Corriher BoxBlade looses tooth! Need ToothFairy!

BobG_in_VA · Aug 1, 2003

Got a call from Chick's Equipment in Bealeton VA (my dealer) that teeth are in already. I'll pick them up tomorrow.
Great service from both Corriher and Chick's. Note to all: If anyone is in VA (Northern or Central) and is looking for a Mahindra tractor, or implements (brush hogs, etc) from International, pls call Chick, he LIKES to do business. BobG in VA

JohnMiller3 · Aug 1, 2003

( they were experiencing brittleness in the teeth on their boxblades. Today, they advise that they are forwarding 7 replacement teeth for the 7 shanks that are on the box. I consider this to be great customer service. )

Excellent news Bob...! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I also consider that Great Service!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

GRUB · Sep 1, 2003

I have some more operator error issues with my box blade. It is a Massey 560 for 17 to 50 hp tractors. I have a Mahindra 4110 and I bent the rear A-frame arms "Pull Straps" In the first few hours of work. I had the dealer talk to Massey about it. Massey said they would not replace the "Pull Straps" because I must have hit a large rock. Which I did, scarifier hit a very large boulder 200-300 lbs? in the ground. Well, when I purchased this thing at almost 500 lbs I thought for sure that it would stop the tractor not bend up. Scarifiers and every thing else in fine shape.

Well I buy two new rear pull straps to the tune of $50. Dealer gave them for cost and ate shipping. I put the new ones on and a few hours later same thing. To go ahead and use this equipment in the same manner without welding in some reinforcements was just dumb. But I was impatient to get some work done and I thought I would be extra careful to not bend it again and then later do some reinforcement welding on it.

After the second bending I just backed the box into a tree and bent close to back where it should be then I pounded a piece of treated 2 by 4 in to support the A-frame. I continue working with it in this manner for many more hours, stopping the tractor many times on rocks and roots. The 2 by 4 eventually got knocked out by some heavy brush and the next major obstacle bent in the whole A-frame front and rear. Now I have to get 4 new straps at over $100.

When I purchased this box the dealer also had new Woods and a used Bush Hog boxes. I bought the Massey because I liked the more depth adjustments to the scarifiers. What a fool I was to only pay attention to the scarifiers. Really, though this is a strong box except for the A-frame. I just did'nt notice how weak it looked. Those straps look like spaggetti now.

Well my point is that a 500 lbs, 17 to 50 hp rated box should not have straps. I think it is a design flaw and I dont think I should have to pay when I could make it last for much longer than it could on its own with a 2 by 4 wedged in the A-frame.

HayDR · Sep 1, 2003

I'm sorry you had a problem. I grew up with 2 wheel drive tractors and even then we always had to watch what we were doing or we would hurt the dirt working implements. Today with 4WD tractors and better tires the margin for error in judgment for operators is small. In the late 1980's when 4 wd tractors were becoming popular, many of the loader MFG had problems with loader frames and buckets breaking. Was it because they were just not engineered correctly? NO, the main problem was operators tried to use the loaders like a bulldozer. Most of these operators had experience with tractors with 2 WD tractors and loaders and did not realize the force the 4 WD tractors have.

Henro · Sep 1, 2003

I don't mean to fuel the fire, but if all it took was a piece of 2x4 to keep things from bending, and if the box blade seemed to perform well with that piece of 2x4 in place...

Then I would say something is missing in the design.

It sounds like this box blade was not being used differently than it was designed for. A box blade is designed to be pulled behind the tractor and it will strike whatever is under the soil. Or at least it should be. Or it should be sold with a disclaimer that the manufacturer is not responsible for damage caused by striking something in the soil.

Stones under the surface of the soil are a fact of box blade life. For the metal straps to pretzle like that can't be expected if the design is good. And we don't see many complaints like this...but there have been a few if I remember correctly.

My question to the poster would be, did this happen when pulling forward? If he were pushing backwards, that kind of structure would be in compression and much more likely to bend than it would if in tension.

Do manufactures recommend pushing backwards with their box blades? I don't know. I know we all do it, but when I do things certainly don't feel good and I am careful not to push too hard, more to protect my 3ph than my box blade.

Sorry I fogot the name and can't see it now as I type this...could you tell us if you were pulling forward or pushing back when the framework bent? Maybe you did...I will read your post again after submitting this... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

ps...now I'm not sure about the geometry of the linkage. I think my linkage is in tension when I am pulling forward, but I guess it could be in compression depending on the geometry of the frame with respect to the lower link pins and the tips of the scarifiers and the point where the top link attaches...the fact that the poster bent it back into shape by backing into a tree indicates that the top framework must be in compression on his box blade when he is pulling forward.

Is this normal? I just assumed that mine was in tension when pulling it! Now I'm not sure... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

JerryG · Sep 1, 2003

I blowed up your picture and I just really don't understand how it could have been used in a way that would have bent it the way that it is.

JerryG · Sep 1, 2003

How did you get the dents in the frame on the back of the blade?

Henro · Sep 1, 2003

I blowed up your picture and I just really don't understand how it could have been used in a way that would have bent it the way that it is.

JerryG,

The way I am seeing it now, the pivot points are the ends of the lower link arms. Since the box blade engages the ground below these points, when going forward, when the box strikes something that doesn't move, it rotates about the lower link arm pivot points.

This means as the bottom of the box is forced backwards with respect to the tractor, the top is pushed forward with respect to the tractor and the lop linkage will be compressed. The end result seems to be either the linkage bends, the top link bends, or the tractor just stops and either spins its wheels or stalls out.

Until seeing that picture I just assumed that the linkage would be in tension when the box blade was in use. Now I see that is not always the case.

JerryG · Sep 1, 2003

Henro,
I understand that. When you are blading backward they are in compression. I still can't understand how it could have happened unless the tractor was moving at a high rate of speed and repeatedly rammed into something that wouldn't move.

Henro · Sep 1, 2003

Henro,
I understand that. When you are blading backward they are in compression. 

Actually, I now think they are in compression when going forward...most if not all the time. But certainly when you hit something that stops the box blade from moving forward while the tractor is still going forward...

If what I am thinking is correct, and if something that did not move stopped the box, and if the tractor's wheels did not slip, and if the top framework was not designed strong enough...[lots of ifs here... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif] then I can see how it could happen the first time something stopped the box. I don't think multiple hits would not be necessary if the design is weak enough.

I am not meaning to defend the operator or deflaim the box blade. I find this interesting as I did not see the mechanics of how the forces on the box blade affect the top structure until this morning. I let my assumptions get in the way... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif