Plow vs scraper blade for driveway maintenance

[AStanton]

I think that if you don't get a lot of snow, a rear blade would work fine. In addition, if you are plowing paths over lawns or gravel, you can reverse the blade and not do much damage. I used a rear blade for years, then one year we got so much snow, I had no place to put the snow. I now also have a rear-mounted blower for the big stuff. However, if I had to choose between a front blade or a rear blade, I would pick the front blade.

 

[crazyal]

If it was me and snow wasn't much of a concern I would be getting the right tool for the job, a grading scraper with ripping teeth. It's by far and away the easiest attachment for someone new to tractoring to get good results quickly. My driveway has some clay like material that once packed and dried is all but impossible to do anything with without first ripping it up. Sometimes I'll even shorten up the top link to change the angle of the ripping shanks. Usually I'll wait until after we get some rain to help soften things up but trust me you will look for excuses to get on your tractor and not want to wait.

 

[Komrade]

I am leaning towards a heavy rear blade. Such as this one. Looks like it can tilt, and turn, and offset.. Only issue is it's too far of a drive to pickup... That, and the fact is I cant remove the backhoe yet.

As others mentioned, I need something heavy. Driveways are compacted, and dirt here is a combination of shale and clay.

A box blade might be in the future for me as well.

I looked into top 'n tilt. I agree it would be nice to have. I am not sure I have the dollars for it yet.

As far as wanting to get into the tractor and "play", I completely agree. I've done something with it every day this week.

 

[Fallon]

I wouldn't call anything by King Kutter heavy. Don't get me wrong, its decent gear, i like my KK box blade. But its medium quality & weight. That blade wont be doing much digging at all. A blade is a little more than half the weight of a box blade & a King Kutter box blade struggles in a lot of dirt conditions with the scarifiers & extra weight.

 

[Baby Grand]

I am leaning towards a heavy rear blade. Such as this one. Looks like it can tilt, and turn, and offset.. Only issue is it's too far of a drive to pickup... That, and the fact is I cant remove the backhoe yet.

As others mentioned, I need something heavy. Driveways are compacted, and dirt here is a combination of shale and clay.

A box blade might be in the future for me as well.

I looked into top 'n tilt. I agree it would be nice to have. I am not sure I have the dollars for it yet.

As far as wanting to get into the tractor and "play", I completely agree. I've done something with it every day this week.

That looks like a King Kutter HD-RB-96 - about 750 pounds. Similar weight as an RBT3596.
I'd call that a heavy duty rear blade for an L3430. And at $400 that's a great price.

Lots of people think KK only makes wimpy rear blades because they've only seen the light duty blades at TSC or on CL or they've bent up a light duty themselves.
It's almost a sure thing that you'll break your tractor before you bend that blade.
I have their 340# 7' medium duty blade that I use behind my L3240 and it has taken lots of abuse.
Wish it weighed a little more so it would cut better, but it was on sale and I needed something in a hurry and it's worked great for me for 5 years. It's moved lots of soil and tons of wet snow and ice.

BTW - when you can scrape the cash together for TNT, get it.
Makes rear blade & box blade work so much more productive.

 

[Threepoint]

Agree that $400 is a good price for that blade if that's just surface rust in the pic. But 96" in a blade that heavy may be too much for your tractor in your hilly conditions. Suppose you could cut it down with a torch later, if so.

 

[skyhook]

Speaking of a "heavy" rear blade,,
would adding steel to a lighter blade be doable, for adding that extra weight? ( like maybe 200lbs or so)
Has anyone done this with good or better results from the blade?

 

[jeff9366]

If you do this, you will bend or distort the cutting edge before long; then the blade's cutting ability will be permanently impaired. You need the weight designed into the blade, not added on.

Buy an Angle Blade/Box Blade/Disc Harrow/Landscape Rake, etc., with sufficient weight from the beginning.

 

[Fallon]

If you do this, you will bend or distort the cutting edge before long; then the blade's cutting ability will be permanently impaired. You need the weight designed into the blade, not added on.

Buy an Angle Blade/Box Blade/Disc Harrow/Landscape Rake, etc., with sufficient weight from the beginning.

Yup, the weight for most implements should come from structural components. Adding extra weight means that you can push an impliments harder, but it might not gave the strength to stay together when doing that extra work.

 

[Komrade]

That looks like a King Kutter HD-RB-96 - about 750 pounds. Similar weight as an RBT3596.
I'd call that a heavy duty rear blade for an L3430.

I checked my tractor specifications, and while is wider than what my manual says I should get (72"), it would be under the 880lb limit that they have for a box blade.

Someone recommended earlier I get the wider than specified blade so that I could get to the edges easier. If this were mounted in the middle, it wouldn't stick out more than a foot out on each side.

The extra length should help with the rain ditches here. The driveways are steep and the ditches are deep.

But 96" in a blade that heavy may be too much for your tractor in your hilly conditions.

What is "too much"? As in getting stuck? There is pure bed-rock sticking out in places. I think I can get hung on it with any size blade, big or small.