KAGE Innovation has introduced a new flexible three-button controller for its hydraulic wing plows, designed to mount directly to wheel loader and tractor joysticks. The compact design gives operators easier access to wing controls without adding bulky control boxes or complicated mounting hardware.
As wheel loaders and tractors continue to pack more functions into their factory controls, adding aftermarket hydraulic attachments can create a challenge: where do you put the controls?
KAGE Innovation is addressing that issue with a new inline three-button controller designed for its hydraulic wing snow plows.
The new control replaces KAGE’s previous puck-style three-button controller and takes a different approach to mounting. Rather than requiring a dedicated mounting location or bracket, the narrow, flexible controller is designed to attach directly to an existing joystick.
Designed Around the Joystick
Hydraulic wing plows add functions that aren’t necessarily built into a machine’s factory joystick. That can leave operators with a separate control box or additional switches that have to be mounted somewhere within reach.
That’s not always easy in a modern loader or tractor cab.
Factory joysticks can already have multiple switches, buttons and other controls, while the joystick itself may have a curved or irregular shape. KAGE’s new controller is designed to work within those constraints.
The flexible body can conform to curved joystick surfaces, allowing the three buttons to be positioned along the joystick rather than requiring a separate flat mounting surface.
Installation is also intentionally simple. The controller can be secured with zip ties, electrical tape or similar methods, while grooves built into the controller help keep zip ties from shifting after installation.
The result is a smaller control package that gives the operator and installer more flexibility in determining where the buttons should sit.
Keeping Wing Controls Within Reach
The redesign is particularly relevant to wing plow applications, where operators may adjust the wings repeatedly during a storm.
Wing positions can be changed to increase clearing width, contain snow, windrow material or maneuver around different areas of a property. Putting those functions directly on the machine’s primary joystick means the operator doesn’t have to repeatedly move a hand to a separate control location.
For contractors running different makes and models of loaders and tractors, the flexible mounting design also provides some adaptability between machines.
One Control Design Across the Wing Plow Lineup
KAGE says the new inline controller will be used across its hydraulic wing plow lineup, including:
- SnowFire — 32-inch stall wing plow
- SnowStorm — 36-inch-tall wing plow
- SnowDozer — 48-inch-tall wing plow
The change is a relatively small piece of equipment design, but it addresses an increasingly common consideration for attachment manufacturers: how to integrate aftermarket controls into machines that already have increasingly sophisticated operator interfaces.
For more information on KAGE Innovation’s snow removal equipment and hydraulic wing plows, visit KAGE Innovation.
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