3-Point Hitch 3 Pt and Depth settings

kspring61 · Nov 20, 2015

OK, so been using the DK40SE for time now with the grapple. Boy that thing works great!!
Now I am starting to use the box blade to smooth some dirt piles and fill in some holes.
Question: Any tips on how to set the depth control? Seems it doesn't have that fine of a control
Any general tips on using a box blade?

I thought I remember a thread on here about it with tips on how to use the 3pt control with the depth control

Any tips on box blade usage with the 3pt controls would be great

Thanks

CobyRupert · Nov 20, 2015

Excuse my ignorance, but is depth control the same as draft control?

ksbrdmkr · Nov 20, 2015

Draft is amount of pull. In the bottom two holes of the top arm of the DK when the draft increases and the implement has rotational moment that pushes the arm towards the tractor hyd pressure will applied to raise the 3pt depending where the "draft control lever" is. The linkage is all mechanical so when the "draft lever is all the way up the 3pt will raise to some also.

whis · Nov 20, 2015

you have to keep your hand on control to fine tune the grade, no way to leave it on one setting. It takes a lot of practice to get good with box blade

ritcheyvs · Nov 20, 2015

With a box blade, the top link is the main control. If you want to drag dirt off the top of a pile you might use the position control to set the height of the blade. But for most grading and smoothing you put the position control full down and adjust the fore-aft angle (using the top link) to adjust how much "bite" the blade takes from the material. The 3-point only lifts so, with the position control full down, the blade "floats" held down only by the weight of the blade. The box blade has two cutting edges (front and back). If going forward, for example, it "rides" on the back cutting edge which establishes the cutting height of the front cutting edge. If you pitch the blade a little forward the front blade digs deeper. If you pitch it far forward the cutters will raise up on the end plates for a very shallow (or no) cut. Go look at the box blade video at EverythingAttachments.

If you will be doing a lot of box blade work you may want to consider a hydraulic top link so you can quickly tweak the top link without dismounting.

The draft control is really for things like plowing. The draft control can be set to automatically lift a plow if it encounters too much resistance. The draft control is seldom useful with a box blade.

npalen · Nov 20, 2015

I added gauge wheels on a common pivot to the back of my BB so that the cutting depth could be controlled with the hydraulic top link. The depth control is much more precise this way. (The 3PH lever is put all the way down to let the gauge wheels carry the BB) Of course I couldn't be happy with that and had to add a hydraulic cylinder to the gauge wheels along with a pull type hitch conversion. This essentially turns the BB into a soil mover or speed mover as they are sometimes called.
My York rake also has gauge wheels in the form of individual caster pivots. Here again the hydraulic top link works great for controlling cutting depth.

kspring61 · Nov 21, 2015

ritcheyvs said:
With a box blade, the top link is the main control. If you want to drag dirt off the top of a pile you might use the position control to set the height of the blade. But for most grading and smoothing you put the position control full down and adjust the fore-aft angle (using the top link) to adjust how much "bite" the blade takes from the material. The 3-point only lifts so, with the position control full down, the blade "floats" held down only by the weight of the blade. The box blade has two cutting edges (front and back). If going forward, for example, it "rides" on the back cutting edge which establishes the cutting height of the front cutting edge. If you pitch the blade a little forward the front blade digs deeper. If you pitch it far forward the cutters will raise up on the end plates for a very shallow (or no) cut. Go look at the box blade video at EverythingAttachments.

If you will be doing a lot of box blade work you may want to consider a hydraulic top link so you can quickly tweak the top link without dismounting.

The draft control is really for things like plowing. The draft control can be set to automatically lift a plow if it encounters too much resistance. The draft control is seldom useful with a box blade.

Thanks this is what I was looking for. I understand the operation of the draft control for plowing and even bursh hoggging. Using a box blade is rather new to me so I was looking for some good tips for adjustment for it. Sounds like a good use for my rear remote,

kspring61 · Nov 21, 2015

ritcheyvs said:
If you will be doing a lot of box blade work you may want to consider a hydraulic top link so you can quickly tweak the top link without dismounting.

Any suggestion on best place to get a hydraulic top link?

lostcreekranch · Nov 21, 2015

kspring61 said:
Any suggestion on best place to get a hydraulic top link?

Yep, Fit-Rite Hydraulics. Brian will take great care of you. He regularly posts on TBN as Mtnviewranch.

Fit Rite Hydraulics - fitritehydraulics.com

You might want to look into. Hydraulic side link as well. You install on right side and move the present mechanical adjustable side link over to left side.

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