Grading Back Blade Use

[ericbx1500]

I have a rookie question. Right now I use my fel to level out dirt and to level spots on my stone driveway. Would it be an advantage for me to purchase a back blade to do these tasks? If so what are some of the other jobs people use their back blade for /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[JimMorrissey]

I'd look at a good properly sized landscape rake with rear gauge wheels. I've owned both and can tell you a "rear blade" on a small machine is not worth too much. Anything you'd be able to drag won't weigh enough to really cut and pull any material. It will drag your BX sideways if you angle it. I know from experience trying to maintain a gravel drive about 800 feet long a few years ago.

A rear blade is good for backfilling trenches or small foundations, cleaning up small snow storms on hard or paved surfaces, cleaning up after snowblowing if you have a front mounted snowblower. Maybe some others I've missed.

As you can tell I'm not a big fan of small rear blades unless they're used for very specific reasons. If you had a 50hp machine and a hydraulic operated blade that weighted about 1000lbs that would be another story.

There are a variety of other road maintenance implements available that might work too. Grader type that cut and fill at the same time and require less hp. Not sure they'd work on a BX though. Check out a landscape rake. I bought a 72" and cut it back to 60" to make it more friendly for my BX. 72" was just too much for a BX2200. It's a heavy duty Woods rake so it could easily stop the BX and I didn't damage it one bit with a lot of use. By far the most useful rear implement (aside from my snowblower).

 

[ericbx1500]

one problem i have in the spring time is alot of stones are pushed onto the lawn after the winter from the plow truck. i have an 850ft drivway. stones and mower blades dont mix well!! would the rake drag the stones off the lawn?

 

[PAexcavator]

If you keep the rake angled in, you won't get rocks into the lawn in the first place. You could, with precise adjustment of the gauge wheels, rake some rocks off the lawn as long as the lawn is pretty level, otherwise the rake will try to level the lawn.

The rake w/gauge wheels is one of the most useful attachments. I've had one landpride rake last through four tractors.

You will want to get one that's not much wider than your wheel track otherwise it'll be too hard for your tractor to pull. You can get more done with pulling a smaller one fast than having one too big dragging the tractor sideways when you angle it or stalling the tractor whenyou pull it straight.

The biggest advantage of the proper size rake is you'll be off the tractor all the time readjusting a rake that's too big, where you can just drop and go with the right size one.

Check your manual, it'll tell you the max rake size recommended, I wouldn't exceed that by more than 6"

 

[ericbx1500]

If you keep the rake angled in, you won't get rocks into the lawn in the first place????? not sure what you mean here. rocks on my lawn are caused by a snow plow truck not a rake. i have my drive plowed by someone else.

 

[btolle]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( i have my drive plowed by someone else. )</font>

Have your butler go out and pick the rocks out of the lawn /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bill Tolle

 

[ericbx1500]

that would be nice but i might be pushing it a little /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif i get my driveway plowed for free /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[HomeBrew2]

You've gotten good advice on a rake. I'm curious how much dirt work you do compared to smoothing the gravel drive. If you just need to do the drive once a year or so, but move quite a bit of dirt, you might consider a box blade. As someone else posted in another thread, you can do a pretty good smoothing/leveling job with a box blade if you set the height of the blade on a concrete surface then chain the lift arms at that height so the box won't go lower than level with the tractor. I have used this idea sucessfully for a while now.

 

[deminin]

I have a B2910, and I have a 6' rear blade, a 5' box blade, and a 6' Landscape rake for dirt, etc., work. By far, the handiest implement, and the one I use most, is the Landscape Rake. If I am going to work some "fresh" dirt, I usually put on my disc to break it up first, then the rear blade, or the box blade to get the contour right, then the rake to do the final grading. Probably the most use I get out of the rear blade is for driveway maintenance. I have a 500' driveway, about 30 feet wide, flaring to 50 feet wide at the house and shed...and it is covered with creek rock....15 truckloads. Creek rock is great, but it moves. 2 or 3 times a year, I put on the rear blade, and by turning the blade backwards, I can smooth and re-grade the rocks to a nice smooth drive. Then, after a rain, I pull my roller across the drive, and pack it down a bit to keep the rocks somewhat in place.