Using a boxblade?

[Farmall50m]

I just bought a used tractor off a guy and it included a boxblade. I know you use them for grading dirt and some people use them to plow snow, I was wondering how you might use this. I have no manual(s) for anything. I would like to know how to truely use it with and without the teeth, and whatever damage it may cause my tractor if not used properly..

Jon

 

[RonR]

Suggest you don't use the ripper teeth when moving snow (grin).

I'm still a real rookie with mine (no time in snow yet). Probably the easiest way to learn is find some dirt that needs some work and go to it.

Tilting via the top link to adjust the bite angle to allow the front or rear blade to bite easier is one key. I've heard the backing to move snow with a box blade works better than forward.

Best wishes,
Ron

 

[JFarms]

Boxes have many purposes, making roads, grading, leveling, moving material, plowing, breaking up ground generally. Ron gave you great advice, you'll learn more using it than from reading. But read prior posts on this site and you'll pick up lots of tips. Best of luck.

 

[jmc]

Jon,

The biggest wild card for me in getting consistent results with a box blade is dirt getting packed between the front facing blade and rear facing blade. After that, it will only scoop very soft dirt and it just floats over normally compacted dirt. And you really can't see the packing unless you get off the tractor. I've never plowed snow with one so don't know if packing is a problem there. You may want to consider getting an inexpensive grader blade for snow since a box blade can't be angled to push the snow off to the side.

John

 

[Henro]

Farmall64m,

I can't point you at the threads, but I know there have been some good discussions on box blade use here at tbn over the last year or so.

Try doing a search of the tbn archives...don't forget to set the time back far enough to get some hits...you will probably be surprised at what good info you can find on box blade use...

Hope this helps... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[rmonio]

I use my boxblade regularly for grading dirt, driveways, our garden, etc. I have not, however, used it for Snow as I use my FEL for that. I think if I was indeed going to want to plow snow with it, I'd pick up a rear blade so I could angle the snow movement. I also believe the float on the FEL works better than what I can do with my boxblade - therefore since I have a blacktop driveway I would not want to risk not being able to float the boxblade if I was to move snow.

And as another poster pointed out, the box does fill up. At least with the FEL I can just push and then dump later.

Good luck! They are really are indispensible tool and I recommend a boxblade over a rear blade anytime as an initial purchase if you already have the FEL.

-Bob

 

[EastTexFrank]

I find a box blade to be a useful impliment for grading and moving/spreading dirt but one that is difficult to use REALLY well and consistently. You wouldn't think that something so simple would be so difficult to master. I still need a lot of practice with mine but I am getting better. I'll be practicing at the farm next week with it but I don't use it often enough to get very good. I have to keep relearning old lessons but it is fun to tear things up and move stuff around. As others have said, go find some dirt and move it, it's the only way. Lots of luck and enjoy.

 

[Casimir]

The basics:
1. Teeth down to rip and loosen packed soil (DON'T turn sharp with the teeth down, or you will bend your 3-pt arms).
2. Teeth up to move dirt or snow.
3. Tilt the box forward with the toplink until the front blade hits first for digging and moving dirt from high spots to low spots.
4. Tilt the box back with the toplink until the rear blade hits the ground first and the front blade is just off the ground for spreading and leveling.
5. For the final leveling, keep the box tilted back and drive in walking rectangles or figure eights to make sure you hit all areas from several different angles.
6. Practice, practice, practice.... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

You will find a lot of information with a search, but those are the basics.

For snow, I prefer a back blade, but with a box blade I would adjust it so the leading blade (depending on whether you are pushing or pulling) is slightly off the ground unless you have a hard surface, such as concrete or asphalt to keep the blade from digging in and taking a lot of gravel or soil with it /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

 

[SPIKER]

also don't push backwards with lots of dirt rocks when there is a possablility of hitting something as the box blades are generally only built to handel large PULLING for PUSHING forces and will bend the blade arms back into tires ect. also watch when backing with teeth down cause you can puncture tires really fast if the links or something comes loos thy can roll up under the tractor ... see some links such as box blade vs the rock. by "DIYguy" lots of good info he has posted.

other wise watch the sharp corners with it when leveling they are tops. Mine stays on abotu 70% of the work I do with my tractor involves FEL and Box blade in tandem for removing ripping trees shrubs and leveling afterwards.

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[bebster]

Spiker, do you use the box blade to rip up small roots from tree shrubs, or just to level? I've ripped up a lot of trees and junk shrubs, but there are some straggly roots remaining. Too small for a backhoe and too sparse to snag on my FEL toothbar, but too many to leave in the ground and try to plant over them.