Western Plow tips

[wyldman]

I have seen quite a few Uni-mounts become disconnected from the truck,when ice or snow knock the hairpins off the lower hitch pins.

To prevent this form happening,I started using cotter pins,but they are a pain to cut off everytime you want to remove the plow.

A better solution is to get a set of aftermarket replacement hitch pins,that have two sets of hole drilled in them.These are universal to fit the older blades,which used the hairpins on the end of the pin,and the newer style,that have them in the middle,between the the mounting ears.You can then use the regular hairpins in the middle,and a linch pin on the end of the pin.The linch pins don't get pushed out,and the plow will not come off.

The linch pins are a tight fit between the end of the pin,and the lift frame mounting pins,but they will fit if you give the lift frame a shove over to one side when mounting.Don't fully open the linch pin,just start the pin in the hole,and open it enough to slide on.

One other thing i've noticed lately,is a lot of guys with Pro-plows having two nuts on the center pivot bolt,instead of the proper bushing.If you have a hidden nut inside the quadrant channel,you may want to remove it and replace it with the proper bushing.The bushing is Western part number 62444.The bolt should go through from the bottom,then the bushing drops into the quadrant from the top,followed by the nut.I will sometimes use a double nut here,so it doesn't come loose.

Don't crank the pivot bolt down too tight,as the plow needs to pivot from side to side to follow the contours of the ground.1 1/2 - 2" of movement at the ends of the plow is acceptable.It would be a good time to check the nose of the a-frame too,as they tend to wear out on the pivot end.They are very thin in this area.

Last but not least,check the mounting ears on the truckside mount.They tend to crack the welds,and the ears will start to bend down or tear off.It doesn't hurt to run a bead of weld on the inside of the ears (they are only welded on one side),and to add a small gusset plate on top.Don't make the plate to thick,or you will have a hard time getting the link arms in when hooking up the plow.

[Bob Van]

wyldman

Great tips!

I will be looking at mine much closer, thanks to your tips.

[snowjoker]

What about cleaning the screen and fluid annually. And checking all the electrical parts frequently as well.

[Bob Van]

More great tips....... Keep them coming!

[wyldman]

OK,a few more

The jack pin (the long one) sometimes has the hole drilled too close to the end,which allows the linch pin to easily get pushed off the end,and the pin falls out and disappears.Drilling the hole further in makes it harder for the linch pin to come off.Use the new hole when storing the pin while plowing,and use the old hole when storing the plow on the jack.Makes it easier to remove\install the linch pin when mounting\removing the plow.

Grease the signal\marker lamp sockets,as they like to corrode and cause problems.

Depending on the harness style,add an extra ground wire from the motor solenoid\relay to battery ground.Some trucks run the ground all the way through the plow connectors to the motor,and then back through the other connector to battery ground.This can make the plow and\or lights act up if this ground gets corroded,or loses it connection.

Use a 14 or 16 ga wire from the ground side of the solenoid (should have a black and orange wire on it) directly to the battery negative terminal,or another good ground.The only difference it makes,is the light on the control will stay on when the plow is disconnected (if the controller is still on).Originally the control light would go out when the plow was disconnected.

If you need a solenoid in a pinch,you can use a Ford starter solenoid,as long as the black\orange wire(s) are grounded (like descried above).The Ford style solenoid only needs one trigger connection,which is the brown\red wire.It grounds through the solenoid base to the body.

Make up a jumper wire with a bullet connector and an alligator clip,or ring connector.If you ever lose the truck running lights,or blow that fuse (it happens a lot),then you lose the plow running lamps,as plow headlamps as well.If this ever happens,just unplug the bullet connector where the brown wire taps into the running lamps on the truck.Plug the jumper into the brown wire and connect the other end to the battery.Then at least you will have plow markers and headlamps to get you through the night.If the connection to the truck running lamps is in difficult spot to access,then just cut the brown wire somewhere easy to get at,and add bullets or spade connectors there.Just make sure your jumper has the correct terminal to plug in into the brown wire that goes to the plow side.

[gvlawncare]

Chris- Your expertise and professionalism are invaluable to this forum. You are always quick to reply to someone's technical/mechanical problem or question. You are a first rate kind of guy that makes this forum the best there is!! Happy Holidays.

MATT

[snowjoker]

Funny that you mentioned the jumper for the lights. I am doing that now to get them to work. Talked to John "Garagekeeper" and we cannot figure out why the lights wont work properly. They just flash on and off.The truck lights stay off. I replaced the relays and no difference, checked all the wires and still cant figure it out.

[JohnnyU]

Chris, I'm on the phone right now about that center pivot bushing. Thanks for your help a few days ago.:grinz

[wyldman]

John - No problem,glad to be of assistance.

Walt - if you power up the brown wire do you get running lights on the plow ? When you said they flash,is is a constant rate like a turn signal flasher ? or intermittant\random like a loose wire ?

Feel free to IM me or give me a call at the shop if you need any more help.

[4evergreenlawns]

Chris,

Quick question about my 8' Pro unimount on the 2001 2500HD.

STORY:
When I got the plow serviced this season I asked if they could adjust the drop rate and check the screen due to the plow jumping when going down and noticed it was going up slow too.

They said it needed a seal and they adjusted the valve. But now the blade drops so fast is seems violent, even just adjusting down alittle causes it to jump. Now, I did added Timbrens and turned up the torsion bar this season for the first time after plowing the past two years without any changes.

Out doing some very light plowing the other night and my second truck came back with a headlight lamp shattered, just the glass lamp at the bottom.

QUESTION:

Do you think the faster violent drop rate could have caused the lamp to break?

Is it possible the driver hit something hard enough to break the glass lamp? If so I guess I should be looking for some other damage too, right? Or could it just have been from the heat of the lamp in the cold temps?

Just something I have been thinking about and thought it was worth asking you about. I know you have seen it all when it come to abuse and inproper maintanence.

Thanks in advance.

[wyldman]

Sounds like the quill needs to be adjusted.

Take a small straight screwdriver and adjust the little screw on the left rear of the valve block,next to the lift ram.Turn it in about a 1/4 turn and try dropping the blade.Turn it in until you find the drop speed you are happy with.Only go 1/8 turn at a time,as it's a very sensitive adjustment.

It could have been anything that broke the light.Just replace it,and give the plow a good visual inspection to make sure nothing is damaged.

[4evergreenlawns]

Chris,


Of course you were right. I adjusted the quill and now have nice smooth action at what I consider a nice speed. I also changed both headlight to the 4664HO of whatever it was you listed in the lighting thread, like you suggested.

Thanks again.
Ron

[scl]

At the risk of my embarrasment, let me say KNOW how to install and practice in good weather. Even though Garagekeeper ran me through it, and the instructions were on the plow in reverse, I got in a hurry one night when I needed to move the plow so the garbage guy could get the dumpster. I learned the difference between the stand pin and the lock pin. The freaking tower came down on my hand and I really messed my hand up. Happened about 4 weeks ago and its still sore as hell.
Read the manuals, take your time, and pay attention!

[4evergreenlawns]

Sorry to head that SLC, hope you will be ok for this 5"-8" were are maybe going to get.

[scl]

Its cool:cool: Plows on and trucks loaded. No cast or anything, too stubborn (and cheap) to go to a doctor. Everything works and nothing was poking through the skin, so keepin on. Thanks for the thought though.
Let er snow, let er snow:D

[Honest Mike]

Chris, excellent tips. SCL, sorry to hear about your hand, glad to know you are ok though. :) Now, onto 4EverGreenLawns, before I knew how to adjust my quill, drop speed, my plow used to slam the ground when lowered also. I never liked that it dropped so hard, but never knew how to adjust it. Every other storm or so, a parking light would be out on the headgear, one of the orange bulbs. I always figured it was from the plow slamming the ground so hard time after time, but could never be 100% sure, until I learned how to adjust the quill. ;) I adjusted it to my liking, and havent replaced a bulb anywhere on the headgear since. :) So, that must have been the problem, or part of it anyway. So in your case, its possible that the shattered light was from the violent plow drops. Now that you have the quill where you like it, just keep an eye on all the bulbs and see if they all stay working. Great thread, thanks for starting it Chris. Mike :cool:

[JohnnyU]

About the quill, I just wish you could adjust it to slow the drop speed, without it slowing the lift speed, I have to have mine drop fast so that I can raise it. Seems like if I adjust it to have a nice drop speed, I have to wait a week for the plow to raise, especially with a blade full of snow!

[Honest Mike]

John, I agree on the drop speed slowing the raise speed some. But you may have a problem if yours goes up extremely slow when you have the drop speed right where you want it. Mine drops just how I like it, but still raises fast, maybe not as fast when it was slamming the ground, but still goes up fast enough that it doesnt seem to be slowing me down. Its hard to say, but mine is set so when it goes down, it gives the ground a nice BOOM, but not a slam where it bounces up and down, lol. And not so soft that you barely hear it touch the ground, just one nice BOOM and thats it. Mike :cool:

[wyldman]

The quill adjustment should not affect lift speed very much,if at all,unless it's set to let the blade down really slow.If it's properly adjusted,there should be no change in lift speed.

If it does change the lift speed a lot,it may indicate a problem elsewhere.

[urethane dino]

SLC
I did the exact thing about 6-7 yrs ago. I didnt own a unimount at the time, but a friend of mine did. He was out of town sledding, so I went by his house to put his plow on for him. I pulled the wrong pin and blamo, tower was pinching my left hand. Didnt do any long term damage, but man did it hurt for a few weeks.
Dino

[Honest Mike]

That sucks Dino. Here you are doing your friend a favor to save him the hassle of having to do it and you end up getting hurt. :( That saying: "No good deed goes unpunished" seems to hold true alot of the time. Glad you didnt get too hurt and didnt suffer and major damage. Mike :)

[KenP]

When I change my pump fluid I save it in a spray bottle and spray the plow down before I got out plowing and in the off season when I was storing it outside.

[urethane dino]

In all honestly it was my fault. If I had read the diagram on the back of the plo it would hav saved alot of pain. The worst part of it was that the snow never materialized, and the experience was for not.
Dino

[snowjoker]

Here is something I did not see in this thred. I went to change the center pivot bolt on my 7.5 pro plow and found the end of the A-frame was broken. I forgot to take a before repair pic but did get an after pick. I fixed it by welding a grade 8 3/4 inch washer to it.

[snowjoker]

Right in the middle is where it was cracked

[snowjoker]

Originally posted by snowjoker
Here is something I did not see in this thred. I went to change the center pivot bolt on my 7.5 pro plow and found the end of the A-frame was broken. I forgot to take a before repair pic but did get an after pick. I fixed it by welding a grade 8 3/4 inch washer to it.

Guess i better get some coke bottle glasses since the first post mentioned it lol :headwall

[JohnnyU]

This topic should be stickied at the top of this forum....


Chris, it was mentioned that the headlights could be replaced with a brighter bulb, all I could find was a post by Ron including the number 4664HO, but he was uncertain of the exact number. Is this is the correct number for my Unimount?

I've toyed with the idea of doing a sealed beam to composite conversion, but that seems rather pricey. However if it is the only way to get decent light out of these units (without upgrading to the $$ NightHawks) I'll consider it.

[wyldman]

Here (http://www.letstalksnow.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5462&highlight=4666) is a thread that wil give you the bulb numbers.

[PonyKiller87]

I have an a question about the unimout controls. I have an 8' unimount with the joystick controler and my issue is I cant adjust it down without it dropping the blade all the way to the ground. If I tap it down then up real quick I can lower it without dropping but it bounces the blade and shakes the whole truck. My friend has a 7.5' unimount with the cab comand controler. on his if you hit the down button and let go it goes down a little bit and then stops, if you hold down the button it drops the blade. Is my joystick broken or is that how all of them are? I really need to get it figured out because theres pretty much no way I can adjust the height while driving or I take the risk of dropping the blade which sucks.

[KenP]

There's an adjustment that will make it lower at a slower rate. Check your owners manual to find out how to adjust it.

[snowjoker]

Your joystick is not broken, that is how they are designed to work. If you want to adjust the drop speed it is the flat head screw on the top of the valve body next to the pump housing, clockwise to slow down and counter cw to speed it up. I prefer a fast drop speed since i dont have time to wait for the blade to drop...