Rear Blade Scrape blade width for my tractor?

[rowlettr]

I have a Kubota B2920 (28 hp). The rear tires span 4 ft outside to outside. I have a dirt road that is sloped the wrong way. I have tried to grade it with my box blade, but since the box blade follows the slope of the tractor, I cannot change the slope of the road.
I want to move dirt off of one side and create a ditch on the new, lower side. I think a scrape blade that angles and tilts is what I need. The road is fairly rocky, so I am concerned about damaging the blade, or having it bounce over the rocks instead of moving dirt. Would that call for a more "heavy duty" blade?
I also need it to reach beyond my tires so that I won't be driving in the ditch while I scrape.. Is 1 ft on each side enough? That would call for a 6 ft blade, or should I consider a 7 or 8 ft blade?
Thoughts?

 

[oldballs]

I just went through a similiar discussion with myself on this subject. My conclusion using a smaller tractor than yours viz., BX2660 is that a 5 ft blade that weighs 269 lbs is plenty of blade for this tractor especially on slopes or ditching. The B series Kubota could handle a 6 ft blade easily in a similiar situation. As to a 7 ft or larger, you'd better get somebody else's opinion.

 

[KU Gator]

I bought a 5' Landpride for my B2920. I tried a 6' & a 5' on mine before deciding and went with the 5' in the end because I wanted to be able to use it to create a trench which required tilting it and angling to the maximum. When I did that I could not raise it high enough with the 3 pt hitch to get the 6' one to the greatest tilt position. I am still a bit on the fence as to if that in the end was the best decision. In the winter I use it for snow and the 5' just does cover my tracks when it is angled to the max. I bought the Landpride because there was a dealer going out of business and I got a pretty good price on it. Had I have went to the dealer I got the tractor from, I would have probably gotten a Bush Hog as that is what he tends to stock. I think they are pretty similar in quality. My drive is rock, and I tend to find the box blade the more usefull tool and tilt it using the adjustment on the arms of the 3 pt hitch. I use the rear blade primarily for the snow removal.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

Couldn't you lower the scarifiers to loosen the material and then move the gravel to where you want it.??

I would think a box blade would be ideal for what you describe. No.??

Do you have pictures of the area you are trying re-work.??

 

[brandoro]

I use the Landpride grader/scraper on my lane, it does a nice job. When I was creating some crown on the lane I used the adjustment on the right lift linkage to get some tilt. Now that I have some crown I leave the adjustment flat and just maintain what's there.
My B3030 pulls the G/S easily, only occasionally needing the front wheel assist. The hydraulic top link is very handy with the G/S.

 

[rowlettr]

I bought a 5' Landpride for my B2920. I tried a 6' & a 5' on mine before deciding and went with the 5' in the end because I wanted to be able to use it to create a trench which required tilting it and angling to the maximum. When I did that I could not raise it high enough with the 3 pt hitch to get the 6' one to the greatest tilt position. I am still a bit on the fence as to if that in the end was the best decision. In the winter I use it for snow and the 5' just does cover my tracks when it is angled to the max. I bought the Landpride because there was a dealer going out of business and I got a pretty good price on it. Had I have went to the dealer I got the tractor from, I would have probably gotten a Bush Hog as that is what he tends to stock. I think they are pretty similar in quality. My drive is rock, and I tend to find the box blade the more usefull tool and tilt it using the adjustment on the arms of the 3 pt hitch. I use the rear blade primarily for the snow removal.

I went to the Kubota dealer today and he mentioned that if I had a 7ft blade, I would not be able to angle it enough. This confirms what you said. I have found 5ft blades that tilt, angle, and offset. That means the whole blade assembly will shift left a foot or so to give me the side reach I need, plus tilt and rotate. I may have the same tilt/ground clearance problem as with the 7 ft blade though because the 3 pt lift will only raise it so much. The brands I found are Bush Hog and Tennessee River.

 

[Baby Grand]

Do you have any adjustment for the top link forward mount? Some have a vertical set of holes on the transmission mount that let you get a little more lift from your 3PT hitch.

For ditching I get very good results with a middle buster - you'd need to have enough shoulder to straddle the ditch.

-Jim

 

[KU Gator]

I think 7' would be pretty big for the weight and power of that tractor. I know some mention the even with snow, the rear blade wanting to pull the tractor sideways. Also, I know the odds that I would forget about it back there and catch that on something such as the garage door would be about 100%, but maybe not for you. Your dealer might have been talking about the ability of the blade to spin 360 deg without hitting the tire.

When you put the blade at the max angle and tilt, it is standing almost verticle. I don't remember if I tried shortening up the upper link to the minimum or not, but the 6' did not quite make it. I believe I saw that you had a backhoe, so that ability may not be that important to you or as Baby Grand indicated you could dig a trench with a middle buster.

In the end, I am ok with the 5' one, but I imagine if there was a poll taken, 6' would win for that size tractor.

I don't know anything about Tennessee River brand. I think the Bush Hog is pretty well built. Woods is usually pretty well recommended. The Landpride I got is their line for 17 - 40 hp and seems plenty stout for that size tractor.

 

[rowlettr]

Do you have any adjustment for the top link forward mount? Some have a vertical set of holes on the transmission mount that let you get a little more lift from your 3PT hitch.

For ditching I get very good results with a middle buster - you'd need to have enough shoulder to straddle the ditch.

-Jim

I have an adjustment (turn buckle type) for the top link of the 3 pt attachment arms, and one for the right link. I guess the tilt of the attachment depends on whether I adjust the right link up or down. I have 2 holes for the top link at the tractor frame. I don't know why there are 2 or which one would give me more lift. It seems to me that the side arms determine the amount of lift. The top holes look like they would affect whether the attachment is plumb. Am I missing something?

 

[KU Gator]

I have never changed where my top link attaches to the tractor from the top hole. I would think the top hole would give the greater lift, but haven't really thought about it. Some of the implements I have also have an upper or lower hole.

Yes the turnbuckle on the right side is to adjust the angle of the blade. Of course some rear blades, like the one I bought, also tilt, but not all of them do.

My rock drive was having problems with puddles when there was a rain. So I use the box blade and angled it so the right side was low. Then ran down the drive on the right side and back up on the other side. I did this mostly with the scarficers down to break it up. It did a pretty good job of crowning it and eliminated the puddle issues. By adjusting the top link, it also makes a difference as to how much material you move.