Rear Blade Heavy Rear Blade verses Box Blade

[GaryBDavis]

I owned a cheap 5’ box blade for my first tractor (JD770) but never used it much. Now, I have a JD5420 (65 PTO HP) and need either a rear blade or a box blade. I need to do some basic leveling, filling in some trenches for the electrical/water lines, and for putting in and maintaining a gravel driveway.

I’m leaning towards a heavy duty rear blade with hydraulic adjustments. This would be one of the following:

Rhino 950, 8’ at 942lbs
Rhino 1540, 8’ at 1409lbs
Bison NVHL 240, 8’ at 1490lbs

Things I like about the rear blade decision:
Hydraulic adjustments allow me more flexibility to create crowns, ditches, etc.
I can fill trenches more easily than with a box blade.

Things that worry me about the rear blade decision:
Everyone seems to prefer box blades.
Box blades come with rippers.

I wouldn’t be considering a rear blade if I couldn’t get one that weighs 1000 to 1500 lbs. I know enough to know that I need the weight to be able to get it to cut into the hard ground.

I don’t mind dropping $3k on a rear blade if it will do everything I need it to. The magical question is, “Will a heavy rear blade do everything a box blade will?”

As for brands, anyone have any comments on Bison over Rhino? Any other brand I should be looking at?

Thanks

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( magical question is, “Will a heavy rear blade do everything a box blade will?”
)</font>

Unfortunately.. NO. They are 2 different tools.. and both do many things.. and they have a large overlap... the rare blade jumps ahead for being able to angle or offset.. for snow/ gravel driveways.. etc... The box blade jumps ahead breaking up hardpack soil with rippers.. and then being able to move dirt with the 'box'.. rear blades drop dirt or windrow it.. they don't 'move' it efficiently like a box blade.

For your uses... sound like to need a decent 'middle grade from your list' rear blade and a inexpensive box blade.... Sometimes there is no substiture for the right tools.. other times you can 'get by'

Soundguy

 

[kully]

I own a woods rb850 96 in blade ,hydraulic angle ,manuel offset,and manuel tilt. blade weight is about 1100 lbs. great blade built like a tank . paid $ 2100 a year ago. this is the heavyest blade woods makes. I looked at the landpride and this was a little more weight and better price .kully

 

[Darren]

I would say you've done a good job of thinking through the options. I went with a heavy back blade years ago and haven't regretted it. Especially with the hp you have and the hydraulics, a back blade can be adjusted to rip, trench and a lot of other jobs. The weight makes all the difference in the world. The heavier the better. Buy the heaviest blade your three point will lift.

Brushhog also makes a heavy duty line of blades. Just make sure you have something on the front to counterbalance the weight.

 

[GaryBDavis]

I'venarrowed it down to three so far:

Bison NVHL-240-XHD - 8 foot
three hydraulic cylinders
optional skid shoes
optional end plates
1500 pounds
$3417 ($300 freight included)

Rhino 950 - 8 foot
three hydraulic cylinders
optional skid shoes
1000 pounds
$2900 local (no sales tax)

Woods RB850 - 8 foot (USED)
three hydraulic cylinders
1000 pounds (I'm guessing)
$ ??? Have to call the seller tomorrow

My 3pt lift capacity is 3300 pounds (a bit more than my JD770!) so I can handle any of these. My 8' shredder weighs about 1500 pounds and you know it's back there, but the tractor handles it okay.

I think weight is indeed the key. These rear blades weight as much or more than an equivalent box blade. With optional end caps that you can bolt on, it becomes pretty close to a box blade in functionality. I'm only missing the rippers.

I hear that Bison is the OEM for John Deere's "Frontier" line of implements. They are made in Mexico.

 

[sticky]

Sound guy hit it on the head.

Buy both pieces in the mid line instead of one at the ultimate top of the line. You can do way more way faster. Infact, you might be able to also get a landscape rake with caster wheels with the other 2 blades for what you are paying for the one ultra blade. If you are in buisness using it all day every day than that is a different story.



I think you might regret getting an 8 foot blade. Consider the 7 or 6 footer. If your tractor doesnt't have the weight for the 8, it is useless. A boat anchor will do the same thing for you as the 8.

 

[Darren]

With your tractor, I wouldn't shy away from a nine foot blade especially since you'll be adjusting it with hydraulics. Bush Hog has the skid shoes as standard on the 176 series.

http://www.bushhog.com/agtoc.html

 

[GaryBDavis]

Tractor weighs something like 5,000 to 6,000 pounds with the FEL. Add another 1500 pounds of implement and I'm somewhere around 7500 pounds.

 

[bigpete]

With a tractor your size, the rear blade choices sound good. Get yourself a subsoiler/ripper later if you need one.