Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit

   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit #1  

stevenf

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Kubota M9000
Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

I've got a thread going about how happy I am with my Box Blade after I reversed my scarifiers to point up in the air and Kioti John brings up a good point. Of you guys that have a hinged back blade how many of you have one that will pin closed or have fabbed it so that you can keep it closed. Of the folks that fabbed it did you just drill the cheeks of the box and insert a pin or did you do something full length like from side to side run a bar all the way across it. Just pins seem like they'd work but I'd hate to kink my blade if somebody has found a better way to keep it closed please reply to this thread before I start drilling holes in my box. BTW I still don't weld so it has to be a mechanical fix like drill holes and insert pins or a full length rod or something. Thanks for reading!
Steve
 
   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit
  • Thread Starter
#2  
Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

I've got a thread going about how happy I am with my Box Blade after I reversed my scarifiers to point up in the air and Kioti John brings up a good point. Of you guys that have a hinged back blade how many of you have one that will pin closed or have fabbed it so that you can keep it closed. Of the folks that fabbed it did you just drill the cheeks of the box and insert a pin or did you do something full length like from side to side run a bar all the way across it. Just pins seem like they'd work but I'd hate to kink my blade if somebody has found a better way to keep it closed please reply to this thread before I start drilling holes in my box. BTW I still don't weld so it has to be a mechanical fix like drill holes and insert pins or a full length rod or something. Thanks for reading!
Steve
 
   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit #3  
Re: Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

Steve I have that type of BB, but for the life of me I can't understand why you would pin the rear blade as it does nothing when pulling the BB forward. My front curved blade is fixed and this cuts into the road. the pinned rear blade just rides up out of the way to stay clear of the work. Now when I back up the pinned blade is now getting down to business but the pressure keeps it pressed down. I may be thinking about something else , so excuse the question if I am off base here.
rick
 
   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit #4  
Re: Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

Steve I have that type of BB, but for the life of me I can't understand why you would pin the rear blade as it does nothing when pulling the BB forward. My front curved blade is fixed and this cuts into the road. the pinned rear blade just rides up out of the way to stay clear of the work. Now when I back up the pinned blade is now getting down to business but the pressure keeps it pressed down. I may be thinking about something else , so excuse the question if I am off base here.
rick
 
   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Re: Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

DrRick, They make both kinds fixed and hinged back blade apparently if yours is fixed you can lift the front of the BB and drag only the rear blade which is curved backwards and thus do a better job of breaking up the road fill and smoothing roads where ours with the hinged lets stuff escape out the back much easier and in doing this doesn't smooth as well or compress the grade as much. At least this seems reasonable, maybe someone that has a fixed blade or pinned their hinged will respond with their findings.
Steve
 
   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Re: Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

DrRick, They make both kinds fixed and hinged back blade apparently if yours is fixed you can lift the front of the BB and drag only the rear blade which is curved backwards and thus do a better job of breaking up the road fill and smoothing roads where ours with the hinged lets stuff escape out the back much easier and in doing this doesn't smooth as well or compress the grade as much. At least this seems reasonable, maybe someone that has a fixed blade or pinned their hinged will respond with their findings.
Steve
 
   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit #7  
Re: Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

I think the distinction between fixed and hinged is whether you need the blade to cut aggressively, (like in compacted clay) or if "smearing" is good enough (like in gravel and loose dirt) In fact, sometimes smearing is preferred if you just want to float along the surface.

The thing about fixed blades that sometimes prevent aggressive cutting is that first, the leading blade needs to be lower than the following blade. Then, once the following blade makes contact with the ground, it limits penetration of the leading blade since its being dragged backward. The hinged style of following blade just stays out of the way.

One other problem I've had when working dirt with the fixed blades is the dead zone between the two blades pack up with dirt and neither blade can penetrate. You can't tell from the tractor seat and its hard to unpack the dirt since its also packed around the blade retaining bolts in there.

I finally replaced my fixed blade box with the hinged type and it is extremely aggressive in both directions without any top link adjustment. Occasionally its slightly harder to use in reverse, like when backfilling, when smearing is all you need.

John
 
   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit #8  
Re: Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

I think the distinction between fixed and hinged is whether you need the blade to cut aggressively, (like in compacted clay) or if "smearing" is good enough (like in gravel and loose dirt) In fact, sometimes smearing is preferred if you just want to float along the surface.

The thing about fixed blades that sometimes prevent aggressive cutting is that first, the leading blade needs to be lower than the following blade. Then, once the following blade makes contact with the ground, it limits penetration of the leading blade since its being dragged backward. The hinged style of following blade just stays out of the way.

One other problem I've had when working dirt with the fixed blades is the dead zone between the two blades pack up with dirt and neither blade can penetrate. You can't tell from the tractor seat and its hard to unpack the dirt since its also packed around the blade retaining bolts in there.

I finally replaced my fixed blade box with the hinged type and it is extremely aggressive in both directions without any top link adjustment. Occasionally its slightly harder to use in reverse, like when backfilling, when smearing is all you need.

John
 
   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit #9  
Re: Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

Gannon Landscaper has 2 bolts that go in from the back under the rear blade to hold it down.

I wonder if you may be over analyzing this box blade thing?

Ones with a fixed rear blade can never cut aggressively. Ones with a swinging rear blade can cut aggressively - and can still be used to smooth out the spoils by riding on the back blade. It is a premium feature, that's why they cost more. They also perform better. On your comment about dirt sneaking out the sides when the rear blade is "up". Can't happen. The front blade completely contains the dirt in the box. You can remove the rear blade and it won't do diddly to any dirt carried in the box.

jb
 
   / Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How'd Udoit #10  
Re: Hinged Box Blade to pin or not to pin? How\'d Udoit

Gannon Landscaper has 2 bolts that go in from the back under the rear blade to hold it down.

I wonder if you may be over analyzing this box blade thing?

Ones with a fixed rear blade can never cut aggressively. Ones with a swinging rear blade can cut aggressively - and can still be used to smooth out the spoils by riding on the back blade. It is a premium feature, that's why they cost more. They also perform better. On your comment about dirt sneaking out the sides when the rear blade is "up". Can't happen. The front blade completely contains the dirt in the box. You can remove the rear blade and it won't do diddly to any dirt carried in the box.

jb
 
 
 
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