Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade?

   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade? #1  

Piston

Elite Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
3,945
Location
New England
Tractor
Kubota L4610 Hitachi UH083LC
I recently purchased a Land Pride RBT 4096 rear blade for my tractor and I'd like to build a hydraulic gauge wheel for the back of it. I was originally going to purchase one from Land Pride but when I got a price of $800 I decided it was something I could do without unless I were to build it myself, and I'd really like to have one. The price I got was for an RBT 3596 rear blade, which is a very similar blade, just slightly less heavy duty. For some reason, Land Pride doesn't list a gauge wheel as an option for the 4096 rear blade, but they do list it as an option for the 3596.

What I'm planning on doing, is basically copying (but beefing up the steel a bit) the factory option for the gauge wheel, however, I need a little help. If anyone has the gauge wheel option on their blade, can you tell me a few things about it?

When you retract the cylinder, does the gauge wheel assembly lift all the way up to vertical, so it's out of the way, or does it stay fairly horizontal, extending the overall length of the blade at all times? I'd like to be able to raise it to vertical so when I'm not using the gauge wheel I don't have it sticking out way past the blade.

Do you think it would be better to have a longer gauge wheel assembly, perhaps something that sticks out 3' or so, or would it be better to have something closer to the blade that only sticks out slightly? Since I'm going to build it myself, I can be pretty flexible with the design, and I'd like to use what is most effective.

How long is the factory gauge wheel assembly? I see in this parts diagram RBT3596 that the cylinder is a 3.5"X8" with a 1.25" rod diameter.

The blade came with hydraulic tilt and angle, but manual offset, so I'm going to order a hydraulic cylinder from Fit Rite Hydraulics for the offset (for literally HALF of what Land Pride wants for a lesser quality cylinder) and I'm waiting to put in my order until I can figure out what size cylinder I'll need for the gauge wheel, that way I can save on shipping by buying all at the same time.
 
   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade? #2  
Do you have draft control? If you do, IMO there is no reason to fool with the gauge wheel. If you are going to build one, build it like on a 45 series unit with the dual wheels and how it mounts. Page 13 of the link
Just my :2cents:
 
   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Do you have draft control? If you do, IMO there is no reason to fool with the gauge wheel. If you are going to build one, build it like on a 45 series unit with the dual wheels and how it mounts. Page 13 of the link
Just my :2cents:

No I don't have draft control unfortunately. I'll check the link you posted.
 
   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade? #4  
Brian, how would draft control replace a gauge wheel?

With draft control, hard pulling will raise the implement - then, depending on the response setting of the draft control, the implement will settle back to original position setting - If you're using a blade, a hard pull can be caused by changing material, etc, and (I'm pretty sure) would make it more difficult to get a smooth, waveless surface.

With a gauge wheel, especially if you have a relatively long linkage, AND with Draft control OFF, the blade will be more likely to stay down - the long linkage will cause it to act like a land plane, with blade height changing typically half or less than either the machine or the gauge wheels do.

At least, that's my understanding of the difference... Steve
 
   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade? #5  
Brian, how would draft control replace a gauge wheel?

With draft control, hard pulling will raise the implement - then, depending on the response setting of the draft control, the implement will settle back to original position setting - If you're using a blade, a hard pull can be caused by changing material, etc, and (I'm pretty sure) would make it more difficult to get a smooth, waveless surface.

With a gauge wheel, especially if you have a relatively long linkage, AND with Draft control OFF, the blade will be more likely to stay down - the long linkage will cause it to act like a land plane, with blade height changing typically half or less than either the machine or the gauge wheels do.
At least, that's my understanding of the difference... Steve


If you have the draft setting set light, it does not take much for the blade to raise. It only raises a fraction of an inch and you go on your way. Actually never even know that anything has happened. Normally you are not taking a heavy cut and even if you were, it's not like you are making a single cut and calling it the finished grade. I have made roads from scratch, moved roads over 10'-15', finish graded. This has worked for me VERY WELL. Not saying anything bad about a gauge wheel setup, just that it is not needed if a person has the right equipment and know how to use it. Without draft control, not sure how well that would work. :confused3:

Typically for the finial finish grade, I go in reverse so that the tractor is moving over the finished surface and gives an extremely nice finish. This is done without draft control. Actually I only use draft control when I'm making a cut of more than 1 inch. ;)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0173.JPG
    IMG_0173.JPG
    135.1 KB · Views: 448
  • IMG_0297.JPG
    IMG_0297.JPG
    136.1 KB · Views: 395
  • IMG_0181.JPG
    IMG_0181.JPG
    128 KB · Views: 369
   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade? #6  
I have the hyd gauge wheel and no, doesn't go completely vertical and does extend rearward. It does go sufficiently high that the blade will rotate under it, should you wish to reverse blade. I am having trouble envisioning a geometry that would do what you want without repositioning the attachment point, etc. but I'll go look at mine (I've posted pics before)
 
   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Joel,
If you get a chance, could you measure the length of the gauge wheel main support bar for me? i'm wondering how long it is. I remember seeing a picture you posted somewhere before as well, I'll try to search your old posts and find it. I'll post a few pictures of my "new" blade as well.

Brian,
I like the idea of the dual gauge wheel on the RBT4596 that you posted about. I think I'll try to copy that one. I can't believe they get $1700 for the gauge wheel setup on that blade! I wonder what the blade itself costs new.

What I was thinking about as far as getting the "geometry" right for allowing the gauge wheel to be raised up to almost vertical, would be to use a longer cylinder, and instead of mounting it to the very end of the rear blade frame, mount the end of the cylinder on the actual boom of the blade frame, closer towards the tractor. I'll try to draw a picture to represent it a bit better.
 
   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
I found your picture Joel, or at least, the one I was thinking of. Do you have any other pics of it?

220199d1310002953-hydraulic-gauge-wheels-box-blade-tricked-out-rb.jpg


Also, Where are your remote valves located on your tractor? I have a 4 spool valve on my right fender, and I'm not sure if I'll add 2 more to it (stack valve) or if I'll add a 2 spool valve in another location. I could also do a diverter which may not be a bad option, but I'm getting ahead of myself here.
 
   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade? #9  
Joel,
If you get a chance, could you measure the length of the gauge wheel main support bar for me? i'm wondering how long it is. I remember seeing a picture you posted somewhere before as well, I'll try to search your old posts and find it. I'll post a few pictures of my "new" blade as well.

Brian,
I like the idea of the dual gauge wheel on the RBT4596 that you posted about. I think I'll try to copy that one. I can't believe they get $1700 for the gauge wheel setup on that blade! I wonder what the blade itself costs new.

What I was thinking about as far as getting the "geometry" right for allowing the gauge wheel to be raised up to almost vertical, would be to use a longer cylinder, and instead of mounting it to the very end of the rear blade frame, mount the end of the cylinder on the actual boom of the blade frame, closer towards the tractor. I'll try to draw a picture to represent it a bit better.








My RBT45108 with skid shoes and no hydraulics was $3600 six years ago. 2 years later I find out that I could have bought it with no adjustment bars at all and saved about $600. :( Here is a pic of it brand new, ready to get unloaded off of the trailer. :thumbsup: The improvement over my first rear blade in indescribable. :cool2:

For your gauge wheel setup. Use a 3" x 10"-12" stroke and like you said, mount the cylinder up on the boom maybe half way and you will easily be able to get vertical or even towards the tractor movement. Not that hard to do, just put the thinking cap on. ;) Thinking about it a bit more and you should be able to get the tail all the way up and over the boom. :cool:
 

Attachments

  • P7120004.JPG
    P7120004.JPG
    115 KB · Views: 439
  • P3310018.JPG
    P3310018.JPG
    155 KB · Views: 157
Last edited:
   / Advice on building hydraulic gauge wheel on a Landpride RBT heavy duty rear blade?
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Brian, that is one heck of a blade, I'm actually surprised it wasn't more than what you paid. I bet the price has gone up since then though.

Here are are a few pics of my new blade.
 

Attachments

  • image-4039450985.jpg
    image-4039450985.jpg
    146.3 KB · Views: 633
  • image-587355013.jpg
    image-587355013.jpg
    169.5 KB · Views: 264
 
 
Top