Buying Advice Box blade or rear blade?

[Bullwinkle123]

(****, I probably need to add a shed for the attachments too, ouch). I already know I'd love to have both, but ONE for this year.

Hmmm, since I don't normally swear, I was stumped. Guess TBN doesn't like 'c-r-a-p', if that's what I even said, I don't remember. Live and learn. Will I get away with the hyphenated spelling? Testing testing.

 

[PEJ5]

Thanks for recent replies. Since I'm buying a new tractor with a whole lot of stuff, I'm really trying to limit the "whole lot of stuff" part so that I survive this current financial craziness. (****, I probably need to add a shed for the attachments too, ouch). I already know I'd love to have both, but ONE for this year.

Based on what I'm reading it's probably the scraper. Most of the work this year is about repairing existing grades/crowns, and for the rougher portions I intend to bring in some truckloads of gravel to add a few inches and spread/grade/crown it with the scraper. (Hoping for tailgate spreads from the trucks bringing in the gravel, not sure if that will work in the forested portions). I hope that will be adequate, and of course the pro-BB entries eat away at my thoughts on this

As for ditch maintenance, that is problematic and people haven't weighed in too much on that. Those ditches are so variable in their size, the forest cruft that lands in them, and whether or not they have dirt under them or bedrock (which won't be good for any metal stuff scraping it, I think). I'd like to use the tractor to keep them clear, but it may be hopeless and require much shovel/rake time on my part
(or not, my back just won't do much of that).

Anyway, I appreciate all the feedback.

I borrowed and then purchased an 8' blade from my neighbour. Below is a photo of my first attempt at regrading my driveway. I tilted the blade with my side link and created a small ditch on the left.
I was amazed by how much material I was able to carve out. I guess applying 50HP beats a shovel all to pieces! I then used the gravel/material to reslope the driveway towards the ditch and as a result, away from my building. I am a rookie and was glad no one was watching or timing me, but I was happy with the results on my first try. I need another load of gravel about where the left rear tire is in the photo, but it did the trick for fall/winter.
You will be able to do lots with a blade.

 

[airbiscuit]

That looks pretty good.

 

[ZTMAN]

I am certainly no expert but I do maintain the gravel land to our camp. About the same length as yours.

In your post, you made the comment that you are not going with the rear hydros because you are buying more tractor then you expected.

I will tell you after jumping on and off the tractor to adjust the box blade, get the rear hydros if you get a blade.

After looking at your pics, a land plane would be perfect from maintaining your drive.

 

[kthompson]

If you are still in the negotiation on the tractor, ask the dealer if they will charge you the same to add them later that they if you buy them now. I think they are dealer installed. But if you are getting their 0% interest you might be better to go ahead.

Don't over look as has been suggest used. Rear blades or box blades wear well and if abused not something easy to hide. Will have welds added, bent metal or twisted is abused. Avoid light weight ones.

 

[PEJ5]

That looks pretty good.

Thanks for the comment.

 

[oosik]

PEJ5 - that picture, first attempt or years of experience, you did very good. Of the three implements, rear blade, box blade or land plane grading scraper - the rear blade is the most difficult to learn well. It's all tied up in the geometry of the tractor and rear blade. Think of it all as a teeter-totter, more or less, with the rear wheels being the center/fulcrum point. The front wheels go down into a hole or dip - the rear blade raises. The back wheels go into a dip or hole - the rear blade drops.

However - the rear blade is far and away the most universal implement. Also - get as heavy a blade as you can afford and your tractor can handle.

My Rhino rear blade is 1050# - 96" wide and cost $3650 (w/o tax), $3940( w/tax ) in 2017. It is totally manual for two reasons. 1) my tractor has only one rear SCV valve and it controls the hydraulic top link - 2) the fully hydraulic rear blade cost $1000 more. Plus - with the fully hydraulic model I would have to have figured out some way of adding the necessary three hydraulic functions to the tractor.

 

[DMW]

The biggest advantage of a box blade is the scarifiers. Looking at the pictures with all the subsurface rock, I wouldn't consider using it on your driveway. Could cause a lot of damage.

 

[CobyRupert]

I am certainly no expert but I do maintain the gravel land to our camp. About the same length as yours.

In your post, you made the comment that you are not going with the rear hydros because you are buying more tractor then you expected.

I will tell you after jumping on and off the tractor to adjust the box blade, get the rear hydros if you get a blade.

Ditto!
I originally had one rear SCV. Added another one when I got the rear blade so I could have hydraulic angle and tilt functions. Adding the 2nd SCV was $800-$900 just for the kit and installing it myself.

 

[MF243RedTop]

One of the many things you may learn after yrs of working with a scrape blade, is what to do with undesirable material that you cut up.. example, grass, roots etc.
Before I start a project I overview the area.
Then decide if when I cut the undesirable material if I can roll it to the center of the road and bury it.
If the road is already crowned that would be a no.
In this case I was cutting a new short drive and it was easy.. in the pic I knocked that short drive out in about an hour after working night shift.. buried the grass in the middle and cut and rolled fresh clean dirt from the ditches up and over it. Still needed a little more finish at that point but it was good enough to leave it for later.

 

[deezler]

One of the many things you may learn after yrs of working with a scrape blade, is what to do with undesirable material that you cut up.. example, grass, roots etc.
Before I start a project I overview the area.
Then decide if when I cut the undesirable material if I can roll it to the center of the road and bury it.
If the road is already crowned that would be a no.
In this case I was cutting a new short drive and it was easy.. in the pic I knocked that short drive out in about an hour after working night shift.. buried the grass in the middle and cut and rolled fresh clean dirt from the ditches up and over it. Still needed a little more finish at that point but it was good enough to leave it for later.

Glad that worked out for you, the profile of the surface does look nice. But I would have to weigh in here and recommend that no one else does this. The organic material that you just put smack dab in the middle of your road is exactly the kind of material you do not want in a driveway base. You want compacted clay or sand, not decaying organic material. It will hold moisture and just moosh around forever, and always try to steal whatever stone you lay on top. IE not stable. If you're drainage and climate are forgiving, you might get away with it, but generally not a good idea. Just roll that garbage to the outside of your road area, not in to the center.

 

[MF243RedTop]

I'm in the south... Things are different.. that drive is completely covered with Bermuda grass.. it holds fine.

 

[deezler]

Oh, well if its a grass driveway, then by all means! Haha. But still, nice crown. My gravel drive had a nice crown last fall... totally flat now after this squishy spring thaw. Ugh.

 

[MF243RedTop]

Sometimes I just can't understand how you guys deal with those conditions.... Them thaws have to be tremendous on dirt/gravel roads...
Yeah here in the deep South we get plenty of "slow rain" in winter.... But it can also be 60-80 degrees just a few days later to dry and harden back up a road bed

 

[kthompson]

I'm in the south... Things are different.. that drive is completely covered with Bermuda grass.. it holds fine.

You know that is truer than most people realize. It is not a North/South or East/West issue only. The soil, climate and soil types can vary greatly in very short distances sometimes, especially here the soil. We can have sandy land you will never see water standing on next to a swamp or river. I think I am right decent with a rear blade but don't ask me on moving snow or getting rocks out the ground or grading such ground as the op has. That is one reason our location needs to be in our info. As to grass drive ways, you often see a grass private plane run way here.

 

[oosik]

Hydraulic top link. For thirty years and two tractors - up/down hundreds & hundreds of times to adjust the top link. Then one day as I was making one of many trips up/down - I stepped on a rock that twisted underfoot. Twisted ankle/broken ankle bones.

That was the final straw. I got my hydraulic top link from Fit Rite. Not only does it save these many trips - it allows for infinite adjustment on-the-go and the absolute best implement positioning.

 

[MF243RedTop]

As to grass drive ways, you often see a grass private plane run way here.

They're several within just a short drive of where I live. Most are crop dusters, but ones just a private plane runway.

 

[Bullwinkle123]

Well, after all the forums threads I've read and the replies here, I've decided I'm going to go for a blade for my first driveway maintenance tool. I have not figured out if I'll get hydraulics, hopefully gonna visit the dealer tomorrow and look at some different blade options if they have them on the lot. Will shoot for heavy, and see what the extra remotes and hydraulics will run me.

Thanks for all the anecdotes and advice.

 

[oosik]

Bullwinkle123- some last thoughts. A heavy rear blade is 100 to 125 pounds per foot of width. If you will be using the rear blade for snow - when you angle the blade, you effectively loose width. My 96" blade will only cut a 75" path when angled.

My thoughts on implements - any implement with moving parts - chipper, bush hog, grapple - should be kept/stored under shelter. All the others, without moving parts, can be stored outside and on a pallet or blocks. It's best to not cover implements either - moisture forms under tarps.

Have fun - don't drool. Oosik

 

[rScotty]

Well, after all the forums threads I've read and the replies here, I've decided I'm going to go for a blade for my first driveway maintenance tool. I have not figured out if I'll get hydraulics, hopefully gonna visit the dealer tomorrow and look at some different blade options if they have them on the lot. Will shoot for heavy, and see what the extra remotes and hydraulics will run me.

Thanks for all the anecdotes and advice.

For our 30 hp tractor I bought a nice manual "Land Pride" six foot wide blade that was heavily built and made all the pivoting motions that I wanted. Plus removeable end caps. It does offset, angle, & tilt.

It cost more than I expected.... but is very nice. The end caps turn it into an angling box blade, too.

It came as a manual type, but can be upgraded at any time with hydraulic cylinders for any of the motions because this brand comes with hydraulic cylinder attachment points already welded on. If I get rear remotes (someday) I can just order cylinders and hoses from a surplus hydraulics shop online.
rScotty