# Plow purchase



## tisenberg

I have a quote in hand for a plow for my L130....

46" blade $229
rear wheel weights $50
tire chains $65

I think it is slightly steep, I was wondering if there are any generic/universal plows out there for less... OR a used one?


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## Argee

That's not a bad price for a plow. Is it a dozer blade or strictly for snow? 

The wheel weights are a good price too. You want expensive, check out your local Sears for that kind of stuff!!!!!


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## Tractorguy

IMHO a L130 is kinda light for plowing....

I used my friends (Scotts) 1642 a couple winters back, and it had lots of trouble Plowing and/or Blowing. It had traction trouble despite Weights and Chains, and I wasn't confident it could stand the strain of pushing deep snow. Any more than 3-4" and it creaked & groaned. I was used to a Simplicity 7116 though, and even without weghts, it goes 1000lbs +, and plows 12-15" without even sweating....


This might sound like an Anti-"L" post, but that's not my intent. Before buying plow and accessories, ask other "L" owners how sucessful they've been in snow.


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## tisenberg

My 12.5 Sentinal which is smaller pushed 12 plus a few times with little stress, noise, etc. If you are talking heavy snow, that is different obviously. I used chains and plowed to my hearts content. I don't remember the weight, but I know I could easily pick up the front end.

Now the L130 is just over 500 lbs, strong engine and a nice trans. It's not a trans that can pull big roots out of the ground, but this thing can plow. Remember, I did plowing on the 12.5 for 8 years.


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## Stewart

I was checking out the Deere site earlier and they have quite a few attachments listed for the 130. When they first came out they didn't even list a cart . It was quite the string of threads on the other site. Hey that was a pun, sorry....:smiles: 

I don't think you would tear up the machine if you used it to smooth something out, but I don't think it was designed to move gravel around or grade the country lane.


eace:


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## Tractorguy

I plowed with my old 8hp DynaMark too..

It was built better (sturdier) than an "L" though.


I'm not really trying to start another "L" war here..., Just wanting everybody to realize using a puny tractor gives puny results...... For real plowing, you need a tough tractor.


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## tisenberg

Geez, now we are at "puny" and "puny results". I'll just leave that as your opinion which your entitled too and move on.

puny :lmao:


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## Tractorguy

Oh Brother....


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## tisenberg

What do you mean "Oh Brother". Your first reference point was your friends Scotts. He had trouble plowing. Traction problems. and some creaks and growns. All valid concerns.

Then I told you that my light weight Sentinal did the work to my happiness with no noises thinking that the lower weight on this compared to the bigger weight of the L should help with the traction concern. Creaks and growns could have been the Scotts, don't know.

Your response was then a DynaMark which is built better (studier) than the L. We are now onto another form of "better". How did we get to puny? Is the L puny compared to my Setinal... no, compared to the DynaMark... not sure, but probably not. Is they DynaMark built better... who cares. Doesn't matter. We're talking about a plow for someone in Virginia not Alaska.


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## guest

TG: still making friends i see... Kidding TG...


Tis: i inquired about a plow for my prestige and it was something like 800$ so 229 does not seem too bad.. 

weights were more like 100$ for mine too... 


Anybody used a 130 to plow? (or is this the 1st season they are out) my neighbor has a 120 and he plans to snowthrow... we get a fair amount of snow in Maine so a plow would be tough...but in VA you dont need to worry about 'where to pile it'


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## Stewart

Here in Oklahoma plowing snow is not a big factor, but I think people forget to include weights and chains in there initial setup costs. I think the 130 is around 700 pounds????? So I think weight and chains would be mandatory.

What is the cost difference between the snow blower and the blade??? If I had the checkbook and money behind it I think I would lean toward the snow thrower, it would give you a lot more flexibility, you could throw it a lot further out of the way if you get a lot of snow. I grew up in Colorado and the blade would work great because the snow melts the next day and you don’t have to worry about it piling up for too long.


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## tisenberg

I think the blower is around $1,000. At that price I would probably do a seperate two stager since my driveway is not that long.


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## Stewart

For that price I agree. The only bad side is another motor to take care of and storage. I guess I just dream of all that snow anymore!!!!! :dazed: it is nice untill you have to get out and shovel, plow or blow it out of the way. I hope you enjoy it, sounds like you all are trying to work smarter and not harder!!


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## wheely_boy

"I don't think you would tear up the machine if you used it to smooth something out, but I don't think it was designed to move gravel around or grade the country lane."

I've been plowing snow for 13 years with a Wheelhorse and I would hardly consider it "smoothing something out". Try engine at WOT and transmission in high gear and BAM. Not for the light hearted or for those with a full bladder.

When there is more then 4" on the ground, I can't picture babying the situation without it taking hours. Plus, in January when it's been below 32 for a while, the drive naturally gets icy and bumpy, and in the battle between the plow and ice, the ice always wins. 

I wouldn't say the L130 couldn't do it. There is no information available that it can't. And the price of the plow seems real good to me.:monkey:


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## Stewart

So you now are looking for a 130. Well good for you!

I did read one of my previous posts again and thought I need to clarify something. When I was talking about smoothing something out or plowing I was thinking about the Dozer comment in Argee's post. My bad, I guess I think since you are reading the post you can read my mind as well!!!:crazy: 

Sorry about that!!


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## Ingersoll444

That price sounds pretty good for that stuff. To get that stuff new for my Ingersoll would be over a grand. Now as far as the L's plowablity. Don't get me wrong, I like the L's, but if you get more then 6 or so inches at a time, I think you will realy be working that girl HARD. Now I have plowed with bolth of my Ingersolls, and last year I used my "small" 224, with a 44"blade, weights and chains. All that together you are talking over 1000lbs, plus add my well over 200lbs to that, and I had some weight. Now last year we had a TON of snow, and she did good till we got 12" a day, for two days straght. So to make a long story short.you realy need quite a few pounds to do a good job plowing a lot of snow. But I got to say, It is a lot of fun.


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## Argee

I had the 54" blade on my 446 for plowing. In deep snow I found that maximum angle and high speed for your first two passes gave you some working room. After that I cranked it back to midangle and cut just a litle over half on each pass. Then I 'd put her back to maximum angle and high speed to clean up all the trailers. The most important thing to remember when plowing snow, is to push it as far back as possible in the first few snows because you'll beat the hell out of your tractor trying to push the banks back. 
:argh:


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## tisenberg

Decided to stop screwing around and went and bought the whole sha'bang. Plow, weights, chains.

Put the plow together partly on Friday and finished it on Saturday. Took about 2 hours to put it together. All in all, medium difficulty.

I was going to do the picture documenting exercise, but figured it was a waste of time. The instructions pretty much follow along good, but it was a pain sometimes figuring out which bolt to use.

My only concern at this point is the angling. When the plow is striaght, it is flat on the ground. When I angle it, one side sits about an inch off the ground. There does not appear to be anything that I can adjust so I'm not sure what to do. I'll probably call over to the dealer and see what he thinks.

Lastly, for those who bag and want to plow. You will have to remove the rear bagger attachment bar. The weight bracket uses the same frame attachment slots. I was hoping to install the bracket and leave it on year around (without weights), but since I exclusively bag... :upyours: to JD on that lack of design/architecting decision.


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## Chris

> _Originally posted by tisenberg _
> *Decided to stop screwing around and went and bought the whole sha'bang. Plow, weights, chains.
> 
> Put the plow together partly on Friday and finished it on Saturday. Took about 2 hours to put it together. All in all, medium difficulty.
> 
> I was going to do the picture documenting exercise, but figured it was a waste of time. The instructions pretty much follow along good, but it was a pain sometimes figuring out which bolt to use.
> 
> My only concern at this point is the angling. When the plow is striaght, it is flat on the ground. When I angle it, one side sits about an inch off the ground. There does not appear to be anything that I can adjust so I'm not sure what to do. I'll probably call over to the dealer and see what he thinks.
> 
> Lastly, for those who bag and want to plow. You will have to remove the rear bagger attachment bar. The weight bracket uses the same frame attachment slots. I was hoping to install the bracket and leave it on year around (without weights), but since I exclusively bag... :upyours: to JD on that lack of design/architecting decision. *



You bag the snow? Do you let it thaw and use it for drinking water? We aren't use to snow and bagging, but just thought I would ask.     

Andy


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## guest

sure andy...

add some food coloring and some sugar and he can bag up snow cones....


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## tisenberg

LOL... cracking me up.

Obviously I won't bag snow, you MULCH snow.

No, I will take the bag(s) off, but was hoping to leave the bracket on for the bagger on in the winter AND keep the weight bracket on in the summer (w/o weights). Less installing and un-installing bolts and brackets. If I had that option, then I would be down to installing to pins, hooking the weights and putting on the chains. Basically a 5/10 minute job with NO tools.

bag snow.... :argh:


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## Ingersoll444

> _Originally posted by tisenberg _
> *LOL... cracking me up.
> 
> Obviously I won't bag snow, you MULCH snow.
> 
> No, I will take the bag(s) off, but was hoping to leave the bracket on for the bagger on in the winter AND keep the weight bracket on in the summer (w/o weights). Less installing and un-installing bolts and brackets. If I had that option, then I would be down to installing to pins, hooking the weights and putting on the chains. Basically a 5/10 minute job with NO tools.
> 
> bag snow.... :argh: *


Hey guess what? I can keep my hydrobagger on my tractor, AND use the plow 

To beat that, I can swap the hose around, and BLOW the snow off the sidewalks.


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## jodyand

> _Originally posted by Ingersoll444 _
> *Hey guess what? I can keep my hydrobagger on my tractor, AND use the plow
> 
> To beat that, I can swap the hose around, and BLOW the snow off the sidewalks.    *


Why you dont use it you clearly cut snow not bag it:kookoo: I seen the picture.NANA 
Jody


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## Ingersoll444

> _Originally posted by jodyand _
> *Why you dont use it you clearly cut snow not bag it:kookoo: I seen the picture.NANA
> Jody *



ROFLMAO!

Yup, got to keep that snow cut short!!!


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## leolav

I find that maximum speed and weight are the best combo for getting a good plow going. I tend to have to start at my garage and work towards the street 280 feet away. It is also slightly uphill to the road from my garage, but initially, the 50 x 50 area in front of the garage is sloped down hill. It allows me to get a good speed going to tackle the uphill.

I tend to also take 8-10 passes with my plow to make sure I have enough room for future snow. If I had to do it over again, I would get the snow thrower instead.


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## Old_Nodaker

Here's a photo of a setup I made for doing light snowfalls at work, clearing sidewalks around the school I work at. It's an old atv blade mounted on a lt150. The yellow tipped handle raises it, so you can transfer the weight onto the rear wheels for more traction. Sure beats trudging along behind the walk behind blower, but generally, if we get any amount of snow here, its been wind driven and packs in like concrete, so it really only works for small amounts. I tried to install the angling device also, but the geometry of the setup wouldn't allow it, you basically need a straight shot from the mounting bracket or you get the tilt that was mentioned. Once the blade is full of snow, it just winrows off to the side anyway, plus I just push it over onto the berm as needed. I haven't bought chains, thinking that might put to much strain on the tranny, but am rethinking that this year. Nice thing about it, if I get stuck I can just drag it out.


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## tisenberg

Here's a picture with the plow on.


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## jodyand

> _Originally posted by tisenberg _
> *Here's a picture with the plow on. *


Looks good tisenberg you still have the emptiest shed i have ever seen maybe simple-john could park his at your house.:smiles: 
Jody


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## tisenberg

I offered a parking spot to him already


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