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Grasshopper Dozer Blade chatters

#1

Ida-Boy

Ida-Boy

I have used my Grasshopper 725 for years now pushing snow and it has done a great job. The last few years it has become louder and louder, making noise as if it chattering. New cutting edge, skid shoes and no difference. I even put a bolt to replace the pin since it has worn the adjustment hole (pin that allows you to adjust the angel of the blade) with no difference. There is slight movement as it attaches to the frame of the mower but the dealer says that is normal.
The only thing I see left is the linkage, with the foot bar that lifts the blade. That is all loose and think that may be the issue.
Anyone out there had this issue?


#2

M

mechanic mark

apply grease to all moving parts.


#3

Ida-Boy

Ida-Boy

mechanic mark said:
apply grease to all moving parts.
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Didn't seem to help but make a mess that I need to clean up when it warms up.


#4

D

Darryl G

Are you able to change the attack angle of the blade at all? I don't have any experience with snow blades on mowers but on my truck plows it makes a big difference. Also new edges tend to chatter until they get worn-in.


#5

Ida-Boy

Ida-Boy

Darryl G said:
Are you able to change the attack angle of the blade at all? I don't have any experience with snow blades on mowers but on my truck plows it makes a big difference. Also new edges tend to chatter until they get worn-in.
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Dealer suggested raising the attach point (plastic like blocks) on the mower to lower the blade. This will be my next step once I can get back to the barn where there is heat. I'll post my findings on weather it works. Thank you for your reply.


#6

D

Darryl G

Ida-Boy said:
Dealer suggested raising the attach point (plastic like blocks) on the mower to lower the blade. This will be my next step once I can get back to the barn where there is heat. I'll post my findings on weather it works. Thank you for your reply.
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You're welcome.

Keep in mind that on dry or wet pavement with little to no snow, any blade will tend to chatter because there's just too much resistance, so forces build and release rythmically. That's to be expected and not much you can do about it. Any "slop" in the hardware will accentuate the chatter as angles and forces flux more severely...and all that movement makes things wear even faster of course.

If the plow only chatters when you're trying to scrape every last bit of snow and ice, then I'd suggest just using a little ice melt instead or resorting to using a wide pusher shovel for fine cleanup.


#7

Ida-Boy

Ida-Boy

Darryl G said:
You're welcome.

Keep in mind that on dry or wet pavement with little to no snow, any blade will tend to chatter because there's just too much resistance, so forces build and release rythmically. That's to be expected and not much you can do about it. Any "slop" in the hardware will accentuate the chatter as angles and forces flux more severely...and all that movement makes things wear even faster of course.

If the plow only chatters when you're trying to scrape every last bit of snow and ice, then I'd suggest just using a little ice melt instead or resorting to using a wide pusher shovel for fine cleanup.
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Well, it seems as if over time it may have increased in noise level, but living in the country as I do I never had a neighbor complain before about the noise I was making. The guy across the street came over about 9 PM a while back and complained about the noise. I know there is some play in the mount but just not sure what else I can do to please the snowflakes around me. When the wife and daughter need to be at work a 5 AM its either clean it at 4 AM or the evening before. I didn't think 9 PM was bothering anyone.


#8

D

Darryl G

Offer the neighbor a pair of ear plugs. :laughing:

But seriously, snow removal noise is usually overlooked as a necessary thing. As long as a machine isn't missing its muffler or backfiring or something they have a lot of nerve to complain in my opinion. My snow removal activities know no time or noise constraints, although I do try to be as quiet as possible between midnight and 6 am.


#9

Ida-Boy

Ida-Boy

Darryl G said:
Offer the neighbor a pair of ear plugs. :laughing:

But seriously, snow removal noise is usually overlooked as a necessary thing. As long as a machine isn't missing its muffler or backfiring or something they have a lot of nerve to complain in my opinion. My snow removal activities know no time or noise constraints, although I do try to be as quite as possible between midnight and 6 am.
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I agree: Seen a piece Fox 2 News today about St Clair Shores residents complaining about a neighbor snow blowing a disabled neighbor’s driveway about 9:30 PM. Police were called and said he was violating the noise ordinance. I am guessing that the guy that complained maybe wanted his drive done for nothing also, LOL. But seriously I try to show respect to my neighbors... even though they have lived across the street for over 2 years and have that "broken arm syndrome"… can't wave and be neighborly.


#10

D

Darryl G

Snow removal activities are often (usually?) exempted from noise ordinances. Its seen as an emergency activity that just needs to be done.

I've been doing snow removal commercially for 20 years and have only received one noise complaint. The funny thing is that I was plowing a neighbor's driveway that's on a right-of-way across my property at 10 p.m. for free. It was the neighbor I plowed for free who complained! It was a wet sticky snow and I was just dropping my blade a couple times on my own driveway to clear it. Since then he has to pay me to do it, lol.


#11

Ida-Boy

Ida-Boy

Darryl G said:
Snow removal activities are often (usually?) exempted from noise ordinances. Its seen as an emergency activity that just needs to be done.

I've been doing snow removal commercially for 20 years and have only received one noise complaint. The funny thing is that I was plowing a neighbor's driveway that's on a right-of-way across my property at 10 p.m. for free. It was the neighbor I plowed for free who complained! It was a wet sticky snow and I was just dropping my blade a couple times on my own driveway to clear it. Since then he has to pay me to do it, lol.
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All I can say is, You Can't Fix Stupid. He was getting a neighborly helping hand and he blew it, LOL.


#12

D

Darryl G

One other thought. You could perhaps put a urethane edge on your blade. It will make less noise and clean better in some conditions but I don't think they scrape compacted snow and ice as well. https://www.polyurethanesnowplowblades.com/tractor-snow-plow-blades


#13

Ida-Boy

Ida-Boy

​
Darryl G said:
One other thought. You could perhaps put a urethane edge on your blade. It will make less noise and clean better in some conditions but I don't think they scrape compacted snow and ice as well. https://www.polyurethanesnowplowblades.com/tractor-snow-plow-blades
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I ordered one for my dozer blade. Picked it up Friday since they are only about 17 miles from me. Won't know until we get another snow if this will work but in the meantime the dozer blade is getting cleaned up and readjusted.


#14

D

Darryl G

Ida-Boy said:
​
I ordered one for my dozer blade. Picked it up Friday since they are only about 17 miles from me. Won't know until we get another snow if this will work but in the meantime the dozer blade is getting cleaned up and readjusted.
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Nice! It will be a lot quieter.

A buddy of mine has "U" edges on the Boss DXT on his mason dump and it's way quitter than my VXT. He has to be at a church lot at 3 or 4 a.m. in a residential neighborhood in order to have things cleaned up for morning mass. Parts of the pavement are pretty degraded and rough. Complaints from the neighbors have stopped since he put the U edges on. I have a wide urethane push shovel and it glides easily and is almost silent.

It will do a lot less damage on gravel and grass too.

Would love to hear how it works out for you. Your neighbor will probably complain about the engine noise now. :laughing:


#15

Ida-Boy

Ida-Boy

Darryl G said:
Nice! It will be a lot quieter.

A buddy of mine has "U" edges on the Boss DXT on his mason dump and it's way quitter than my VXT. He has to be at a church lot at 3 or 4 a.m. in a residential neighborhood in order to have things cleaned up for morning mass. Parts of the pavement are pretty degraded and rough. Complaints from the neighbors have stopped since he put the U edges on. I have a wide urethane push shovel and it glides easily and is almost silent.

It will do a lot less damage on gravel and grass too.

Would love to hear how it works out for you. Your neighbor will probably complain about the engine noise now. :laughing:
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Well I installed a 1/2" X 4" by 60" Polyurethane Snow Plow Blades Edge on the dozer Blade. Its above freezing and the snow has melted but I took a quick trip to the driveway and gave it a try. My dozer blade now seems as if it is bouncing with the rubberized edge on it. I only tried it for about 10 feet and did not apply any pressure on the blade with my foot so I will have to say the jury is out until the next snow.


#16

D

Darryl G

Ida-Boy said:
Well I installed a 1/2" X 4" by 60" Polyurethane Snow Plow Blades Edge on the dozer Blade. Its above freezing and the snow has melted but I took a quick trip to the driveway and gave it a try. My dozer blade now seems as if it is bouncing with the rubberized edge on it. I only tried it for about 10 feet and did not apply any pressure on the blade with my foot so I will have to say the jury is out until the next snow.
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Did they give you instruction on how to break it in? I've been told drive backwards about 100 yards on wet pavement, at least for truck plows. Angle needs to get worn in.

I'm actually going to put a poly edge on my truck plow after researching options. My steel one is worn out. I gave up trying to get the edges off. Just don't have the right tools for hardware that big and rusted.


#17

Ida-Boy

Ida-Boy

Darryl G said:
Did they give you instruction on how to break it in? I've been told drive backwards about 100 yards on wet pavement, at least for truck plows. Angle needs to get worn in.

I'm actually going to put a poly edge on my truck plow after researching options. My steel one is worn out. I gave up trying to get the edges off. Just don't have the right tools for hardware that big and rusted.
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No instructions, and this is a link to the installation page that does not say anything about "break in".

https://www.polyurethanesnowplowblades.com/about/installation


#18

D

Darryl G

Ida-Boy said:
No instructions, and this is a link to the installation page that does not say anything about "break in".

https://www.polyurethanesnowplowblades.com/about/installation
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I see. I know they offer an option on their site to have a beveled cut on the edge so break-in isn't necessary. Don't give up on it yet :)

Edit: Maybe that was a different manufacturer...but in any case needs to get worn it.


#19

D

Darryl G

Any update?


#20

C

curt keiser

Ida-Boy said:
Well, it seems as if over time it may have increased in noise level, but living in the country as I do I never had a neighbor complain before about the noise I was making. The guy across the street came over about 9 PM a while back and complained about the noise. I know there is some play in the mount but just not sure what else I can do to please the snowflakes around me. When the wife and daughter need to be at work a 5 AM its either clean it at 4 AM or the evening before. I didn't think 9 PM was bothering anyone.
Click to expand...
You need a new "neighbor"!


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