John Deere makes a variety of lawn tractors, many of which can double as snowplows. Using a John Deere tractor to plow snow presents new challenges to the homeowner, the first being weight distribution. Putting a snowplow on the front of the tractor moves the center of gravity closer to the front of the tractor.For the tractor to operate properly, install wheel weights or weight sets to offset the plow weight. You also could add tire chains or bar tires to increase traction. After addressing these problems, mount the snowplow on the John Deere tractor.
Instructions
Installing the Blade
1. Align the tractor directly behind the snowplow blade assembly. Put the transmission in neutral. Push the tractor over the blade assembly until the rear-mounting bracket of the blade assembly is behind the drawbar. Set the parking brake, following the instructions in the owner's manual for the specific model of tractor.
2. Lift the back of the blade assembly and slide it into the tractor's drawbar. Lock the blade assembly in place by sliding the tractor's hitch pin through the blade assembly and drawbar, and locking the hitch pin with a large spring-locking pin.
3. Line up the front stabilizer bracket with the square holes on each side of the mower mounting brackets. Insert a front stabilizer pin into the square hole in the left mower mounting bracket, then through the left side of the front stabilizer bracket. Secure the pin with a spring-locking pin. Repeat for the right side.
Installing the Lift Links to the Blade Frame
4. Put the lift lever in the up position, following the instructions in the owner's manual for the specific model tractor. Thread the nylock nuts 1 1/4-inches onto both lift links with an adjustable wrench.
5. Guide the bent portion of the lift links through the holes in the lift channel, then through the holes in the lift arm.
6. Insert a 3/8-inch flat washer onto the bent portion of the lift link. Secure the bent ends of the lift links to the lift arms by sliding a spring locking pin through the hole in the bent portion of the lift link.
7. Tighten the nylon nuts evenly with an adjustable wrench until the thrust channel of the blade assembly barely touches the front stabilizer bracket.
8. Lower and raise the blade several times to ensure that the blade will lock into the transport, or up, position.
Installing the Pivot Control Handle and Pivot Handle Support
9. Slip the handle end of the pivot control handle into the eyebolt on the blade assembly located on the left side of the blade assembly. Hook the pivot release rod into the hole at the end of the pivot control handle and fasten it with a spring clip.
10. Rest the pivot control handle on the wheel and footrest, ensuring that the hook of the bracket on the end of the pivot control handle is on the right side of the eyebolt.
11. Slide a 3/8-inch flat washer onto the handle and of the pivot control handle and let it slide all the way down to the eyebolt. Hold the washer against the eyebolt by installing a spring clip in the hole of the pivot control handle located just behind the flat washer. Install the rubber grip on the handle portion of the pivot control handle.
12. Slide the eye of the pivot handle support onto the pivot control handle, ensuring that the bottom of the pivot handle support points toward the tractor.
13. Slide the pivot handle support into the 1/2-inch hole in the thrust channel of the blade assembly, ensuring that the strap on the pivot handle support straddles the nut that is just in front of the hole that the pivot handle support rests in. Secure the pivot handle support to the thrust channel with a spring clip on the other side of the thrust channel, completing the mounting of the snowplow on the John Deere tractor.
