Best CUT attachment for this kind of earthmoving?

[nybirdman]

Box blade,ground must be dry.

 

[fried1765]

I've got my first ever tractor arriving soon! (Kubota B2301). I've got a FEL and 4 in 1 bucket coming with it, as well as a rotary hoe. No other attachments as yet.
I know FELs aren't bulldozers, and I've read the warnings about not abusing your FEL when earthmoving in this thread. I'm determined to do a bunch of earthmoving with it though, thought I understand I will have to take it slow. I really don't want to prematurely destroy my tractor in the process. So I could use your advice!

One of the major tasks I'll be doing is to re-landscape some grassy fields: I want to slice off some ~2'-4' high spots and use this to fill in some low points. We're talking a high spot which is say 30'x30'...so not just smoothing little lumps and bumps in the field. It is all presently covered in grass too. The soil is a clayey basalt, with occasional stones of varying sizes.

To tackle a job like this, I understand from reading the above thread that it could be done by taking it very slow, a few inches at a time, with a tooth bar attached to the bucket. I haven't bought a tooth bar yet. What I'd really like to know is, should I consider using some other attachment for this kind of work? Am I better to run a middle buster or something like this through it a few times, and then use the loader to shift the loosened soil? Would a box blade be a better investment than a middle buster? Maybe I need both? (I have a gravel driveway to maintain, too). What about a back blade or something else?

Any advice or tips appreciated!

A box blade with ripper teeth is the only suitable tool, without damaging your very small machine.
Pushing that stuff is bulldozer work!
Maybe plan on 4+ full weekends, with a box blade on the B2301!

 

[JethroB]

I suggest getting rid of the grass first as best you can. Scalp with a mower, burn, Roundup, or whatever method you have at hand. I agree that's a lot to expect from your tractor.

 

[shooterdon]

You won't like this.....rent a dozer or hire someone with a dozer that knows what he is doing. You will be astonished at what a dozer can accomplish in a few hours. I think you will regret investing in the 4in1 bucket. I had a guy with a JD550 come in last year to do some work, What he did in 2 hours would have taken 2 days, but I also had trees to deal with.

Get a landscape rake for finial leveling after the dozer is done.

 

[DK35vince]

When doing that type of work I simply hit it with the tiller, peal off the soft tilled soil with the loader then till it again/repeat .
Makes it easy loader work and gives you nice, easy to work with soil for filling in the low spots.

 

[i7win7]

What is a rotary hoe?

mankato farm & garden "rotary hoe" - craigslist

mankato farm & garden "rotary hoe" - craigslist

mankato.craigslist.org

Used to aerate young planted crops, provides some weed control.

 

[tallguy104]

Sorry, what I have ordered with my tractor is a rotary tiller: RTZ Series – Kubota Australia

It sounds like this might be the best tool to loosen the soil anyway.

I'm tempted to get a box blade too, like some have suggested, also because I'll likely find lots of other uses for it (and it sounds like pulling a box blade is far less stressful on a tractor than pushing or pulling with a FEL...is that correct?)

 

[fried1765]

Sorry, what I have ordered with my tractor is a rotary tiller: RTZ Series – Kubota Australia

It sounds like this might be the best tool to loosen the soil anyway.

I'm tempted to get a box blade too, like some have suggested, also because I'll likely find lots of other uses for it (and it sounds like pulling a box blade is far less stressful on a tractor than pushing or pulling with a FEL...is that correct?)

THAT IS CORRECT !!!
A tractor is designed and built to PULL !!!

 

[ehcrain]

Going to second the hydraulic top link idea, best money I've spent on my tractor

 

[the old grind]

Best thing about a box blade is being able to lower the rippers and criss-cross an area to break it up w/o having to drag any around. That said, whether I disc, sub-soil, chisel plow, or other I like the landscape rake to spread and level what's been loosened up.

If there's a lot of greenery and roots, I drag off later what's surfaced/dried with the rake or chisel plow. Stir it up a little to let more dry and repeat a few times. Spread the work over dry days, get a feel for efficient passes, get a lot done with patience vs beating up a machine.

btw, tiller can easily wind up with roots. Scalping prior and/or Glypho w/two weeks to shrivel can help to minimoze that. Always till at a crawl and change directions for repeat passes. (you knew that )