So, I had a thought...

[TallCoolOne58]

Sometimes I sit in the shop, sipping a cold one. My eyes wander over to the Cub. I still have the snow/grader blade mounted on the front.

I have a buddy, formerly in the trades, retired, outstanding welder. I keep thinking about removing just the blade, bringing it to him for a pattern, and making me up a set of forks, pallet width. Would come in handy for all kinds of things. Not looking to lift any great weight, just a potential backsaver, few bags of whatever, small logs. I have rear wheel weights installed for rear ballast. Touch control.

Hmmm. Anyone been there done that?

[Urbish]

The lift assembly for the snow/grader blade is not particularly strong in my opinion. But if you only used it for very light tasks it may work. Keep in mind that an enormous amount of downward force will be transmitted to the lower bolster/implement mount, especially when traversing uneven terrain. I'm not sure how much it would like that.

I do not have touch-control. With the master control lever, you are applying lifting force from the rear rockshaft. Lifting the blade puts the front to rear rockshaft connection rod in compression. If lifting anything more substantial than the snow blade, it may have a tendency to buckle. Mine was buckling sometimes when lifting the blade against a snowbank when I first got my tractor as the rod was slightly bent. After straightening it, it doesn't buckle anymore.

[TallCoolOne58]

The lift assembly for the snow/grader blade is not particularly strong in my opinion. But if you only used it for very light tasks it may work. Keep in mind that an enormous amount of downward force will be transmitted to the lower bolster/implement mount, especially when traversing uneven terrain. I'm not sure how much it would like that.

I do not have touch-control. With the master control lever, you are applying lifting force from the rear rockshaft. Lifting the blade puts the front to rear rockshaft connection rod in compression. If lifting anything more substantial than the snow blade, it may have a tendency to buckle. Mine was buckling sometimes when lifting the blade against a snowbank when I first got my tractor as the rod was slightly bent. After straightening it, it doesn't buckle anymore.

Those are valid points, and food for thought. Forgot about the attachment point at the bolster, and the force on it. Basically, what you're saying, the whole blade assembly was never really designed to lift more than the weight of the snow blade. Appreciate the input.

[Urbish]

That's just my engineering opinion without doing any math. I should figure out how much down-force gets transmitted through the bolster. I added a 3/8" rolled homogeneous armor cutting edge and 8" tall 1/2" marine grade plywood upper extension to my blade. The added weight is about the max I would want to add to the manually operated lift.

Question: Which version of the leveling and grader blade do you have? The pivot at the bolster on the early ones was simply supported on the end of a rod without any support on the outboard side. Overstressing this will bend or break the rod. I would not attempt to execute your idea if you have an early setup like this:




The later 54A has a revised underslung bracket that does provide some additional support on the outboard side:



EDIT: You might want to try hanging some additional weight on your blade and trying to lift it before you fabricate anything. Keep in mind that the forks will stick out further than your blade, moving the center of gravity much further forward and adding significant stress to the lift system without even having a loaded pallet on it. Anything you put on the pallet will be several feet in front of the tractor adding even higher stress to the components.

[TallCoolOne58]

That's just my engineering opinion without doing any math. I should figure out how much down-force gets transmitted through the bolster. I added a 3/8" rolled homogeneous armor cutting edge and 8" tall 1/2" marine grade plywood upper extension to my blade. The added weight is about the max I would want to add to the manually operated lift.

Question: Which version of the leveling and grader blade do you have? The pivot at the bolster on the early ones was simply supported on the end of a rod without any support on the outboard side. Overstressing this will bend or break the rod. I would not attempt to execute your idea if you have an early setup like this:




The later 54A has a revised underslung bracket that does provide some additional support on the outboard side:

I have the 54A. Looking at the pic, the bolster looks like the force would be at the end of a diving board, just begging to snap.

I have the snow blade with the optional steel extension, on the upper edge of the blade (of course). I can't imagine a fork set, forks of maybe angle iron, weighing as much as, or even more than the snow blade. But, add an extra 100 pounds or so of pallet, hay bales, bags of concrete, mulch, or what-have-you...

Hmm.

Edit: just read your edit. I have a 3/4" shackle (5/8" pin) attached to the hole in the top of the arm above the blade, for use with chain for dragging trees, beaches etc. I will remove the blade, and see what weight seem a reasonable limit. Great idea.

[outdoors4evr]

Let me see if I understand you correctly.... You want a platform carrier attached to a front mounted blade?
Seems like rear mounted could also provide some very desirable traction during the winter. Not my pics.




Not many pics left from an old thread about blade mounted pallet forks, but here's the discussion if you are interested.
http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=65383

[Urbish]

I can't imagine a fork set, forks of maybe angle iron, weighing as much as, or even more than the snow blade.

Agreed, but the apparent force given that they would be sticking out so much further out in front of the tractor may bring you closer to parity than you might think. I was envisioning reworked forklift forks. If using angle iron or C-channel, that would help a little bit.

[TallCoolOne58]

I can't imagine a fork set, forks of maybe angle iron, weighing as much as, or even more than the snow blade.

Agreed, but the apparent force given that they would be sticking out so much further out in front of the tractor may bring you closer to parity than you might think. I was envisioning reworked forklift forks. If using angle iron or C-channel, that would help a little bit.

Strong enough, yet reasonably lightweight. I lied. I've thought about this over more than one cold one, on more than one day.

[TallCoolOne58]

Let me see if I understand you correctly.... You want a platform carrier attached to a front mounted blade?
Seems like rear mounted could also provide some very desirable traction during the winter. Not my pics.




Not many pics left from an old thread about blade mounted pallet forks, but here's the discussion if you are interested.
http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=65383

That's awesome. If only I had fast hitch.

[radioguy41]

Food for thought.

http://farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=102282

[Rick Spivey]

See if you can find Kodiak's platform carrier, pretty sure it was on a non fast hitch tractor.

[TallCoolOne58]

Thanks for the input/ideas guys. Actually, I have a Carry-On 4×6 utility trailer that I purchased specifically for hauling with the Cub, which came with a plate and both 1-7/8" and 2" balls, 5/8" diameter shanked, a good thing since 5/8" holes aren't standard. Sometimes, for small jobs it's overkill and a bit of a chore to hook up and use.

I went out to the shop and gave the Cub and blade assembly a good look see. Urbish is right, all the weight and force is on the end of the bolster. So much for that brainstorm.

[Rick Spivey]

Searches can turn up several references to the Kodiak Karry-All. This version has been produced several times, with a few iterations. Looks like a useful tool if you don't have a fast hitch.

http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=11943

[Winfield Dave]

My loader forks made from pipe. Have worked perfectly for several years now.

[TallCoolOne58]

My loader forks made from pipe. Have worked perfectly for several years now.

Fork 3.JPG

Well now. How much weight have you lifted without breaking anything?