3-Point Hitch Using Box blade With No Draft/Float Control

[jimglassford]

I am a home owner and have draft control on both tractors. I also use draft control when using the box blade or back blade. The draft is not really used to set the box blade depth in the ground as it will raise the blade as it fills. However, it can adjust how fast the box blade fills versus the distance traveled. I first work the area with the rippers and box blade, moving the material around. After that, a very light setting on the draft does not allow the box to fill and the results are a very smooth, level area.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Our 1980 didn't have draft. Been like that for a long time now. I level things just fine with it, no problem. Many house pads and such. Just set the lift and dont touch it while moving. I've never seen a road grader with draft, or a dozer, skid steer. Draft is to raise a break plow before you get stuck in the middle of a field.

 

[npalen]

I am a home owner and have draft control on both tractors. I also use draft control when using the box blade or back blade. The draft is not really used to set the box blade depth in the ground as it will raise the blade as it fills. However, it can adjust how fast the box blade fills versus the distance traveled. I first work the area with the rippers and box blade, moving the material around. After that, a very light setting on the draft does not allow the box to fill and the results are a very smooth, level area.

How do you set your position control when doing this final grading? Do you set it all the way down and then adjust the draft control to do the leveling?

" it will raise the blade as it fills" This is what perplexes me. How does one get anything level if the blade is raising and lowering to satisfy the draft setting?

 

[Ed Weber]

flexible top link and gauge wheels

 

[therdriele]

It just takes practice to level with a box blade and no draft control. Depends entirely on how lumpy/stony your soil is. Leveling out a packed gravel road might take a few passes, and some hand picking of bigger stones you pull up, but it can be done. Leveling out a fresh load of pea gravel or 1" stone is one or two passes at most. No amount of fussing or draft control or anything else will allow you to completely level big clumps of sod with a box blade. If you have sod clumps, several passes first with a tiller will help you use a box blade to get a crude leveling, and then final finish by hand or with a roller. Box blades have limitations but being able to adjust the cutting angle by an adjustable toplink is probably more important than draft control, and if what you are leveling is clumpy and stony, you might want to add a York type rake to your stable.

 

[GVTractorGuy]

I think Roustabout touched on it. I'm not an expert but have used both box blade and land planes and they both have the same issue of moving up and down as the tractor drives over hills and bumps. I can't say that draft control will or won't compensate for this, but I don't believe it will. But when thinking about Roustabouts statement about road graders, dozers and skid steers you have to realize that those equipment move the dirt before it is driven over. Therefore the land that it drives over is already smooth and the equipment does not tend to rise and fall. Now, back to box blades, most have a blade edge that allows you to push them. If you push it across the bumps it will tend to smooth them out. My habit with both a box blade and a land plane has become that I push when an area needs smoothing and I pull to fill potholes and crown a road. If I have a large area to smooth I tend to use the land plane as it has wider skids like the 2x4's several people mentioned (and adjustable) adding to the box blade. Much more versatile in my mind.

 

[ljjhouser]

Can't say anything about draft control. Never used it. But you can smooth a road without it using a box blade. The box blade needs to have two blades - most do. But it ides take some practice. When you begin, adjust top link to cut very little with the front blade. Drop the box blade to the road. Then watch it as you lift it until you see the 3pt slightly move it (still on the ground, but little down weight). Now, most important see and know where you 3pt control is set. As you proceed, you can slightly adjust the three pt as the front of the tractor goes down or up, like wise adjust the 3pt. If that is too much change. set the 3 pt and leave it there. Will it be perfect. NO But after some passes, it will be very close. Then set the top link so both blades set flat and make a final run. My driveway is about 600' and gravel. Hard dirt clods and rocks are always a problem with a box blade. Working with a box blade takes practice. But it is a multi-purpose implement. Sometimes, using to bucket to back drag if you have large low areas may be necessary to fill first.

The box blade is a much-discussed implement. Yet, most tractor owners have one. But most owners have to find the best way to use it on their situation.

 

[jdmeth]

Please explain why something that controls based on the amount of pressure applied to the toplink would have no application with a box blade. I have done a huge number of hours of grading with a box blade using draft control. I would hate to think I did it wrong and wasted my time.

Position control and draft control are two different things. Larger tractors have sensor inside the tractor on either the top link or lower arms. If the draft (how hard the the implement is to pull) increases beyond the set amount on the draft control the tractor will lift the implement a bit decreasing the load. As the load decreases the arms are dropped back to where the position control (sometimes called the depth control) is set. Small tractors just have the position control, the implement drops to the set point when you lower it. You do not really have a float position, you just set the stop lower then the implement will go.

Very small tractors (like my JD 1023E) do not have the depth control, just a drop and raise lever. It does not hurt to keep the lever pushed forward, that way the box blade would follow the ground contour. If I had to do a lot of work like that I would use a wire or bungee cord to hold the lever forward.

 

[clay4700]

Hey Folks,

I recent did some culvert repair and extension. I want to level the area with dirt and then gravel it. I have a Mahindra 2555 with with no draft control on the 3-point, and 6’ box blade. The ground is not even, so do you have any recommendations on how to use the box blade to accomplish this without a draft control? I don’t want to end up with lumps of earth every time the tractor bounces over a lump of something. It seems every time I try to smooth something (gravel, dirt, whatever), that is exactly what happens.

Thanks for the help!

Draft control isn’t necessary. Just get the box adjusted right and go slow if you’re working in a small area and keep your hand on the control and feel with your hind end in the seat and try to predict which way you would need to move the box up or down to compensate for the grade you’re traveling over . You’ll get better with practice.

 

[ovrszd]

I've never used draft control when using a BB. I prefer to be in control.