 

[Larry 8N75381]

You should do it the way Ultradog did it. see
http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h56/Ultradog/snow%20plow/

This is a really elegant setup! Totally independent upon messing with the test port and chaining down the lift arms. Pull it off and your tractor is just as it was to start.
Ultradog snow plow

 

[3000OH]

I had looked long & hard at Ultradog"s setup before I started building this. What did it in for me was to aim to make it easy for my Dad to use the 3-pt again. A quick disconnect seemed like the obvious solution but then you always get some leakage and have to refill & bleed the lines somehow, since it"s a closed system with no reservoir. Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[3000OH]

As always, your equipment looks so good. Have watched your restorations on other posts.

Thanks for the other post about dropping the pump to replace the valve. I looked again at Hobo's pictures on valve replacement thru the ports and you're right that monkey hands & stub wrenches are needed.

 

[souNdguy]

The valve replacement thru the port is doable though.. the stubby / bent wrenches are more important than the monkey hands.. though monkey hands won't hurt!

soundguy

 

[Larry 8N75381]

OK,

What about using a power steering pump, ala the Zane unit, but driven off the PTO shaft. A quick disconnect coupling like I have on my Woods backhoe would allow it to easily be removed. A control valve would be needed and then some way to mount it that would be removable. Maybe just a support on the frame attached to the rear axle.