Rear Blade Adjustment Preferences

[CADplans]

For pulling the blade, HP is of little concern.

In a physical sense.....your 4105 and the OP's ck30 are nearly identical.

With a loader on...which most people do when blading....it won't be a tail wagging the dog scenarios or needing front weights.

Show us a pic of you using a 1,500 pound attachment behind your tractor so that we know you have actually tried such a setup.
Talking about it, and actually doing it are two different things,,,,,

A 30HP tractor with a half ton attachment may turn over sideways,,
a loader would be of little assistance in that situation.

Heck, the loader may make it worse!!

 

[LD1]

Show us a pic of you using a 1,500 pound attachment behind your tractor so that we know you have actually tried such a setup.
Talking about it, and actually doing it are two different things,,,,,

A 30HP tractor with a half ton attachment may turn over sideways,,
a loader would be of little assistance in that situation.

Heck, the loader may make it worse!!

You have two 1000# attachments you use with your tractor and no loader. And the OPs tractor is the same size as yours.

My tractor is bigger so not sure why you want pictures of my setup.

 

[LD1]

But here is my 1620# cutter that I mow 300-400 acres a year with

 

[LD1]

And my current blade is a frontier 2308. It's a 1250# full hydraulic blade but no pictures of it in action.

And my old blade on my old tractor was a 700# 7' blade behind a L3400 Kubota. Which is about a 400# smaller tractor than yours or the OP's.

 

[somanytractors]

A good heavy rear scraper blade is a far more versatile blade for road maintenance than a box blade.

If I had to choose one or the other I would agree with you. The scraper is a much better tool for maintenance, and if it's a well established driveway that may be all thats needed. But I would buy both used before picking one or the other.

 

[jyoutz]

If I had to choose one or the other I would agree with you. The scraper is a much better tool for maintenance, and if it's a well established driveway that may be all thats needed. But I would buy both used before picking one or the other.

I owned both for over 20 years. I ended up using the rear blade for all road maintenance and the box blade sat in the weeds except for a few times I used it to level ground for a shed and carport. I sold all implements with my smaller tractor. When I upgraded, with my larger tractor, I bought an 8’ blade with tilt and offset. No box blade because most of my blade work is road maintenance, not leveling ground. But a rear blade without offset and tilt capability isn’t as useful.

 

[jyoutz]

I have the JD 4105, which is 10 HP (both engine, and pto) larger than the OP's
I have two 1,000 pound attachments, and have connected both to my JD,,

In each case, the attachment results in "the tail wagging the DOG!"

I can not believe a 1,000 pound attachment would have any function at all on a 25% less HP tractor than mine.

Heck, I even need front end weights with rear finish mower,,

With lighter attachments, you get to compensate for weight by using more speed.
This 7 foot landscape rake does amazing things,, and weighs "almost nothing" compared to a 1000 pound blade.

A light blade just chatters across the top of the road. A heavy blade will cut and move material.

 

[LD1]

A light blade just chatters across the top of the road. A heavy blade will cut and move material.

That's what most of us that have owned both light and heavy blades have been preaching.

Alot of people are so quick to want to use a box blade but I think alot of that has to do with no experience with a GOOD and HEAVY rear blade.

A box with rippers will move material and dirt and fix a driveway. A light 300# blade from TSC won't. So a rear scrape blade gets discounted by many as a worthless tool

 

[jyoutz]

That's what most of us that have owned both light and heavy blades have been preaching.

Alot of people are so quick to want to use a box blade but I think alot of that has to do with no experience with a GOOD and HEAVY rear blade.

A box with rippers will move material and dirt and fix a driveway. A light 300# blade from TSC won't. So a rear scrape blade gets discounted my many as a worthless tool

I think you nailed it.

 

[AaronD81]

And my current blade is a frontier 2308. It's a 1250# full hydraulic blade but no pictures of it in action.

And my old blade on my old tractor was a 700# 7' blade behind a L3400 Kubota. Which is about a 400# smaller tractor than yours or the OP's.

Was the 7 foot blade on your L3400 a good fit? Did you push snow or dirt? I think 8 feet is too big for me, but 7 is a harder to find size so want to be certain it's a good fit before I spend time searching.