Grading Rear Blade or Box Blade for project, size?

[Qhorse]

Cross post from attachment section.

Questions for the been there done that crowd?
I am considering a purchase of a new attachments for my recently purchased JD 2720 31 HP wheel width base 4' 5". I have a need to do some rough grading, finish grading and putting in a ditch/V for spring run off to an exit point. Soil is, dirt, weeds and some grassy stuff. What is the best attachment for this and other like grading projects, rear blade or box blade, if box blade, what size and what brands are suggested. Due to the budget, I can only buy one for these type of projects. I am considering the rear blade with a tilt but not sure if this is the best choice for most grading needs? I currently have a bucket and 6' rake. Suggestions please? Thank you.

 

[art]

The first thing with any type of excavation work is to be sure to be wider then the tractor. With having a york rake, I'd be headed for a box scraper.

 

[mfreund]

I have a 4310 (32 hp) and use a 6' King Kutter box blade. I like the box blade, but it is hard to change the depth of the ripper shanks. A good blade for the money. I would suggest a hydraulic top link for any grading project. If you have the money top and tilt is the best you can do.

 

[TripleR]

I have used both over the years and much prefer the box blade myself. As to brand, I would have to go down and look at it as it is an off brand, KMC or something like that, but it works well.

I agree with the prior poster about hydraulics as I used a Kubota my son in law borrowed, but didn't know how to use to work on his property and it had power top link and tilt and I loved it. I don't know the cost as I haven't done it to my tractor as I pretty well have all that sort of stuff finished.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

I'd vote 60" or 66" box blade and a middle buster.
hydraulic top link would be nice, but not sure what that would cost.
middle buster at TSC or Atwoods is under $150, and does a good job of starting a ditch, breaking sod, etc...

 

[jenkinsph]

How important is the ditching? The rear blade is best for that and I would go with a 6ft blade to get some reach. Top and tilt would be a great addition for either rearblade or boxblade. You can do some smoothing with the rear blade and fel but considering you have a rake that will help alot too.

For smoothing driveways I prefer the 3 pt landplane it gives great results quickly and easily.



Steve

 

[Steve C]

Cross post from attachment section.

Questions for the been there done that crowd?
I am considering a purchase of a new attachments for my recently purchased JD 2720 31 HP wheel width base 4' 5". I have a need to do some rough grading, finish grading and putting in a ditch/V for spring run off to an exit point. Soil is, dirt, weeds and some grassy stuff. What is the best attachment for this and other like grading projects, rear blade or box blade, if box blade, what size and what brands are suggested. Due to the budget, I can only buy one for these type of projects. I am considering the rear blade with a tilt but not sure if this is the best choice for most grading needs? I currently have a bucket and 6' rake. Suggestions please? Thank you.

I don't know where you are located, but if you are lucky enough to be near a TSC store you may be able to buy a new box blade with the adjustable ripper teeth and the fixed double direction, pushing and pulling rear edge cutting blades (2) for $199 for the 5 foot and $249 for the 6 foot. They seem to be a exact copy of the King Kutter equipment except for the gun metal grey paint. TSC has some old stock "Dark Horse" brand equipment laying around and is clearing it out at very good prices. They seem to be a exact copy of the King Kutter equipment except for the gun metal grey paint. I recently bought the Dark Horse middle buster plow ($49) and the chisel plow ($49) from the TSC store in Houghton lake Michigan and most recently I purchased the 5 foot box blade for $199 from the TSC store in Ionia Michigan. They were sitting side by side with the king cutter box plades and the only thing I could see that was different was the color of the paint. I first used the box blade to move compacted recycled asphalt from areas of my drive that are no longer needed to create a parking area near one of my barns. The ripper teeth do a great job of digging in on hard or grassy surfaces.

Last week I flattened an area for an above ground pool at my grandaughters house using the 5 foot box blade. I just dropped the rippers down all the way and made a couple of passes with the blade slightly above the ground, letting the rippers loosen up all the sod, then I raised the rippers up and pushed the sod out of the way in one pile, went back and moved the dirt. the pool pad was on a slight incline, I removed about a foot of material on the uphill side. It was a very easy process even with my little tractor. I think it would work very well for your application.

 

[tugboat-2]

WELCOME ABOARD Qhorse: I was wondering where you are located and if you intend plowing snow? I find snowplowing a long lane is best with a combo of the bucket and a rear grader-blade.

If you can only have one of the two,..I'd likely choose the grader over the box, but that's just "my" opinion as I use both around here. My grader blade is a big old, real "heavy" Heavy Duty rig.

Good luck to you!
. . tug

 

[Barely Smokin']

QHorse,

I've got a 790, a 4' Land Pride box blade and a 6' rear blade.

Let me try 'splaining it this way:

- A box blade will excavate compacted dirt, lawn. A scraper will merely rattle along the surface, unless you have the blade at max-angle---then you might get a shallow V ditch. Maybe.

- Box blade will transport much more dirt than a scraper.

- BB will rip through roots and dig up rocks. Much harder with a scraper.

- Put one end-tooth down on a BB, tilt it, and you've got one heck of a ditcher. Much harder to get a scraper to start a ditch. Yeah, you can angle a scraper a little better for ditch...but I find that ditch-wise I can do anything with my BB than I can with my scraper...with the exception that my BB will rip out anything in the ditch, while the scraper tends to bounce over it.

- A BB is heavier, which makes it a more effective counterweight to a FEL than a scraper. It also makes it better at excavating for that reason.

- A BB is narrower, which makes is easier to maneuver in the woods.

- BB is less prone to wear than a scraper.

I've excavated an area half the size of a tennis court down 36" with my BB, in hard clay. I've also pioneered and cut roads in rocky hillsides with it (and my FEL). I've rebuilt roadbeds, including ditches, with it. No chance of doing any of those things with a scraper.

However, here's where the scraper excels:

- A scraper side casts. Once you've got spoil out of a ditch, the side-casting action of a scraper can put that spoil on the road's crown. It is much less efficient to do that with a BB---because the BB traps the spoil in the box.

- A scraper is very versatile for grading gravel----you can adjust the blade angle of attack, tilt, float, and even blade direction to dial in a perfect spread. I find my BB is too aggressive for spreading gravel, especially the width of an entire roadway.

- I suppose you'd want a scraper for snow-removal....but I have a snow blade for that....

Last thing: My BB is 4' wide and my tractor tires are 5'. I have yet to encounter a situation where that made a difference. OK, I leave tire marks behind me when I'm grading. Doh! But no issues with ditching...just let your side links a little loose.

If what you're moving is loose or you're just maintaining existing roads, I'd consider a scraper. If you're doing any excavating, get a BB.

Good luck!

 

[Qhorse]

Thank you all for your responses to date, I appreciate the input and ideas. I am feeling with the projects on the to do list the BB would be a better attachment at this junction given the rough grading and since most of it is covered in weeds, grasses and stuff.

I am thinking the 5' BB might be alright for the 31HP tractor, the 4' will just be under by a few inches the wheel base width.


Again, thanks for the responses to date, it makes placing down the $'s a bit easier knowing more from the tractor community.