Box blade questions, got a minute?

[Tonester]

Picked up a 72" box blade today, after recommendations found here. Primarily for grading and leveling our dirt roads. I have never used one before, only a regular blade, rake and FEL. I have read much about how useful they are and my dealer had a deal...

My questions are:

I have positional controls, but no hydraulic remote for 3 point. is this something I should consider? Is it a pricey option? What will it do for me?

Does anyone know of a thread(s) here that can advise me as to cool things to do with a box blade? I did a search and got some hints about operation and grading etc... looking for some better descriptive walkthroughs, anyone interested? Bored? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Anything I should NOT do with a box blade? Besides the obvious answers like "don't dredge the bottom of the pond"??

Any thoughts to a box blade newbie would be appreciated!

 

[Bird]

Tony, you can certainly do a lot of earth moving, leveling, smoothing, etc. with the box blade without the remote hydraulics, just by manually adjusting the length of the top link and raising and lowering the 3-point at the right time, but if you ever add the hydraulic "Top 'n Tilt", you'll find it much easier and faster. I'm afraid it took most of us some time and practice to get proficient in the use of a box blade. You want to tilt it forward (shorten the top link) to dig in and get a box full of dirt, or to smooth it while backing up, tilt it back just a little bit (length the top link) to let a box full of dirt play out slowly under it or to smooth dirt or gravel while moving forward. With the hydraulic top link you can do that "on the fly". A hydraulic side link is used less frequently, but can also be a great help at times, to tilt the blade sideways for digging shallow trenches or swales or for leveling spots when the tractor wheels are on a slope. The hydraulic top link also makes it easier to change implements and hook up everything, and makes it easier to raise implements higher if you need to see or wash the underside of implements.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I use a box blade and do not have rear hydraulic top links on either of my working tractors. It might make the work a bit easier and it would certainly let you dig in deeper quicker, but for 99% of what a box blade is good for you won't need it. But you will need practice.

 

[Soundguy]

Like Bird said... the boxblade is like the swiss-army-knife of tractor implements.

Make sure you have sway chains, to keep the box out of your tires... don't ask how I know about this... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Soundguy

 

[GaryM]

As others have said- Practice. I've been using mine for only a little while and am getting slightly better. Not that most folks could tell...

It's a lot of fun to push dirt around though.

 

[Tonester]

Sounds like when i first got my hands on a FEL - took me about a week to get a full bucket of dirt.....! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I have lots of areas to practice on, sounds like FUN! (I mean WORK!)

Soundguy, can you explain the sway chains to me? I haven't had to use them yet. How to hook 'em and where?

Does anyone know how (roughly) expensive the Top & Tilt set-up would run for my MF1433? Where do the controls mount? I have a 60" RM snow blower, would it be used there? Or hurt?

Man, I thought I had this tractor stuff figured out /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Well, I won't get bored!!

 

[Tonester]

Bird,
Thank you for the tips! You are one helpful fella. I wonder how many of those 10,000 plus posts saved someone a bunch of agony (not to mention money!) A lot, I bet....

You are appreciated, along with all these guys. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

Thanks for the compliment, Tony, and I don't know what it would cost to add the hydraulic Top 'n Tilt to your tractor, but I'll guess about $800 which is about what it cost for me to put them on my B2710, doing the work myself, or a little over $1,000 if you have the dealer do it. I now know how I could have done it a little cheaper and better, but I was just learning then, and of course I learned from other members on this forum.

I'm not familiar with your tractor and loader, but would assume the loader has an open center valve with a power beyond port that could be used. And your tractor may have an additional hydraulic outlet in addition to that. In either case, for both Top and Tilt, you would need a two spool open centered valve, the two cylinders, and then the necessary hoses, fittings, and hardware to mount the new valve.

 

[Tonester]

You are welcome!
My manual lists as an accessory a: "single or two spool auxiliary valve" that provides "one or two single/double-acting remote hydraulic circuits for implement operation". I assume I would need to get this. It also mentions a "draft control" for floating 3-point implements. I'll chat with my dealer tommorrow and see what they say. Thanks, Bird! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

Yep, Tony, for both top and tilt you need that two spool auxiliary valve and two double-acting remote circuits. But "draft control" is a whole different ballgame; nothing to do with Top 'n Tilt. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif