Box blade questions, got a minute?

[dieselsmoke1]

There's no substitute for a tractor with good draft sensing when operating a box blade over uneven terrain. Pay close attention to the draft setup and operation. If your MF is true to it's heritage (some older models are generally regarded as having one of the best draft sensing systems ever made) , your box blade will quickly become one of your favorite toys /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MLB]

I wouldn't even think about spending the money for hydraulics unless you're going to use it all the time (commercially) or literally have enough land that you'd use it all the time. WHile handy, it's not THAT big a deal to get off the tractor and spin the top link adjuster by hand. Play with the lift arms, if you get just the right amount of load off (implement touching the ground but not sitting totally) you can move it freely without the load on it.
For boxblading: forget about setting the float at the highest mark, running around the ground shaving a little here and a little there until it's all flat." (like they will tell you /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Doesn't work! Every little dip or bump raises the front wheels first, (tipping the back downward) and making a larger digout in front of the bump! Next time around it's WORSE than it was before! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif (Maybe my draft doesn't function well or something - 2001 TC33D)
What you've got to do is develop "the eye" to see the high spots in the area to be worked. Go to those spots and dig and drag soil away from those spots and to the low spots. Raise the box and dump more than needed on the visibly low spots, you'll move some out in repeated leveling passes later. So first thing, you eliminate the UPS and DOWNS of the tractor and implement. Once you've shaved the high spots down and filled the obvious low spots, the tractor should run fairly smoothly around the area, without dipping significantly on any part. THEN you can set the draft to the highest mark, run around, and around, and around until you aren't moving anything anymore and then lower the draft a mark and repeat. At the higher positions there will be parts of the soil area being worked that aren't getting worked at all. Keep dropping one mark at a time until you've worked over all the areas. Hope that makes sense.
It is tricky to get it nicely smooth with a box /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Tonester]

Sounds like I have a lot to learn about the box blade! Well, I've got the time and land (173 acres) to experiment on!!! I will start putting all of this great advice to use tomorrow... I think I'll wait on the tilt links until I can actually put 'em to good use - when I actually know what the heck I am doing, I mean!

Thanks all the same, looking forward to my "work" in the AM... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[R_squared]

Tonester,

Since you have 173 acres to tend to, a hydraulic top link seems justifiable. It is a real time saver. Don't drive to fast and try to keep your ground speed constant. This will give you time to raise and lower the position control and to observe the effects. I was not able to benefit from using the draft control, but anything is possible. In general, if you feel your front wheels going down in a rut, raise the position controls to avoid making the rut deeper. The position control has to be frequently adjusted to maintain a level grade. Experiment with lengthening and shortening the top link, raising and lowering the scarifiers, scraping forward and backwards, empting the box on the fly and filling in ruts with the FEL. Back dragging the FEL over the filled ruts will level and compress the soil. It is better to shave off less with a box blade than to have to fill in ruts. The moisture content of the soil plays a role. The soil seems to work easier a day or two after a hard rain. Search the archives on 'box blade' and you will find many tips and techniques. You will get the hang of it. It should be a lot easier to learn how to use a box blade, than how to play a guitar.

 

[John_Mc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( (Maybe my draft doesn't function well or something - 2001 TC33D))</font>

I didn't know you could even get draft control on a TC33D. Mine's just got position control.

Not sure that I would want draft control for smoothing with a box blade (though I have to admit I've never used a boxblade on a tractor with draft control... I have to think about that one a bit)

John Mc

 

[Soundguy]

It is ironic that the older tractors.. like ford 9n / 8n had draft controll.. and the 8n also had position control.. but the newer ones you have to get draft as a special option..etc..

Soundguy

 

[Libertine]

R_squared:

<font color="blue">Back dragging the FEL over the filled ruts will level and compress the soil. </font>

Indeed. I have found that the box blade (I have a roll-over type) is great for rough leveling/moving but not so good for final smoothing (of course, it's probably my lack of experience). Except when in reverse (i.e. the box facing to the rear) when it is acting sort of like a dozer blade (the tractor following in the cut path of the blade), final smoothing/leveling is, as you say, better done dragging the FEL. By tilting the bucket down and gradually leveling it as you go backwards you can get a real smooth finish. The greater the down angle when you start, the more dirt gets moved. A slight down angle on the FEL bucket moves less dirt/gravel but still levels it very nicely.

JEH

 

[JerryG]

Grimreaper,
Tell us about your roll over. Do you like it a well or better than a regular box? Would you spend the extra money to get one again or just buy a regular box?

 

[MLB]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( (Maybe my draft doesn't function well or something - 2001 TC33D))</font>

I didn't know you could even get draft control on a TC33D. Mine's just got position control.

Not sure that I would want draft control for smoothing with a box blade (though I have to admit I've never used a boxblade on a tractor with draft control... I have to think about that one a bit)

John Mc )</font>

The position control in the those middle range is the float control. Can't think what it says, shows the range of positions. (tractor doesn't live with me) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JRP]

A hydraulic top link is very useful, as is a Speeco or JD I-Match quick hitch. The hitch is much safer and saves time hooking up implements.
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif