Box Scraper Box blade help

[jezorek]

Brian,

How do these scarifiers do with tree roots? I imagine small ones wouldn't be much of a problem. How big before they stop the tractor? I have a 4WD about 32 HP

 

[weldingisfun]

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[ktm250rider]

I would think that a box blade would be perfect. After breaking up the soil, it would level out the ruts that may be made from the shanks. I would think the shank only attachment would create some serious ruts from the teeth. However, that could be a good thing if you want to practice rut riding. I hate ruts.
I bet the best way would be to break up the soil the with the shanks and then hit it with a set of discs.

 

[Huckster]

I want it for my mx track because as I said, its clay and during the summer months it gets like concrete. I want to break up the soil but I dont need it to be smooth or flat.

The rougher the better for me for practice, but I do need to rip it up now and then. I am considering a box blade and am actually going to rent one this weekend to see how it works. My track is pretty wet right now so I am sure there will be no problem. I called the local landpride dealer and the 6ft scarifier is about $900. I never realized they were that expensive. I can get a box blade cheaper so if it works well, that may be the way I go.

 

[kwolfe]

I would say that the box blade would probably be better bang for the buck. The link I posted is basically a BB without the box. I used my BB to rip up some ground I am regrading last weekend. Put the rippers in the lowest position and went. I will do the job you want.

 

[greg_g]

Thats exactly what I am looking for. I am going to give the local land pride dealer a call and see if they have one in stock. Do you guys think that it will do a better job than a set of discs on a mostly clay based soil?

Absolutely. Those TPH disc harrows are next to useless in the clay and rock around here. Only wheeled harrows get any meaningful work done, but they'd be too big for your trails. I think they start about 8 to 10 feet wide - and go up from there.

But think again about the boxblade. Pulled up short like I described will let the scarifiers penetrate and rip reasonably deep without the box even touching the ground. The benefit of that method over the simple scarifier rack is that the trailing box can perform a prefunctory job of leveling. At least it will knock down the high stuff that the scarifiers churn up.

//greg//

 

[3RRL]

Absolutely. Those TPH disc harrows are next to useless in the clay and rock around here. Only wheeled harrows get any meaningful work done, but they'd be too big for your trails. I think they start about 8 to 10 feet wide - and go up from there.

But think again about the boxblade. Pulled up short like I described will let the scarifiers penetrate and rip reasonably deep without the box even touching the ground. The benefit of that method over the simple scarifier rack is that the trailing box can perform a prefunctory job of leveling. At least it will knock down the high stuff that the scarifiers churn up.

//greg//

Greg is right on with his input. I've used my boxblade to plow a 2 acre food plot field without moving dirt. It worked pretty darn good too. Here is a picture of mine showing the results. I had the scarifiers set to go 4" down into the ground, (6" below the boxblade) without the boxblade itself touching the ground. I did not want/need to go deeper for my purpose.



But like Greg said, more depth can be achieved by tilting the boxblade even more forward (shortening the top link) or dropping the scarifiers down a couple holes in the holder. In this picture I did not need to tilt it much more than shown. It ripped just fine for what I wanted. Having a good heavy boxblade or added weights will aid significantly in penetration on hard ground.
It will also give you a more versatile tool in the long run over just the scarifier bar.

 

[Huckster]

Thank you for the replys and suggestions. I am going to rent a box blade this weekend and try it out. If it works and I decide to go that way, any suggestions on what brand to buy or NOT to buy? I am not going to use it everyday, so i probably dont need the best, but I also dont want to waste my $ and wish I had bought something more durable/better either. Suggestions?

 

[N80]

I pretty much agree with what everyone else has said. Disks, chisels, cultivators and harrows will not do the job. That set of scarifiers from Landpride looks fantastic and I'd love to have them. But I'd have to say that $900 sounds perfectly ridiculous. And they are really only useful for one thing.

You can get a BB for less and it will do the job you want it to do, and so much more. Like Rob, I have used mine to make food plots. And I've used it on ground that hasn't been used as fields in 50-100 years. Hardpan clay plus rocks. (100 years of cotton left us with some pretty poor soil.) I would say that I can get the teeth down a good 5 inches with the BB tilted far enough forward. A slower speeds it will tear up most anything. Even busted up some large rock formations with mine. It cuts through 1-2 inch pine roots without much problem (45 hp/4wd). Once an area is safely cleared I can put on a little speed and actually get a plowing effect (turns the soil over).

In regard to what to get, you will find an enormous range of size, weight and quality among BB's all the way from the light fairly cheap King Kutter and Howse models to tank-like monsters from Gannon. I settled on a Bush Hog SBX 720. It is their light duty model but it is considerably more robust that the KK and Howse models. When you look at specs, look at the weight, the width of the side plates and middle tube that holds the scarifiers. Look for gussets for strength. Look at how the lower lift arms hook up. A pin sticking out from the side is pretty typical on the lower end boxs. Better boxes will have a 'double lug' hitch which is sturdier. You can get all kinds of fancy things like a swinging back plate and hydraulic scarifier adjustment. Obviously that raises the price tremendously.

If you ground isn't too rocky, a KK or Howse box might be all you ever need. But shop around, I got my Bush Hog for close to the same price as a KK.

Having said all that, for food plots and a lot of the earth shaping that I'd like to do, a set of those Landpride scarifiers would be great. Doe anyone else make anything like that? I think they are great but just can't see spending $900 on what is practically half of a box blade unit.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I paid like $750 for my 5' scarifier (last year)
$900 is too much.
The reason I like this better than the BB is it goes deeper, much deeper, but if you don't have nasty compacted clay soils like us, no need, use a BB.

I've pulled up rocks that are 2x2x1 and it's lifts the whole tractor as it comes up, but hasn't stopped it. (scares the crap outta me though, and then moving the rock is quite a job)

depends on the tree root I think, little ones it goes right thru. 4", i dunno, probably would stop it, depends on where you hit and what the soil is like.