Bending my box blade hitch, please help!

[CliffordK]

Box blades are designed to be used in both directions. On some, the rear facing blade is a steel bar that is hinged so it swings up when moving forward and when pushing backwards, it is used for smoothing. On other box blades, the rear blade maybe a replaceable fixed cutting edge just like the front blade. So anyone saying a box blade is not designed to push material, maybe they should inform Land Pride. They show it being used that way in their literature and videos.

As for bending any part of the implement, that just shows it is not built heavy enough for your application. I have a Land Pride 7 foot box blade that weights close to 1000 pounds. I have pushed, pulled and turned with the box blade full of dirt and never bent anything. I have snagged roots with the scarifiers and all it does is stops the tractor.

Right.

The OP is right at the top end of the power rating for that blade. There are several ways it could have been made stouter. Was Kubota using cheap steel? ?Although, at this point, the easiest solution is to make sure the lateral pulling force gets transferred to as many bars on the hitch as possible. I.E. Likely using the bolt and nut for the hitch, or at least a lynch pin tight against the bar.

Of course, the other question is what will bend next?

 

[DarkBlack]

Box blades are designed to be used in both directions. On some, the rear facing blade is a steel bar that is hinged so it swings up when moving forward and when pushing backwards, it is used for smoothing. On other box blades, the rear blade maybe a replaceable fixed cutting edge just like the front blade. So anyone saying a box blade is not designed to push material, maybe they should inform Land Pride. They show it being used that way in their literature and videos.

You can certainly run a box blade backwards, and a box blade maker can advertise them used that way, but it doesn’t change the fact, that they are more easily damaged in that direction. That’s simply dictated by physics.
Your lower lift arms do the pushing when going rearward, and because of their outward angle towards the implement, they can come under tremendous spreading forces if you hit something like a tree stump. This can easily bend outward, the lower arm attachment points on the box blade.(done it).
Going rearward also forces the box blade downward when an obstacle is hit, putting large stresses on the box blade, and your 3 point hitch assembly. Hitting an obstacle pulling forward, gives opportunity for the box blade to possibly ride up and over it, avoiding damage. Going rearward gives no chance of that.

 

[jmc]

Without rereading the thread, I think there are several comments on the bent frame component being the top link attachment. Original post says it's both side links.

 

[DarkBlack]

Without rereading the thread, I think there are several comments on the bent frame component being the top link attachment. Original post says it's both side links.

Good point. I got the mistaken impression the other day that the top link connection got damaged. Looking again, it’s oblivious the lift arm connection

 

[Tinhack]

Looks to me like the Sway Links are set up incorrectly. And if they aren't on the same axis as your lift arm pivots, you're going to break the rear axles out of that tractor.

 

[chris the wrench]

Original post says it's both side links

Exactly, top is good.

Of course, the other question is what will bend next?

Hopefully this week I’ll get sometime to reinforce the hitch area, and then I will find the next week spot!

 

[chris the wrench]

Welp I straightened out the hitch jiblets(way easier than I thought w/ a 14” crescent wrench), and I put a couple of grade 8 7/8 bolts in place of the pins. I dragged the blade around a bunch(leveling a pad and cleaning up a driveway) and it seems like it’s alot more happier now. Thanks to all for the suggestions and help.