Grading Using box blade to move alot of dirt

   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt #11  
The trick with the box blade without a hydraulic top link is to use the rippers to loosen the dirt over the whole area where you want to pick up dirt first. Then, with the rippers up find just the right amount of tilt that you pick up a big load, but it floats when the box is full so you can drag it to where you need fill and spread it. Run the tractor in the highest gear that it will pull.

On some box blades I have used there is a ripper position that just fits the fill and float tilt position so you don't have to rip it first. I learned all this from my Dad who was a schoolyard paving contractor in LA when I was a kid. He would use an 8N ford on weekends to finish up work left by the big machinery operators. You can move an enormous amound of dirt with a box blade.

steve
 
   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt #12  
Yes, you can move an enormous amount of dirt with a boxblade and 6-12" from around and into a 50x50 area is the most efficient use of a boxblade I have ever heard.

I just smoothed out and leveled a 200x145' area that had a belly in the middle and high rims that basicly made a soup bowl. Not good, looked like a swamp in a crater and the land was wasted in the winter.

The best thing I did was rent a rototiller for one day and till the sod and top layer of dirt into fluff. Trying to skim off the top layer from the cut area to fill the low area means you will have the big chunks of sod to deal with, not pretty or efficient. If you have dealt with the sod by tilling or discing then you are in great shape.

The ground was too hard in the cut area for either my BB or the subsoiler to get a bite so I added a huge amount of ballast to my boxblade and dropped the rippers to tear up the soil. Without the ballast, the BB would just scrape along the surface. With the ballast I could sink the rippers to china and fill the box at the same time though I needed to use the lowest gear since it took lots of power. 50 gallons of water made 400 lbs of ballast on top of the 350+ lb BB. Hopefully your hard soil isn't this hard.

Don't use your loader. Loaders are not supposed to be diggers. You will be excavating and grading with the BB which is the right tool.

Choose a reasonable tractor RPM and get comfortable in the seat. Plan on having a sore neck from looking over your right shoulder all day. Have lots of fuel and lots of beverage.

I purchased a laser level from the HD to check my grades. It is very difficult to set grade by eye. With a laser level I was able to establish and confirm very good drainage.
 
   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt #13  
Why not use both fel bucket and box blade at the same time?

Just rip up the area you want to move using the scarifiers on the box blade. Then go back and a bucket full of the loosened soil and drag the box blade with a box full too. It won't be too tough on the fel and you can get twice as much dirt moved each pass. Feather out the bucket dirt as you enter the dump area.

 
   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt #14  
The one suggestion I might add is to put a stake or two in the low spots. Mark the desired level on the stake. This should ensure that you don't over/under fill the area.
 
   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt #15  
There are some considerations for me when using the box blade and a JD 2210.
1) Are there many roots in the area you are levelling. Roots will stop you dead so take a chain saw with you.
2) How wet is the soil and what kind of tires Have you got? I have turf tires and clay. So its ok when dry but any heavy rains will leave you really churning. I resorted to using chains when it got bad.
3) the others have said it.. take your time. Taking small bites can be frustrating but in the end it will stop you getting into a mess.

Good Luck
 
   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt
  • Thread Starter
#16  
No roots in the field and I do have a big old case with 10 foot plow to loosen it up if it gets tooo bad.

Has been raining all week, perfect timing
 
   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt #17  
Bradal,

If you haven't already secured the box blade, I'd suggest a wider one. You want the box blade to be wider than your rear tires. If not, your tires will be tearing up your finished work as you go along. I did a similar job with a Yanmar FX24 (about 27hp) this past Sunday using a 5' blade. After that, I topped my drive with 10 yards of gravel. The little tractor didn't bog down once. I'm reaonably sure I could have pulled a 6 footer.

Patt
 
   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt
  • Thread Starter
#18  
Well I believe that a 48" BB will cover my tracks, and I have read on here many times that a 5 footer is just a little too big for the 2305. I thought I would rather go small and be able to move rather than buy big and regret getting hung up all the time. I can still change I but will have to make up my mind TONIGHT!. I am picking up the BB tomorrow afternoon and then the tractor. Stupid JD dealership doesn't have any in stock for three weeks, so I am buying a buhler, its red so it wont match my $18,000 machine :mad:
 
   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt #19  
Your are right to go with the 4'. 5' would be too big for the ground engaging you wan to do. I have a Kubota BX with a 4' box blade. Would not want a bigger one.

If you want it to match, you could always ask them to throw in a few cans of JD green paint. :)
 
   / Using box blade to move alot of dirt #20  
$18K for a 2305? What other snacks are you getting with it?

Let us know how this woks out, because I need to clear an area in my yard and level it off, also.
 
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