Ed of all trades
Elite Member
I have had problems getting a back blade to cut into the ground if there is any veg. matter growing there.
Cutting side hill trails
- Thread starter bfisherman11
- Start date
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chim
Elite Member
I have limited experience with dirt work at home. A few years ago I did a project here that required cutting and filling. The FEL worked OK on level ground (mostly topsoil) to shave an inch or two off at a pass. The rear blade was useless except for rough spreading loose material. The box blade was very useful. I can see how it would work to set one side lower to do what you want.
The nice thing with the box blade is that I bought it on CL, used it for the project, and sold it almost two years later without losing money. No work planned that would require it again.
The nice thing with the box blade is that I bought it on CL, used it for the project, and sold it almost two years later without losing money. No work planned that would require it again.
IndyIan
Veteran Member
If you set up the rear blade to use one corner it can dig in pretty good. I've done shallow ditches with it fairly easily. You will need multiple passes but it's just time and diesel.
mikeharold
Bronze Member
I have no experience with a back blade and sounds as if it's better for spreading than cutting. Using what you have, I would start with the bucket as you were thinking and just keep working at it and you'll find a rhythm and process that works. Then use the blade to pread the spoils from the cut and smooth everything off. It may just take longer. Sure, a box blade would work great, that's how I've done mine, but if you don't have one and the project doesn't justify(only you can make that decision for yourself) buying a new implement, then use what you have and make it work. In an ideal world we would all have 5 different tractors in varying sizes with all the attachments for them, a skid steer, and an excavator. Just take it slow, find what works, and have fun learning something new!
boggen
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re-reading my own post, (one sided)...
==============
using the "3pt hitch rear blade"
adjusting the "top link" on the 3pt hitch can adjust your blade angle. and might help in getting the blade to begin to cut into the ground.
by nature a 3pt hitch "floats" meaning you only control how far it will drop. and it will rise up and down between lowest point you set it at. to max lifting height. due to this. you might want to see about rigging some sort of extra weight to the rear blade.
--right on top of the blade = most benefit most likely but rather hard to achieve or less you can weld something on top of the blade.
--between blade and tractor = easier for 3pt hitch to lift blade up.
--extending back behind tractor = harder for tractor to lift blade and weight up.
=======
gauge wheels
every finishing mower out there from push mower, to riding lawn mower, to larger size finish mowers for bigger tractors have little gauge wheels on the decks that hold the deck up off the ground. and you can adjust the gauge wheels to wanted cutting height of the finishing mower deck.
gauge wheels for a rear blade to box blade to other 3pt hitch stuff, heck even FEL some folks have done gauge wheels ((dealing with snow on pavement / concrete driveways))
--for rear blade instead of gauge wheels you might see things noted as "shoes" or "skid shoes" kinda of a sliding round saucer. that slids across the ground vs an actual wheel that rolls / turns across the ground. gauge wheels kinda bind up some when going from forward / reverse directions as the wheel turns around. and more likely reason folks going with "skid shoes" for dealing with paved / concrete drive ways. and making sure they don't leave a little "bump" of snow every time they go from forward / reverse.
==============
your disc will most likely also require extra weight to be placed on top of it. to help get the blades to sink down.
--if you can adjust the discs so they are straight and not at an angle they should sink down further.
--remember to pickup the disc when ever you go into a turn. or you will break/bend, one of the individual discs most likely.
==============
if you do not already have them....get check and sway chains / bars
you will be putting a lot of forces on the lower lift arms of the 3pt hitch. and more so you will be loading up a single side of rear blade to box blade to even the disc at times. the check chains and sway bar chains/bars will help limit the lower lift arms in how much they move back and forth. and give some extra strength to the lower lift arms.
==============
COMPACTION!
if moving dirt from high side to low side....
just like compacting dirt when filling a trench up or like.... back drag with FEL, or use rear blade, or box blade. and thin / smooth things out a few inches deep of loose material. then simply drive back and forth over the area with the tractor. ONE tire width at a time.
--then go back over the area 90 degrees of last compaction runs. while the tractor may not weight a huge amount like a compaction machine or some sort. generally if you have a bucket of dirt in the FEL. plus the normal counter weight on the rear of tractor. the dirt should get pretty smashed and compacted.
the more it is compacted the less likely you will have issues with "erosion" both while waiting for grass and like to grow back. to even after grass has grown.
towards finishing things up.... you may need to let things dry out, rain some, dry just a little. then run tractor over it all to compact it a bit more. then wait for things to dry out and run over things again to smooth things out... when the ground is "wet" you will just make ruts. trying to work the dirt so you end up with a nice 1/2" to 2" deep compaction layer on top takes time. and not driving on things. till everything has had to dry out. and when it is not to dry and not to wet..... when dirt is to dry you just skip along with FEL or rear blade or box blade. there is a middlish gray area you will need to figure out.
==============
using the "3pt hitch rear blade"
adjusting the "top link" on the 3pt hitch can adjust your blade angle. and might help in getting the blade to begin to cut into the ground.
by nature a 3pt hitch "floats" meaning you only control how far it will drop. and it will rise up and down between lowest point you set it at. to max lifting height. due to this. you might want to see about rigging some sort of extra weight to the rear blade.
--right on top of the blade = most benefit most likely but rather hard to achieve or less you can weld something on top of the blade.
--between blade and tractor = easier for 3pt hitch to lift blade up.
--extending back behind tractor = harder for tractor to lift blade and weight up.
=======
gauge wheels
every finishing mower out there from push mower, to riding lawn mower, to larger size finish mowers for bigger tractors have little gauge wheels on the decks that hold the deck up off the ground. and you can adjust the gauge wheels to wanted cutting height of the finishing mower deck.
gauge wheels for a rear blade to box blade to other 3pt hitch stuff, heck even FEL some folks have done gauge wheels ((dealing with snow on pavement / concrete driveways))
--for rear blade instead of gauge wheels you might see things noted as "shoes" or "skid shoes" kinda of a sliding round saucer. that slids across the ground vs an actual wheel that rolls / turns across the ground. gauge wheels kinda bind up some when going from forward / reverse directions as the wheel turns around. and more likely reason folks going with "skid shoes" for dealing with paved / concrete drive ways. and making sure they don't leave a little "bump" of snow every time they go from forward / reverse.
==============
your disc will most likely also require extra weight to be placed on top of it. to help get the blades to sink down.
--if you can adjust the discs so they are straight and not at an angle they should sink down further.
--remember to pickup the disc when ever you go into a turn. or you will break/bend, one of the individual discs most likely.
==============
if you do not already have them....get check and sway chains / bars
you will be putting a lot of forces on the lower lift arms of the 3pt hitch. and more so you will be loading up a single side of rear blade to box blade to even the disc at times. the check chains and sway bar chains/bars will help limit the lower lift arms in how much they move back and forth. and give some extra strength to the lower lift arms.
==============
COMPACTION!
if moving dirt from high side to low side....
just like compacting dirt when filling a trench up or like.... back drag with FEL, or use rear blade, or box blade. and thin / smooth things out a few inches deep of loose material. then simply drive back and forth over the area with the tractor. ONE tire width at a time.
--then go back over the area 90 degrees of last compaction runs. while the tractor may not weight a huge amount like a compaction machine or some sort. generally if you have a bucket of dirt in the FEL. plus the normal counter weight on the rear of tractor. the dirt should get pretty smashed and compacted.
the more it is compacted the less likely you will have issues with "erosion" both while waiting for grass and like to grow back. to even after grass has grown.
towards finishing things up.... you may need to let things dry out, rain some, dry just a little. then run tractor over it all to compact it a bit more. then wait for things to dry out and run over things again to smooth things out... when the ground is "wet" you will just make ruts. trying to work the dirt so you end up with a nice 1/2" to 2" deep compaction layer on top takes time. and not driving on things. till everything has had to dry out. and when it is not to dry and not to wet..... when dirt is to dry you just skip along with FEL or rear blade or box blade. there is a middlish gray area you will need to figure out.
Gordon Gould
Super Member
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I have good luck using my rear blade to cut road and trail surfaces. That is what they are designed to do. Here are a couple pictures cutting a 2 to 3 degree road crown. The cut is about 3" deeper on the ditch end of the blade than it is on the other end. The material that is cut out flows along the blade and either fills low spots under the blade or gets deposited as a berm at the outside of the blade as it travels forward. A cut and fill operation to flatten a side hill is similar - cut material on the high side and deposit it on the low side. If you have to cut a foot off the high side it will take several passes a couple inches at a time.
Egon
Epic Contributor
jenkinsph
Super Star Member
Baby Grand
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^ With the equipment you have now, I'd try this first. As others have said, success will depend on the type of soil you are working in. Big rocks & roots will make rear blade work slow to unproductive. As the soil conditions get more difficult, you will need a sturdier & heavier blade to cut-in and to avoid damaging the blade due to the leverage of tip loading the outer edge of the blade - a long lever that wants to bend your blade and it's frame. Also, as the tip loading increases, the tractor itself will tend to get pulled off it's course, so you will need more traction/weight to keep working effectively.
-Jim
