3-Point Hitch Box blade vs rear blade

[ron45]

I'm fairly sure that a box blade can do more things than a rear blade. But I don't know how to evaluate the box blade quality/price point over a cheaper rear blade. I would want a rear blade that can do more than grade suburban gravel driveways and clean stock pens. My soil can be hard when it's dry and rocky all the time. I think I would need a rear blade that will probably cost half of what a good box blade can cost. Please correct any wrong assumptions I make. I'm very new to all this stuff. Can a good box blade be had.... used is fine for under a thousand dollars?

On rear blades, the moldboard.... first time I saw this wordI thought it was not something made of steel. These are steel and not some composite material right?

The local county grader operator was talking about his moldboard the other day to someone else. His was for sure steel and about 12 feet wide.

If I got a rear blade what features are important for all around utility. Offset?.... I think that's when the blade can be moved left or right relative to the center of the 3 pt. hitch. How important is tilting the blade along its long axis? How many gradients of rotation of the blade about its own center vertical axis are sufficient?

What should I be asking that I'm unaware of? Thanks for your time.

Ron

 

[IndyIan]

Box blades are good for moving dirt and spreading it out, or leveling an area. Basically any job a dozer would do.
I use my rear blade mostly like a grader, to smooth and recrown my driveway, and for snow. I've done shallow ditches with it too but my 7' blade is only 350lbs so it never digs in hard enough to make my tractor work, so it takes lots of passes.

 

[s219]

I have both, and they have very different uses and capabilities. There are cheap and good versions of both. I am sensing you don't know what you want because you maybe don't have the uses/applications in mind yet. In my opinion, that is where the discussion needs to start. So what is it that you need to do?

I can tell you that a rear blade beefed up enough to be as stout as even a cheap box blade will cost big bucks. A rear blade is a more fragile design, so to make a strong rear blade takes quite a bit of structure. The good ones are priced commensurate with the workmanship and materials.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Ron, to start with, if you are looking new and you want something that is going to be good, actually work and last for you, plan on spending some money. Not to say that you are wrong in your cost assumptions, but if you look at some good implements, a rear blade will be as much or more than a box blade of equal quality.

Not that you are looking at these, but just as an example a top of the line box blade will run $3500-$4000 where as the same quality rear blade will run $5000-$6000. This is only an example for 6' and larger implements.

I highly recommend that you take a look at Everything Attachments. They have what I consider the best bang for the buck implements. Box blade. Rear blade
Value rear blade.
Not the best, not the cheapest, just the best for the money spent.

 

[k0ua]

While you are over there at everything attachments, look at their videos, on how to use each type of implement.

 

[jeff9366]

Box blades are good for moving dirt and spreading it out, or leveling an area.

Basically any job a dozer would do.

Well --------- not quite any job a dozer would do.

 

[IndyIan]

Well --------- not quite any job a dozer would do.

In general though, I find it amazing what you can push going backwards with a box blade. This year was the first time I've had to move my frozen snow banks back and it did a great job compared to the loader. Or shearing off old ground hog mounds.

 

[lakngulf]

In general though, I find it amazing what you can push going backwards with a box blade. This year was the first time I've had to move my frozen snow banks back and it did a great job compared to the loader. Or shearing off old ground hog mounds.

I call mine a "BoxBladozier". It can move some dirt, and only a 30hp tractor. Boxblade has the rippers to loosen soil, almost like a chisel plow or subsoiler. Careful though, I have bent some of the 3pt attachments trying to do too much with the blade pushing backwards. But easily replaceable parts.

 

[JonKioti]

I bought a new, solid box blade for my CK20S for $1000 CDN including tax. It includes the hooks to dig and loosen soil.

We have fairly rocky soil, and I have no problem pulling it with my tractor. I can easily fill the box and drag it along, leaving a perfectly flat path behind me.

I have since seen what appears to be a similar model at Princess Auto here in Canada for $600 plus tax.

Not sure what size tractor you have, but this one works for me and my tractor. There doesn't look to be anything on it I'm likely to break, i.e. it's pretty solidly built.

Jon

 

[lakngulf]

There doesn't look to be anything on it I'm likely to break, i.e. it's pretty solidly built.

Jon

Just watch the nuts and bolts before and after each use. The activity will jar them loose. I have replaced a few nuts on mine.