Rear Blade 3 pt rear blade

ahlkey · Feb 25, 2009

I am looking to add a HD-heavy duty rear blade. I would use it for road grading on the two miles of woodlot trails I have and for light landscaping. In addition I would like to use it in combination with my front loader bucket for snow removal but I am just not sure how well it will work with snow? My driveway is nearly a quarter of a mile long and right now I push everything with the front bucket of my 4X4 tractor but these past two years it is tough pushing everything in mid winter with all the snow (central wisconsin). I hate to invest in a v-plow or straight plow for my truck or buy a 3 pt snowblower since all I can use it for is snow. It really then is also a cost issue as well. Any expereince in using the rear tractor blade that can be angled for snow removal would be really helpful along with the bucket set a little higher? I think I need the blade no matter what but it would be really nice to get a good HD-Heavy duty one that is large enough to do snow as well.

mwb · Feb 25, 2009

I would recommend Buhler; their blade is well made, can be offset to either side and also rotated for crowning. I am sure there are many mfr's that make the same quality. I don't know what HP you are working with, I have a 7ft on my 39HP machine and it works nice.

Blading sucks because you make banks. RM snowblower is great for no banks but you have to back up... If you don't get a lot of snow (maybe 6" or less at a shot) then the blade is very fast.

Depending on what size tractor you have, how about buying an old truck plow and mounting it on the front. Lots of projects on here about doing this.

Diamondpilot · Feb 25, 2009

I use a 7' Woods HD blade for snow removal the last 5 years in Northern Indiana and it works great. I am pulling it with my Jinma 284, 4x4 tractor. It has a FEL and weighs 5,200# with me and the blade on it so its a heavy little beast.

Only thing I use the FEL for as far a snow goes is to push back the piles.

Here is a couple a pix's after a 14" dump a few weeks back.

Chris

radioman · Feb 25, 2009

Basically any backblade you pick will work. If it look sbeefy and heavy, then its heavy duty. If you make snowbanks with the BB and have no more room ,no problem,use the fel to move the banks back and higher. I use a combination of a light duty BB and a used truck plow mounted on the FEL arms. It works for me. If I ever need the bucket back on the FEL arms, it only takes me 5-10 mins to swap it.

So as for your question - Get the BB for snow - no problem.

woodyacres · Feb 25, 2009

I use my BB primarily for snow removal. If it gets too deep like this year, I just swing it around and back-up. That allows me to push the snow back off the drive more and then the banks are smaller. Works great! Oh, mine is really not necessarily a HD either. I bought it from a guy for $100 (6 ft).

john_bud · Feb 25, 2009

Back blades are one of the attachments that seem to be easy to buy used. I looked for a couple weeks and got a 7' medium duty Massey Fergusson for 400. There was a heavy duty 7' Gill with hydro turn for 750 in the paper too.

Ken45101 · Feb 25, 2009

For snow duty, probably a light duty blade is adequate.

But for heavier work on trails, you need to match the blade to your tractor. Initially I had a light duty (Tractor Supply) blade on a 45 HP Kubota and I was a frequent customer at the welding shop

Later, they started marking them for 25 or 30 hp max

I upgraded to a medium duty Woods blade and haven't had any more problems in ten years

Ken

Thomas · Feb 26, 2009

I kinda use the same setup as Radioman.
BB to pull snow from buildings also extend blade to right side sort of winging back the snow banks.

Front plow attach to bucket for quick plowing,than quick pin pull allow to use bucket.

Visit farm auctions etc. they have good second/third hand plow setup at low cost.

Been useing my setup for 13 plus years never had problem.

ahlkey · Feb 26, 2009

Thanks for all the feedback. I will go with a BB for my 45 HP 4X4 tractor and see if I can get a heavy duty blade given my rocky landscape. I have seen two used JD rear blades listed on Craigs List for $650 or $450 or I could get a HD-heavy duty model from KingKutter. At two dealers the HD model is being sold for $900 but I can get one for $670 that was a demo and in perfect condition. This HD-heavy duty model is not the KK light models or professional line you see at either Tractor Supply or Fleet Farm (#290 lbs). In fact it weighs over #700 lbs so I am considering this KK-HD model. The newer JD models are very expensive maybe more than double and the used ones may work ok but at least 10-15 years or older. When I compare the HD-KK blade to the JD used blades (weight & design) they seem close. Any one used the heavier HD blades from KK?

john_bud · Feb 26, 2009

The KK stuff at farm fleet, etc is for folks that shop by price as the #1 (and 2,3,4,5) deciding point. KK does make some decent stuff, but you have to special order it most of the time. I would not be worried about a KK HD blade that was 700 pounds. Get it.
jb