7' or 8' Angle Blade

[beeser]

I posted a question about which size box blade is appropriate for my Bobcat CT2040. The same is being asked here regarding an angle blade. The 7' blade will just cover my outside wheel width of 62" when fully angled but will be a little short if the Bobcat is replaced with another tractor having an outside wheel width of 68". The blade does extend about 6" though in either direction. Should I go with the 7' or 8' blade?

Edit: The Bobcat website shows that either the 7' or 8' angle blade is acceptable.

 

[Thomas]

I would lean towards the 8".
Blade set at 45 degrees you could use half blade or so pushing heavy wet snow with out pushing tractor sideways or working tractor hard.

 

[CoyPatton]

Unless you will use in in an area where width is critical while in use, go with the wider blade. Transporting width is to me of little concern, a good clamp or drilling and extra hole to secure the blade at a steep angle for transport is a no big deal issue.

 

[Bullwinkle123]

Just watch your garage when you pull in, if you garage it and don't have extra wide doors.

 

[Zebrafive]

I have 9' for my JD 6415. I was looking for an 8' and found deal on used 9'

 

[fried1765]

I posted a question about which size box blade is appropriate for my Bobcat CT2040. The same is being asked here regarding an angle blade. The 7' blade will just cover my outside wheel width of 62" when fully angled but will be a little short if the Bobcat is replaced with another tractor having an outside wheel width of 68". The blade does extend about 6" though in either direction. Should I go with the 7' or 8' blade?

Edit: The Bobcat website shows that either the 7' or 8' angle blade is acceptable.

Take a look at the EA Deluxe Scrape Blade (angle).
It has the best angle/offset design of any.
I was going to buy a 7' blade, but because of the unique EA angle/offset design I found I could use their 6' blade instead, and still get great angled coverage.
In my opinion, the EA rear blade is the best/most versitile in the marketplace!

 

[beeser]

Take a look at the EA Deluxe Scrape Blade (angle).
It has the best angle/offset design of any.
I was going to buy a 7' blade, but because of the unique EA angle/offset design I found I could use their 6' blade instead, and still get great angled coverage.
In my opinion, the EA rear blade is the best/most versitile in the marketplace!

Are you referring to the hydraulic version. In either case I don't see that it offsets to one side or the other.

 

[oosik]

I angle and offset when I use my Rhino 950 rear blade. It's 96" and used primarily to clear snow on my mile long gravel driveway. It does not cover the 80" width of my rear tires when used this way. That's OK by me. The offset is so I don't have to run right on the bloody edge when clearing snow. There are a few places on the driveway where "going over the edge" would be a VERY unpleasant experience.

 

[CADplans]

Seven foot was right for me,, because I found it as a used blade,, at the right price,,

Obviously, it is not wide enough for this tractor, but, it is track wide enough behind my JD 4105, which is similar to the OP's tractor , HP-wise.

I would never consider a 8 foot blade, I only have 1,400 feet of driveway, the 8 foot blade would be a problem when turning around, etc,, for me.

My JD would quickly run out of HP doing gravel work with an 8 foot.
HECK, I have a 6 foot blade I use sometimes for dirt, and gravel.

The 7 foot blade in the pic can have the boom pivoted right at the 3 point hitch arms, so even though the blade is only 7 feet, I can move snow WAY off the driveway to one side.
That is a great feature of this blade.

If you do decide to get the 8,, a few minutes with a torch will allow you to narrow it,,
ADDING width is FAR more difficult, so, if you GOTTA try an 8 foot, converting it to a 7 is SUPER-EASY!!

I also have a 7 foot finger rake, and a 7 foot landplane,, my mower is 6 foot, because I could not find a 7 foot at the time that I wanted to buy.

Maybe the fact that all my attachments are virtually the same width makes it easier to operate all of them well? Just making a wild guess,,,

 

[fried1765]

Are you referring to the hydraulic version. In either case I don't see that it offsets to one side or the other.

The EA Deluxe Scrape Blade offsets to either side!
A perfectly designed rear blade!

 

[beeser]

The EA Deluxe Scrape Blade offsets to either side!
A perfectly designed rear blade!

I see now how the blade is able to accomplish the side to side offset. Nice blade and at an attractive price. I've asked about shipping to my location, which is outside of their free shipping area.

 

[fried1765]

I see now how the blade is able to accomplish the side to side offset. Nice blade and at an attractive price. I've asked about shipping to my location, which is outside of their free shipping area.

I really do not think EA will charge a lot extra for shipping, unless you are in Alaska or Canada.
I have two other blades (KK & TSC) and they are both for sale.
Because it is SO adjustable in all dimensions, the EA Deluxe Scrape Blade is the cats axx!
I have been using a rear blade for 50+ years!

BTW: I think EA now makes bolt on end plates for their rear blades.
With end plates, you can convert your scrape blade to a box blade, and back, whenever you might want.
If mine had that feature, I could sell my KK box blade also.

 

[beeser]

Hopefully you're correct about the extra shipping charges. I'm only a little further west outside of their free shipping. Having bolt-on sides would be a real benefit. I'll ask about them after they get back to me on the extra shipping charges. This blade should work out great for me. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[fried1765]

Hopefully you're correct about the extra shipping charges. I'm only a little further west outside of their free shipping. Having bolt-on sides would be a real benefit. I'll ask about them after they get back to me on the extra shipping charges. This blade should work out great for me. Thanks for the heads up!

I have suggested that blade to many, but you are the very first to have expressed serious interest.
I do not understand why others have not followed through.
In my opinion (50+ years of blade use) it is the best blade in the market by far, and particularly for the price.
Many try to use a box blade for maintaining a driveway, but that is a lot like using pliers, when the proper tool is a wrench.

 

[jjp8182]

I have suggested that blade to many, but you are the very first to have expressed serious interest.
I do not understand why others have not followed through.
In my opinion (50+ years of blade use) it is the best blade in the market by far, and particularly for the price.
Many try to use a box blade for maintaining a driveway, but that is a lot like using pliers, when the proper tool is a wrench.

Personally I think the utility of rear-blades is just undervalued - or at least when it comes to the quality ones capable of doing what they need to do.

 

[deezler]

I have suggested that blade to many, but you are the very first to have expressed serious interest.
I do not understand why others have not followed through.
In my opinion (50+ years of blade use) it is the best blade in the market by far, and particularly for the price.

Don't worry fried, I still really want one too! It's not a trivial purchase at ~$1000; still gathering the motivation.

 

[arrow]

I'd go with the 7'. It isn't that to cover your wheel width which is important, it is how much blade your tractor will handle.
You don't say where you are or if you'll be doing snow but 8" of wet snow can stop a tractor cold with the wrong size blade.
As mentioned, maneuverability in tight spots is also an issue with too wide of anything sticking out the rear of the tractor.

 

[Skagit]

Hopefully you're correct about the extra shipping charges. I'm only a little further west outside of their free shipping. Having bolt-on sides would be a real benefit. I'll ask about them after they get back to me on the extra shipping charges. This blade should work out great for me. Thanks for the heads up!

Their shipping charges are quite reasonable, it was $250 to ship to the Seattle WA area which is about as far away as you can get.

 

[beeser]

EA's additional shipping charge was $200, which is reasonable but at the end of the day I decided to support my local dealer and ordered the angle blade from Bobcat. It has most if not all of the EA features and the delivered cost is about the same. Hopefully I made the right decision.