Grading Box Blade Width 48 or 60 Inch

WoodnSteel · Apr 27, 2003

Just purchased my B7500, R4's, with 302 loader, toothbar and woods palate forks. However I need some advice.

I am trying to decide what would be better, a 4 foot box blade or 5 foot box blade.

I plan on using it for landscaping around the yard and mostly in sand and finer dirt. Have about 10 acres.

Is there an advantage of 4 foot for smaller places? Or is it better to cover the rear wheel tracks with 5 foot? I realize a lot of variables play into this but thought I would tap into everyones experience.

Thanks ahead of time.

Inspector507 · Apr 27, 2003

For a 7500, go with the 5', you'll not be sorry.
Give a look at the Midwest Blades. A heavy duty 5' is 541 lbs.
Powder coat paint and all.
Midwest Box Blades

FamilyFarm · Apr 27, 2003

I have a 5' BB for the BX and have not had any trouble. I didn't need one for heavy duty work such as dragging a full box of heavy materials around. I use it for lighter work and I like the fact it reaches out a few inches beyond the tractor tire width.
The only time I have really wished for 4 ft was one specific task that I wanted to only dig a 4 ft path - hard to do that with a 5 ft blade!
Best wishes and enjoy the new tractor! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Terry

wichiwichi · Apr 27, 2003

I would go with the 4 foot. It covers the wheel tracks perfectly , and there are times when you can't pull the 4 foot with the rippers down or a full load. The 5 foot would be too much.

TresCrows · Apr 28, 2003

I agree, a 5 foot is way to much for a 7500 if in fact you wish to use the full capabilities of the tractor and boxblade. There are many times my 2410 comes to a stop with a 4 foot box and I have to back off and get another bite--a 5 foot??--NO WAY. A 4 foot will cover the tracks unless you have the wheels out to max width. A 5 footer full of dirt or with the rippers down will stop the 7500 cold in it's tracks. J

Boone · Apr 28, 2003

TresCrows,
What is your impression of the quality of the Kubota Box Blade?

Inspector507 · Apr 28, 2003

I guess if a 7500 won't pull a 5' blade, I'll keep my Yanmar. It pulls one all day long at 20 engine HP. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
just teasing y'all.
I had no idea that 7500 wouldn't pull one. I went with a light duty 5' and have no problem at all.

Anonymous Poster · Apr 28, 2003

Well, i'm not Trescrow /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif but I also have the 48" kubota box blade for my bx2200 and I like it, the way the rippers are held in place are a little wierd but over all its a nice blade.
wt.box/tractor bb

Cheers
Tony

winchman · Apr 28, 2003

WoodnSteel,

I also debated on getting a 48" or 60" boxblade. I ended up getting a 60" King Kutter to pull behind my B2410 and I am happy with the performance of the tractor and the boxblade. My tractor has R4 tires filled 75% with a calcium chloride solution. I paid $299 at TSC (sometimes see it on sale for $269) and feel it is a good match for the light weight B series tractors. Surely not the quality of Midwest, Woods, Landpride, etc., but built heavy enough for our size tractor and at a great value. I think you would be happy with the 60" if you ballast your tractor. Just an opinion based on my experience.

winchman

TresCrows · Apr 28, 2003

"Well, i'm not Trescrow"

Well, good thing you are not because being me isn't easy /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif. In any case, I imagine the disparity of views has to do with the use of the blade, I imagine a lot of guys get a box blade and then tilt it back on it's rear blade and drag it around. If you tilt it forward and put the rippers down in clay soil a 5 foot box --normal duty--will drag a 7500 to a stop. I don't know about the Yanamr, horsepower is not a good measure of a tractor---weight is however. My neighbors L series 25 something is quite a bit heavier and has more displacement but only one more horsepower--it can pull a five foot blade--it can also pull my 2410 backwards I bet. In order to get the full capability--digging, smoothing, ripping, grading, spreading etc then just from my experience with the BX and the 2410 a 5 foot 500lb boxblade is too much for a 7500 unless the only thing you wish to do with it is drag it around tilted back on it's rear blade and that won't work with swing back types like the Kubota blades. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif. 3crows

Inspector507 · Apr 28, 2003

TresCrows,
All I've done with the blade and the Yanmar is "pretty up" my drive a couple of times. I haven't used it in this clay soil of ours at all.

winchman · Apr 28, 2003

3cows,

Your words always seem to amuse me. So, are sure this boxblade thing is supposed to be used for more than a drag?? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Did you know that there is a lever on the right fender of your B2410 that engages the front wheels to drive also and you know that hydro peddle is not used like a gas peddle in a car?? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Seriously, I am not trying to lead WoodnSteel astray. I'm saying from my experience in all the different ways that you can use a boxblade and the various soil conditions that I would buy the 60" again in a heartbeat. Are your tires loaded on your B2410? Maybe some other guys with 60" boxblades on B7500/B2410's could chim in.

FamilyFarm · Apr 28, 2003

I have no doubt a 4ft blade would be better if I used it for all it's uses and to all it's potential.
For what I do with mine, and at 378 lbs, it has worked out very well.
If I need to use a 5 ft blade to it's fullest potential, I will need a much heavier tractor.

Terry

TresCrows · Apr 29, 2003

"Your words always seem to amuse me."

Well, good then. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif In any case I don't think I said you were leading anyone astray /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. You have a belief system and I got mine. Yes, I know how to shift into 4WD, no my tires are not loaded but as it is traction is not always the limiting factor when the boxblade is digging and the rippers are down I have had the tractor stall. To big a bite--yeah--and it would have been way to big a bite with a 5 footer. I notice in the manual it says a 5 foot boxblade is useable and I think it would be for soft ground, lighter materials and general purpose smoothing of drives and arenas etc. I just think however it would not dig and rip as efficiently with a small tractor. I think I would rather go with a heavier narrow box than a wide but lighter one for digging. Obviously for dragging and smoothing the wider one would be better. There is such a range of boxblades there is really no way to generalize I suppose. I think the fixed back types are probably easier to deal with than a swing back like mine. I imagine it is entirely possible your 5 foot accomplishes your needs perfectly but I don't think it would accomplish mine. Since the posted question more or less asked for opinions, that is mine and I certainly welcome yours as does I am sure the original poster. Well, with that, I take my leave of this thread. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif J

buzst · Apr 29, 2003

Landpride makes a 54" box that would both cover your tire tracks (very important) and take a smaller bite.

House · Apr 29, 2003

I have the Landpride 54" on my B1700 and have not had any problems. It's the perfect size with the R4's it covers my tracks nicely.

Anonymous Poster · Apr 29, 2003

I just got my B7500 yesterday (wow, nice to post on Owning/Operating instead of Buying/Pricing!). I don't have the manual in front of me, but I thought I saw a spec in there that indicated the max recommended weight for a box scraper on a B7500 was around 400 lbs.

I could easily be remembering wrong, but it might be worth checking out. Probably depends a lot on what you ultimately use it for, though. Nice to cover those wheel tracks, and I like having my wheels all the way out.

WoodnSteel · Apr 30, 2003

Wow. Great information everyone. Sure appreciate the info on 4 vs. 5 foot blades. Alot of good debate on this thread and many things to think about. A little controversy is good. It allows a person to consider all the options.

So there is a 48, a 54 and a 60" box blade? Now comes the price debate.

Again, thanks for everyone's input.