Snow Rear Blade for Max 28

[JButze100]

trying to decide between a 5ft or 6ft blade strictly for scraping the driveway this winter. mahindra max 28 hst. Driveway is approximately 500 ft with a gentle incline to the rd. Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[seaneastok]

Main thing is to make sure the blade is wider than your rear tires when it is turned at an angle.

 

[j wilson]

go with a 6ft. thats what i got with my 28... you also won't have to get so close with tractor to buildings, fences, trees, ect....

 

[bp fick]

Just a couple of observations. You might make sure you can rotate the blade 360 degrees when mounted. I find this very handy in many situations and if you go too long, you'd possibly lose that capability. Everyone has a different kind of snow, but sometimes our snow can grab the tip of the blade and make the tractor fish tail sideways.

Covering the rear wheels when tilted is very good advice as well.

 

[tman1020]

Go With a six-foot you can always take a smaller bite if snow gets too deep. Just watch out for the tail swing it's going to be sticking back quite a ways.

 

[JButze100]

Thanks for the replies... j Wilson so how does the max perform? Any traction issue? We don't get so much of the wet stuff but we do get our fair share of snow and below zeros here in true Northern NY( 5 miles to Canada) interested to hear from people who use a blade and how the max performs.

 

[s219]

A 5 foot blade is plenty for that tractor. Even angled it will cover the tracks and then some.

I have a 6 foot blade on a tractor that is quite a bit bigger/wider than my neighbors Max 28. He borrowed the blade once, and it was comical looking. He couldn't spin the blade around, which made it hard to plow in tight spaces when reversing is helpful. And he ran out of traction a few times in 4wd, so the angled blade was steering him sideways (surprising since I had just plowed in 2wd with no issues). Based on that I'd say 5' would be better.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Until one is working with a lot more weight and power, it is typically best to just have a rear blade that is about 1 foot wider than the tractor. I would say that you would be best served with a nice 5 footer.

Just my :2cents:

 

[j wilson]

jbutze100.......haven't used in in snow yet, just got it in april, i use the blade for redoing my driveway after it washes out and been doing some landscaping with it. it is a 6 ft. and i like the fact that it sticks out past the tires, so i dont have to get as close to stuff with the tractor. i love the tractor, plenty of power for what i do with it.

 

[LD1]

I am going to go the other way on this. Snow moves alot easier than dirt. I wouldnt want any less than a 6' blade and would even be looking at lighter 7' blades IF snow is all you will be moving.

Being able to spin the blade 180 degrees has to do with blade design and not the tractor. The bigger the blade, the farther back it needs to be in order to spin around. So the hitch part of the blade needs to be made longer.

I have a 7' blade. My tractor is only a little bigger than yours. It dont even know it is there with a blade full of snow. But I also keep up with it too and I aint trying to bust through 4' drifts. But even so. I think it would handle it just fine.

Dirt is a different story though. If you think there is even the slightest possibility of using the blade for dirt work, A smaller and heavier 5' blade is what I would want.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I am going to go the other way on this. Snow moves alot easier than dirt. I wouldnt want any less than a 6' blade and would even be looking at lighter 7' blades IF snow is all you will be moving.

Being able to spin the blade 180 degrees has to do with blade design and not the tractor. The bigger the blade, the farther back it needs to be in order to spin around. So the hitch part of the blade needs to be made longer.

I have a 7' blade. My tractor is only a little bigger than yours. It dont even know it is there with a blade full of snow. But I also keep up with it too and I aint trying to bust through 4' drifts. But even so. I think it would handle it just fine.

Dirt is a different story though. If you think there is even the slightest possibility of using the blade for dirt work, A smaller and heavier 5' blade is what I would want.

So your L3200 that is 40% heavier than his Max 28 should handle a rear blade the same as yours ??? :confused2:

Even if he is only using it for snow removal, unless all he gets is light fluffy snow, I would think that a 6' would be the absolute maximum width.

But then I am of the mind set that I want the maximum size implement that I am able to use to it's fullest capacity most of the time. I can't even image what it must be like to have an implement that you can only use to it's full capability half or even less of the time.

Just my opinion, YMMV.

 

[LD1]

Its just my opinion based on my personal experience. Yes my tractor is bigger by 40%, and yes I still think he would be fine with the same sized blade. I use mine in dirt also. But in snow, it is unstoppable and hardly knows it's there. The way my tractor handles 7' in snow, if I were shopping for a "snow only" blade, I'd be looking 9'. For 90% of the snows it would be perfect. For 10% of the time we get blasted with heavy stuff and I get behind, I would just take smaller bites and use the FEL more.

 

[tman1020]

But then I am of the mind set that I want the maximum size implement that I am able to use to it's fullest capacity most of the time. I can't even image what it must be like to have an implement that you can only use to it's full capability half or even less of the time.

Just my opinion, YMMV. [/QUOTE]


wait....what??

 

[MtnViewRanch]

But then I am of the mind set that I want the maximum size implement that I am able to use to it's fullest capacity most of the time. I can't even image what it must be like to have an implement that you can only use to it's full capability half or even less of the time.

Just my opinion, YMMV.

wait....what??[/QUOTE]

your mileage may vary

 

[k0ua]

Keep in mind that a 5 foot blade will easily stick over past at least one tire to scrape the edge of the road without getting in the ditch by using the swing angle feature of that Everything Attachments blade that Mt. View ranch linked to. Not all blades will do this, but that one will. If you get too large of a blade, your smaller tractor wont pull it especially up steep hills. Also if you angle it too much, it will "rudder" the tractor sideways, and the larger the blade the more you will have this happen. A Max, does not need anything larger than a 5 foot blade if you were to ask me...

 

[k0ua]

Its just my opinion based on my personal experience. Yes my tractor is bigger by 40%, and yes I still think he would be fine with the same sized blade. I use mine in dirt also. But in snow, it is unstoppable and hardly knows it's there. The way my tractor handles 7' in snow, if I were shopping for a "snow only" blade, I'd be looking 9'. For 90% of the snows it would be perfect. For 10% of the time we get blasted with heavy stuff and I get behind, I would just take smaller bites and use the FEL more.

Don't forget we are not sure how steep his hills are, or if he even has any. When you are pulling a full blade up my steep hills, you do not want a really big one. Of course you can always plow down only, and just have to drive thru the snow without blading it. to get to the top and turn around and blade down. When I had the B7500 which is about the size of the largest Max, even with a 5 foot blade and chains on all 4 wheels, I had to do that sometimes in deep snows. The blade pulled like it was not there on the very few flat portions of the drive.

 

[rajagears]

it is best to just have a rear blade that is about 1 foot wider than the tractor.

 

[LD1]

Don't forget we are not sure how steep his hills are, or if he even has any. When you are pulling a full blade up my steep hills, you do not want a really big one. Of course you can always plow down only, and just have to drive thru the snow without blading it. to get to the top and turn around and blade down. When I had the B7500 which is about the size of the largest Max, even with a 5 foot blade and chains on all 4 wheels, I had to do that sometimes in deep snows. The blade pulled like it was not there on the very few flat portions of the drive.

I guess I didnt really consider the possibility of hills. Even with no blade, hills can be challenging, especially if there is any ice or hardpack under it. But then again, plow down hill. Should make it feel like there is no blade there even more so than flat ground.

My area is pretty flat. I usually use my truck to plow, but occasionally use the tractor just for some seat time after being out for hours on end in the truck. And I can tell you, a 7' blade is barley a load for the 3400. I also use it to push back some piles sometimes that the truck plow will "float" over. Base weight of my machine is 2600#. I wouldnt have a moments hesitation using that same blade on a 1800# Max28, and think it would do quite well.

But this is my opinion, and others have theirs. I am a bargain shopper and like craigslist. So in reality, i'd probably base my decision on availability. 5', 6', or 7'. Just whatever I happen upon at the right price. C-list blades of lighter duty are $100-$150 all the time in my area. So if you decide you dont like the size, re-sell and adjust.

 

[arrow]

I have a 6 footer on my 3016. I backed into a "bite" of 8" of wet snow finessing near the garage door. I went 1 foot before the tractor was stopped cold. Icy underlay afforded no bite and this was with 4 link chains on ags on just the rears. You being further north may not get the wet, heavy stuff that coastal storms may generate where I live, but any moisture in snow can cause a cubic foot of the stuff to get quite heavy and will "pivot" a smaller tractor operating a rear blade. Here is a picture of 27" of dry, fluffy stuff that was handled by my previous tractor quite well. I was able to push and pull this stuff with little problem with a 6' blade and 54" bucket with a tractor coming in around 3000#'s..

 

[JButze100]

So I made it back down to the dealer who sold me the tractor...single guy family run small shop all about customer service and honest answers...he had a 5 ft slider blade that was slightly damaged from shipping. (Bent top link bracket) So I made a deal with him and needless to say I got 100 bucks into a new blade. As for how it fits on a max 28...at full angle the blade appears to be a few inches short...a few as in one or two each side... Slight angle clears both tires. So for now we will just have to wait to first snow and see what happen.