Using hydraulic scarifiers on a box blade without hooking it up.

[jcims]

Found what appears to be a good deal on a Frontier heavy duty box blade with hydraulic scarifiers. (I'm primarily after the weight, 6' box weighs 800#)

I will have one rear remote, but it will mostly be doing duty with the HTL. Since I will only use the scarifiers occasionally, i'm wondering if it would be OK to just hook up the BB if i need to move the scarifiers, then disconnect them once it's in the new position.

Eventually i'll get a second rear remote, but i'm blowing through cash like a politician and would rather put it on hold for now.

I'm sure the scarifiers will tend to stay, i'm just not sure if i would be abusing the system by using it this way.

Thanks!

 

[gwdixon]

Since I will only use the scarifiers occasionally, i'm wondering if it would be OK to just hook up the BB if i need to move the scarifiers, then disconnect them once it's in the new position.

It is not real clear what you are intending to do from this sentence. A guess is that you want to hook up the remote, move the scarifiers, unhook, and then use the remote otherwise.

The hydraulic cylinder will not hold the scarifiers up if it is not connected - at least not for long. Securing them with heavy duty wire, or some other method, in the up position will work.

In the down position there should be a locking lever to keep them in the down position.

I don't envy you wrestling with the scarifiers. That second remote is going to look good real soon. But the cost of them is ridiculous as you know.

 

[jcims]

It is not real clear what you are intending to do from this sentence. A guess is that you want to hook up the remote, move the scarifiers, unhook, and then use the remote otherwise.

That's exactly what i had in mind. I imagine my hydraulic toplink will be a permanent resident on the back of the tractor, and will be job #1 for the remote that i am having installed.

My thought was that if i actually wanted to use the scarifiers (which would be a minority of the time), i could drop it to the ground (?), disconnect the htl from the remote, connect the scarifier cylinder to the remote, and adjust. The thing I was thinking would keep it 'locked' is the quick disconnect acting like a check valve on each side of the cylinder. If that were the case, i could reconnect the HTL and be on my way.

Certainly not as fast as having the second remote going, but probably about as fast as adjusting six pinned scarifiers. I just like the 800lbs, and the price seems to be good ($450). The HTL will be a CCM pedigree with the double piloted check valves.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

While that sounds like a very nice BB, I think that it is actually just a tad big for your tractor. That's not to say that you could not use it, just that you won't be pulling a full load up any steep hills. I'm pretty sure that with the QD's on the end of the hose that the hydraulic will indeed stay where ever you set it. I have a 66" heavy duty BB for my Mahindra 3215 and it is about all it wants when going up hill. My tractor is ballasted to about 5000lbs. I would go ahead and buy the BB, but keep in mind that you may not be able to use it to it's full capacity depending on your conditions. :thumbsup:

 

[jcims]

While that sounds like a very nice BB, I think that it is actually just a tad big for your tractor.

Thanks (again) MtnView...I was wondering the same thing. I borrowed the neighbors box blade, which is on the other end of the spectrum, and it just kind of skips along the driveway.

Problem with this one is it's an hour's drive away. Just left a message with the seller asking what he's pulling it with currently.

 

[jcims]

Good thing I called, it takes a Cat II hitch! Thanks again.

Still sounds like a good deal for anyone that can use it. $.50/lb is rarely a bad price for anything made of steel. It's in the Dayton, OH craigslist.

 

[Ford tractor]

Good thing I called, it takes a Cat II hitch! Thanks again.

Still sounds like a good deal for anyone that can use it. $.50/lb is rarely a bad price for anything made of steel. It's in the Dayton, OH craigslist.

You do know that they make Cat 1 pins, right? Will take about 10 bucks and 10 minutes to convert the lower arms. Will need a bushing for the upper arm attach, but that's still no big deal. I'd still get it and you'll be happier than with a light one that bends up like a Uri Geller spoon first time you catch a rock or root..

 

[Gittyup]

Run! Quick! Get that box! It's a steal at $450! The CAT2 is no big deal. Easy convert.

 

[gwdixon]

Run! Quick! Get that box! It's a steal at $450! The CAT2 is no big deal. Easy convert.

Usually Cat 2 box blades use a clevis-type lower arm hitch rather than pins that can be changed out.

It is a decent price for what it is however.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

jcims, if you decide to get the BB, either check to be sure that the lower arms on your tractor will go wide enough (35-38 inches wide) or be prepared to alter the BB hitch in some way. It is a very good price, might want to get it regardless and if it doesn't work for you, you could sell it. Just a thought.

 

[jcims]

It lurks the deep, awaiting its prey...

This thing's comically beastly. I think i'll be able to pull it just fine as long as i keep an eye on how much material is in the box...it looks like it could hold a yard.

 

[jcims]

Turns out it's actually a Cat I hitch and it hooked right up.

Thanks for encouraging me to take a look at it, folks, it's a beast and an incredible buy for the money. Ran it for about 30 minutes this morning, the CT235 pulls it just fine...i won't say effortlessly, but with the scarifiers up, the box can be full of material and it just drags away in Medium range...both on gravel and soil (so far). I'm sure it will be rougher with them down.

I might remove the cylinder and just hang a big handle off it ala rollover box blade. The cylinder doesn't provide any locking force, just up/down and there's a monster latch to keep it in place.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Looks like you got yourself one heck of a deal. :thumbsup: Now get that "TnT" and you can really do some grading.

Would you please post a pic of the latch. It just does not make any sense to me of having a latch with a hydraulic. Do you have to get off of the tractor and unlatch to then use the hydraulic to raise or lower the rippers? :ashamed:

 

[jcims]

Looks like you got yourself one heck of a deal. :thumbsup: Now get that "TnT" and you can really do some grading.

Would you please post a pic of the latch. It just does not make any sense to me of having a latch with a hydraulic. Do you have to get off of the tractor and unlatch to then use the hydraulic to raise or lower the rippers? :ashamed:

I don't understand it myself, actually, and I'm remoteless at the moment so i can't operate it at all (sans pulling the cylinder). There's a bit of a odd arrangement of pivots and springs involved, and my guess is that the springs hold the rack of tines in such a way as to keep the latch engaged. When the cylinder activates, it pushes aginst the springs to unlatch and then rotate the rack up out of the way...or something like that. It could be that the cylinder bears load in one direction and the latch in another, it's all too complicated for me to see.

1 is the main cylinder action, which pivots and causes 2 to pull front to back.

3 is the same as 2 above, and is some kind of buckling link arrangement that seems to cause both the rack to rotate and the latch to operate. I believe the horseshoe was added, as was the additional bit of steel in the center.

The latch is heavy duty.

Here are the springs, i can't tell exactly what they do, maybe provide a biasing force to cause the latch to operate before or after the rack...dunno. Can't wait to see it work.

 

[gwdixon]

Looks like you got yourself one heck of a deal. :thumbsup: Now get that "TnT" and you can really do some grading.

Would you please post a pic of the latch. It just does not make any sense to me of having a latch with a hydraulic. Do you have to get off of the tractor and unlatch to then use the hydraulic to raise or lower the rippers? :ashamed:

The latch when down needs to be there to keep the pressure off of the hydraulic cylinder and seals. The scarifiers have tremendous force on them as they are dragged through the ground so need to be locked when down.

When the "up" hydraulics are activated the first movement causes the latch to unlatch and the hydraulics can then lift (or rotate) the scarifier mounting bar. It would be nice if there was a latch for the up position. My hydraulic cylinder leaks down over time.

 

[jcims]

The latch when down needs to be there to keep the pressure off of the hydraulic cylinder and seals. The scarifiers have tremendous force on them as they are dragged through the ground so need to be locked when down.

When the "up" hydraulics are activated the first movement causes the latch to unlatch and the hydraulics can then lift (or rotate) the scarifier mounting bar. It would be nice if there was a latch for the up position. My hydraulic cylinder leaks down over time.

Do you think it would be possible to create a lever to do the same...adding an up latch of course? I would think a good four or five foot lever should have enough oomph to rotate the scarifiers up. Only issue is making sure the things don't give way and you get hit in the back of the head with a 70mph crow bar.

 

[jcims]

Looks like you got yourself one heck of a deal. :thumbsup: Now get that "TnT" and you can really do some grading

Oh my! Look what the cat drug in...

First 'T' anyway. Now i just need my stinkin' remotes!

 

[kennyd]

Since it appears there is no real pressure on the cylinder I think you can just go with plan A and just swap hoses with your HTL when you need to move the scarifiers. You could also get a manual or electric diverter valve to "split" your one remote into two.

 

[jenkinsph]

My only concern would be "was the unit stolen "?

That boxblade appears to be a 7' Gannon rebadged for Deere, with 8 scarifier shanks should be the same as mine. New ones sell for about $3800 today and I can't see any appreciable wear on this one. The latching mechanism works well and you should be able to unplug the hoses in the down position.

These units are commonly sold on the rear of the 210LE landscape loader bet someone is missing theirs now.

Here's a pic of mine.

 

[jcims]

My only concern would be "was the unit stolen "?

That boxblade appears to be a 7' Gannon rebadged for Deere, with 8 scarifier shanks should be the same as mine. New ones sell for about $3800 today and I can't see any appreciable wear on this one. The latching mechanism works well and you should be able to unplug the hoses in the down position.

These units are commonly sold on the rear of the 210LE landscape loader bet someone is missing theirs now.

Here's a pic of mine.

It's definitely 72", but the scarifier clips, center post and rear hinge designs match yours exactly. As far as stolen, I don't know...kind of an unwieldy item to steal, but i guess it could happen. The guy that sold it didn't need the money, that's for sure. If i really got it for $.12 cents on the dollar, i'd say it's more likely a landscaping company went belly up and unloaded their equipment. Look at the 'fancy drill press' thread, that guy guy twice the deal i did.

That though's going to be stuck in my head now, though. Not sure how i could prove it one way or the other...call the police for stolen goods?