Though I know I want TnT, I want to understand it better B4 I go off looking for one. My mount is a Kubota
M6040. I have a long unimproved road/driveway that was put in over 10 years ago. Basically, no one has maintained in much. So I bought a box blade, thinking I would resell it (was a deal with a flail) but I have started using it.
Last year I did some work on the road with a cheap rake, but I decided that without gauge wheels, it was minimally effective. The box blade digs up the big rocks and fills in holes, but it too seems to need gauge wheels when attempting to smooth/finish. It also seems to take forever to move stuff from the ditch to the crown, which was why I wanted a back blade. Anyway . . .
I am hoping someone can help me understand how TnT will improve Box blade performance without gauge wheels. Seems straightforward that Tilt will make ditch/crowning simpler, without getting on and off the seat. But how does the hydraulic top link help? Do they have a float position?
IMO the T'nT will be more of a distraction to you while learning to use a BoxBlade EFFECTIVELY.
Once you CAN use it effectively,,,, you won't need to ask whether you need T'nT or how to use it (-:
You may well decide against.
Sure the BoxBlade with the scarifiers down will churn up the rocks - and with JUDICIOUS setting of the top link will fill the holes and dips in.
IMO a hydraulic top link (never mind the side link for now) makes adjustments that are too coarse for leveling and fine grading.
If I tried to write a tutorial on this I would suggest getting the tractor on level hard top (e.g. flat concrete) and lowering the BoxBlade, adjust the top link so that the front blade is about 1/2 inch off the concrete and the weight of the BoxBlade is resting on the rear (smoothing or dragging) blade.
Go out and try it, this should scrape a very thin layer off the top, the rear (smoothing) blade will act as your "gauge wheels". If it fills up too quickly extend the top link by 1/2 or 1 turn - yes, it can be that FINE - point is you will need less "cutting" and more "riding on the rear blade".
IMO hydraulic top links are either too coarse for this - or maybe my hand is too heavy - yeah, that may well be it. I may need flow restricters, but enough about me.
Anyway, for the LEARNING EXPERIENCE do go through very small adjustments of the top link.
I am sure you will get to areas where there is not cutting happening and about that point the box dumps out to empty - well, ~Yeah~ that is a low spot that needs no cutting down. You have probably just filled an edge of its rim, to a point.
Figure where the next high spot candidate is and come into the low spot with another load from that high, etc.
Repeat until done.