New kioti or used?

[94BULLITT]

You have a very good chance at tearing up the implement if you add weight to it.

 

[IslandTractor]

You have a very good chance at tearing up the implement if you add weight to it.

Really? With a 35hp tractor?

A 50hp CUT doesn't tear up a standard box blade so I don't see how the 35 would. The added weight (probably 200-400lbs) just keeps the BB from skipping along the surface.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I put @300 lbs on my 6' box blade on my little l2800 and it makes it work much better and I think it will stop the tractor before I hurt the bb.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

It's not just the HP rating, I have my 32HP tractor ballasted to 5000lbs. That is more weight than a Kubota M7040 4x4, about the same weight as an M8540 2wd and only 400lbs less than an M8540 4x4. Do you think that those tractors should be using an implement that is made from 1/4" material? A LOT has to do with what, how & the conditions of what a person has to work with.

IMO you never want to add weight to an implement. When you do that you have just increased the capability of that implement past what it was ever structurally designed for. Do the light duty implements work? Yes, do they work as well? Usually not as well a the same implement that is built better & heavier. The size, weight and cost of any implement all need to be evaluated when being purchased. What many of us do is recommend what would be the ideal setup and the rest is left up to the guy paying the bill. Nothing wrong with saying that a person can get by with something light duty, but it is nice to know what goes along with whatever is recommended, good or bad.

Just my :2cents: based on what I have seen, read and mistakes that I have made from inexperience over the years.

 

[94BULLITT]

I agree with MTNview.

If you buy a good tractor why not buy quality implements for it. Alot of the time you can find a used implement that is like new except it needs painted.

 

[jenkinsph]

I agree with Moutainviewranch and 94Bullit. I recommend you get a good heavy duty 66" boxblade that doesn't need extra weight added to it. Put your money and the weight into the structure of the boxblade. I would also recommend buying the topntilt kit from Brian (Fit Rite Hydraulics). I spend lots of time doing boxblade work and it is much easier to hold a grade with a heavy well built model.

 

[Gittyup]

Yep. Go heavy. I found an old gannon 6' that was all orange with rust for $150. It's the real deal, with 8 scarifiers on a single retractable bar and pivoting rear blade. Guessing right at 1000 lbs or so. It was missing the rear blade and needed a little welding. With the new blade, welding, and fresh paint, I'm in for about $400. But, the blade I have easily would cost over a grand new. It cuts and spreads great, even on my little CK25.

 

[IslandTractor]

If I found a heavy duty box blade for $400, I'd buy it too. However, unless you want to search Craigslist constantly or hang out at farm auctions, the only alternative is to buy one new. As I recall, a standard 72" BB can be had for a bit over a grand from Woods or other quality manufacturers. Heavy duty BBs are at least double that. So while heavy is good, adding weight to a good standard BB is still an economical alternative for non commercial use. And, you can use the extra grand you save to get a grapple or other extra implement to increase overall tractor utility and efficiency.

Edit: Gannon makes the heavy duty Woods BB. I believe they are actually closer to $3000 in the 72 inch >1000lb size. Don't be fooled by the many companies that call their 400-500lb box blades "heavy duty". That is marketing hype. Nothing under 1000lbs, even in a five foot BB, is really heavy duty.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

If I found a heavy duty box blade for $400, I'd buy it too. However, unless you want to search Craigslist constantly or hang out at farm auctions, the only alternative is to buy one new. As I recall, a standard 72" BB can be had for a bit over a grand from Woods or other quality manufacturers. Heavy duty BBs are at least double that. So while heavy is good, adding weight to a good standard BB is still an economical alternative for non commercial use. And, you can use the extra grand you save to get a grapple or other extra implement to increase overall tractor utility and efficiency.

Edit: Gannon makes the heavy duty Woods BB. I believe they are actually closer to $3000 in the 72 inch >1000lb size. Don't be fooled by the many companies that call their 400-500lb box blades "heavy duty". That is marketing hype. Nothing under 1000lbs, even in a five foot BB, is really heavy duty.

Based on that statement, a 60" heavy duty BB does not exist. I found a Gearmore 2G2 series 60" industrial BB that weighs 770lbs, but you are correct in that it is not rated to be "heavy duty". It is only industrial quality (about twice as heavy as the next step down) and what about every landscaper around here uses. Some people would prefer to have 1 GOOD implement while others are happy having 2 average implements. All that I can say is "each to his own" and that the average implements do indeed work well for many people.

 

[IslandTractor]

Based on that statement, a 60" heavy duty BB does not exist. I found a Gearmore 2G2 series 60" industrial BB that weighs 770lbs, but you are correct in that it is not rated to be "heavy duty". It is only industrial quality (about twice as heavy as the next step down) and what about every landscaper around here uses. Some people would prefer to have 1 GOOD implement while others are happy having 2 average implements. All that I can say is "each to his own" and that the average implements do indeed work well for many people.

I think that as you and I have both discovered, the use of the term "heavy duty" is pretty lax when describing box blades for marketing purposes. When I think heavy duty I think of the >1000lb Gannon type BBs which are truly commercial quality (I cannot imagine why a private individual would want to shell out three thousand plus bucks for one). These true commercial heavy duty BBs also typically have other features like roll over etc that might be nice but are infrequently used by homeowners etc doing driveway maintenance type tasks.

I certainly agree with your comment about having one good implement rather than two average ones. I'm not advocating buying the cheapest mail order box blade you can find. However for me a good box blade is a Woods SR72 (standard duty, about 450lbs or so and about $1000) and that is strong enough to stop my 5000lb+ 40hp tractor dead in its tracks when I hit a stump or big rock. Strength of the SR72 is simply not an issue. Weight of the BB is as you often point out a very important part of making the tool work but my point is simply that inherent implement weight is not the only way to reasonably get that total of 800-1000lbs of down pressure. Just as you have ballasted your tractor to get the weight up to 5000lbs, it is possible to ballast a standard box blade too.