TheMadOne
Platinum Member
Quick question. I'm getting a L3301 to do my driveway, which is a hill. Should I only push the box blade uphill and pull down, always keeping the load to the uphill side, or is it fine to work both up and down?
Grading Box Blade On a Hill
- Thread starter TheMadOne
- Start date
First, you don't want to push the box blade, 3pt arms can bend - they are designed to pull.
Bottom line, drag down hill - race back up with the box blade in the air.
Now if you can quickly change the tilt so you are pulling in both directions... If you have Ag tires, you might be able to do both up and down but the tractor will let you know (running out of traction or power). R4's depending on how much of a hill, same thing but will most likely loss traction quickly.
Bottom line, drag down hill - race back up with the box blade in the air.
Now if you can quickly change the tilt so you are pulling in both directions... If you have Ag tires, you might be able to do both up and down but the tractor will let you know (running out of traction or power). R4's depending on how much of a hill, same thing but will most likely loss traction quickly.
s219
Super Member
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- Kubota L3200, Deere X380, Kubota RTV-X
I'd say try it both ways, but if the tractor runs out of steam or traction going uphill, then you'll have your answer. And as noted, be sure you're pulling the box.
So, follow up... you are wanting to cut the uphill side, fill in the down hill side. I've done this and it takes a bit of time. Usually, drop the scarifiers and drag it a few times to loosen the soil. Make it pretty wide (have room for ditches). Do you have a thread on the road build? Would be cool to see one.
Thanks for the replies, but if you're not supposed to run a box blade backward then why does it have a rear blade?
Also, this video from everything attachments shows Peanut running both directions.
How to use the Everything Attachments Tractor Box Blade - YouTube
If it's not recommended, then why is it shown in every "how to box blade" video I've come across?
I was more afraid of flipping then just running out of power/traction.
Also, this video from everything attachments shows Peanut running both directions.
How to use the Everything Attachments Tractor Box Blade - YouTube
If it's not recommended, then why is it shown in every "how to box blade" video I've come across?
I was more afraid of flipping then just running out of power/traction.
Thomas
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Does L3301 have frontloader?, added weight of the loader will coming handy if you decide to pull up hill,can always fill bucket little for more weight should keep front end tires down,also try in 4WD going up hill.
Teg,
No thread yet. No tractor yet. Should be getting it in by next weekend. It's not so much a road build as a complete reconstruction of an existing one. There is a 12" plus deep ditch where water has gotten into the wheel track and eaten away at it, plus other problems. There's a clay strip across the drive, and when it's really wet it perks through and turns into a bottomless quagmire(it ate a F-150 to the axles). I estimate the whole project will require a minimum of 4-5 truckloads of stone, for a less than 300ft section(the hill). The rest of the 1/4 mile drive is in pretty solid shape, probably only needs gone over with the blade and scarifiers. That's just the existing driveway. I want to extend it, add some paths, and some new parking areas. I'm gonna move a lot of stone this summer!
Thomas,
Yes to the loader. Thanks for the idea of putting ballast into the bucket!
No thread yet. No tractor yet. Should be getting it in by next weekend. It's not so much a road build as a complete reconstruction of an existing one. There is a 12" plus deep ditch where water has gotten into the wheel track and eaten away at it, plus other problems. There's a clay strip across the drive, and when it's really wet it perks through and turns into a bottomless quagmire(it ate a F-150 to the axles). I estimate the whole project will require a minimum of 4-5 truckloads of stone, for a less than 300ft section(the hill). The rest of the 1/4 mile drive is in pretty solid shape, probably only needs gone over with the blade and scarifiers. That's just the existing driveway. I want to extend it, add some paths, and some new parking areas. I'm gonna move a lot of stone this summer!
Thomas,
Yes to the loader. Thanks for the idea of putting ballast into the bucket!
You can go backwards but you can (and people have) bent the arms. If you use you head and don't pretend it's a bulldozer, you can do it. The rear blade is used mainly for smoothing out. Lengthening the top link until the only thing touching the ground it the rear facing blade. (Works great).
For the quagmire area, we've used both 3"/4" stone ground into the mud until you can top dress it. I like to have it rain on the "finished" road bed before gravel to see where water problems are. I have a friend that has at least one truck load of gravel in their creek before he finally got the road to where it doesn't wash out.
PS. just watched the video, pushing new gravel backward is definitely not a problem.
For the quagmire area, we've used both 3"/4" stone ground into the mud until you can top dress it. I like to have it rain on the "finished" road bed before gravel to see where water problems are. I have a friend that has at least one truck load of gravel in their creek before he finally got the road to where it doesn't wash out.
PS. just watched the video, pushing new gravel backward is definitely not a problem.
I'll disagree. On the hills in my gravel drive, gravel tends to wash down the hill in heavy rains. Particularly the lighter, smaller crusher-run stuff. So I always blade from the bottom to the top. If this causes traction problems, you're trying to move too much at once. Slow down and take more, smaller bites.
I have often "bulldozed" in reverse with the back blade of my boxblade with no ill effects. But it IS CORRECT that your lower lift arms are NOT designed for this, but for tension. So if you do it, keep this in mind, and use only moderate force and take small bites.
Where that rear blade excels is when you tilt the front of the boxblade up so that just the rear blade is contacting the ground. Then it will "brush" and smooth your surface without cutting or moving much material.
I have often "bulldozed" in reverse with the back blade of my boxblade with no ill effects. But it IS CORRECT that your lower lift arms are NOT designed for this, but for tension. So if you do it, keep this in mind, and use only moderate force and take small bites.
Where that rear blade excels is when you tilt the front of the boxblade up so that just the rear blade is contacting the ground. Then it will "brush" and smooth your surface without cutting or moving much material.
MinnesotaEric
Super Member
I use my box scraper in both directions.
On my driveway, I find myself bringing the runoff back up the hill.