Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo!

   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo! #1  

Henro

Elite Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2003
Messages
4,982
Location
Few miles north of Pgh, PA
Tractor
Kubota B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini EX
A couple months ago I ordered a gage wheel kit for my KK landscape rake. After trying it, my conclusion was I would never go back to NOT having gage wheels for the rake. It made THAT much difference.

Remembering how I always have to turn my rear blade around after the first snow and plow with it backwards, I got to thinking how gage wheels on the blade could be to my advantage. AND, since I had the gage wheels already for the rake, and they were not cheap at around $175 including shipping, why not call them into double duty service. Rake in the summer and rear blade in the winter?

Problem was finding tubing that the vertical caster shaft would fit into. It was 0.996 inches in diameter.

I ended up ordering some 2.5 inch long pieces of mechanical tubing from http://www.metkit.com . They advertise it as being 1.5 inch OD with .25 inch wall thickness. Should result in a one inch diameter hole, right? First stumbling block.: The 0.996 diameter caster shafts would not go in the ID of the mechanical tubing.

Anyway, I had started fabricating the brackets for the rear blade, so I continued that part.

The original intention was to use the existing bolts that hold the cutting edge. That is why the brackets are welded together like they are. Turns out that I must have measured wrong, because after looking at things it did not appear that the brackets would work very well if attached using the existing bolts. Hole sawed new 5/8 inch holes for mounting bolts and attached the brackets.

This picture shows progress to that point a couple days ago.
 

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   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo!
  • Thread Starter
#2  
Turns out I had a 1” drill bit in a set bits that I bought during a visit to Grizzly a few months ago, so I chucked it into my drill press and ran it through the mechanical tubing. I have no idea what the ID of the tubing was ( no inside mic) but the drill did make the ID a little larger, and the caster shaft finally found its way into the tubing.. Drilled the tubing for a grease fitting while I was at it.

Brought the brackets back into the shop, ground the primer off, and welded the tubing on the ends. Also made a weld that I forgot to make on the bracket.
 

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   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo!
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Mounted the brackets on the blade and put the casters on. Looks pretty good so far.
 

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   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo!
  • Thread Starter
#4  
For the sake of completeness, view from the other side.
 

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   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo!
  • Thread Starter
#5  
View of the completed setup.
 

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   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo!
  • Thread Starter
#6  
An angle shot. I don’t usually angle this much when plowing snow. Makes me kind of wish I had a 7’ blade now.

I used the blade on dirt for the first time EVER today (always used my box blade in the past), and with the gage wheels it works REALLY great for smoothing things out. I am REALLY satisfied with the way it works. It makes the back blade much more versatile for my particular needs. The reason being that the wheels keep the blade from digging in too much, and so I don’t destroy it, it being a light duty blade and all that.

From what I can see after using it on dirt for a couple hours today, I will no longer have to run my rear blade in reverse in the beginning of the snow season, as I have had to do in the past. And as a side benefit, I will also be using the back blade more for dirt work. Which is something I never used it for before, thinking it being so light duty that I would just twist it apart.

My limited experience to this point has me wanting to say, with respect to gage wheels on a light duty blade:

Try it, you’ll like it!!!
 

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   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo! #7  
Henro--Looks Great!

I think you are using your welding skills to great use. I think if you tried, you could have mounted one more piece of angle (or two) before you got to the pivot tube! Just kidding!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Looks very nice.

I never did get around to mounting skid shoes on my box blade like I wanted, but I might still do that this winter if I get time. I don't think the wheels could stand up to the weight, especially if the blade is digging in.

Take Care!
ron
 
   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo! #8  
Henro,

Nice Work. You're going to love this set-up. I have found gauge wheels to work very well on my blade.

JackIL
 
   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo! #9  
Henro that's slicker than snot on a doorknob. Good work!
 
   / Gage Wheels On My Rear Blade…Woo Hoo! #10  
Henro,

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Didn't your wife just come home after a month of being away? Why are you out in the shed??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

murph
 
 

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