Modify rear blade to front blade and back?

corey9212 · Feb 1, 2011

Here are the pics as requested. Now for next project, building a cargo rack for my hitch on the back.

zmansmac · Feb 2, 2011

I was faced with this same dilemma several years ago. I had purchased a Land Pride 6 foot rear blade with my tractor but wanted to use it on the front for snow and also use it on the rear for dirt. I also wanted to keep my B7500 in my 3rd garage stall for winter which was only about 11 feet deep. My solution was to cut the the main beam just behind the swivel head and make a cross bar with a "receiver" that would fit on my arms in place of the bucket. The picture shows this and my other improvements in the next year or two of adding a power angle and gauge wheels since I have some cement and a bit of gravel drive to do. This setup has worked well for the past 7 years with no problems. On the remaining 3 point part I also welded on a similar receiver for when I want to use it as a back blade. Sorry I don't have a picture of that part and it's buried in the back of the shed til spring.

corey9212 · Feb 3, 2011

zmansmac said:
I was faced with this same dilemma several years ago. I had purchased a Land Pride 6 foot rear blade with my tractor but wanted to use it on the front for snow and also use it on the rear for dirt. I also wanted to keep my B7500 in my 3rd garage stall for winter which was only about 11 feet deep. My solution was to cut the the main beam just behind the swivel head and make a cross bar with a "receiver" that would fit on my arms in place of the bucket. The picture shows this and my other improvements in the next year or two of adding a power angle and gauge wheels since I have some cement and a bit of gravel drive to do. This setup has worked well for the past 7 years with no problems. On the remaining 3 point part I also welded on a similar receiver for when I want to use it as a back blade. Sorry I don't have a picture of that part and it's buried in the back of the shed til spring.

That looks really nice plus the fact it can be used both front and back as well

wvpolekat · Feb 3, 2011

zmansmac said:
I was faced with this same dilemma several years ago. I had purchased a Land Pride 6 foot rear blade with my tractor but wanted to use it on the front for snow and also use it on the rear for dirt. I also wanted to keep my B7500 in my 3rd garage stall for winter which was only about 11 feet deep. My solution was to cut the the main beam just behind the swivel head and make a cross bar with a "receiver" that would fit on my arms in place of the bucket. The picture shows this and my other improvements in the next year or two of adding a power angle and gauge wheels since I have some cement and a bit of gravel drive to do. This setup has worked well for the past 7 years with no problems. On the remaining 3 point part I also welded on a similar receiver for when I want to use it as a back blade. Sorry I don't have a picture of that part and it's buried in the back of the shed til spring.

Can you take some more pictures of your loader mounts? Particularly how the cylinders mount.

zmansmac · Feb 3, 2011

Here some close up pictures Mark. Just ignor my welds. Back 7 years ago they were just functional. Now they are still functional and a little prettier. The cross tube that the receiver is welded on is 2 x 5 x 1/4 stock. I basically copied the mounts on the bucket for the loader arms. I had some 3 x 4 x 3/16 tube stock that I cut one side off to make a 3 x 3 channel. Then is was just a matter of drilling the holes in the same locations as the mounts on the bucket. The only thing I didn't do is weld on some thick washer material like on the bucket mounts. That adds thickness to the holes for wear. I'm sure there's a technical term for that but I don't know what it is. But in 7 winters I haven't noticed any wear on my holes. Since I'm going to be retired in 3 months and have more time one of my projects will be to make a quick change system for the front so this cross piece will become obsolete. Let me know if you need any more info; I'm happy to share.

jimmer2880 · Feb 9, 2011

zman - that's a slick setup. I like how short you were able to keep the plow to the tractor.

zmansmac · Feb 10, 2011

Thanks Jimmer. I had to do it like that to make sure it would fit in my just under 12 foot short garage stall. Plus it allows me to maneuver around my garage apron area better. I'm not sure of any advantage or disadvantage of having the blade way in front of the tractor. I think of the leverage principle and figure that the further out the blade is the easier it might be to have the front end of the tractor shift when angle plowing. I don't have too much of a problem with that with chains on the front. This summer I'll be fitting on a real snow blade that is shorter than this 6 foot grader blade to further minimize any shifting but it'll let me have little wings on it. But I've also decided to make some kind of weight box to attach on the rear and it will then become a real challenge to fit the new blade and weight box and still get it to fit in my space.