Purchased a 4520 Open Station

[Honey Dealer]

Looking at Steve's pictures, I think one weight could be mounted on the inside of the wheel, then they would not hang out as much.

I'll have to ask the dealer for one on the inside and two outside.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Do 3 weights on each side protrude much? Since I have a wider box blade than you, am I going to have serious traction issues?

I'd get all the weight you can to pull a box blade that size. We use a 7' box blade behind a JD 5045e (4wd, about 8,000lbs) and for heavy work it is not any too much tractor, and your box blade is even heavier than ours.

 

[Honey Dealer]

I guess I could always fill the tires if need be.

 

[AKfish]

Steve and other's do not necessarily have a front loader on their tractor... if you leave the 400CX mounted on the tractor - that's another 1,500lbs or more (with bucket) of evenly distributed "ballast" on your tractor.

With 4x4 and loader and rear wheel wts.... well, I wouldn't be all that concerned with being able to effectively work the box blade.

Gotta realize that when the dirt starts spilling over the sides and out the back - you're not working the box blade - effectively!

AKfish

 

[jenkinsph]

Steve and other's do not necessarily have a front loader on their tractor... if you leave the 400CX mounted on the tractor - that's another 1,500lbs or more (with bucket) of evenly distributed "ballast" on your tractor.

With 4x4 and loader and rear wheel wts.... well, I wouldn't be all that concerned with being able to effectively work the box blade.

Gotta realize that when the dirt starts spilling over the sides and out the back - you're not working the box blade - effectively!

AKfish

With the rippers up the tractor can handle the box without issues, it is when the rippers are all the way down that he might encounter problems with traction. That is alot for a compact to pull.

I agree that a fel can help with the total ballast too.

 

[AKfish]

With the rippers up the tractor can handle the box without issues, it is when the rippers are all the way down that he might encounter problems with traction. That is alot for a compact to pull.

I agree that a fel can help with the total ballast too.

That's very true... however, you know as well as anyone - you rarely ever sink the rippers full depth into new ground! That's just asking for problems!

Rip in stages - a jag at a time. Only after you've got everything worked up - and any known obstacles removed - do you really hit it to move the most material at a single pass.

Had a long discussion with the shop foreman at the local JD dealership. He and the next senior mechanic spent a week assembling a shiny, new Komatsu 475 dozer at the Anchorage harbor. All 235,000 pounds and v-12 double turbocharged! A large gold mine near Nome, Alaska has just bought 2 new machines to see how they work against the 11, older Caterpiller D-11 high-tracks they've been using at the mine.

Anyway, he was explaining the new computer controlled traction system that monitors track slippage, fuel rates, turbo vane settings, rpm's, and the load either being pushed or pulled with the ripper. Any time the track begins to slip beyond a certain percent - the computer will automatically adjust all of the engine components to maintain optimal fuel/torque/horsepower efficiencies.

Kinda like lifting the ripper teeth on the BB - with the top link - when the 4520 starts to "roll black" and leaving tire ruts!

AKfish

 

[jenkinsph]

I don't use my rippers much at all, most of the time the weight of the boxblade works well enough for me. Our soil is sandy and rocky for the most part, unless there is a reason to make a deep cut I will usually try to smooth over the top few inches and call it good. My own property has much better soil than any of my customers, they are closer to the top of the mountain and have a lots of rock and boulders with a little dust mixed in.


At any rate a 4520 weighted will do a good job with the OP's boxblade with a little practice.