Rear Blade Help - I need to be able to back-drag but my JD 2020 blade won't allow it!

[JerS]

I'm looking for some advise on what blade I may need to get. Here's the back-story.

I bought a 1970 JD 2020 last summer with a loader and a grader blade. The blade is a genuine JD, but it was extended by welding on 2' (by JD according to the previous owner) making it an 8' blade.

My problem is that it's too long to allow for the blade to rotate around so I can back-drag my rock lane. It hits the rear tires. If I get a 6' it won't go out as wide as my rear tires which set just over 7'.

I had asked the local JD dealer if I could somehow get some slightly longer lower link arms, and they explained that the 3-point lower arms were originally designed to be somewhat short so folks wouldn't be putting attachments on that were too big for it and then having it tip over, etc.

In my mind, the perfect solution would be something like a 6' blade that I could easily set an off-set kind of deal, allowing me to have the blade out past the tire when needed for grading. Problem is this is a CAT 2 and unless I'm just looking in the wrong places (very likely...) I've been unable to find anything that would work. (Well, perfect would be an 8' that was somehow set far enough back to allow me to rotate it, but a 6' with off-set would be the next best thing)

My Brother-in-law tells me just to cut this one off at the weld and use it as a 6'.

I can do that I suppose, but it's not ideal. For one thing this blade is set up to use a bunch of pins to configure it so it's not smooth on the back side at all.

As it is now, I'm doing the grade work with the JD 2020, then jumping on my old Olli 1650 just to back-drag...

Anyone know of a blade that would suit my needs?

Thanks!

Jer

 

[davisgary2]

My King Kutter 8 foot will spin around no problem. I think the reason yours won't is it was added to. I believe any name brand will spin 180.

 

[gary49]

My 2240 has lower arms that have release pins that allow the ends to slide out to aid in hooking up implements. I don't know if they would fit your tractor or if they slide enough for an 8' blade to rotate around, but they certainly give you more room to work with.

 

[JerS]

My 2240 has lower arms that have release pins that allow the ends to slide out to aid in hooking up implements. I don't know if they would fit your tractor or if they slide enough for an 8' blade to rotate around, but they certainly give you more room to work with.

Thanks, I'll look into that!

 

[JerS]

My King Kutter 8 foot will spin around no problem. I think the reason yours won't is it was added to. I believe any name brand will spin 180.

Yeah, that extra couple feet is making it hit for sure.

 

[LouNY]

I would expect that most factory width blades would do the spin my 10 and 11 footers will and the Deere 8 will.

It would be kind of a pain but if you can find a point to put a chain on the hitch to your loader and spin the hitch around on the blade then reconnect it.

 

[Avenger]

This might be too much work, but would work. Could you lift the blade by the 3pt using the FEL, spin the blade around, set it down, and re-hook it? It would be a bunch of lifting with chains and whatnot, a major pain in neck, but would save money and save cutting up the blade. Just my .02

 

[hawkeye08]

Yep, just rotate it before hooking up, lifting with FEL may be required.

 

[David Wayne]

Can you shorten your top link enough so the front end of the blade swings down to miss the tire? If close but not quite you could then cut the top corner of the blade off to get clearance.

 

[herm0016]

larger blades have longer frames so you can spin them. for a blade that will offset find a John deere model 80. I have one with a 6 ft blade. 6 way and you can offset the blade to either side. i bought mine for 150 and have a few hrs and a spool of welding wire into it to fix it up. its a great piece though, and i'm not sure anyone makes one like it anymore.