I offer up what I've done, and can report each worked well on my BX2200.
Last year, not wanting to scuff the concrete driveways when moving snow, I bolted a 4 ft long 2x12 pine under the bucket, so the front of the 2x12 just extended beyond the lip of the cutting edge. I could go forward and load the bucket, or back drag with the bucket uncurled to vertical.
That 2x12 worked well, but this season, I hooked a chunk of driveway when lifting and broke the board in half. Wanting some denser wood, my neighbor with the sawmill brought me a 2x10 of white oak. It weighed twice what the pine board weighed! See pic 1.
This worked great for moving the first snow we had. The bucket filled and dumped fine, and didn't scuff the concrete. (I'd countersunk the 3/8" bolts into the oak so the heads didn't protrude.) However, the next storm gave us about 3" of sleet, which overnite promptly froze into one solid mass of ice. I had to take the oak board off as it couldn't penetrate the ice. Used the FEL cutting edge on about 12 driveways, and IMMEDIATELY noticed with the attack angle needed to break through the ice, I was rapidly wearing off the cutting edge!
I cut a piece of 3/8 x 5 strap and bolted it to the front of the cutting edge, so it extended about 2" beyond the Bota cutting edge. I didn't mill or sharpen the edge, just started in on the iced concrete again. After another dozen or so driveway cleanings, pic 2 is how the new cutting edge looks now. I have several options left: I can grind a better edge on the top side, or flip it over and let the concrete do the grinding. I could hard surface or heat treat the edge to protect it, but I have more of the material, so could just use this until I need to replace it.
I have not yet cut off the bolt heads under the blade, but plan to do that and flush weld the 1/2" bolts on the bottom, to eliminate that scuff potential.
The original cutting edge is H A R D, so when you try to drill through it, expect a fight! I had drilled those holes last year to mount a 6ft homemade lighweight "dozer blade" to the FEL. It looks a little like the slush pusher in Post 1 here.
I can report each works well. If we have snow only, the 2x10 goes back on. If it's ice, the board comes off exposing my sacrifical cutting edge. I plan on leaving this edge on, since I do a lot of work moving top soil that's been dumped on concrete. I just wish I would have thought of this 3 yrs ago when the tractor was NEW.
The next project I discovered while looking at the bottom of the bucket. If you look at the bucket edge plates, you will see (at least on mine) that they extend below the bottom of the bucket about 1/4". Mine, having ground on the concrete, are almost flush. My next welding project is to take some 1/4 x 3 or so strap, and weld three pieces as wear plates under the bucket. One at each end and one in the middle, extending from the rear of the cutting edge to the back of the bucket. These would be sacrifical also, but I think it will extend the lift of my bucket.
Hope this info helps.
Ron
Last year, not wanting to scuff the concrete driveways when moving snow, I bolted a 4 ft long 2x12 pine under the bucket, so the front of the 2x12 just extended beyond the lip of the cutting edge. I could go forward and load the bucket, or back drag with the bucket uncurled to vertical.
That 2x12 worked well, but this season, I hooked a chunk of driveway when lifting and broke the board in half. Wanting some denser wood, my neighbor with the sawmill brought me a 2x10 of white oak. It weighed twice what the pine board weighed! See pic 1.
This worked great for moving the first snow we had. The bucket filled and dumped fine, and didn't scuff the concrete. (I'd countersunk the 3/8" bolts into the oak so the heads didn't protrude.) However, the next storm gave us about 3" of sleet, which overnite promptly froze into one solid mass of ice. I had to take the oak board off as it couldn't penetrate the ice. Used the FEL cutting edge on about 12 driveways, and IMMEDIATELY noticed with the attack angle needed to break through the ice, I was rapidly wearing off the cutting edge!
I cut a piece of 3/8 x 5 strap and bolted it to the front of the cutting edge, so it extended about 2" beyond the Bota cutting edge. I didn't mill or sharpen the edge, just started in on the iced concrete again. After another dozen or so driveway cleanings, pic 2 is how the new cutting edge looks now. I have several options left: I can grind a better edge on the top side, or flip it over and let the concrete do the grinding. I could hard surface or heat treat the edge to protect it, but I have more of the material, so could just use this until I need to replace it.
I have not yet cut off the bolt heads under the blade, but plan to do that and flush weld the 1/2" bolts on the bottom, to eliminate that scuff potential.
The original cutting edge is H A R D, so when you try to drill through it, expect a fight! I had drilled those holes last year to mount a 6ft homemade lighweight "dozer blade" to the FEL. It looks a little like the slush pusher in Post 1 here.
I can report each works well. If we have snow only, the 2x10 goes back on. If it's ice, the board comes off exposing my sacrifical cutting edge. I plan on leaving this edge on, since I do a lot of work moving top soil that's been dumped on concrete. I just wish I would have thought of this 3 yrs ago when the tractor was NEW.
The next project I discovered while looking at the bottom of the bucket. If you look at the bucket edge plates, you will see (at least on mine) that they extend below the bottom of the bucket about 1/4". Mine, having ground on the concrete, are almost flush. My next welding project is to take some 1/4 x 3 or so strap, and weld three pieces as wear plates under the bucket. One at each end and one in the middle, extending from the rear of the cutting edge to the back of the bucket. These would be sacrifical also, but I think it will extend the lift of my bucket.
Hope this info helps.
Ron
