Box Scraper Help me understand TnT-how does it help grading?

[MtnViewRanch]

Do you call your std top link a tip link? No, even though tipping is what it does, it is called a top link. There is enough confusion now, please don't start getting what stuff is called more confusing for people.

[ovrszd]

Do you call your std top link a tip link? No, even though tipping is what it does, it is called a top link. There is enough confusion now, please don't start getting what stuff is called more confusing for people.

Okay,,,,,,, then we are going to have to call it a Top and Side kit, since the side link certainly isn't called the tilt link.....

I'll stick with mine,,,, since I would use it to "tip" and "tilt" my attachment.

[RealJimbo]

Anyway . . . to me TnT is Top & Tilt, but call it what ya like.

The reason I asked about TnT with a boxBlade was that, on another thread around here somewhere, a few members mentioned a chain or simply removing the top link when finishing. And because I am new to this whole grading thing, I'd never contemplated that. But if the HTL can be set to FLOAT that might ackomplish the same thing???

And yeah, it's just me complaining, but Box Blades aint too good at moving material from the ditch to the crown.

[MtnViewRanch]

Okay,,,,,,, then we are going to have to call it a Top and Side kit, since the side link certainly isn't called the tilt link.....

I'll stick with mine,,,, since I would use it to "tip" and "tilt" my attachment.

In my owners manuals the top link is called a top link or upper link and the side links are called lift links. So I guess that they should be called tip & tilt as you say which actually makes since because that is the action that it does or top & lift as what their proper names are.

Either way, go to where ever and see how far you get ordering a tip link vs a top link.

[jinman]

And yeah, it's just me complaining, but Box Blades aint too good at moving material from the ditch to the crown.

You're absolutely right. A boxblade can move material somewhat left/right with tilt, but it can't be offset and angled like a rear blade to throw material out of a ditch and onto the roadway. As someone mentioned earlier, a rear blade/maintainer of any kind is never going to work as good as a road grader. Boxblades can spread and move materials once on a roadway, but they are not good tools for recovery of materials from the ditch.

[jinman]

Okay,,,,,,, then we are going to have to call it a Top and Side kit, since the side link certainly isn't called the tilt link.....

I'll stick with mine,,,, since I would use it to "tip" and "tilt" my attachment.

Does a boat tip fore/aft or side-to-side? Are you tipping my boat? Hey! Airplanes pitch up and down and roll side-to-side. Maybe we could call it pitch-n-roll. I think I'll call mine tip-top because that sounds like the best. . . maybe not.

[RealJimbo]

Do cows tip?

[ovrszd]

Do cows tip?

I've heard they do!!!

[Reg]

Though I know I want TnT, I want to understand it better B4 I go off looking for one. My mount is a Kubota M6040. I have a long unimproved road/driveway that was put in over 10 years ago. Basically, no one has maintained in much. So I bought a box blade, thinking I would resell it (was a deal with a flail) but I have started using it.

Last year I did some work on the road with a cheap rake, but I decided that without gauge wheels, it was minimally effective. The box blade digs up the big rocks and fills in holes, but it too seems to need gauge wheels when attempting to smooth/finish. It also seems to take forever to move stuff from the ditch to the crown, which was why I wanted a back blade. Anyway . . .

I am hoping someone can help me understand how TnT will improve Box blade performance without gauge wheels. Seems straightforward that Tilt will make ditch/crowning simpler, without getting on and off the seat. But how does the hydraulic top link help? Do they have a float position?

IMO the T'nT will be more of a distraction to you while learning to use a BoxBlade EFFECTIVELY.
Once you CAN use it effectively,,,, you won't need to ask whether you need T'nT or how to use it (-:
You may well decide against.

Sure the BoxBlade with the scarifiers down will churn up the rocks - and with JUDICIOUS setting of the top link will fill the holes and dips in.
IMO a hydraulic top link (never mind the side link for now) makes adjustments that are too coarse for leveling and fine grading.

If I tried to write a tutorial on this I would suggest getting the tractor on level hard top (e.g. flat concrete) and lowering the BoxBlade, adjust the top link so that the front blade is about 1/2 inch off the concrete and the weight of the BoxBlade is resting on the rear (smoothing or dragging) blade.
Go out and try it, this should scrape a very thin layer off the top, the rear (smoothing) blade will act as your "gauge wheels". If it fills up too quickly extend the top link by 1/2 or 1 turn - yes, it can be that FINE - point is you will need less "cutting" and more "riding on the rear blade".
IMO hydraulic top links are either too coarse for this - or maybe my hand is too heavy - yeah, that may well be it. I may need flow restricters, but enough about me.
Anyway, for the LEARNING EXPERIENCE do go through very small adjustments of the top link.

I am sure you will get to areas where there is not cutting happening and about that point the box dumps out to empty - well, ~Yeah~ that is a low spot that needs no cutting down. You have probably just filled an edge of its rim, to a point.
Figure where the next high spot candidate is and come into the low spot with another load from that high, etc.

Repeat until done.

[teg]

For me, the bottom line... TnT = faster / more work done.

...and I think it would help you learn how to use the BB better since you can make the adjustments quick and easy... and if the BB does not give you the desired results, you can immediately make fine adjustments to it again and again, until you find the correct settings. I have a needle valve to make very fine adjustments, so this might be different from some others.