Best size rear blade for L3400?

[AaronS]

I'm looking to purchase a rear blade for snow removal and am trying to decide between a 6 foot and a 7 foot. My tractor is approximately 5 foot wide and I want to be sure the blade covers both tracks when at full tilt. Any L3400 (or L3200/3800 since they're so close in size) owners out there that know the answer? Secondary question: Is the L3400 heavy enough to pull a 7 foot blade full of material?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

A 6 footer is too small for your tractor IMO and the 7 should work well for you. With the 7 at a 45* angle, the blade will still be a few inches wider than your tractor and that is a good thing. :thumbsup: If you need more weight, load the tires. Get a rear blade that weighs at a minimum of 75lbs per foot of width, and the heavier the better. I personally would be looking for 100lbs per foot, but 75 seems to work out alright.

 

[Thomas]

7'er should be fine,also check out adjustable slide scraper blade.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Listen to Brian. He knows what he is talking about.
Having said that this is my experience. I have a 4WD L3010 DT (Gear) spec weight is 2710 lb. My running weight is 5000 lbs with loader, loaded tires, and blade. The spec weight on your L3400 is 2400 to 2600 lbs so it is pretty close to my L3010. With my R1 (Ag) tires I need 4' 10" to cover my tracks. I have a 6' Landpride blade that has pin adjusted angle settings. The max angle setting is 30 degrees. At 30 degrees it just covers my tracks at 5' 2". I do quite a bit of road work with stone and gravel and have some hills to work on. If I was going to use the blade for snow I would go 7 foot no question. But from my experience doing what I do blading on my roads I don't believe my tractor would be happy with a 7 foot blade even though it would be nicer to work with with. A full 6 foot blade seems to be plenty for my setup on my roads. On the hills when the blade is any where near full I am standing on the dif-lock all the time to maintain traction in 4WD.
It is a pain when you are cutting a good line then you have to dump the blade because you loose traction.
My manual says 6 foot max for a rear blade .
Just my thoughts.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Compromises, always have to be making compromises.

 

[devildog1]

I have a Grand L3540 and have been using a Land Pride 3584 for the past two years and it's a heavy Blade, some where around 950 lbs. Tractor handles it quite well, used for dirt spreading but primary used for snow clearing large area. As said before buy heavy blade it will last a lifetime, best of luck.
DevilDog

 

[Fallon]

My L3200 with R4s and no ballast (yet) pulls a 500lbs 6' box blade reasonably well. Can work it full on reasonably level ground. It looses traction when I encounter some decent dips over speedbump size.

Haven't used my landpride blade 72" enough to properly evaluate it.

I'm planning on loading the rears soon, but its acceptable enough for now.

 

[LD1]

7' is fine. But if snow is the primary task, personally I would be looking at a lighter duty 8' blade. Not talking TSC light duty, but you dont need a 800+ pound 8' blade for snow. I have a 700# 7' blade that works in the dirt alot too, but find it is a little heavy for snow, as it tends to cut into the gravel base, even though it is frozen and packed. I used to have a ~350# 6' blade that was much better for snow but worthless in dirt.

As far as wanting a dirt blade too, some may say 7' is too much, but even a 5' blade can stop you dead in your tracks if you get a good bite if trying to cut virgin ground. But doing things like moving loose dirt around, grading drives, etc...the 7' works really well.

I guess to sum it up, I'd go 8' and lighter (400-500#) if you want to do mainly snow. And if in the future you do alot of dirt work, a 6' 600+ lb blade. But if you want to compromise on both ends to get one blade, a 7' in the 600+ lb range is good.

 

[peterc38]

I have a L3200 and run a 7 ft Landpride blade. It's a nice setup for snow removal.

 

[Chilly807]

I have an L3400 with a 6 foot Land Pride blade, I'd rather have a 7 footer for snow removal. It handles the 6, but it will pull the tractor sideways with it angled, even with ice chains and loaded tires, so be prepared to take a lighter cut on the first pass in heavy wet snow.

The 7 foot blade would be better for pushing the snow back at the edges of the cut.

Sean