Gauge wheels on a box blade, worth persuing?

[BigDogues]

Hi, I am going to be fabricating a set of gauge wheels for my landscape rake and have been considering making mounts so that I could use them on my box blade as well.
Has anyone else done this? Is it worth the effort? Does the box plade work better with the gauge wheels or does the weight of the blade just push the wheels down into the loosened gravel?
Thanks,
Phil

 

[HomeBrew2]

I'm right there with you, though it's not a priority just yet. My thought is to make the guage wheel shanks/stingers quickly attachable by using 2" trailer hitch receivers so I can use them on my rake, BB and grader blade.
Cheers and good luck.

 

[Egon]

Put them on. Transfer them. Make life easy.! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon

 

[Barnboy]

I just finished my landscape rake gage wheel project. Look at forum customization. If you have any question I'll be glad to help. I ended up with $70 and some shop time in my wheels

 

[tommu56]

I was thinking of making a set and using 2" tube and receiver arraingment to make the removable. but havent got any further i need a 48 hr day's

tom

 

[HomeBrew2]

YES !!!!!! DEFINATELY WORTH PURSUING !!!!!!

Understand that I am still riding the high from the tractorgasm of adding gauge wheels to my rake ... but I made that system to be transportable via 2" trailer hitch receivers so, I just had to spend the extra 15 minutes to glue receivers to the top of the box scraper.

UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE !!!!!!!!!!

Sidebar: I went to a the tractor shop the other day ... they had a nice little 6' pull (wheel) scraper in the yard ... I inquired about it ... the guy lit up and said it was a new product that they started carrying cuz so many folks were complaining about the box scraper doing the bad things we know it can do. I told him that I just made a set of gauge wheels for my rake and would add them to my box scraper this weekend ... his enthusiasm wayned greatly and the conversation was over. BYW, they wanted $1400 for it ... nice unit though. Whatever.

So, attached is a pic of the gauge wheels on my scraper. Hopefully you can see the background has been skimmed and the foreground, right under the box, is being filled ... all with me just sipping beer and watching the marvel.

Tech note: I found no real need to have 36" stingers on the gauge wheel setup for the rake ... BUT, I do like it for the scraper and, subsequent to the pic, set it at full length.

I cannot emphasize enough what a difference this makes with the scraper.

Cheers!

 

[RonR]

Absolutely Great Mod!

I will file this pic and it WILL be a mod I do next year. I try to use my FEL in lieu of the BB since I can control it easier. With gage wheels, it should make the BB a better tool.

Thanks for posting a great idea.

Ron

 

[GaryE]

Phil,

This is not meant to be a negative comment, but how are a couple of small wheels going to help a 600 – 900 pound BB in soft ground? From what little work I have done with mine, it would seem a quick hand on the 3PH control would be far more effective. If I am missing something here, please let me know. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Gary

 

[have_blue]

Gary,

I've tried that"Quick hand" technique. Only works in very low gear, and will busy you to death. It's just too time and work intensive for my taste.

I thought of attaching gage skids or gage wheels directly to the end plates of the box blade. Either would greatly aid in preventing whoop-de-doo's, but would only help a little in reducing existing whoop's. I think the extended wheels in HomeBrew's picture would work better for that.

But you're right Gary, those wheels and brackets need to be very heavy duty.

 

[CTyler]

If the ground is so soft the wheels keep sinking then thier not going to be a lot of help. The ground would have to awfull fluffy or wet. I made them for my rake, BB and RB using cheap wheels from HF rated at 400# each.

My BB is ~600#, this means the wheels only need to support ~300#. The other half of the weight is supported on the 3pt. They work great in the farm field and gravel drive. Pretty much set it and forget it.