more than a "minute"

[cutntrim]

My new Fisher 8'6" Vee is certainly taking a lot longer than a minute to mount. Maybe I'm just used to mounting Meyers and Snoway blades, but the Fisher has been pretty frustrating to mount. Granted, I've only put the blade on twice so far, but I've followed the instructions to the letter. Seems that if the truck isn't exactly perpendicular to the blade, then I can only get one pin to pop in. Hopefully it'll get easier with practice, and the plow will get "worked in". For now it's requiring a lot of elbow grease and many choice expletives to get it on the truck.:headwall

[Arc Burn]

They do "loosen" up so to speak,you will also get better at it yourself,sometimes you have to shake the headhear alittle to get the other pin to lock,sometimes pulling the blade back by hand towards the truck will also work,the best thing to do is to pull into the plow and actually move it foward abit so you know your all the way in and straight,be sure your lined up correctly before you give it a nudge though:p

[HerkFE]

Yep, I agree with Arc's technique. I pull my truck into the mount until the blade moves slightly, set the parking brake so I don't roll at all, and usually it will mount right up. Sometimes it may take a little pulling/pushing on the blade to get a pin to drop in , but more often than not it's true to it's name.

Good luck!

Pete :usa

[Arc Burn]

Good point on the parking brake,nothing worse than getting out only to find you rolled back 2":mad:

[Mick]

I set mine on two pallets when I take them off. If it's outside, I put the jackstand on a 24" square wooden block. Then to hook up, I drive into it far enough to tip the headgear forward. This tends to line the pins up and put slack in the chain. Then all I have to do is lift the headgear.

Remember to push the triangle (lift cylinder) all the way down before shutting the truck off.

[cutntrim]

I think it's mostly growing pains with learning the tricks in putting on the Fisher compared to the other plow types I've used. Oddly I've been able to easily get the passenger-side pin to fully engage, but it's been the driver's side pin that's given me problems. The first time I hooked up I must have backed out and re-aligned 10x, and each time the passenger-side would pop in but not the driver's side. I hope the install wasn't slightly off-center. Don't want the aggravation each time I go to hook up.

[Brian Simmons]

Herkfe hit the nail on the head. Setting the parking brake is a must with most people. Most of the time the lift arm is not all the way down. Now believe me i am not trying to be sarcastic at all but i am only 145lbs soaking wet and i have no problems for the most part with hooking up any of the blades we have around here. My point is if you have to muscle it something is not right. Yes sometimes i may need to shove the blade a little to get it to align up. As all of the other stated drive up to the blade and push it a few inches beyond where it was. Look at the pins - if you turns them so they can slide and they make contact with the pushplates you are fairly close and should be able to just push back on the headgear to engage the pins. As someone else stated put a board under the jack leg to prevent it from sinking into the ground. If the headgear is to low the plate that slides up the ramp on the pushplate may not be able to slide all the way up the ramp. I know this may be hard to picture but a little practice before the snow falls will save alot of headaches. The one other thing that i do is when taking my plow off is when you pull the lever to drop the jackleg lift up on the bumper so the jack lever slides into the next slot up on the jack leg. This will help a little if the plow is outside and you pack snow under the tires and the truck is a little higher than the plow. I hope this helps.

[EZSnow]

I don't have/ never had a fisher, but I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!! When I started plowing, I bought a used uni-mount and had it installed on my truck. Couldn't get it hooked up to save my life- I'd spend 10-15 min wrestling that thing into place. I learned quickly that a couple of snowmobile dollys and a floor jack GREATLY shortened the process. It'll get better once you learn all the tricks- Good Luck!!

[FordPlow]

on my tractor I have a meyers and a fabricated bracket in the bucket. Sometimes its very hard to get both pins lined up. What I did to make much easier is lower the plow on a laid flat 2x4 thats perpindicular to the blade so I can easily rock it and get the pins to line up when the blade and tractor are not exacly on the same plane..works good for me.

dean

[W-n-K Landscaping]

This might not be the best way to moutn my blade, but what I have found that works best for me is to drive into the blade til I see it move, then I get out and hook up the chain, I have to go back to the truck to lift it up, but when I go back around to the front of the truck all I have to do is push down on the A-frame a bit to get the pins lined up and then pop them in. It sure beats trying to muscle the blade around, or lift it up into the frame. I have to place it on some sort of support to keep the A-frame up in the air a little, but it sure saves my back !

Especially when you have to do a late night hookup in a snow squall where you are covered in snow within 2 minutes of getting out of the truck! I may love living in the lake effect country, but it does have it's downsides!! LOL!!

Bill

[cutntrim]

Thanks again for the replies guys.

FordPlow: The idea of lowering the blade onto a 2"x4" sounds like a good one. I use a 2"x4" to lever the A frame up into place with my Meyers but haven't done so with the Fisher.

CNY: My buddy (the Fisher dealer) used that method with his previous truck which had a Meyers. I'm not sure if that'd work with the Fisher though.

PlowTech: Sounds like I shouldn't be having this much trouble. I'm 200lbs soaking wet and after spending close to 1hr trying to connect it the first time I was so angry I was heaving and shoving the entire plow around like it weighed 80lbs instead of 800lbs. I drove forward into the plow and pushed it half way up the driveway, and engaged the parking brake. Still no luck. Only when the truck was positioned exactly perfectly perpendicular did I have any success.

Not only did I push up slightly on the headgear - I moved the entire truck front end by rocking it so hard. I will try to lock the jack leg on the "next highest" hole position next time and see if it helps. My driveway is asphalt, and my garage floor is concrete so sinking isn't a problem.

Oh well, we'll see how it goes next time...

[Arc Burn]

If it makes you feel any better your in the same boat as my father,i've sat inside many a times watching him jump up and down and curse so i would walk out,get in the truck,back up,slide into her and get out and lock the pins,that made him even madder:headwall You'll get the hang of it:p

[BWhite]

Like everything else , there is a learning curve. You will get really good at it real quick

[Honest Mike]

LOL Arc Burn! I never hooked up a Fisher MM or MM2 by myself, but I have watched one of my friends wrestle with his RD 7.5' MM1. I did help him though the best I could. I can see how it can be a real pain in the butt, its definitely not an "easy" hookup even though it looks like it is or should be by looking at it. Its like anything else though Im sure, the more you do it, you will get good at it and learn some tricks along the way and it will be a piece of cake after that. Good luck! Mike :)

[Mick]

If it's taking an hour, something is definately wrong. Reading through this a second time, I remembered something that happened when I got my 9' Fisher. I was having a terrible time just like you're describing. The second pin would never line up right. What I finally did was actually two things. First, I let the chain out a couple of links. The problem with that is that it doesn't lift as far as I'd like and is only about three inches from the surface at full angle. The second thing I did was set the moldboard on a 6"x6" to disconnect. Outdoors, I use a couple of pallets. Now, I have plenty of slack in the chain and no more problem with pin alignment.

Don't forget to push the "triangle" all the way down.

[W-n-K Landscaping]

CutnTrim- I use a 7'6" Fisher MMI and so far that is the best way I have found with mine- it just allows the plow to "float" and then I can easily manuever it from there. Let us know what you find works best for you!

Good luck,
Bill

[BWhite]

If you dont collapse the lift cylinder , its very difficult to do

[cutntrim]

Guys - I always make sure the "triangle" is all the way pushed down, just like I've always pushed down the cylinder with my Meyers blade.

Yesterday I had the rubber snow foil deflectors put on and picked up the plow at the end of the day. This morning when I went to get it off the damn thing wouldn't release the driver's side pin - AGAIN!!!:headwall

My driveway's at a slight incline so I thought maybe having the blade in the garage with half of the truck still out on the driveway slope might be contributing to the problem. However, the pin still was jammed in tighter than a $#%@&**@^%!

I'm still busy with leaf cleanups and didn't have time to screw around so I called my dealer and told him I'm bringin' it over and see if he has the same problem. When I got there I was parked on level ground and with some grunting, he was able to get the pins to release. Getting them back in was not as easy. The passenger side pin popped in (as always) but I had to hop in the truck and turn the wheel hard to the right while pushing the plow forward and then he engaged the pin lever which worked to pop in the driver's side pin as well.

He kept the plow for the day 'cause he wanted to check it out and called me later. Mine was the virgin plow install (he's a new dealer) for him and he said he'd found a similar pin sticking problem on a subsequent installation - and a possible solution. Some sort of adjustment (cell phone kept cutting out) that he's gonna try tomorrow.

So see, I'm not a retarded klutz after all. Something IS screwy with the alignment. :scramble

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Never thought you were a retard!! A little crazy like the rest of us, but that's normal here!! I'm glad he found something, and hopefully he can make the "Adjustment" he was refering too. One thing I was thinking about was if there was anything left in the hole the pin slides into, or possibly the hole was drilled slightly at an off angle. Easy to fix if you have a die grinder, or shave a little off of the pins to give you a little extra play.

Good luck, and let us know how you make out!!

Bill

[gordyo]

For those of you having trouble with the pins going in and then releasing. I solved my trouble by coating the pins with Anti-Seaze lubricant. I now keep the pins on the two minute mounts and the MM2 V coated all the time. Makes life alot easier.

[cutntrim]

Jeff - He put anti-seize on them when he did the install. I think there's some misalignment problem somewhere. Tomorrow I'll find out I hope.

[Snowboy]

Cutntrim-

You bought your plow from Outdoor Supplies ?

Whats he chargeing for the Fisher V MM2 ? I had a quote from a local dealer for $6600

[cutntrim]

Snowboy - No, I bought it from Al's Lawnmowers in Burlington for $6,300. He's been my equipment mechanic since I started 10yrs ago, but he's a brand new Fisher dealer. Mine was his first plow install.

Rick at Outdoor Supplies doesn't carry Fisher plows. I did buy my AirFlo salter from him though. He's installing it on Monday.

Dave

[Arc Burn]

Originally posted by cutntrim
. I think there's some misalignment problem somewhere.

Check the height of the plow mounts while on a level surface,one may be higher than the other,I know it sounds dumb but i've seen it happen,you can look between the mount and the bottom of the frame,the mount shold be tight to the frame on both sides.

Also check(this probably has nothing to do with anything but is important)the distance between the mounts,run a tape thru the holes,hook it on the outside of one mount and read the tape to the INSIDE of the other bracket,you should have a reading of 29 1/8", + or - 1/8

[Snowboy]

Cutntrim-

I called up outdoor supplies last month and he told me they were a brand new fisher dealer maybe just salters.

Why didnt you buy the Trynex V ? I hear good and bad about it. It beats useing a crane to lift your salter out.


Dave.

[WoofsPlow]

Mounted my Minute Mount yesterday to take some pictures. Needed the wife to help, I explained it was a "minute" mount - she says "yea, but they don't say how many minutes....could be a 30 minute mount" One pin disengages easy the other one forget it I need to jack the plow. PITA.:headwall

[cutntrim]

Snoboy - Rick at Outdoor Supplies is a Western dealer, not Fisher. I think that's new for him, 'cause I don't remember him dealing in plows before. A friend of mine returned his Trynex after less than one season but for the life of me I can't remember why? Anyhow, his bad experience was enough for me. My salter's on now and ready to rock.

After screwing around with the plow for another hour (attach/detach/attach/detach...) I discovered a system that worked. I put a 2"x4" under the outside edge of the blade on the driver's side which allowed easy connection of the driver's side pin. Then I turned the wheel hard to the driver's side and gently rocked the truck forward to engage the passenger side pin.

I took apart the spring-loaded pin assembly on the driver's side to look at how the hole was aligned and the truck-side frame hole was too high by maybe 1/2". That's why my 2"x4" trick was working.

So I took the truck and plow back to my Fisher dealer and he said that they use already existing holes in the truck frame to mount the plow and don't have to drill. So, he measured the height of each side of the truck from the ground to the fender flares and the driver's side was 1/2" higher than the passenger side. He cranked down the torsion bar while I checked the measurement to even them up...AND...the darn pins now pop in and out without a problem! Go figure :rolleyes: . Anyhow seems the problem is solved - FINALLY!

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Glad to hear that your problem is solved !! It's also good to hear it was something so simple- just too bad it took so long and soo much frustration. But, look at the bright side- NOW YOUR READY TO PLOW!!!!!!!!! YEEEE HAWWWWW!!!!!

Let it snow!!!!!

LOL!!
:burnout :grinz


Bill

[Arc Burn]

Cool,glad to hear it's taken care of but more importantly thanks for reporting back,all to often someone asks a question and is never heard from again,this way we ALL learn,good luck with your new plow:cash

[BWhite]

I am glad you can connect your plow . But why did you have to use a torsion bar adjustment to lower one side of your truck one half of an inch ! Another mystery

[cutntrim]

Beats me Bill. I guess it was out of alignment from the factory. That was something I had never contemplated since I just assumed it would be level when coming off the assembly line.

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Woofsplow- Have you looked into this any further? Just wonderig if you were able to find anything obivous or not. I know it won't be a torsion bar adjustment on your truck, but if your still having problems, we might be able to help!

Let us know.

Bill

[Honest Mike]

Bill, read above! :D He got it fixed, and it WAS a torsion bar adjustment! :shades I bet they dont adjust torsion bars perfectly at the factory, they probably just eyeball it, and send it out, which is why his was off that 1/2". Now that the plow goes on and off easily, you should park your truck on level ground, plow off, and measure from the ground to the bottom of the front fender, and get a measurement from both sides and see if they match. Measure to the middle of the fender, middle of the centercap on the front wheel. See what you get. If the guy got under there and just cranked one side, or loosened one side to get the plow to go on and off easily, they cant be equally adjusted. But then again, if the plow is going on and off easily, maybe you should just leave well enough alone?!? If it was me, Id take a measurement anyway. Mike :)

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Mike- check again- cutntrim got his problem fixed- woofsplow drives a 'yota so he does not have torsion bars!! LOL! I had to go back and re-read the thread to make sure I wasn't missing something- Check out his truck here
Woofsplow Rig (http://www.snowplowing-contractors.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=323)

It's a pretty neat set up!

I'm wondering however if possibly his homemade deiceing set up could have possibly upset the weight distribution on his springs and is possbily putting pressure on the one side that is causing the pin to bind?

Bill

[Honest Mike]

Bill, you are right! Woofsplow must have snuck his post in there and I didnt see it! :eek: Mike :D

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Tis ok- that's what happens from reading soo many posts! But that speaks volumes for this site being so new, that there are so many threads and posts to read!!

But you still might want to get your eyes checked:geekboy LOL!

:greenange

Bill

[Adams Plowing]

cny i think you could be on to something with the weight placement. woofs i would chec your measurements on the truck and see if your riding low on one side if your are i would either put some weight in to counterbalance the truck or reposition the offending item to spred the weight evenly...

[WoofsPlow]

I think I found my problem with mounting the plow. My driveway is on an angle and where the plow sits it's flat so I think my approach angle are all wrong. Sound reasonable?

[W-n-K Landscaping]

That could be it- best way to check that is to go into a parking lot- nice flat level surface and drop the plow then reattach it. You'll know right away if that is the problem. If that's not it then you can still use the opportunity to take some measurements to see if you truck is sitting level on it's springs. If not then it's time to look at possibly redistributing some weight in the back if it's sitting lower on one side vs the other. You also might want to look into some helper springs/airbags/Timbrens- I'd say helper springs or Timbrens would be the best bet IMO. Check it out and let us know how you make out!

Bill

[cutntrim]

Last Friday we had roughly 2" of snow so I decided to go on a salt run using my new AirFlo rather than bother to plow such a slight accumulated amount. It was going to melt the next day anyhow. Pulling into my final property (a closed-for-the-weekend industrial site) I saw the fresh snow and thought, "I'll go hook up the Fisher and give it a try-out."

Incredibly, I spent a FULL HOUR trying to attach the @#$%^& and couldn't get the driver's side pin to engage. No matter what I tried :headwall . I called up my dealer/friend and said, "That's it. I've had it. I want a refund on this damn plow!" Well, he calmed me down and said he'd swing by the next morning to see if we could "pin" down the problem, so to speak.

So, on Saturday he came by and he also was physically unable to get the driver's side pin to pop in by himself. One of us had to bounce the bumper up and down on the driver's side, while the other pushed up on the headgear, to get it to engage. Once we got it attached, we left it on since more snow was expected in the forecast. I plowed with it on Sunday for the first time and did think that it plowed well. The "Vee" was certainly handy in comparison to a straight blade. Of course, my damn salter wouldn't start that night so it's now just one thing after another.

I'll finally have time away from babysitting my kids to take the plow in on Friday. If it don't get fixed right this time I don't want it back! Tomorrow I'll be taking the truck to the other dealer to look at the salter that won't start! 'Aint winter maintenance great?!? :rolleyes:

[FordPlow]

last storm I was driving near my house when I passed a couple guys working to get a MM1 on an S-10, I had to chuckle as I thought of this thread and these 2 guys were a little older both red faced and working to get that thing on there.

Dean