Box Scraper Box Blade Ballast

[Deerfoot]

I just received these suitcase for my 2305. The plan was to hang them on the box blade when the 200CX FEL is attatched, and put them on the front when it is off. They really seem to fit well on the BB. Now it looks like I can fit one more to balance it out. My question is am I doing any damage to the BB or tractor by hanging these weights on the BB? I don't notice any strain on the tractor when lifting the BB. I have got to say with my tires filled and these weights on, the back end acts like it is nailed to the ground!!!

 

[rback33]

I just received these suitcase for my 2305. The plan was to hang them on the box blade when the 200CX FEL is attatched, and put them on the front when it is off. They really seem to fit well on the BB. Now it looks like I can fit one more to balance it out. My question is am I doing any damage to the BB or tractor by hanging these weights on the BB? I don't notice any strain on the tractor when lifting the BB. I have got to say with my tires filled and these weights on, the back end acts like it is nailed to the ground!!!

LOL wow... that's a lot of weight.. it SHOULD feel nailed to the ground. I would guess it's POSSIBLE to damage the BB like this just because there is probably more vertical force than it was intended. IT was intended for horizontal forces, but I would guess that if it holds up to the horizontal, it will handle the vertical. Now THAT was one big circle.

 

[3RRL]

You are experiencing what ballasting the tractor is all about, including added traction. I don't think it will hurt your boxblade at all. Try using the boxblade that way too. It will perform 10x better. One thing to keep in mind is to somehow secure them so they don't bounce and rattle around or flip off.

 

[N80]

I wouldn't think the weight would damage the BB but it will make it engage the ground...including rocks and stumps, more solidly, whereas without them the BB might ride over an obstacle. So you might have to be a little more careful when using the BB. Also make sure you have not exceeded your 3 pt lift capacity, but that is unlikely.

 

[john_bud]

I wouldn't think the weight would damage the BB but it will make it engage the ground...including rocks and stumps, more solidly, whereas without them the BB might ride over an obstacle. So you might have to be a little more careful when using the BB. Also make sure you have not exceeded your 3 pt lift capacity, but that is unlikely.

You say it like it's a bad thing. Riding over obstacles is what you want to avoid. Ripping them out of the ground and leaving a fine smooth flat path is what you want. right?

jb

 

[rback33]

You say it like it's a bad thing. Riding over obstacles is what you want to avoid. Ripping them out of the ground and leaving a fine smooth flat path is what you want. right?

jb

That works fine till you hit the top three inches of 3/8 angle iron that is buried 6 feet in the ground with a T cross piece on the other end. (part of an old windmill) You better have your seatbelt on. I have not hit that object, but I know here it is on my property. I tried to pull it with the loader, couldn't get it so I had a neighbor come over to cut it off below ground level. He told me I'd never pull it because it was as described earlier.

 

[flusher]

I just received these suitcase for my 2305. The plan was to hang them on the box blade when the 200CX FEL is attatched, and put them on the front when it is off. They really seem to fit well on the BB. Now it looks like I can fit one more to balance it out. My question is am I doing any damage to the BB or tractor by hanging these weights on the BB? I don't notice any strain on the tractor when lifting the BB. I have got to say with my tires filled and these weights on, the back end acts like it is nailed to the ground!!!

How much weight have you added to your BB?
I have a KK 4-ft BB on my B7510HST along with 360 lb of concrete weight. The total weight on the 3pt is about 600 lb, way below its capacity.
Had to add the weight to get the BB to cut through turf effectively.

 

[radman1]

I just received these suitcase for my 2305. The plan was to hang them on the box blade when the 200CX FEL is attatched, and put them on the front when it is off. They really seem to fit well on the BB. Now it looks like I can fit one more to balance it out. My question is am I doing any damage to the BB or tractor by hanging these weights on the BB? I don't notice any strain on the tractor when lifting the BB. I have got to say with my tires filled and these weights on, the back end acts like it is nailed to the ground!!!

I do the same thing with my box blade. I hang 350 lbs (2 100lb and 2 75lb) on the blade braces just like you do. Most of the time I remove them when doing dirt work. The dirt can lift the weights off of the bar and occasionally I have to go back and find one.
I wouldn't worry about being a little out of balance, your tractor or box blade won't notice the difference. If you want the extra weight for dirt work, you can hang them on the outside of the box blade but be careful of the extra width and don't hit anything.

 

[scott_vt]

Afternoon Deerfoot,
Looks like a great idea to me! You might consider drilling and tapping the weights on the thin side to use as a lock for the weight.

Maybe something along the lines of 3/8" x 16 thread, then you wont have to worry about losing them along the way !

 

[john_bud]

That works fine till you hit the top three inches of 3/8 angle iron that is buried 6 feet in the ground with a T cross piece on the other end. (part of an old windmill) You better have your seatbelt on. I have not hit that object, but I know here it is on my property. I tried to pull it with the loader, couldn't get it so I had a neighbor come over to cut it off below ground level. He told me I'd never pull it because it was as described earlier.

Ok, I'll give you that one!!

jb

 

[N80]

You say it like it's a bad thing. Riding over obstacles is what you want to avoid. Ripping them out of the ground and leaving a fine smooth flat path is what you want. right?jb

John, I'd have to say that it depended completely on the obstacle. I've got some rocks and stumps that I'm quite sure are simultaneously frustrating me and some poor fellow in Manchuria. I've hit these a number of times with my BB and it has stopped my tractor cold. The only thing that prevented damage to the BB was slick soil conditions that allowed for the wheels to spin a little before my cat-like relfexes got on the clutch.

 

[roxynoodle]

I have a couple of bags of cement that got wet and turned into hardened cement that I have used on my box blade. I have used them to weight down the BB to help with ground engaging and to add ballast for using my loader in clay. If you do hit an object that stops the tractor, be careful. You don't want that tractor standing up on you or you could have a rear rollover. If the front end pops up, step on your clutch immediately.

 

[3RRL]

N80,
I have to agree with John that the goal is to get your path as smooth and void of obstacles as possible. That is why I suggested using the box blade with all that weight on it in the first place. Generally, those obstacles that can, will eventually be pulled up and out of your way. (not a dang windmill ) Those that can't are always going to be a PITA until you do get rid of them. If not, every time you boxblade over that spot, you stand a chance of ruining something.

I have that (had) all over my property. First thing I did is rebuild my boxblade to make it super heavy duty and hydraulic. Now it weighs easily over 1,000lbs.



Then I pulled up everything that it used to "skip" over and now my entire road is gravy. In those spots where I had an excessively large root or boulder, I back hoed and pick axed the crap out of them till they were sub flush.




Now, I only graze the surface to keep it smooth and beautiful.



I always use position control anyway to control my depth of cut ... even on new trails and roads. On new trails and roads, even an inch deep cut will pop out all kids of large rocks boulders etc. You have to control this or you WILL meet your buddy in Manchuria.

 

[Deerfoot]

Thanks for all your great replies. Although I haven't found any sub-terranian "windmills" I have found my share of roots and other junk the previous owner left behind. When I got the 2305 about a month ago I only had the BB out back for ballast. I latched on to a buried stake with the loader and it pulled the back end up like a feather. Since then I have loaded the tires and put on the 200# of suitcase weight out back. I tied on to the stake again yesterday. This time the back end sat still and the FEL stalled. That is one mean stake!!! Anyhow I feel I have enough weight back there now to keep it on the ground where it should be. I didn't want to mess up the BB though. Sounds like you guys have tested that theory and I should be OK. I can't wait to move some dirt with it to see what a difference the added weight will make. I was thinking that gravity would keep these guys from coming off but after reading some of your suggestions I may have to rethink that.

 

[john_bud]

Rob,

I didn't see your thread on the BB modifications, but the pic you posted shows your normal very high level of proficiency and quality. Sure would be nice to have the hydraulic scar bar but $$$ ....

Around the house, the soil is mostly sand and free of any real rocks for the first 8" or so. The tree farm however has some rocks with egg foo young stains on the bottom side. You find them pretty quick. And learn to avoid them!

Still, the BB does a dern fast job getting out the ones in the 6" to 24" range. Much better than the hoe.

jb

 

[Joe1]

The one downside I see is that the weights are taking up some of the space where the dirt would be pulled up into the "bos" to be moved. Looks like a good idea overall.

Filling the tires as you did sure makes a difference.

Good luck with your projects.

 

[roxynoodle]

Deerfoot, I wonder if that stake is set in cement?

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I caught some old, buried remnanats of 6x6 framing for an old pole barn. They'd been left from a building that had burned before I owned the property. To let you know how hard that stop was it actually caused me to replace my rear axle housing as it snapped one of the ears off it where the swingarm attached. Of course, the new housing was much heavier in that area. When I saw that I decided to go ahead and replace both sides while I had the thing torn apart. That OEM axle housing looked like cast pot metal. I was (and am) sorely disappointed in that.

 

[kubuddha]

3RRL,

Nice looking road job! Big *** rock!!! How many hours, days, months?


__________________

B3030, Loader, RB,BB, 72"MMM and soon Landpride reverse tiller.

 

[N80]

N80,
I have to agree with John that the goal is to get your path as smooth and void of obstacles as possible. That is why I suggested using the box blade with all that weight on it in the first place.

Sigh. I'm not arguing that box blades aren't used for smoothing things out. I'm not saying that it is good to leave obstacles in place if there is a way to move them. What I said is that you might need to be more careful with obstacles that will not move when you have that much weight on one. I have rocks on my place, as mentioned, that could not be removed by my tractor nor anything short of a huge excavator. I've hit them before and the blade rode over it. Same with some stumps. If I had 300 pounds on the BB it might hang and break something. I did not say the weight was a bad idea (it is obviously a good idea!), I just said it would be a good idea to be more careful.

Don't forget that there have been numerous accounts of folks breaking teeth and shanks on objects in the ground and a few accounts of people bending the box blades themselves. So even with no added weight you have to be careful. If I were to add a lot of extra weight I would be even more careful.