Grading Final Grading

[dieselmadman]

Hi,

I am now using my BX24 for some grading work I have. Unlike my old Wheelhorse and JD455, the bucket, as it currently is positioned, does not sit completely flat when the bucket is down. Consequently, as I am drawing back the grade going in reverse, the back edge of the bucket does not scrape along the ground to grade, it rides up a bit so that the point actually touching the ground is not the edge. I don't really like it too much. My question is whether or not the bucket can be adjusted so that the back edge will sit flat to the ground. I know many will say I should be using the cutting edge for grading with the bucket vertical, and I do do that sometimes...I guess I am just used to using that back edge to get a nice even grade. Any thoughts? Thanks, in advance.
Dennis

 

[Jimbrown]

I read this four times. I am confused. It seems that you want to back drag with the rear of the bucket. That should be no problem. It will wear out the bucket. Why do you not want to back drag with the bucket at a small angle and use the hardened part of the cutting edge as opposed to the non hardened back of the bucket? The leveled area will be the same. The bucket should be level when all the way down. That confuses me more.

 

[bandit67]

Something is wrong, I'd suspect. I've backdragged using the back edge of the bucket to get a nice smooth surface. That has always given me the most finished results when using a bucket because it knocks down the high points and re-distributes the dirt to the low points without digging further down, when in the float position.

I've done it with the following machines:

Yanmar 140D, Case IH DX24E, Kubota BX22, Kubota L35, New Holland L95 TLB, Kubota B7800 (on Saturday - it did a beautiful job, too).

Based on my experience, I would think that ANY FEL should be capable of doing that.

Set the bucket to the level you want it, then float the FEL arms (the float function works on the arms, not the bucket, so although the FEL is floating, the bucket position stays where you last set it).

 

[golfbum]

From memory, I know I can set the bucket down on level concrete and the rear of the bucket will touch, but it probably would not go down much lower than level with the bottom of the tractor tires. If you want the bucket down any lower you need to curl down where the cutting edge will drop down below the surface.

Marv

 

[dieselmadman]

Thanks, for your replies. I am surprised more don't grade with the back edge of the bucket. I agree that it gives a finer grade when done properly. As far as wearing out the bucket, man you have to do a lot of grading to worry about that. When my bucket on this tractor is flat on the ground, the back edge is slightly elevated, not touching the ground as I think it shoud. I am going to see if there is a way to adjust it. Grading with the cutting edge is nice, but final grading with the back bucket edge is finer...

 

[Harry c]

Thanks, for your replies. I am surprised more don't grade with the back edge of the bucket. I agree that it gives a finer grade when done properly. As far as wearing out the bucket, man you have to do a lot of grading to worry about that. When my bucket on this tractor is flat on the ground, the back edge is slightly elevated, not touching the ground as I think it shoud. I am going to see if there is a way to adjust it. Grading with the cutting edge is nice, but final grading with the back bucket edge is finer...

Backdragging with the back or heel of the bucket works well on the BX 24. The heel will go about 2" below the tires with the bucket fully curled. Sounds like you've discovered that you can get a similar result going forward with the bucket curled all the way. (It works great but what would we call it, frontdragging??) Dozing or backdragging with the bucket in a dumped position can put an extreme load on the fully extended, curl hydraulic cylinder and is specifically "outlawed" in the owner's manual. The sides of the bucket extend slightly beyond the bottom. That's why the heel doesn't touch when the bucket is set flat on the concrete. The protruding edges simply press into the dirt when you're working. I'm not sure what you intend to adjust... I agree you'd have to do a lot of backdragging to wear out the bottom of the bucket. If you see hole appearing it would be pretty easy to weld on a peice of flat stock. Someone mentioned a hardened cutting edge... As far as I can tell the edge is not hardened, at least not much. It wears very quickly if you do much clean-up on asphalt or concrete. I'm just careful to keep the bucket nearly flat when scraping pavement and it won't be a problem for a long time. Some day when I'm really bored, I'll probably pull the bucket off and lay a couple of beads of hard facing. That'll be a lot easier than replacing the cutting edge if I don't wait too long.

 

[MarkV]

I would have thought that the back edge of the bucket should reach the ground but I have never run a BX tractor. Why not weld a section of angle iron on the rear of the bucket for back dragging. It would also be a wear point that could be replaced if that were ever needed.

MarkV

 

[NJDiverDan]

I back drag all the time with my BX24 using the heel of the bucket. I curl the bucket up, not quite all the way, but probably pretty close and float. Works great. Most of the time I will grab a bucket full of rocks to put some weight on the float as well. Help packing down new gradings and I can put the bucket on the other side of a small pile of dirt and pull back through it, redistributing it in the low spots. With out the weight in the bucket, it seems to just go over the mounds and high spots.

 

[RussMan]

Several have made mention in this thread to floating the bucket. Sorry for such a basic question, but being new, how do you "float" the bucket? And does that simply mean you are letting it ride down on the surface?

 

[KeithInSpace]

Jam the control lever forward all the way into the "float" detent. The stick will stay there. This allows the up/down control cylinders to de-pressurize and allow the bucket to better follow the land. In essence, you could pick up the front of the bucket and lift it over your head by hand in this setting (if you were Arnie). You will still be able to control bucket curl to fine-tune your earth cut.

 

[simonmeridew]

I've found that the smoothest final grading will be done with a scraper blade mounted on the rear of the tractor, i.e., on the 3 point hitch. Because lift arms can easily pivot up and down and with the slight play in the arms from side to side, the blade can float much more when backdragged than the bucket, and you get a smoother surface, without the heel or point of the bucket digging in and making a gouge in the surface you're trying to smooth.

What about the "float" mode of the front end loader and bucket? I've found a slower "float" response with the bucket, compared to the scraper blade, and with the bucket sticking "way" out in front of the tractor, any sideways shifting or dipping of the tractor is immediately transmitted and multiplied to the bucket edge or heel, making the surface actually rougher. Just my observation and opinion.
simonmeridew

 

[TalonDancer]

Jam the control lever forward all the way into the "float" detent. The stick will stay there. This allows the up/down control cylinders to de-pressurize and allow the bucket to better follow the land. In essence, you could pick up the front of the bucket and lift it over your head by hand in this setting (if you were Arnie). You will still be able to control bucket curl to fine-tune your earth cut.

Great explanation. One other thing....

it helps to have the bucket level and very near ground contact _before_ you "float". Otherwise the bucket free falls to the ground

Talon Dancer

 

[Egon]

For really fine final grading you must use the cutting edge of the bucket and be going forward so the tractor tires are on even ground.

 

[dieselmadman]

I was out there all day today trying to grade a spot on my property spreading a lousy eight yards of loom. I just can't seem to get it right. If your yard slopes downward and halfway down there is a bit of a gully but then the land comes up again, where would you dump your dirt to level it off? I figured I would start up high and drag down. If you do that, would your bucket be in the float position immediately, or would you focus on just dragging the dirt into the gully first keeping the bucket edge solid with no float? Filling the gully itself isn't much of a problem, but final grading from the top to the bottom I just can't seem to get very smooth...Do you grade from multiple directions (bottom to top, side to side, etc) as part of the grading process? What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

 

[Egon]

Start high and work down. Always keep the area the tractor wheels are on even.

 

[Blk88GT]

Unless there is something weird going on with the terrain, you should only have to final grade in one direction.

 

[bandit67]

Madman,

You can save the float function till near the end of the project. First, get the new material moved into position as best you can by scooping, pushing, dragging, dumping, etc., but by using all of the FEL hydraulics. Personally, I would have dumped most of the material into the gulley since that is what would need the most material to level things out the way you wanted. But that's more for future reference, since what's done is done, so at this point, you can just work with the fill from where it now lays.

Once you've gotten things rough graded and close to where you ultimately want everything, then do your final floating backdrag with the heel of the bucket to clean things up a bit. Depending on how good you need the final grade, you might need to resort to the old fashioned (GASP!!) hand-raking method.

Don't get too frustrated. It'll take some time to learn how to do some of the things you use your tractor for, but that's half the fun of it. We were all rookies at one point, and honestly, any time I try something new with a machine, or use an implement I've never used before, I'm a rookie all over again. Just remember how much harder it would be with a wheelbarrow, shovel and rake.

 

[TalonDancer]

...Once you've gotten things rough graded and close to where you ultimately want everything, then do your final floating backdrag with the heel of the bucket to clean things up a bit. Depending on how good you need the final grade, you might need to resort to the old fashioned (GASP!!) hand-raking method. ...

What he said!

I'm amazed at how much I've used the old hard rake and shovel since I got the tractor

BTW have you noticed that every contruction site tractor/back-hoe seems to have "manual accessories"* not shown in the Kubota sales literature?

Talon Dancer

* "manual accessories" -- those guys out in the blazing sun with the shovels, picks, etc. cleaning up after the "heavy equipment operator" under the shade of the canopy (or in the A/C cab)