TractorGuy
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2013
- Messages
- 4,611
- Location
- N. FL
- Tractor
- John Deere 4310 CUT, Ford New Holland 575E Industrial Backhoe, John Deere F725 Front Mount Mower
Like the title says I bought a 5' grader blade and a cheap quick hitch today. Got them at Agri Supply in Valdosta Ga. I went with the intentions of buying their cheapest grader blade which they sell for $200. After looking at the difference in that and the $300 Kodiak model 10371, I bought the Kodiak. On the other hand the two different brand class 1 quick hitches were $90 and $242 and I could not tell beans difference in them so I bought the less expensive 65052 model.
Both quick hitches had openings for the lift arms that were huge for cat 1 so I bought some sleeves that were cat 1 to cat 2 and cat 2 to cat 3. These were cheap and I will add them to all my implements. The top link hook was oversize as well so I will add sleeves to the pins on those as well. Both quick hitches also had cat 0 holes and pins rather than cat 1 sizes at the tractor attachment points. These will be easily drilled out later if I feel the need. So far I have only hooked up the grader on it and it has minimal slop with the sleeves over the lift pins. I will replace the two bolts for the top link hook with pins as all my stuff seems to have a different height spacing from the lift pins to the top link holes.
The grader blade has a slotted channel on the back that allows you to offset and tilt it by loosening two bolts and tightening them back in the desired position. This seemed like a good design and will come in handy for cleaning out ditches. I have only played with it for about 20 minutes after I got home but it all seems to work well. I have the top link screwed in so the blade is angled forward. This pitches the blade at a sideways angle when you pivot it like caster on steering. If I want to move dirt on a level area I will need to screw the top link out to level the blade front to rear or keep the blade in the center pivot hole. The grader also had a 5/8" top link hole that I may drill out. I think it's interesting all this stuff has cat 1 ratings and small holes here and there but that is an easy fix.
I moved some wet clay with it and my little 2WD 855 pulled a full blade worth with no problems unless I put it down with the tires in a puddle. Then it would sit there and spin. I need to replace the rear tires so I imagine I will get some good open tread mud grips to replace the bald turf tires that are on it now. In a different area I tried it on some packed sand and gravel and it actually dug into that as well and pulled. A couple of places it hooked on some decent size roots and just snatched them out of the ground. All in all I am impressed with the power and usefulness of this little JD 855. At the end of the day I might wish I would have bought a 6' blade but that might exceed the little tractor's ability.
Both quick hitches had openings for the lift arms that were huge for cat 1 so I bought some sleeves that were cat 1 to cat 2 and cat 2 to cat 3. These were cheap and I will add them to all my implements. The top link hook was oversize as well so I will add sleeves to the pins on those as well. Both quick hitches also had cat 0 holes and pins rather than cat 1 sizes at the tractor attachment points. These will be easily drilled out later if I feel the need. So far I have only hooked up the grader on it and it has minimal slop with the sleeves over the lift pins. I will replace the two bolts for the top link hook with pins as all my stuff seems to have a different height spacing from the lift pins to the top link holes.
The grader blade has a slotted channel on the back that allows you to offset and tilt it by loosening two bolts and tightening them back in the desired position. This seemed like a good design and will come in handy for cleaning out ditches. I have only played with it for about 20 minutes after I got home but it all seems to work well. I have the top link screwed in so the blade is angled forward. This pitches the blade at a sideways angle when you pivot it like caster on steering. If I want to move dirt on a level area I will need to screw the top link out to level the blade front to rear or keep the blade in the center pivot hole. The grader also had a 5/8" top link hole that I may drill out. I think it's interesting all this stuff has cat 1 ratings and small holes here and there but that is an easy fix.
I moved some wet clay with it and my little 2WD 855 pulled a full blade worth with no problems unless I put it down with the tires in a puddle. Then it would sit there and spin. I need to replace the rear tires so I imagine I will get some good open tread mud grips to replace the bald turf tires that are on it now. In a different area I tried it on some packed sand and gravel and it actually dug into that as well and pulled. A couple of places it hooked on some decent size roots and just snatched them out of the ground. All in all I am impressed with the power and usefulness of this little JD 855. At the end of the day I might wish I would have bought a 6' blade but that might exceed the little tractor's ability.
