Snow Blade John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights

   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights #1  

atrulli

New member
Joined
Oct 12, 2010
Messages
17
Location
Manning, IA
Tractor
John Deere 4600
Hi,
We got Dad a John Deere 4600 with the front scoop and loader.

We are looking for a rear blade and for weights.

I thought I seen on here a thread about them, today I can't find it.

Please be so kind to give me the link.

We are located in rural west central Iowa, so if anyone has a rear blade for sale or weights, let me know.

Would like to stick with a 5 foot blade, so Dad is not catching it on things.

Thanks,
Ann
 
   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights #2  
A 5' blade is to small. You need to remember that it is "shorter" when angled. You need to at least cover the tire tracks when angled.

What weights are you looking for, Front or Wheel weights?
 
   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights #3  
A 5' blade is to small. You need to remember that it is "shorter" when angled. You need to at least cover the tire tracks when angled.

What weights are you looking for, Front or Wheel weights?

Yes you REALLY want a minimum of a 7ft HD rear blade. This tractor will easily handle an 8 footer.
 
   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights
  • Thread Starter
#4  
thanks for the help.

I am needing to think this thru.... my Dad is 88 years young... still very active, still drives a truck for the Co-op in the spring and fall. We modified his old tractor and did modifications to this one... adding a grab bar on the outside of the cab, then adding an additional step up to the cab... etc.

The priority is to add weight on the rear of the tractor. Not sure I want to do water/antifreeze... think it would be good to be able to take off the weight if need be.
How much weight can be added to the rear end to make it more stable. Then what is the easiest type to add? I seen a picture of some suitcase weights... but can't see how this would work on this tractor.

So is there a way to add weight a different way? We have a welding shop down the hill from us... so that is not a problem. I looked at the back of this tractor, not sure I can see a way to add weight easily without adding it to a blade. On Dad's old IH he has a blade with a huge round wheel of weight that the log chain fits on. He can push, pick up trees, etc. with this old smaller tractor... this new JD 4600 is narrow and light -- but has twice the horsepower... go figure.

The front scoop is 63 inches wide.

I am afraid if I go to wide two things will happen -- Dad catching it on things... and not fitting in the shed, where he can get around it.... He has another tractor he uses for grading, dirt work, etc.

How much hook up is needed for the back blade in the cab.. it is scheduled to go in Monday or Tuesday to fix the heater, that is leaking antifreeze.

I think it was the rear 45 blade that was supposed to go with this tractor and that was like 63 inches if I recall right. So, I can look at a 7 ft. blade. Now, which one?
 
   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights #5  
The priority is to add weight on the rear of the tractor. Not sure I want to do water/antifreeze... think it would be good to be able to take off the weight if need be.
How much weight can be added to the rear end to make it more stable. Then what is the easiest type to add? I seen a picture of some suitcase weights... but can't see how this would work on this tractor.

If you're looking for rear ballast (which is how your post reads) rather then a blade for grading or snow removal, then go for a ballast box. They're cheaper then a blade and much more compact. Filled with the right material, a ballast box is heavier then most implements (I use sand...not as heavy as cement but I use a shovel full now and then for traction). As far as "how much weight", read the manuals that should have come with the tractor/loader. If you don't have those manuals, contact your local Deere dealer. My guess (based upon my 4400's manuals) is you could easily go 1000 lbs (I've got about 600 lbs in my ballast box, but could use more).

As far as stability...I find fluid filled tires (rears) are the best way to go. Since you're in Iowa, you'll want something with a low freezing point such as RV antifreeze, windshield washer fluid or calcium chloride.

Rear blades are pretty bulky and it's easy to knock into things like cars and fences. Great for what they're designed for, but not the best option for ballast or stability.

BTW, that front "scoop" is called a bucket.
 
   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights
  • Thread Starter
#6  
LOL... on the bucket... Dad has corrected me more then once for calling it a scoop versus a bucket.

Dad and I measured the tractor width, measured the shed and talked. A 7 ft. blade will work good. My husband and I will probably be catching more things then Dad the way it looks. We seen Dad lower a plow into the bed of the pick up this a.m. WOW... I couldn't have done it without taking out the guy's back window.

Dad doesn't want to mess with filling the tires. He did this once, years ago, decades -- said he would never do it again.

So, what 7 ft blade does everyone recommend....

Thanks again for all the help.

Ann
 
   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights #7  
LOL... on the bucket... Dad has corrected me more then once for calling it a scoop versus a bucket.

Dad and I measured the tractor width, measured the shed and talked. A 7 ft. blade will work good. My husband and I will probably be catching more things then Dad the way it looks. We seen Dad lower a plow into the bed of the pick up this a.m. WOW... I couldn't have done it without taking out the guy's back window.

Dad doesn't want to mess with filling the tires. He did this once, years ago, decades -- said he would never do it again.

So, what 7 ft blade does everyone recommend....

Thanks again for all the help.

Ann

Sounds like your father is sharper then you thought!!!!

My blade is an ancient 6 footer I bought from a farmer years ago...heavy duty, but I have no idea who built it.

Anyway, as far as a rear blade...for a quality built blade, I'd go Befco, Land Pride or Woods...that list is alphabetical, not in order of quality.
Do determine if you want "tilt" as well as rotation...ask your dad..he knows what he'll want.
 
   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights
  • Thread Starter
#8  
My Dad is very sharp... which I have never doubted. I am very proud of him. There are not many 88 year youngsters - who are doing so much they enjoy as Dad with doing some simple modifications. He is still working seasonally ... as he enjoys keeping busy, seeing people and being out and about.

What has changed is the available resources offered today in comparison to the last equipment he bought was 1981...

He always bought the best as he believed you got what you paid for. If he couldn't find what he was needing locally, he had someone make it for him. Those were the days where there were several different implement dealers with in a couple miles. Then the 80's hit and the farm economy changed.

For years we went without a local "blacksmith", so he was left with finding someone who had a hobby in welding.

The last blade he had made to go on his little tractor was back in the early 80's.

He checked a 25 mile radius at the farm stores and he didn't think they would make it through a weekend, much less for a season. I will ask him about the tilt and rotate.

Thanks again.
 
   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights #9  
LOL... on the bucket... Dad has corrected me more then once for calling it a scoop versus a bucket.

Dad and I measured the tractor width, measured the shed and talked. A 7 ft. blade will work good. My husband and I will probably be catching more things then Dad the way it looks. We seen Dad lower a plow into the bed of the pick up this a.m. WOW... I couldn't have done it without taking out the guy's back window.

Dad doesn't want to mess with filling the tires. He did this once, years ago, decades -- said he would never do it again.

So, what 7 ft blade does everyone recommend....

Thanks again for all the help.

Ann

Ann, the Land Pride RBT3584 would be the best 84" blade available. You can get all manual adjustments or any one or all of the adjustments hydraulically controlled. :thumbsup: There are many good rear blades out there, but none of them that I know of that are of this duty rating have the range of motion and have the option of being controlled with hydraulics.

Good luck with you search. ;)
 
   / John Deere 4600 rear blade and weights
  • Thread Starter
#10  
I have looked at craigslist, ebay, etc.

So, today I started calling around .... Only one guy has a new 7 ft. blade on hand. It is a 7 ft. Woods that weighs 335 pounds for $850. The guy is 20 miles away, super nice and called me back when he said he would. He could also drop it off if he is coming my way.

The first four said they had no rear blades on hand... it would be a special order and they would have to call me back. One place called me back and he could get me a Frontier 7 ft. for right at $900. That is the only kind they sell.

The one guy who called back tried to convince me to go to a 6 ft versus 7 ft. He had a used one, it weighed like 150 lbs for $400. There was no name or numbers left on the blade to give me a brand.

Two places -- which have multiple locations -- 13-14 stores in western Iowa... didn't call me back, which is not a surprise. The same thing happened when I called around about tractors. If Dad would have called as a male, you can bet they would have looked it up and at the least called him back.

The place which on lines says sells Land Pride, doesn't any more, he is exclusive to Woods. He thought the Woods was a better blade then the Land pride.

I asked him about the 6 ft. blade, he doesn't keep them on hand. Nor, does he recommend them and I would be very disappointed if I got it.

So what does everyone think?

Thanks,
Ann
 
 
 
Top