Rhino 950 blade

[3Ts]

I've been looking at a Rhino 950 to create the roads and drainage swales on my property. I talked to my Rhino dealer and he told me I don't have enough hydraulic capacity nor enough HP. I'd be using a JD 5055e (~50HP, ~7,000# w/loader, 4wd). Rhino specs say a max HP of 81 for 9' blade & 4wd. Those of you who have a 950 - what are you pulling it with?

It seems to me:
- hydraulic capacity shouldn't be an issue once the cylinders are filled and the tractor system is topped off. The 5055e has just under a 12GPM hydraulic pump, and the adjustments are made with the tractor stopped (I think). Do you move the cylinders while pulling? And if so, do you have any problems with that?
- I intend to use the blade to scrape the dirt from one side to the other to create the road crown & to create gentle swales for drainage. I need the weight to cut into the dirt. I don't intend to make heavy cuts. If I need to move a lot of dirt, I'll make multiple passes or hire a bulldozer. Having said that, I can bury the loader in a pile of dirt and stall the engine if I really want to, so I don't see the issue with not enough HP to pull the blade - just don't take to heavy of a cut.

Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Rustyiron]

I think you'd be fine, with only gravity (down) for cutting, small cuts is what they do best anyway, and that is how you final grade.
Your dealer might have meant you need more remotes, not "capacity". Each cylinder or function will need a valve, that could be 3 or more depending on the blade's hydraulic adjustments.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

You say a 950, but 950 blades come in 8' & 9' widths. IMO a 9' unit is to much for your tractor. Sounds like you are looking at the 9 footer. This would end up being the tail wagging the dog IMO. Other than in the lightest working conditions, simply more blade than you tractor can really handle. I believe that you would be happier with the 8 foot unit.

Just my :2cents:

 

[KWentling]

I've got a 10' on a 12,000 lb. 100 HP 2wd tractor and it's about too much sometimes. And yes, I do adjust the blade on the move. I'd say 9' is too much blade for your tractor.

 

[oosik]

View attachment 517324 View attachment 517325


I got my Rhino 950 - 8ft about six months ago. Its on my Kubota M6040. My M6040 with grapple, loaded rear tires and Rhino rear blade tips the local grain scales at 10,100#. I have a Land Pride 8' blade but its just too light to do dirt work on my mile long driveway. My driveway turns to concrete in the summer and resists most anything short of a nuclear blast.

Even with my 10K pound tractor I would't want to go to the 9' blade. So far I haven't run into any problems using the 8' Rhino. It sure is nice to have a blade heavy enough to cut into my driveway in the summer. Believe me, you know there is a hunk of metal behind you.

BTW - I did not get any hydraulics with this new blade.

A note of caution - when adjusting the blade, say offset, be sure you are on basically level ground or be prepared for the blade to swing rather rapidly to the downhill side. It caught me off guard and almost "graded" me.

 

[oosik]

I don't quite understand what your JD dealer is trying to tell you. Like the others have said - I think you will find the 9' Rhino rear blade is a little too much for your tractor - i.e.- tail wagging the dog. You will be a lot happier and a lot less apt to damage your tractor with the 8'.

That being said - I see no reason why your tractor can't handle the hydraulic requirements of a "fully hydraulically controlled" rear blade. I have a hydraulic top link on the tractor and YES - I most certainly make adjustments while moving. As a matter of fact, I seldom make any top link adjustment while standing still. The offset, angle and tilt are all manual on mine. The idea of hydraulic adjustments is so you are able to make changes while "on the go".

 

[MtnViewRanch]

As we see all to often, dealers giving advice about things that they have never done themselves and actually know nothing about. How often have we heard "why would you want top & tilt for your hitch" and they are right, they wouldn't want it. Many have no idea where, when, why or how the process even works.

It's almost unbelievable that dealers ask me, "What do I need to supply my customer and what does it do?" I'll give those guys credit though, at least they are asking vs just spouting off with some lame uneducated response. :thumbsup:

As far as the OP, like has been said, your tractor will handle ALL of the hydraulics without problem other than needing enough controls to control all of the different functions.

 

[3Ts]

Thanks to y'all. That hydraulic comment from him made no sense to me, especially since I have a backhoe with 6 valves operating 7 cylinders with the biggest being a 3.5" x 24" cylinder. I wanted to get real user input before I go talk to him again. Thanks, and I'll be looking for the smaller blade.

 

[murse72]

I have a land pride RBT40108 and the manual states don't adjust the hydraulic cylinders when blade is loaded or resting on ground or you chance bending it Don't know if rino had the same warning in the manual

 

[LouNY]

I'm going to disagree with the majority here, I pull either a 9 foot JD 115 or an 11 foot Ford.
I pull the 9 with an old IH 574 two wheel drive, i used to pull the 11 with an Oliver 1550 utility.
Yes you can't take a deep cut with a full blade, but when you tilt and angle to cut or clean out a ditch you are only using a couple feet of blade.
Any blade should be wider then your rear tires by at least 4-6 inches each side when angled.
Lou
P.S. my brother uses my 11 foot more than I do now days, he has a little more horsepower then I do my big one now is an 8050 Branson, he uses either the CIH Puma 125, Ford 8050, or one of the Magnums 7110,7120, 7230 they forget it's back there