Operator Manual Implement Limitation Chart

[Keuka]

How conservative are the limitations in these charts?

I'm looking at rear blades for an L35. Outside to outside the rear tires (Bar Tread) measure 64 inches. The chart in the manual says I should limit the blade width to 72 inches. If I angle the blade to 15 degrees, the end of the blade will only be 3 inches outside the tires. Material roll back will fall inside the tire width. This seems like a blade is almost useless for any material more dense than snow! I wanted it to maintain and grade my gravel driveways.

I was kind of set on a Woods medium duty 83 inch, Model HBL84-2. This ones built with a moldboard height of 18 inches and weighs in at 528 lbs. Woods says 30-75 hp so maybe I'm expecting too much. Hate to lay out the bucks and find out she can't pull it.

Any opinions on rear blade width and 35 hp Kubota? Do I need a bigger mule or just keep grading with the FEL?

 

[aquetrac]

Should be no problem to go with the Woods blade. If you find the machine is dragging a bit, just take less of a bite. The manual is very conservative.

 

[Bird]

I sure wouldn't want to tell you to buy something and you do it and find out it wasn't the right thing to do, but in my opinion, Kubota is very conservative. I used larger than their recommendation brush hogs on both of the Kubotas I've owned, but I never had a blade of the type you're talking about. If it were me, I'd go for it . . . your mileage may vary.

 

[Bob_Young]

I bought an HBL84 when I bought my L4300. Like your L35, the Manual Implement Chart lists a max cutting width of 72".

I've used the blade mainly for snow removal. The L4300 will handle it OK 95% of the time, but, if the snow has real weight and the blade's at a good angle, it will lever the front end of the tractor around. This in spite of having the FEL on. Without the loader, I'm sure the problem would be worse.

This doesn't happen often, because I try to avoid taking big bites when the snow is heavy. But sometimes it's unavoidable. Usually it occurs when I'm working a heavy pile from a previous pass closer to the shoulder. This puts most of the load on the trailing end of the blade and, by acting through such a long lever arm, can easily pull you off course. Under these circumstances, even a properly sized blade might do the same.

When the snow is just heavy and wet and causing this problem I either switch to a shallow blade angle or just pull (or push) with zero blade angle. This works until the blade gets so full that I start to lose traction. Then I raise the blade some and just take what I can.

One nice thing about that blade: No L35 or L4300 will ever hurt it.

One bad thing: It's heavy and murder on gravel driveways until they freeze up. Does a job on your nice black asphalt sealer too.
Bob

 

[shine]

My B2710 manual says 66 inch on a BB. I use a 72 inch with no problem. Bird is right kubota is conservative.

 

[RadarTech]

I agree with everyone else...
I have a 72 in blade on my L3400 and like Bob and Bird I have not had problems..


My blade actually worked better than a friends heavier 60 inch blade during the last and ONLY real snow we got this year..

 

[Bob_Young]

As to the tractor Implement Limitation Chart being conservative; I've got mixed feelings.

The chart said the Med. duty Woods BB720 bushhog I bought was a bit too much for the L4300. Turns out, it was. The L4300 would run it, but it was uncomfortable in a "tail wagging the dog" sense.

The chart also recommended no larger than a 60" rotary tiller for that tractor. Well, I bought a 72" thinking I could take tines off if need be. When running with the full tine set, the tiller seemed to work the L4300 pretty hard. That little 2.2L engine was just bellowing and the temp. gauge was as high as I'd seen it. Fortunately, the tilling jobs were small.

OTOH, the chart indicates that my "one-notch-larger" MX5000 should be able to handle these implements; and it does handle them well. The tiller doesn't seem to work the tractor too hard and the mower doesn't wag the tractor. They seem to be a very good match.

Point is, any tractor will handle an implement that's larger than its "best match", it just won't do it as well in one aspect or another. If that aspect is important to you, it might impose a severe limitation.

My complaint with the Implement Limitation Charts is that Kubota doesn't post them with the tractor specifications on their website. It would help immeasureably if people knew up-front what implement sizes were a good match for the tractors they're considering.
Bob

 

[BrierPatch]

I agree with Bird. The best I can tell you is that I ran a light duty 72" grader blade behind my 1300# B7200 with 17hp no loaded tires, no FEL, no front end weights and turf tires, and I was very pleased with its performance. I maintain a 1200'-1400' gravel driveway on a steep grade as well as creating about an acre of yard out of woods around my house after construction. I went with the larger blade for your same reason, when plowing or grading with the blade angled I wanted it to be wider than the wheels and it is easier to level a large area with a wider pass. When I originally got the blade I realized it was larger than recommended, so I went into with reasonable expectations and I have been more than satisfied. I agree with Bob on this one, there is the best match for the tractor for all situations and then there is the best match for my situation. I can't imagine your L35 not being able to handle that medium duty 84" blade. You may not expect to move mountains in one pass, but I bet you can still move mountains with it.

Good Luck,

 

[LBrown59]

Both the tiller and the front blade are larger than Kubota specifies in the Manual.
The little BX1500 handles them excellently.