backblade size 6 or 7?

[gerard]

Looking for some real life experience from anyone who has a 25-30 hp tractor and backblade. I know a 6ft is probably the wisest size for me to get but I'm leaning to a 7ft because 90% of the use is going to be snow removal. Obviously the extra foot means I get done sooner. (I may like tractors but with NO cab my enthusiasm drops propotionately with the tempeture!) My dealer is strongly pushing the 6ft. I'm thinking with the blade angled sharply I probably get an effective cross section of about 5 1/2 feet. I use a 5ft box blade with no trouble so I figure that's equivalent to the 7footer when angled. Does this logic fly?? Does anyone out there use a 7footer with this size tractor? Although I WANT the 7, I'll defer to the collective "wisdom of the board".

 

[Anonymous Poster]

My first blade was a 6ft for my compact. It was a cheaper blade and I discovered it was too light. I now use a 7 footer-light duty and I am much happier with the results. Mostly because it is heavier(not heavier duty) than the 6 footer. Just don't take too much gravel at once. I have not tried it on snow yet but I think it will work better because of the extra length to angle snow outside the width of the tractor. I do not think you will have any trouble dragging as much snow as you want. Having said all that I still think a 6 footer is best for a tractor this size if you buy one that has lots of weight to it. Some blades will offset to either side, that helps too. Maybe having a wider blade just for snow and another shorter very heavy blade or box scraper for earthwork would be the ideal combination.

 

[JerryG]

Gerard,
I also bought a light cheap blade (6’) the first time. I had it about 2 months and traded it off, for a Hardee ABH-84 (7’). Best thing I could have done. The first one, was light and didn’t offset. The Hardee is heavy and does offset. It is just like day and night between using them.
The weight of your tractor will have about as much to do with how it handles the blade as anything else. My MF 1250-4 w/loader and me on it weights in at about 4100 lbs. It handles the larger blade extremely well. I move mostly dirt. We don’t get much snow in AR. The most that we have had sense I bought the blade is 6”.
JerryG

 

[Von]

I use an old (about 45yrs.) 8 ft. blade that I had left over from my Oliver 550 on my B8200 HST. It is a real heavy blade and it will stop the tractor if I bang into a big snow pile. I just got my driveway paved so it will be a pleasure to plow this year. No more raking stone out of the yard for days come spring! I also use it on my ice rink (90' X 145') with no problems. For snow you can go way wider, just don't expect much in the dirt with a wide blade.

Von

 

[gerard]

Thanx for the input all. I'll probably go with the 7 and just be extra conservative when doing any dirt work.

 

[dwarren]

Good choice, the 7 footer is definitely the way to go. Remember, when you are pushing snow, you'll want to angle your blade slightly so the snow will roll off. With the 7 footer, you'll still be wider than your tread. With a 6 footer however, you may not be as wide as your tread. Happy snow plowing!

 

[dwarren]

Good choice, the 7 footer is definitely the way to go. Remember, when you are pushing snow, you'll want to angle your blade slightly so the snow will roll off. With the 7 footer, you'll still be wider than your tread. With a 6 footer however, you may not be as wide as your tread. Happy snow plowing!

 

[Kelvin]

Gerard,
I vote with everyone else: I don't think you'll have any problem with the 7' model, especially in snow...ASSUMING THAT YOU HAVE 4WD. I have used a medium duty 6' model on my B7100 4wd (16hp) with AG tires with no problem whatsoever (I believe that it would handle a lightweight 7-footer...maybe one day I'll try).

If you only have 2wd then I don't know the answer to your question.

Kelvin

 

[Anonymous Poster]

One thing to think about is if you use the blade for ditching or uses where tilt is important, the 7 footer will not have much clearance if any when you are moving around on the job. My 4310 doesnt raise my 6 footer enough to use it in its most acute tilt angle. If the only use is snow the 7 footer is fine.
Happy Tractoring

 

[MarkV]

Gerard,

Just something else to keep in mind. If you plan on much dirt work the wider blade adds more leverage on the 3pt hitch. I have broken 2 stabilizers on my B21 with a 6' blade. We have a lot of rock and when I hit something that will not move that darn little tractor just keeps pulling until something gives. I am working on a stronger stabilizer system.