Polyurethane cutting edges

[digger242j]

Polyurethane, urethane, U, edge...

I did a search, and got no results with any of those words. So, I guess this'll be the first thread about them...

I'm installing one on an 8.5 Meyer. (My first U edge.) The steel edge isn't completely shot, so I'm just flipping it over. The bolt holes line up so that what was formerly the top of the steel edge will now be even with the bottom of the plow moldboard itself. From other reading I've done, I plan on leaving 1 1/2 inches of edge (same thickness as the U edge), below the plow. Somebody confirm that that's a good way to do it?

Once it has worn down (hopefully after many happy hours of plowing), what's the best way to remount it for further wear? It looks like if I move it down and drill new holes, the old holes will eventually be in contanct with the pavement. On the ither hand, if I flip it and drill new holes, it looks like when that side wears down ther'll still be a good sized hunk of it left, but with two sets of holes in it. What's the best way to get the most useful life out of it?

[BWhite]

You need to measure the distance from the edge of the base angle or bottom if its full trip to the center of the cutting edge mounting holes . With that measurement to need to see if you could drill a series of holes from center to allow for as many 1.5 edges as possible OR from one edge caculate how many sets of mounting holes you can fit to give you the maximum amount of indexes to establish fresh cutting edges . I also heard about the exposed edge to be equal to the material thickness . I am waiting for my edge I ordered from Dino

[Snoworks]

digger242j - You are on the right track. You may have to adjust the 1.5" down a bit. If you get chatter, you will have to move it down for sure. Since you are using a metal retainer plate, I dont think you will have any problems.

As for how to mount future holes in your edge - I don't know, I am only on my fourth year plowing with mine, and have not had to switch/change it yet!:D

Chuck B.

[Alan]

What's wrong with having the bolt holes end up where the urethane meets the road? The holes are bored perpendicular to the face of the edge but the edge wears on an angle so you will never get a whole hole against the ground. And if you're able to get a plow to scrape so clean that 8 or 10 1/2" holes are going make a difference in your plow job you're way better than I am.

[BWhite]

That sounds logical to be . I guess all the work to calculate the maximum usage isnt really needed. My machinist background is at it again

[digger242j]

And if you're able to get a plow to scrape so clean that 8 or 10 1/2" holes are going make a difference in your plow job you're way better than I am.

Well, maybe I *am*.... :p

(Sorry, Alan. You led with your chin on that one.) ;)


Actually, I suppose that's true. If anyone can confirm or deny whether the old bolt holes constitute a problem, I'm sure they'll speak up. I guess it's just counterintuitive to mount anything with a bunch of holes drilled through the part that's doing the actual work, unless the holes have a purpose in that work.

[BRL]

Yea, if mine would ever wear down enough to move them, I'd love to figure out this problem too LOL. I'm with Alan on this one. If the holes should be a problem, it's easy to shave off a little with the circular saw at the correct angle to avoid them .

[urethane dino]

If you have a 6" wide edge, just center drill the U edge, and flip it when needed.
Dino

[BWhite]

Please check your private messages :)

[digger242j]

Actually, it measures 6 1/2 inches. If it were drilled in the center there'd be more than the 1 1/2 inch thickness hanging below the metal parts holding it in place, and my understanding is that that's bad. It would be more like 1 3/4 inches. Is that too much?

[PineIsland]

1 3/4 inches should be fine for that. If you went too much more, you may have a problem, but 1 3/4 is common on my mounts

[BWhite]

Got my U edge today ,now all I need is a length of mild steel and some time to mount it :)

[sbrennan007]

1st post on this board. Just came over from PS.

I would like to get a U-edge for my Western Pro Poly 8'. Where are people buying them from and what do they cost for this plow?

I have noticed that the cutting edge is different on the poly plow, as it go's up the moldboard farther to hold it in place. This means less cutting edge wear.

I usually go through a steel cutting edge every year. How are the U-edge's holding up in comparison?

Thanks. :burnout

[urethane dino]

Call me at 860-608-1842. I would be happy to quote a price for you, and explain the different methods of mounting.
Dino

[Garagekeeper]

I have them in stock and ready to go, along with a few plows with edges mounted for you to see how to install them.
Also have a set of Power Scoops waiting for you too.
:rolleyes: John.............

[WoofsPlow]

My u-edge has some good size nicks in it. Is there a way to get a new clean edge, circular saw? I guess I could drive 10 miles with the plow down, but would rather not. Thanks:confused:

[sbrennan007]

John-
Sent you an e-mail...

:burnout

[digger242j]

Ok, my U edge installation got put on the back burner for a few days, but I was hoping to get it done today. Now I realize there's something about this that doesn't look right to me...

The old metal edge bolted up tight to the metal frame of the plow moldboard. In position, the face of the poly moldboard, and the cutting edge are flush with each other. I'm using the old metal cutting edge on the face of the new polyurethane cutting edge. This will leave a 3/8" ridge (that's the thickness of the poly face of the plow itself), between the bottom of the plow face and the metal framework it all attaches to. If I crank down the bolts nice and tight I'm assuming the polyurethane edge will bend somewhat, and just kinda squish down over that ridge, but I'm thinking that'll leave the bolts somewhat out of alignment with the holes they're meant to pass through. Will that have any negative results (i.e., play that allows them to loosen, or stress that will wear or crack the edge prematurely)?

A picture is worth a thousand words. Attached, is a highly detailed engineering drawing to illustrate what I'm questioning:

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Going on your highly technical drawing there I would be worried that it would put stress on the bolt holes in the cutting edge causing them to go somewhat out of round. I think that with use that might cause them to get bigger causing mor play in the edge and possibly un even wear? If it were me, I would try to get some bar stock te same thickness and drill holes to match and use it as a shim to support the new cutting edge.

Bill

[digger242j]

That's the same sort of thing I was thinking, but it just seems like, and I'm only being a teeny tiny bit sarcastic here, if it were an *important* issue somebody would've brought it up before now.

Or perhaps the answer to that particular thought is that, "anybody who'll use a Meyer isn't bright enough to think of these questions in advance anyway"...

(There, I beat all the Meyer haters to the punchline!) :D

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Well, maybe since there are not that many Meyer users it's ot such a common topic?

And this is a fairly new site- although by loking around you'd have no idea how new!!!

So you might have the distinguished honor of being the first to see this and pose the question!!!

Either way- all kidding aside- it's a legitimate question and a good one at that. So don't sell yourself short that it's not *important*, there is no such thing as a stupid question, but there are stupid answers. I'm glad you asked any way- it's one more thread to pop up should someone do a search in the future.

Bill:grinz

[Garagekeeper]

digger242j, this would be the one of the ones that I would make a 3/8 strip to go on the backside of the edge to fill that space.
I had a similiar problem on a SnoWay a while back where their edge holds the bottom of the Lexan to the framework.
I used the same 2"x3/8" material that I use for edge retainers to shim the edge out flat against the moldboard.
:rolleyes: John.................

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Garagekeeper- what experince have you had with Fisher blades?
Will a urethane edge work for me? I need to replace mine- I'm hoping to make it through the season, but I might need to do it sooner- I have a 7'6" Speedcast- can you PM me with a price with shipping?

Thanks Bill

[BRL]

Digger242,
You think too much. Now I understand why some of the complex engineering drawings that I see look the way they do ;) Adding something is a good idea I guess, as suggested. I didn't on either of the Meyer ones I've had, and I haven't noticed any of the problems that you mention over hundreds of plow hours over a few years. But I'll take a look in the daylight tomorrow to make a true assessment. DON'T tighten those bolts down too much, you don't want to compress the urethane, as that will create problems.

Bill,
I have had a urethane edge on my Fisher for a couple of years now and a little over a hundred plowing hours I believe. The only negative is the deep angle of attack on the Fisher plows has resulted in the urethane not performing as well as it does on the Meyers that I have them on. It doesn't do as well with hard pack & ice as it did with the steel cutting edge before, or as well as the Meyers do with the urethane now. However, over time it has finally worn in & is performing better now. So if I ever have to flip the edge, or install a new one, I will definitely cut a beveled edge into it to get that wear in period to happen quicker to get better performance.

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Thanks BRL!! I will keep it in mind, I still am not sure what I might do yet- but the more I read on the urethane edges, the more I lean towards them as a replacement. I will let you know what I decide to do and post some pics.

Bill

[urethane dino]

Digger how wide is your current steel edge? If it is around 4.5" or so, just leave that edge in place and top drill your u edge. Then get a piece of 1/4" x 3" flat stock drilled to the same bolt pattern as the plow. Sandwich the u edge between the steel. When the u edge wears to the same width as the steel edge in back of the u edge, unbolt the whole assembly, drop out the steel edge, and rebolt the u edge and retainer back in place and keep plowing. The original steel edge dos 2 things in this application. It extends the moldboard if you will so that you have the proper amount of overhang with the u edge, and it acts as the shim.
Dino

[digger242j]

The original steel edge is worn down to about 3 1/2", (less at the ends). When it's flipped over and the bolt holes are lined up, the (former) top edge (now the bottom edge), of it is even with the bottom of the metal framework of the plow. There's 2 1/2" of frame there, showing below the poly face of the moldboard itself. So, if I'd left it alone there'd be about another inch left to wear. If I top drilled the U edge to match the bottom of the poly moldboard for later, when it wears down to the same depth as the steel edge, that'd leave too much (2 1/2" more or less), of the U edge hanging down below the steel parts initially, no?

So, Dino, back to the original question, since your expertise is well recognized here, and other places (not to discount any of the other expert opinions already registered), will it be ok lapping up over the 3/8" ridge that exists where the poly of the moldboard ends, or is it necessary (as opposed to just desirable), to put something back there to make it sit on a flat surface?

[Adams Plowing]

Personally i'd put something back there to shim it up this way everything lines up even and it would be one less possible problem to have to worry bout.

[Lawn Lad]

I installed U edges on three of our Boss plows. This weekend we had the first snow of the year. The two plows that went out with the U edges both lost their snow catchers. Pretty frustrating since I bought the kits that included the U snow catchers.

I thought perhaps I didn't tighten the bolts enough. But then at closer inspection the upper bolt is still in tact holding onto a piece of orange urethane in it's clutches.

So, I have to ask... why did both rip off? Coincidence? I didn't have any of the factory's catchers come off with the steel edges. This was the first time out with the urethane. Because the urethane edges are softer and give a little more are the catchers more prone to catch on something and tear off? Did I not tighten the bolts enough?

What can I do to assure I don't loose any more catchers. I'll have to get more urethane catchers, but in the meantime I picked up some replacement OEM parts.

[urethane dino]

I dont see a problm laping up over the poly molboard, but if you can get a shim with out too much dificulty, I would try that.
As for the snowcatchers , I think the problem is more boss related than anything else That deflector is pretty fragile, I believe that boss has a metal shoe that gets mounted beind that catcher, I think that may help support that catcher.
Dino