Snow Plow Tilt Adjuster (John Deere 325)

I got a used snow blade for my John Deere 325 Lawn Tractor. It didn't have a means of adjusting the tilt of the blade without getting off the machine. My Craftsman lawn tractor had a metal rod that you could push the blade with to tilt it and a bicycle brake like handle for releasing the locking pin. I duplicated that setup for my Deere and I am very happy with it.

I put a 3/8" bolt about 2" long through an extra hole in the plow. I added a pair of washers and lock nut so it would be fixed to the blade. The end of the EMT bolts on loosely here with another lock-nut.

It is easy to bend the emt around a pair of closely spaced trees or branches. A gentle curve keeps it from flattening out. I pounded the end of the EMT flat and drilled a 3/8" hole to form the pivot for the end of the tilt rod. Then I bolted it to the plow. The nut should allow free movement of the tilt rod (EMT).

I drilled one 3/8" hole through a piece of cardboard. Then I used a sharpie marker to mark the locations of the other holes that already existed on the side of the tractor frame. I drilled the other holes in the cardboard template to make sure that my template fit properly. I transferred this to 1/4" steel plate. I bent a piece of 1/4" strap iron and welded it to the mounting plate. I drilled a 1/2" hole for the large eye bolt. The lengths of the parts should be estimated and mocked up for your specific tractor. I painted the bracket and bolted it to the side of the tractor.

I used 2" x 2" x 1/4" angle iron to make the bracket that holds the cable sheathing. It is very simple. FIrst, I cut a piece about 2" long. Then I cut a 2nd piece about 3/4" long. I measured my cable sheath as having a 0.205" diameter, with a 0.159" diameter slug on the end of the cable. I drilled a 0.161" hole through the 3/4" piece. Then I drilled half way through with a 0.210" diameter bit. This made a pocket that the cable and then end slug could pass through, but that would prevent the cable sheath from passing through. The 3/4" was welded to the side of the 2" piece so that the sheath would be held directly over the part of the lever we wanted to pull up with the cable.

I used a piece of piece of 1/4" plate 3/4" x 2". I drilled a hole 0.161" half way through the edge of the 1/4" steel plate. I used a bandsaw to cut slot in the side of the plate to lay the cable into. I drilled an tapped two hole in the plate and added a pair of matching hole on the locking pin arm. After laying the cable in, I pulled on the cable to pull the slug into the hole. Then I bolted the cable retainer to the lift arm. I reinstalled the lift arm, pin, and cable sheath bracket on the plow.

I chose to use a spring clamp as a handle and cable pulling mechanism. First use a Dremel tool to cut the spring in the clamp. We don't need the extra resistance. Then cut another piece of 2" angle 3/4" long to form a big L bracket. Bend one of the jaws down 90 degrees. Cut a slot in the other jaw to accept the end of the cable. Bend the tip of this jaw up at least 45 degree to keep the cable from slipping out of the slot. Drill and tap a pair of holes to screw the clamp to the L bracket. I used #10 screws. Then drill and tap another pair of hole that will be used to mount the spring clamp assembly to the tilt rod we made in the first step. Use a 1/2" washer for the sheath retaining bracket. Prepare it by drilling a 0.210" diameter hole HALF WAY THROUGH THE WASHER. Then use a saw to cut a slot to allow the cable to slip in from the side. Bend washer in a vice so the sheath bracket is at 90 degrees from the 1/4" mounting bolts. Bolt the assembly to the tilt rod.

I found some cool rubber belting to keep water off the cable. Otherwise it will run down into the sheathing and freeze.

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