Leaf Plow for Zero Turn Mower

After blowing and raking most of my leaves for the year, I got the idea to add a plow to the front of my new zero-turn mower. I had used the mower to plow some leafs with the cutting deck lowered, but this was somewhat limited in effectiveness.
This was made for a Hustler Raptor, however, I assume it would be easy to adapt to other zero-turns or perhaps a lawn tractor.
After just some initial testing, I very happy with the results.
I hope you find this Instructable useful.

I decided to use wood as the predominant material since it is lighter and much cheaper than steel and very easy to work with.

• Frame uses 2x3 and 2x4 lumber.
• Face pieces are 1/4" or 3/8" plywood scraps I had laying around
• Steel angle was used to make the frame mount
• Wire mesh was used to cover large open areas
• Plastic landscape edging formed the bottom sweep
• Swivel caster wheels

The mower had two bolt holes available for attachment of front weights that counter-balance the rear bagger system. These holes in the front frame section would be my attachment point.
I used a wood block to fit within the channel frame, and a high-strength bolt with a rubber washer to protect the frame, metal washer and nut.
This left two bolts to attach the plow.

I cut and welded two pieces of 1 1/4" steel angle to create the mount that connects the plow frame to the mower frame bolts.
Holes were drilled to accept wood screws at the under-side of the mount and larger holes for carriage bolts at the sides. A section of angle cut away to avoid conflict with a bolt on the mower frame.
Two sections of 2x4 lumber were secured to the steel angle mounts to act as forward arms to connect to the main plow frame.

The plow frame consisted of 2x3 horizontal members and 2x4 vertical members.
Using the table saw adjusted to the correct height, I cut away interlocking channels in the 2x3s and 2x4s and secured them to each other temporarily with wood screws.
Short, angled 2x3 pieces create the plow ends.
Plow ends secured to frame horizontals with triangular plywood pieces.

I started with 1/4" plywood but had to switch the bottom plywood to 3/4" and make the triangle larger to mount the swivel wheels (later step). The wheels are 8" pneumatic swivel wheel from Harbor Freight and cost $13.99 each. Wheel are secured with 5/16" bolts.
Plywood face panels were secured with wood screws to the horizontal and vertical frame members to provide rigidity. Then center portions of the panels were drilled and cut out to lighten the plow.
Plastic landscape edging was screwed to the bottom of the plywood panels to act as a sweep which can contour to the uneven ground surface.
Wire mesh was added over the plywood panels

An eyehook was screwed into the top plow frame member and paracord attached to the eyehook and a wooden dowel to acts as a lifting device.
A wooden foot control was added which pivots wooden blocks under the plow mount arms to hold the plow off the ground.
To lift plow for travel, pull back on dowel/paracrod to lift plow off ground, push foot control forward to pivot blocks into place and lower plow mount arms onto blocks.
To lower plow for plowing, pull back on dowel/paracrod to lift plow off wood blocks, pull foot control back to pivot blocks out of way and lower plow to ground.

Just testing the plow around the yard, I found it was quite easy to plow 3-4 feet high piles of leaves.
See video link below for a walk-around and plow in action.