Box Scraper Changing angle to use rippers only

[hOOPSNAKE]

Hi all,

I have just purchased a new box blade. so far, it’s a great unit but I can’t get the angle right so I can use the rippers only.
I have a hydraulic top link that’s the correct size for the tractor (same length as factory top link) but even with it fully retracted I cannot get the box to tilt forward enough to rip only. I can adjust the rippers down so they rip but I don’t want to have to manually raise and lower them all the time (adjustment holes). I want to just have them set on hole 2 from the top, so they’re out of the way when the box is level and dragging dirt forward but able to be angled when needed to rip.

The lower links have turnbuckles attached to the lifting arms. If I unscrew the turnbuckles (lengthening them) will this create more of an angle, pushing the rippers further out the back?

Please excuse my basic question but I am only a new tractor owner and I don’t want to mess up anything without knowing what I’m doing.

Thanks for reading.

 

[seville009]

Off hand I'd say try a shorter top link; not sure how short your existing one retracts to.

you can also lengthen the lower links as you describe. Won't hurt anything.

 

[workinonit]

Moving the stabilizer link adjustments won't have any effect on the angle of the blade. I have 2 box blades and I don't think I can do what you are asking with either of them. IU can't even visualize tilting a BB forward enough the engage the tines. As a matter of fact, the more you tilt forward the more you tilt the tines back and take them out of the ground. Just get off and raise and lower the tines.

 

[Woodstock Walt]

It sounds like you would need either a longer set of lower links or a shorter top link to achieve the geometry you're looking for. Box blades do work really well for ripping in that application, so if you can setup your 3 pt. hitch appropriately it'll really help you get the most out of your box blade.

 

[workinonit]

"Box blades do work really well for ripping in that application, so if you can setup your 3 pt. hitch appropriately it'll really help you get the most out of your box blade"

I don't understand how changing the angle on a blade will engage the tines if they are in the middle position. On both of mine, in the middle position the tines are quite a bit above the lower edge of the box which keeps them from engaging in the ground. I use that setting if I'm trying the level ground that has roots and debris. The tines will act as a rake but they won't rip like they do when they are lowered to the bottom setting.

 

[Woodstock Walt]

Well, here's a video that I think demonstrates what the op is looking to do. The title may sound somewhat belittling, but that's not my intended point at all. Just watch the angles this guy is able to achieve with his box blade. It allows him to use his ripper teeth while they're still on the higher setting by steeply angling the box blade forwards. Later, he reverses the angle to raise the teeth and still use the blade.

I just remember watching this video a while ago, it kind of opened my eyes to the actual capability of a box blade with a proper 3 pt. setup.

Again, just a thought. I may be off the mark on what the op is looking to accomplish.

 

[workinonit]

That guy is using that blade in perfectly prepared soil with nothing that needs to be ripped. You get those angles and hook a good root with that small tractor and something is gonna break. Probably won't be anything on the blade. The other thing is the soil has to be loose enough for the sides of the box to go down below the surface. That won't happen in the places I use it.

 

[oldnslo]

I believe some box blades have hydraulic cylinder to raise and lower rippers which would provide function OP is asking for.
I agree adjusting top link does not work on box with fixed ripper and tilting box blade screws up angle of attack and tendency for ripper shank to get pulled into the ground vs skate on top.

 

[rScotty]

Hi all,

I have just purchased a new box blade. so far, it’s a great unit but I can’t get the angle right so I can use the rippers only.
I have a hydraulic top link that’s the correct size for the tractor (same length as factory top link) but even with it fully retracted I cannot get the box to tilt forward enough to rip only. I can adjust the rippers down so they rip but I don’t want to have to manually raise and lower them all the time (adjustment holes). I want to just have them set on hole 2 from the top, so they’re out of the way when the box is level and dragging dirt forward but able to be angled when needed to rip.

The lower links have turnbuckles attached to the lifting arms. If I unscrew the turnbuckles (lengthening them) will this create more of an angle, pushing the rippers further out the back?

Please excuse my basic question but I am only a new tractor owner and I don’t want to mess up anything without knowing what I’m doing.

Thanks for reading.

I don't think you will mess up anything trying to do that with a basic box blade, because shortening the top link that much disengages the rippers from the ground. But I also don't think that you will get the results you are looking for.

The problem is the basic box blade with manual rippers is a compromise tool, and the compromise is that it is made to be used with a lot of manual adjustment by the operator.

There are more specialized box blades made that do exactly what you want - manual or hydraulically - and they only cost several times as much as a basic box blade. They work by either rotating the tines or raising/lowering them. Bush hog makes both styles...plus a nice basic one.

 

[ericm979]

Hi all,

I have just purchased a new box blade. so far, it’s a great unit but I can’t get the angle right so I can use the rippers only.
I have a hydraulic top link that’s the correct size for the tractor (same length as factory top link) but even with it fully retracted I cannot get the box to tilt forward enough to rip only. I can adjust the rippers down so they rip but I don’t want to have to manually raise and lower them all the time (adjustment holes). I want to just have them set on hole 2 from the top, so they’re out of the way when the box is level and dragging dirt forward but able to be angled when needed to rip.

That's not how it works.

You adjust the box blade angle so it takes the cut you want in the dirt you are working with. When you need the rippers you lower them. Otherwise you raise them. Some companies make box blades with either manually or hydraulically operated ganged together rippers, so it's easier to raise and lower them as needed. My manual one was only a few hundred $$ more than their regular individual ripper model and the hydraulic version a few hundred more than that. But you already have what you have and unless you do a LOT of box blading it would not be worth getting a new one.

If I remember right lowering the back of the BB makes it dig in less aggressively and raising it makes it dig in more. But I might have that backwards. It's counter intuitive. You can figure it out for yourself pretty quick since you have a hydraulic top link

 

[oosik]

I have two implements with rippers - ROBB and LPGS. If I want the rippers to go deeper - I have to manually drop them down and re-pin them. Angling the LPGS is out of the question. Angling the ROBB is counter productive. With the ROBB flat on the ground - that's as deep as the rippers will go - unless I manually lower them and re-pin.

 

[Rich B1]

I have a very basic box blade - King Kutter XB, with a basic tractor - New Holland TC21D. No hydraulic top link, that is manual too.

It is capable of using it was rippers only and there are times I have used it that way to get the hard pack material broken up. Drop the tines all the way down, tilt the blade using the top link until only the front corners of the side boards are on the ground. You definitely don't want the rear blades to be in contact. Set up like this, it does a nice job breaking up hard pack material. Drive slowly, watch your depth. You can also play around with the "pitch" of the blade to get the best penetration of the rippers, but you always want to keep the actual blade at the rear clear of the ground.

Actually, IME, most every thing involving a box blade involves "driving slowly' to get the best performance out of the blade. Speed is not your friend.

It takes time to develop a feel for best use of the blades. There is a fine line between cutting (rear down), moving material (near level) and spreading material (blade slightly up) with a box blade. There is also a fine line on spreading/smoothing material.

All of this is time consuming, but it is A LOT faster than doing it by hand. And it is a lot cheaper than owning much more sophisticated equipment. For my couple of times/year using the box blade, the trade off is worth it.

 

[Henro]

I guess I am missing something, but if you want to use the rippers only, are they fully down?

Just what I would do if I wanted to only use the rippers only...

Again, I could be missing something. I have enough adjustment with my top cylinder to get some engagement of the rippers when I want, but if I tilt the box back, the rippers no longer dig in...

If I tilt back more, then I can drag the contents without the blade digging in.

 

[ctgoldwing]

That guy is using that blade in perfectly prepared soil with nothing that needs to be ripped. You get those angles and hook a good root with that small tractor and something is gonna break. Probably won't be anything on the blade. The other thing is the soil has to be loose enough for the sides of the box to go down below the surface. That won't happen in the places I use it.

fwiw I redid about 3/4 acre lawn last spring in tough CT soil. Plenty of good sized rocks and no lack of roots near the trees. After killing everything with Roundup I used the box blade pretty much the way he demonstrated:

I was able to remove tons (literally) of rocks and rip up the surface roots so I didn't destroy my tiller.

 

[hOOPSNAKE]

Well, here's a video that I think demonstrates what the op is looking to do. The title may sound somewhat belittling, but that's not my intended point at all. Just watch the angles this guy is able to achieve with his box blade. It allows him to use his ripper teeth while they're still on the higher setting by steeply angling the box blade forwards. Later, he reverses the angle to raise the teeth and still use the blade.

I just remember watching this video a while ago, it kind of opened my eyes to the actual capability of a box blade with a proper 3 pt. setup.

Again, just a thought. I may be off the mark on what the op is looking to accomplish.

This is exactly what I’m trying to achieve. I just can’t seem to get enough angle.

 

[Woodstock Walt]

This is exactly what I’m trying to achieve. I just can’t seem to get enough angle.

Nice, that's kind of what I thought based on your description. As previously said, it sounds like you'd most likely need a shorter top link or longer bottom links to get the angle you wish to achieve.

It's definitely possible, though. I've spent many hours manually adjusting my box blade to use it in a manner similar to the video and ctgoldwing above ^. It has worked really well for me.

 

[hOOPSNAKE]

Nice, that's kind of what I thought based on your description. As previously said, it sounds like you'd most likely need a shorter top link or longer bottom links to get the angle you wish to achieve.

It's definitely possible, though. I've spent many hours manually adjusting my box blade to use it in a manner similar to the video and ctgoldwing above ^. It has worked really well for me.

Did you find that adjusting the turnbuckles between the lifting arms and the lower links changed anything? I’m thinking that all it will do is make the top link a bit lower and not change the angle like I originally thought. My top link is the one that was recommended and is the smallest cat 2 link I can find. If I needed to go smaller for the short angle, I’d have to go to cat 1.

 

[John0829]

Long story short, you have to have a shorter top link.

 

[Xfaxman]

Or add another top link hole above the existing one on the box blade.

Pictures of your box blade on the three point would help

 

[RalphVa]

Keep those turnbuckles tight! I bent the bottom lift arm bar when I let the turnbuckles get loose on my bush hog.

On my box blade, the turnbuckles would do nothing.

I'd say your hydraulic top link needs to go shorter or you need to lower the scarifiers more.