Dozer Blade or Grader Blade?

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

That really doesn't sound like tractor work to me... I've been doing a lot of work lately with a dozer and trackhoe, same soil conditions you describe. Even the 10 ton dozer with tracks would have it's work cut out for it cutting down trails on hillsides. I would absolutely not recommend a dozer blade on the front for packed material.

I would lean towards a loader with a toothed bucket and some type of very heavy rear adjustable blade, if all I could use was a tractor.

 

[Atypical_decorum]

That really doesn't sound like tractor work to me... I've been doing a lot of work lately with a dozer and trackhoe, same soil conditions you describe. Even the 10 ton dozer with tracks would have it's work cut out for it cutting down trails on hillsides. I would absolutely not recommend a dozer blade on the front for packed material.

I would lean towards a loader with a toothed bucket and some type of very heavy rear adjustable blade, if all I could use was a tractor.

A dozer isn't in the cards. Just my tractor with a front blade or rear.

There's also no trees. I need to make flat walking paths on clear hill sides.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I understand and was just speaking to capability. After the many dozens of hours I've spent operating a dozer and becoming familiar with operation and capability I would not recommend a front blade for anything but extremely light and loose material. Silage, snow, or just pushing brush is what comes to mind.

You might get away with a turning plow to start your hillside trails. Turn down from the high side to create a shelf then use the bucket and rear blade to level?

 

[mikester]

Try a HD box blade with rippers and always pull down hill.

My personal observation is you pay for it in the long run either way. Just seems less painful to use a small machine if you don't consider fuel, time, wear and tear,...

 

[workinonit]

If that's a 100 HP tractor I would think you can do pretty much anything with it you need to other than maybe moving rocks. I would get me a good size box blade and go to work. It won't be as fast but it will be affective.

 

[Atypical_decorum]

I understand and was just speaking to capability. After the many dozens of hours I've spent operating a dozer and becoming familiar with operation and capability I would not recommend a front blade for anything but extremely light and loose material. Silage, snow, or just pushing brush is what comes to mind.

You might get away with a turning plow to start your hillside trails. Turn down from the high side to create a shelf then use the bucket and rear blade to level?

I thought about cutting into the hill like that, but then that's one more thing to get. Shaving of a bit at a time with the corner of a tilt blade would get it I was thinking. I was planning on working it down until I got a flat path to the observatory and other trails.

 

[Atypical_decorum]

Try a HD box blade with rippers and always pull down hill.

My personal observation is you pay for it in the long run either way. Just seems less painful to use a small machine if you don't consider fuel, time, wear and tear,...

I've got 1000s of feet or trails to make on hill sides. I have to be able to drive straight.

 

[Atypical_decorum]

If that's a 100 HP tractor I would think you can do pretty much anything with it you need to other than maybe moving rocks. I would get me a good size box blade and go to work. It won't be as fast but it will be affective.

105HP 4WD to be exact!!!! Haha. I figured it do anything I needed for this project. The rear blade with a tilt would probably work too.

 

[workinonit]

I'm not much of a fan of a rear blade. They tend to just not be heavy enough. TNT would be a really good adder with a box blade and scarifiers. I also have a landplane that I made which I use more than anything but it's primarily for leveling. Mine does a pretty good job moving dirt from A to B but since I don't have tines for it, it doesn't dig like my box blades do. I pull a 7' box with my 100 HP.

 

[Atypical_decorum]

The tilt is crucial. It's the only way to cut into the hills on long stretches without using my 3pt backhoe and taking a year.

In 1st gear I should be able to pull an 8ft blade in front or back, I think.