LandprideRB15 /Woods RB72/ other/prices/opinions?

[canoetrpr]

I am off to the dealer tomorow to sign paperwork for my Kubota L3400 which is going to be delivered next week.

I'm getting a Woods bush hog with it and was wondering if I should bite the bullet and get a rear blade at this time as well.

I need either a rear blade or a snowblower by next winter (already paid someone to clear the drive this winter). A blade seems like a far cheaper option. We haven't been getting more than 6 to 8" of the white stuff this year and I figured I can get by with a blade by ensuring that I don't let it pile up too much. FEL can be used to help if I need it to move piles around.

I suspect I could find other uses for a rear blade also - moving a bit of gravel from here to there on the driveway before I can bite the bullet and get a box blade eventually.

Any thoughts on the Landpride RB15 and Woods RB72 blades for my needs? Any other lower cost options that you would recommend?

My dealer has the RB72 in stock and has quoted $729 CDN for it. Thats about $600US. Does this sound like a reasonable price? (I expect that the price up here is going to be a bit higher).

Figured that 700 bucks or so as a one time shot for a blade was better than paying $400 per year to have my drive cleared.

Would appreciate your thoughts.

 

[ronjhall]

The Woods RB72 is comparable to the Landpride RB25. Should be a good blade for the L3400.

 

[JSUnlimited]

I'd say, stick with the Woods blade. I bought a used twice RB60 2 years ago for $400.00. I find that I use the tilt feature of the blade often. You might as well have matching implements!

 

[canoetrpr]

Here's another question to throw into the mix:

Is a 6ft blade the right size of my tractor - Kubota L3400 - a 34 hp machine? or should I be looking at a 7ft.

Bear in mind I'm not moving much more than snow with it. At the most using it on the drive way to move the gravel from here to there at most.

 

[bigdad]

I ended up with a Woods RB72. Don't have the HP that you have and it works very well. Woods equipment is well made! The tilt feature is nice. For snow.......Gauge wheels are essential.

 

[EdKing]

I have a Landpride RB3572, and am very pleased. It has both tilt, and more importantly for snow plowing, easily adjustable left and right offset. It is also much heavier than the 15 series, making it better for grading/earthmoving and as a counter balance for the FEL.

 

[Toolguy]

I have a LP RB1572 on the back of my B3030. I use it for snow and loose dirt. Sometimes I wish it had the tilt feature, but overall it works great for me. Your L3400 can easily handle a 6' RB. That, in combination with the FEL, will take care of a lot of snow. Unless you get 10" or more snowfalls on a regular basis or don't have anywhere to push the plowed snow you won't need a snowblower. Here's a pic of what my little B3030 can do. No problem at all.

 

[bam747]

My BIL has a Landpride RBT1584 (7') on a Kubota L2900GST. It works well. I moved snow with it about a week ago. Note that the RBT15 includes tilt capability which the RB15 lacks. I'd highly recommend getting tilt capability on any blade you purchase. That allows you to cut steep angled ditches with ease.

The one problem with the RBT15 is that although it technically has an "offset" feature, it requires removing the moldboard, repositioning it, and then bolting it back on. I'd much prefer to get a blade with and easy to use offset capability that allows you to offset the blade to either side of the tractor. The thing about being able to offset the blade is that until you need to do it, you don't know how useful it can be. And then when you discover you don't have an offset feature, you'll curse yourself for not having it!

 

[canoetrpr]

toolguy: Thanks for posting the picture.

I was at the dealer's today and decided that I might as well hold off until next winter before I make a decision on a blade vs. blower.

It sure sounds like I might be able to get a way with a blade and with it being so much cheaper than the blower and having other uses besides snow makes it tempting.

He thought that the L3400 would be fine handling a bigger blade than 6ft... he suggested 7ft or 8ft!.. The latter sounds like overkill to me.

 

[bam747]

I believe there is a general rule regarding blade sizing that says you want to size your rear blade so that it will cover the overall outside width of your tractor's rear tires while set to a respectable angle.

For example, my John Deere 1020 tractor (38 PTO HP) has a 6'6" outside tire width. I have an 8' Rhino blade. When it is set to a aggressive angle position, it just covers the tire width.

The 7' RBT15 blade on my BIL's Kubota L2900 (25 PTO HP) does a good job of covering its rear tire width at an aggressive angle position. Even though the L2900 is on the small end of the CUT size, it pulls the 7' blade just fine.