Box blade not digging enough!!!

[bartman]

I have a 5 1/2 foot United box blade on the back of the
Ford 1710.The top link is adjusted as short as possible,
(20 inches)but the scarifers still don't dig in enough Any tricks to getting a better bite to tear up more dirt Iam in the process of trying to create a swail to drain water out of the yard and the ground is starting to dry up fast
Thanks,
Bartman

 

[KiotiJohn]

Is it possible to change the location of where your top link hooks to the tractor? I have three different holes vertically aligned to choose from. Each one changes the position a little. Also, it's possible that your hitch arms are not going down far enough, and you may be able to change that my adjusting the lift arms the same way. I have two holes in my lift arms and can make them higher or lower by moving the connecting rods on the lift arms to another hole. Otherwise, I don't know what your problem could be. These rippers are adjustable, and you have them in their lowest position right? Mine have three holes to raise/lower. I hope this doesn't sound like I think you're dumb!! I'm just trying to cover the bases. John

 

[Dozernut]

Hang some weight on it then it will cut, unless you are into hardpan. I use some old suitcase weights on mine to get it to dig in.

 

[_RaT_]

You may find that with all the rippers down, you simply don't have the weight to open up the soil. Try just putting a couple rippers down until you can open it up. My guess is your box is fairly light and your ground pretty tough. The design of the ripper is to aid somewhat in pulling itself into the soil as you go forward. This will only work if the ripper can first penetrate it.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

It sounds like you need more weight on your box blade. Here's a little experiment that could tell you for sure. Raise all of your scarifiers except one at (or near, if there is an even number of them) the center of your box blade. That will effectively increase the weight on that single scarifier and should be enough to break through the soil.

One other thing I might suggest would be to make certain that in shortening your top link so dramatically you aren't keeping the scarifiers from digging in because you're box blade is riding on the front edge of the sides of the box blade. With my box blade I don't need to shorten my top link that severely at all. Mine will dig in with the box level or even with the front tilted up a bit.

Good luck with your drainage project and be sure to let us know what happens with your box blade. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[dixiedrifter]

Here is an idea that might help you out some that I have been thinking about.

Get some iron pipe, and a 3/8" sheet of steel about 12-24" wide depending on the box size and your tractor.

Weld on the pipe near the bottom of the box and on the end of the sheet of steel. Make it kind of like a door hinge where you can remove the sheet with a pin.

Set it where the steel hangs about 2" below where the bottom blade hits the ground and sharpen it.

Then add some weight on the box.

What will happen is you will be cutting ground with just the end of the sheet instead of the box riding on top of the ground.

The smaller cutting surface will pull less and the dirt cut up will get caught in the sides of the box.

When your ready to smooth things out, just pull the pin and take the sheet off.

 

[DiskDoctr]

Bartman,

To add to all the good advice above...

If you have an adjustable draft control, make sure it is down. Otherwise, every time your teeth start to grab, it will adjust and "undig" themselves.

Gives results as if the teeth were dull or only scraping just below the surface.

Undig (un-digg) n. opposite of "dig in as you want it to" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Good luck.

-JC

 

[nitroxn]

I agree with Gary, I adjust my blade in the garage. I let the box by its self (scarifiers up) all the way down and tilt my box top forward just enough to let the front lower corners touch the floor. Then lower scarifiers all the way. If it still doesnt cut add weight.

Curtis

 

[bartman]

Hey Guys
Thanks for all the replies they all make sence . I have even read one post where a guy said he had to lenthen his top link on his particlur box blade
I do have weight to put on the boxblade and will let you know how it all turns out I won't be back in MD till the first week of August to try out the box blade

Bartman

 

[MikeBurr]

If you have a loader, why not dig a starter hole that the box can start in. Should allow the rippers to get a grip on the soil without sliding across the surface.

 

[PaulT]

I have the same boxblade, although I pull it with a Kubota 2710. It weighs about 470 lbs, so weight is not the issue. I think the top link is tilting the scarifier tips too far backwards, and the tips are pointing straight down (or closer to that) instead of forward and down (about a 45 degree angle). If the tips drag along, they won't dig in, really no matter how much weight you add on top of them. Do what someone else said, and tilt the bb back a few degrees. This will keep the scarifier tips tilted down and forward, and lift the front corners of the sides up and out of the way, letting the box go a little deeper into the soil. Unless you have kiln-fired hardpan clay with absolutely no mosture, this bb will dig in for you. With a 1710, you're more likely to stall it when its ripping than anything else. Good luck, and lengthen that top link just past halfway! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jsouth85]

I agree with PaulT on his advice on the bb setup. I was having the same problem with mine until I adjusted the toplink out until the front edge of the bb was about 1/2" to 3/4" off the ground. The rippers work better this way because they sink in and then glide through the soil instead of nose diving straight down and stalling the tractor. This setup also puts the cutting edge at a better angle to scrape the loose dirt. I've landscaped about 2 acres using this method with great results. Sounds like you just need to try something until you find what works best for you and the type soil you have. Good luck and happy tractoring.

 

[bartman]

Yea, It sounds like lenthening the top link may be the answer...(I shortened it as much as possible) I also will check the draft control lever which I never thought of..............
Well two more days up at the farm then back to the city to get the Washington DC stink (CITY STINK) back on my body
I may be renting an excavator to lay drainage pipe to get the water off of the property. If I do you will see a post under "projects"
Thanks again
Bartman