converting a manual blade

[townlineterry]

Want to change the manual blade on my 1010 to hydraulic using off the shelf components like from Northern or Tractor Supply. Anybody done this? Any thoughts and advice? Think there was a thread on this awhile back, but have not be able to find it.

Terry

[Ray III]

Hydraulic tilt could be done with some welding of brackets. I'd be worried about the lips breaking off the sliding part, maybe cut them off and weld on curved square bar to make them continuous.

Hydraulic angle will require some major work building a pivot point.

[pop pop]

hey terry, if you are sucsessful, post some data and pictures as i was thinking of trying it too.
i actually thought i would try and build an inside blade also, but have alot of other things to do first.

[Lavoy]

Yes, I have seen it done as far as tilt, but like Ray mentioned, sooner or later you will break the slide piece on the RH side. It was not designed to be loose and slide, it is supposed to be tight all the time. If it breaks, findind a replacement might be tough, will be expensive.
Lavoy

[townlineterry]

Did find some threads on this. They all mention the sliding bracket as a weak point. Got a couple ideas to tighten it up and strengthen it like Ray suggested. On the angle, was going to use the cylinders for moving it in and out. Still use the pins as I don't thing the cylinders would take the shock load.

The ideal solution is if kind soul would GIVE me a hydraulic blade, or better yet a 450, I'll be checkin the email

[Lavoy]

The problem with that is every time you angle the blade, you will still have to pull the pin on the LH blade mount so the bracket can move sideways.
Lavoy

[townlineterry]

Pulling pins isn't an issue for me. The problem is moving the blade once the pins are pulled. That blade is a heavy sob, moving it by hand don't work to well. Pulling it or pushing on a stump or another piece of equipemnt works okay, but if you are by yourself getting the holes lined up to put the pins back can really raise the blood pressure. Not to mention time consuming.

Had hoped to upgrade the dozer this year to a 450, but after a sober look at the finiances (no TARP money in the pipeline) realized I have to work with what I have for awhile. Hence the effort to Afro engineer a realatively cheap solution.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Oh. I see now. More of a hyd-assisted blade as opposed to a PAT. Yes, that ought to work OK as you're only substituting hyd power for your poor back! The pins and wedges will still be taking the loads as designed.

later!

Stan

[townlineterry]

Yes Stan, exactley right. Guess I did not make that clear in the first post. It still requires getting off the crawler to pull pins, but life should be a lot easier.

[H-D]

How about GM starter solenoids to pull the pins while the blade is 'jostled' a bit? Rotary switch (like old Harley) could select which pin's relay (newer Harley?). I know it'd be a Rube Goldberg mess, but my knees are gettin' to be allergic to climbin' & descendin'.

[Ray III]

Pulling pins isn't an issue for me. The problem is moving the blade once the pins are pulled. That blade is a heavy sob, moving it by hand don't work to well. Pulling it or pushing on a stump or another piece of equipemnt works okay, but if you are by yourself getting the holes lined up to put the pins back can really raise the blood pressure. Not to mention time consuming.

Had hoped to upgrade the dozer this year to a 450, but after a sober look at the finiances (no TARP money in the pipeline) realized I have to work with what I have for awhile. Hence the effort to Afro engineer a realatively cheap solution.

A pointed bar works great for getting the holes aligned. You can get them pretty close dragging or pushing the blade on the ground (no tree stump required).

I don't think it's that hard, you just gotta outsmart the machine.

[townlineterry]

Normally a bar would do the trick. However the previous owner welded some very heavy duty wings to the blade also a heavy strip of steel across the top. Probably added three hundred pounds or more to the blade.

Terry[/quote]

[townlineterry]

The point I'm trying to make is that with all that extra metal the blade is getting hard to move by hand. Pushing and pulling the blade on the ground requires getting on and off the machine a couple of times. Get off, pull the pin, get on move the blade get off, line up holes, put pin in and get back on. Maybe have to push or pull the blade a few times to get the right hole, more off and on.

I don't think I'm a wuss but the off and on gets tiring and time consuming. Especially at the end of the day and I often work alone. I want to be able to get off, pull the pin, reach over and pull a lever and put the pin in and back on the machine

[Lavoy]

You might also be able to use an electric actuator. If all you want it to do is move the blade for you, and not actually hold the force, they might work. One problem is they are 12 volt, not 6.
Lavoy

[townlineterry]

That is defintely an option , it would simplify the project. Don't recall seeing anything locally that I could use. Do you have a suppliers name or a website?

Terry