Rear Blade Box blade or Rear Blade?

Anonymous Poster · Jan 17, 2003

Hi,
I just ordered a JD 2210 with deck and FEL.
Being new to this stuff.... I would like some help in figuring which should be my next implement - Box blade or Rear Blade. I know know the physical differences, but as what and how they can be fully used is a big ??? for me. I think I understand the basics but you never know. I have about 1/2 - 3/4 acre of wooded area that I would like to get rid of all its under brush and replace with grass. I have already cleared 70% over the last year by chain saw and machettee, I am basically leaving all the trees that are 3" or 4" in diameter and bigger. What I think I will be using the blades for is to even out the ground prior to seeding.
Thank You for any help / instructions

Fran

Bird · Jan 17, 2003

In my opinion, the box blade will be tougher, less susceptible to damage, and much more useful than the other blade for the work you described. If you were just talking about moving snow, I'd probably have a different opinion.

BB_TX · Jan 17, 2003

There has been lots of discussion on this subject. You can do a search for box blade and come up with several threads. But for what you want to do, I would recommend the box. The rear blade is good for leveling loose soil or moving snow. But to loosen, move, and level hard soil, you will need the box with scarifiers (rippers).

JDGREEN4ME · Jan 17, 2003

I agree with the others...for you application the box blade sounds like the way to go...

Anonymous Poster · Jan 17, 2003

Thanks,
I was thinking the Box blade would do better in the woods, I was also figuring out what work differences between the two would be. I have spent some time searching this area for Box blade and Rear Blade dicussion but have not found what I was looking for. What is each one is designed for and uses.
Thanks
Fran

Hoeman00 · Jan 17, 2003

W/ the ripper teeth on the boxblade u can loosen
dirt to level areas out and the teeth will tear
up the roots so it helps your seed bed.
Boxblades work forward and reverse if they
have dual cutting edges.
Side plates on boxblade let u move dirt around
w/o spilling out sides like a blade.
Blades have the ability to be angled so u can
move dirt or snow off to the side.
When u ordered your tractor did u get
atleast one rear remote?
These are handy for hydraulic toplink to
adjust angle of blade on-the-fly.

TresCrows · Jan 17, 2003

Well, you might get both, they are not really used for the same thing. One thing here, you said you have been cutting down small trees witha chainsaw and machete and now want to level the area for grass?? Well, hate to tell you this but as soon as the boxblade on your 2210, my BX, my 2410 hits one of those small stumps I would expect the tractor to come to a sudden stop and sit there spinning helplessly. A much larger tractor or small bulldozer might should get in there and rough it out for you and then you go in with your 2201 and smooth, grade, level, plant, seed, and all that.
I would get a boxblade for it no wider than 48 inches and no heavier than 300/350 lbs, if the boxblade is to the heavy side I would go down to a 44 inch. In a rear blade get a light duty 5 footer. You will not be able to go down to the "farm" store and pick up one of those 5 foot boxblades for your 2210. It will not pull it. I further recommend you get the tractor with tires similar to the so called bar tires on the Kubota BX which are a fairly fat and soft version of a R1 ag type tire. I cannot imagine getting traction enough to pull a boxblade with turf tires I saw on the 2210 (or BX) except under the best conditions. J

tdenny · Jan 17, 2003

subvet,

If you want to do some minor regrading, dirt moving, gravel moving, leveling, etc. the box blade is great. It's kind of like having a tiny little dozer except you are pulling instead of pushing. The scarifiers allow different settings for how deep to pull and once you've done that you can remove them very quickly and just use the blade to "drag " the area. You can also use the back blade to push piles of dirt, etc. I have used mine a ton this winter so far. For the price there is no better implement in my very humble opinion.

Anonymous Poster · Jan 17, 2003

Subvet,

I went with the Box Scraper due to the fact that I have a 500 ft gravel driveway that needs to be maintained. I also used it to scrape down about 1 foot of compacted driveway rock with chunks of cement and block mixed in (relocated my driveway). Sounds like the box scraper is the way to go for you as well if that ground your preparing is compacted. The ripping tines on the scraper will come in handy.

Somewhere in this thread I saw a suggestion to not use turf tires if your using a box scraper. FWIW I have the 4010 with turf tires and a 5 foot box scraper. I have not run into many problems with lack of traction, but you are running a lighter tractor under what may be limited traction conditions so the more aggresive tread may be worth the consideration.

Bob