First Day, New Boxblade, Broken

[RFB]

Bought it new and within one hour of use in soft damp medium rocky soil, the ripper opened up the square cross tube like a can opener.

The dealer I bought it from was very responsive and said the manufacturer was as well. They called me back within an hour of notification and said a new one will be made and shipped for exchange.

I explained my concerns regarding the inherent strength/engineering of the steel cross tube, and those concerns are being "addressed".

It is a Hawkline HD84

So far, the dealer and the company have been excellent in their customer service. I will follow up with end results.

 

[JB4310]

You should tell them to "address" the problem before they send you another, or you'll just be returning another one. Either that or you will have to beef it up yourself, and maybe get a refund.
what I would try is tell them I'll keep this and repair it for a substantial refund, it would save them shipping and replacing.

The steel that tore looks pretty heavy but does not return under the bottom edge enough, if at all. The box overall looks pretty decent.

A box blade is the type of implement that should take abuse, not something that you have to worry about and go gingerly with.
I rip large roots/rocks out from a running start, sometimes they come out the first time and sometimes they stop the tractor dead in its tracks, the box is only 5' pulled by just 32 HP, but it's probably 30 years old and still going. it had a couple of new rippers when I bought it used.
Good Luck, JB.

 

[Sackett2]

WOW, As my BB was externally cheap I will look at mine and possibly beef up that area

 

[allen in texas]

Man!!!! What an advertisement for their product.

I just bought a cammond and I've beat the crap out of it (as much as my baby 5740 can) and it's hanging tough.

BTW, my tractor's a 3240. I'm just waiting on it to grow up.

 

[joes_427_vette]

I like looking at construction and how thick the metal is beyond the pretty paint. I have a Woods 72". It is heavy and works great. Costs a bit more than the genarics but worth it.

 

[SnowRidge]

Good thing you didn't have those rippers all the way down. Might have done some real damage with a longer moment arm.

I would tell the dealer to take it back. Then I would buy something a lot more substantial. A lightweight BB isn't very useful anyway.

 

[jmc]

RFB,

I'm too lazy to walk out to the barn and check, but my recollection is that those rectangular holes generally have a reinforcing plate welded over them, that plate having its own rectangular hole. The reinforcing plate forms a collar that effectively thickens the metal around the hole. Yours doesn't appear to have any.

John

 

[studor]

I have a six foot Walco box blade that is almost identical to yours and has the same nice curl back at the center tooth
I figured I would take it to the weld shop and have a piece of angle welded behind the teeth from side to side
Nice to know I am not the only one it happened to

 

[JRobyn]

Exact same thing happened to mine, but it took hooking the ripper on a solid ridge of rock. My dealer welded a continuous piece of angle iron under the ripper mount tube to reinforce. Has worked fine since.

- Jay

 

[RFB]

Thanks gents for the replies.

I have thought about different ways to beef the cross tube, and every solution (except one) seems to still allow tearing away at wherever a weld-attachment is made. (just transferring stresses outward from the moment location but still to the same tube that tore).

A 5/8 bar of rolled (not cast) steel the size of the cross tube height, welded across the front and rear face of the tube seems the most robust, since it would attach at each side plate, along the top and bottom, and at existing gussets at the center of the tube.

What think thou?

 

[SnowRidge]

I just took a quick look at my 6 foot Rollins BB. The "tube" appears to be a weldment. At any rate, the bottom piece looks to be 1/4 inch flat stock and is definitely welded in place. It butts against the tube's rear wall. An additional piece of 1/4 inch flat stock is welded to the bottom piece and to the rear of the tube. It sits directly behind the rippers. The welds are located at the ripper locations to provide additional reinforcement. This makes a total thickness of 1/2 inches of steel plus the weld beads right behind the rippers.

Rollins is a small manufacturer in Cleveland, TN. They didn't even put their name on it. The dealer told me who made it when I bought it.

 

[daBear]

Two years ago when I bought my first tractor and box the dealer steered me to a Woods 5' and it has taken a heck of a licking without a single problem. Mechanically it is as good as new plus the cost was $400 which just is not that much more than the bargain basement models.

 

[johnk]

I second the notion of get another brand. I'm sure the same model is made the same way with the same gauge of steel. Get a refund and a meatier Boxscraper that you can depend on..

 

[JB4310]

QOUTE;
"A 5/8 bar of rolled (not cast) steel the size of the cross tube height, welded across the front and rear face of the tube seems the most robust, since it would attach at each side plate, along the top and bottom, and at existing gussets at the center of the tube."

"What think thou?"


Sounds OK but I think you could use thinner stock if you go with an angle iron so it could return under the weak edge, you would have to notch it for the rippers though, leave as much as you can underneath, If the slot for the rippers now are right to the back wall of the square tube member then the angle wont help much and that thick plate you mentioned might be the way to go.

But who's gonna pay for this? can you get something out of the manufacturer or was it such a deal that you don't mind the extra cost/work.
JB.

 

[6string]

That sucks, you don't suppose the steel came from China? You know, the Chicoms just don't make steel like they used to.

 

[Leejohn]

I see you have a 50hp tractor and it looks like that blade should be for a 30hp tractor. The cross tube isn't wide enough and the wall isn't thick enough. I would trade it in and get one that is better for your 50hp. Lower hp it would of stopped the tractor, you more then likely didn't feel much of a pull.

 

[redneckexplorer]

Another China P.O.S. .........When are we going to learn? When we're all flipping burgers? Because we don't manufacture any U.S. steel anymore?

 

[john_bud]

Typical case of a box designed for a BX class machine being pulled by a powerful tractor in soil with some character.

You can diddle around with the dealer and have them swap boxes. Only out your time and amply repaid with frustration. You can have them weld in some stuff to beef it as you break it. In the better boxes, the "Tube" is really 2 pieces of 3/8" or 1/2" angle. Behind the scarifier tooth along that entire side there is a 1"x1/4" flat that was tacked in place to spread the load. That's more than 1/2" of steel supporting the teeth. Your box, looks like 3/16th and mild steel -- easy to rip.

I hate to be a buzz kill, but you will continue to rip that box to shreds with your tractor. After the scarifier tube is fixed, you will smile the blade. The 3pt welds will break. The straps will bend. etc etc. If you have time, a welder and steel you can make it a decent box. I would recommend getting a more sturdy design to match the power of the tractor and the stubborn character of the ground. But $$$$ are needed for a sturdy box.

By the way, my gannon regualarly hits roots and rocks that stop the tractor dead. I also do things that are "no-no's" with light boxes like turning with the teeth down, etc. No damage after 8 years.

Gannon industrial scrapers are good, but pricy. They don't have a good web link anymore.

Cammond is a a copy of the Gannon design.
http://www.cammond.com/PDF/4C2-4C4.pdf

I would say that getting one that looks like the link is the way to go. If you can afford it. Like the old man used to say, "buy a high quality tool once and own it for life. Or buy a cheap hunk of junk over and over and over and over...."

 

[RFB]

Thanks guys.

I was hoping that since (sight unseen) the manufacturer labeled this as a "heavy duty" and in the 84 inch size, that it would be more robust.

It is made in the U.S., but it has been a disappointment.

What should I expect to reasonably pay for an 84" genuine heavy duty BB?

 

[pitt_md]

Thanks guys.

I was hoping that since (sight unseen) the manufacturer labeled this as a "heavy duty" and in the 84 inch size, that it would be more robust.

It is made in the U.S., but it has been a disappointment.

What should I expect to reasonably pay for an 84" genuine heavy duty BB?

A Woods 84" Extream Duty box blade lists for $2624.00