Rear blade options

turkish · Apr 11, 2012

I'm in need of a rear blade for road maintenance in the hilly loess soils of SW MS. I am reasonably confident a blade (not box blade) is what I need, as I need ability to crown, create water bars, and dig shallow ditches. These are deer camp (ATV) roads that don't need to be perfectly smooth -- just need to control drainage some. My tractor is a 35hp 4wd with loader and loaded rear tires, whose color will remain anonymous.

Due to the need for ditches, I feel some offset ability is a must. I need no hydro functionality. So far, I'm set on a Rhino 500, but I haven't priced one yet. I read alot on my searches about Midwest brand blades, but can't find their website -- are they still around? What other input do you guys have?

HCJtractor · Apr 11, 2012

the Monroe Tuf-line look good but I'm not sure if they sell those in your area. i also have seen the Gill (Woods) brand but the Tuf-line looks beefier. It's on my wish list.

94BULLITT · Apr 11, 2012

Do not get a woods rb72 it will be to light duty for your tractor. I have a tuffline gb4-72. It is can be tilted 15 or 30* and it is offsetable 2 feet. The woods hbl-72 is also a nice blade.

Piston · Apr 11, 2012

I have a Land Pride light duty rear blade and I hate it. It's the only light duty implement I have (it came with the tractor when I bought it) and I hardly ever use it. I want to sell it to buy something more heavy duty.

Nothing against Land Pride, I love my heavy duty box blade, it's just that the rear blade is light duty, so don't go light duty. :thumbsup:

GregbkH · Apr 12, 2012

I have the Land Pride RBT 3584 all hydraulic. It is very heavy duty. I've done quit a bit of grading, ditching and road work with it. Make sure you get skid shoes with it.

Thomas · Apr 12, 2012

I been useing Woods RB72 for years not yet a problem...good angle pitch for ditching.

coobie · Apr 12, 2012

We live on a private self maintianed road about 1.5 miles long.I bought a 7ft king kutter heavy duty model that you can also offset.The blade is about 10 years old and has held up very well.Whatever you purchase get the most HD blade you can afford.coobie

easygo · Apr 12, 2012

If you are doing road maintenance I would suggest the gauge-wheels or skid shoes on a heavy duty blade. I think that would provide smoothest results. I have an old fairly heavy 6ft blade that I use mostly for snow. When I redid the drainage in my driveway a few years ago it was a bit of a pain as I have no wheels or skid shoes on mine. I think it is a KingKutter but it is old and no id marking survived.

LD1 · Apr 12, 2012

As others mentioned, you are going to want a heavy duty blade for grading and ditching. But how heavy duty remains the biggest question. And a lot depends on your tractor...or in other words, traction. There are 35HP tractors that only weigh ~2000lbs and then there are some that weigh 4000lbs. That makes a BIG difference in choosing a rear blade. AS does tires.

So if you could clue us in to how much the tractor weighs and wether you have R-4's or Ags.

Other than that, I would get a blade that not only offsets, but tilts. That makes it nicer for ditching. You can get some tilt out of the side link adjustments, but having the blade itself tilt is pretty helpful.

As far as the offset, for ditching, I'd stay away from the "sliding" blades. The ones that the moldboard "slides" out to the side. Instead...get one that the offsets with the hitch. That way the contact point you are pulling against on the blade is still in the middle.

Here is an example of what not to get IMO...Tilt and Angle scrape blades | Free Shipping within 1,000 miles! unless you have the ~2000lb 35HP and R4's

And this is the style of offset that would be stronger...SO-6 Swinging Offset Tractor Scrape Blade 72"

And as always....typically the heavier the blade....the less chance you will destroy it...and the better it will work.