Box scraping the driveway. Grrrr!!!

[s219]

I believe ovrszd touched on one of the significant details causing the OP problems as his B2620 does not have position control. I own tractors with that type 3PH and it's a bear to control. This makes it much harder, but not impossible. Like most things, it can be done with practice.

At least in my own experience, driveway gravel work is best done with the box blade all the way down in float, so it's no different on my new tractor with position control versus my old tractor without. I think the biggest factor is being able to set the angle of attack properly, and many beginners completely miss that part. So the box performs however it's going to perform with whatever top link length they dialed in when they attached it. In reality, the box behavior and performance has an entire spectrum depending on how the top link is adjusted.

I was lucky to discover the top link effect early on, when I noticed the box behaved much different in reverse (it smoothed) than in forward (it dug). I initially did my smoothing in reverse until it dawned on me how it was working. At which point I was dialing in the top link manually. On my later tractor, I prioritized getting a hydraulic top link so that I could tweak the angle from my seat.

I think the OP's other fatal flaw was dumping piles and then driving over them, which likely started the major whup-de-dip contours to begin with.

 

[jenkinsph]

Nothing like seat time to get used to a box blade. Thought I would send you guys some pics of the job I am on right now. The pipe in the background is 12" that I will install next week or so. This is the first pass for the leveling.

 

[ovrszd]

At least in my own experience, driveway gravel work is best done with the box blade all the way down in float, so it's no different on my new tractor with position control versus my old tractor without. I think the biggest factor is being able to set the angle of attack properly, and many beginners completely miss that part. So the box performs however it's going to perform with whatever top link length they dialed in when they attached it. In reality, the box behavior and performance has an entire spectrum depending on how the top link is adjusted.

I was lucky to discover the top link effect early on, when I noticed the box behaved much different in reverse (it smoothed) than in forward (it dug). I initially did my smoothing in reverse until it dawned on me how it was working. At which point I was dialing in the top link manually. On my later tractor, I prioritized getting a hydraulic top link so that I could tweak the angle from my seat.

I think the OP's other fatal flaw was dumping piles and then driving over them, which likely started the major whup-de-dip contours to begin with.

I agree.

My BB has a swinging rear blade. I pinned it once. Then removed the pins and have always ran it swinging since. The operator needs to fully understand the BB before operating it with swinging rear blade. With the rear blade unpinned if I simply drop it on the ground to "float" it will fill with material in a very short period of time and I'll be forced to pick it up with the 3pt or spin out trying to pull it. And that's with a 10K lb tractor in 4wd.

So if your BB has a fixed rear blade S219's description is valid.

 

[ovrszd]

Nothing like seat time to get used to a box blade. Thought I would send you guys some pics of the job I am on right now. The pipe in the background is 12" that I will install next week or so. This is the first pass for the leveling.

Great pics Steve!!!! Anxious to see your results.

 

[NWhomesteader]

Ok to answer a few questions, my 3 point has position control not quarter inching. The gravel was dumped somewhat in piles but that's because I was using a borrowed dump trailer (I know, I have good friends that let me borrow all sorts of stuff) and the gravel didn't come out too evenly. Nothing I could really do about that. I had considered using the BB in reverse to smooth since you would be driving on already leveled gravel which should do away with the bumps, I tried it for a minute or two but haven't been back at it yet (too many projects).

A hydraulic top link would be great but I honestly don't have enough use for it to justify something that expensive. My driveway isn't that big and I don't see it being worth it. I had considered the land plane and so has my buddy. He actually plans on getting rid of his BB and buying one. I told him great! then I can borrow it! :laughing:

I like the idea of adjusting the top link way out to get the front blade off the ground and use the rear blade to level with. I'll give that a try and see what happens. I think that is actually a big part of the problem because without adjusting the top link way out, you cannot put the 3 point into float without just removing every bit of gravel which is down and loading up the BB. Therefore I was forced to drop it to the ground and raise it up maybe an inch which caused it to be rigid with the tractor and move with the tractor as opposed to the ground.

 

[ovrszd]

Ok to answer a few questions, my 3 point has position control not quarter inching. The gravel was dumped somewhat in piles but that's because I was using a borrowed dump trailer (I know, I have good friends that let me borrow all sorts of stuff) and the gravel didn't come out too evenly. Nothing I could really do about that. I had considered using the BB in reverse to smooth since you would be driving on already leveled gravel which should do away with the bumps, I tried it for a minute or two but haven't been back at it yet (too many projects).

A hydraulic top link would be great but I honestly don't have enough use for it to justify something that expensive. My driveway isn't that big and I don't see it being worth it. I had considered the land plane and so has my buddy. He actually plans on getting rid of his BB and buying one. I told him great! then I can borrow it! :laughing:

I like the idea of adjusting the top link way out to get the front blade off the ground and use the rear blade to level with. I'll give that a try and see what happens. I think that is actually a big part of the problem because without adjusting the top link way out, you cannot put the 3 point into float without just removing every bit of gravel which is down and loading up the BB. Therefore I was forced to drop it to the ground and raise it up maybe an inch which caused it to be rigid with the tractor and move with the tractor as opposed to the ground.

You'll get it figured out. Understand, patience is your friend in these projects. No one posting here can level a pile of gravel in one pass, NO ONE. When we talk about how easy it is our description does not outline how many passes it took to get there. Patience my friend, patience.

 

[TripleR]

At least in my own experience, driveway gravel work is best done with the box blade all the way down in float, so it's no different on my new tractor with position control versus my old tractor without. I think the biggest factor is being able to set the angle of attack properly, and many beginners completely miss that part. So the box performs however it's going to perform with whatever top link length they dialed in when they attached it. In reality, the box behavior and performance has an entire spectrum depending on how the top link is adjusted.

I was lucky to discover the top link effect early on, when I noticed the box behaved much different in reverse (it smoothed) than in forward (it dug). I initially did my smoothing in reverse until it dawned on me how it was working. At which point I was dialing in the top link manually. On my later tractor, I prioritized getting a hydraulic top link so that I could tweak the angle from my seat.

I think the OP's other fatal flaw was dumping piles and then driving over them, which likely started the major whup-de-dip contours to begin with.

My answer was based on my experience with a quarter inching valve tractor which you can't put in float, to get it to float you must hold the lever down or use a strap or bungee etc., the tractor in the OP's profile is shown as a B2620, the Kubota website describes the B2620 as having a quarter inching valve.

"Usually" what works best for you and Richard works well for me "if" I am using a light weight box scraper tilted back just right or with the tail gate bolted on my LP3584, but in really soft soil or material, I can get too much gouging or move more material than wanted and need to take a bit of weight off to get good results.

I agree dumping in a pile makes it much harder and always use my bucket to spread it out a bit before using my scraper.

I don't claim to be good and from the looks of Steve's pictures, I've a ways to go.

 

[RDrancher]

Nothing like seat time to get used to a box blade. Thought I would send you guys some pics of the job I am on right now. The pipe in the background is 12" that I will install next week or so. This is the first pass for the leveling.

Nice work as always. If you get bored up there in God's Country, come on down. I'm out weeks and can't even handle all of the phone calls. You're probably the only guy I'd trust to do my jobs besides me. :thumbsup:

No offense intended Richard...I know you have a day job.

 

[RDrancher]

Ok to answer a few questions, my 3 point has position control not quarter inching. The gravel was dumped somewhat in piles but that's because I was using a borrowed dump trailer (I know, I have good friends that let me borrow all sorts of stuff) and the gravel didn't come out too evenly. Nothing I could really do about that. I had considered using the BB in reverse to smooth since you would be driving on already leveled gravel which should do away with the bumps, I tried it for a minute or two but haven't been back at it yet (too many projects).

A hydraulic top link would be great but I honestly don't have enough use for it to justify something that expensive. My driveway isn't that big and I don't see it being worth it. I had considered the land plane and so has my buddy. He actually plans on getting rid of his BB and buying one. I told him great! then I can borrow it! :laughing:

I like the idea of adjusting the top link way out to get the front blade off the ground and use the rear blade to level with. I'll give that a try and see what happens. I think that is actually a big part of the problem because without adjusting the top link way out, you cannot put the 3 point into float without just removing every bit of gravel which is down and loading up the BB. Therefore I was forced to drop it to the ground and raise it up maybe an inch which caused it to be rigid with the tractor and move with the tractor as opposed to the ground.

Do you have a loader on your tractor? If so, this may help. Start with your tractor at one end of the drive pointed toward the far end with the tractor on a flat surface. Place your bucket on the far side of the first whoop-de-do and drop your bucket flat just above the dip in the gravel. Curl the bucket VERY slightly and use the back of the bucket to backdrag the first hump out. Don't use float. Using this method you can see exactly how much material you're moving so you don't dig a hole. If you see it's pulling too much material, stop and uncurl the bucket just a bit. We're talking 1/8-1/4" adjustments here. as the material behind the bucket begins to lessen, uncurl the bucket to flat. Now that you have a longer flat surface, pull forward again to where you started and lay the bucket flat and backdrag again using float. This should get the first hump out and the surface fairly flat . Now repeat for the rest of the driveway. When it looks pretty good, start at one end and use the bucket flat with float and backdrag the entire driveway.

 

[s219]

My answer was based on my experience with a quarter inching valve tractor which you can't put in float, to get it to float you must hold the lever down or use a strap or bungee etc., the tractor in the OP's profile is shown as a B2620, the Kubota website describes the B2620 as having a quarter inching valve.

I had a B2920 (same as a B2620 with 3 extra HP) that had the quarter-inching system. The lever on those tractors has a detent at the bottom of the stroke, so you can easily put implements into float just by pushing the lever all the way down. It will stay put there until you pull it back up out of detent. As far as I know, all B-series Kubotas with the quarter-incher have a float detent position. They also have a detent at the upper end of the lever, so you can pull the lever all the way up to raise an implement without holding your hand there. When the 3-pt hits the upper limit of travel, a rod pops the lever out of detent and back to neutral.

I have heard a lot of complaints about the quarter-incher on the B-series in the past, how it was not as good as position control for lots of things, but for grading work with a implement that is usually either floating or raised up, the behavior is no different than position control on the other Kubotas (like my current L). The detent positions on the lever make it very usable.