RB or BB

[Scrounger]

I need to knock down the center mounds that have forms on some trails from campers cars at a local Boy Scout camp. Can you use a RB to do that or do I need to get a BB for that. I'm hoping that the RB will be able to do the trick.

 

[Slamfire]

I've had no trouble gradin' my driveway, a Forest Service access road with my rear blade. If you are tryin' to spread gravel the box blade works better, but you can get the job done. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Farwell]

An old set of bed springs will work miracles on driveways. Seems to be a Michigan thing but they really do a great job of leveling things out and they work pretty good at ripping weeds out of the ground as well.

 

[Egon]

If you have a rear blade use it before making any other decisions!

Egon

 

[JimMorrissey]

Matt,

A good BB with rippers is the way to go. A RB will just disappoint you...trust me. The smaller ones are not very productive in my opinion.

Do you have a tooth bar for your rig? Tooth bar and a BB will do a nice job.

 

[plaindave]

I almost think you need both, or at least I do. I never managed to get really good at leveling with my box blade, so to maintain my gravel driveway (about 200 yards long), I use the rippers on the box blade to loosen things and take off the high spots. I seem to have better luck leveling with a rear blade, so I run down the road to the neighbor and hook up his and make a few passes to level things out. But that's just me...

 

[HomeBrew2]

As others have said, I'd sure give it a try. I've been doing some land smoothing (not leveling) on storage areas and access roads and started with the RB but wound up using the BB, in kindof a unique way. The RB worked well except that I had a lot of weed stubble that I wanted mixed with the dirt, not striped off and balled up in piles. As has been pointed out before, the trick to a RB is keeping it angled (so as to make windrows) as much as possible cuz the diagonal cutting will take/keep the washboard effect out.

 

[JimMorrissey]

Brew,

You can't angle too much with a smaller machine because it will pull the front wheels and generall change the forward motion of the BX. I had a lot of touble with my RB60 on my BX trying to cut fresh ground, even with weight in the loader. I can be done, but you have to take small bites at less severe angles to start.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Oh, I agree Jim!, I have had much trouble with mine too and small bites is the only way unless you rip it first. I'd always rather pull a horizontal blade. If I was in Scrounger's position though, i.e., no BB, I would really try to make my RB work before buying a BB especially if it's a one-job situation. Also, please note that I offset the top of my cutting edge frame 2" so as to make the cutting edge less aggressive ... really helped ... in addition to extending the top link all the way!
Cheers!