Rear Blade Settings

[mhart]

Hello
I am relatively inexperienced with tractors in general. We built a house on a piece of wooded property with a long hilly gravel driveway- about 3/4 mile long. In May of 2010 I bought a Kubota B2920 to maintain the property. I have done well maintaining the gravel with a box blade, have used the FEL for spreading gravel, hauling stones for walkways etc. I also have a bushhog and MMM for maintaining the grassy areas.

Now I am on to snow removal on the gravel drive. I have purchased a rear blade for this. It works relatively well. I have found that it is better than the box blade since I am able to angle it and allow the snow to fall off to the side. Are there any tips for setting of the top link, other adjustments or ideas to allow for otpimal snow removal? Sometimes I have trouble with the blade digging in too much, scraping too much gravel etc. Overall it is working pretty well, but I am sure there are things I could do to make it perform better. Again please excuse my ignorance, I am learning.

Thanks in advance.

 

[firefighter jim]

What I do is plow snow with the blade reversed. Works well and doesn't dig into our gravel drive and road.............

 

[Zork]

Hi mhart, Welcome to TBN. I find that the more I have the top of the blade closer to the tractor the less the blade digs in and removes the gravel. Additionally, this site has allot of good videos and, in general, may be helpful to you. I find what firefighter jim says is true as well, but I found does not work well with a wet base since it will tend to compact it down.

Snow Removal with a scrape blade

How To Video Demos - Implements & Attachments

You may have to search for your particular uses. I hope you find this useful.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

On the lighter storms turning the blade around backwards and driving forward will help preserve the gravel.

On deeper storms I like to shorten the top-link so that the blade doesn't act as aggressive.

This post is to confirm what has already been said.:thumbsup:

Enjoy your seat time and welcome. Lots of questions asked and answered here on TBN.

 

[djradz]

Hi mhart, Welcome to TBN. I find that the more I have the top of the blade closer to the tractor the less the blade digs in and removes the gravel. Additionally, this site has allot of good videos and, in general, may be helpful to you. I find what firefighter jim says is true as well, but I found does not work well with a wet base since it will tend to compact it down.

Snow Removal with a scrape blade

How To Video Demos - Implements & Attachments

You may have to search for your particular uses. I hope you find this useful.

I find just the opposite. The longer I make the top link, the more the blade is set back "on its heals" and thus seems to glide over, rather than digging, in. Kind of reminds me of shaving with a razor. If you create a sharp front edge to the blade by shortening the link, it seems to cut better. In addition, it puts all the weight of the blade on a very narrow, thin strip.

As others have noted, going backwards (blade still facing front of tractor) seems to work well to not dig up gravel, for when the snow is extremely light or no compacted snow base is yet present.

 

[bp fick]

Up here in the frozen north, we do not even try to clean down to the gravel. There little to be gained from trying to do so. It just isn't blacktop. If we only get 2-3 inches, we drive over it, creating a base. This tends to lock the gravel down, below an inch of compacted snow.

Yes, using the blade turned around is where most folks need to begin there rear blade experience. :thumbsup:

Push back with blade in "normal" position, then spin the blade around to pull it down the drive. You'll like it.

 

[Bill Hoffman]

I replaced both vertical links on my 3pt hitch with chains.
This allows the blade to follow the contours of the gravel
driveway without digging in. The tractor can twist, but
the blade stays in even contact.

I plow forward, the lower links could be damaged if you
ram something in reverse.

Longer top link - more aggressive cut
Shorter top link - less aggressive cut

I've used the rear blade this way for 3 years, and it
plows very well. No damage to either the tractor or the
driveway.

Bill

 

[LD1]

I agree with letting some snow build a base and then plow. If not, plowing with the blade backwards is about the only option unless you put a beice of slotted pipe on it, or skid shoes.

If plowing forward, as mentioned, shorter TL is less agressive.

Just the opposite is true if you low with the tractor in Reverse, which is what I do. Longer TL is less agressive.

I like reverse because I am not driving over the snow I am going to plow, and I can push it up into piles without having to stop, backup, ane then use the FEL. Visibility is better too IMO but it is hard on the neck.

And unless you replace one of the vertical side links with a peice of chain, try to set the TL so that the A-frame of the blade is level. If not, when you angle it, you will have to re-adjust the sidelink to get the blade level again.

 

[Chilly807]

Like LD1 said, the frame should be level fore and aft, if not the blade won't be level when you angle it.

I added skid shoes and hydraulic angle to mine, works really well for snow. The shoes are height adjustable with washers.

Sean

 

[orezok]

I built the gauge wheels shown. With the hydraulic top I can adjust from a full cut (like shown in picture) to an infinite amount of blade float above the surface. This or something similar would work well for snow removal.