DMA
New member
I need to cut a shallow ditch (maybe 8 to 12 inches. Can this be done with a rear blade? How do I get the blade lower on the side that is to become the ditch? All help and/or suggestions will be appreciated.
Grading How do I cut a shallow ditch with a rear blade?
- Thread starter DMA
- Start date
What kind of rear blade are you using? Does it have any pivot points?
Depending upon the blade you can usually rotate it from the center which will cause one side to be lower than the other side. Also if you can pivot the lower end of the blade up ahead of the higher side it will help.
This is usually done by pins located in the center of the blade, if it is a manually adjusted blade.
Depending upon the blade you can usually rotate it from the center which will cause one side to be lower than the other side. Also if you can pivot the lower end of the blade up ahead of the higher side it will help.
This is usually done by pins located in the center of the blade, if it is a manually adjusted blade.
icat
Gold Member
First off, let me say that this does not answer your question, but...
Did the same thing this weekend with the FEL by going in at right angles to the line I needed to cut. Add it to the list of at least 1001 things you can do with a FEL that you never thought of. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Did the same thing this weekend with the FEL by going in at right angles to the line I needed to cut. Add it to the list of at least 1001 things you can do with a FEL that you never thought of. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
RobS
Super Member
One of your tph lift arms should have an adjustment for length. You can use that to tilt the blade, or...
If you angle the blade (like you are plowing snow off to one side), the top link adjustment will have a similar effect. I've used this method as it is much easier to adjust my top link than the side link. Try setting it up on level concrete to see what will happen /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
If you angle the blade (like you are plowing snow off to one side), the top link adjustment will have a similar effect. I've used this method as it is much easier to adjust my top link than the side link. Try setting it up on level concrete to see what will happen /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
TC18guy
Silver Member
yeah, what Robs said. You might try strapping some weight to it for extra bite
JohnMiller3
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2001
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- 2,518
- Location
- Capital District, Upstate New York
- Tractor
- Satoh S650G, MF135, MF165, JD5205
djradz
Veteran Member
I do somewhat as John Miller suggests below using his rear blade. I don't have an adjustable blade however so I get all the tilt by using the adjustable side of the 3-pt mechanism. Also, and it's not clear if John does this too, I turn the blade to its maximum angle, so it's functioning like a plow and not only digging in but also being pulled in and yet pushing to the side. You can get deeper than 12 inches by making repeated passes. Adjust the blade angle so that the tip of the blade is such that it's in line with the outside of your rear tire. That way on your second and subsequent passes, the tire is in the groove (would-be ditch) and you're able to just keep digging deeper and deeper. Usually you become limited only by how much tractor tilt you feel comfortable with.
MLB
Silver Member
Make straight passes end to end (where you want it to go) until you are down as deep as it needs to go.
Now put the tractor straddling one of the outside edges of the ditch. One side in the ditch, the other on the now higher outside of the ditch. The middle of the blade will contact the "high" edge and start to level it out. Drag end to end again, the high side will create a taper to the edge of the ditch while letting you keep the blade level. Repeat on the other side. The inside wheels of the tractor should be in the center of the ditch when making these passes, resulting in a V shape (with much less slope).
I've had better luck with this than angling the box with the 3pt arms. The tilted box just digs in on the low side and "sinks" too often. Really hard to get any kind of smooth surface. JMO
Now put the tractor straddling one of the outside edges of the ditch. One side in the ditch, the other on the now higher outside of the ditch. The middle of the blade will contact the "high" edge and start to level it out. Drag end to end again, the high side will create a taper to the edge of the ditch while letting you keep the blade level. Repeat on the other side. The inside wheels of the tractor should be in the center of the ditch when making these passes, resulting in a V shape (with much less slope).
I've had better luck with this than angling the box with the 3pt arms. The tilted box just digs in on the low side and "sinks" too often. Really hard to get any kind of smooth surface. JMO
djradz
Veteran Member
Sound like a good way too, but seems like you end up with a much wider swath of distrubed soil. Probably depends on what one is looking for. What I proposed, and John Miller with his middle-buster, is probably better termed a trench, steep and relatively narrow and what your talking about seems to end up with more of a ditch, which is what he asked about in the first place. I didn't notice that until now.
MLB
Silver Member
It only ends up slightly wider than the width of the blade as you're taking the soil up high and bringing it down with "straddling" passes. Easier to mow than something narrower, though that's not always a factor.