Buying the Right Size Box Blade

[ctryan5733]

Can anyone tell me what size box blade I should be buying for my tractor? I have a Mitsubishi D1800. It has a category 1 3 point hitch. It uses a 4 ft bushhog so I'm thinking the box blade should be 4ft as well to not over do it. But it's much easier to find 5 ft box blades for sale on Craigs list and I can't find many used 4 ft box blades.
Thanks,
Craig

 

[jeff9366]

How wide are your Mitsubishi rear tires?

I trust the Mitsubishi has four wheel drive.

You need 125 pounds per foot for a box blade to cut well. So if your rear tires are about 48" outside-to-outside, that means about a 500 pound box blade. It is rare for a tractor to have sufficient power to be able to drag a full box blade wider than the rear tires. A full box blade is one implement that will make your tractor grunt.

If you buy a box blade too light it will bounce along the top of the ground, rather than cut the dirt.

My Kubota B3300SU has a rear tire width of 59". I pull a 60", 630 pound Bush Hog (brand) Rollover Box Blade.

In Photo #1 it is moving dirt. In Photo #2 the rippers are down and it is tearing out wild grape roots.

Here are some archived T-B-N threads for 48" Box Blade:

http://www.google.com/#bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=6e62cf50a2f48705&q=48"+box+blade+site:tractorbynet.com

 

[ctryan5733]

The Mitsu is NOT 4 wheel drive unfortunately. Do you mean for me to measure the width of the wheels themselves or the distance between the wheels in the back?

 

[FTG-05]

I believe Jeff means measure the distance of the rear tire stance, i.e. outside rear wheel to the other outside rear wheel; in other words, the maximum width of the tractor.

Good luck!

 

[oldnslo]

ctryan,
What do you intend to do with the box blade? Move small amounts of dirt to level an area or try and dig ditches and pull full loads of dirt over large distances? I used a 5 ' woods BB5S-1 280 lbs with my BX1850. Yes if I tried to pull full loads of dirt it would spin out but I liked the blade being wider than the tractor for doing leveling or grading type work. Like Jeff stated it is to light to really cut into hard packed dirt.

Another consideration is how much weight will your tractor lift on the 3PH.

 

[jeff9366]

The Mitsu is NOT 4 wheel drive unfortunately. Do you mean for me to measure the width of the wheels themselves or the distance between the wheels in the back?

You definitely do NOT want a Box Blade wider than your rear tires, measured outside-to-outside. You MAY have to pull the Box Blade half full in order not to lose traction. No big deal, it will just take you a little longer. Soil moisture when you work will have considerable influence.

I presume your rear tires are 48" or less wide, outside-to-outside. There is hardly any information on TractorData.com site for Mitsubishi D1800, which is unusual.

"oldnslo" has a valuable suggestion to check lift capacity of your 3-Pt. Hitch.

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/003/6/9/3691-mitsubishi-d1800.html

 

[jeff9366]

I used a 5 ' woods BB5S-1 280 lbs with my BX1850. Yes if I tried to pull full loads of dirt it would spin out.

Do you use your Box Blade in 2-WD or 4-WD? What is your Box Blade weight per foot?

Tracton is going to be an issue with the Box Blade for the Thread Originator. What is your opinion of how a 48" Box Blade will pull for him with 2-WD?

 

[oldnslo]

Do you use you Box Blade in 2-WD or 4-WD?

Normally 2-WD as default in loose dirt or slippery conditions I would use 4-WD. I also live on flat ground and rarely try to pull a full load of dirt. I used this and the FEL to back fill and grade around my addition, core out drive ways to out buildings, spread gravel, etc. Personally I like having the blade wider than the tractor but I also don't have concerns about going between buildings or close set trees.

 

[oldballs]

Everything Attachments makes a 54 inch Box Blade, which is just in between the 48 inch and the 60 inch models that are most common. That size, being wider that your rear stance, might be just what you are looking for depending on what you anticipate doing. Its weight and cost could be a factor when compared to other BBs. You probably can't go wrong with a 48 inch model however. Cheers, Mike

 

[ctryan5733]

Jeff,

The width from outside wheel to outside wheel is slightly less than 48 inches. So a 4 ft box blade seems to be what I'm going to need. I want to use it for redoing my driveway. So I will be wanting to dig across it a little bit to bring up the current gravel and then after adding more gravel, I will need to spread the new gravel over it and make it look nice. My driveway is mostly flat, with a slight dip at one point. It's pretty long though, about 1/4 mile long. I will also use the box blade I would guess to dig some trenches at one point if I can power it to do that with my 2 WD tractor. And spreading dirt and things too.

You mentioning the weight I need of about 500 lbs will help me shop for one, however I am not sure I will be able to find a 4ft box blade that weighs 500 lbs, but I might be wrong on that. Hopefully I am.

 

[murphy1244]

You may also want to look into a Land Plane if you just want to grade

 

[jeff9366]

Jeff,

The width from outside wheel to outside wheel is slightly less than 48 inches. So a 4 ft box blade seems to be what I'm going to need.

I will also use the box blade to dig some trenches if I have power to do that with my 2 WD tractor.

You mentioning the weight I need of about 500 lbs will help me shop for one, however I am not sure I will be able to find a 4ft box blade that weighs 500 lbs, but I might be wrong on that. Hopefully I am.

Yes, 48" is what you need.

With 2-WD you will have to wait for moist soil conditions to successfully trench.

Usually 48" Box Blades are much lighter than 500 pounds. With 2-WD you will probably will have to be satisfied with 350-400 pounds, which, with 2-WD, will not be too bad. If you loose traction it does no good to have a heavy Box Blade.....traction, horsepower, and BB weight have to balance.

 

[ctryan5733]

I am looking at a 4 1/2 foot box blade for sale on Craig's List. Is that too big? 4 ft BBs are harder to find than 5ft or 6ft, as you probably know.

Here is the link if you want to tell me your opinion: John Deere 4 1/2 ft Box Blade

Thanks!

 

[94BULLITT]

I am looking at a 4 1/2 foot box blade for sale on Craig's List. Is that too big? 4 ft BBs are harder to find than 5ft or 6ft, as you probably know.

Here is the link if you want to tell me your opinion: John Deere 4 1/2 ft Box Blade

Thanks!

I'd settle for that one. You can probably get it for less. A little paint and it will be as good as new. If it does not work out you could easily get your money back.

Do you have weights or a loader on the front?

 

[94BULLITT]

I am looking at a 4 1/2 foot box blade for sale on Craig's List. Is that too big? 4 ft BBs are harder to find than 5ft or 6ft, as you probably know.

Here is the link if you want to tell me your opinion: John Deere 4 1/2 ft Box Blade

Thanks!

I just looked at it again. The top link connection looks to be bent. It is fixable though.

 

[jeff9366]

There is no absolutely right answer. The BB looks fine, except for the slightly twisted frame where your Top Link will attach. You can probably pull a long, sacrificial, top link pin in, put a long "cheater" pipe over the sacrificial pin, and pull it mostly straight.

If you need us, 94BULLIT and I will visit and help you tug on the pipe.

I always like to see double clevis on the implement, through which draw pins fit but your tractor will not have enough power to bend the draw pins, so that is immaterial.

If you are ready, go for it.

 

[ctryan5733]

I have three 50 lb weights on the front and room for one more weight if found another matching one.

 

[94BULLITT]

I have three 50 lb weights on the front and room for one more weight if found another matching one.

If it holds the tractor down with the rotary cutter you should be fine.

Sent from my Samsung SPH-L710 using TractorByNet

 

[s219]

I have a Howse 4' Box blade (actually measures 50" or so) and it weighs about 475 lbs according to the freight ticket (maybe 25 lb of that was a pallet, but I don't know). I debated going 4' or 5', but the salesman convinced me to go 4' and I can't say I have any complaints so far. In a few cases, I may not have been able to fit in some spaces with the 5'.

I'd be concerned about 2WD, especially if grading a driveway. For normal maintenance with a slight angle of attack on the cutter, I can pull in 2WD. But if moving a lot of material to the point of filling the whole box, I absolutely need 4WD and LOW gear. When a box blade fills up with material, that is a lot of weight to pull. Even my 4' box probably carries 1/3 yard of material when filled up, and that's on the order of 800 lbs or so.

 

[94BULLITT]

I looked at that box blade again and it looks like the left lift arm attachment it bent. I would not go $350 on it. It is all fixable but someone has had it on too big of a tractor and pushed hard in reverse and bent it. I think it has even had some welding done to it at the lift arm pin. That is why it has been repainted.