4 or 5' box blade

[CMV]

Been borrowing a friend's 5' box blade. Works pretty well for most of what I've used it for, except if I drop the teeth all the way down. That turns it into an anchor pretty much after about 2-3 feet of travel.

My owners manual says use 4' implements. Been looking at clist for deals on box blades and see a fair price for a bush hog brand 4' one. Wonder if I should down size or stay with the 5'? Seems like for just maintaining a gravel road or spreading loose dirt/gravel, the 5' would be more efficient. But if i want to tear up some ground, maybe I need the smaller width so I can actually pull it?

Or is dropping the teeth to lowest possible setting a bad practice in general and a 4' would anchor the tractor same way?

Also - how "tight" should the box blade be? Meaning I should adjust the stabilizers to allow how much lateral movement? Leaving them loose makes getting it on off simple since the lower arms clear the pins easily, but real easy to have it sway too far to one side. I can tighten it up enough that it feels pretty solid - can't shake it side-to-side but seems that might break something without any free play? No idea how it "should be".

 

[/pine]

FWIW...I have a 17 HP B series K_ubota that weighs about the same as your LS...I have a Bush Hog brand CBX60 box blade...weighs under 275#...it is what the dealer recommended and it has worked great...

What this size tractors lacks most is overall weight/traction...(I have filled rears)...I have an 80# piece of rail steel that I strap to the box blade sometimes if I'm doing any real cutting...

I would go with the 5' blade for your tractor without a second thought...

Good Luck...

BTW...I keep the check links fairly tight...

 

[bcp]

Try the 5 without all the teeth dropped.

Bruce

 

[prichard]

How wide is your tractor, outside tire to outside tire? Hard to work a blade smaller than you track. Often blades will stop a tractor dead all the way down. Especially, small tractors like ours. We run out of traction before we run out of HP.

 

[CMV]

I think a 4' would cover the rear wheels. 5' stuff is decent amount wider. But sounds like I should just get a 5' and not be so aggressive with the teeth? Price difference on a used one in good shape isn't much between 4 & 5'

 

[CMV]

BTW...I keep the check links fairly tight...

How tight is fairly tight? Like lift it off the ground and you can move it left-right a few inches? a foot? or not at all?

 

[/pine]

How tight is fairly tight? Like lift it off the ground and you can move it left-right a few inches? a foot? or not at all?

I have turnbuckles and I have removed the clinch nuts so if I don't keep them tight (no sway) they get looser and looser...so I keep them tight...no movement...

 

[CMV]

Thanks! I didn't know if that would hurt anything having it so tight it didn't move at all side-side. I would prefer that so it stays centered even on a slope.

 

[prichard]

There's nothing wrong with 4' if it covers your track. But weight is needed for box blades to work right. 5' will be heavier but you can add weight on top of it as well.

 

[bruceatlam]

I rarely find that I need to use the scarifying teeth on my box blade. The blade by itself (when it's properly angled) cuts the material that I want to cut. I can angle it deep enough to stop the tractor cold without using the teeth. So, pay attention to blade angle.

You want to cut in a straight line ---- keep the blade as tight as you can and cut straight. If you try to cut in a curve you will break something.

A hydraulic top link will be your best friend.

Buy the 5' blade and forget about the teeth ---- angle the blade to cut as much as you can pull.

 

[Michael Aos]

I have a Land Pride GS1548 (4 foot) behind my BX2370. Having all of the teeth down all the way can bring it to a stop.

I kind of like that it's not that much wider than the tractor.
--

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

My tractor is 48hp (5300lb) and I just ordered a 78in BB (6.5ft), that will cover the rear wheels by around 3.5-4 inches on either side, so 8in ish wider than the tires.

I thought about getting a BB for my 455 JD (21hp Diesel) Garden Tractor first and I would only do a 4ft BB but it’s only 2wd, a 4x4 version I think it would handle a 5ft on loose materials, digging would take longer.

If you watch a few Everything attachments videos, they have a 96in (8ft) it’s the biggest one they make, they pulled it with 110hp tractor which was anchored by that BB quite a few times and they had to let up lol. That BB weighed like 2300lbs and was rated up to 260hp tractor lol.

I ordered the XTreme 78in which weights around 540lbs. I priced 20+ BB brands and it was down to KK, woods and EA. Used BBs around here are crazy, I’m paying around $300 more for new than most used blades I saw so I said screw it and ordered it green from EA to match my tractor.

 

[CMV]

The issues I have or when I *think* I need the teeth:

Breaking up some ground for planting. Small garden area, seeding grass. Occasionally want to just tear up top couple inches of earth.

Grading an area with some grass. The little bit that grows on the "hump" in middle of dirt/gravel road for example the BB will just cut that off. But an area that is mostly covered with grass or weeds - even sparse - the BB tends to want to float over even shortly cut grass/weeds. For something like that, ripping it up some with the teeth, then going back over seems to work. Otherwise, regardless of angles I've tried, it doesn't seem to want to uproot any ground cover and just skims over. If sparse enough, going backwards and forward over same area several times might do it, might not.

 

[jdom84]

The issues I have or when I *think* I need the teeth:

Breaking up some ground for planting. Small garden area, seeding grass. Occasionally want to just tear up top couple inches of earth.

Grading an area with some grass. The little bit that grows on the "hump" in middle of dirt/gravel road for example the BB will just cut that off. But an area that is mostly covered with grass or weeds - even sparse - the BB tends to want to float over even shortly cut grass/weeds. For something like that, ripping it up some with the teeth, then going back over seems to work. Otherwise, regardless of angles I've tried, it doesn't seem to want to uproot any ground cover and just skims over. If sparse enough, going backwards and forward over same area several times might do it, might not.

I have a 5 footer I used with this tractor and my last tractor which are pretty much the same size. The last tractor was 3 range geared (nine gears total) and could pull this blade much better. My ground is clay, sand and ROCKS so I have to use the teeth if I want to move any dirt. When using the teeth for ripping you shorten your top link alot so the teeth can dig and the blade doesn't collect dirt. use the three point to keep the rippers from going too deep on each pass. Do as much ripping as you can before adjusting it back to use the blade.

Hydraulic top link would be awesome... its next on my list.

But it sounds like you need a tiller

 

[SPYDERLK]

Been borrowing a friend's 5' box blade. Works pretty well for most of what I've used it for, except if I drop the teeth all the way down. That turns it into an anchor pretty much after about 2-3 feet of travel.

My owners manual says use 4' implements. Been looking at clist for deals on box blades and see a fair price for a bush hog brand 4' one. Wonder if I should down size or stay with the 5'? Seems like for just maintaining a gravel road or spreading loose dirt/gravel, the 5' would be more efficient. But if i want to tear up some ground, maybe I need the smaller width so I can actually pull it?

Or is dropping the teeth to lowest possible setting a bad practice in general and a 4' would anchor the tractor same way?

Also - how "tight" should the box blade be? Meaning I should adjust the stabilizers to allow how much lateral movement? Leaving them loose makes getting it on off simple since the lower arms clear the pins easily, but real easy to have it sway too far to one side. I can tighten it up enough that it feels pretty solid - can't shake it side-to-side but seems that might break something without any free play? No idea how it "should be".

I would look into heavying up your tractor to get traction for a 5' box. You could do it on a temporary basis if you dont want to load tires. -- Wheel weights and a load in the bucket.

Considering your location you might consider plain water in the tires. This would allow you to tailor ballast at whim. I do this on my Mahindra in VA. I only have to park it inside for 2 or 3 weeks a year because tubeless tires can handle light ice, from typical outdoor overnight exposure w/o damage.

 

[jdom84]

I would look into heavying up your tractor to get traction for a 5' box. You could do it on a temporary basis if you dont want to load tires. -- Wheel weights and a load in the bucket.

Considering your location you might consider plain water in the tires. This would allow you to tailor ballast at whim. I do this on my Mahindra in VA. I only have to park it inside for 2 or 3 weeks a year because tubeless tires can handle light ice, from typical outdoor overnight exposure w/o damage.

he has loaded tires already... but that only adds 300 or so lbs...

 

[/pine]

One trick/tip to using a lighter box blade when cutting and moving material...is false starts...
... a lighter blade even set aggressively will not bite in like a heavier blade can...so by making a few false starts and reversing a little each time helps start an initial deeper cut...

 

[SPYDERLK]

he has loaded tires already... but that only adds 300 or so lbs...

Yeah. Didnt see that. Good point on limited benefit on small tires. I have about a ton of water in the mahindra AGs - all 4 filled.

 

[elbowroom]

XR3135
I use a 6' box blade but rarely use the teeth. I have had gravel overflowing the box but that can only happen in 4WD, low range, good traction but will eventually stall me. Overall, pretty impressed with the ability to pull this. Have loaded tires also.

You are correct, it will not dig into grass at all. In fact, if it pulls up it tends to clog the whole thing up. This works great on dirt only. Fortunately, I have a tiller that I use for sod/pasture.

 

[jdom84]

Yeah. Didnt see that. Good point on limited benefit on small tires. I have about a ton of water in the mahindra AGs - all 4 filled.

I dont think he posted it in this thread. But yeah... at 18 gallons per rear and 6 gallons for the front... there isnt much weight to be had there but I noticed huge gains in traction after loading mine. With the weight of the backhoe the tractor had plenty of traction but cant do everything with the backhoe on.

Wheel weights would be nice. Solid iron could add considerably more weight to the tractor