ATV snow plow winch pulley (1 Viewer)

[cruiserpilot]

So I’ve been using my CanAm with plow for ten years. There have been a few issues. First is the either contactor or switch overheating intermittently and I’m just wondering whether the pulley position is really relevant or not.
So I’m going to post 5 pics of down and up positions. The 5th pic is just me wondering if this location
would work better, but I think not.
I currently run synthetic, and I’ve pulled all the line out so I’m only using enough with 5 wraps
around the drum to maximize pull and minimize load since I’m pulling max against what is a fairly ‘light’ load.
I just read I should use a 2” pulley as it is the optimum size for this diameter rope so I’ve got a snatch block
I plan to sacrifice and adapt. Anyhow, here are the pics and tell me if you think I’ve got it right or wrong.
I’m using a snatch as I also figured it would reduce the load on the winch again by half.
Maybe I’m over thinking it.

This last pic it’s not hooked up. Just wondering if even more vertical pull would work better or not. I should have said I also have a special
oversized lower roller specifically for winching a plow.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

That looks decent to me, but I really don't have much experience with that sort of thing. It sounds to me like your problems are more on the electrical side. If you can take your contactor apart and inspect the contacts, that might be a good first step - especially with it getting warm. Running a second battery in parallel might be a good idea too. More juice keeps the winch happy.

 

[cruiserpilot]

After discussions it would seem that a vertical pull is better. The further forward the pulley is,
the more energy is used to pull the plow back instead of just lifting it. I have to
figure out larger pulley.

 

[seapotato]

Is it over heating because it's working too hard or because it's just on and off a lot?

I've had a few lawn tractors with similar sized blades, and they've all been lifted with a lever.

I'd be inclined to experiment with a manual lifting lever. Something off the top of the bumper maybe.


Just seems like a lot of wear and tear on a winch to raise a blade a few inches.




I just used my Kubotas bucket to clear the snow this time. Couldn't be bothered to switch the big lawnmower over.
Think I'm going to modify the blade I have to mount on the bucket, so the lawnmower can stay a lawnmower.
Trick is figuring how to get it to pivot without getting off the tractor, best way is adding another hydraulic line but that gets expensive for the one week of snow we get.

 

[cruiserpilot]

It’s the ON & OFF thing. What I’ve been doing it getting off, lifting the blade by hand to unload the winch and then Lowering the rope by free spooling it. That really makes a difference! A guy on the internet suggested even the spring switch ‘IN’ & ‘OUT’ can wear out too. I hadn’t thought of that. So I’m going to pull the contactor ( now that plowing is done for the season ) and test it. CanAm put it in a ludicrous spot right under the frame below the seat so I’m also going to rewire it closer to access.

 

[stevebradford]

Get a plow for the cruiser!

You could be sitting in a heated cab and driving one of the best vehicles ever made moving the snow!

Better than out in the cold elements on a Yobbo toy that’s undersized for the job.

My cousins bj42 abomination with a culvert that he keeps his and his two rentals driveways clear in the interior with.

 

[cruiserpilot]

No way. First off I don’t get cold or wet or uncomfortable. All the required crap attached to the front
of the cruiser makes it no good for anything else. Not to mention completely obliterates spring life.
Heaters are for poor weenies who live on Vancouver island and think it’s cold. I don’t have that much to plow.
I will sort out the power issue this summer, so have it working better next year.
As Seapotato suggested, manual lift but I will have to research that. CanAm doesn’t or didn’t make one then
so I’ll have to dig.

 

[seapotato]

I did a quick search on manual atv snow blade lifts...(yep, work is exciting ) seems like there's a few options.

atv snow plow manual lift - Bing

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No idea if something like this would adapt Universal ATV Utility Blade Manual Lift Handle Snow Plow Kit 2688 15-0010 | eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-ATV-Utility-Blade-Manual-Lift-Handle-Snow-Plow-Kit-2688-15-0010/293624170088



For me the negative on using a truck to plow is they're just too big to clear a small parking area, unless you're also clearing a half mile of driveway .

My kubota tractor is one of the smallest ones, and even it gets a little bulky when the tiller is hanging off the back...but a little tractor is possibly the best purchase I've made in my entire life so I'm not complaining.

Only complaint is that I should have bought one 15 years before.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Hadn't seen this idea before.. Hmmm

atv snow plow manual lift - Bing

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It gets pricey since I have the cost already of the plow I have, not too keen on spending hundreds more. But a hand crank as above is certainly not
something I'd come across. Could mount it on bracket with pulleys right in front of handlebars.

 

[seapotato]

Honestly I wouldn't even go that complicated.

A decent lever with some mechanical advantage and a hook to latch it under. Could zap it all out of 1" tube.

If you can pick the blade up without too much effort a decent lever will do it with hardly any.

Shouldn't cost much

 

[cruiserpilot]

Ya, got me thinking. Sometimes I don’t want it to drop all the way. I do paths over grass sometimes
so I have to sorta plow a skimcoat. infinite adjustment.