Grading Box Blade Question

[LoneCowboy]

I would think you should be able to get a good solid box blade (landpride, rhino, something) for about 700 bucks.
I'd go with a 5' one since your tractor is about 5' wide.
You want it to have EASILY movable scarifiers.

 

[ExpediteMike]

Thanks Rob-The Kubota dealer I bought the tractor from sells United brand BB. $325 for 5', $350 for 5'6". He said I should get 5'6" because I can move a little more dirt. Since the FEL is 5' should I go with 5' or am I making a mistake if I go with 5'6"??

 

[tcarter1]

Not trying to discourage yoour BB purchase. They are great tools and make for good ballast as well. However, I just finished smoothing out 60 tons of crush-n-run with a pulverizer. No way I would use the BB (i have one) as long as the pulverizer is available. I suggest you check with your buddies, a landscaper, or rental store to see if you can borrow/rent one for your driveway project. You won't regret it.

 

[RobJ]

Thanks Rob-The Kubota dealer I bought the tractor from sells United brand BB. $325 for 5', $350 for 5'6". He said I should get 5'6" because I can move a little more dirt. Since the FEL is 5' should I go with 5' or am I making a mistake if I go with 5'6"??

My 5' weighs about 450# if I recall. Pretty heavy for me without a FEL. The problem might pulling it when full, weight, traction, etc. Mine is 5' which is just wider than my wheels.

here is a pic..

 

[BBB]

I have a 5' BB, just make sure whatever you get is wider then your tire tracks. I do heavy construction work, and you never see a BB here. With practice a good operator can back drag a FEL and do anything a BB will do.

 

[ExpediteMike]

OK, now that I am totally confused........!!

 

[wushaw]

Your BB will be able to dig and pull the loose dirt a short distance. It can break up hard ground with the scarfiers. It can be tilted to cut a ditch. With practice it can level an area.
A FEL on a CUT is best used for carrying loose dirt to where you need it or whatever else you can/want put into it. Yes you can use it to back drag loose soil/gravel to smooth out an area or road.
For a cut/scut a BB has its place and the FEL compliments its use.

 

[john_bud]

OK, rather than start another post about which BB to buy, or dredge up that 10-page post linked above, I'll just spill it all here.

I've got an older JD4400 (36HP). With it I mostly just cut about 5-6 acres of field that was formerly a corn/soy bean field, but I've been getting pretty proficient with the FEL at filling holes & general grading (the neighbors have stuck a few 4WD trucks, plus some ground is rutted pretty bad from building the house). Bought the tractor with a rear blade, back hoe, & front end loader (BH is a blast, but I've only used it twice; first to bury some cement mix bags that turned, then a couple weeks ago to dig out a few of the holes for the pole barn that just went up). After reading TBN for months now, I've finally decided I NEED a box blade, not only for filling/smoothing the ruts, but to smooth the edge of the property where it meets the drainage ditch along the road. This edge is where the county dumped the spoils when cleaning out the ditch, so I have to cut it high to keep from cutting dirt, plus some of it became overgrown & there are now 2"-4" diameter stumps in some areas of this ditch-edge. We've also cut a drainage swail from the back of the property to cut down on the standing water in the largest of the low spots. This swail is starting to silt up after less than a year, so it's going to need regular maintainance.

Add my novice standing as a tractor owner to the fact that I live in the wilds of New Jersey, where tractor dealers are few & far between, I become "easy pickin's" (already over-paid for a JD LX5 @ $1700) at the mercy of the few dealers that are here (Tractor Supply? Yea.... RIGHT! Maybe 2-3 hours one way!). It's nice to see what range a BB costs, so I've decided that spending up to $1K would be acceptable for a suitably heavy BB, but at the same time I don't want to throw money away on something that's TOO big/heavy. Anyway, I'm thinking a 60" or 72" wide BB would do the job (the 60" mower is about the same width as the tractor wheels). I'm also thinking I want to stay away from the "light-duty" pieces in favor of a medium-duty at the least (although I'm an accomplished welder/fabricator & could easily reinforce a "problem area" of a low-cost BB if need be).

So, knowing what I'm pulling it with, & some of what I need it for, I anxiously await your thoughts, opinions, & suggestions on a BB (that will likely kill the clutches in the 4400 that are not too good now, not looking forward to splitting that beast).

Or should I just bite the bullet & patronize the local JD dealer?

Thanx,
David

David,

If you buy a box blade, the one biggest thing is the weight. After that the width, then the features. (scarifier attachment, moving them, fixed vs floating rear blade) etc.

Your tractor is a shade larger than my 'bota. I use a 66" wide Gannon landscaper H-120. Gannon Industrial Scrapers by Woods Equipment Company - Construction Equipment

It's construction grade and it will outlast me and mine! It's good to know it won't break. BUT, it is overkill in some ways.

For you, target about 650 pounds of weight (minimum - no max), width 5'-6' (66' would be about perfect) and a rear blade that can be selected as either fixed or float. If only one, get fixed for smoother finished grade.


jb

 

[ExpediteMike]

So let me see if I get this. A box blade is best used for filling and smoothing ruts, low spots, but a blade would be better to spread, level a larger area??

 

[wushaw]

So let me see if I get this. A box blade is best used for filling and smoothing ruts, low spots, but a blade would be better to spread, level a larger area??

Yes or some like myself use a drag of some homemade application to level/smooth an area but if it is for road use then a blade can be used for that application.
I myself use my FEL and box blade for my road fixin or making.