Leveling Dirt

rope1 · May 15, 2006

I usually stay pretty quiet on most subjects, but when it comes to arena dirt, espically barrel horse ground, I gotta throw some experienced opinion out there. First thing, shorten up your third link so you can get your teeth in a little deeper, and keep the actual blade from digging in. Second, try not to carry any dirt in the blade. Unless you have a laser leveled arena, you will always end up diggin in and making things worse if you have dirt in the box blade. Third, make your self some sort of drag to pull behing the box blade to smooth, level, and break up clods. Allmost anything will work here, just to smooth things out a little.

rope1 · May 15, 2006

I usually stay pretty quiet on most subjects, but when it comes to arena dirt, espically barrel horse ground, I gotta throw some experienced opinion out there. First thing, shorten up your third link so you can get your teeth in a little deeper, and keep the actual blade from digging in. Second, try not to carry any dirt in the blade. Unless you have a laser leveled arena, you will always end up diggin in and making things worse if you have dirt in the box blade. Third, make your self some sort of drag to pull behing the box blade to smooth, level, and break up clods. Allmost anything will work here, just to smooth things out a little.

DCS · May 16, 2006

Sorry for the confusion on the "floating" comment. What I was referring to was adusting the draft links from the "rigid" position to the "float" position. I am not sure about all tractors but my JD has the ability to do this.

DCS · May 16, 2006

Sorry for the confusion on the "floating" comment. What I was referring to was adusting the draft links from the "rigid" position to the "float" position. I am not sure about all tractors but my JD has the ability to do this.

KubotaTerry · May 16, 2006

I tried the backing up idea last night with the lever in the float position. That seems to help quite a bit. I managed to get the hills down to a reasonable level after about an hour of backing around the arena. I guess I mainly just need more experience. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Terry

KubotaTerry · May 16, 2006

I tried the backing up idea last night with the lever in the float position. That seems to help quite a bit. I managed to get the hills down to a reasonable level after about an hour of backing around the arena. I guess I mainly just need more experience. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Terry

Highbeam · May 16, 2006

I was thinking gauge wheels would be a huge help for this type of fine grading but not having experience with them I didn't mention it.

Highbeam · May 16, 2006

I was thinking gauge wheels would be a huge help for this type of fine grading but not having experience with them I didn't mention it.

flusher · May 16, 2006

The 3pt on my B7510HST floats in the full down position. You can move the lower arms up and down with your hands. That's useful for attaching and detaching implements.

Sometimes it's useful to operate a box blade in the float position. As the name implies, the BB will more or less follow the ups and downs of the ground. Adjusting the tilt of the BB with the top link and the height of the rippers will determine how much bite you get from the BB.

Other times it's better to lower the BB until the tips of the rippers just touch the ground. The 3pt is NOT in the float position. Then, with the top link adjusted so the BB tilts forward, the forward motion of the tractor and the angle of the BB will cause the rippers to bite into the ground. Since the 3pt is not floating, there is a competition between the rippers trying to dig deeper and the 3pt arms trying to hold the BB at a constant height. The result, on fairly level ground, is that the BB digs in and stays at a pretty constant depth.

flusher · May 16, 2006

The 3pt on my B7510HST floats in the full down position. You can move the lower arms up and down with your hands. That's useful for attaching and detaching implements.

Sometimes it's useful to operate a box blade in the float position. As the name implies, the BB will more or less follow the ups and downs of the ground. Adjusting the tilt of the BB with the top link and the height of the rippers will determine how much bite you get from the BB.

Other times it's better to lower the BB until the tips of the rippers just touch the ground. The 3pt is NOT in the float position. Then, with the top link adjusted so the BB tilts forward, the forward motion of the tractor and the angle of the BB will cause the rippers to bite into the ground. Since the 3pt is not floating, there is a competition between the rippers trying to dig deeper and the 3pt arms trying to hold the BB at a constant height. The result, on fairly level ground, is that the BB digs in and stays at a pretty constant depth.

Highbeam · May 16, 2006

I'm not buying this as a "float" feature. It is just the lack of down pressure that is present at all 3ph settings. You do realize that at all 3ph position settings but the very highest that you can grab and raise those arms, right? If you drop the 3ph position lever to full low, float as you call it, and the BB doesn't go to china then you either don't have the BB set up to dig or you need more weight on the BB.

There is a knob on my tractor and I believe most tractors that regulates how fast that the 3ph arms raise and fall to the deisred position. This valve can be shut off to lock the 3ph in position. Not sure what would happen if you locked it in position and then moved the 3ph position lever though.

Highbeam · May 16, 2006

I'm not buying this as a "float" feature. It is just the lack of down pressure that is present at all 3ph settings. You do realize that at all 3ph position settings but the very highest that you can grab and raise those arms, right? If you drop the 3ph position lever to full low, float as you call it, and the BB doesn't go to china then you either don't have the BB set up to dig or you need more weight on the BB.

There is a knob on my tractor and I believe most tractors that regulates how fast that the 3ph arms raise and fall to the deisred position. This valve can be shut off to lock the 3ph in position. Not sure what would happen if you locked it in position and then moved the 3ph position lever though.

KiotiJohn · May 16, 2006

( There is a knob on my tractor and I believe most tractors that regulates how fast that the 3ph arms raise and fall to the deisred position. )
That valve only controls the drop speed, not the lift speed.
John

KiotiJohn · May 16, 2006

( There is a knob on my tractor and I believe most tractors that regulates how fast that the 3ph arms raise and fall to the deisred position. )
That valve only controls the drop speed, not the lift speed.
John

dieselsmoke1 · May 16, 2006

Interesting...don't think I've ever seen a 3ph that would truly hold a fixed position against upward force. but then there's a lot of of things I ain't seen.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

dieselsmoke1 · May 16, 2006

Interesting...don't think I've ever seen a 3ph that would truly hold a fixed position against upward force. but then there's a lot of of things I ain't seen.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

JerryG · May 17, 2006

The only tractors that don't have float as a fixed function are Belarus and some older Internationals. As far as I know Belarus is the only current manufacture that has pressure up without float. That is in the compact and utility size tractors.

JerryG · May 17, 2006

The only tractors that don't have float as a fixed function are Belarus and some older Internationals. As far as I know Belarus is the only current manufacture that has pressure up without float. That is in the compact and utility size tractors.

darkviper · Jun 1, 2006

The secrete that you seek is back dragging. This can not be done with a box blade effectively. To properly back drag it would be best to use a rear blade that you can turn completely around so that you can drive foward instead of backwards. This will save you a lot of neck pain in the end. Also yop will want some loose dirt so that the holes will fill in. I have also had real good success with using a rake after i have roughed in. You can run that over afterwards as long as the holes are not greater then an inch deep and just run over it different directions until the grade is made. Laser level afterwards and you will be please with the results. I have leveled a place 100' X75' using this exact method to a grade within 1/4". Also bear in mind that you dont want it perfectly level. You will need a grade so that water will run off and not stand. If you need close to flat i would suggest a grade of 1/16" to 1/8" per foot for drainage meanind that every 8 ' will be a inch lower then ther first for 1/8" grade. Hope this helps/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

darkviper · Jun 1, 2006

The secrete that you seek is back dragging. This can not be done with a box blade effectively. To properly back drag it would be best to use a rear blade that you can turn completely around so that you can drive foward instead of backwards. This will save you a lot of neck pain in the end. Also yop will want some loose dirt so that the holes will fill in. I have also had real good success with using a rake after i have roughed in. You can run that over afterwards as long as the holes are not greater then an inch deep and just run over it different directions until the grade is made. Laser level afterwards and you will be please with the results. I have leveled a place 100' X75' using this exact method to a grade within 1/4". Also bear in mind that you dont want it perfectly level. You will need a grade so that water will run off and not stand. If you need close to flat i would suggest a grade of 1/16" to 1/8" per foot for drainage meanind that every 8 ' will be a inch lower then ther first for 1/8" grade. Hope this helps/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif