What improvement will loading tires on a x540 make for plowing

[Scooby074]

I have a bit of an issue with my driveway. I need to regrade and crown it. Its an established drive and its quite compacted. I also need to reslope and contour established lawn built on essentially a clay base.

I have an x540 thats capable of ground engagement.

I dont have a rear blade but am considering building one IF it will do what i want as far as re-grading my yard and drive. Has anybody built a rear blade that has tines? Any videos of the 540 pulling a rear blade so i can see what it can do? Last time i checked i couldnt find anything on youtube

I talked to the deere dealer, and he said if i added weight it should do what i want if i take very small bites. Is this the general concensis?

What about a small boxblade? can i pull it.

Before i invest time and money in this machine, id love to hear opinions. Ive also considered trading up to a BX25 or small B... Or small deere 2xxx series... My x540 is an amazing MOWER but perhaps thats what i should have bought the first time???? Although the deere dealer said that not even a 2305 could drive the blade in and pull a blade loaded with gravel or dig up a compacted drive easily....

 

[beenthere]

Likely you will need at least a box blade with the ripper teeth to work up the gravel in your drive.
And you will need some hp to rip with one. More than the X540 I'm sure. Loading the tires will give some added traction, and loading down the X540 will help too. But I'd try not to go overboard making it pull a heavy load for long.

Seems hiring someone in to rip up and spready your drive would be money ahead in the end. I gather it is a compacted gravel drive? Any rock? All sand?

An older farm tractor might be a consideration. Such were used to pull 2 bottom plows and if a 3 ph could do a reasonable job with a box blade. Several things to consider.

 

[Scooby074]

Likely you will need at least a box blade with the ripper teeth to work up the gravel in your drive.
And you will need some hp to rip with one. More than the X540 I'm sure. Loading the tires will give some added traction, and loading down the X540 will help too. But I'd try not to go overboard making it pull a heavy load for long.

Seems hiring someone in to rip up and spready your drive would be money ahead in the end. I gather it is a compacted gravel drive? Any rock? All sand?

An older farm tractor might be a consideration. Such were used to pull 2 bottom plows and if a 3 ph could do a reasonable job with a box blade. Several things to consider.

Good points. If it was a one time thing then i agree with contracting it out, however, im on a hill and this is an annual, or likely several times a year thing. The runnoff from neighboring properties is a killer. But if i have an attachment for my machine, id be able to keep it in check and prevent it from getting as bad as it currently is.

An older tractor would be an idea.. 5-6k. Id sooner have a swiss army knife in a machine (plus only one engine to maintain) thats why i was thinking CUT. Dealer is offering me 5k in trade. I would like more from him though.

But if i can make due with the 540 then great... money in my pocket.. I just dont want to go through the effort to build a small boxblade and make a 3pt/sleve hitch only to find its ineffective.

Drive is larger gravel, say 1" +-. with a clay base. Not too much larger rock. Gravel in some places is firmly compacted into the clay. In other places its very thick and needs to be redistributed.

I wish i could find a video of a loaded 540 (or similar) pulling a boxblade in similar conditions so i can get an idea if its even worth considering this route.

 

[XSKIER]

I've been working my 425 a lot lately. I have aggressive tires that are loaded. I have hills around my place as well. It seems like with the small capacity that these tractors have, loading the tires takes its fair share from it. I don't spin going up the hills, but i can't pull any more either. It will "wheelie" or just run out of power. I haven't tried to move any dirt with this one, but I do plan on trying a 5' rake for my brush clearing.

 

[Scooby074]

xskier, great.. Like the "skidder". Now to see if i can find someone running a blade..:thumbsup:

Is that a factory hitch?

 

[Jimt76]

Tufline makes a pull box blade for atv's. Monroetufline.com. It may work for you.

 

[XSKIER]

xskier, great.. Like the "skidder". Now to see if i can find someone running a blade..:thumbsup:

Is that a factory hitch?

It's a category 0/1 ruegg mfg 3 pt setup. I also got his drawbar/weight rack setup. For the skidder function, I simply replaced the top link with a 1.5" square stock 36" long with three holes drilled.