Grading Need help with Box Blade

awsomeaussies · Mar 24, 2005

Hi, I have a John Deere 4410 tractor. I recently bought a John Deere box blade BB106 to level out my yard which is about an acre. The problem I'm having is that I thought it would level out better than it's doing. I have alot of low and high spots in my yard, and I just finished roto tilling. And while the box blade helped some, not as much as I thought. I have the teeth in the second lowest position, but should they be all the way down? I'm new to this whole tractor thing and I'm not sure on what the best setting would be or how far I should tilt the box blade in or out. I know that by backblading, the low spots should fill in, but the big low spots don't seem to be filling in very much.... One more thing, you probably want to do the whole yard at the same level with the box blade, but when your backfilling do you want to raise the box a little or just leave it at the same level?
Sorry about all these questions, I just need some help.

Dartagnan · Mar 24, 2005

Hi Awesome,

Welcome to the club...still playing with mine trying to figure it out myself.

Near as I can figure you are supposed to raise the box as you go over the dips and lower it on the humps, just dragging it wont work.

I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in shortly to set us both straight tho /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Dart

Charolais · Mar 24, 2005

I had pretty good results by running the teeth in the ground and getting the soil broke up good. Then when I started to level I removed the teeth and just used to box blade. I also used the lift on a hold position instead of floating. It helps if the blade and tractor wheels are wider than the dip and crowns. Also go at it from different directions.

I have a drag that levels better than anything I've tried. It's drag chain form a wood products plant. Links are 24" W & 27" L. The drag is 10' long and 12' wide. Takes every bit of 60hp to pull it. The links hinge and follow the ground be it up or down. It's heavy enough to pull the crowns off and dump them in the dipp till it's level. I'm gonna guess the weight at around 1,500 pounds. May be a little more. I used it some years back to level all the terraces on the farm. I ran the rotary tiller over the terraces and then the drag. Sure did a great job and made them flat. Now when I cut hay I just cut around the whole field.

KiotiJohn · Mar 24, 2005

If you rototilled the area first, you don't need the BB rippers down at all. Angle your rear inside blade down, lifting the rippers up, and set the position control on the hitch to where the BB knocks off the tops and drags them into lower spots. You sometimes have to keep your hand on the hitch lever, moving it up and down to grab and let go just right, but often, you can set it just to the proper height to knock off the crowns and then the dirt should fall into lower spots. Just takes some practice, but you'll get there.
Even pusing in reverse you have to sometimes lift the box slightly to drop dirt into lower spots. Otherwise, you get to the end of your run with a huge pile pushed up. John

GerardC · Mar 25, 2005

Otherwise, you get to the end of your run with a huge pile pushed up. 

Been there, done that! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Gerard

JayJ · Mar 26, 2005

KiotiJohn is right but you'll wear your neck out trying to get it right. Now I just use the box blade to move big wads of dirt. One of the more relaxing ways to do fine leveling is to simply drag a piece of chain link fence around (and around) with a big log on the leading edge. A friend of mine drags an old car hood full of dirt.....and kids ; )

bigtractor · Mar 26, 2005

OK cock the boxblade forward with the top link so the front hits the ground before the back.

Raise the rippers up and drive around like a mad man with it just floating .

I watched an old expert do it and it werks.

Dave
I can sell them but damned if I can use them.

tinytractors · Mar 26, 2005

I use mine opposite of your way... I adjust the toplink so that the back edge hits the dirt first and also no teeth down if it's already soft dirt. The weight of the boxblade should push the end plates slightly into the dirt. Start moving forward and look at the box... it should be collecting loose dirt... you want to keep about 1/2 to 1/4 full (you'll get more when you hit the high spots). The rear edge at this point should be leaving a flat/level area behind you. When you get near a depression, slow down, give a little 3pt lift, this will drop a thicker layer. Return boxscraper to original level. (it helps if you have a stop on the 3pt. Don't try to do it all at once. If you can see the high spots easily, start there, and drag toward low. Go from several directions. You will be able to get the grade close... final touchups are best done with the chainlink fence & log/6x6(something straight and heavy) I like to use a 6ft x 10 ft piece of chain link. 6x6 up front, 4x4 5 ft back and a piece of 1"pipe at the end. I like to have the chain link extending about 2" past the crosspieces.

Works good for me... however there are as many other ways as there are tools in the toolbox...

I think that a quick walk (not brisk), is a good speed to go with for the boxscraper. The chainlink technique likes it brisk.

Pete.

caddison · Mar 26, 2005

Welcome Awesome,

If you have access to a Landscape rake w/ gauge wheels you will get great results. I have seen one mounted on the FEL that did an awesome job.

KiotiJohn · Mar 27, 2005

( OK cock the boxblade forward with the top link so the front hits the ground before the back.

Raise the rippers up and drive around like a mad man with it just floating .

I watched an old expert do it and it werks.

Dave
I can sell them but damned if I can use them. )
You're right Dave, stick to selling them. If you look at the type boxblade you sold me, there's nothing at the front except the rippers. If I cock the front down and rippers up, NOTHING will be touching the dirt but the runners on each side! You have to raise the front so the inside REAR blade can drag the dirt. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif John