Death of a BoxBlade

MikePA · May 19, 2003

I was back blading without taking proper precautions and caught a really big rock. 
I assume by 'back blading' you mean driving in reverse with the BoxBlade lowered?

No offense intended, Mark, but this information is kind of key in determining whether the death of this box blade was suicide or murder. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Probably should have been able to determine how you were using the box blade by looking at the second picture you posted where the bottom of the box blade is bent towards the tractor.

I'm not in a position to determine whether a box blade should be able to withstand this kind of use. I've only heard of using the box blade while going forward. I looked at a couple of box blade manuals that are online and could not find where they specifically state not to use it in reverse. However, if parts on the box blade are strengthened in order to withstand this kind of use, then the part that breaks might migrate to something weaker, perhaps something on the tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Anonymous Poster · May 19, 2003

( I'm not in a position to determine whether a box blade should be able to withstand this kind of use. I've only heard of using the box blade while going forward. I looked at a couple of box blade manuals that are online and could not find where they specifically state not to use it in reverse. )

Most of the box blades that I have seen have both forward and reverse cutting edges. They are clearly intended for bidirectional work.

Manual??? My Rollins didn't even come with the manufacturer's name on it, let alone a manual. At least the invoice said it was a Rollins......... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

SnowRidge

MikePA · May 19, 2003

Most of the box blades that I have seen have both forward and reverse cutting edges. They are clearly intended for bidirectional work. 
The manuals I read mention changing the direction of the tines. No mention, one way or another, of using the boxblade in reverse.

DIYGuy · May 19, 2003

I was told that the heavy work of blading is done forward. The rear facing blade is designed to spread the roll of stuff that builds up in the box. While I don't have a manual, several more knowledgable tractor types have told me that submerged things will do damage if they are not first moved/dislodged/uprooted in the forward direction.

The engineer in me can see that the forces placed on the blade in the forward direction will simply halt the tractor, however, because there is no downward force on the 3pt, the tractor will roll up and over the blade when you hit an immoveable object in reverse.

The really dumb thing here is I watched the whole thing happen. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I saw the blade hit the rock, I saw the blade start to lift, and before it registered that the rock wasn't moving, the tractor had already collapsed the blade support arms.

It was a good lesson in Tracotr 101. They aren't indestructable. Now I get to buy a torch. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

TresCrows · May 19, 2003

Boxblades are intended for both forward and reverse operation. My Kubota blade works fine in reverse but obviously that is their weakest link due to the design of the attach angles. You probably need a stronger blade for use with your 22 horse unit is my guess or do some serious reinforcement. I use my blade more in reverse than forward. J

Anonymous Poster · May 19, 2003

( I saw the blade hit the rock . . . . )

DIYGuy, I just looked at your web page. That "rock" kinda looks like a boulder to me. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif No wonder the blade's arms gave up. I'll bet some higher end blades would have had a problem with it too.

SnowRidge

theboman · May 19, 2003

If you heat it and if you hammer it back into shape it's not going to be nearly as strong as it was (which wasn't much).
Take it to a welding shop and have them fashion a new 3pt mount.
Are you sure you didn't damage the tractor? That's a mangled mess to not to have hurt something.

MikePA · May 19, 2003

That "rock" kinda looks like a boulder to me. 
Amen! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Anonymous Poster · May 19, 2003

If the support arms unbolt from the box (and they should, if it's anything like the damamged one I bought recently), take them to someone who has a really big hydraulic press. They can straighten out the kinks that shouldn't be there in no time. The damaged 6' box blade I bought had TCS on the name plate, but I believe it was a KK. It looked exactly the same as yours - damage and all. I bought it to cut apart for the scarifier tube and shanks, which became the heart of my bucket mounted root rake. I paid $100, which gives you some idea of the value of yours if you don't fix it.

Anonymous Poster · May 19, 2003

I just wanted to add that I have a 7 foot box blade made by King Kutter and its blue from the factory and I have used it extensivly for years on my 45 horse tractor. I actually cleared all the rocks out of a 12 acre new field made from woods. Thousands of rocks! I dug most out with the box blade by grabbing corners of rocks and pulling and lifting and a great deal of backwards pushing. 50% in reverse probabbly. I did from the beginning have to weld on both sides of the rectangle openings that the teeth go down through because they were tearing from the beating and I did fold up the arms like the killed box blade in the picture and I bought new replacement arms from king kutter and immediatly went to my welder to have a cross brace added between the 2 supports. Since then many thousand of rocks ago I have had no problems at all. Those are the 2 areas that needed improvement from the factory that I have seen. Box blade probabbly around a 1998. The support that ties in the 2 angled braces did the trick and prevented those braces form folding like they did in the picture. I had the same thing happen to me He He! I will post picture sometime when I think of it.