Rent a box blade or a rear scrape blade?

[redalrt]

I have a small compact tractor (Mitsubishi S373 Beaver III). we plan to spread about 4 cu yds. of topsoil to overseed a bare, flat, farly rocky area.

I'm a total noob with using implements other than a 4' bushhog or the same size finish mower.

I've seen the debate on using a box blade vs. rear blade.

Given the above scenario, which of the two should I rent?

I'm sure that with the box blade, its going to be slightly above the ground with the scarifyers retracted to smooth out the hill of dirt I'll be starting out with.

Sorry if this has been discussed before. Thanks

 

[roxynoodle]

I'm debating the same thing myself, so I'll be curious to see what others say. I need to do some driveway leveling and get some ruts out of my yard. I was going to rent one and now I'm leaning toward buying. One reason is I think it would be a good implement to help balance the FEL. It would take up less room than a mower and it would be less likely I'd back into something with it. I'm also thinking the driveway will require future grading. My pickups do tear it up.

 

[MrJimi]

I will have to say, Buy the box blade, you'll have it next time instead of a rental receipt? LOL
Think about it?
Jim

 

[3RRL]

The rear blade is very practical for grading and smoothing but if you're going to be MOVING dirt, the boxblade will come in very handy. You can also grade and smooth with it, as well as rip. Pushing the boxblade in reverse makes a nice "dozer". You can tilt it like the rear blade to "crown your road or cut gutters. I find it my most used implement next to the FEL.

 

[AndyMA]

Personally if I had such a small amount of material to spread, I'd just use the FEL bucket, backblading to fininsh it off. I could finish off 4 yards of material in the time it took to pick up a rear attachment. If I had to rent something I would probably go with the rear blade since it is asier to use and because you can angle it, it would probably spread it out quicker.

Andy

 

[Pooh_Bear]

4 cubic yards of top soil ain't a lot.
Save your money and use a rake and a shovel.
You can have it spread in less time than you can pick up and return either implement.
Save your rental money and buy a box blade when you can.

Pooh Bear

 

[redalrt]

Thanks for the input. My wife and I just moved 5 cu yards of mulch yesterday with a shovel and a pitchfork. While not a lot of mulch, she wasn't real happy about it. I was thinking about how nice it would have been have a FEL on the Beaver III to move that stuff around from place to place. Renting a box blade for 50 bucks is worth it, cause she ain't gonna help me move that much dirt with a shovel. If I have another need for a box blade, I'll guess I'll buy one.

 

[Doc_Bob]

My wife and I just moved 5 cu yards of mulch yesterday with a shovel and a pitchfork. While not a lot of mulch, she wasn't real happy about it. I

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5 yds? Have you lost your mind . My wife would have laughed at me had I suggested she move 5 yds of anything. Get a nice FEL and bucket. Do it to save your marriage .
Bob

 

[AndyMA]

I was thinking about how nice it would have been have a FEL on the Beaver III to move that stuff around from place to place.

Oh sorry, I guess I just assumed that you had a loader.

Andy

 

[roxynoodle]

Ok, I have a loader, which is the most obvious thing to use to move gravel into the ruts I've made in my driveway. Here is my question: Last year I had the crawlspace under my kitchen replaced. As you might imagine it made quite a mess. The dirt next to the kitchen (clay) is all uneven and will be impossible to mow once I plant grass. The semi delivering the block and big steel I-beams drove into my side yard. So did the cement truck pouring the footer. There are huge ruts there, like more than a foot deep. I also need to grade the drive back to the barn. Is a box blade going to be helpful to me? I don't think a rear blade would do much of anything to this mess. I was thinking I would need those sacrificiers on the BB to accomplish anything.

 

[3RRL]

Ok, I have a loader, which is the most obvious thing to use to move gravel into the ruts I've made in my driveway. Here is my question: Last year I had the crawlspace under my kitchen replaced. As you might imagine it made quite a mess. The dirt next to the kitchen (clay) is all uneven and will be impossible to mow once I plant grass. The semi delivering the block and big steel I-beams drove into my side yard. So did the cement truck pouring the footer. There are huge ruts there, like more than a foot deep. I also need to grade the drive back to the barn. Is a box blade going to be helpful to me? I don't think a rear blade would do much of anything to this mess. I was thinking I would need those sacrificiers on the BB to accomplish anything.

Yes you are right Roxy...
The boxblade will knock down the high points of the ruts and fill the low with dirt. You may need to rip it first with the scarifiers down to loosen it up. You can also use your FEL but it was much harder (for me anyway) to get everything smooth even backdragging in "float". You can also use the boxblade to do further maintenance of your gravel road. It will move gravel, rocks or dirt easily (dragging) from one spot to another and you can dump/spread it by elevating the boxblade as you travel. You can drag the boxblade or push backwards with it like a dozer blade too.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

I wouldn't want to spread 1 cubic yard of mulch by hand.
Spreading screened top soil is a whole lot easier. Like spreading sand.

Just let the kids play in it. It will be scattered in no time.

Pooh Bear